10 Early Favourites To Win New Japan Pro Wrestling's Best of Super Juniors 2019

New Japan Pro Wrestling has just announced the field for their annual Junior Heavyweight tournament, Best of the Super Juniors. Given the level of talent in the tournament, it's safe to say that it could be the best one yet.

We've seen a big omission with legendary star Jushin 'Thunder' Liger, and several debutants announced, and with all that talent, expect to see some incredible matches and the most unpredictable tournament in recent memory.

So sit back and read along as we look to New Japan's premier Junior Heavyweight tournament and offer you the 10 people we think are most likely to walk away as the #1 contender for that coveted Championship.

Honorable Mention: The Octopus, Jonathan Gresham, who is ready to become a big star for New Japan in the near future with his unique, smooth style.

#10 Robbie Eagles

One of the fastest rising stars in all of independent wrestling is Australian sensation, The Sniper of the Skies, Robbie Eagles. After impressing in the early parts of his run with Bullet Club, he's getting the chance to prove himself to the world.

Eagles made his debut with New Japan alongside former Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori in the Junior Tag League, and in his very first match, he submitted Jushin "Thunder" Liger, so it's clear that he's got a bright future.

Robbie has been putting Australia on the map for years, including stints with iconic indie promo PWG, and now as a member of Bullet Club, he's ready to make his mark in the Land of the Rising Sun.

It's highly unlikely that Robbie wins BOSJ in his very first attempt, as New Japan like to slowly bring along new stars, but an impressive showing and perhaps a Finals berth would signal that the Sniper is here to stay, and it would be just the thing that Bullet Club need.

#9 Dragon Lee

Dragon Lee is the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion after winning the title at Madison Square Garden, and while putting the current Champion at #9 on the list may seem crazy, Champions in New Japan tournaments don't often fare very well.

This makes a lot of sense, as the tournament is used to elevate a new challenger for the Champion, and given that Lee isn't a generational talent holding that title belt, it's hard to see him walking away a winner in 2019.

Ultimately, we'd love to see Lee in singles competition against most people in the field with the Championship on the line, but simply put, he just isn't going to come out of this tournament on top.

Ospreay, Scurll, Ishimori, Bandido and others are all clearly more marketable for New Japan, and while that doesn't mean Lee's title reign has to end soon, he's just not the talent that those guys are, and it's hard to see him sustaining the quality of bout that those men could over a long tournament.

#8 Bandido

Right now, there are more masked luchadors doing great work across the US then there potentially ever has been before (Bandido, Flamita, Penta, Fenix just to name a few), but the most exciting of the lot is ROH's Bandido. He was making waves at a smaller level until All In back in September where he went face to face with some of the biggest names in the industry, and given his rise since that point, it's clear that he's got the potential to be a worldwide megastar.

Bandido is as smooth as they come inside the ring, and with his unique look, he could be big for New Japan, so expect them to bring him in more and more as 2019 rolls on. Like others, they could be holding back on Bandido due to his ROH connections and his uneven schedule with the company, but in terms of talent, there are few in the world who can compare to Bandido, and even if he doesn't win the tournament, his star will be elevated to meteoric heights.

#7 X (El Phantasmo)

In the tournament announcement, there was a surprise performer just referred too as 'X', but given the hype around his New Japan and Bullet Club debut, that new performer is almost certainly Canada's ELP (El Phantasmo). The Canadian has been a superstar for years now, but it was only when he ventured off to the UK that he finally made a big splash, and that splash was evidently big enough to attract the attention of the right people in Japan.

Speculation has begun that X could indeed be the return of Hiromu Takahashi, and if that's the case, he would certainly be higher on this list, but it's 99% likely going to be ELP, and he needs to make a great first impression. With 2 juniors in Bullet Club already, the Club have a great chance to take out a win here, and while ELP will blow the mind of New Japan's audience, we just don't see him taking out the crown first go.

#6 BUSHI

While stables may be becoming a bit stale within New Japan, the combined attitude of Los Ingobernables (formed by 'tranquilo' Testsuya Naito and Andrade "Cien" Almas) is always entertaining. Bringing that flair and confidence with him, BUSHI is ready to step out as his own star, and with the weight of the group on his shoulders, BUSHI has a great chance of walking away as a winner in BOSJ 2019.

He's nowhere near as recognisable as some of the top stars within the company or even within his own group, but BUSHI is immensely talented, and if he gets to step foot in the ring with some new opponents, he could surprise a few people. It's clear that Shingo Takagi is a big part of New Japan's future, BUSHI is likely going to come into the tournament with a chip on his shoulder, and with his stable by his side, this could be BUSHI's year to shock the world.

#5 Flip Gordon

Flip Gordon is one of the fastest rising stars in all of professional wrestling, and the former US military man has quickly made his mark across the world, but now, he needs to translate that into success inside the New Japan ring. The lauded high-flier made his debut in last year's event, and quickly became a fan favourite due to his matches with the likes of Will Ospreay, and with an even better field in 2019, he could do so again.

Gordon hasn't appeared in New Japan as much as other ROH stars, but that's a clear goal of his, and if they do want to get behind him, the fans would fully support him. Flip's unique aerial offence makes him a very exciting star to watch, and with new opponents like Eagles, Gresham, ELP and others to step inside the ring with, this could be his true breakout moment.

#4 Shingo Takagi

Shingo Takagi may only just be making a name for himself in promotions like PWG and New Japan, but he's been one of the most decorated stars in Japan for the past 15 years, mostly for his work in Dragon Gate. Takagi made his shock New Japan debut in 2018, joining Los Ingobernables alongside the likes of Bushi, Tetsuya Naito, Sanada and Evil, and he wasted no time in making an impact for his new stable.

Alongside Bushi, Takagi made it to the finals of the Junior Tag League, winning the Junior Tag Team Championships at a later date, but this is his chance to become the star he truly is. Takagi combines high flying with great intensity and striking, and is very well respected in Japan, so this could very well be the start of a big time push for him and the entirety of the Los Ingobernables stable.

#3 Marty Scurll

Marty Scurll has become one of the biggest stars in independent wrestling over the past few years, and while he's experienced success in Japan, it's not to the level that many people would have expected. The Villain has won the Junior Heavyweight Championship by defeating Will Ospreay in an instant classic a year ago, but he's yet to put together a tournament win or a great reign, and given how the Junior division is set to launch into a new era, Scurll could be the man to carry that forward.

His future with ROH/New Japan is certainly up in the air given what his friends are up to and an expiring contract on the horizon, but for now, a deep run could solidify him as the face of the junior division. After his performances for the company over the past year, they'd be silly not to reward him in some way in the year 2019, so a victory here makes a lot of sense, and wouldn't surprise anyone.

#2 Taiji Ishimori

Taiji Ishimori has had an interesting career to this point, but when he was revealed as Tama Tonga's new 'Bone Soldier' in 2018, it was clear that he was ready to take New Japan Pro Wrestling by storm. For one reason or another, his run so far has been very up and down, but he's experienced great success, reigning as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion for almost 100 days, and after losing it at Madison Square Garden, he'll be out for revenge.

Ishimori is the third chance for Bullet Club to pull out a victory on our list, and given how much he's been pushed over the last year, it's almost a certainty that The Bone Soldier appears in the Final. Taiji would come up short in the Final bout a year ago against Hiromu Takahashi, but he's grown an awful lot as a performer since that point, and given that he has the ability to carry the division for years to come, Taiji is arguably the favourite to come out on top in 2019.

#1 Will Ospreay

4 years ago, Hiroshi Tanahashi dubbed Will Ospreay a 'future ace' of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and after an incredible run, it's safe to say that the Aerial Assassin is well on his way to living up to those lofty heights. Already in his young career, Ospreay has put on countless classics all across the world, held gold in two different weight classes in New Japan and won the BOSJ tournament before, so it's clear to see that he's the tournament's biggest star.

Most recently, Ospreay was seen tearing it up with Jeff Cobb at the New Japan/ROH supershow at Madison Square Garden, and while he lost his Never Openweight Championship, Will proved he can hang with the big boys. This may be his last BOSJ before finally heading to the heavyweight division, but given the star he's become, there's no one else with more momentum and talent in the tournament, so he has to be seen as the #1 favourite.

Edited by Gabby Duran