10 HUGE NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12 Predictions You Need To Know

7. Cody Earns Respect In Defeat

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While Cody Rhodes deserves immense respect for making himself one of professional wrestling's most valuable players since departing WWE, Japanese success continues to elude him. The former Ring Of Honor Champion just isn't over in NJPW. His crowd reactions are non-existent, and aside from his match with Kazuchika Okada on last year's show in Long Beach, California, he has never felt like a valuable commodity to the world's second-biggest promotion.

This is likely why he has been positioned opposite Kota Ibushi for WK12. 'The Golden Star' is one of the most talented pure in-ring performers in the world, a potential megastar, and somebody the crowd has always adored. Thus, the company probably feel that a blow-away bout with Ibushi could be the tonic Cody needs to finally get over.

Whether or not he's capable of delivering such a performance is debatable. For all Rhodes' positive qualities, he remains a relatively one-dimensional in-ring performer, though he is paired with an incredible dance partner. We'll err on the side of optimism and predict a clash on par with Rhodes' career-best bout with Okada, and the Bullet Club man earning greater recognition in defeat.

Winner: Kota Ibushi

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.