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We will lose some sleep in the next few days as professional wrestling fans for Wrestle Kingdom, but it will be totally worth it to do so.
Wrestle Kingdom, the biggest show of the NJPW calendar year, is back on its traditional January 4 date despite the ongoing pandemic. For the second straight year, we will have two nights of Wrestle Kingdom.
It all leads to nine title matches, emotional singles matches, and two historic main events to determine the next dual IWGP World Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Wrestle Kingdom 15 has many matches that could be among the very best of 2021. If you add in the New Year’s Dash show on January 6, it will be three of the best days of the professional wrestling year.
As we prepare for what should be an unbelievable two days of wrestling, let’s present the five most anticipated matches of Wrestle Kingdom 15. It is always hard to limit this annual list to just five matches over the two nights in the Tokyo Dome.
#5 Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Phantasmo - Wrestle Kingdom 15
This is quite the way to open the Wrestle Kingdom shows in the Tokyo Dome.
Hiromu Takahashi completed his amazing comeback from a neck injury to win back his Junior Heavyweight title at last year’s Wrestle Kingdom in an incredible match against Will Ospreay. It seemed like the beginning of a great year for the best Junior Heavyweight in the world. But, the pandemic had other ideas.
Hiromu had an emotional 2020 watching Los Ingobernables implode and losing his Junior Heavyweight title to Taiji Ishimori at Summer Struggle. The road to a comeback was grueling for Takahashi but was begun with a Best of Super Juniors tournament victory.
El Phantasmo of the Bullet Club had a much different path. He missed most of 2020 thanks to the pandemic. He was able to compete in the Super J Cup in December after a nearly ten-month absence and defeated Lio Rush, Blake Christian, and ACH to win the tournament for the second straight year. That sets up this Wrestle Kingdom opening match between the two on Monday night in the Tokyo Dome.
This will be the first ever meeting between these two talented Junior Heavyweights. We should expect to see some fireworks and a high flying match to start a great year of New Japan Pro Wrestling.
If you add a shot to fight for the Junior Heavyweight Championship on January 5 for the winner, then expect these two to go all out.
#4 EVIL vs. SANADA - Wrestle Kingdom 15
It is a very personal singles match that deserves the big Wrestle Kingdom stage on January 5. Evil and Sanada were one of the great tag teams in recent New Japan history.
They were two-time IWGP World Tag Team Champions and two-time World Tag League winners. They even had singles success during their successful run together as part of the popular Los Ingobernables group. This great tag team was forever changed and destroyed last summer’s New Japan Cup and NJPW Dominion.
Evil betrayed his Los Ingobernables De Japon stable and joined the Bullet Club to win the New Japan Cup and then IWGP World Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at NJPW Dominion. Sanada seemed to focus on his own success and defeated his former friend in the G1 Climax tournament this past October.
But something happened with Sanada on the road to the Tokyo Dome this December. Sanada, always the calm competitor, snapped and attacked Evil on two separate occasions.
Is the betrayal of his former best friend finally getting to the “Cold Skull”? It is hard to say but expect a very personal match in the Tokyo Dome. We should expect great things from these two talented wrestlers on Tuesday night at Wrestle Kingdom.
#3 IWGP World Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championship:? (c) vs. Jay White - Wrestle Kingdom 15
Who will Jay White be facing in the main event match of Night Two of Wrestle Kingdom?
Like many wrestlers, Jay White missed months of New Japan action thanks to the pandemic restrictions. He returned to Japan for the first time in months to compete in the G1 Climax tournament.
He didn’t win the tournament, but he did defeat Kota Ibushi in singles action in the A Block. He used this victory to gain a shot against Ibushi for the New Japan Power Struggle's rights certificate. He won that match to steal a huge title opportunity at the Wrestle Kingdom 15.
He has to really like his chances on Tuesday night in the Tokyo Dome. He has won his last three singles matches against Kota Ibushi. He has two of his three singles matches against Tetsuya Naito.
If you add in the important fact, he gets to sit and rest while the other two will destroy each other on January 4, you have to really like his chances. Can “The Switchblade” take advantage and beholding the Double Championship to end the second night of Wrestle Kingdom? The fans in the Tokyo Dome might hate it, but Jay White would never stop bragging.
#2 Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay - Wrestle Kingdom 15
The could be the show-stealing match of 2021, and it will occur on January 4 of this year at Wrestle Kingdom 15.
The road to this potentially all-time classic Wrestle Kingdom match started on the final night of the G1 Climax tournament in October. Will Ospreay betrayed his Chaos stablemate, Okada, to pick up a tournament victory.
After the match, he continued his betrayal and created a new heel group called The Empire with Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, and Bea Priestley. “The Rainmaker” wants his revenge and has chosen his much-cherished ground of the Tokyo Dome for his opportunity.
This will be a special singles match between two of the world's greatest wrestlers on January 4 at the Wrestle Kingdom. Will Ospreay was quickly becoming a heavyweight talent and one of the most popular babyface wrestlers in New Japan Pro Wrestling before his shocking betrayal.
The unique chance to go against Kazuchikda Okada, arguably the best wrestler in the world, is a huge opportunity. Can Will Ospreay pull over the huge upset in the Tokyo Dome? If he does, it could be the start of some very great things for The Empire in 2021.
#1 IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships: (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito vs. Kota Ibushi - the Wrestle Kingdom 15
It is time for the great rivalry to continue for the ninth time in singles action. We should all hope both men protect their necks on Monday night at Wrestle Kingdom. Please be safe, gentlemen.
Naito finally overcame his Tokyo Dome curse to win the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at Wrestle Kingdom. It seemed like the start of a great year for Naito, but the Pandemic ruined things yet again.
When New Japan returned in the summer, Naito got involved in a personal feud with former friend Evil. Now that he can focus on his double titles again, can he repeat his Tokyo Dome magic in 2021?
Ibushi had one of the most surprising years in 2020. He actually won the G1 Climax tournament for a second straight year. It seemed like he might get a chance to gain some Wrestle Kingdom glory finally.
But he defended his title shot at New Japan Power Struggle, and for the first time, the rights holder shockingly lost his opportunity. He lost his title shot to Jay White. What would Kota Ibushi do?
In an honorable move, Tetsuya Naito gave Kota Ibushi a shot at the Double Championship on the first night of Wrestle Kingdom. Based on experience, both provide a truly physical match.
Hopefully, both won’t push themselves too hard. The winner will have to face a fresh Jay White the very next night. The real winners are the fan of the two main events of Wrestle Kingdom.
