6 Potential Opponents For Jushin Liger In NXT

As a revered legend known the world over, Jushin Liger brings a degree of legitimacy and fan curiosity wherever he goes. His appearance at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn was one such occasion, as his inherent drawing power doubtless helped the show. At first, it was thought that this would be his only appearance, however, that might not be true after all.

According to recent reports, Jushin’ Thunder Liger might not be done with WWE. It is alleged that he might be working more dates for the NXT brand going forward, with some allegations that he might be doing both regular tapings and special events.

If this is true, then it’s a golden opportunity for NXT to further expand on TakeOver: Brooklyn’s success. Liger can be used in a myriad different ways, teaming up with a regular NXT superstar, or feuding with one of its stars in singles competition. Either way, Liger will be a tremendous asset for the NXT brand, as he is the walking manifestation of Triple H’s wrestling-oriented philosophy.

Here, I will propose six opponents for Jushin Liger going forward. Given his continued involvement with NJPW, he might have a light schedule, but that doesn’t mean that NXT can’t use him in the same way they did for his first match. The powers-that-be could choose to continue with his first feud in WWE, or they could decide to shift gears and have him face someone else entirely.

Regardless, both NXT and the fans win in this situation.

The most obvious choice for the creative direction going forward would be for Liger to continue his feud with Tyler Breeze. In his NXT debut match, Liger defeated Breeze in a short, yet competitive opening contest.

Though it was somewhat expected that the veteran Liger would win in his first match ever in WWE, a lot of people were left scratching their heads at the decision. After all, Breeze is the one who wrestles regularly for NXT, and he has been on a rather unfortunate losing streak as of late.

To alleviate this issue, it would make sense for Breeze to continue his feud by attacking Liger somewhere down the road and humiliating the legend, similar to what Randy Orton was going during his ‘Legend Killer’ days. This storyline could take a more bitter and personal turn, which could lead to a second match at NXT TakeOver: London, where Breeze would win to tie up the series. 

Following on from that, Breeze and Liger could have a grudge match that would likewise end with Breeze taking the win.

Doing so would elevate Breeze’s career astronomically; after all, Liger is a legend who has done it all and has wrestled some of the best in wrestling history. With NXT being all about ‘the future’, it would make perfect sense to use a legend of the past and present to make that future shine brighter.