July 20, 2020 Observer Newsletter: NJPW Dominion and the return of fans, more
New Japan Pro Wrestling was the first major company to shut down, the one that took their financial lumps as much as any other major company for doing so, and this past weekend became the first major to open up with live crowds with shows on 7/11 and 7/12 in Osaka Jo Hall.
In the most unique year in pro wrestling, and life, the first two shows had a few themes. The biggest is the hope that putting nearly 4,000 fans in the building on two nights will end up being safe and they can continue to run shows before crowds. The second was the unique crowd reactions. New Japan asked the fans not to cheer or boo or make noise with their mouths, and only clap. And while there were exceptions, and some booing of Evil, the star of the weekend as far as booking, for the most part, the crowd was silent except for the constant clapping up and down the shows.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.