10 Things WWE Can Learn From Wrestle Kingdom 12

10. Time In The Ring

Tally up the match times at last year's WrestleMania 33 and you get a total of around two hours and 20 minutes; do the same for Wrestle Kingdom 12 and you get three hours and 15 minutes (both excluding the pre-show).

This is nothing new, of course: WWE has been trailing its counterparts in terms of match time (by its own design) for as long as we can remember, a consequence of its proclivity for self-aggrandising ceremony, well-produced entrances and - now to a much lesser extent - the odd backstage skit.

Small wonder, given all of that, that NJPW consistency draws greater acclaim for the quality of its in-ring product. There's simply more of it, with wrestlers afforded ample time to craft a compelling story without having to worry about over-treading their allocation.

It's not something that's likely to change any time soon - impressing the purists has never been a priority for Vince McMahon - but maybe they're missing a trick here. Long matches can be just as effective in terms of star-making as a well-executed promo (in today's era, maybe more so).