New Japan Pro Wrestling: Top 10 Moments of 2018

Written by Alex Marco (@generalreaction)

With the year drawing to a close, it’s common to reflect on some of the best moments the last 365 days have provided us with. For professional wrestling fans 2018 has been one of the most exciting years in recent memory, and New Japan Pro Wrestling has provided us with some of the most memorable (and at times shocking) moments of 2018. With that being said, I’ve spent the last few weeks compiling a list of what are, in my opinion, the top 10 most memorable moments from NJPW in 2018. Before I dive into the list, I want to list out some honorable mentions that just missed the cut.

• Chris Jericho attacks Tetsuya Naito - New Year’s Dash 2018

Just one night removed from their respective epic clashes at Wrestle Kingdom 12, Chris Jericho surprised the sold out crowd at Korakuen Hall when he attacked Tetsuya Naito as he was celebrating victory with his LIJ stablemates. Little did we know at the time that this encounter would be the catalyst for one of the most compelling and violent feuds in 2018. As the leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon and the Outlaw set to clash for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 13, we will all likely look back on this moment as one that gave us one of the most unique matches in Wrestle Kingdom’s history.

• Kazuchika Okada sets multiple records during his 4th reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion

On June 19th, 2016 at the Dominion in Osaka event Kazuchika Okada defeated Tetsuya Naito to begin his 4th reign as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Okada would remain champion for nearly two years, holding the title for a record-shattering 720 days (the previous record was held by Shinya Hashimoto at 489 days). During that time Okada would also surpass Hiroshi Tanahashi record for most title defenses in a single reign (a record which had been 11) as he would fend of 12 separate challenges to remain IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

• Faction Expansion

2018 was a year of a expansion for many of the top factions in New Japan Pro Wrestling. The Bullet Club added a number of new recruits, including the Bone Soldier Taiji Ishimori and Robbie Eagles while Los Ingobernables de Japon added former Dragon Gate mega-star Shingo Takagi. Perhaps the biggest acquisition of all came at the beginning of the year when Chaos added Switchblade Jay White to their ranks (but more on that later).

Now that I’ve gotten the “best of the rest” out of the way, it’s time to share my picks for the top 10 most memorable moments from NJPW in 2018.

10. Hirooki Goto Clashes with Minoru Suzuki in a Hair vs. Hair Match - Wrestle Kingdom 12

The rivalry between the Fierce Warrior Hirooki Goto and the leader of Suzuki-Gun Minoru Suzuki dominated the NEVER Openweight title picture for the majority of 2017. After Goto dethroned his long-time friend Katusyori Shibata at to capture the title at Wrestle Kingdom 11 he entered into a feud with Minoru Suzuki. The sadistic leader of Suzuki-Gun would capture the NEVER Openweight Championship from Goto in April of 2017 and the two would continue their feud through the remainder of the calendar year. After Goto had failed to recapture the belt he made one final request for an opportunity at the championship that Suzuki had established an iron grip on, but this time Goto was willing to put something on the line - he declared that he would wager his own hair against Suzuki’s NEVER Openweight Championship. After Suzuki agreed to also put his own hair on the line the match between the two was finalized for Wrestle Kingdom 12. In what could be modestly described as a knock-down, drag-out fight Suzuki and Got went to war with one another with both men pulling out all the stops to achieve victory. Suzuki dominated the early goings of the match and, at one point, seemed to have strangled his challenger into unconsciousness. But the Fierce Warrior of Chaos refused to be denied and Goto mounted a comeback, eventually defeating Suzuki after a brutal GTR to secure the pin. After the match Suzuki sat in the center of the ring and shaved the hair off of his own head, admitting in a non-verbal fashion that on that night Goto was the better man.

9. Juice Robinson Wins the IWGP United States Championship - G1 Special in San Francisco

Wrestling fans, even those who don’t necessarily follow New Japan Pro Wrestling, are likely familiar with Juice Robinson’s body of work. The man once known as C.J. Parker during his time in WWE’s developmental brand, NXT, departed from the United States in 2015 to begin training in the New Japan Dojo and wrestling as part of the Young Lion program. As he became more and more established in the company his popularity with the fans began to grow and soon the flamboyant one became a mainstay of New Japan’s mid card. By 2017, Robinson found himself in the title picture on more than one occasion for multiple mid card singles championships including the NEVER Openweight Championship and the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. Throughout 2017 he would earn impressive pinfall victories over the likes of Tetsuya Naito, Hirooki Goto, and Kenny Omega but would always fall short when his eventual title opportunities arrived. As the 2018 calendar year got underway, people began to question if Juice was capable of winning the big one and if he would ever capture a title in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Robinson earned a United States Championship opportunity against Switchblade Jay White at the G1 Special in San Francisco. The build up the match centered around two things: 1.) Juice’s inability to, up until that point, win a championship match and 2.) an injury to the devastating left hand that Robinson often used as a set up for his finisher - Pulp Friction. White was masterful with his use of mind games leading up to this match, constantly reminding Juice of his past failures. Their match in the historic Cow Palace was (in my opinion) the show-stealer of the night, with incredible action including brawling in the crowd and a nasty bump involving Jim Ross. Juice managed to counter the Blade Runner from Jay White with a roll-up to earn the pinfall, leaving everyone in attendance jumping for joy as Robinson claimed his first championship in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

8. Zack Sabre Jr. Wins the New Japan Cup - New Japan Cup 2018

The New Japan Cup is a springtime tournament in New Japan Pro Wrestling that features 16 of the top wrestlers in the company with the winner the right to challenge any of the heavyweight-class singles champions in NJPW. This year’s field was completely stacked from top to bottom with top stars such as Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito, and Kota Ibushi making up the list of competitors battling to capture the New Japan Cup. And if you were a betting person and saw those three names on the list of combatants you wouldn’t be faulted in assuming one of those men would win the entire tournament. Imagine the surprise that I (and presumably a large number of New Japan fans) had when I learned that not only did none of the aforementioned stars win this year’s New Japan Cup, but all three of them lost to the same man - Zack Sabre Jr. The Vegan Hydra, the Student of the Sadistic Arts, the Submission Master of Suzuki-Gun - whatever nickname you want to call him - Zack Sabre Jr. was a monster in this tournament. Shocking the world with his first round submission victory over Tetsuya Naito, ZSJ would carve his way through the rest of the bracket with a referee stoppage victory over Kota Ibushi, followed by a submission victory of Sanada, and then capping it all off with a submission victory of Hiroshi Tanahashi in a 30+ minute classic match that left New Japan fans stunned. Zack would proceed to call out then-IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada after winning the tournament to challenge the Rainmaker to a title match at Sakura Genesis. Although ZSJ would be unsuccessful in his attempt to dethrone Okada, he provided the Rainmaker with arguably his most uniquely difficult title defense in his nearly two-year long run as IWGP Heavyweight Champion. I expect (and I hope to see) Zack Sabre Jr. to be elevated even further up the card in 2019.

7. The BC OGs Turn Their Backs on the Elite - G1 Special in San Francisco

The Bullet Club has been a mainstay of New Japan Pro Wrestling for the majority of this decade. The faction has gone through a number of transformations over the years, often seeing a changing of the guard once every few years with specific members either being added or kicked out of the group. But never before has there been an implosion of the faction like what occurred in front of a packed house at the G1 Special in San Francisco this past July. Three members of the Bullet Club that were in attendance that night - Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and King Haku - turned on their fellow stablemates and staged a vicious attack following Kenny Omega’s win in the main event of the show. Tensions within Bullet Club had apparently been building behind the scenes for some time. Under Kenny Omega’s leadership, the Bullet Club gradually broke away from their roots as the top heel faction in New Japan and became a baby face faction loved by the fans. This change apparently did not sit well with some of the original member of the group, specifically the Tonga collective of Toma Tonga, Tanga Loa, King Haku, and Bad Luck Fale. The seismic shift within the group - this splintering of the faction into two seperate groups - would lead to even more shocking betrayals as 2018 progressed.

6. The Golden Lovers Reunite - The New Beginning in Sapporo 2018

By now most wrestling fans have come to know the story of the Golden Lovers, the tag team pairing of Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi. A young Kenny Omega saw videos of Kota Ibushi wrestling for the DDT promotion in Japan and decided to challenge him. Omega even went as far to move his entire life to Japan in order to compete against Ibushi; btw, if you want to learn about the history of the Golden Lovers, Super Eyepatch Wolf put together a video about why he finds pro wrestling fascinating - which includes a look at the history of the Golden Lovers. The tandem split apart in 2014 when Omega chose to depart from DDT to wrestle full-time for New Japan Pro Wrestling. As history tells us Omega would eventually join forces with the Bullet Club, becoming “The Cleaner” and serving as Bullet Club’s contender for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship. Omega and Ibushi would cross paths during 2015 when Ibushi challenged the then-leader of the Bullet Club, the Phenomenal AJ Styles, to a match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. A momentary distraction by a conflicted Omega caused Ibushi to fall to Styles and it seemed as if the rift between the Golden Lovers had grown. Fast forward to 2018 and the New Year’s Dash event the night after Wrestle Kingdom 12: Kota Ibushi found himself the target of an attack by Cody Rhodes. Suddenly, when it looked as if Cody was about to assault the Golden Star with a chair, Kenny Omega stormed the ring to come to the aid of his former partner. Ibushi would return this favor when he ran in to make the save for Omega as Cody attempted to assault the Best Bout Machine after Omega’s match at The New Beginning in Sapporo. On that night, Ibushi and Omega finally reunited as they embraced in the center of the ring with the crowd on hand filling the arena with cheers. Since then the Golden Lovers have competed as a team in numerous tag team bouts, and have cornered one another during several high-profile matches - including Omega’s match against Okada at Dominion 2018. Who know what 2019 will hold for this pairing; one can only hope that we will get to see these two clash one on one once again (maybe this time with the top prize in New Japan at stake).

5. Gedo and Jay White Betray Kazuchika Okada and Chaos - King of Pro Wrestling 2018

The latter half of the calendar year of 2018 could aptly be referred to as “treason season” in the world of New Japan Pro Wrestling. Betrayal was in the air in the aftermath of the G1 Special in San Francisco, but no one at the time could have ever predicted that the splintering of Bullet Club would only be the tip of the iceberg. Following the G1 Climax 28 tournament, an event in which Switchblade Jay White employed underhanded tactics to defeat Kazuchika Okada, there began to murmurs of discourse with within the Chaos faction. White’s willingness to bend the rules to his advantage did not sit well with the other members of Chaos, and the Switchblade seemed to have his own secretive agenda as the year progressed. At the Destruction event in Kobe, which saw Okada fall to Hiroshi Tanahashi in a match for Tanahashi’s G1 Challenge Contract, White stormed the ring to attack Tanahashi and then attack Okada. When Gedo, the longtime mentor and manager of the Rainmaker, entered the ring to seemingly protect the leader of Chaos the unthinkable happened: Gedo struck Okada in the back with a chair and aligned himself with Switchblade Jay White. The treacherous of these two would be taken to an even higher level as after White failed to defeat Tanahashi at King of Pro Wrestling, the Switchblade and Gedo would align themselves with the Bullet Club OGs (with White eventually becoming the leader of the faction; beginning the “Cutthroat Era” of Bullet Club). Kazuchika Okada has already gained a small measure of revenge by defeating Gedo in a singles match at Night One of the Road to Tokyo Dome event earlier in December. But the Rainmaker will now look ahead to Wrestle Kingdom 13 where he will look to achieve vengeance when he faces Jay White one on one.

4. Hiromu Takahashi Defeats Taiji Ishimori to Win Best of the Super Juniors 2018 - BotSJ 2018

Best of the Super Juniors 25 was one of the most stacked junior heavyweight tournaments in recent memory. With a field that featured the reigning IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay, as well as former champions including KUSHIDA and Marty Scrull, BotSJ 25 was action-packed tournament that did not disappoint. And by far the BEST match of the entire tournament was the finals between A Block winner Taiji Ishimori and B Block winner Hiromu Takahashi. Ishimori entered the tournament having become the newest member of the Bullet Club faction, making headlines as a high-profile addition to the New Japan roster. The newly minted Bone Soldier had established himself as a world-class junior heavyweight during his time in Pro Wrestling Noah, where he became the longest reigning GHC Jr. Heavyweight Champion in history by holding onto the title for 405 consecutive days at one point in his career. On the other side of the ring stood the obvious crowd favorite, former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi. The Ticking Time Bomb had been on an almost year-long quest to regain the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title that he lost had lost at Dominion in 2017. In order to do so, Hiromu had to battle his way through the BotSJ tournament in order to earn an opportunity to challenge the then-reigning champion Will Ospreay. This match also marked the first time that Hiromu Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori had faced each other in one on one competition. In a match that lasted nearly 35 grueling minutes, the Bone Soldier and the Ticking Time Bomb waged war all over the historic Korakuen Hall where at one point Hiromu found himself being throw down a flight of stairs. In the end Takahashi was able to overcome the newest member of the Bullet Club to capture his first ever Best of the Super Juniors crown in a match that was easily among the top 5 New Japan matches of this entire year. If you have the opportunity to, I HIGHLY recommend that you seek this matchup out on New Japan World; I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

3. Chris Jericho Clashes with Kenny Omega in a Dream Match - Wrestle Kingdom 12

In an era where the term “dream match” seems to be thrown around far too often, the clash between Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho for the IWGP United States Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 12 truly was a case where that distinction was apt. The Best Bout Machine Kenny Omega had spent the better part of 2017 elevating the newly created IWGP US Championship to new heights as its inaugural champion. And later that same year, on November 5th, Omega was challenged to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 12 via a pre-taped message by international pro wrestling star Chris Jericho. The matchup between the two was dubbed “Alpha vs. Omega” and helped to quickly garner international media attention for the upcoming event. The match had the distinction of being a No Disqualification match, which is a rarity in the world of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and was billed as the co-main event at Wrestle Kingdom 12 alongside the IWGP Heavyweight Championship match between Naito and Okada. In what many fans likely considered to be the match of the night at Wrestle Kingdom 12, Omega and Jericho engaged in what will likely go down as a true classic of a professional wrestling bout. The match had something for both Japanese fans and American fans alike: it featured brawls around the ringside area, spots with tables and chairs, and incredibly fast-paced action. Omega constantly found himself on the ropes throughout the contest having to endure a wide array of physical abuse from Chris Jericho, while managing to escape from both the Codebreaker and the Walls of Jericho. When the dust finally cleared, Omega was able to secure victory with a One-Winged Angel on top of a steel chair to earn the pinfall victory in this classic matchup that transcended generations.

2. Hiroshi Tanahashi Defeats Kota Ibushi to Win the G1 Climax - G1 Climax 2018

Don’t call it a comeback. If there was a single phrase that could sum up the year 2018 for Hiroshi Tanahashi it would be just that - don’t call it a comeback. In year were both journalists and fans alike began to question just how much the Once in a Century talent had left in the tank, Hiroshi Tanahashi endured grueling matches and a fair share of injuries as he continued to put on amazing matches for the fans of New Japan Pro Wrestling. The year started out in a very promising fashion for the Ace when he successfully defended the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Switchblade Jay White at Wrestle Kingdom 12. But things would quickly turn sour for Hiroshi Tanahashi as he would lose the Intercontinental Championship to Minoru Suzuki at the New Beginning in Sapporo event due to referee stoppage. Tanahashi would then take a brief hiatus before returning for the 2018 New Japan Cup, making it all the way to the finals of the tournament before falling to Zack Sabre Jr. As the G1 Climax 28 tournament approached, fans began to wonder if this would be the last time that Tanahashi would enter the prestigious tournament as a favorite to win it all. Competing in the A Block of the tournament Tanahashi had to overcome a field of competitors that included former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, the sadistic Minoru Suzuki, and Switchblade Jay White. Reaching the finals with a tournament-high 15 points, Hiroshi Tanahashi found himself standing across the ring from a man who onced idolized him: the Golden Star, Kota Ibushi. In what very well may be the best match of 2018, Tanahashi and Ibushi battled one another in a 5+ star match that set the record for the longest G1 Climax finals bout in history at 35 minutes. The Ace endured brutal strikes and high impact moves from Ibushi but continued to push forward, displaying an iron will that had become a hallmark of his professional wrestling career. After multiple High Fly Flows, Hiroshi Tanahashi was finally able to keep Kota Ibushi down for a 3-count to secure his third G1 Climax tournament trophy and an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match at the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 13. It is safe to say that after this year, and after his performance in the 2018 G1 Climax tournament, fans and journalists alike will never doubt Hiroshi Tanahashi again.

1. Kenny Omega Dethrones Okada in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match - Dominion in Osaka 2018

720 days. That is how long Kazuchika Okada stood atop the mountain in New Japan Pro Wrestling as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his 4th reign with title. The Rainmaker started this run with NJPW’s top title at Dominion in Osaka 2016 when he unseated Tetsuya Naito to recapture the title Naito had defeated him for a little over two months beforehand. During his 720-day stint as champion Okada closed out the show at Wrestle Kingdoms 11 and 12, successfully defended the title a record 12 times (that record being for most successful title defenses in a single reign), set the record for most cumulative days as champion, and shattered the record for longest single IWGP Heavyweight Championship reign (the previous record being 489 days) along the way. But as his reign reached rarified air fans began to wonder who would eventually unseat the Rainmaker as IWGP Heavyweight Champion; more importantly some fans began to even wonder if anyone could. During this reign, Okada had defeated every top star New Japan had to offer - from Tanahashi to Naito to Shibata to even Omega. No matter who his challenger was, it seemed like no man could defeat Okada when the lights where the brightest and the title was on the line. And even Okada started to wonder who could possibly end his record-shattering run with IWGP Heavyweight Title. Upon defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestling Dontaku 2018, Okada called out Kenny Omega to issue a challenge to him: a match between the two for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Dominion in Osaka 2018. But this time, there was a twist. Okada had grown frustrated by the fact that, in his previous encounters with Omega, his record against the Best Bout Machine was one win, one loss, and one draw. So for their upcoming match at Dominion the Rainmaker proposed a no time limit, 2 out of 3 falls match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. This match was also of immense importance to Kenny Omega as well. Omega had spent over a year pursuing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship while trying with all his being to pry it away from the grasp of Okada. In front of a packed house in Osaka, and with his long-time friend Kota Ibushi in his corner, Kenny Omega finally was able to defeat the man that many believed to be unbeatable to capture his first IWGP Heavyweight Championship. In a match that last over an hour, Omega and Okada put on a classic that broke the Meltzer rating system and earned an unprecedented 7-star rating from Dave Meltzer. After Okada scored a roll-up pin to secure the first fall, Omega stormed back to win two consecutive falls in route to capturing the top prize in New Japan Pro Wrestling. I’ve personally gone back and rewatched this match nearly 10 times at this point and for those who haven’t seen it I insist that you check it out.

And with that, so ends my list of the Top 10 Memorable Moments from New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2018. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season, and I look forward to sharing my next article - a preview of Wrestle Kingdom 13 - with all of you in the near future!