10 Things WWE Doesn't Want You To Know About NJPW

3. It Isn't The Minor Leagues

Okada plays the Crystal Maze
By Dick Thomas Johnson [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The sheer scale of WWE is imperative to both its success, and more importantly, the projection of that success.

WWE is the big time, and this is used as a stick with which to beat down anybody who dares argue to the contrary. Curiously, despite WWE positioning themselves as a branch of entertainment, the sports analogy is trotted out as a means of dissuading fans from broadening their horizons. Everywhere else is the minor leagues. As The Miz is often scripted to bark out, you are nothing until you get to WWE. Taken at face value, and sadly too often it is, the lesson imparted is a victory for capitalism over art. Sure, you might see a good wrasslin' match or two, but you'll need to sit in some grim high school gym and suffer through it. Glamour is intoxicating. "I hope WWE signs Indy Sensation X" is a common refrain. The subtext is an obsession with spectacle.

This boast isn't necessarily true, useful though it is; New Japan draws major crowds to its Wrestle Kingdom events at the cavernous Tokyo Dome, at which Kevin Dunn is given a run for his money in the spectacular entrances department. Kazuchika Okada's legendary fourth reign with the IWGP Heavyweight title has boosted attendance in smaller arenas to an often five-figure extent, too.

New Japan Pro Wrestling is a big deal. Really, the extravagance is one of few objective strings to the WWE bow. With that grip loosening, it's little wonder the rhetoric is maintained.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!