Wrestle Kingdom.
This one event, phrase, or (shudders) brand may be the most revered or excitement-inducing thing someone can say around a certain type of wrestling fan. In recent years, that reverence has even broken into the wider wrestling audience, with Wrestle Kingdom being known as Japan’s biggest event, or even the greatest in-ring show of the year.
But is that still the case?
Does Wrestle Kingdom, or even New Japan as a whole, still produce the greatest wrestling? Is it still the pinnacle? As with everything, reception and public perception tend to trail the actual peak of a movement or wave.
In previous years, Wrestle Kingdom was inarguably the top in-ring event of the year. The wave truly began building from Wrestle Kingdom 7, with Kazuchika Okada’s losing effort against the now-retiring ace Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Wrestle Kingdom 8, where the fan vote led to Tanahashi winning the Intercontinental Championship in the main event.
You could argue that the wave peaked with Wrestle Kingdom 9 (or should I say Global Force Wrestling Presents: Wrestle Kingdom 9), when the company broke into the Western market by being presented on U.S. (and worldwide) pay-per-view for the first time.
From there, New Japan experienced its highest level of success in decades, basking in what is now described as a golden age. Wrestle Kingdoms 10 (I was there!), 11, 12, and 13 were some of the greatest wrestling cards of all time. These shows were highlighted by the rise of Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega, as well as the introductions and meteoric ascents of Kota Ibushi, Will Ospreay, and Jay White.
Chris Jericho even made his return to NJPW, ensuring his name would forever be entwined with this new golden era. Showing that his instincts were still as sharp as ever, he competed in Wrestle Kingdom matches against the likes of Kenny Omega, Tetsuya Naito, and Hiroshi Tanahashi, culminating at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
All of these shows capped off their respective years, which featured incredible wrestling, captivating tournaments, and the very best of what the “sport of kings” could offer.
Golden Era Wrestle Kingdom Main Events:
- Wrestle Kingdom 9: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
- Wrestle Kingdom 10: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
- Wrestle Kingdom 11: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Kenny Omega
- Wrestle Kingdom 12: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito
- Wrestle Kingdom 13: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
- Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 1: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
- Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 2: Kazuchika Okada (Heavyweight) vs. Tetsuya Naito (Intercontinental)
All of this culminated in the Double Gold Dash at Wrestle Kingdom 14, which saw the long-anticipated and some would say gruelling quest of Tetsuya Naito finally reach its conclusion. Naito captured both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships after a two-night mini-tournament featuring Okada, Ibushi, and Jay White.
It’s fairly easy to pinpoint this moment as the end of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s golden era. From there, the company began riding the descent of the wave to where we now stand.
The decline in popularity and perceived quality of New Japan Pro Wrestling since that golden era has been dissected endlessly, and others are in a far better position to analyse it than I am. Commonly cited reasons include the pandemic, the glacial pace at which new stars have been crowned, the rise of AEW and its talent acquisitions (or “talent sniping,” according to some), and the reliance on more “Western” presentation traits such as the House of Torture stable.
Whatever the cause, it’s fair to say that New Japan today is a far cry from what it once was. Not only does it feel less exciting, but it can also be genuinely difficult to stay engaged with the current presentation.
There have been brief moments where it looked like things might be turning around. The re-emergence of Yota Tsuji from excursion and his challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (reminiscent of Okada’s return years earlier) felt promising. So did the push of Shota Umino, including his Wrestle Kingdom 19 main event match.
Your mileage may vary on Umino, but at least it felt fresh, like a genuine step toward the next generation.
Umino lost the bout, which didn’t have to mean the end. He shaved his head and began an intriguing “start from scratch” storyline, only for it to be seemingly abandoned months later. He now feels largely unchanged, back in the same position he occupied before Wrestle Kingdom.
Along with Tsuji and Umino, other rising stars have had varying levels of prominence and success, yet none have truly been placed in a position to take off and reach the next level.
Gabe Kidd has hovered on the brink for some time, with his Wrestle Dynasty match against Kenny Omega and Global Championship wins standing out as recent highlights.
Ryohei Oiwa returned from his “local” excursion in Pro Wrestling NOAH, joined TMDK, and recently clinched the World Tag League trophy alongside stablemate and leader Zack Sabre Jr.
Yuya Uemura is another strong prospect (with a fantastic arm drag). His style and strong foundation has made him a standout of this generation, and he’s recently been tagging with Shota Umino as RoughStorm.
The Knockout Brothers, Yuto-Ice and Oskar Leube, are the newest names on this list to emerge onto the scene. Debuting as a tag team, they’ve already made an impression. Yuto-Ice, in particular, feels like someone with massive upside and future main-event potential.
Ren Narita entered as the second coming of Katsuyori Shibata, the “son of strong style”, showing genuine promise before being placed in the House of Torture. At this point, I barely even think of him as part of this generation due to his affiliation with the House, and the style of wrestling that seems to necessitate.
The next year is really make or break for New Japan and for the wrestlers mentioned above. It truly feels like the last chance to catch the next wave and create new stars.
And with all that preamble, let’s move to the main event.
Wrestle Kingdom 20 takes place on January 4, 2026. Will this be the upswing and the kick-off of a new golden age? or more of the same listlessness and treading water that has defined New Japan in recent years?
On paper, this card looks like the furthest thing from the start of a new era. Tanahashi’s retirement match takes centre stage against AEW’s Kazuchika Okada. AEW’s Konosuke Takeshita (yes, I know, he he is also contracted to New Japan, but come on)headlines the IWGP title match. Much of the “new generation” is relegated to a six-man championship Rambo.
And yet… there’s a feeling in the air.
I can’t put my finger on it, but it does feel like this show has something special about it, a feeling of freshness, a feeling of being on the precipice of something new, a jumping off point.
It may be wishful thinking, but coming out of this show, I feel like there is a strong chance of feeling like we are now on the upswing, that the new era is upon us. Perhaps Tsuji leaves as champion. Maybe Olympic standout Aaron Wolf shows real promise. Maybe the new generation simply wrestles with urgency, intensity, and hunger.
The feel of this show will matter more than the results.
With Tanahashi likely taking up a significant portion of the runtime, the time given to the new generation is vital. I want raw energy. Intensity. Wrestlers grabbing the opportunity by the throat instead of waiting their turn. Presence. Persistence. Take a stance and claim it.
Imagine leaving Wrestle Kingdom 20 with:
- Tsuji standing tall after a classic IWGP Championship performance
- Aaron Wolf having a breakout performance. This doesn’t even have to be incredible, just show promise and keep the House of Torture nonsense to a minimum (…. I wish)
- The Knockout Brothers dominating and turning heads
- Umino, Uemura, and Oiwa wrestling like they refuse to be denied any longer
On a side note—how cool is the tag name RoughStorm? Are we finally returning to the era of great tag names like Miracle Violence Connection and Holy Demon Army?
I have a lot of hope for this Wrestle Kingdom. I’m trying not to get carried away, but even one of these moments would be a genuine sign of life. More than anything, I’m hoping the feel is there.
Below is the card for Wrestle Kingdom 20. I’ll be back with my thoughts once the show has taken place.
Wrestle Kingdom 20 – January 4 2026 – Tokyo Dome
El Phantasmo (c) (with Jado) vs. Chris Brookes Singles match for the NJPW World Television Championship
Ranbo for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship
Saya Kamitani (Strong) vs. Syuri (IWGP) Winner Takes All match for the IWGP Women’s Championship and Strong Women’s Championship
Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, and Drilla Moloney) and Unaffiliated (Shingo Takagi and Hiromu Takahashi) (with Gedo) vs. Andrade El Ídolo, United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, Henare, and TBA)
El Desperado vs. Kosei Fujita vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. Sho Four-way match to determine the #1 contender for IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Evil (c) (with Dick Togo and Don Fale) vs. Aaron Wolf Singles match for the NEVER Openweight Championship
Konosuke Takeshita (World) vs. Yota Tsuji (Global) Winner Takes All match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada
