NJPW partners with The Roku Channel, weekly one-hour series starting on 2/11

News
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Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2021/02/04/njpw-partners-with-the-roku-channel-weekly-one-hour-series-starting-on-2-11/

During night one of Wrestle Kingdom 15, New Japan Pro-Wrestling made the announcement that their programming would be coming to U.S. and UK TV soon. That news was officially shared today as the company has partnered with The Roku Channel to present a weekly one-hour program at 5 PM on Thursdays.

The one-hour block is going to be available to watch in America, Canada and the United Kingdom. It kicks off on February 11th and additionally, The Roku Channel will have a block of library content from NJPW.

NJPW partners with the Roku Channel in the US, Canada and the UK for new weekly one hour program Thursdays at 5PM.https://t.co/CxRSzLh7QQ#njpw pic.twitter.com/uFHvLwzVD7

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) February 4, 2021

NJPW President Takami Ohbari had the following to say about the announcement:

Our fans in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are among our most loyal, and they have been very clear that they want NJPW’s content made available to them. NJPW is unlike any other pro-wrestling in the world. It is the most athletic, sports-oriented pro-wrestling on the planet, and we are excited to bring our athletes and matches to these markets in such a major way. Thank you to The Roku Channel, and we look forward to a successful partnership that brings NJPW to millions of new fans around the world.

New Japan is wrapping up their New Beginning tour which concludes with two shows in Hiroshima with the final match being Kota Ibushi defending the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships against SANADA.

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Have to assume this’ll look something like the shows produced for AXS? One or two recent major matches, possibly edited down a bit? I’m guessing Kelly (or someone else) will have to re-record commentary, as there are countless NJPW World references, not to mention allusions to previous/upcoming matches on the card which won’t be on the Roku show.

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Yeah, by the end of the AXS run, they were airing matches with their original commentary, slightly edited if at all, so it shouldn’t be a big issue.

I switched from using a Roku to a Fire stick to watch NJPW World through my TV, and now Roku gets this, which isn’t going to win me back.

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The Roku channel is on the Firestick: Roku
It is also on Apple TV if you use AirPlay.

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Ah, good to know. I never would have checked.

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I checked after I saw the Post to see if it was available only for Roku uses and thankfully it is not. I hope the shows does well for New Japan.

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I have never heard of this channel. Surely they could’ve gotten something better?

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What a wimper of an announcement.