The comments don't seem that bad. Most people just seem to think he would be better off going to WWE which I agree with.
I'm like a quarter through the thread and here's some of the brainrot that caught my eye so far:
Aside from what most others in the thread have already said, I think the worst thing New Japan can do going forward (aside from continuing to work with AEW)
I don't watch either but aew fans are way more annoying on the whole. It's very patronising to be like don't worry little buddy okada can still do a kingdom. On balance I'm happier he went to aew because it shows the wwe aren't really that serious about going after the Japanese market but once they leave Japan I don't give a shit. I'd rather no US wrestling discourse here at all frankly.
AEW constantly buries NJPW talent
I don't want to but it is really annoying when AEW fans come here just to talk about AEW whenever they get the chance. I don't wanna think about the "bangers" that they're fantasy booking with the Nooj wrestlers. No, Moxley doesn't deserve to be IWGP champ. I don't care what Kingston is doing in the middle of BOSJ.
Yeah, it's weird how many New Japan fans don't like the promotion that signed away 3/4s of their main event in the past year and will do so again at the soonest opportunity.
It doesn't help that the AEW sub is rubbing it in hard.
"The good guys win again".
Fucking vomit.
And they sit around and wonder why most of the IWC despises them and runs them out of communities. Already have a few in this thread coming over to gloat, and I'm sure they're over on the WWE sub rubbing it in too.
No, I get that and understand it's part of the business. I had no issue with AJ, Nakamura, and Kushida leaving for WWE. My specific issue with this is AEW is supposed to be a partner promotion, yet they actively work to hurt New Japan by signing away their top stars. You don't see New Japan rolling up to CMLL and going, "Soberano, Mistico, and Atlantis Jr., how would you like to have us double your salary while working a fourth of your current dates?" That's not how a partner should act.
They're being blamed because they're exploiting a "partnership" to lure away talent and actively harm their "partner" promotion. You don't think there were hallway conversations between Okada, Ospreay, Aussie Open, etc., and AEW officials when they worked AEW, talking about money, dates, and booking plans?
Here comes the Drizzlemaker.
AEW was not a great choice for Okada. I agree with the comments that allude to his aura being lost in a month. There are too many examples of this happening not to believe that this will not occur to Okada. Bryan Danielson, Jay White, Adam Cole, Kenny Omega, Miro, Moxley are just a few names I can think of. He will be poorly booked guaranteed.
From the NJPW standpoint I just don’t get it. They’ve lost so many stars to AEW and seemingly are ok with it. Yeah you can still get them for some big shows but this partnership seems very one sided.
You have to wonder if Okada still leaves had he not worked AEW and gotten his head turned by the guys there who totally weren't whispering in his ear. If you're New Japan after this, you immediately cut all contact with AEW and treat them as the hostile, rival promotion they are. I hope it doesn't take losing someone like Tsuji or Umino in two years for them to wake up.