Ramblings of an Englishman

For New Japan Pro Wrestling the year 2024 is off to a start where they need to look into a massive rebuild of their company. In the past 12 months or so they have lost Jay White, Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada leaving a hole in the top of their card in such quick order without being able to build replacements for them. It does seem dire but such is the current landscape of the wrestling world. New Japan will have to settle into being the third biggest company in the world unable to match the money that WWE or AEW can offer. I just wanted to cover my thoughts and if it was down to me how I would approach 2024 & 2025 for New Japan Pro Wrestling and booking the company. On the majority of things I'm willing to give New Japan a pass on booking decisions this year. This is a rebuilding year and as such some things will be done. I don't like them hiring Matt Riddle for dates and personally wouldn't but understand they want anyone with a name in wrestling to hope to fill any

With the dust settling and fists meeting fate the story mode for Tekken 8 has given us the conclusion to the feud between the two main protagonists (and sometime antagonists) of the series in Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima and it feels like Tekken 9 will usher in a new era for the story of these games. I wanted to take some time like with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth to go over my thoughts on this instalment and my hopes for the ninth entry in the series. I will say this however, I would be perfectly fine with another Tekken Tag Tournament next instead of Tekken 9. I feel that 9 will have such a shift when it comes to story and characters it may be best for the team and series director Katsuhiro Harada to give themselves some breathing room and thinking time to work over the plot and where to take their world. Plus it would be a nice time to test some things. I’d bring everyone from 7 onwards back including DLC characters. See who people like, who they team with each other and use it

 Spoilers from throughout the Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise Man 25th January 2024 was a fun one. Both Like a Dragon 8 & Tekken 8 both releasing on the same date I had to make a decision on what one to play first. Deciding narrative over fighting I started Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and now just making the final preperations for the final bosses of the game I feel I made a good choice in what game to start (full disclosure I think Tekken 8 is good and the small amount I played I really enjoyed). Being at the end of the game and unfortunately the ending spoilt in some capacity I end up looking to the future. Becomming the series fastest-selling game to date with over 1 million units in the first week we can expect Like a Dragon 9 at some point in the future. So I wanted to go over Like a Dragon 8, what I felt and what I hope for in the future.  With an expanded map and roster of party members I expect us to be visting both Hawaii and Isezaki Ijincho again for the next game, this