NJPW: An Uncertain Future

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Historically, NJPW has always been a promotion that knew when to transition to the future, while also having an eye on the present. These last few years, not so much, and for multiple reasons… Both internal and external. New Japan Pro-Wrestling is currently in a weird transition era. However, they need to invest heavily in their future stars.

These last few years have been tough for NJPW. They lost several main event level talent, mostly to AEW. The pandemic and the current state of the Japanese economy are also factors of their current state. While you can say these are recent events, fans started seeing things trending this way back in 2019.

Kazuchika Okada’s Successor

Kazuchika Okada will probably be remembered as one of the greatest wrestlers in NJPW history. Right next to Antonio Inoki (Founder) and Hiroshi Tanahashi (Savior of NJPW during their darkest hour). For the longest time, NJPW didn’t invest in the future like they generally do. For a while (and even now), it wasn’t clear who Okada’s successor would be as the ace of the promotion. This is strange considering this promotion sacrificed the last years of Tanahashi’s prime to establish Okada as the next ace of NJPW. It took New Japan way too long to decide who would be their future main eventers.

In NJPW, the moniker of the three musketeers has always been a denomination to establish. They are the big three wrestlers of the main event scene, and wrestlers NJPW has major hopes for. Their most recent version are Ren Narita, Yota Tsuji, and Shota Umino. But New Japan can’t waste any more time and needs to push these three as their next main eventers. There is no better time then now.

The G1 Climax is around the corner and one of those three need to win and main event Wrestle Kingdom. NJPW needs to give one of them a major win and the G1 is what’s needed. The fan favorite is currently Yota Tsuji. He is also the most over of the three currently.

The future is now, and NJPW can’t waste more time. It’s time to push their young musketeers. Naito and Tanahashi can’t be carrying the promotion in 2024, and the musketeers are ready for that next big step.

The question is, does NJPW still have faith in them?