Ranking NJPW’s Factions: Worst To Best
New Japan Pro Wrestling is home to many factions. Which group reigns supreme in NJPW?
Factions are crucial in the organisation of NJPW’s roster and schedule.
Not all wrestlers can be in their desired title scene all the time. Rather than having them twiddling their thumbs, New Japan has their competitors band together to fight for group supremacy. It allows them to add depth to their characters, forming not only a solo, but also a group identity.
Some of these groups have been more successful than others, either dominating the wrestling world, or struggling to maintain relevance. Here are NJPW’s five major factions ranked from worst, to best.
Credit: NJPW1972 Instagram
5. Suzuki-gun
5* Talent: Minoru Suzuki; Zack Sabre Jr.
Underrated Talent: El Desperado
Minoru Suzuki is one of Japanese wrestling’s true gladiators. For nearly three decades, he has battled his way through numerous wrestling and MMA promotions. Over that time, he has gradually accrued a band of followers to help him maintain his position. Luckily for him, not many of them have grown beyond that role.
Suzuki-gun re-emerged in NJPW in January, supposedly putting the roster on notice. Suzuki set his sights on Okada’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship; Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr. (Killer Elite Squad) focused on the Heavyweight Tag belts; while a host of Junior Heavyweights bolstered their ranks.
Suzuki failed in his initial conquest but has settled into the role of NEVER Openweight Champion. However, he and his cronies have had to throw everything at his opponents to retain his belt. In that sense, Suzuki-gun is one of the more coordinated groups in NJPW, but it only really serves to elevate their leader.
The exception to the rule is the surprise acquisition of Zack Sabre Jr. The technician is a bonafide megastar, but his part-time role in the company has limited his impact. El Desperado put on the best performance of the four Gun members in 2017’s Best of the Super Juniors. If either of these men can close out the Destruction tour with their own titles, the faction’s ranking will definitely be bumped up.