Fantasy Booking What NJPW Might Look Like In Five Years

The year is 2023. NJPW has been steadily gaining momentum for over a decade now. The company is as big as it’s ever been in it’s native Japan,

…and is starting to receive real mainstream attention in North America and the United Kingdom, partially thanks to the massive success of recent crossover shows with WWE and various UK promotions.

There are even rumors that NJPW is considering establishing brand new companies abroad, complete with their own rosters and titles.

The potential for a new American promotion is especially promising, with the the Shibata-led NJPW LA Dojo now producing great young talent year round.

Tetsuya Naito just defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in Dominion’s main event to retain the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. The co main event featured Kazuchika Okada overcoming longtime rival Jay White to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the 7th time, tying Tanahashi’s record.

Speaking of Tanahashi, he and Juice Robinson retained their Tag Team Championships in Osaka by besting Bullet Club’s Double H (Hikuleo and Henare). BC’s leader- Tama Tonga, also lost at the same show, failing to interrupt Katsuya Kitamura’s record breaking NEVER Openweight Championship reign.

Sho Tanaka won the 30th Best of the Super Juniors tournament and went on to triumph over Yohei Kamatsu for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in the latest chapter of their legendary rivalry. In the tag team portion of the Junior division, Ren Narita and Shota Umino faced off against Hirai Kawato and Tetsuhiro Yagi.

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Also on Dominion’s card was: David Finlay vs Biff Busick for the IWGP United States Championship, Zack Sabre Jr vs Will Ospreay for the IWGP United Kingdom Championship, Daichi Hashimoto vs Tomoyuki Oka in a special singles match, Evil, Sanada, Hiromu, and Bushi vs KUSHIDA Japan in a multiman tag, and a couple of Young Lions vs New Japan dads Ishii and Goto in the show’s opener.

With Dominion in the rear view, G1 Climax 33 is just around the corner. It was recently announced that, for the first time in its history, the tournament is set to be expanded to four blocks to accommodate the wealth of talent from across the globe that want a spot in wrestling’s most prestigious tournament.

The incredible list of performers confirmed to be making their G1 debuts includes Matt Riddle, WALTER, Trevor Lee, Jonathan Gresham, Darby Allin, and Gabriel Kidd.

Also, as a result of New Japan’s recent working relationship with WWE, Velveteen Dream, Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate, and Buddy Murphy will all be competing in the tournament as well. Still, even with the stacked lineup, most seem to be convinced that, with Naito entering the latter stages of his career, this could finally be the year that EVIL or SANADA ascends to the top of the card by securing a spot in the main event of the Tokyo Dome.

Perhaps the most exciting news of all- the first women’s G1 Climax has been confirmed to be taking place later this year. Wrestlers from Stardom, NXT, and various other promotions will be competing in the tournament that will culminate at Wrestle Kingdom 18 and crown the inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion.

Next: Ranking WWE's 2018 PPVs Thus Far

Many were doubtful that the company’s growing international success would continue after the departures of Omega, Ibushi, and The Young Bucks. However, due to their resiliency, innovation, and transcendent in ring product, New Japan Pro Wrestling has remained strong and continued to transform the wrestling world.