WWE Vs. NJPW: Head To Head

5. Storytelling

Daniel Bryan Kazuchika Okada
WWE

It is at this point laughable to accuse WWE of an inability to map out long-term storylines. The company cannot even spin plates anymore.

On last week’s SmackDown, Ali defeated Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura (via "fluke") ahead of a presumed title clash at SummerSlam. On this week’s SmackDown, with that plan dropped, Ali lost to Dolph Ziggler in order to build the Show-off ahead of his SummerSlam match against Goldberg.

And, if it wasn’t the plan, WWE accomplished something worse than trademark negligence: creative intentionally weakened a Champion and a challenger for no reason. Does Ziggler now replace Ali in the race to contend for Nakamura’s title? Has this even been considered? It can’t even happen: both Ziggler and Nakamura are heels, and in WWE’s binary universe simply will not compete against each other.

WWE’s storytelling is in utter disarray.

In NJPW, the sporting framework yields storytelling in a realistic byproduct entirely worthy of investment. The mathematical precision of the Okada/Tanahashi legacy rivalry; the audacious debut tournament runs that get acts over instantly and create a launchpad for long-term feuds; the distinctions in tier that frame eventual wins as colossal achievements: the sporting element breeds entertainment in New Japan, where in WWE, sports entertainment is a chaotic mess of a philosophy.

Scorecard: WWE 0-6 NJPW

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!