With New Japan Pro Wrestling’s G1 Climax over, the company has started the Road to Wrestle Kingdom. With a fresh set of rivalries, several will be dealt with at the next big show: Power Struggle.
It will be the last major show before the Tokyo Dome and might help determine the card for Wrestle Kingdom. With the stakes so high, New Japan has planned another stacked card.
Toru Yano vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (Provisional King of Pro-Wrestling 2020)
After their hilarious bout during the G1, Toru Yano and Zack Sabre Jr. are kicking off the Power Struggle show. This time it is for the King of Pro-Wrestling 2020 trophy.
As one of the company’s newest titles and no defenses so far, it is still a mystery what we might see from a match for the trophy. The only rules are that competitors pick a stipulation. From there, it is anyone’s game. For wrestlers as different as Yano and ZSJ, they will have a match with no turnbuckle pads.
Despite the ambiguity surrounding the title and it’s defences, there is no doubt that this match will be a crowd-pleaser. It could either be a technical masterpiece with the submission skills of ZSJ and where we are reminded that Yano is a sound amateur wrestler. However, it might also end in under five minutes with Yano being too frustrating for Zack.
It may not be the best match on the card, but it will be a light-hearted way to start a very serious show.
Minoru Suzuki vs. Shingo Takagi (NEVER Openweight Championship)
There are no two men better at epitomizing what the NEVER Openweight Championship is all about than Minoru Suzuki and Shingo Takagi.
Also, Suzuki and Takagi are two men who have this undeniable chemistry with each other inside the squared circle. When Takagi beat Suzuki in the G1, fans were delighted to see another match set for Power Struggle for the title.
When you put them up against each other, they are evenly matched in so many ways. Both are extremely strong, stubborn and fearless when it comes to their opponents. Apart from that, each also has their own skills. Suzuki has his submission style and Takagi has athleticism which might be the ticket to gaining the advantage over their opponent.
After their previous bouts, this has the potential to be one of the best matches of the night despite its place on the card. It is easy to assume that it’s going to be something that resembles more of a fight rather than a wrestling match.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Great O-Khan (Special Singles)
It was a massive shock on the final night of A Block action when Will Ospreay turned on his CHAOS leader Kazuchika Okada with the help of his girlfriend Bea Priestley and the returning Great O-Khan. Yet, New Japan has not given us Okada vs. Ospreay yet and is instead pitting the Rainmaker against the returning Great O-Khan.
For fans who may not know who the Great O-Khan is, he is a former Young Lion who has been on a UK excursion for the past few years. During his time away, he was unbeaten. This is massive for someone so early in their career. It will be the perfect proving match for O-Khan. He has nothing to lose from this match, but everything to gain.
However, the stakes are much higher for Kazuchika Okada. Since losing his title at Wrestle Kingdom, the Rainmaker has almost seemed lost. His inability to win the G1 was another example of this. To then have Ospreay betray him almost seemed like the icing on an awful cake. To have a match against a returning Young Lion is a step down for one of the best wrestlers in the world. It should bring out the old Rainmaker with a determination and desire to win.
As a specials singles match, it seems more like a precursor to a match we might see in January. However, Ospreay will be present in some way for this match. The results coming out of this match will be very important going forward to the biggest show of the New Japan calendar.
KENTA vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (IWGP US Heavyweight Right to Challenge Contract)
After pinning KENTA in their G1 match, Hiroshi Tanahashi has capitalized on his right to challenge for the IWGP US Heavyweight contract. KENTA previously won this briefcase during the New Japan Cup USA and it awards him to a chance to challenge US Champion Jon Moxley at a later date, similar to the G1 contract.
After losing the IWGP Tag titles earlier in the year, Tanahashi is out to keep proving to the world that he is still the Ace. KENTA is out to prove why he is one of the best in the world despite what the crowds think about him. With pride on the line for both men, it makes this match even more exciting.
Going into this match, the crowds will be rooting for Tanahashi, but this will make KENTA more determined to ruin their hopes. With his skills, KENTA is probably going to find a way to target Tanahashi’s knee which is his weak point. Tanahashi is going to need to use his speed to counter this. It will be a matter of who can get the advantage and manage to dictate the pace of the match throughout.
Both wrestlers are so diverse in their abilities to not only go high-risk but slow the pace down. It is just going to make the bout even more impactful. This is important for both wrestlers and might confirm their place at Wrestle Kingdom and a high-profile match against Jon Moxley.
Kota Ibushi vs. Jay White (Double IWGP Right to Challenge Contract)
Switchblade Jay White was one of the few men who managed to beat G1 winner Kota Ibushi during the tournament. So, was it any surprise that as soon as the Golden Star held the trophy, White was one of the first people not only to congratulate Ibushi but issue his challenge for the briefcase.
For Jay, this is not a matter of an opportunity, it is a right as he believes he should not even have to compete to main event the Tokyo Dome. On the other hand, Ibushi has something to prove in this match. Last year, he successfully defended his contract twice. However, he failed to win the Heavyweight title at Wrestle Kingdom. This year, he wants to go all the way.
It will be the fourth time the two have met in the past year. The current score gives the advantage to the Switchblade with two wins over Ibushi. However, many fans are excited to see this match again. These two seem to bring out the best and worst in each other. It is going to be fast, dynamic and brutal but should we expect anything different?
Could this be the first time since the contract was introduced that a G1 winner loses his Wrestle Kingdom title shot?
Tetsuya Naito vs. EVIL (IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Double Title Match)
For many fans, they are hoping that this will be the last time we see Tetsuya Naito vs. EVIL for a while. However, after beating the champion during the G1, EVIL has earned this title shot. This match was inevitable.
On the surface, this should not have been a match that fans get tired of seeing. Naito is a spectacular wrestler combining athleticism, charisma and the fundamentals. EVIL was someone who used his power and strength to win matches. There is also a lot of history between the two. Some retribution seems like the perfect payback for Los Ingobernables de Japon fans.
However, since his move to Bullet Club, we’ve lost the core wrestler EVIL was. With the obvious presence of Dick Togo, we are not going to see a clean and sportsmanlike match. After all the issues they’ve had, we can only hope that Naito has some sneaky style. If not, we might see a repeat of Dominion. New Japan does not need to go back into the Darkness World so soon before Wrestle Kingdom.
With his desire to main event a second Tokyo Dome in a row, Naito will not be taking any prisoners.
What are your thoughts on the above story? Let us know in the comments on Twitter or Facebook.
Comments.
Loading comments…