10 NJPW Matches We Most Want To See In 2018

5. Minoru Suzuki Vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Omega Tanahashi
Oli Sandler/The Ringside Perspective

Tomohiro Ishii is perilously close to dethroning Hirooki Goto's status as perennial New Japan bridesmaid; habitually ignored at Wrestle Kingdom events, the Stone Pitbull invariably indicts a rare, recurring Gedo misstep.

Minoru Suzuki best represents Ishii's next exercise in redemption. Ishii performs brilliantly in virtually every context and department, indicting his annual January relegation all the more, but he excels in the face of absorbing - and selling, and no-selling - sickening strikes. There are few better at delivering those strikes than 'The Man With The Worst Personality In The World' - a man who, incidentally, seems to improve physically as he enters what humans refer to as "old age".

A pairing relatively unexplored and virtually guaranteed to share chemistry, Suzuki and Ishii would surely play to one another's strengths; Ishii is sympathetic enough to stomach even the yawn-inducing Suzuki-Gun shenanigans. Suzuki veers from the ranks of world's best to one-dimensional stock baddie; opposite Ishii, a character built on withstanding inhuman punishment, Suzuki could not realistically rely purely on his Very Best Of. Writing subjectively, there are few better sights in wrestling than Minoru Suzuki in full, motivated sociopath mode - nor Ishii in a state of teeth-clenching grit.

It is a perfect storm of wincing, punishing drama.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!