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NJPW Super Junior Tag League Preview: Favorites, Dark Horses, and Longshots

By Weston Gibbon

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As Kanemaru and Desperado approach the record for longest IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship reign of all time, NJPW Super Junior Tag League will likely determine their challengers for Wrestle Kingdom 13. Which teams have the best chance to win? Which teams have the worst odds?

from njpw1972.com

The Favorites:

BUSHI & Shingo Takagi

One of two things could happen with Takagi: he and BUSHI run through this tag league like its warm butter and challenge Despy/Maru for the titles at Wrestle Kingdom, or he and BUSHI run through this tag league like its slightly less warm butter and end up losing in the finals, but he pins KUSHIDA along the way and challenges for the Junior Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom. The point is, The Dragon is going to be in a featured match on January 4th, and this tournament will probably be his golden ticket.

Aside from Takagi, BUSHI totally deserves a big career moment as well. It’s been years since he’s been anything more than “the guy in LIJ who takes pins”, and he is far too talented to continue in such an insignificant role much longer. With Hiromu’s unfortunate injury, it’s time for the master of the BUSHIrooni to rise up the card, and this Tag League seems like the perfect place to start. My money’s on LIJ.

Chance to win: 40% / Prediction: 6-2 (Finals: def 3K, losses: 3K and Despy/Maru)

from njpw1972.com

Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH)

Going into this year’s Tag League, it seems like RPG 3K has a great chance to become the first back-to-back champions in the tournament’s history. It’s clear that NJPW is extremely high on both SHO and YOH and they have unfinished business with the champs, so it would make a lot of sense for them to achieve such a feat. The former Tempura Boyz are probably a slightly less exciting choice than BUSHI and Shingo, but it honestly might make more sense considering the recent history of the junior tag division.

Chance to win: 40% / Prediction: 5-3 (Finals: def by LIJ, losses: ACH/Taguchi and CMLL)

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