Time to look at the other wrestling PPV coming up this weekend (I use that term loosely, the show is actually on Monday), NJPW's King of Pro-Wrestling 2025!
New Japan is still looking to find its footing again, and lineups like this one are a step in the right direction. There are potentially major implications for WrestleKingdom 20 taking place on this show, so we'll see if it ends up being impactful or just another stop on the road to the Dome. The main event in particular could have very significant ramifications.
As usual I'll only do picks for the major bouts on the show, which means skipping the two trios matches.
No DQ Match: Drilla Moloney vs. Sanada
I thought the whole War Dogs-House of Torture feud was finished but we're back to it here. HoT matches are full of nonsense as it is, but since this match has no disqualifications I reckon it'll be dialed up even more. Moloney is a future star, Sanada is past his prime, so that should tell you who I'd book to win this. With HoT matches all bets are off, but I'll stick with logic.
Pick: Drilla
NJPW TV Championship: El Phantasmo vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Welp, Tana's retirement match on January 4th has led to the fastest 20,000 tickets sold maybe in Tokyo Dome history, so the guy clearly has to get some momentum before then to maximize interest. Winning a midcard title in a match that can't go past 15 minutes will do nicely I think. Then at the Dome he can put someone over, ideally.
Pick: Tanahashi
NEVER Openweight Championship: Boltin Oleg vs. Evil
Words can't express how tired I am of this House of Torture shit. I know they sell a good amount of merch, but they don't seem to move tickets, and they turn off A LOT of fans like me. So why do they keep doubling down on it? On paper, with no interference, this could be a very good match. But it'll get ruined. Oleg's had this title since June so I could see them switching it here and maybe having him win it back at the Dome.
Pick: Evil
IWGP Tag Team Championship: Knock-Out Brothers vs. Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura
I've never seen the KO Brothers at all, so I know nothing about them, other than they just won the belts a couple weeks ago. Seems silly to have them lose already, which makes it a head-scratcher that the company put together such a superteam as Umino/Uemura as the first PPV challengers. Maybe the superteam implodes and it leads to a Dome match?
Pick: KO Bros retain
IWGP Global Championship: Gabe Kidd vs. Yota Tsuji
This is a tough one to pick, both guys are on their way to the top of the card. Gabe beat Tsuji in June and NJPW often has a first-time champion lose the title back to the guy he beat after a few months. On the other hand Gabe also has a bit of a Stone Cold thing going, so maybe you want to just run with it. On the other hand Tsuji is quite popular, particularly with the female fans. Match should be great either way. I'll go with Tsuji to win the title back.
Pick: Tsuji
IWGP World Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Takeshita's NJPW story over the last six months has been that of an AEW outsider taking a spot away from a homegrown guy. Nevermind that he's also contracted to NJPW, fans at the G1 were actually rooting for Evil of all people over Takeshita. Jesus, folks, get a grip. Anyway Takeshita is on a serious roll and having an AEW guy win the top title should bring more North American eyes back to NJPW, something they've been struggling with the last few years. This match will be great, Takeshita winning the belt will be historic, and he can lose it back to a full-time NJPWer at the Dome to send everyone home happy.
Pick: Takeshita
So yeah, a lot of this show should be quite good. Some of it won't be, thanks to HoT crap. But if things go as I think they will, we'll see some historic stuff happen to set up WK20.
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