Wrestle Kingdom 12 is officially in the books and it was a predictably terrific show. The typically high-octane action of New Japan Pro Wrestling built up all night to its crescendo of a main event, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship match between the reigning champ Kazuchika Okada and challenger Tetsuya Naito was nothing short of a masterpiece. Heading into the final bout of the night, there was a groundswell of support for the ever Tranquilo Naito, a wrestler who has evolved from uncaring villain into justifiably pissed off anti-hero.
Naito’s journey from being a rejected babyface to a beloved heel is the most significant example of such since The Rock in the late 90s. While Bullet Club may be NJPW’s most popular faction overseas, Naito’s Los Ingobernables de Japon group is what has his home country talking. The same fans who once booed Naito out of the building in 2013 were chomping at the bit to see him dethrone ‘The Rainmaker’ Kazuchika Okada. The match was even seen merely as a formality to some.
As we’ve learned today, this was not to be. Okada finished off his long-time foe with a combination of the Tombstone Piledriver and The Rainmaker Clothesline, his two finishing manoeuvres. It was a bittersweet moment for many packed inside the Tokyo Dome, as Okada’s record 564-day reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion remained intact. As Naito hobbled away from the ring in defeat, it would be forgivable of one to feel cheated at the 2017 G1 Climax winner not taking home the gold. But his was not the only story heading into the match, Okada himself had an important character arc that needed fulfilling.
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Since finally being able to defeat Hiroshi Tanahashi in a Wrestle Kingdom event two years ago, Okada’s position as the company ace has been irrefutable. He’s the new gold standard who New Japan now bases their company around. But to escape the long shadow cast by Tanahashi is easier said than done. Tanahashi was a lot more than just the company figurehead, he was the man who took an ailing New Japan and led them into the golden age they now find themselves in. His contributions to the company have led to him being referred to as a “once in a millennium talent”, a moniker that his successor is expected to live up to.
Breaking Tanahashi’s records in title reign length has been the first on Okada’s agenda, and his nameplate has adorned that IWGP Heavyweight Championship for nearly four years across four reigns. But the real Holy Grail is Tanahashi’s unprecedented five consecutive victories in Wrestle Kingdom main events. Much of Okada’s identity as a performer is defined by the ace who preceded him, which is unfortunate as he’s the most prolific ace in the history of Japanese wrestling.
Establishing Okada as an unstoppable force when in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom is more important in terms of business than providing a strong payoff for Naito’s story, though it is a tough pill to swallow. The truth is that Naito will continue to be popular despite his loss, and Okada’s legacy as the man of today only continues to grow. If we’re looking at the big picture, Naito will never be the singular performer that the company makes their top star, but he’s well-liked enough that he can be kept in a high-profile role for the foreseeable future.
When breaking down the brilliance of the match itself and the story that was told, both men were developed strongly and came out looking better than they did going in. Starting the match with some methodical grappling that echoed their days as Young Lions, the two would pepper each sequence with showcases of their diametrically opposed characters in a stand off for the ages. At one key point, Naito attempted his old finishing move, the Stardust Press. The failure to connect with the move upon Okada moving out of the way symbolised Naito’s failure under his previous ‘Stardust Genius’ persona. He never attempted the move again for the remainder of the match, he had to cast off the character that the fans hated and embrace his Tranquilo side fully.
On the flip side of things, Okada oozed nothing but confidence. Wrestling in tights rather than his traditional trunks, it was his way of letting everybody know that he wasn’t afraid to change things up (even if it’s just aesthetically). He walked in the man and intended on leaving as such. The idea of Okada’s desire to own the Wrestle Kingdom main event being stronger than the desire to dethrone him is exactly the kind of storytelling that an ace needs. Not just anybody can beat Okada at the big show anymore, it takes a special breed of talent who is completely switched on.
With a whole year’s worth of storylines yet to be sprung upon us from New Japan, there is a high chance that Okada’s staggering reign will be ended, and it may very well be by Naito’s hand. However, protecting Okada’s Wrestle Kingdom record should be the top priority right now. Whether he’s holding the belt going into Wrestle Kingdom 13 next year is irrelevant, but keeping his win streak alive will prove to be better for all involved.
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