The Legacy of the Motor City Machine Guns

The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin), the tag team that is considered by many fans to be the best in the industry, recently saw the end of a full-time run under the WWE banner, and now fans and members of the industry alike are anticipating their next move. To understand why there is so much buzz right now, one only has to look at the Guns' accomplishments and contributions to the industry through the years.

Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin were TNA originals who did not receive the attention that they deserved over the years, with X Division Championship reigns being their biggest accomplishment. Shelley and Sabin finally discovered their TNA niche in 2007, when they were united as The Motor City Machine Guns and eventually won the TNA World Tag Team Championship.



As WWE Tag Team Champions, three-time TNA World Tag Team Champions, ROH World Tag Team Champions, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champions, and the holders of many other championships internationally, the Motor City Machine Guns have been a dominant force in almost every notable promotion they have been in. With a combination of chemistry, innovation, technical moves, and high-flying maneuvers, the Guns have been show stealers on more than one occasion.



One of the highlights of the Motor City Machine Guns being a part of the SmackDown brand was their matches with #DIY, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa. Although Ciampa had not been in the ring with the Guns before then, Gargano teamed with former XPW World Tag Team Champion Josh Prohibition to wrestle them at an independent event in 2007. Gargano had also wrestled Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin in singles matches. But the October 2024 Motor City Machine Guns vs. #DIY match was the first.



Another highlight was the Motor City Machine Guns' match with The Bloodline, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa. The Motor City Machine Guns appeared in NJPW during the time that Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa were wrestling for them regularly, but the two teams had never faced off. During Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa’s time in NJPW, they held the IWGP Tag Team Championship a record seven times, gaining them the reputation of being a great tag team. With the Guns having an exceptional reputation as well, this match taking place for the first time in their careers was exciting for fans. The Guns captured the WWE Tag Team Championship in this match.



Additionally, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, seasoned veterans of the ring, had matches with Austin Theory & Grayson Waller, rising stars who were still early in their careers. The matches between the Motor City Machine Guns and A-Town Down Under were valuable learning experiences for Theory and Waller.



It's also worth noting that before joining WWE full-time in October 2024, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin both worked with WWE in the past. In 2019, they were guest coaches at the WWE Performance Center on separate occasions.

I love wrestling. I am the Multiple Man of the industry: a thousand lives inna thousand different places. Thanks everyone who helped me get this far. pic.twitter.com/t2VKTpnUL6

— @Lx $helley (@AlexShelley313) October 22, 2019

In addition, in 2020, Alex Shelley teamed with Kushida for NXT live events and as a participant in that year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament.

The Parallel Journeys of AJ Styles and Hiroshi Tanahashi

The winter of 2026 will forever be remembered as the season that two of the most talented wrestlers laced their boots for the final time. One was AJ Styles, who proved himself over and over again by dominating in major companies internationally as a two-time former WWE Champion, a WWE Grand Slam Champion, a two-time former TNA World Champion, and a two-time former IWGP Heavyweight Champion. The other was Hiroshi Tanahashi, an icon who has been at the forefront of NJPW during very important times, cementing his place as one of the most respected wrestlers in Japanese wrestling.

In the span of just twenty-seven days, the professional wrestling landscape lost two of its most resilient foundations. On January 4, 2026, at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20, Hiroshi Tanahashi wrestled his last match in the Tokyo Dome, where he had many classic contests during his career, with him being considered one of the greatest performers in Tokyo Dome history, headlining a record 11 NJPW January 4 Tokyo Dome shows. Less than a month later, on January 31, AJ Styles threw up the P1 on his gloves one more time in the center of the ring at WWE Royal Rumble 2026.

Their careers ended on opposite sides of the globe, but their journeys were remarkably parallel. More than wrestlers, one was the Ace of Aces, while the other was Phenomenal in every one of his matches, and both of them were top-tier, foundational, and generation-defining performers for major companies.

To understand why their retirements feel so linked, we have to go back to exactly twenty years. Before AJ Styles became "The Face That Runs the Place" in WWE or Hiroshi Tanahashi became the Ace of NJPW, they crossed paths in a TNA ring.

In January 2006, at TNA Final Resolution, Hiroshi Tanahashi made his first appearance in an American pro-wrestling company. He faced AJ Styles in a special attraction between two wrestlers who were established stars in their respective companies.



The most cited matches between AJ Styles and Hiroshi Tanahashi took place in 2014 and 2015. Styles joined NJPW and adapted to the company's unique style of intense, action-packed, fast-paced matches, and Tanahashi was one of his frequent opponents.

At King Of Pro-Wrestling on October 13, 2014, Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated AJ Styles to win his record-breaking 7th IWGP Heavyweight Championship, in a match that was considered the best of that year by many fans. It can be seen in its entirety via the NJPW World streaming service.

AJ Styles reclaimed the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on February 11, 2015, at The New Beginning in Osaka, in a match that became bloody. You can see it in its entirety on NJPW World here.

The match between AJ Styles and Hiroshi Tanahashi on August 14, 2015, at G1 Climax 25 is considered a masterpiece by many fans, and can be seen on NJPW World. The G1 Climax tournament reached a new level of international recognition that year, and Tanahashi was the winner of this match, securing his place in the finals and going on to win the tournament.

The AJ Styles vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi matches in 2014 and 2015 made both men fully realize that they speak the same in-ring language, as their seamless chemistry was proof of it. Styles and Tanahashi have expressed immense mutual respect, praising each other as one of the best in the world.

Something very noteworthy about their dual retirements is what their farewell tours were like. With WWE's current administration allowing Superstars more input into their characters and how they are used, and with Hiroshi Tanahashi now the President and Representative Director of NJPW, both he and AJ Styles could have spent their final months as professional wrestlers in the center of the spotlights of their respective companies, and they earned the right to do so. However, neither one of them did that.

Hiroshi Tanahashi spent his final year having more tag team matches than singles matches, helping newer generations of wrestlers grow and evolve. Meanwhile, AJ Styles focused on tag teaming as well, becoming WWE World Tag Team Champions with Dragon Lee, helping elevate Lee to his first championship on the WWE main roster.

Also, the events where AJ Styles and Hiroshi Tanahashi's pro-wrestling careers concluded are equally symbolic, full-circle events. After headlining a record 11 Tokyo Dome main events, Tanahashi finished his legendary 26-year career at that same venue, which he helped rebuild. Meanwhile, Royal Rumble is the same event where AJ Styles made his WWE debut 10 years earlier, beginning one of the most dominant and decorated WWE careers of the modern era.

With AJ Styles and Hiroshi Tanahashi now moved on from full-time in-ring competition, the statistics -the championships, the merchandise sales- although notable, matter less than the example they set, that pro-wrestlers can follow. Styles and Tanahashi proved that blending technical wrestling and psychology with high-paced athleticism is a key to success in the pro-wrestling industry.

A Look at nWo Japan

The New World Order (nWo) had a significant impact on Japan, both directly and indirectly. During the 1990s, VHS tapes were the primary way for international fans to watch wrestling from other promotions. The nWo's popularity led to the production and availability of various VHS tapes in Japan. Many events and compilation videos focused on the nWo were officially released in Japan. These tapes would have Japanese language packaging and Japanese subtitles & dubbing.

While most American wrestling fans remember the nWo for its takeover of WCW, a parallel story was unfolding across the Pacific. The nWo's influence was so vast that it spread to Japan, where it became a dominant force in NJPW. This is a unique and often overlooked chapter in the nWo's legacy.

nWo Japan was established in 1997 by Masahiro Chono, an established and highly respected homegrown star. Other highly respected Japanese talents in nwo Japan were Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, and Hiro Saito.

American members of the nWo were also a part of nWo Japan: Marcus Bagwell, Michael Wallstreet, Brian Adams, Scott Norton, and nWo Sting. The American members experienced more frequent main event matches while with nWo Japan than with nWo in America, where they were usually utilized in the midcard. In fact, Scott Norton won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship while being a member of nWo Japan, becoming the first non-Japanese holder of the championship in seven years.

Additionally, Big Titan, who had seen championship success in Japan as WWA Martial Arts Heavyweight Champion during his time in FMW, was also a member of nWo Japan. Unfortunately, his time in the faction was cut short as a result of suffering a serious neck injury during a match.

One of nWo Japan's most notable periods was when the faction split into two opposing sides. The roots of the conflict trace back to the group's leadership. A serious neck injury forced nWo Japan leader Masahiro Chono to take time away from the ring, leaving a power void. During Chono's absence, Keiji Muto took over the leadership role.

When Masahiro Chono made his return, he was unhappy with the direction Muto had taken the group. His leadership had steered nWo Japan away from its rulebreaker origins, and the group had become fan favorites. This clash of ideals and a power struggle for control led to a division. Chono, seeking to restore the group's original ruthless identity, formed a new rival faction called TEAM2000. He recruited AKIRA and MMA legend Don Frye, and two wrestlers defected from nWo Japan to join Chono's new faction: Michael Wallstreet and nWo Sting (who began wrestling as "Super J").

The war between the two factions came to a head on January 4, 2000 at Wrestling World 2000 in the Tokyo Dome. Masahiro Chono faced off against Keiji Muto in a high-stakes singles match with a clear stipulation: the losing wrestler's faction would have to disband. Chono defeated Muto, forcing Muto to disband nWo Japan. This match can be seen in its entirety via the NJPW World streaming service.

Why Olympic Gold Medalist Aaron Wolf Chose NJPW

A major topic of conversation among fans and within the wrestling media that follows the international wrestling scene is that Aaron Wolf, who won a gold medal in judo at the 2020 Summer Olympics, has signed with NJPW. Set to make his in-ring debut at Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4, 2026 – the same date as the legendary Hiroshi Tanahashi's retirement match – Wolf's decision to join NJPW has sparked discussion. With reports indicating options with other major promotions, and that Wolf made this choice after consulting with former NJPW star and current AEW star Kazuchika Okada, many are asking: Why did Aaron Wolf choose NJPW?"

Aaron Wolf's choice speaks volumes about the reputation and unique appeal of NJPW, especially for an athlete seeking to learn the craft from the ground up. According to reports, Kazuchika Okada advised Wolf that "If you want to learn pro wrestling from scratch, New Japan Pro-Wrestling is the place to be." After initially being trained by legend Ultimo Dragon, Okada continued his training in NJPW. A sign of a great place to train is if it has a notable track record of graduates who have had good exposure. While in NJPW, Okada held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship five times (with his fourth reign lasting 720 days, the longest in the company’s history), and later held the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship two times (with Okada's first reign being the fourth-longest in the company's history). In 2024, he signed with AEW, where he captured the AEW Continental Championship. Okada's success in the pro-wrestling industry is a ringing endorsement for the training that NJPW offers.

NJPW's training features the Noge Dojo system, a form of training that focuses on understanding fundamentals, ensuring that students comprehend the nuances of psychology and physical execution that define the biggest wrestling company in Japan. For an Olympic judoka, this environment offers a seamless transition from one demanding combat sport to another, where technique, discipline, and resilience are primary.

Beyond the training philosophy, Aaron Wolf brings cross-cultural appeal to NJPW. As a Japanese-American born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and American father, he has a heritage that resonates with both the domestic Japanese audience and the international fanbase. Also, Wolf's Olympic gold medal instantly gives him a high level of public recognition and athletic credibility. This combination positions Wolf as a potential Ace - a top-tier cornerstone who NJPW can build around in the coming years. Hiroshi Tanahashi had the responsibility of being NJPW's Ace in the past, and Wolf's background offers a fresh, compelling narrative for a new generation. His debut at Wrestle Kingdom 20, on the same night as Tanahashi's retirement, symbolically marks the passing of a torch and the beginning of a new era for the promotion.

While Aaron Wolf's judo success is notable, the pro-wrestling industry is a completely different world. The road ahead for him will be challenging, as he himself states he is "starting from zero" in pro-wrestling. However, with the backing of NJPW's respected dojo, the guidance of figures like legend Yuji Nagata (who is currently a trainer in NJPW and has been in contact with Wolf), and the value of an Olympic gold medal, his journey is one of much potential. Wolf's decision to immerse himself in the traditional, fundamental approach of NJPW is a good match for his prior athletic experience. As Wolf prepares for his Tokyo Dome debut, the wrestling world will be watching closely to see how he will make an impact in NJPW.

The Ace of Aces: The Enduring Legacy of Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a symbol of perseverance, athleticism, and dedication to the professional wrestling industry. More than just a wrestler, he has become an icon and remarkable talent who has been at the forefront of NJPW during very important times, cementing his place as one of the most respected wrestlers in Japan. Tanahashi's legacy extends beyond championships and distinctions; he has also displayed leadership qualities, which he continues to do to this day.

Hiroshi Tanahashi's career began in 1999, and he quickly stood out with amazing energy, incredible technical skills, and charisma. Tanahashi's matches captivated audiences, creating a deep connection with them. He was a true showman, possessing the ability to draw the crowd in and make them emotionally invested in his every move.

It was when Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated his former mentor Keiji Muto at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom III in 2009 for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship that Tanahashi became the Ace of the company, the wrestler around whom NJPW was built. This was more than a title; it was a responsibility. Muto, a legend in the industry, passed the torch to Tanahashi, and he embraced this role, consistently delivering top-level performances and carrying the company. Tanahashi became the face of NJPW, a representation of its commitment to high-quality professional wrestling.

Hiroshi Tanahashi's in-ring style is a blend of technical wrestling and high-flying maneuvers. He's an expert of the fundamentals, so Tanahashi has many holds at his disposal. However, he's also a risk-taker, willing to soar through the air with dives and aerial moves. Tanahashi's matches are a showcase of his versatility.



Beyond Hiroshi Tanahashi's athleticism, his presence commands attention in the ring. Tanahashi is more than a wrestler; he's a performer, capable of captivating crowds with his expressions and mannerisms telling the story of a match as they reveal his state of mind, emotional control, and general performance. Tanahashi's body language shows the impact of an opponent's offense and the weariness of an exhausting match. Fans know exactly how he's feeling during a match, because he shows it instead of hiding it, which adds drama to the action.

Hiroshi Tanahashi's impact on NJPW is endless. He was involved in rebuilding the company's popularity, leading it through a period of growth and establishing it as one of the top wrestling companies in the world. Tanahashi became the standard-bearer for NJPW, a representative of its commitment to quality and its unique brand of professional wrestling. Trained by NJPW and with the company for his entire career, Tanahashi is one of NJPW's most popular wrestlers, and has held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship a total of eight times, which is more times than any wrestler in NJPW’s history. During Tanahashi’s fifth reign, he held the championship for 404 days, the third-longest reign in the company’s history.

And in December 2023, Hiroshi Tanahashi was appointed as President and Representative Director of NJPW.

Hiroshi Tanahashi's legacy extends beyond NJPW as well. He has become a praised figure in the global wrestling community, admired for his skill, his professionalism, and his dedication to the industry. Tanahashi is a role model for aspiring wrestlers, due to the power of his hard work and perseverance.

In a significant announcement at King of Pro-Wrestling 2024, Hiroshi Tanahashi revealed that 2025 will be his final year as an active professional wrestler, with his retirement match scheduled for Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4, 2026. While this marks the end of an era in the ring, Tanahashi's legacy will continue as he remains the President and Representative Director of NJPW, a role in which his leadership and extensive experience will be beneficial in guiding the company's future.

Hiroshi Tanahashi's career is a story of the capability of one individual to shape the landscape of professional wrestling. Along with being the Ace of NJPW, he's an icon, a legend, and a wrestler whose legacy will continue to inspire generations of performers and fans alike. Tanahashi's impact on the professional wrestling industry is long-lasting, and his contributions will always be remembered.

[NJPW] Capital Collision 2024 on 8/30 at the Entertainment & Sports Arena (Washington)

America's capital will be the site of NJPW Capital Collision 2024 on August 30th at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, DC. Capital Collision has become an annual must-see showcase for NJPW as it features NJPW Strong, the promotion's America-based brand, bringing together top wrestlers from Japan and other parts of the world, offering fans a unique opportunity to see a diverse array of talent in matches with exciting action and high stakes.

While presenting a mix of established Japan and America-based talent and giving wrestling fans many of the best of both worlds, NJPW Capital Collision 2024 will also provide an opportunity to see the rising stars of the company. This will be the third Capital Collision event, and in its short history this event has already been filled with memorable matches and moments. The same is expected for Capital Collision 2024.

In the main event, Mercedes Mone will defend the NJPW STRONG Women's Championship against former Wonder Of Stardom Champion Momo Watanabe.

Mercedes Mone currently has a lot on her plate, as along with this championship defense coming up, Mone is also scheduled to defend her AEW TBS Championship against former AEW Women's World Champion Dr. Britt Baker DMD at AEW All In London 2024 this Sunday. But as the franchise of every women's division she's ever been in, having this much weight on Mone's shoulders is not something she's unfamiliar with. Meanwhile, not only does this match present an opportunity for Momo Watanabe to win the NJPW STRONG Women's Championship, but also to show her talent to an international audience in the spotlight of the main event and solidify her position as a top wrestler. Will Mercedes Mone leave NJPW Capital Collision 2024 still NJPW Strong Women's Champion? Or will Momo Watanabe return to Japan and STARDOM with the championship? The stakes are high in this headliner, so both of them will be at the top of their game.

OTHER MATCHES ON THE CARD

NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship
Gabe Kidd (NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion)
vs.
Lio Rush (AEW star)

Hiromu Takahashi (former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion)
vs.
Mustafa Ali

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
Mikey Nicholls (NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champion)
Shane Haste (NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champion)
vs.
Hechicero (as seen in AEW)
Virus

Tetsuya Naito (IWGP World Heavyweight Champion)
vs.
TJP

Zack Sabre Jr. (former NJPW World Television Champion)
vs.
Titan (as seen in AEW)

Fred Rosser
Tom Lawlor
vs.
Jorel Nelson
Royce Isaacs

YOSHI-HASHI (former NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champion)
Kevin Knight
Rocky Romero
vs.
David Finlay
Drilla Moloney
Clark Connors

"NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship 3Way #1 Contendership", match
Robbie Eagles (former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion)
Bad Dude Tito (as seen in AEW)
vs.
Tomohiro Ishii (former IWGP Tag Team Champion)
Hiroshi Tanahashi (former IWGP Tag Team Champion)
vs.
James Drake (as seen in AEW)
Zack Gibson (as seen in AEW)

Mina Shirakawa (former Goddesses Of Stardom Champion)
HANAKO (STARDOM star)
vs.
Trish Adora (as seen in AEW)
Viva Van (as seen in AEW)

Matt Vandagriff (as seen in AEW)
vs.
Allan Breeze

Don't miss this event! Capital Collision 2024 is more than an NJPW event; it spotlights many of the best of both Japanese and American wrestling, with a diverse lineup of top-tier talent, high-stakes matches, and the atmosphere of a live event in a unique and innovative arena. Secure your tickets now and experience NJPW Capital Collision 2024!

https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/3851170/264167/4272?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fnew-japan-prowrestling-njpw-tickets%2Fartist%2F2535679

[NJPW World] NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 on 1/4/24 LIVE

The matches that took place at Wrestle Kingom 17 in January 2023 are still being talked about, yet 2024 is just around the corner as NJPW will present Wrestle Kingdom 18 on January 4th, 2024, at the Tokyo Dome, one of the most legendary venues in the pro-wrestling industry. The event starts at 1:30am EST and will be broadcast LIVE via NJPW World, NJPW's video streaming website.

In the main event, SANADA will defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito.

This will be a true test for SANADA, as this will be his first time defending NJPW's top singles championship on the company's grandest stage. Meanwhile, Tetsuya Naito is no stranger to being in the Wrestle Kingdom main event -both as a champion and a challenger- and he intends to leave the Tokyo Dome as champion.

In a special singles match, former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada will go against AEW star Bryan Danielson.

This will be their third encounter, and Danielson was the victor the two times they have opposed each other in the ring. This time Okada will have the home country advantage, but Danielson won't just be trying to win this match- he plans on getting revenge.





The IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship highlights NJPW's focus on international talent and expansion, signifying success within the international side of the company. It unifies championships with different styles and focuses, making versatility and adaptability a necessity. And we will indeed see a clash of three different styles when former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay, former AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, and former NEVER Openweight Champion David Finlay compete to decide the inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion.

In exciting junior heavyweight action, Hiromu Takahashi will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado.

These two men have faced each other many times in singles matches, exchanging wins and losses since 2018, and only one match ending in a draw. Desperado and Takahashi have three wins over each other, and at Wrestle Kingdom 18 their rivalry will continue, with championship implications.

OTHER MATCHES ON THE CARD

IWGP Tag Team Championship / NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
Bishamon
Hirooki Goto (IWGP Tag Team Champion)
YOSHI-HASHI (IWGP Tag Team Champion)
vs.
Guerrillas Of Destiny
Hikuleo (NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champion)
El Phantasmo (NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champion)

NEVER Openweight Championship
Shingo Takagi (NEVER Openweight Champion)
vs.
Tama Tonga (former NEVER Openweight Champion)

Shota Umino
Kaito Kiyomiya (Open The Twin Gate Champion)
vs.
HOUSE OF TORTURE
EVIL (former IWGP Tag Team Champion)
Ren Narita

Yota Tsuji
vs.
Yuya Uemura

NJPW World Television Championship
Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW World Television Champion)
vs.
Hiroshi Tanahashi (former IWGP Heavyweight Champion)

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
BULLET CLUB War Dogs
Clark Connors (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion)
Drilla Moloney (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion)
vs.
Catch 2/2
Francesco Akira (former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion)
TJP (former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion)



Pre-Show: "NJPW King Of Pro-Wrestling Championship (KOPW) 2024 Right To Challenge / New Japan Rambo" match
In this modified battle royal, participants will enter the ring at timed intervals. The four wrestlers that are remaining at the end of the match will compete against each other at New Year Dash!! 2024 the next night to decide the first 2024 holder of the KOPW Championship.

[PREVIEW] NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling, October 12, 2015 Ryogoku Kokugikan (DVD)

King of Pro-Wrestling was an annual NJPW event that was held every October and considered not only NJPW's biggest event taking place between August's G1 Climax and the January 4 Tokyo Dome Show, but traditionally was one of NJPW's biggest shows of the year. It was created by Bushiroad, a card company and the current majority owner of NJPW, named after a card game the company created in 2012.



The event took place annually starting with 2012 on the second Monday of October, the day of the Japanese public holiday known as Health and Sports Day. The event was held at Tokyo's Ryōgoku Kokugikan, and was nicknamed "Autumn Showdown at Ryōgoku". Traditionally, King of Pro-Wrestling was stacked with top-tier matches and main evented by the final defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship before the January 4 Tokyo Dome Show.

King of Pro-Wrestling 2015 continued that tradition, as Kazuchika Okada defended his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles. Both men had singles wins over each other up to this point. Styles defeated Okada for the championship in May 2014 and successfully defended it against him later that month. Okada regained the championship by defeating Styles in July 2015. So their match at King of Pro-Wrestling could have gone either way.



Other matches on the card include:

"IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership", match
Hiroshi Tanahashi
vs.
Tetsuya Naito

NEVER Openweight Championship
Togi Makabe (NEVER Openweight Champion)
vs.
Tomohiro Ishii (former NEVER Openweight Champion)

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Kenny Omega (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion)
vs.
Matt Sydal

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
reDRagon: Bobby Fish & Kyle O'Reilly (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions)
vs.
Roppongi Vice: Beretta & Rocky Romero (former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions)

The Biggest Names and Places in The Japanese Pro Wrestling Industry

Check out my article about NJPW and Michinoku Pro for Taiken Japan.

https://taiken.co/single/the-biggest-names-and-places-in-the-japanese-pro-wrestling-industry/

Japanese Pro-Wrestling on TV in Japan (and Potentially Beyond) in 2019

A big topic as of late has been the increase of the amount of pro-wrestling shows on American television. This year, WWE, NJPW, WOW, ROH, CMLL, AAA, Impact Wrestling, CWFH, and MLW have been presenting pro-wrestling on a weekly basis. And there may be an addition this year as AEW aspires to have a TV deal in the near future as well.

Meanwhile, pro-wrestling has also been thriving as a television product in Japan. NJPW -Japan's biggest pro-wrestling company- is seen weekly via the TV Asahi network. Unlike the United States, where fans are required to have cable in order to watch programs of the most popular companies in the country, cable is not required to watch NJPW programs in Japan on TV Asahi.

GAORA SPORTS provides viewers with Dragon Gate, AJPW, OZ Academy, and WRESTLE-1. Meanwhile, NOAH can be seen regularly on the Nittele G+ sports channel and Samurai TV via satellite. Samurai TV also shows NJPW, ZERO1, Stardom, AJPW, BJW, DDT Pro, and more on their network. In total, pro-wrestling fans in Japan are able watch at least 10 different companies on television regularly, with the biggest one being able to be viewed without needing cable or satellite.

Although the pro-wrestling scene is very healthy in Japan, it has the potential to be even healthier. Being that WWE is biggest company in the industry, they have made the United States the center of the pro-wrestling industry. Alexa (a web traffic and ranking website) shows how much attention WWE captures from fans who live in the United States, and how much of an impact they have on their traffic rank. According to Alexa, http://www.WWE.com has a traffic rank of 3,009, with the majority of its visitors being based in the United States.

Japanese pro-wrestling companies branching out to the American market would enable them to potentially gain new fans from the same fan base that WWE has, as well as pro-wrestling fans who don't like the WWE product and are looking for something different. NJPW has already done this- they are currently featured on AXS TV, a network that presents the NJPW product to 200,000 American viewers every week. There are many other networks for the NJPW product to potentially be on, including ones that would be better than AXS TV, but the fact remains that NJPW's exposure had a positive impact on the company. Alexa's report on http://www.njpw.co.jp/ 's traffic rankings from the past three months are proof of this. As of this writing, the website was ranked at 75,409, having had moved up 19,483 positions versus the previous three months.

Just as how NJPW has increased its exposure by branching out to the American market, other pro-wrestling companies in Japan can (and should) do the same. Every company has a style of wrestling that is different from what American pro-wrestling fans usually are exposed to, which surely would gain their attention. And along with exposure, the pro-wrestling company would gain the financial benefit of the American television network paying them to show episodes of the wrestling program on the American television network.

Japanese Pro-Wrestling on TV in Japan (and Potentially Beyond)

A big topic as of late has been the decreasing of the amount of pro-wrestling shows on American television. This year, WWE, TNA, NJPW, ROH, CMLL, Lucha Underground/AAA, and the GWF (via ESPN Classic replays) have been presenting pro-wrestling on a weekly basis. However, the landscape may be changing as the year draws to a close, with there being rumors that Destination America will be dropping TNA's, "Impact Wrestling" program, and El Rey has yet to renew, "Lucha Underground".

Meanwhile, pro-wrestling has been thriving as a television product in Japan. NJPW -Japan's biggest pro-wrestling company- is seen weekly via the TV Asahi network. Unlike the United States, where fans are required to have cable in order to watch programs of the most popular companies in the country, cable is not required to watch NJPW programs in Japan on TV Asahi.

NOAH can be seen regularly on the Nittele G+ sports channel and Samurai TV via satellite. Samurai TV also shows JWP, Stardom, Pro Wrestling ZERO1, BJW, DDT Pro, AJPW, Legend the Pro-Wrestling, and more on their network. Meanwhile GAORA TV provides viewers with Dragon Gate, AJPW, Wrestle-1, and Oz Academy. In total, pro-wrestling fans in Japan are able watch at least 12 different companies on television regularly, with the biggest one being able to be viewed without needing cable or satellite.

Although the pro-wrestling scene is very healthy in Japan, it has the potential to be even healthier. Being that WWE is biggest company in the industry, they have made the United States the center of the pro-wrestling industry. Alexa (a web traffic and ranking website) shows how much attention WWE captures from fans who live in the United States, and how much of an impact they have on their traffic rank. According to Alexa, http://www.WWE.com has a traffic rank of 1,468, with the majority of its visitors being based in the United States.

Japanese pro-wrestling companies branching out to the American market would enable them to potentially gain new fans from the same fan base that WWE has, as well as pro-wrestling fans who don't like the WWE product and are looking for something different. NJPW has already done this- they are currently featured on AXS TV, a network that presents the NJPW product to 200,000 American viewers every week. There are many other networks for the NJPW product to potentially be on, including ones that would be better than AXS TV, but the fact remains that NJPW's exposure has increased and has had a positive impact on the company. Alexa's report on http://www.njpw.co.jp/ 's traffic rankings from the past six months are proof of this. On March 4, 2015, http://www.njpw.co.jp/ had a traffic rank of 37,833. As of this writing, the website was ranked at 28,380 (the lower the number, the higher the rank).

Just as how NJPW has increased its exposure by branching out to the American market, other pro-wrestling companies in Japan can (and should) do the same. Every company has a style of wrestling that is different from what American pro-wrestling fans usually are exposed to, which surely would gain their attention. And along with exposure, the pro-wrestling company would gain the financial benefit of the American television network paying them to show episodes of the wrestling program on the American television network.

[NJPW] Help Get AXS TV On Time Warner

AXS TV is a channel that will feature NJPW in 2015. Unfortunately, Time Warner does not carry AXS TV. If you want to be able to see exciting NJPW action on AXS TV, fill out the form at http://www.axs.tv/subscribe/ and let them know that you want AXS TV.

NJPW G1 Climax 24

July 21 will be the first day of G1 Climax 24, NJPW's annual summer tournament which will run until August 10. It will be broadcast live from Hokkaido via Ustream iPPV at http://www.ustream.tv/njpw, 3pm start time (2am eastern time in the United States). Below are the blocks for this year:

Block A:
- Hiroshi Tanahashi
- Satoshi Kojima
- Yuji Nagata
- Tomoaki Honma
- Katsuyori Shibata
- Shinsuke Nakamura
- Tomohiro Ishii
- Shelton Benjamin
- Doc Gallows
- Davey Boy Smith Jr.
- Bad Luck Fale

Block B:
- Togi Makabe
- Hirooki Goto
- Tetsuya Naito
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan
- Kazuchika Okada
- Toru Yano
- Minoru Suzuki
- Lance Archer
- AJ Styles
- Yujiro Takahashi
- Karl Anderson

Below are all of the matches that have been scheduled for NJPW G1 Climax 24:

7/21/14 at the Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center
Block A: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block A: Shelton Benjamin vs. Doc Gallows
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Karl Anderson
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata
Block B: Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki
Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Hirooki Goto
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomoaki Honma
Block A: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Block B: Kazuchika Okada vs. AJ Styles

7/23/14 at the Aomori Prefectural Budokan
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Block A: Shelton Benjamin vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Lance Archer
Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Tomoaki Honma
Block A: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Block B: Toru Yano vs. AJ Styles
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Kazuchika Okada
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Karl Anderson
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Doc Gallows

7/25/14 at the Yamagata Sports Center
Block A: Tomoaki Honma vs. Doc Gallows
Block B: Lance Archer vs. Karl Anderson
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block A: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Shelton Benjamin
Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Toru Yano
Block A: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Minoru Suzuki
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Satoshi Kojima
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Kazuchika Okada

7/26/14 at the Akita Prefectural Gymnasium
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block A: Shelton Benjamin vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Minoru Suzuki
Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Toru Yano
Block A: Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Lance Archer
Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. AJ Styles
Block B: Kazuchika Okada vs. Karl Anderson
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata

7/28/14 at the Sendai Sun Plaza Hall
Block A: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Doc Gallows
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Lance Archer
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Block B: Minoru Suzuki vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block B: Toru Yano vs. Karl Anderson
Block A: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shelton Benjamin
Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. AJ Styles
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block A: Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Kazuchika Okada

7/31/14 at Act City Hamamatsu
Block A: Doc Gallows vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Karl Anderson
Block B: Minoru Suzuki vs. Lance Archer
Block A: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Shelton Benjamin
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. AJ Styles
Block B: Kazuchika Okada vs. Toru Yano
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii

8/1/14 at Korakuen Hall
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Shelton Benjamin
Block B: Toru Yano vs. Lance Archer
Block B: Yujiro Takahashi vs. Karl Anderson
Block A: Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Doc Gallows
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Hirooki Goto
Block A: Tomoaki Honma vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Tetsuya Naito
Block A: Minoru Suzuki vs. AJ Styles
Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Block A: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tomohiro Ishii

8/3/14 at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Block A: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Toru Yano
Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Shelton Benjamin
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Doc Gallows
Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito
Block B: Lance Archer vs. AJ Styles
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Minoru Suzuki
Block A: Tomoaki Honma vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Block B: Kazuchika Okada vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

8/4/14 at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
Block A: Tomoaki Honma vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Block B: Lance Archer vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Doc Gallows
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Minoru Suzuki
Block A: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Block B: AJ Styles vs. Karl Anderson
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shelton Benjamin
Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Kazuchika Okada NJPW

8/6/14 at the Takamatsu City Gymnasium
Block A: Satoshi Kojima vs. Tomoaki Honma
Block A: Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block B: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Tetsuya Naito
Block B: Karl Anderson vs. Minoru Suzuki
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Toru Yano
Block B: AJ Styles vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block B: Kazuchika Okada vs. Lance Archer
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yuji Nagata
Block A: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Block A: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Doc Gallows

8/8/14 at the Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium
Block A: Tomoaki Honma vs. Shelton Benjamin
Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Block A: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Doc Gallows
Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Block A: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Bad Luck Fale
Block B: Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Block B: Hirooki Goto vs. Lance Archer
Block B: Tetsuya Naito vs. Karl Anderson
Block B: Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki
Block B: Togi Makabe vs. AJ Styles

8/10/14 at the Seibu Dome
Block A 2nd place vs. Block B 2nd place
FINAL: Block A 1st place vs. Block B 1st place

Bullet Club: Taking NJPW to Another Level

This past Sunday, NJPW presented “KIZUNA ROAD 2014" to a sold-out crowd in Tokyo's legendary Korakuen Hall. The main event was Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yujiro Takahashi for the NEVER Openweight Championship, which resulted in Takahashi winning and becoming the new Champion. Not only is this an accomplishment for Takahashi, but it is also an accomplishment for the Bullet Club faction, as they now have control over all of NJPW's heavyweight titles: AJ Styles holds the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson are the IWGP Tag Team Champions, and Bad Luck Fale holds the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.

While NJPW prides itself on sportsmanship, Bullet Club goes against everything that the company stands for, with the faction members interfering in each other's matches, keeping themselves at the top of NJPW. Many long-time NJPW fans say that Bullet Club has sabotaged the company, as they conduct themselves in a manner that NJPW fans are unaccustomed to. While that may be debatable, one thing is certain- Bullet Club is one of the best things that has ever happened to NJPW.

Bullet Club has a great amount of potential, with most of its members being talents who are very familiar to fans even if they are not necessarily very familiar with NJPW. The Bullet Club brand has even expanded into Mexico, where a sub-group (Bullet Club Latinoamerica) proudly represents the faction. With Bullet Club's current high standing in the pro-wrestling industry as a brand, their influence is helping the company gain more popularity not only in Japan, but outside of Japan as well. Fans are ordering NJPW iPPVs to see the best known Bullet Club members, which then leads to them being exposed to the Bullet Club members who they are not familiar with, along with the other members of the NJPW roster.

Bullet Club is frequently compared to the legendary NWO, especially since the Bullet Club members do poses and gestures that NWO members used to do. Bullet Club and the NWO are perfect examples of how even though wrestling and puroresu have different styles, they inspire each other- just as the Bullet Club was inspired by WCW's NWO, the NWO was inspired by a UWF invasion of NJPW that took place before the NWO made its debut. And along with the comparisons between Bullet Club and the NWO is the question of whether or not Bullet Club will ultimately have a positive impact financially on NJPW as the NWO did on WCW. The fact is, they already have begun to- Bullet Club Bone Soldier T-shirts are currently among the company's top-selling merchandise items.

With Bullet Club having a lot of momentum right now, the faction members should be utilized to their fullest potentials. Bullet Club already has all of the major titles in NJPW- they should go after the other titles in the company as well. The faction now setting their sights on the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship would increase the value of these titles in the eyes of fans, which would benefit NJPW. Although Tama Tonga mainly has tag team matches in NJPW, he is talented enough to shine as a singles talent, and would be a good choice as the person to pursue the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the faction. The Young Bucks held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship until they were recently defeated by Time Splitters, so it would make sense for them to once again represent Bullet Club in an attempt to bring the title back to the faction.

Lastly, I think Bullet Club should have its own website, as the NWO did. The NWO website was a place where the faction launched propaganda, drawing attention from both fans who liked and disliked them. The bottom line was that it drew visitors, which benefited WCW as a company. The same can be done for NJPW via a Bullet Club website. It could feature a Bullet Club mission statement, bios of each member, a merchandise page, a news page updating visitors on what the faction is up to, and pro-Bullet Club articles.

Bullet Club does not represent any of the traditional aspects of puroresu, and tradition is highly regarded in Japan. But instead of Bullet Club (and to an extent NJPW) being an alternative to traditional puroresu, what they really are is an aspect of puroresu/NJPW that makes it more interesting than it already was. NJPW has been one of the most successful pro-wrestling companies in Japan for 42 years, and Bullet Club has helped NJPW increase in popularity in the United States. If the faction is utilized to its fullest extent, Bullet Club will benefit NJPW in the long-term as the company's fan base grows and continues to expand into other countries.