Pros and Cons of NJPW’s ‘Big 4’ Wrestlers

Credit: NJPW1972 Twitter

Okada, Omega, Naito and Tanahashi: the four men trusted to boldly lead NJPW onto the global stage. Why these four performers? And could relying so heavily on this group have potential downsides?

The stars are aligning for NJPW.

A decade of steady growth and refinement have positioned NJPW comfortably as the number-two wrestling promotion in the world. More importantly, they’re closer than anyone since WCW to taking a shot at the crown.

Their global expansion took major strides in 2017, and it’s ramping up further in the lead-up to Wrestle Kingdom 12. While savvy management and marketing have helped put the  company on the map, the brunt of the burden lies on the performers. Some companies can look to share the load across the breadth of their locker room. Others anoint a sole flag-bearer as the ‘face of the company.’

Both strategies have their merit, but NJPW have gone for a compromise: their product is based on four pillars that lead the company in and out of the ring. Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega, Tetsuya Naito and Hiroshi Tanahashi are well set-apart from their comrades, both in how they are marketed and how they perform.

Is this a viable strategy for maintaining NJPW’s surging momentum? Or will their chosen pillars crumble under the pressure? These are the pros and cons of NJPW’s ‘Big 4’.