Do we think NJPW was building someing in 2020 with SANADA being the only member without a belt

18 comments

1. I literally don’t remember those 3 holding the never 6 man belts

2. At the time I thought it was leading to him turning on Naito to join Bullet Club, but I had the wrong member!

3. nah, not everything is long term booking

4. I don’t think it was that long term but I do think they would’ve pulled the trigger on SANADA much sooner. Momentum for SANADA was there before Covid limiting crowd interaction. Obvs who knows but I could easily see SANADA turning in 2020 near the end of the year with EVIL turning some time after.

   Plans change of course and I don’t know anything but that sounds right if I remember the timeline correctly.

5. Most likely ….. during G1 2019 there was talk on commentary about EVIL “possibly looking at joining another faction” …

   So, that tease was a year in the making.

6. He looked like their fucking butler…

7. Goddamn Sanada with that drip holding the IWGP IC would rule so hard

8. Yew gedo was but he had to change plans bc of the pandemic

9. I think so but it wasn’t just not having the belt. I could be wrong but if I remember correctly SANADA started showing signs that he wasn’t happy with the group. Like stopped throwing up the fist with LIJ after matches and such. Then it just stopped and he went back to normal. I THINK because bookers decided to do the heel turn with EVIL.

10. I believe it was a swerve. NJPW set up the 2020 Cup as if SANADA was winning. But I believe EVIL turn and win was always meant to happen.

11. I have no reason to believe so. He’s held other titles since and before this photo.

12. I thought it was intentional. There was a few other signs there, I can’t recall the specifics but I remember at the time there was like an offhand comment about SANADA needing to catch up with the rest of the faction with titles.

13. Who is the woman in the mask?

14. Think it was just a case of them not having a belt free for him to hold and wanting him in a singles match at the dome, Shingo was about to face Goto and SANADA/Zack was a better match on paper than EVIL/Zack

    I suspect they would’ve played into as a bait and switch, like SANADA angling as if he was going to leave and then reaffirming his alliance with LUJ when EVIL turned

15. The G1 in ’19, I really , really thought SANADA was going to win it.

    And we all had it wrong….

    *Because , everything is evil*

16. They probably had a certain idea or direction they wanted for SANADA if he was available long term, but I don’t believe that it was long term booking per se.

17. Long term booking freaks coming out

18. They’ve been building “something” with several people for so many years.