Two new players have entered New Japan Pro Wrestling’s heavyweight tag team division and they are nothing less than an elite – pun intended – team. Seven-time IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team champions The Young Bucks declared their intention to move up to the heavyweight division.
The announcement came during the conclusion of the second night of the Honor Rising event. Matt and Nick Jackson addressed comments by Elite comrade Kenny Omega, who declared that he and Kota Ibushi – also known as the Golden Lovers – were the best tag team in the world after their win against Bullet Club’s Cody and Marty Scurll.
The Young Bucks took the time to announce their move to heavyweight and challenged Omega and Ibushi, potentially setting up a possible dream match.
While folks may see this as the latest crack in what appears to be a fissure between Omega and the Bullet Club, it also potentially sets the future for NJPW’s heavyweight tag team division.
The Young Bucks have been one of – if not the top – teams in NJPW’s Junior Heavyweight division, winning the titles seven times and won the 2013 Super Jr. Tournament. Moving to the heavyweight division makes sense for them because they have pretty much accomplished everything they can at the Jr. heavyweight level in NJPW.
They have also captured a plethora of heavyweight tag team titles from around the world but never the IWGP Heavyweight tag titles.
While they have challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight tag team belts in the past, the brothers have not really had an extended run in NJPW’s Heavyweight tag team division. Their potential matches against the likes of Killer Elite Squad, Los Ingobernables de Japon and other groups would not only produce quality matches but also draw big crowds. No disrespect to the other teams in NJPW, but the Young Bucks are one of the biggest draws in the world, which can be tough for a tag team to accomplish.
Then you have the Golden Lovers, who are also relatively new to NJPW’s heavyweight tag team division since rejoining earlier this year. While Omega and Ibushi captured the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight tag team titles earlier in their careers, they have spent the majority of their time as singles competitors since they’ve they moved to heavyweight.
Both tag teams are being poised as the top duos in NJPW, which is only going to be better for business. If the marquee reads “Young Bucks vs. Golden Lovers,” it’s going to draw more people whether the match takes place in Japan or the United States.
Having them move up to heavyweight also allows the Jr. Heavyweight tag team division to have new teams in the division’s title picture.
Honor Rising Night 2 Results
Beer City Bruiser def. Toa Henare
Jay Lethal & Juice Robinson & David Finlay def. Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens & Hikuleo
Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI def. Ryusuke Taguchi & Flip Gordon
Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale def. Jushin Liger & Cheeseburger & Delirious to retain the Never Openweight Six-Man tag team titles
Young Bucks & Hangman Page defeated Jay White & Chuckie T & YOSHI-HASHI
Dalton Castle def. Baretta and the Beer City Bruiser to retain the Ring Of Honor World title
Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi defeated Marty Scurll & Cody
Mercedes Mone (aka Sasha Banks0 has been casted in a brand new role, as she will be staring in the upcoming action-thriller film “The Collective” which has already wrapped, according to Deadline.
According to the reported rundown: “In the recently-wrapped film from director Tom DeNucci, a group of righteous assassins called The Collective take aim at a highly sophisticated human trafficking ring backed by a network of untouchable billionaires. With their backs against the wall, The Collective has no choice but to put their most important mission in the hands of rookie assassin, Sam Alexander (Till). What he lacks in experience he makes up for in savvy, grit, and a keen ability to improvise in the most dangerous situations. He is aided on his journey by Hugo (Gibson) and Liam (Johnson), former CIA operatives turned rogue vigilantes. They face off against Daisy (Rose), the cunning general manager of this evil, clandestine organization. Sam must prove to himself, Liam and Hugo that he’s Collective material on this life-or-death, take-no-prisoners mission.”
New Japan Pro Wrestling is set to lose another big star as “Switchblade” Jay White’s contract is set to officially expire soon and he is not expected to re-sign with the company, according to Fightful Select.
According to the report: “Switchblade Jay White’s contract is up relatively soon and is expected to leave New Japan Pro Wrestling, per those in the company. Those that we’ve spoken to believe both WWE and All Elite Wrestling are interested in getting the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, however, WWE sources seemed confident they would land him,”
With AEW already working with White and featuring him on television, it would appear that they have the edge in securing his services. The same could be said for Impact Wrestling, but they likely would be outbid financially and don’t offer the same kind of visibility as either AEW of WWE.
WWE is looking to stock up NXT again with premier talent, and has already brought in a bunch of big names back to WWE, but would NXT appeal to White in the same way that a run on WWE’s main roster would?
Financially, WWE could have the edge, and perhaps provide White with much bigger exposure.
New Japan Pro Wrestling superstar and current IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay has confirmed that he has been contacted by WWE and revealed that it is something that he is considering.
Ospreay also mentioned some of the WWE names he would be interested in facing if he were to find himself in WWE.
“I’ve been approached by them, so I have a lot to think about” he said, according to Tokyo Sports. “I’ve mentioned Seth Rollins‘ name many times… Also, considering my history, it would be a dream to fight Ricochet again. I think that because I think we have become completely different wrestlers than when we fought in the past.”
Ospreay has competed for AEW, Progress Wrestling, Rev Pro, and Ring of Honor throughout his career, among others.
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