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ROH World Heavyweight Championship: Cody (c) vs EVIL
At the ages of 30 and 29 respectively, EVIL and Sanada the current IWGP Tag Team Champions are clearly the future of New Japan. They have so far got their licks in with the main event class, having or about to battle IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada among others.
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While in 2015 Sanada shown in a highlight reel of matches in the G1 Climax, last year EVIL elevated his game in the G1 to throw a wrench into New Japan's idea of who could be Tetsuya Naito's LiJ successor.
The two men might hold onto the tag titles for a long period this year, but it will only help elevate them for eventual grand singles runs among the top class in New Japan. Sanada clearly has a different direction to go into, but for EVIL who has been a regular at Ring of Honor; this one is his path.
After a gruelling break up with former partners the ELITE, Cody will find himself elevated into the echelons of New Japan and Ring of Honor. Cody will go on to regain his lost ROH World Championship, once WWE comes to call for current champion Dalton Castle, early next year.
At his third Tokyo Dome event, the American Nightmare and leader of a rejuvenated Bullet Club will face a tough task in LiJ's EVIL. EVIL will blow the wind out of the Ring of Honor champion, just about allowing him to eke out with his title intact.
Though I'd love EVIL to win, so as we can finally have the ultimate proof that ROH plays second fiddle to NJPW as well as allowing New Japan to secure Cody fulltime. That might be a dream because Ring of Honor has its honour (pun intended) to preserve.
Winner: Cody
