Why I Am Optimistic 2025 Will Be A Great Year For New Japan Pro Wrestling

Earlier this year I made mention of various things I would like to see New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) to do and I felt with the end of G1 us being close to Wrestle Kindgom and Wrestle Dynasty I thought I'd give my thoughts about New Japan as a whole going into 2025 and honestly why I think this year can be entered with optimism but I think calls for caution should be understodd.

Starting with a negative and man that World Tag League line up is not a positive. We have two old men juniors in Jado and Taka Michinoku on teams and another Junior Heavyweight in Taguchi in the tournament, Tsuji & Shingo as a team meaning no Zandokan Jr and the fact they are in major titles matches at Wrestle Kingdom already means they won't win and feels a wasted spot. Perhaps the main issue or point of contention is that Zack Sabre Jr (ZSJ) & Shota Umino are in it despite being the Wrestle Kingdom main event so you know their tag partners are taking the pins and while ZSJ took his G1 climax win early I still feel like this is a waste of time we've outlined really 5 teams there in a tournament of 16 we know won't win (honestly could make it 6 with Ren already a champion with a Wrestle Kingdom match but who cares about House of Torture). 

I just feel that we are setting up a TMDK win for a rematch which is fine but this feels like as a tournament that New Japan view tag team wrestling as not important. I get this to a sense which I will talk about later but honestly I think the field of teams would be helped by having Grizzled Young Veterans (your NJPW Strong Tag Team Champions) or the West Coast Wrecking Crew who you've pushed heavily on the American shows this year in the tournament it would connect the two brands and give another actual tag team. I will say one benefit is seeing the Natural Classics are in the tournament and I hope they can have a good run and help build up a lacking tag team scene in 2025. We have Youngblood to come back in next year post excusrion and maybe it's a multi step process in rebuilding New Japan which will see making strong moves to the tag team scene as a major point for 2025.

I made mention that New Japan needs to employ some sink or swim booking for its new generation and I felt in large parts they did that with the G1 and even beyond. Before his arm injury Yuya Uemura was having a stand out tournament and seems poised to win the Global title upon return which is a good step to establishing him. Yota Tsuji is the one who has had the best year in my opinion. Between New Japan Cup win and the G1 Climax final it’s good to see New Japan realise they have something special with Tsuji and while I don’t expect a Global Title win at Wrestle Kingdom I do see him winning a singles title in the next 12 months.

That brings us to the most interesting case in Shota Umino. The once touted next ace seems to have faltered this year until he hasn’t. A disappointing G1 which was marred by a return from injury derailing any momentum and stuck in a Hontai feud with House of Torture which has never ended Shota hasn’t been given the major spotlight you’d think a future ace would get. I personally, would lean into the reactions he is getting at the moment, the loud boos and rejection of him as the Wrestle Kingdom challenger are reminiscent of Stardust Genius Tetsuya Naito who was in a similar position before exploding with Los Ingobernables de Japon. My main issue is that Shota Umino dresses like Tanahashi and uses the finisher of Jon Moxley. We don’t really know who Shota Umino is and I think 2025 should be a year of finding that out. In an ideal fantasy booking world I do think the next ace should be Yuya Uemura a man in that position white meat babyface role that fans have not rejected and with a merger of Hontai and Just 4 Guys (because come on now they’re done) he is the next leader of the home time anointed by Tanahashi. Shota outraged by this following big loss after big loss including Wrestle Kingdom and Dynasty turns on them becoming his own man on his own forging his own path. I think you then have a position with Yuya as the ace and have two generational rivals set for him. Yota Tsuji the cooler more edgy rival he trained with that is allowed to show a bit more personality and Shota Umino the bitter one angered that Yuya is cheered for the things he is booed for, I think of it as Yota and Shota as the Nakamura and Naito to Yuya’s Tanahashi if we are to make comparisons.

Speaking of Tanahashi, the ace of the universe has announced his retirement for January 4th 2026 meaning that 2025 will be the last full year of his career. It’s hard to put into words what Tanahashi is to wrestling and honestly one of the rare wrestlers that put a company on his bank and saved it from bankruptcy to a golden era. Arguably he’s in a category with Steve Austin for that, an undeniable legend of the sport. It did feel like the end was near with no Tanahashi in the G1 but now we have confirmation. This is when sink or swim booking is needed. I think back to Okada’s sudden departure and how New Japan never really used him to elevate anyone to that level and how it hurt them this year, they cannot commit the same issue with Tanahashi. As Tanahashi was able to create a legacy with wins over the generation before him this generation needs that from him. New Japan needs to establish its new ace over the body of its old on be it beating him or a ringing endorsement. I get you want to start it off with a feel good win over House of Torture and EVIL sure that’s fine but it cannot be the whole year. 2025 should be a year of establishing the direction of the new generation off the back of one of the best to ever do it.

Speaking of 2025, I can see a scenario in which ZSJ has a very long title reign. I went into the G1 Climax 2024 with two ideas of the winner. If you wanted another year to build the next ace you'd have ZSJ or Shingo as the G1 winner and champion as the two most capable wrestlers to be your world champion that can constantly have main event level matches or if you wanted to establish the next ace you'd have them win. I could see a situation where if ZSJ beats the New Japan Cup winner then he could keep the belt through the year. I think Forbidden Door in London is a key part of this and I wouldn't be shocked if ZSJ either retains the IWGP World Heavyweight Title or wins it back there for a big moment for New Japan and ZSJ. 

I do still think some synergy is still needed with the main Japanese brand for New Japan and New Japan Strong. A lack of the teams from Strong and really any American teams in the tournament is a surprise. It feels like whatever happens on Strong it doesn't matter as a whole. If Gabe Kidd wasn't Strong Openweight champion would the American brand even get a mention. I think that New Japan needs to put focus on showing that being on Strong creates a good a clear pathway to Japan as many will only really see working for New Japan as actually getting to work in Japan. For me this can start even as low as the academy training and I feel more work like sending Zayne Jay over to the Japanese dojo is needed a clear pathway from training to New Japan Strong to Japan (providing you are good enough) or what not just go to a cheaper school as I imagine New Japan is charging a premium. Honestly, and it won't happen but I'd love to see Matt Vandagriff stop this Strong Survivor stuff and be a part of the main Junior Heavyweight division. In an ideal world Drilla Moloney is moved to heavyweight and Matt can take his place in the War Dogs Junior Tag Team (while we are at it why is SANADA in War Dogs I just don't see the point, he's just in the way of Gabe Kidd being the guy to push). That's what I would do at least again a clear pathway as to if you want to be a New Japan guy and live in America the academy is the best way forward. Much like how football teams set up and outline pathways to first team for their best youth talents New Japan should approach a similar idea for their top students in the American academy (and also in the Fale dojo I guess) to moving into getting bookings for tours with the main brand. 

At the end of the day I do believe New Japan has nearly if not all the pieces in place to expand and devlop a strong 2025. At the end of the day I do think we will see New Japan not necessarily to the peak of the 2010s they had but a solid foundation where perception of them as a company is on the upswing into a the next great generation.