NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12: Predictions For Each Match
Credit: NJPW1972 Instagram
NEVER Openweight Championship Hair vs Hair Match: Minoru Suzuki (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
In Suzuki’s psychotic hands, the NEVER Openweight Championship has become something of a hardcore/deathmatch belt. Given the added Heavyweight belt above him in the pecking order, it’s refreshing to see him take on an unorthodox gimmick in order to keep his place.
That said, this hair vs. hair match is not his to win. The classic stipulation is used to embarrass the arrogant heel who suggested it. Suzuki has proven he will go above and beyond for the sake of entertainment, hence why he has put his legendary mullethawk on the line.
After digging into his playbook of Suzuki-gun shenanigans, Goto will prove wiser to his opponent’s tricks. As he did last year, Hirooki Goto will leave Wrestle Kingdom as NEVER Openweight Champion.
Winner: Hirooki Goto
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IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Fatal Four-Way: Marty Scurll (c) vs. Will Ospreay vs. KUSHIDA vs. Hiromu Takahashi
I’ve decried BUSHI’s exclusion from this match enough already, but it still casts a shadow on this fatal four-way. His comrade Takahashi spent the entire first half of 2017 as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, and has been on a soul-searching mission ever since, never quite getting back into the title scene.
Adding to this his recent character developments, such as becoming a meddling sidekick to Naito, many fans see this match as his return to glory. However, I do not see Wrestle Kingdom 12 becoming the LIJ fiesta that many think it will be. Plus, if Hiromu, EVIL, SANADA and Naito are all holding their shiny new titles aloft at the end of the show, it’ll be the killer blow to every BUSHI fan’s heart.
In the fatal four-way format, each competitor will have a chance to steal it from the others. I expect the most tricksy, devious, perhaps even villainous performer to thrive in this environment. As he did to win the title, Marty Scurll will steal a victory at Wrestle Kingdom.
Winner: Marty Scurll