10 Big Predictions For NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11

10. Tiger Mask W Defeats Tiger The Dark

Leave it to Japan to open one of the biggest wrestling shows of the year with a throwaway match based on an anime series. Aside from the pre-show NJPW Rumble, this is the last consequential match on Wrestle Kingdom 11’s card, and one of the most predictable. The outcome should have little bearing on anything that occurs in the aftermath, and the contest exists primarily to warm the crowd up.

The battle of the Tiger Masks won’t get a lot of time, but it should be a lot of fun. That Kota Ibushi is the man behind Tiger Mask W is the worst kept secret in Japanese wrestling, and if Dave Meltzer is to be believed, Tiger The Dark is to be played by US indie wunderkind ACH. If they’re allowed to go out and do their thing, this could be a thrilling clash between two of the world’s finest high-flyers, but that’s a big “if.”

This battle between the anime’s protagonist and main rival isn’t to be taken all that seriously, and Tiger Mask W should open Wrestle Kingdom 11 with a relatively straightforward victory. It sure would be nice to have ACH and Ibushi as part of the active roster without the anime shtick, however.