NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom is one of the most anticipated shows of the year for a hardcore wrestling fan. Traditionally taking place every year on January 4, the card is stacked from top to bottom as usual. With New Japan’s biggest show of the year coming up, it’s time to make some predictions:
Bullet Club Wins out
Bullet Club is represented in 3 different matches on this card. First, in the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Title triple threat match as Bullet Club OG’s Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa defend their titles against the Young Bucks and winners of World Tag League, EVIL and Sanada. This match will have no shortage of spots but I fully expect the BCOG’s to pick up the victory, pinning one of the Young Bucks in the process.
The second match represented by Bullet Club is the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship bout between the champion Kushida and BC member Taiji Ishimori. While Kushida has held the title for a couple months, he hasn’t done much to note with it this reign. It’s time to put the belt on someone fresh and that person needs to be former Best of the Super Juniors finalist, Ishimori. This match will be one people will talk about when the night is over.
The final match involving Bullet Club is the bout between former Chaos member turned Bullet Club leader, Jay White and Chaos leader Kazuchika Okada. Okada is his best during WK, while at the same time, Jay White is the new leader of Bullet Club needing to establish the new Bullet Club is legit. This will be a solid match and I see Bullet Club making a run in at some point to help White pick up the victory. More on Jay White soon..
The Elite lose every match
With Bullet Club winning every match, I see the opposite for the Elite. Similar to Bullet Club, the Elite are represented in three matches. With speculation of the Elite starting their own promotion All Elite Wrestling, you can count on them not leaving Tokyo Dome with gold.
As stated before, the Young Bucks are in the triple threat IWGP Tag Title match. These two will put on one hell of a performance for sure but don’t expect them to get the pin, expect them to be pinned.
Cody defends his IWGP US Title against former champion Juice Robinson. It was an odd choice having Cody win this championship in the first place, as Cody is not exactly a NJPW regular. I fully expect Juice to roll Cody up for a cheap win but a win nonetheless.
Finally, the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13 where Elite member and IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega takes on Hiroshi Tanahashi for the championship. This match is going to be awesome to say the least. The Cleaner vs the Ace for the first time ever. These two have built up a great story and will leave it all in the ring but in the end, the Ace doesn’t lose at Wrestle Kingdom and Hiroshi Tanahashi will become an 8-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
Jay White’s night
After White’s win over Okada earlier in the night, that won’t be the last we see of him on January 4. As the show closes, Hiroshi Tanahashi stands tall with the belt. White will make his run down to stake his claim as the next challenger for Tana’s championship. He could possibly lay Tana out and White stands tall to end Wrestle Kingdom.
These two had a trilogy of good matches in 2018. It’s very possible New Japan would look to continue their rivalry going forward.
Osprey over Ibushi
NEVER Openweight Champion Kota Ibushi defends against Will Osprey in probably the most interesting match of the night. Ibushi, a heavyweight takes on junior heavyweight Osprey. Traditionally, juniors and heavyweights don’t wrestle each other in singles matches let alone title matches.
Osprey is one of the best wrestlers in the world. If NJPW puts a traditionally heavyweight belt on any junior in the company, it’ll be Osprey. This match will tear the house down and i’m sorry for everyone who has to follow this.
Is it too early to call this the match of the year for 2019?
Chris Jericho retains
Chris Jericho defends his IWGP Intercontinental Championship against rival and former champion, Tetsuya Naito. This year long feud culminates at Wrestle Kingdom; not.
Having Naito beat Jericho makes all the sense in the world, it’s what many people assume is what’s going to happen. If Jericho wins, it keeps him with the company for sure, allowing more rivalries we haven’t seen before.
In New Japan, he’s only had rivalries with Kenny Omega, Naito and one match with EVIL. I personally want to see what Jericho and Okada can do or even Jericho and Tanahashi. Jericho losing would presumably mean he’s on his way out, either back to WWE or possibly to All Elite Wrestling. Either way, whatever Jericho does next will have the entire wrestling world on the edge of our seats.
