NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12: Match Card Predictions After G1 Climax
By Tim Sherry
NEVER Openweight Championship: Minoru Suzuki (c) vs Katsuyori Shibata
On the final day of the G1, Katsuyori Shibata made his long awaited return to NJPW. Over 4 months ago, “The Wrestler” competed in the biggest match of his 18-year career when he took on Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight title at Sakura Genesis 2017. After being with the company for over 10 years combined, Shibata, one the best wrestlers in the world and one of the most popular members of the NJPW roster, finally got his chance on the big stage. And the result? Brilliance by both men.
But there was a consequence to this brilliance. Shibata, after delivering a vicious headbutt to Okada, sprung blood from his forehead. After the match, it was revealed that he had suffered a subdural hematoma that many believed would end his career. After 4 months of unanswered questions, Shibata showed back up and announced: “I’m alive”. It was a huge moment and the NJPW fans reacted with joy. Now whether he wrestles again is all speculation but considering he showed up on the final day of the company’s biggest tournament to remind the world that he was still around, proves that there is a real chance he returns. And that return will come at Wrestle Kingdom.
And who should one of the hero’s of NJPW face upon his return? Well, one of the company’s biggest villains, of course. NEVER Openweight champ, Suzuki and his Suzuki-Gun stable have been running rampant for the better part of the last 6 years and the last 4 months since Suzuki’s title win have been some of their most villainous stuff to date. Shibata, a former 3-time NEVER champ himself has the perfect foe in Suzuki. What a moment that would be.