WWE loves to tout the fact that a subscription to its streaming network only costs $9.99, and to be sure, it's a great deal. Though the current product is stale, monthly Pay-Per-View events (which are part of the network package) can usually be counted on for one or two great matches apiece, and the archived content from years past is worth the price of admission. Still, the WWE Network isn't the best value in wrestling - NJPW's New Japan World is, and at 999 Yen a month (currently $8.67) it's not only more entertaining than the network, it's cheaper. Like the WWE Network, New Japan World has a cache of past matches uploaded for streaming on demand and live events available for viewing on computer or mobile devices. The difference is depth of the live content, as well as the sheer quality. New Japan World typically broadcasts at least four live shows a month, including the company's Pay-Per-View events, which typically blow even WWE's best offerings out of the water. During major tournaments, even more shows air. Last year, the entire G1 Climax tournament - the best annual match series in all of wrestling - was available for the regular monthly price. Bouts such as Hiroshi Tanahashi versus AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura versus Kazuchika Okada, and tournament final Tanahashi versus Nakamura were a steal at 999 Yen. The WWE Network may be popular, but any fan without New Japan World is missing out.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
