Published: 3 hours ago by SP3 | Last Updated: 13 hours ago by SP3
Born in Harlem, New York and now living in the Bronx, Sid Pullar III aka SP3 is a lifelong wrestling fan who has been covering the industry for over nine years as a podcaster and writer. His passion for the industry has been documented with over 3,000 videos on YouTube and 8,000 written pieces across multiple outlets, such as WrestleTalk, Sports Illustrated and more.@TruHeelSP3
NJPW
On January 4, 2027, New Japan Pro Wrestling returns to the Tokyo Dome for next year’s NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21.
With only months remaining in 2026, it feels like the company is already preparing for their biggest show of the year.
Considering major stars teasing appearances and feuds being set in place, it should be very intriguing what will be the Wrestle Kingdom 21 headliner.
Here are five potential options for the NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 main event.
IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Yuya Uemura
In the G1 Climax 36 Semifinals, Yuya Uemura defeated Yota Tsuji to advance to the Finals.
However, Uemura came up short against Ryohei Oiwa in the G1 Final.
This will lead to Oiwa challenging Tsuji for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2026 on October 12.
Coming out of this next title bout, it should be Uemura who steps up next to challenge the winner for the NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 main event.
IWGP Heavyweight Championship & AEW World Championship: Ryohei Oiwa (c) vs. MJF (c)
At the NJPW Road to King of Pro Wrestling Day 2 show, AEW star MJF appeared in a pre-taped promo to challenge Ryohei Oiwa.
With Oiwa becoming known for his headlock after winning the G1 Climax 36 tournament with the move, MJF has taken offense to this after he has used the headlock takeover to win gold in All Elite Wrestling.
In a battle of the headlocks, Maxwell Jacob Friedman issued a challenge to Oiwa and said he was willing to put his Triple B title on the line.
If the TMDK member wins at King of Pro Wrestling, this match between MJF and Oiwa could be for both the IWGP Heavyweight and AEW World Championships at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21.
Adam Copeland vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Over the past few months, Adam Copeland has revealed his list of dream venues to wrestle in.
This has led to Cope checking buildings like Wembley Stadium, Arena Mexico and Maple Leaf Gardens off his list.
The one major arena that was left on the list is now the Tokyo Dome. With that in mind, Copeland could be on his way to being part of the next NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 event.
Looking at the NJPW roster, Cope could face a top star like Zack Sabre Jr. in what could be a dream match worthy of headlining the Tokyo Dome next year.
AEW World Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Callum Newman
At NJPW New Year’s Dash 2026, Will Ospreay returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling and stated that he was willing to follow Callum Newman’s lead with United Empire.
While Newman teased turning on his mentor, the two men have stayed side-by-side in both NJPW and All Elite Wrestling.
However, Ospreay then went against his word and even brought his own version of United Empire to AEW.
With “The Prince” giving his members an ultimatum to choose between him and “The Aerial Assassin,” this could lead to Callum Newman challenging Will Ospreay for the AEW World Title in the main event of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 2026.
IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
Over the past few years, Yota Tsuji has had some disparaging words for Kazuchika Okada.
After Okada took the headline spot at Wrestle Kingdom 20, this could lead to a showdown between the two.
Tsuji challenging Okada to face him at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 would be a huge main event.
“The Rainmaker” would serve as the biggest challenge of Tsuji’s career in the Tokyo Dome.
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