10 Things You Learn Converting From WWE To New Japan Pro Wrestling
King Of Sports Entertainment
Wrestle Kingdom 12 was an important checkpoint in the recent history of New Japan Pro Wrestling. The late-2017 announcement of Chris Jericho's blockbuster clash with Kenny Omega rightfully grabbed all the headlines, not least due to the unprecedented nature of a WWE part-timer performing on somebody else's stage.
The enormous intrigue added to the pay-per-view by 'Y2J's moonlighting was augmented by a card showcasing the very best of the roster with skillsets far beyond that of the special guest. Always with an ear to the ground an an eye for an opportunity, Jericho managed to position himself against zeitgeist impresario Kenny Omega, but some of 'The Cleaner's contemporaries had done just as good a job at capturing the mood of the global wrestling audience over the prior few years.
Shinsuke Nakamura's 2016 NXT arrival was white hot thanks to a record-setting five runs as the company's Intercontinental Champion. His sensational defence of the title against AJ Styles at Wrestle Kingdom 10 took place just 20 days before 'The Phenomenal One's own debut for WWE at the Royal Rumble. They co-main evented the epic Tokyo Dome show with Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi - the two men most responsible for the Meltzer-busting quality of matches that have oozed out of the promotion for the better part of a decade.
Like WWE, NJPW is a constantly-evolving beast. Unlike Vince McMahon's oft-stale vision though, the product does so through unmatched dynamism and incomparable class.
10. The Big Shows
Contrary to popular belief, traversing from WWE to NJPW isn't really a minefield of lost translations and misunderstandings, not least because the Far East organisation operates within a similar annual framework. Whilst WWE's 'year' kicks off in earnest the night after WrestleMania, NJPW instead more logically work from 5 January onwards in preparation for a 4 January mega-event at the Tokyo Dome.
Christened Wrestle Kingdom in 2007 as part of NJPW 35th Anniversary celebrations, the inaugural edition of the show took place in 1992 and has long been considered the organisation's equivalent to WrestleMania. Rising attendances at the cavernous Dome over the past several years have reflected the increased quality of the event, with 2018's Wrestle Kingdom 12 almost a perfect storm of fans new and old convening for a blockbuster vying for wrestling fan dollars over WWE's own 'Show Of Shows'.
In league with Wrestle Kingdom is the G1 Climax, a gruelling month-long tournament that's existed in some form since 1974. Since 2012, its winner has earned a Wrestle Kingdom title shot that often becomes itself a storyline crux between July/August and the following January.
Sandwiched between these events are New Beginning, Power Struggle, King Of Pro Wrestling and Dominion - the latter of which housed the Kenny Omega/Kazuchika Okada sequel in 2017 that earned Dave Meltzer's highest ever rating. Far from just SummerSlam/Survivor Series supplementals, the supercards ordinarily have similar show-stealing potential.