13 Ups & 4 Downs From NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13

12. A Most Welcome Reshuffle

As meh as much of the pre-show gauntlet was, NJPW's decision to reshuffle the Wrestle Kingdom 13 card from the tradition format was a good one, creating a smoother, more consistent night of action from start to finish.

There are positives to losing the beloved Rambo. Shunting the lowly gauntlet from the main card to the pre-show freed up space for other bouts, and NJPW's decision to ditch the once-traditional ROH/NWA Title match a few years ago gave space for Zack Sabre Jr. and Tomohiro Ishii's British Heavyweight Championship clash this time around. It's hard to imagine anyone preferring an 8-minute Rob Conway vs. Big Daddy Yum Yum stodger instead.

Next year's two-night show negates the need for such changes, but kudos to New Japan for considering the viewing experience with WK13, particularly for this in American time zones. Sitting through inconsistent undercards at 2am is no easy task.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. 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.