If there’s one thing we can say for certain about NJPW, it’s that you can expect Jon Moxley’s match to be the most high tempo, brutal and aggressive thing on the card.
NJPW’s current United States Champion – having seen off the former champion Lance Archer and his first challenger in long term rival Juicy Robinson – Moxley is positioned as the most prominent face of what needs to be a strong division heading into New Japan’s new American expansion. How’s the division looking at the moment? Well, it’s hard to say.
The United States Championship hasn’t really been a prime feature of New Japan programming since it was initially won by inaugural champ Kenny Omega in July 2017. Moxley’s arrival and victory over Juice Robinson would set off the beginning of a new phase.
Like it or not, the WWE made Moxley a big name. Leaving the company in the way he did made the name even bigger. He was certainly a good person to have as the champion.
No Japanese superstar has been a United States Champion. This is not a promising sign for the man who seems all set to be Moxley’s next challenger: Minoru Suzuki. If you don’t know the name, you will soon. You know how everyone has that one friend whose dad definitely murdered like six people? That’s Minoru Suzuki.
What does New Japan need? An effective US launch. With a large part of their American roster having gone to All Elite Wrestling, they need new challengers. Despite being an AEW man himself, Moxley is the man charged with taking that forward.
What he needs to make that happen is opponents.
I’ve picked out six potential opponents for Moxley in a newly shaped championship division ready to take the world by storm. Suzuki’s not the only man ready to be held in the air while Moxley brutally puts himself through a table.
6. Will Ospreay
Will Ospreay is considered by many to be the best pro wrestler in the world.
Currently in the midst of an ascension from the Junior Heavyweight division, Ospreay has gained weight and an extra aggression without losing any of his guile, flexibility and invention. The quick Brit is adding a little more brutality and a colder demeanor on route to victory in a stronger and more competitive division.
A move into the United States division would be a stepping stone for Ospreay but it would do good things for him, Moxley and the division itself. Ospreay is one of those who can hit five stars with one leg, two hernias and the hands of a Lemur with marital problems. Up the pace slightly to match up with Moxley and all that’s going to happen is magic.
Ospreay is responsible for some of the most memorable matches in New Japan over the last few years. Why would he make a move after the United States championship? Simple. It’s time for Will to be taken seriously as a heavyweight. Now is the time.
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.
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?
3. Jay White
If I was building a wrestler from the ground up, it would be Jay White. He’s just utterly disgusting in every possible way, isn’t he? Greasy, creepy, sadistic and arrogant. I just hate the magnificent bastard. Knife pervert, indeed.
Jay White is one of very few men on the New Japan Pro Wrestling roster who can also boast of being a former United States champion. White has immense championship pedigree and carries with him the majesty of the Bullet Club. This, surely, is the stable that should be going all out desperately trying to sign up Moxley.
Maybe White could offer him 49% of the Bullet Club and a new car worth several million dollars or something. I don’t know, I’m just spitballing here.
White is an extremely talented wrestler and while he doesn’t particularly suit Moxley’s style, the fact that he’s a heel of such talent actually makes that a good thing. White stalling, running and doing everything possible to avoid the fight is a simple, effective story that’s been told for generations. White can mix it up, but he can’t take it. That’s all you need.
It’s debatable at the moment who is the top gaijin in New Japan. Is it White or is it Moxley? Let’s find an answer to that question, shall we? After losing to Naito and thus being ineligible for the top two titles, let’s have White try to get his momentum back by essentially running head first into a brick wall.
You know you want it.
2. Kota Ibushi
At its core, Kota Ibushi’s career can be broken down into one simple question. “Please sir, can you break my neck?” Jon Moxley might finally be the one to oblige him.
One half of the Golden Lovers has started something of a transformation at Wrestle Kingdom, despite losing both of his matches and being the one man to leave at 0-2. The strong, confident and unfeeling Kota we saw tiny pieces of in his matches with Okada and White is something we’re sure to see in the future and it fits perfectly with Moxley.
Ibushi needs to recover some steam. He could also be looking for some revenge on Moxley on behalf of what we’ll call a close personal friend of Kenny Omega. (They’re lovers. Golden Lovers, in fact. I know what you’re thinking, and no, I don’t know whether that’s where they got the golden part from).
That said, let’s do what Kota himself always likes to do and let’s focus on his neck. Moxley likes hurting people. You know who likes being hurt? Kota Ibushi. That’s probably the most beautiful thing about this character change Ibushi is undertaking. He just takes punishment.
That’s the whole thing. He stands there, let’s you hit him and then lashes out. He’s basically Ken Shamrock. A Japanese Ken Shamrock. A very attractive Ken Shamrock whose abs get a big pop from the crowd.
Does Finn Balor get an ab pop? No. Well, only when I’m in the building.
1. Kenny Omega
The first United States champion and somebody with a strong existing feud with Jon Moxley. Could we see Omega back in Japan? I’m not sure.
While Omega professes a strong love of Japan – cities, culture and all – Kenny seems to have no problem staying in America for the All Elite tour. Should he return to Japan however, things change dramatically.
Omega is one of the biggest draws in New Japan history and, despite a poor record in AEW so far, he is extremely popular and extremely well thought of in Japan. His feud with Kazuchika Okada is legendary and his partnership with Kota Ibushi might be just as recognizable. For the longest time, Omega was the man in New Japan.
Put simply, Moxley beating New Japan Kenny Omega would mean a lot more than Moxley beating All Elite Wrestling Kenny Omega.
Who would you like to see taking on Jon Moxley now that he’s at the top of the United States mountain? Let me know in the comments below.
Do it fast though. Suzuki’s coming.