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Every year, January 4th sets the bar for the professional wrestling, for the remainder of the year. This is because the flagship event of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Wrestle Kingdom takes place on this very day. And previous editions have seen some of the best performances from the men and women who've stepped through the ropes. How did the thirteenth edition fare overall?
I really thought that as solid as the action was, it wasn't very exciting. It wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but until the final three matches, the crowd didn't seem to care at all. It was a very top heavy card, I felt.
I will list the best and worst of the evening in this very article. Please chime in with your thoughts about the event in the comments below.
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What did you think about the event, ladies, and gentlemen?
#1 Best: Naito vs. Jericho
Chris Jericho is way past his prime, they all say. And each time, he proves us wrong by putting on a performance that few really expect. In a card filled with so many talented individuals, Chris Jericho and Tetsuya Naito absolutely stole the show. I personally felt that this was head and shoulders above any other match in the card.
Much of it stemmed from the fact that this was the only No DQ match in the card. But also, it was the kind of punishment that both men took to tell a story of perseverance. There was more than one moment that made me wince because of the brutality involved.
While a lot of other matches involved wrestlers trying to get their spots in, Jericho and Naito focussed on slugging it out. The psychology was plain for all to see.
A round of applause for both men!
#1 Worst: Too many title changes?
There are always a lot of title changes that take place at any Wrestle Kingdom event. But having eight title changes on the same night does seem like overkill. This essentially means that every title that was defended changed hands on this night. While this means the ushering in of a brand new era, I don't know if this was necessarily the most 'entertaining' move.
After a point, we could predict that this was the direction that the night would take and the results became easy to predict. Mixing up the results would have added an additional dimension to the proceedings.
It did not help that while the matches were good, they were not exemplary like they usually are. This essentially means that the wrestling was subpar and the results were predictable.
Never the best combination for your biggest night.
#2 Best: The opening contest
Kota Ibushi and Will Ospreay kicked the proceedings into high gear in the very first match, following the pre show. Ospreay has cited Ibushi as an inspiration and this was a big match for him, on such a huge stage as Wrestle Kingdom 13. Both men obliterated each other in a rather fast-paced contest.
The match did suffer from being on the undercard and therefore not playing out as it could have. But for what it was, it was a very entertaining affair and a brutal one as well. At one point, Ibushi seemed genuinely hurt and unable to continue any further.
Will Ospreay won the match and is our brand new NEVER Openweight Champion, and it is almost guaranteed that the two men will meet again on another stage. I'm guessing that the match will be given its due spotlight on such a stage and will play out better.
#2 Worst: The Junior Heavyweights disappoint
I think that Taiji Ishimori is one of the best professional wrestlers in the world. I have the utmost of respect for Kushida as well. I just thought that the two men did not have the chemistry required for a stage like this.
Once again, this wasn't a bad match by any stretch of the imagination. But the Junior Heavyweights have always been the high-flying section of NJPW, much like the Cruiserweights were in WCW. If you consider that aspect, I thought that both men were disappointing.
Maybe the bar has been set too high thanks to the likes of Will Ospreay, who's put on some of the best Jr. Heavyweight matches in history. Unfortunately, during the course of this particular match, I found my attention drifting. Maybe it was the match placement, but these two men did not steal the show like they should have.
#3 Best: The three way match
When you put experienced ring generals into the ring at the same time, you're bound to have an entertaining contest. Los Ingobernables de Japon took on The Young Bucks and GoD in a blistering tag team match. There were the usual Young Bucks spots and the match was very interesting, all throughout. Even though it only lasted ten minutes, I thought it told a very fun tale.
Sanada and Evil would emerge victorious in this match. It was a feel-good moment for the crowd, who were clearly cheering for this team. Everyone played their part in this particular match.
And this includes the comic relief provided by Fale and Jado. It was a perfectly laid out match with peaks and valleys, spots outside the ring as well as a (you guessed it) superkick party!
Is this a sign of what All Elite Wrestling will potentially be like?
#3 Worst: Okada losing his big match
The atmosphere changes when Okada walks to the ring. A dormant crowd suddenly came to life, chanting for their favourite. One could say that the best storyline at Wrestle Kingdom this year involved the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion and Gedo's betrayal. I think the babyface should have stood tall after this match.
Maybe it's just me, but I can't see what NJPW sees in Jay White. He's a steady hand no doubt, but the kind of push he's been given is astounding. While he did cheat at various points during the match, one can dub this a clean victory for White.
I thought that this year's main event suffered from the fact that Okada was not in it. He needs to be the man carrying the NJPW banner.
Jay White may become a much better performer with time, but he has a long way to go, right now.
#4 Best/worst: The Ace as Champion
While Kenny Omega vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi may not be a 5-star match, it was what it was. I thought it built up wonderfully and told a good story. Both veterans know how to put on a show. I was not disappointed at all.
But I wonder if making Tanahashi the IWGP Heavyweight Champion is the right move. This probably means that Kenny Omega is WWE bound. I hope that Tanahashi drops the title to a younger superstar, who can be the face of the brand, going forward.
And this is not a slight against 'The Ace' who is still a master of psychology and still commands a lot of respect from his fans. It's just that his time has come and gone, and he is much slower in the ring than he was.
And quite honestly, there's only so much air guitar that one can take.
