NJPW New Japan Cup 2017: Early Favourites To Win
6. Michael Elgin
After suffering a broken bone in his face, Big Mike recovered swiftly and lost no momentum in his feud with Tetsuya Naito. They picked up where they left off and had a 5-star clash at the New Beginning, but Elgin walked away without the IWGP Intercontinental Championship he once held.
This can be taken one of two ways: either the gaijin performer's star has faded or he is on his way to bigger and better things. The Japanese crowd are certainly getting behind Elgin and his strongman style, so a New Japan Cup win could certainly be in his future. He has some stiff competition this year but if NJPW want to continue building Elgin as a force to be reckoned with, don't be surprised if he goes into April with an IWGP Heavyweight Championship shot.