Daily DDT
Fansided

NJPW: 6 possible new challengers for Jon Moxley’s IWGP United States Championship

By Tom Colohue

TOKYO, JAPAN - JANUARY 04: Jon Moxley of United States enters the ring prior to the IWGP US Championship bout during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling 'Wrestle Kingdom 14' at the Tokyo Dome on January 04, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - JANUARY 04: Jon Moxley of United States enters the ring prior to the IWGP US Championship bout during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling 'Wrestle Kingdom 14' at the Tokyo Dome on January 04, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Tanahashi
TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 12: Hiroshi Tanahashi celebrates winning the tournament final against Kota Ibushi during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling G1 Climax 28 at Nippon Budokan on August 12, 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by New Japan Pro-Wrestling/Getty Images) /

5. Hiroshi Tanahashi

Go Ace! To the United States division, that is.

As the latest victim of Chris Jericho, and potentially the next challenger for the AEW World Championship, Tanahashi is in an interesting and difficult position. Does the franchise player of New Japan continue to take losses, elevating those around him but getting farther and farther from championship contention or does he get right back into it and challenge Tetsuya Naito?

For me, the best thing that he could do after losing to the AEW Champion is to pick a fight with the number one contender to that title and potential future champion. That’s my best pal, Jon Moxley.

We Whatsapp all the time, I swear. He’s been teaching me a lot about barbed wire. The man has a passion.

A victory over Tanahashi would be a major coup for Moxley and now is the time to do it. Naito might be the IWGP Heavyweight Champion but he is also the Intercontinental champion, meaning that there is one less top title to compete for. The Ace needs titles.

I mean, seriously, the Ace needs titles. If he goes more than six months without a title shot a demon is released out of Mount Fuji. Everybody knows that.

Suzuki
TOKYO, JAPAN – OCTOBER 16: Minoru Suzuki and Shingo Takagi compete during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling ‘Road To Power Struggle’ at Korakuen Hall on October 16, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /

4. Minoru Suzuki

I’m not the only one salivating at the prospect of this, am I?

Minoru Suzuki is going to try to murder Jon Moxley. Let’s not throw any fancy words about. In addition to this, Jon Moxley is going to try to murder Minoru Suzuki. They’re going to try to punch the heart straight out of their opponent with one bloody fist. Why are they fighting? Who cares?

Given that no Japanese wrestler has won the championship, I can’t see this being a victory for Suzuki. It’ll be a victory for me though. Suzuki is Moxley style and fan service at its best.

If you look a little deeper, this match does start to make sense. Moxley has laid waste to Lance Archer since his return to New Japan for Wrestle Kingdom. Archer is Suzuki-Gun and thus if you attack him, you attack Suzuki himself.

Or, as is also possible, Suzuki has seen someone who’s definitely up for a proper fight. None of this pro wrestling garbage. They’re just going to beat each other to death in the middle of the ring.

Can you tell I’m excited?

Home/NJPW