NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo Day 2 Preview
NJPW The New Beginning Day 2 starts early in the morning on January 28, and will feature a major match between Kenny Omega and Jay White for the IWGP US Heavyweight Title.
After Day 1 of The New Beginning, New Japan looks to continue the momentum they have since Wrestle Kingdom 12. The storyline advancement in these matches will give us a good indication of what the major cards are going to be like. Strong Style Evolved is coming in March, and it’s likely that Omega will be a huge factor in that one. With that in mind, what happens with Omega on this show will be very important going forward.
Juice Robinson vs. Katsuya Kitamura – Match 3 in Kitamura’s Best of Seven Series
Kitamura continues his challenge against different opponents here as he challenges Juice Robinson. Kitamura is looking to prove himself against stronger opponents. Will Kitamura finally be able to gain a win against some of the higher ranked talent? I’m not sure which person he’ll beat, but I’m reasonably sure it won’t be Juice here. If Kitamura wins a match in the series, I think it’ll be the last one. Kitamura’s growth in NJPW will be highlighted quite a bit here, so keep an eye on this story.
Ryusuke Taguchi, Syota Umino, Tiger Mask, & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Suzuki-gun (Taka Michinoku, El Desperado, Taichi, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
This is a midcard throw away 8-man tag. I expect that Umino will take the loss here, as he’s a young lion. Look for Suzuki-gun to get a win here to build them up a bit.
CHAOS (Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii) vs. The Bullet Club (Leo Tonga, Yujiro Takahashi)
Another tag match that will have tag team title implications. I expect Ishii and Yano to get the win here to move closer to a title shot. Leo Tonga is newer wrestler in NJPW. Because of that, I expect him to take the pin.
Toa Henare, Manabu Nakanishi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, & Togi Makabe vs. The Bullet Club (Chase Owens, Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga, & Bad Luck Fale)
This tag match will follow up what happened with the NEVER 6-man titles the night before. It’s possible that we’ll see Makabe or Tenzan get the win, but I think it’s more likely that the Bullet Club will get the pin in this one, with maybe Chase Owens beating Henare.