It was a big night for wrestling in the Land of the Rising Sun, as last night saw New Japan Pro Wrestling celebrate its 45th anniversary with a PPV show live from the Ota City General Gymnasium, where the first NJPW show was held back in 1972.
It was also a huge night for the ever expanding takeover of British Wrestling, as The Best Technical Wrestler in the World, Zack Sabre Jr, finally made his New Japan debut in a championship contest against former NEVER Openweight, and current Revoltion Pro Heavyweight Champion Katsuyori Shibata, in a match that saw them battle for the top prize in RPW.
Sabre Jr made his entrance also wearing the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and EVOLVE Championships, respectively.
A stiff and technical contest between the pair would see Sabre Jr finally overcome his RPW rival Shibata (whom he originally lost the title to) but not after interference from Minoru Suzuki and Davey Boy Smith Jr. After putting Shibata away with the PK, Suzuki officially welcome The Technical Wizard to his stable, Suzuki-Gun.
Zack’s addition to the group will definitely breathe new life into Suzuki-Gun, and give them a new body that can go all out, not to mention help Rev Pro by putting the belt back on someone who can defend it on a more regular/full-time basis.
Sabre Jr is no stranger to Japan though, having both honed his craft and built his reputation with rival company Pro Wrestling NOAH for almost 5 years, where he had been one half of their GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team champions.
It was interesting to note on commentary that it was mentioned Sabre Jr will be competing in NJPW as a Junior. One can therefore assume we will be seeing him compete in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament this year (won last year by fellow Brit, and CHAOS member Will Ospreay). And sooner or later we’ll see him in action for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
His technical approach will definitely stand-out in the New Japan setting, and be something new for the audience that doesn’t often get exposed to that style.
It will also be intriguing to see if, given their history, Sabre Jr and Ospreay cross paths, and who of the pair is destined to become the first British IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in the company’s history.
The belt is currently held by Hiromu Takahashi.
New Japan’s 45th Anniversary show was rounded out with a match between IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada, and Tiger Mask W (Kota Ibushi), which saw the Rainmaker emerge victorious.
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