ICHIBAN: WHY AEW NEEDS SUZUKI GUN.

It's been just over a year and a half since AEW first broke onto American airwaves with the intention of changing the landscape of the wrestling world and what a change it has not been. At 17 months deep, it has been clear that the companies short comings are becoming all too obvious for most to see. With all the hype in the world and the most over faction, the elite, being positioned into roles to help the company grow, it has singularly fallen short of what was expected from it.

It cannot be argued that the fledgling company doesn't have the talent to make it a true alternative to the only mainstream wrestling product in America, boasting the likes of Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks as their figure heads of star power whilst being matched with workhorse talent like Shawn Spears, MJF and FTR to give the rest of their roster something to build on.

Yet, it would also be true to say that in spite of the talent at the company's disposal that there are some very real problems that even the most die hard of AEW fans must acknowledge.

It was my most fervent wish that from the Apex of AEW's creation that this company would be a true alternative to the mainstream wrestling product, or in the very least, a style more in keeping with that being shown in New Japan Pro Wrestling. I was hoping that the torrid storyline style booking of the last decade and a half might be left behind in favour of a more serious, sports based style that would, at least on the surface, appear more legitimate than its counterpoint in the states.

What a true shame it has been that out of the litany of talent at their fingertips, AEW has shown itself to be more of a boys club for the Elite and their friends as opposed to being a vehicle to make new stars and ignite a new golden age for the industry.

Now while it can be argued that the company does indeed possess stars such as Chris Jericho (who's done an amazing job as the inaugural champion), Jon Moxley (who we've yet to scratch the surface of what he can do) and FTR (who time will only tell how they will enhance the Tag division), it can also be argued that they have gotten over in spite of the lack luster booking. The booking vision of those in charge has managed to get those major players, the ones responsible for AEW coming into being, to lose their awe while also failing to elevate those who had the potential to truly define AEW as an alternative.

Instead, such booking failures as the hokey characters in the Dark Order getting piled together in haphazard fashion and the underutilized potential of The Butcher & The Blade in favour of flashy no selling high spot matches that elevated no-one has shown just how those with their hands on the booking pen can't get out of their own way.

This of course is not the only problem. A clear lack of properly defined faces & heels has shown a severe lack of creativity on behalf of the bookers in charge as well as a true lack of modern wrestlers (with the exception of MJF) willing to be hated.

It is here that Minoru Suzuki and Suzuki Gun can truly help to elevate AEW into becoming a player promotion.

"He's vicious, he'll attack anyone. Any wrestler or stable or wrestling organisation. Even with fans or staff, he's relentlessly brutal. Minoru Suzuki, the general, that's who you have to watch out for the most. A dirty fighter to the core, everything is a weapon to him. On top of that, Minoru Suzuki has an array of deadly techniques. He'll use calculated submission techniques and slowly break his opponent down to secure victory. He's not only got a mind for pro wrestling but also a deep knowledge of fighting techniques. He's terrifying" - TV announcer Shinpei Nogami.

At 52 years of age, Suzuki has lead something of a journeyman's life across the Pro Wrestling landscape. Having trained at a young age in freestyle wrestling (AKA: Catch Wrestling) before moving on to training as a pro in the New Japan Dojo in 1988, Suzuki has the intelligence to know how to present himself as a credible threat in and out of the ring. As a part of one of the last embers of a generation of wrestlers who were trained in the true art of Pro Wrestling, Suzuki knows that showing himself as a truly intimidating presence means not being loved outside of the ring. When you throw in his MMA credentials as well then you have the perfect recipe for a heel that is truly needed in AEW.

While Suzuki and his stable, Suzuki Gun (Aka the Suzuki Army) have been known to show their worth in their current home of New Japan Pro Wrestling, they have often had to play second fiddle to the other more popular factions. In a company that boasts not only the finest roster of young talent in the wrestling game but also the most popular factions in Bullet Club, L.I.J. and CHAOS it is understandable to see how Suzuki Gun got lost in the shuffle.

When the anarchist faction returned to New Japan back in 2017 they had just come off the heels of a dynamite run in Pro Wrestling NOAH. The beautiful sadist lead his army to NOAH and had severely dominated the rival promotion in singular fashion. At one point, Suzuki Gun were in possession of every title the promotion had to offer, showing its dominance to one and all.

They were over and they reveled in the hatred of the crowd. It would be right to believe that had NOAH and NJPW's working relationship not fallen apart due to internal conflicts then Suzuki Gun would have been a mainstay in the Emerald promotion and thus been able to stave off the company's eventual slow decline.

Suzuki and his army returned in spectacular fashion and immediately inserted themselves into the title landscape but there was one problem. Too many factions now had to co-exist in an already stacked landscape. Suzuki and his men were respected and booked properly but never in the dominant way they should have been and, while he was always considered a worthy contender to IWGP heavyweight title, it would be fair to say that no-one in the office saw the aging Suzuki as the main event title holder they needed.

Earlier this year it was reported that Suzuki was unhappy with the direction in New Japan and might be leaving the company for a future unknown to us all. This lead to a whirlwind of speculation as to where he would go. As of writing, Suzuki has elected to remain with New Japan but the fantasy booking that emerged was interesting to say the least.

While the reality of Suzuki's situation might painfully obvious to see what is also painfully obvious is just how the former MMA star and his army could truly help AEW.

AEW has an abundance of young talent that has never been taught the ABC's of wrestling. Sure, they put on spectacular matches with amazing moves and plenty of high flying acrobatics but why has this singularly failed to deliver in the ratings? As of this week's latest viewing stats, AEW Dynamite has yet to crack the one million viewership, not quite the spectacular numbers owner Tony Kahn was hoping for.

The use of storytelling as well as how to sell what moves and when has been truly abandoned by a large portion of the AEW roster. The high risk moves are given little credence to reality and therefore the casual viewer is forced to call bullshit on most matches they watch on Wednesday nights.

If there is one thing the Suzuki army could bring to AEW it's not only a credible threat in their presentation but also a sense of legitimacy. I have already praised the virtues of Suzuki's mindset along with his array of legitimate skills but that does not mean he is alone in this. His Tag team partner, Zack Sabre Jr, is one of the finest submission experts the UK has ever produced. Each hold he latches onto his opponents looks tight and real, lending an air of true heelish work to his style.

"You're going to hand over EVERYTHING to us! Including your precious belt! I don't need asking, I'll take what I want by force! We're Suzuki Gun, Number one!" - Minoru Suzuki.

Imagine what would happen if Zack came into AEW and immediately took up arms against Orange Cassidy. Cassidy's gimmick might have been fine for the independent circuit but once you have seen the "Wrestling Sloth" do his gimmick once it gets stale after that. Zack is an artist who takes his craft seriously, it is entirely believable that he would go in there and stretch Cassidy simply to make a point that he doesn't want him in wrestling. This would be Zack's chance to shine on a national level and also allow Cassidy to be taken seriously as opposed to the joke gimmick he currently is.

The Holy Emperor Taichi, Suzuki Gun's young brash upstart member, has channeled the spirit of the late great Randy Savage in his use of his valet Miho Abe. More often than not he has thrown her into harms way so as to save himself, expertly showing his use of classic old school villainy.

The perfect opponent for Taichi would of course be "The Bad Boy" Joey Janella. Janella has shown to be one the young wrestlers who has been truly lost in the shuffle and is in severe need of a feud to bring out the best of what he can do. In Taichi he could find his Japanese counter part. Both men have shown that they have an aptitude for using valet's and know how and when to use them, teamed with an appropriate female manager and given enough time to get the act over, Janella and Taichi could have a feud truly worthy of both men.

The tag team of Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado are, at least in my opinion, one of the true old school heel tag teams in the business. Their feud with Sho & Yoh of Roppongi 3K were absolute classics that did not get the recognition they deserved yet were a true staple of the Junior Heavyweight tag division.

With Kanemaru & Desperado taking on the likes of FTR, The Young Bucks, Page & Omega the tag team division could be hotter than ever. Everyone could get elevated and everyone would get over. Their heelish tactics could be perfectly utilised to occupy other teams while the money teams are doing the major work. They could also be used to help elevate those that have not had a true chance to shine eg: Private Party and Butcher & Blade.

AEW has some clear main event talent but few of them can be taken as seriously as "The King" Minoru Suzuki. With an appropriate mouthpiece, Suzuki could get himself over and show the likes of Omega, Moxley, Cody and others what it truly means to elevate the status of not only a championship but a company full stop. If he was utilised as the unstoppable force we the fans know him to be then nothing but good things can come from an AEW & Suzuki Gun relationship.

All of this is simple fantasy booking but it is undeniable that Suzuki Gun could be the boon AEW needs amidst the sea of talent that all blend together in their presentation, Suzuki and his army could be the stabilizing influence the company sorely needs along with giving it much needed direction.

"If you look at the wrestling factions right now, I hate to say it, but Suzuki Gun has the power to change the landscape of Pro Wrestling as we know it" - TV announcer Shinpei Nogami.