10 NJPW Matches We Most Want To See In 2018
8. Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs. Jay White II
Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs. Jay White, at Wrestle Kingdom 12, told the sort of spellbinding story at which the former remains wrestling's most prominent author. An absorbing tale of a weakened but wily old lion confronted by a hungrier, fitter but less experienced cub, Tanahashi elevated a match, relatively low on content, with his peerless selling ability, from which he emerged victorious with the bait and switch tactics of a proper veteran.
Well-told though the tale was, the reception centred mostly on Tanahashi's psychology, more so than Switchblade's emergence. White was no passenger; his smarmy face and prodding tactics did much to generate support for Tanahashi, but really, a match designed as Switchblade's debutante ball did not generate many headlines. This may have been a consequence of the overstuffed card, admittedly.
White needs to atone for what wasn't a stature-enhancing performance with a stature-enhancing performance, preferably on a twinned show, like a Destruction, at which there is nowhere to hide, at which there is no caveat of relative, Card Of The Year quality.
His Wrestle Kingdom performance was merely promising. He needs to and deserves to realise that promise in a rare calendar year sequel.