10 Things You Need To Know Before Wrestle Kingdom 14

Jay White and the Future of New Japan

It is pretty easy to see Jay White remaining New Japan’s top foreigner for years to come. He has quickly become one of the best heels in the world and one of New Japan’s greatest assets. If they wanted to elevate a young star to superstar status this year, Jay White is the one to do it with.

There are a number of reasons why White should be in the main event. White is a natural heel and if he was involved the match could have a traditional babyface vs. heel dynamic. Following the departure of The Elite, a massive void was left. New Japan was in need of a top foreign star and White stepped up. He has never looked back since.

At just 27 years old, White has a long future ahead of him and best believe he should spend most of it on top of New Japan.

The one thing that White may have working against him is that he is a heel. Heels traditionally don’t win the main event of Wrestle Kingdom. The last nine Wrestle Kingdom events have ended with either Hiroshi Tanahashi or Kazuchika Okada standing tall in victory. This could be the year that changes but it would be a bit of a surprise.

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Kota Ibushi Rebounding After his Breakup

Kota Ibushi has had a rocket strapped to his back since last year’s Wrestle Kingdom. He was always the one with a world of talent and upside but he was never willing to commit to one company. In many ways his carefree attitude kept him from being a main eventer in New Japan years ago.

That all changed in 2019. Ibushi signed a “lifetime contract” with the promotion and he has been on a meteoric rise ever since. In a career moment, he won the biggest championship of his career at G1 Supercard as he beat Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. After losing the title back to Naito, Ibushi went on an incredible run in the G1 Climax, leading to his eventual tournament victory. He beat Jay White in the tournament final, fighting off Bullet Club singlehandedly in the process.

Ibushi has every reason to perform well at Wrestle Kingdom 14. New Japan no longer has to worry about him working on a part-time contract and he undoubtedly has the ability and fan support to warrant a run with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Ibushi would have to defeat Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Night One in order to make to the main event of Night Two. A daunting task if ever there was one. It has been five years since Okada lost a main event match in the Tokyo Dome. Hopefully, Ibushi will be up to the challenge.

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Tetsuya Naito – A Destiny Finally Fulfilled?

Tetsuya Naito has had one of the most turbulent runs in pro wrestling’s recent history. Dating back to 2013, Naito’s destiny of winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom has never panned out the way he wanted it to.

Winning the 2013 G1 Climax was the pinnacle of Naito’s career at the time. He was emerging as the promotion’s new top babyface and was set to challenge Okada for the title at Wrestle Kingdom 8. Then the wheels fell off. Naito fell out of favour with the audience and the New Japan brass and promptly lost the main event spot on the card. His push towards the top spot of New Japan was over.

His fortunes changed when he founded the Japanese branch of Los Ingobernables de Japon. After spending time in Mexico, Naito learned the ways of La Sombra and Rush. Naito returned to New Japan with apathy towards the promotion and its fans. This new attitude allowed his to achieve each of his goals. He won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and the 2017 G1 Climax while knocking off his rival Hiroshi Tanahashi in the process. This was it. Naito had the chance to finally main event Wrestle Kingdom 12 and win the heavyweight title from Okada.

He failed. Again. Naito was unable to let go of his past and his desire to play to the crowd cost him the match. In the two years that followed Naito has developed a symbiotic relationship with the Intercontinental Championship. He had previously shown utter disdain for the title but having now won it four times he admitted that it keeps finding its way back to him.

Now that Wrestle Kingdom 14 is just days away, Naito has the opportunity once again to main event Wrestle Kingdom and win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Now, in perhaps the only appropriate way, by holding both titles. It would truly be a destiny finally fulfilled.

Who do you think will walk out of Wrestle Kingdom 14 as the Double Champion? Let us know on Twitter or on Discord!

• Wrestle Kingdom 14
• kota ibushi
• Kazuchika Okada
• NJPW

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