16 Ups & 9 Downs For NJPW In 2018

1. Tama Tonga Brings The Cringe

NJPW tried with Tama Tonga during this year's G1 Climax.

The Firing Squad vs. The Elite angle put the Bullet Club OG on a bigger pedestal than ever before, with Tama and buddies Bad Luck Fale and Tanga Loa going out of their way to disrupt many a G1 match. This drew legitimate heat in the buildings. To that end, it kind of worked, but western fans rightly tore into their presentation on social media. It prompted them to zone out, not engage with the Firing Squad as heels, and that's not what booker Gedo had in mind.

Tonga's performances throughout this period were unspeakably awful. He was out of his depth anchoring this major angle, delivering nothing but cringe in his countless attempts at looking cool and aloof. From his stunted mid-match trash talking sessions, to his increasingly embarrassing Twitter activity, to the desperate cry for attention that was his Roman Reigns potshot, Tama exposed himself. He was a goober: a guy playing pro-wrestler, and not at all subversive.

NJPW have reneged on Tonga's push since Jay White seized Bullet Club, and rightly so. This was a disaster. They're best-suited keeping Tama as a tag division stalwart and supporting character in the promotion's top heel stable, as 2018 proved he's ill-suited to anything greater.