The vast majority of the million+ viewers who watched AEW Dynamite last week have probably never known the joy of shouting KAZE NI NARE along with Minoru Suzuki’s theme music.
So they didn’t even know to be outraged when Tony Khan & team didn’t give Suzuki his full entrance for his main event match with Jon Moxley on Sept. 8. Luckily for them, Wrestling Twitter was on the case.
Now I feel a little less stupid for being this salty about them cutting off Kaze ni Nare pic.twitter.com/D3Lor4UgMR
— Justin Whang (@JustinWhang) September 9, 2021
Over the next several days, legitimate complaints turned into a meme...
"I talked to Vince, and he goes 'You have to cut off Kaze ni Nare in Cincinnati.' I can't do that, I can't. I described to Vince I'd just as soon blow my brains out, what you're asking me to do."
— Andrew Rich (@AndrewTRich) September 13, 2021
- Bret Hart on The Suzuki Incident https://t.co/IIRBPyQ5s7 pic.twitter.com/nGfrSJqQTe
"Let me tell you something, brother. Did you know I wrote Kaze Ni Nare?" Yeah brother, I wrote it for me for my Japan tours, but I decided to give the song to a young Hulkamaniac named Minoru instead."
— Juan C. Reneo (@ReneusMeister) September 13, 2021
-Hulk Hogan on the Suzuki incident. https://t.co/4f3rsT00Hu pic.twitter.com/1tY0CgykSv
Dark Side Of The Ring - The Suzuki Incident. pic.twitter.com/nsoYNFh3Pl
— Bonafide (@ItzBonafide) September 13, 2021
Several AEW talents have chimed in, including a former Voice of the Voiceless who will be on commentary during Dynamite this week...
I will address the Suzuki incident. You’re welcome. https://t.co/pFpcjS93fD
— player/coach (@CMPunk) September 14, 2021
That probably won’t be a one-off joke from CM Punk, either. As they did with another, more prominent production snafu involving Mox, it seems AEW might be integrating “The Suzuki Incident” into their kayfabe.
Before Moxley & Kingston answer for The Suzuki Incident, what Suzuki-gun @suzuki_D_minoru + Lance Archer perceived as disrespect last week to the legend Suzuki, tomorrow night Mox & Eddie will try to settle the score for last month’s savage attack by 2point0 LIVE on #AEWDynamite! pic.twitter.com/bzeysVRF6u
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 14, 2021
Did Mox “order” Suzuki’s theme song be cut in order to make more time for his entrance in his hometown of Cincinnati? Is that going to the basis for a Moxley & Eddie Kingston feud with Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer? Is that awesome or cringe?
We’ll see how it plays out as the storyline transitions from social media to the screen tonight. Can’t say AEW doesn’t listen to their customers...