STRONG STYLE REBORN
By Jasmine Olan
New Japan Pro Wrestling was founded in 1972 by international wrestling legend, Antonio Inoki. Over the course of four and a half decades it has produced some of the greatest matches of all time and made huge stars of many of the best wrestlers on the international wrestling scene. From homegrown mega stars like the Ace Of The Universe, Hiroshi Tanahashi and the Rainmaker, Kazuchika Okada to foreign born stars like Kenny Omega, NJPW has amassed a roster filled with unparalleled talent. That talent is showcased throughout every year at events like DOMINION, the prestigious G1 Climax tournament, and NJPW’s biggest show of the year WRESTLE KINGDOM.
That annual extravaganza takes place every year on January 4 at the historic Tokyo Dome and has become a major part of the Japanese wrestling culture. Its biggest title, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship is viewed by many as professional wrestling’s highest honor. In the beginning, the company’s founder, Antonio Inoki carried the banner for NJPW for many years as both owner and top star. New Japan Pro Wrestling rose to prominence in Japan over time. In the 1990s, that banner was carried by the legendary ‘Three Musketeers’, Shinya Hashimoto, Keiji Mutoh, and Masahiro Chono. During that time they were top stars of NJPW’s heavyweight division. Shinya Hashimoto would go on to set the record for longest reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion which would stand until it was broken by Kazuchika Okada in 2018. Keiji Mutoh and Masahiro Chono would go on to lay the groundwork for the honor and prestige surrounding the G1 Climax tournament finals at the very first G1 in 1991. Throughout 1990s New Japan was going strong.
The early to mid 2000s were not as kind to NJPW, but produced a generation of stars who would go on to be part of the Renaissance we see taking place within the promotion today. Among those stars were the ‘New Three Musketeers’: the King Of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura; Katsuyori Shibata; and the Ace Of The Universe, Hiroshi Tanahashi. Shibata would become one of NJPW’s most respected talents while Tanahashi and Nakamura would go onto have a storied rivalry that would last a decade and result in some of the greatest matches in the promotion’s history. New Japan Pro Wrestling was in rough financial shape in the early to mid 2000s and fighting to survive. Fortunately someone was there to not only help keep the company alive but also take it to new heights. His name is Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Katsuyori Shibata’s 2005 departure happened at a time when NJPW needed all the help it could get. When this happened, the weight of responsibility for keeping NJPW afloat fell almost squarely on the shoulders of the Ace Of The Universe. It was a weight that many others would have crumbled under, but the fiercely loyal Tanahashi stepped up and faced that challenge without fear or complaint, and he carried the company on his back almost single handedly for the better part of ten years. He put everything on the line to do that, and in the end it made him a living legend as well as one of NJPW’s most beloved stars.
Over the next several years, a renaissance began in NJPW with the rise of new stars like Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, and Kenny Omega. While Naito went on to become one of New Japan’s most popular heel characters, the Best Bout Machine, Kenny Omega and the Rainmaker, Kazuchika Okada would go on to have what is considered by many to be one of the greatest rivalries of pro wrestling’s modern era. The rise of those stars coupled with a change in ownership and the promotion’s booking team played a major role in NJPW getting to where it is now. Bushiroad bought the company in 2012 and around that time Gedo and Jado were put in charge of booking.
That renaissance continues today, with NJPW now beginning a global expansion. The new LA dojo opened earlier this year, and the company is slowly beginning to feature more dates in the US and UK. At the forefront of this new golden age is current IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kenny Omega. The Best Bout Machine has truly emerged as the face of New Japan’s global expansion over the past few years. As a singles competitor and tag team competitor, Kenny is counted among the greatest wrestlers of his generation along with long time partner, Kota Ibushi and Kenny’s biggest rival, Kazuchika Okada. Along the way, fans have been right in his corner as his emotional journey to change the wrestling world continues.
Forty-six years of pride and tradition have made New Japan Pro Wrestling the king of sports. Its momentum continues to grow with no sign of slowing down. The company had to weather some dark storms, but it made it through by telling complex human stories and put on incredible matches. It wasn’t an easy journey by a long shot. It continues to raise the bar, and its stars are counted among the best wrestlers in the entire world. The company also remains a vital part of the Japanese wrestling culture. The story of NJPW really is the stuff of legend. It’s the story of how strong style struggled but was ultimately reborn.
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