Top 5 NJPW matches to watch at Wrestle Kingdom 14
By Sonal Lad
El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori v Roppongi 3k (IWGP Jr Tag Team Championships) – 5th January
This match might be one of the most underappreciated and underhyped matches on the entire NJPW Wrestle Kingdom card and that makes me really sad for so many reasons.
For one thing, the history and story behind this match runs as deep as any match on the card and I think that this is sometimes forgotten. It was the newly formed team of El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori who beat Roppongi 3k in May to take the IWGP Jr tag titles and bring it to Bullet Club. This rivalry then spanned the year until October and the Super Jr Tag League during the Power Struggle Tour.
Not only did the Chaos duo manage to pin ELP and Ishimori, but the managed to beat Suzuki Gun’s El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru to win the league for the third time. However, the win was short lived as the Bullet Club pair came out and took the trophies. Since then, it’s been a battle between the teams with the attacks getting more vicious. Sho and Yoh want to take back their titles, be defending champions and give it the prestige we all know it deserves.
It’s personal.
Apart from that, if you look at the four wrestlers in this match, they are some of the best in the world regardless of weight class. They are all extremely diverse athletes and, working with their partners, they all create perfect teams. On the champions side, you have the athleticism and rule breaking tendencies of El Phantasmo who nobody can deny is one of the best in the world. Teaming him with the powerhouse, hunk and veteran Taiji Ishimori gives them both the speed, strength and power.
You could say the same thing about Roppongi 3k. Sho is definitely the powerhouse of the team with this crazy strength and ability to combine that with this amazing speed and agility. On the other hand, we have Yoh who is not only athletic but also has this very traditional Japanese style using dragon suplexes, dragon screws and an amazing form of the Calf Crusher.
Next. Sasha Banks doesn't need to be told that she's the best. dark
This match will give you everything you could possibly want in a Jr tag match and more. Don’t underestimate it because of its place on the card because it will surprise you.