10 HUGE NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12 Predictions You Need To Know
5. Minoru Suzuki Loses His Belt (And His Hair)
While Minoru Suzuki's NEVER Openweight Title reign has largely been characterised by subpar gimmick matches, overbooking, and constant interferences, Wrestle Kingdom 12's stipulation assuages most of the fears surrounding his recent bouts. The 'no seconds' rule should prevent his Suzuki-gun goons from interfering, and that it's a hair vs. hair bout dollops another bucketload of heat on an already molten feud.
The challenger's fire is what makes this bout so exciting. Suzuki remains the most genuinely terrifying man in wrestling, but Goto has promised to imbue the NEVER Openweight Division with Katsuyori Shibata's fighting spirit. The former champion is sorely missed following his assumed retirement last year, and as his childhood best friend, Goto is the perfect man to carrying on his hard-hitting traditions. Throw the challenger's brutally effective offence and Suzuki's sadistic brand of catch wrestling into the mix, and we have a potential war on our hands.
Old-schoolers will balk at the idea of Minoru without his iconic barnet, but after over 250 days as a smoke-and-mirrors style champion, the time is nigh for a change. Bring forth your beautiful, beautiful violence, Mr. Goto.
Winner: Hirooki Goto