Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Pro Wrestling; New Japan Pro Wrestling 2017: The Brilliance of Jericho


The fact that we're going to be treated to what could be a true once in a lifetime event like this is amazing. This year has been a banner year for Kenny Omega. He's finally broken out into the minds of the wrestling world as a world class performer. I've been on the Omega bandwagon going back to 2006 - 2007. The guy had something about him that made him must watch to me. Now all these years later he's proven to be one of the best performers in the world. Now enter Chris Jericho to help push Omega to even higher heights.


Now that Kenny Omega will be facing Chris Jericho for the New Japan, United States Championship on Thursday, January 4, 2018 at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in the Tokyo Dome we have a show that will probably surpass WrestleMania again. This years Wrestle Kingdom was better than WrestleMania. Next years is looking to continue that trend but I think Jericho being apart of it gets the credit. His participation in the event will garner main stream attention which will help promote the show. His match will probably be the match before the main event so he'll have a very important spot on the show. He'll get that spot because after all he is Chris Jericho.


For the first time in 20 years he'll be competing for N.J.P.W. The thing is I wonder what he will do after the show. The expectation is that he'll do Wrestle Kingdom and than go back to World Wrestling Entertainment and be in the Royal Rumble 2018. And later have a match at WrestleMania in New Orleans. I hope this does not happen. As much as people expect this I think Jericho is smarter than that and will do the smartest thing he can do. I think he'll take this year to be away from W.W.E. There are a few reasons for this so I'll lay them out for you.


First if I'm in charge of N.J.P.W. I want Jericho to stay for one reason, Hiroshi Tanahashi. Right now Tanahashi is the Intercontinental Champion of N.J.P.W. He's also in need of triceps surgery. Tanahashi has a triceps injury that requires surgery and rehab time afterwards. The problem is he's one of the biggest stars in the company. If he takes time off there's a worry that the company may loose money on tickets sales. They would need someone to be able to carry his share of the load long enough for him to get healthy again. Enter the greatest Intercontinental Champion in W.W.E. history Chris Jericho. Jericho is a nine time I.C. Champion in W.W.E. A match between him and Tanahashi would be amazing. Jericho could be the catalyst to Tanahashi working an injury angle to go get his surgery done. Jericho carrying the I.C. title would give it even more credibility and star power. By the time Tanahashi comes back by say Wrestle Kingdom 14 in 2019 there's your I.C. title match for that show. Jericho being challenged by Tanahashi could be the year long storyline that N.J.P.W. needs to keep Jericho in the main event picture but also help Tanahashi.


Next if N.J.P.W. has Jericho as the I.C. Champion he could work with their younger and older talents to develop talents and keep certain talents relevant. At 47 years old I don't think Jericho will need to work the G1 Climax 2018. But he could have a few matches throughout that period that help carry some of the lesser shows. People already know about Jericho versus Omega. Jericho versus Okada, Tanahashi or Naito would be great. I'm thinking more in line of Ishii, Suzuki, Goto, Robinson, Elgin, Trent, Kojima, Nagata, Sanada, Evil, Liger, Ospreay, Kushida, and Yano. Jericho can work the young, old, any weight class, foreign or domestic stars in matches that would actually matter. They don't need to be ten star matches but just having them would elevate the shows the matches take place in.


The next point is actually two things he's doing on his own. First is his rock band Fozzy. They just released their newest album Judas to rave reviews. The band has been touring in support of the album for a while. The title track has been their most successful song ever with over one million views of the video on YouTube. Jericho will look to keep the momentum going by not having to work a W.W.E. schedule but be able to wrestle when, where, and who he wants to wrestle. And by the way he has a new book out on sale. Then there is his wrestling cruise. Yes, he's putting together ad wrestling meets rock and roll themed cruise ship from Florida to the Bahamas. The cruise is in October of 2018 so he'll need time to make sure things go great for the cruise. I'm imagining Jericho being surprised by the appearance of Tanahashi as an angle that could be worked into their storyline. The point being that he would need time to make sure his cruise goes the way he wants it to go.



Here's some points people aren't considering but they do speak to the brilliance of Jericho. People know that Jericho worked for E.C.W., W.C.W. and W.W.E. but they forget that he worked in Canada, Japan and Mexico. He was an independent wrestler before he became a superstar. Well now he can go back to being an indy wrestler at a time when indy wrestling at a time when it's not only very popular but also very profitable. I wouldn't be surprised if Jericho worked at a Ring of Honor show. After all on his cruise will feature a wrestling show put on by Ring of Honor. So I don't it being a big leap for him wrestling in a R.O.H. ring. And by the way N.J.P.W. has a working relationship with R.O.H. So, no big stretch there.


Now here's something that is a curve ball but stick with me. This year Ring of Honor will have it's annual year end show called Final Battle from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Well next year they will probably have the event in the same venue again. Also next year Daniel Bryans W.W.E. contract expires at the end of September. Back in 2009 Bryan Danielson had his last match in a R.O.H. ring at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Well, what if in December 2018 at Final Battle 2018 he makes a surprise return. And his first challenge is to Chris Jericho. This is a match that could take place in either R.O.H. or N.J.P.W. I know Cody or Omega would be great choices also but I think for name value starting with Jericho first would be smart. Save Omega for WrestleMania weekend if he was still with N.J.P.W. at that time. In that regard Jericho gets to be the catalyst in another big main event match. Plus the irony of Daneilsons first WWE match was against Jericho. Now his first match back on the indies would against the same man.



Going beyond that there is all that lovely merchandise money. The List of Jericho was a great bit of merch from nothing more than a $2 clipboard. Now his creativity I'm sure his OneHourTees shirts store will be filled with many Shirts, Scarves, Shorts of Jericho. As well as Fozzy merchandise can all be sold on the cruise, his website and at any indy wrestling show he'll be one. With his being Chris Jericho I'm sure he'll make a killing at the merch table. And if Jericho can make money I'm sure he'll have friends who want to come along and make money too. Don't forget he has a podcast and a podcast network so advertising his shows will be easy. Bringing in other talents will also be easy. Thinking that at 47 years old he could have a profitable and prolific year outside of W.W.E. is brilliant. I just hope that he does it instead of just going back to W.W.E. to do mid-card things. This could be the year that reminds people that he's a main event star and should be treated as such. But no matter what we will all be treated to the brilliance of Jericho.

+WWE
www.fozzyrock.com
www.vevo.com
www.chrisjerichocruise.com
www.jimcornette.com
www.whatculture.com


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