10 Things WWE Doesn't Want You To Know About NJPW

10. The Quality Of Matches Is Absolutely Insane

It's public domain at this point; Meltzer's new star rating galaxy has at various points broken the wrestling internet this year.

There is an argument that the NJPW schedule allows its stars to flat out go to a hilt far more ridiculous than WWE's. Lacking an episodic television show to build around, New Japan often promotes multi-man house show tag matches on the "Roads" to major events, thus minimising the need to wrestle for long stretches and allowing the big stars to either recover from - or hold something back in anticipation of - the big bouts.

Regardless of whether or not the comparative playing field is fair, the top New Japan guys have redefined the classic wrestling match in 2017. Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega sustained interest throughout a combined total of over two hours in their three matches because they posed a great strategic question - could Omega find a way to complete the convoluted set-up of the One Winged Angel? - and spent the entire match keeping their audience in glorious suspense.

Danger was often substituted for drama - the top rope dragon suplex spot at Wrestle Kingdom was overkill - but they mastered the space between moves, as much as the engineer-precise execution of the moves themselves. Okada's escapologist counters and Omega's accidental, exhausted Rainmaker counter at Dominion were as memorable - if not more so - than the lunatic table spots.

The idea that AJ Styles Vs. Finn Bálor wasn't a ***** match irritated many within the fandom this week. The reality is that it won't crack the top 25 best NJPW matches held this year.