10 Reasons To Get Into NJPW In 2019
New Japan Pro Wrestling: Where The Absolute Boys Play.
As if to prove that there's no better time to get into New Japan Pro Wrestling, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Will Ospreay assembled a doubles match on the December 15th Road To Tokyo Dome show that would have been considered one of the best tag matches of the year (ever?) had it taken place during the summer months.
The Wrestle Kingdom opponents made perfect contemporary partnerships as Tanahashi broke bread with CHAOS member Will Ospreay (following his new alliance with group leader Kazuchika Okada) to take on the Golden Lovers in something that refused to be reductively classified as a pay-per-view curtain-raiser.
The exhausting and exceptional war was in many ways NJPW's 2018 Year-In-Review, extrapolated over 28 magnificent minutes. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny and NEVER Openweight Champion Kota's chemistry was typically sublime and vindicated their doubles and singles successes. 'The Ace' was unflappable and, on this night, unbeatable. Ospreay defied death and dazzled amongst heavyweights with even more shock and awe than he'd offered as a Junior standout. He absorbed a match-losing Golden Trigger, but the bullet only left a flesh wound for now.
The headliner was expected to shine, but all four workhorses were clearly stating their Wrestle Kingdom intent by filling festive skies (and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter) with stars.
Indeed, if you're reading this having never quite known when to finally take the plunge - make it right now. A futuristic and fantastic feast awaits on January 4th at the Tokyo Dome. We'll see you there...
10. Wrestle Kingdom 13
Wrestle Kingdom 13's card is another stacked potential classic, and if NJPW's record at the Tokyo Dome this decade is anything to go by, it'll be another shoo-in for show-of-the-year nominations by the end of the annum. More on the headliners in a moment, but the below battles deserve almost as big a billing:
- Kota Ibushi and Will Ospreay will endeavor to make life for their peers as hard as possible with an opener that will likely force unfathomable efforts from others to try and top it.
- Tomohiro Ishii and Zack Sabre Jr were two of the best wrestlers of 2018 and engaged in a beautifully brutal scrap during last year's G1 Climax. Can the British submission specialist bend and contort a 'Stone Pitbull' yet again?
- Juice Robinson's career reinvention in NJPW was temporarily parked when Cody took his United States Championship following ALL IN, so he'll want a crowd four times the size of the Chicago turnout to see him win it back.
- Jay White should be little more than the buzzing of flies to Kazuchika Okada, but what if the record-breaking former Champion can't reconcile the 'Rainmaker' within to overcome 'The Switchblade'?
-Chris Jericho is a rebooted and reborn monster on the other side of the Pacific. Can he tease a less-'Tranquilo' side out of Tetsuya Naito or will the Los Ingobernables de Japon leader finally put the mouth of the North in his place?
And that's all before the main event...