Its getting to be that time of year again as we get close to Christmas and New Years it is just days away from January 4th and the annual tradition of Wrestle Kingdom. This years card looks like to be one of the best cards in years and might be one of the best cards for a while with the rumours of the members of The Elite (Young Bucks, Cody, Hangman Adam Page, The Villain Marty Scurll and Kenny Omega) and Chris Jericho all leaving to start their own wrestling promotion when their contracts expire in the near future.

With that being said I can not wait to see this card as New Japan Pro Wrestling is one of the best products in the world today on a consistent basis. It is well worth being up to watch the card in the early morning hours around 3 am EST. So with that being said I am going to go into my predictions for this years card.

First up is the Gauntlet match to determine the number one contenders to the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship which will be on their pre-show. The Participants are: Yuji Nagata (Replaced Michael Elgin due to knee injury), Jeff Cobb & David Finlay vs. The Elite (Hangman Page, Yujiro Takahashi & Marty Scurll) vs. Chaos (Hirooki Goto, Beretta & Chuckie T.) vs. Suzuki-Gun (Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr.) vs. Ryusuki Taguchi & Most Violent Players (Togi Makabi & Toru Yano). This should be a solid match and a great way to start to get the crowd into the card. I am disappointed that Michael Elgin will not be able to compete because of a serious knee injury that he suffered recently and requires surgery but I wish him the best of luck in his recovery. I believe that Suzuki-Gun will win the match and set up a good feud with the current NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions Bullet Club (Guerillas of Destiny and Taiji Ishimori)

Now onto the main card. It looks like it may start with the NEVER Openweight Championship match between Kota Ibushi (Champion) vs Will Ospreay. This match is a great way to start off the main card. This match between these two should be a high flying, fast paced match that we should expect from these two. I believe that Will Ospreay will win the championship in this match because of Ibushi’s allegiance to The Elite and he may make a move with them because he is a free lance wrestler not on an exclusive contract with NJPW. This match has the potential of stealing the show.

Next up we have the Three Way IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match between the Champions Suzuki-Gun (Yoshinobi Kanemarov & El Desperado) vs. Roppongi 3K (Sho & Yoh) vs Los Ingobernables de Japan (Bushi & Shingo Takagi). This match traditionally starts the main card but with Ospreay vs. Ibushi leading off this is a real good follow up match. I predict that L.O.J. will win the Jr Heavyweight championship and continue to build L.O.J. as a top baby-face faction in NJPW. The fans are definitely behind them and not just in Japan. Just watch any ROH show they are a part of and see it for yourself.

Up Next will be the British Heavyweight Championship match between Tomohiro Ishii (Champion) and Zack Sabre Jr. This match should be a good mix of the British Strong Style matches that we are used to seeing and a technical match as well with the ability of ZSJ’s mat skills. I predict that ZSJ will bring the championship back to his native England and have a long successful reign as champion.

Next we are on to the Three Way IWGP Tag Team Championship match between the reigning champs representing Bullet Club Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa) vs the 2018 World Tag League winners Los Ingobernables de Japan (Sanada & EVIL) vs the former champions representing The Elite The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson). The Young Bucks added themselves to this match at the World Tag League finals because they did not receive their rematch yet from when they lost the championships to G.O.D. I believe this will be another match that L.O.J. will win and continue on their feud with Bullet Club and i also believe that they will get the decision over the Young Bucks since they will be “Leaving the Territory” and it is tradition that people leaving will be the ones who get pinned or submitted. This is another match of the night contender.

Next will be the IWGP United States Championship match between The Elite’s American Nightmare Cody (Champion) with his wife Brandy Rhodes by his side vs. Juice Robinson. These two great wrestlers who left WWE to make themselves better competitors in the ring will have a solid match. With The Elite leaving for their own promotion I would be shocked if Juice Robinson does not become the first 2 time IWGP United States champion in NJPW history (I know the belt is not quite 2 years old yet but still impressive that there has been no repeat champions as of yet).

Next will be the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match between the time splitter Kushida and member of the Bullet Club Taiji Ishimori. These two will put on an amazing show of high flying, fast paced match that the Junior Heavyweight division is known for. This is a tough one because Bullet Club is getting a really big push again with them becoming a HEEL faction again since they attacked the member of The Elite some time ago but I believe that Kushida will keep the championship…for now anyways with the rumours of WWE’s interest in him when his contract expires. I just really hope that Kushida does not make the jump to WWE but if he does I hope he stays in NXT until HHH fully takes over the main roster from Vince because Vince does not know how to handle the Japanese stars that he has had over the years and continues to have now.

The next match is the only non Title match on the main card and it is a grudge match between The Rainmaker Kazuchika Okada and the newly named leader of the Bullet Club Switchblade Jay White. These two consistently put on great matches and this one should be no exception. Red shoes will be busy being the referee in this match because of the almost guaranteed interference from both member of the Bullet Club and Chaos members to continue on this feud that has been going on for years. With the booking in the World Tag League tag team matches these two where a part of I would be shocked id Okada does not get some revenge and get the victory over Jay White in this match. I also expect that Okada will get his hands on Gedo and get some revenge on him turning his back on Okada.

The second last match on the card will be the IWGP Intercontinental Championship match between Chris Jericho (Champion) and the leader of Los Ingobernables de Japan Tetsuya Naito. These two have had an amazing story over the past 6 months or so with the will Jericho or will he not give Naito his rematch for the IWGP Intercontinental championship that Jericho won back in June Dominion 6.9. These two legends will put on another amazing match the Tetsuya Naito will win and have his 3rd reign as the Intercontinental Champion. With Jericho possibly joining the Elite in their own wrestling promotion I would expect a third match to be either the next day or one of the next shows that NJPW will put on.

Finally we have the Main Event which is for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. This match is between MR 6 STAR MATCH The Cleaner Kenny Omega vs The G1 Climax winner Hiroshi Tanahashi. This match will be a solid match the we expect from Kenny Omega but even though Omega’s contract is not up until later in January I expect the Rock Star Tanahashi to win the championship from Omega. I hope I am wrong in this case because I am not sure at his age that Tanahashi can be the main face for the company anymore as champion. I really hope that Omega somehow retains the championship and possibly while he is celebrating have Jay White and other Bullet Club members attack Omega from behind and set up a match later in the month between Omega and Jay White where Omega will drop the belt to Switchblade and continue to have a feud with Okada for a year or so.

New Japan Pro Wrestling’s version of Wrestlemania has a solid card that defiantly has the potential to be the PPV of the year and it would only be within the first week of the year. I can not wait to see this event and see where NJPW sets themselves up for the rest of the year with losing some of their biggest names in the company.