I am about to become insufferable.
I am going to be THAT Guy. I’m going full Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons with this. I am winding back the clock on my years of maturity as a wrestling fan to become the most irritatingly whiny, self-centered dude that I can. I am overflowing with salt and spite and it needs an outlet.
Yes, this is a rant about Mox going over Naito.
I hate this. Hate it, hate it, hate it, HATE IT. I haven’t been this angry about a wrestling decision in probably ever. And I like Mox! I’m a fan! But this has gotten me so angry that I am fully prepared to go full Jim Cornette with Mox slander.
I’ve heard people rationalize this. People talk about international markets, storytelling, what’s best for business, on and on and on. Maybe they’re right. Maybe, in a big picture perspective, putting the belt on Mox might be the right call. Maybe it will backfire. I don’t know.
And I don’t care. I’m not a booker. I’m not a promoter. Ticket sales, market value, all that stuff might mean something to the company, but none of that goes into my pocket. And right now, I don’t care about the big picture.
What I am is a wrestling fan. I like to go to wrestling shows, suspend my disbelief, and cheer the guys I like and boo the guys that I don’t. I want my favorites to win, because sometimes, being a mark is fun. All this behind the curtain stuff doesn’t matter to me right now. I fully intend to be 100% selfish here.
Naito is my favorite wrestler. He got me back into wrestling back when I was growing disillusioned with the whole business back in 2016. I became a New Japan fan specifically because of him.
And I made my peace that his career is winding down, that this was probably his last run on the top. So when it was announced that the World Heavyweight title would be defended at Resurgence, which I had already gotten ringside tickets for, I was so excited, because I would get to see my favorite defend the biggest title during his last run. I started counting down the days, certain that this was a sure thing, because the title NEVER changes hands on foreign shows. Defended, yes, but never changes hands. Surely the Mox match was just another defense, and I would get to see my boy as champion.
Well, now I don’t get to. This was my one and only shot to get to see Naito in a major main event match defending the big title, and it’s gone, because *this* just had to be the one single time that they switch the belt on a Strong show. I’ll never have that chance again.
Yeah, I know I’m being whiny here. I know people are tired of the bitching. But I really, really wanted this, and now it’s gone.
by TakerFoxx
