How do you get began with moving into New Japan Professional Wrestling? Permit us to present followers a NJPW newbie’s information to supply a jump-off level.
Leaping into a brand new wrestling promotion is a frightening activity for a brand new fan particularly one with a deep historical past like New Japan Professional Wrestling. Not realizing what the promotion is about or the place to begin is a problem.
With a historical past spanning from 1972 to the current, there may be additionally a variety of content material to undergo however, fortunate for you, we’re to simplify the method! Welcome to the starter’s information to NJPW.
I’ll give a easy breakdown that’s simple to digest. It will embody high stars previous and current and acquainted names, breaking down factions and tournaments, highlighting the highest titles and, lastly, there might be sources comparable to my high 5 matches for a brand new fan to dive into to get began.
New Japan Professional Wrestling has been dwelling to a number of the largest stars within the trade each previous and current. This consists of current stars like Brock Lesnar, AJ Types, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley and so on. Legends like Andre The Large, Owen Hart, Vader , Antonio Inoki (who based NJPW) and so on labored in NJPW as effectively, which means as soon as you start your dive into the promotion, you’ll see some acquainted faces. Many of those names have additionally held championships inside NJPW!
The very best a part of discovering a brand new promotion to look at is turning into followers of wrestlers you weren’t acquainted with, and whereas you will have heard of those names as soon as you actually watch them you’ll be an enormous fan of the core NJPW expertise.
Some names to take a look at might be Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito and Kota Ibushi these 4 names are the core 4 of the promotions. Exterior of these 4 the following three up is Shingo Takagi, Will Ospreay and Jay White.
NJPW’s storytelling is informed by way of two primary elements, primary factions and quantity two tournaments. First I’ll offer you a rundown of key factions inside the promotion.
NJPW factions: Which teams ought to you already know in New Japan Professional Wrestling?
Bullet Membership – Initially based by present WWE celebrity Finn Balor, Bullet Membership, traditionally, is the predominately heel faction for NJPW with a deal with overseas wrestlers. The faction just isn’t as safe with sub-factions just like the Elite (led by Kenny Omega) and Home of Torture (led by Evil) popping up all through the faction’s historical past. It’s at present led by Jay White.
Chaos – Initially based by present WWE celebrity Shinsuke Nakamura Chaos was as soon as the dominate heel group in NJPW however has since turned the largest face faction within the promotion. Whereas former members like Sho and Will Ospreay have turned on the group in current occasions, the faction remains to be very safe underneath Kazuchika Okada’s management.
Los Ingobernables de Japon – The anti-heroes of New Japan Professional Wrestling led by Tetsuya Naito. Los Ingobernables De Japon began off as a subset of the faction in Mexico whereas Naito was on tour there. When he returned to Japan he started recruiting members for his complete group. Whereas they aren’t heels or faces, they’re arguably the preferred faction in Japan, transferring huge merchandise for the corporate with their distinctive attitudes standing out.
Suzuki-gun – The outcasts led by the grim reaper {of professional} wrestling, Minoru Suzuki. Suzuki-gun has lasted a very long time and is essentially the most steady of the factions with barely any motion. Many of the faction didn’t come up historically by way of NJPW’s dojo system and think about themselves outcasts amongst the remainder of the promotion even invading different promotions for a time period. It’s a heel faction, though Suzuki may be very widespread in America at present.
Hontai – Whereas not precisely a faction, Hontai is the remainder of the roster who’re loosely affiliated with one another. Hiroshi Tanahashi kinda takes a management position inside the non-faction affiliated wrestlers and it’s primarily full of child faces like Kota Ibushi and older members of the roster like Yuji Nagata.
Different (United Empire, Group Filthy) – United Empire led by Will Ospreay and Group Filthy led by Tom Lawlor are nonetheless comparatively new factions inside the firm and haven’t garnered the depth of historical past but.
NJPW Tournaments: The massive attracts of New Japan Professional Wrestling
G1 Climax – NJPW’s premier heavyweight match resulting in a IWGP World Heavyweight title alternative at Wrestle Kingdom (suppose Royal Rumble/Wrestlemania). Spherical Robin Fashion.
World Tag League – NJPW’s premier heavyweight tag match. Spherical Robin Fashion
New Japan Cup – New Japan Cup is held within the spring and is between Heavyweights and Jr. Heavyweights resulting in a title match of the winners selection at Sakura Genesis. Single elimination.
Better of Tremendous Juniors – The junior heavyweight equal to the G1 Climax match.
World Junior Tag League – The junior heavyweight equal of the world tag league.
NJPW Championships: Main titles in New Japan Professional Wrestling
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship – The most recent title in New Japan but additionally a very powerful. That is NJPW’s high championship after they unified the IWGP Heavyweight title and IWGP Intercontinental title. Primarily heavyweights problem for the title solely however, in uncommon instances, junior heavyweight challengers for the belt primarily at anniversary exhibits.
IWGP United States Championship – Initially meant to be the title to represent the USA growth, it’s now warped into the second most necessary title within the firm staying in Japan for many of the pandemic. For many of the title’s historical past, solely foreign-born wrestlers challenged and gained the title. However Hiroshi Tanahashi was the primary Japanese born IWGP US Champion.
NEVER Openweight Championship – When the NEVER title was first created, it was meant for younger wrestlers to carry it. Over time, nonetheless, it turned into the “robust man” championship with bodily staff like Tomohiro Ishii, forging the title’s status in violence. The distinctive facet of this title is it may be held/challenged by each heavyweights and junior heavyweights.
IWGP Tag Group Championships – The heavyweight tag titles the place solely heavyweights problem for the belts. It’s additionally amongst the longest-tenured titles within the firm’s historical past with legendary groups just like the Dudley Boyz holding them.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship – The longest-tenured singles title within the firm’s historical past with icons like Jushin Thunder Liger holding the title. Solely junior heavyweights can problem for it and, lately, it’s being taken much more severe with the title co-main eventing Wrestle Kingdom this 12 months.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Championships – The junior heavyweight equal of the IWGP tag titles. It’s had a protracted historical past led by embellished groups just like the Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) and The Younger Bucks profitable the titles.
By no means Openweight Six-Man Tag Group Championships – A reasonably new title which is just defended in six-man tag matches. Very like the singles model of the championship, junior heavyweights and heavyweights can problem for it. Essentially the most embellished workforce within the title’s comparatively quick historical past is Chaos (Tomohiro Ishii, Yoshi Hashi, Hiroki Goto).
Robust Openweight Championship – The first title of NJPW’s United States growth model, NJPW Robust. It’s solely been held by one man former MMA fighter “Filthy” Tom Lawlor. Because it’s an Openweight championship, it may be challenged by wrestlers from each weight courses.
5 NJPW matches new followers ought to watch and New Japan Professional Wrestling sources
1. Kazuchika Okada vs Katsuyori Shibata (Sakura Genesis 2017)
2. Kota Ibushi vs Jay White (Wrestle Kingdom 15)
3. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega (Dominion 2017)
4. Kota Ibushi vs Shinsuke Nakamura (Wrestle Kingdom 9)
5. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs KENTA (Wrestle Kingdom 16)
And eventually, for anybody seeking to be taught extra about NJPW, there are some nice sources linked under.
NJPW World Web site
NJPW World Twitter
NJPW YouTube
NJPW World
There you could have it. That ought to offer you an excellent framework to get began with New Japan.
