New Japan Pro Wrestling presents Wrestle Kingdom 13 tomorrow, January 4, at The Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. This show is NJPW’s Wrestlemania, and is the culmination of New Japan’s booking year (which has been hit-or-miss) plus the ramifications of their United States expansion.
This year there’s a huge air of intrigue. With the announcement that The Young Bucks and Cody Rhodes (along with Hangman Page) have formed All Elite Wrestling, and given notice to Ring of Honor — one has to wonder if their days with NJPW are done. Of course this begs the question of whether current IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and Bucks/Cody running buddy Kenny Omega is out the door with them.
This leaves a lot of questions — Who replaces The Elite? Is there an actual plan for Naito? Will they restock the barren shelves of the Jr. Heavyweight Division? Is Jay White the future of the company? What does the future hold for talent left off the show?
So many questions, yet let’s jump into those predictions!
Pre-Show Gauntlet for NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship #1 Contendership: Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Yuji Nagata, Jeff Cobb & David Finlay vs. Hirooki Goto, Beretta & Chuckie T vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Hangman Page, Yujiro Takahashi & Marty Scurll.
The winner of this match will presumably fight the current champs The Bullet Club/Firing Squad (Guerrillas of Destiny & Bone Soldier) at New Year’s Dash. The most logical pick to win this gauntlet would be the most cohesive unit — Suzuki Gun — Suzki, Archer & Smith. They’re the toughest team here and have the most experience working together. Them taking on Bullet Club would be a smash mouth encounter for sure. However, the more fun choice here would be Nagata, Finlay, and Cobb, and wow, wouldn’t it be great to see those three with gold around their waist?
However, I think NJPW completely ends the Bullet Club storyline by having Page, Yujiro and Marty win, and then go on to lose at New Year’s Dash, thus ending the sorta alive split between The Bullet Club.
Roppongi 3K vs. Los Ingobernales de Japon: BUSHI and Shingo Takagi vs. Suzuki-Gun: Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado (C) for the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship:
A rematch of the final from the IWGP Jr. Tag League. The rematch makes little to no sense as R3K won fair and square and deserve the title shot on their own, but NJPW threw LIJ’s Bushi and Shingo back into the mix…because. This is going to be a ton of fun because these men are so electric when they’re on a big platform.
The result of this match, in my opinion, is really hinging on how NJPW wants to use Shingo. He was a massive free agent signing, and he technically isn’t a junior. The dude is a physical heavyweight, and if you watch any of BOLA 2018, you’ll know he’s the goods. If NJPW wants to inject him into the heavyweight scene, which has gotten pretty stale, then they don’t put the titles on LIJ. Conversely. he might be biding time there until Hiromu returns and the he moves up…and this division needs new blood. So by that twisted logic it’s LIJ for me.
Prediction: Shingo & Bushi
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tomohiro Ishii (C) for the Revolution Pro British Heavyweight Championship.
Not so hot take of this column — this is the sleeper match of the show. These two will bring a stiff, physical, unrelenting style to a match people are not paying attention to. But by matches end, it’ll be one of the best on this show. NJPW needs to make a decision with ZSJ — do you get behind him fully, or not? You had him win the New Japan Cup only to lose to Okada in short order. Have him beat Ishii, then have him defend that British Title, and go toe-to-toe with what WWE is trying to do in the UK scene. Let him be the banner carrier he truly can be for NJPW.
Prediction: It’s Zack Sabre Time.
The Young Bucks vs. Evil and SANADA vs. The Guerrillas of Destiny (C) for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
The match I care least about on this show. The heavyweight tag division of NJPW has been stale for so long, it’s almost an immediate pass for me. It always seems to be three teams trading belts back-and-forth. In 2017 it was GOD, War Machine, and Killer Elite Squad. In 2018 it was these three. The Bucks are eating the pin here, as I think it’s all done-ski for these guys. I see LIJ taking the belts, and we get another lengthy LIJ/BC feud.
Winners: Evil and Sanada
Will Ospreay vs. Kota Ibushi for the NEVER Openweight Title
Hello, match of the night. This is going to be poetry in the ring. Ibushi might be one of the best in-ring performers in the world right now. And last time I checked Will Ospreay is pretty damn terrific, and healthy. These two are going to do some ridiculous, ridiculous things in the ring, and we as the fans are the real winners. I wonder if Ibushi eventually follows Kenny to AEW, or if he sticks with NJPW and becomes the ace and the face they so desperately need right now. Either way, it’s Golden Star for me in this match.
Winner: Kota Ibushi
Juice Robinson vs. Cody for the IWGP United States Championship
The result here seems fairly obvious — Juice takes back the title. With Cody focusing on AEW, I can’t see him retaining the belt. With ROH and NJPW working together, I can’t see him retaining the belt. Listen, I already mis-predicted Cody winning the ROH Title, so I’m not doing it here. Juice needs this title, and if he’s legit going to work ROH more, then what better way to give this under-defended title more credibility than have him take it to the States, build his name, and the belt’s street rep.
Winner: Juice Robinson
Taiji Ishimori vs. KUSHIDA for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Don’t blink in this match. On paper this has the potential to be one of the better junior heavyweight title matches in quite some time. Both men are absolute legends in the ring, and we’re in for a treat. If Kota/Will was not on this show, this match would be stealing it. I think Bone Soldier takes the gold here. Like Shingo, he was a big time free agent signing. He’s got the resume to carry a division, and if the rumors of Kushida to NXT are true, you’re going to need a legit Jr. ace to run the division.
Winner: Taiji Ishimori
Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White
Oh man, this one is a tough call. Smart money says Okada, right? Jay White’s been getting the better of him for months. And it’s Wrestle Kingdom. And it’s Okada. It’s a lay-up. Right? Well, not so fast. Jay White is getting pushed harder, faster, and more against the general audience’s will than Roman Reigns in 2015. Jay White is a good wrestler, but he is not the foreign ace that Devitt, Styles, or Omega were/are. NJPW definitely thinks he is. He’s already beaten Omega, crowbarred himself into Chaos, won a ton of high profile G1 matches, and is now leader of Bullet Club. While the smart money is still with Okada, I’m predicting Switchblade wins here. Then beats Tana for the title. This will lead to an Okada redemption tale culminating at WK14.
Winner: Jay White
Tetsuya Naito vs. Chris Jericho for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship – NO DQ Match.
This isn’t going to be pretty, but this sure as hell will be fun. These two tore it up in 2018, and I’m sure they’ll do the same here. There’s going to be plunder, shenanigans, and a lot of Jericho cusses. Naito will pick up the win here, but as Wrestling Editor M.J. Rawls has often stated — what does this do for Naito? What does winning this belt mean? It means nothing unless he throws it in the ocean, and declares he’s coming for the IWGP Heavyweight Title…and wins. And you know what’d be a hell of a show to win it at…that now depleted NJPW/ROH Supershow at MSG.
Winner: Naito
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kenny Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Kenny Omega’s “reign of terror” as champion ends at this show. I put that in quotes because it’s been terrible booking decisions and injuries that have derailed his title run. I think this match is going to be one for the ages with banged up Ace pulling out every single stop he knows.
Winner: Tanahashi
Wrestle Kingdom 13 will air live on New Japan World, as well as Fite TV, it will also air on AXS TV on Friday night in the US.
