7 Things WWE Can Learn From NJPW

2. Don't Force Moments

Kazuchika Okada
WWE.com

Every year, WrestleMania comes along with the grandeur expected of the biggest night in sports entertainment. Every wrestler strives to have their very own 'WrestleMania Moment', a moment on the big stage that will stay with them throughout their career. The problem with this is that more often than not they seem to be forced, and a moment for the sake of a moment is barely a moment at all.

Moments can only take on the resonance they are supposed to if allowed to build organically and explode as such. It was nice seeing Zack Ryder push The Miz off the top of the ladder and claim the Intercontinental Championship, but it was clear that it was diluted. It was short term, a quick feel-good moment with no legs whatsoever.

If we use the most obvious example from NJPW in recent years, when Kazuchika Okada defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 10 and finally became the ace of New Japan, it was a huge moment for all involved. Everyone and their dog saw it coming, but it was supposed to happen, and it felt huge for being allowed to build to that point.

Contributor
Contributor

Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.