10 Big Predictions For NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11
2. Tetsuya Naito Cements His Status
AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura’s departures had fans fearing for NJPW’s future last January, but Tetsuya Naito has more than filled the gap they left behind. 2016 saw him reach new heights by taking Kazuchika Okada’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship early in the year, losing it, then defeating Michael Elgin for the prestigious IWGP Intercontinental Title in September.
He has been one of NJPW’s most consistently pushed wrestlers throughout 2016, but he’s still missing a major Tokyo Dome victory. At Wrestle Kingdom 11, Naito will have the opportunity to finally at this signature win to his resumé, as he defends his title against Hiroshi Tanahashi, the former company ace.
Tanahashi is one of the most successful wrestlers in NJPW history. Frequently referred to as the “Japanese John Cena,” Okada took Tanahashi’s role as ace at Wrestle Kingdom 10, but he remains one of the best “big match” wrestlers in the world. Tanahashi has a tendency to take it easy for much of the year, but he always busts out a tremendous performance when the chips are down, and he’ll be out to steal the main event’s thunder on January 4th.
This one’s incredibly tough to call, and you can make a convincing case for either man winning here. Ultimately, the victory would do more for Naito than it would Tanahashi, whose career is starting to wind down, and that’s why he gets our nod.