NJPW Top 10 Ranking – October 2018

EDITOR’S NOTE: This month’s edition of the Top 10 has a review period from the early October event King of Pro Wrestling to the early November event Power Struggle. Next month’s edition will come after the finals of World Tag League on December 9.

10. TOMOHIRO ISHII (NR)

Your name deserves to be on this list if you defeat Minoru Suzuki. Ishii has been one of the more underrated wrestlers of the year in NJPW after amazing matches with Omega, Goto and Suzuki. Ishii should be IWGP Champion in no less than two years.

9. HIROOKI GOTO (NR)

The new NEVER Openweight Champion took the place of an injured Will Ospreay during Power Struggle after losing the championship to Taichi during Destruction in Beppu. Goto has already announced that once Ospreay is healthy again, he is next in line for a title shot. Could a match at Wrestle Kingdom between “Chaos” stablemates be looming on January 4?

8. GUERILLAS OF DESTINY (-3)

The reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Champions and IWGP Tag Team Champions have been on a recruiting mission lately for the B.C.O.G. After the additions of Jay White, Jado and Gedo, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa could be expected to have lengthy title reigns.

7. KUSHIDA (+1)

Kushida bested Marty Scurll at King of Pro Wrestling to win the vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. With the juniors’ roster listing the names of Ospreay, Scurll, Ishimori, Robbie Eagles, etc., Kushida is going to have a very difficult time fighting to keep the title.

6. CODY (-2)

The reigning United States Champion fell short during King of Pro Wrestling of capturing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the triple threat main event. Cody is set to defend the title against Beretta during the upcoming ROH Global Wars tour. With the recent rumor and innuendo about Cody’s contract status with all companies, don’t expect the American Nightmare to have a long run, sadly.

5. TETSUYA NAITO (+2)

The leader of LIJ stepped up and defeated Zach Sabre Jr. during Power Struggle, but it was the aftermath of the main event that had the wrestling world talking the next day as he went toe to toe with Chris Jericho, challenging him for the Intercontinental Championship. Will there be a rematch for the title on January 4?

4. SHO & YOH (NR)

The winners of this year’s Jr. Tag League are ready to win back the same IWGP Jr. Tag Titles that they won on multiple occasions over the course of the last calendar year. The “Chaos” members have secured themselves a future title shot against the champions – Kanemaru and El Desperado.

3. HIROSHI TANAHASHI (-)

Despite a losing effort with David Finlay against the “Golden Lovers” during Power Struggle, the “ACE” of New Japan still has that IWGP Heavyweight Title in his back pocket for Wrestle Kingdom. He will be looking for his eighth reign with the heavyweight championship on January 4.

2. JAY WHITE (-)

Nothing was more shocking than the events that happened at the end of the Destruction Tour, when Gedo turned his back on Okada and joined Jay White. That would be topped by the events of King of Pro Wrestling when Jay White, Gedo and Jado joined the B.C.O.G. Jay White has been challenged by Okada to a match “anytime, anywhere.” Could the Tokyo Dome be that time and place?

1. KENNY OMEGA (-)

The reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion earned two big victories during this review period, winning at King of Pro Wrestling in the triple threat against Cody and Kota Ibushi and winning with Ibushi against Tanahashi and David Finlay. Omega must now focus on Tanahashi going forward, but there is a match against Finlay coming up on November 11 that if Omega looks past, could catch him and make Finlay a new contender in the world title hunt.