5 Best NJPW Wrestlers Who Won’t Be At Wrestle Kingdom 12
Credit: NJPW1972 Instagram
1. BUSHI
On paper, NJPW’s smallest faction, Los Ingobernables de Japon, has no weak links. The four other members follow Naito’s lead, and each of them holds their distinct role. In reality, it’s not that simple.
Upon returning, Hiromu Takahashi joined the faction and his role soon became clear: he was the junior standout of the group. Of course this did not matter, as BUSHI, SANADA and EVIL were operating as their own unit. They would soon become the most dominant six-man champions in the belts’ long, illustrious history.
Highlights from “Road to #NJWK12” Night01 : Tonight's NEVER 6-Man Championship title match pits #LIJ against the #BulletClub! Replay the full video only on @njpwworld pic.twitter.com/1xs4UbBbP3
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) December 17, 2017
This year however, things have changed. SANADA and EVIL are moving up the card, while Hiromu has maintained his place in the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title match. With Naito taking the main event slot, the spotlight has never shined brighter on LIJ.
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And yet, one of their five members is absent. It’s easier to get lost in CHAOS or Bullet Club, but in a smaller unit, BUSHI’s exclusion is plain to see. There had been talk of holding a fatal five-way match, but with the final announcement on the Wrestle Kingdom card, we will not see BUSHI in the main show at the Tokyo Dome.