What can David Finlay do to improve his act and step up as the top gaijin?

28 comments

1. Change his promo style and be more physically imposing. When he first took over, he was a dog in the ring. He was a fighter. Now he’s doing the whole coward shtick and he’s lazy. It’s boring and it’s unbelievable.

2. This’ll sound simplistic but get big wins and have good matches. NJPW is viewed as a work rate based company’s particulary to western fans. If dude wants to lose the stink of being Juice’s less charismatic friend that’s how.

   Could also just wait out ZSJ and tama getting signed stateside. The greatest victory, default.

3. A shit tonne of testosterone

4. Blud needs to speak less like EVIL but unfortunately can’t because has been positioned as the leader who barks loud and enjoys being the villanous orator, but can’t hold a candle to his guys and has the occasional cadence of a Wheeler Yuta. It’s just a case of being miscast since “The Rebel” in Hontai fit him so much because he had a chip on his shoulder. He can carry himself well in the ring so that aspect is covered.

5. I honestly feel like Finlay and the War Dogs would benefit from ditching Gedo and rely less on the cheating aspects like HOT does; be the vicious brawlers that they started out as, who cheat when they have too.

6. I don’t see anything. Gabe just overshadows him in every way.

   You don’t just suddenly step up every element of your game. Finley is good at everything but great at nothing. He doesn’t have one core strength to lean into, he’s slightly above average at everything.

   Those guys can really only elevate things by being willing to take crazy bumps repeatedly – which I don’t really see him doing or recommend

7. He needs to do whatever the rest of the war dogs are doing in the gym firstly

8. Homeboy has got no bass in his voice and does not come off as intimidating.

   He’s not being helped by having to cheat to beat Tanga Loa. And he looked ridiculous with that gigantic hammer that looked it was from a Mario game.

   Moloney clears him

9. Overall I liked the way he was being booked until he lost the NEVER belt. I don’t get why Gedo made him cheat to beat fucking Tanga Loa, it made him look like shit. Being this savage who doesn’t always need to cheat was what made him different as a heel so they should keep doing that.

10. Quit acting(and looking) like Great Value Switchblade.

    Cardblade is a more believable fake Jay White than that guy is.

11. Be zack sabre jr.

    But seriously, I think he need to improve his presence, his in ring skills aren’t bad but aren’t top of the company level

12. Actually have his own shtick.

    Not just a crappier version of Jay White.

    It’s more a problem when the other War Dogs have more of a personality than their leader

    I mean…I hate Gabe Kidd and don’t get the love he gets (bruv) but he at least has a character that is distinct from Coughlin, Drilla and Connors

13. Go back to being the loner. He was heading somewhere

14. become believable basically get rid of wat ever tf he’s doing now

15. Short answer, no

16. Big wins. Work on his physique and he needs a moment similar to if not better than when he took out Jay.

17. Why we ignoring ZSJ?

18. When you’re the BC jobber, you can’t just become the leader without a MAJOR win under your belt.

19. I think he’s fine just move him away from Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa

20. Get in insane ripped shape like Jay was

    Part of being a leader is looking like you can beat the shit out of anyone in your stable

21. Have a few undeniably great matches. You can nitpick any wrestler about this and that but if they regularly perform at high level then those complaints remain minor.

22. Part of the problem is that Gedo has put too much pressure on him. He may be starting to crack.

23. ZSJ should have been the new BC leader…

24. Get in better shape and have better matches the rest will come by itself over time

25. Time & rivalry. He needs his Okada (Kenny), Tanahashi (Jay), or Shingo (Ospreay) to really fly. Problem is it’s not really clear who that could be. Naito & Sanada seem paired in that regard, maybe it can be Okada but he’s not close to that level yet.

26. Man, I just don’t think its gonna work.

27. For one, New Japan needs to stop trying to make him Jay White 2. It’s just not gonna happen. We know you’re upset you lost big villain, Gedo, but Finlay is *not* gonna be able to fill those shoes. Second is Finlay should not be wrestling prolonged matches. His entire character, when it’s going well, is as the no nonsense asskicker, so him being a weaseling, manipulative fucker who cheats and stalls to catch his opponents out doesn’t quite fit. What he *should* be doing is going in and running over folks in sub-10 minutes. Finlay was putting on good to great matches in 2022 as well, people were raving that he had a great G1 performance that year, so we know it can happen.

    As for physique I think this might just be the downside of Finlay genetics. His old man also didn’t seem able to tone up his physique either no matter how much he worked at it, and just seemed to be eternally kinda pudgy, but Fit had that naturally stout and stocky sort of build so it actually helped sell the street brawler from dublin aesthetic his character had. David’s naturally lanky build means it just can’t come across, unfortunately.

28. To me don’t change a thing, I love Finlay cuz he’s a total poser, ever leader before were naturally cool and he’s just a giant tryhard. But I can see ppl wouldn’t be into that