NJPW New Japan Cup 2017: Early Favourites To Win
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi
To many people it would look as though The Ace of Japanese wrestling has stepped away from the main event picture, at least for a while. The day after losing the co-main event of the Tokyo Dome show, Tanahashi was involved in new antics with Nakanishi and Taguchi and looked to be settling in to an old-guard veteran role.
Don't let this fool you. The Ace didn't drag NJPW out of the dark ages by being complacent. He is a megastar in Japan who held a firm grasp atop the company for years, and it won't be long before he is back amongst the championship picture.
That his feud with Okada came to such a concrete end makes a revisiting of this rivalry unlikely, at least so soon after their last meeting. However, Tanahashi vs Okada is a proven commodity and any match they have is gold. Tana's cup victory would help everyone remember just how talented a performer he is, and while it may take a rub away from a younger talent, don't discount 'The Ace' when making your pick for the Cup winner.