Apparently the ambulance story is a bit more complicated than simply the ambulance being late or someone prank calling the ambulance company.
The story about someone claiming the show was cancelled was legit but NJPW had a replacement one arrive on time. Problem was it came from the NY fire department which meant they legally needed two at the venue in case one had to leave for an emergency.
Somehow that led to 4 ambulances being at the venue with the 2 from the fire department getting sent away and 2 from an ambulance company staying. NY Commission still refused to allow the show to start until the remaining ambulances were properly set at the venue.
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Originally Posted by Observer
The short version of the story as to why the New Japan show last night at the Hammerstein Ballroom started 90 minutes late, the ambulance story is pretty much legit, but it's far more than that. The company that usually provides ambulances for the building was called the morning of the show to say it was canceled. Those backstage found out at about 5:30 p.m. and ended up getting an FDNY ambulance to the building in time for the show to start. The Athletic Commission rep said that if there was a shooting nearby the ambulance would have to leave and wouldn't accept it or allow the show to go on. A second FDNY ambulance came but it was the same story. Two other ambulances ended up being brought in so at one point there were four ambulances there. At this point the two FDNY ones left since the commission wouldn't accept them. Then somebody tried to tell one of the ambulances (a commission person) that two weren't needed and one of the others could go, but those associated with the show asked, what if somebody needed an ambulance and thus, with only one, there wouldn't be one there, and the commission said they would have to stop the show at that point until the ambulance got back. So they kept two. They also had four doctors, three more than necessary, on their own including one that spoke Japanese. At the time the video played, the two ambulances were there but the commission would not allow the show to start until they were in the back of the building and a stretcher was in the building, as they were in the front of the building when they wanted to start the show and were told they couldn't. NJPW was also told the barricade couldn't be used to throw wrestlers in, no fighting outside the ring, no tables and no blading. For union reasons, the show was supposed to end by 11 p.m. but we're told even with rushing the show, NJPW decided to run overtime even with the added cost.
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