NJPW Top 10 Ranking – September 2018

The Top 10 in August was the premier edition of this monthly series and was heavily based on the concluding G1 Climax Tournament. Therefore, there wasn’t much thought or activity involved for the junior heavyweight division, tag teams or anybody involved in NEVER Openweight Title contention. This month it all changes and from here on out will keep all of NJPW on equal footing when taking all shows into account.

10. Taichi (NR)

He shocked the world and became the new NEVER Openweight Champion by defeating Hiroki Goto and bringing the title to Suzuki-Gun. One would think that Goto is going to want an immediate rematch and that Taichi’s first reign may not be a long one, but I say expect him to walk into Wrestle Kingdom as the defending champ.

9. Kota Ibushi (-6)

Not much was seen from Ibushi this month in NJPW. He did win in the main event of Fighting Spirit Unleashed with Kenny Omega and the 6-man main event at “All In.” October is going to be an interesting month for Ibushi as he is one of two challengers set for the world title match at King of Pro Wrestling on the 8th.

8. Kushida (NR)

With the unfortunate injury to Hiromu Takahashi, the Jr. Heavyweight Championship has been vacated, opening the door for a new champion to be crowned. Kushida punched his ticket for October 8th by defeating Ibushi.

7. Tetsuya Naito (+1)

The leader of “LIJ” defeated Minoru Suzuki once again during the Destruction Tour. In a recent video release, Naito has announced that a new member of “LIJ” is on the way. One can only imagine what kind of deal Naito has struck to bring in a fresh face to NJPW at King of Pro Wrestling.

6. Marty Scurll (NR)

The Villain seized the opportunity to become the new Jr. Heavyweight Champion. He will go to war with Kushida on October 8th. Scurll proved once again that there are three guarantees in life: “death, taxes and Scurll beats Ospreay.”

5. Guerrillas of Destiny (+1)

The B.C.O.G members have been running rampant through NJPW for months and were already the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions with Ishimori. They have been on a campaign for a new member to join the B.C.O.G and now have won the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships from The Young Bucks during Fighting Spirit Unleashed.

4. Cody (+5)

Nobody in pro wrestling has had a better September than “The American Nightmare.” He has won three different championships from different organizations in a one-month span. He won the Ring of Honor 6-Man Tag Team Titles during a TV taping, the NWA World Heavyweight Championship during “All In” and finally, after a battle with Juice Robinson during Fighting Spirit Unleashed, Cody is the new IWGP U.S. Champion.

3. Hiroshi Tanahashi (-2)

The winner of the G1 Climax retained his briefcase by defeating Okada. But after that match and at the end of a tag match in Long Beach, Tanahashi was left lying at the hands of “Switchblade” Jay White and Gedo. The “ACE” is now scheduled to defend the briefcase on October 8th against White, but I believe that Tanahashi has nothing but the Wrestle Kingdom main event in his sight.

2. Jay White (+5)

“Switchblade” turned CHAOS into chaos. He not only turned his back on Okada but somehow convinced Gedo to turn against his former protégé as well. White has also repeatedly laid out Tanahashi because he believes that he is the true leader of CHAOS and that it’s his time to go to Wrestle Kingdom and become the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. The road for Jay White starts on October 8th at King of Pro Wrestling.

1. Kenny Omega (+1)

“The Best Bout Machine.”

“The reigning, defending IWGP Heavyweight Champion.”

Kenny Omega defeated Tomohiro Ishii during the Destruction Tour and won the main event of Fighting Spirit Unleashed with Kota Ibushi. Now he has a triple threat set on October 8th against both Cody and Ibushi. Can Omega retain and go into January 4th at Wrestle Kingdom as the defending champion in the main event? Or will the reign of “The Cleaner” come to a screeching halt only a couple months away from the biggest night of the year? King of Pro Wrestling is easily going to be one of the most anticipated and interesting shows in 2018.