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New Japan Pro Wrestling concluded both the Best of the Super Juniors and World Tag League 2020 in the best way possible. In the dual tournament finals, NJPW crowned a first-time World Tag League winners in the form of the Guerillas of Destiny. Plus, Hiromu Takahashi capped off another incredible night of wrestling for NJPW.
Elsewhere on the card, Superstars like Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Kota Ibushi, and double-champ Tetsuya Naito made their returns to in-ring competition. Throughout a busy night at the Budokan, several other stories also unfolded in the lead-up to Wrestle Kingdom 15.
KENTA also made quite an impact at this show. The top contender to the IWGP United States Championship made a statement by helping his fellow Bullet Club stablemates win the World Tag League. NJPW also hinted that this year's Super J-Cup winner will be featured heavily on the road to Wrestle Kingdom 15.
With that being said, here are the five main takeaways from the NJPW BOSJ and WTL 2020 finals.
#5. NJPW could be leading towards a Wrestle Kingdom showdown between EVIL and SANADA
EVIL's alliance with the Bullet Club hasn't exactly taken him to the heights he was hoping for. While "The King of Darkness" did win the IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Championships right after he joined the group, EVIL has been playing second fiddle to Jay White.
After an average run in the NJPW World Tag League with Yujiro Takahashi, EVIL could be on course for a match against former LIJ stablemate SANADA. The former double-champion beat the duo of SANADA and Shingo Takagi in the WTL. But the Los Ingobernables de Japon pair got the better of the Bullet Club during the rematch.
After the bout, EVIL and SANADA ignited a brawl and took it to the backstage area. With both men currently out of the title picture, a special singles match could be in the cards for Wrestle Kingdom 15.
#4. NJPW stars Jeff Cobb and Shingo Takagi are set for a Wrestle Kingdom showdown
Jeff Cobb has been around with NJPW for quite some time. While fans have been critical of his past performances in the G1 Climax, Cobb pretty much proved everyone wrong with his performance in the tournament this year. Since then, the former hired gun of the Inner Circle has made quite an impression in Japan.
Having already held the NEVER Openweight Championship in the past, it now looks like Cobb is set to get his hands on the strap for the second time. Coincidentally, Cobb's first and only title win in New Japan was over Will Ospreay, and he is firmly determined to win the first piece of gold for The Empire.
Following SANADA and Takagi's match against Bullet Club, Cobb made his goal clear by hitting the current NEVER Openweight Champion with the Tour of the Islands. The move could pave the way for Cobb's eventual match with Takagi.
#3. There are still no signs of Jon Moxley in NJPW as Wrestle Kingdom nears
It's almost been a year since Jon Moxley was last seen in a New Japan ring. The reigning IWGP United States Champion won his title back at Wrestle Kingdom 14 in a brutal Texas Deathmatch against Lance Archer. After the victory, Moxley defended the gold against Juice Robinson and Minoru Suzuki. But since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Moxley has been absent from NJPW.
Moxley recently lost the AEW World Championship to Kenny Omega. In doing so, he also lost his status as a double champion. While many people have expected Moxley to show up sooner or later in NJPW, there have been no signs of "The Death Rider." His top contender, on the other hand, has defended his briefcase more times than Moxley has defended his title.
In the finals of the World Tag League, KENTA once again made his presence known when he attacked Robinson with the IWGP United States Championship briefcase. This angle could possibly mean that KENTA will have to defend his briefcase again. That match, likely against Robinson, could happen at Wrestle Kingdom.
But as things currently stand, the situation with Moxley and his title remains unclear.
#2. The curse ends for Guerillas of Destiny in NJPW as they shift gears to Wrestle Kingdom 15
The Guerillas of Destiny are arguably one of the best tag teams in the world. That being said, the six-time IWGP Tag Team Champions had never won the NJPW World Tag League in the past. But that changed in 2020, as G.O.D finally scratched this accomplishment off their bucket list.
The 2020 World Tag League was quite a challenge for Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa. The Bullet Club duo beat their fellow Bullet Club stablemates Shingo Takagi & SANADA, and they also got one over the reigning IWGP Tag Team Champions, Dangerous Tekkers. In the finals, they faced FinJuice, the defending WTL Champions.
G.O.D had their work cut out for them, and eventually, it was outside interference from Jado and KENTA that helped the Bullet Club tag team reign supreme.
They didn't win cleanly, but this legendary team can now focus on other interests. Tonga and Loa will probably aim to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship for the seventh time in their careers.
#1. The NJPW Super J-Cup winner will have a big part in the lead-up to Wrestle Kingdom 15
The NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 2020 tournament capped off with an incredible win for Hiromu Takahashi. "The Ticking Timebomb" got his hands on the trophy for the second time in his career. He did so by putting another instant classic against El Desperado.
Following his triumph, Takahashi made it quite clear that he is gunning for the reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Taiji Ishimori. He also added that he wants to face the winner of the NJPW Super J-Cup 2020.
While it remains to be seen what plans NJPW has in store, Takahashi could end up sharing the ring with either El Phantasmo, Lio Rush, ACH, or anyone else from the field of eight in the Super J-Cup. Either way, this tournament seems like it'll play a major role in the build to Wrestle Kingdom 15.
That match could take place on the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 15 while Night 2 could feature Ishimori defending his strap against the winner on Night 1.
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