16 Ups & 9 Downs For NJPW In 2018

10. The Juniors, Pre-Disaster

Will Ospreay Hiromu Takahashi
NJPW1972.com

Hiromu Takahashi's neck-break was a horrific accident that almost warrants a Down on its own. There's no timescale on his return, and no guarantee he'll be the same performer if he's even able to come back at all. We're keeping our fingers crossed for his recovery, of course, but the situation remains deeply concerning.

The disaster brought forth a notable downturn in New Japan's Junior Heavyweight division. A shame, as Takahashi's title reign had restored him as the division's ace, and before that, Will Ospreay's was just as exciting. Ospreay vs. Scurll and KUSHIDA compare favourably to anything on the talented Englishman's resume. The match in which Hiromu took the belt from 'The Aerial Assassin' was equally riveting. Prior to that, we were treated to a baths*t Best Of The Super Juniors final between Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori, and the Wrestle Kingdom 12 four-way set the division up for an awesome 2018 with a suitably high-octane spotfest.

KUSHIDA has been reinstalled as champion in Hiromu's absence, and his Tokyo Dome clash with Ishimori gives NJPW a chance to start again. The scene feels like it's in limbo at the moment. With Takahashi sidelined and Ospreay transitioning to heavyweight, this is a time of great flux, so let's hope the likes of Ishimori and Shingo Takagi can help recapture those early/mid-2018 highs.

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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.