The New Beginning Tour has come and gone, and you can read about the biggest moments by checking out my review here.

Wrestle Kingdom season may be over, but the backlash of its events has lasted a lot longer than New Year Dash! and for a few stories they’ll conclude during The New Beginning tour, while several will most likely continue into the New Japan Cup and beyond. Unlike previous New Beginning tours, this one will see a lot more events in the USA – five this year in comparison to the three in 2019 – as New Japan continue in their attempts to expand the brand in America. These five shows will start on the 24th of January and conclude on February 1st, which is conveniently the date of the first of two shows in Sapporo. More on Sapporo and Osaka later on, for now let’s take a look at the USA cards.

With just the twenty-four roster members travelling to the USA for its five shows, that means there’s a bit of repetition in some areas, but regardless of this there are still some interesting matches to look forward to.

Update: This preview was originally posted prior to Kota Ibushi catching the dreaded common cold and consequently missing the tour. Previews and predictions of the initially booked matches are intact, but I have added the updated matches at the bottom of the USA Tour write-up.

The New Beginning in Tampa, FL – January 24th, 2020

Elimination Tag Team Match:

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, FinJuice + Rocky Romero

vs

GoD, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens + Jado

So in contrast to what I thought New Year Dash! confirmed, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi are not the #1 Contenders to Juice Robinson and David Finlay’s IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. Instead Juice and Finlay will defend at the end of this USA tour against the previous champions, GoD – Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa. Fans in Tampa will get a chance to see the teams size each other up, as well as see Tana and Ibushi get more experience as a tag team in this special elimination match. Now, elimination matches in NJPW are a little different to the more well known Survivor Series format, as in New Japan you can be eliminated by simply being thrown out of the ring, so expect this one to be chaotic and with that in mind you can also expect it to not be as straightforward a Team Tana win as it usually would be.

Prediction: Straightforward or not, I’m not going against Tana and company.

YOSHI-HASHI vs Lance Archer

In his first of five upcoming singles matches after losing the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship to Jon Moxley at Wrestle Kingdom 14, Lance Archer’s creed of “Everybody Dies” will most likely be in full effect here as he takes on poor YOSHI-HASHI. This will probably go a few minutes and I expect “Young Tacos” (I still don’t know why Shinsuke Nakamura nicknamed YOSHI-HASHI that) to get a bit of offence in, but ultimately Archer’s going to hurt him here.

Prediction: Pray for YOSHI-HASHI, Archer gets the win.

Jeff Cobb vs Alex Zayne

This will be intriguing for two reasons. The first is to see Alex Zayne – an up and coming prospect on the Indie scene – get more exposure in New Japan (he’s back after Showdown in Los Angeles on November 11th) and secondly, to see Jeff Cobb back in singles action in New Japan following the G1 Climax 29, where he finished fifth in B-Block with a respectable eight points given the calibre of athletes he was facing. This isn’t really going to have any implications for New Japan moving forward other than possibly Cobb being in this year’s G1, so like the Archer/HASHI match, expect a bit of back and forth, but a Cobb win in the end.

Prediction: Cobb wins.

Karl Fredericks + TJP vs Colt Cabana + Toru Yano

Much like Alex Zayne, TJP is back in New Japan for the first time since November 11th, and seeing as I didn’t watch that event I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s like in-ring nowadays, as I only know what he’s capable of in a WWE setting. And of course when he left he made it clear that he was a bit shackled by the machine, so let’s see what he can do with some more freedom. Mind, it’s not exactly the best match to showcase those skills, as he’s teaming with a Young Lion from the LA Dojo and going up against two behemoths of the comedic variety. That’s right, Cabana and Yano are back as a tag team and while that isn’t a sign for great in-ring wrestling, it’s one hell of a sign for entertainment. This should be fun and even though it’s early on in the card, it’ll be an easy watch amidst the more ‘serious’ wrestling.

Prediction: Cabana and Yano sneak the win.

Anything else?:

Yuji Nagata + Satoshi Kojima vs Alex Coughlin + Ren Narita:

Two of the New Japan dads going up against an LA Young Lion and a Tokyo Dojo Young Lion means Coughlin and Narita will get some more experience in the ring, and with the retirement of Liger at Wrestle Kingdom and the impending retirement of Nakanishi next month, there might be that many more chances to see the likes of Nagata and Kojima, so you might want to watch some of these matches live before it’s too late. Prediction: Nagata and Kojima win.

Two of the New Japan dads going up against an LA Young Lion and a Tokyo Dojo Young Lion means Coughlin and Narita will get some more experience in the ring, and with the retirement of Liger at Wrestle Kingdom and the impending retirement of Nakanishi next month, there might be that many more chances to see the likes of Nagata and Kojima, so you might want to watch some of these matches live before it’s too late. Clark Connors vs Misterioso:

I’ve never seen Misterioso wrestle before, so I’m very intrigued to see his take on the Lucha style. And against one of the LA Young Lions, I’d like to think he’ll be showcased as a big star. Prediction: Misterioso wins.

The New Beginning in Nashville, TN – January 26th, 2020

Kota Ibushi, FinJuice + Rocky Romero vs GoD, Chase Owens + Jado

The first of several variations of the opening show tag team match. While Tana and Yujiro are excluded, the fact that this one isn’t an elimination match will most likely mean it’s less of a cluster, and consequently that should mean there’s less chance of a surprise Bullet Club victory. Obviously then in New Japan that means Tama Tonga will probably be pinning Rocky at the finish of this one, and if that’s the case it shouldn’t be a problem as GoD definitely need at least one win in the four preview matches before the rematch with FinJuice.

Prediction: Bullet Club pick up the win.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Yujiro Takahashi

If Bullet Club are to get a win, then you can really expect it to be balanced out by one of their guys getting beat beforehand. You can definitely expect that to be the case when that particular Bullet Club member is facing The Ace, because let’s be honest, there’s no way Yujiro Takahashi is getting a win over Tana. Regardless of result though, this has the potential to be an really good match, and the evidence can be found on New Japan World in the form of the meeting between these two at Power Struggle in 2012, where Tana successfully retained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Yujiro’s work in that match was very solid and even though he didn’t come across like a proper main event player, he definitely tried his best to wrestle like one.

Prediction: Tana wins.

Yuji Nagata vs Lance Archer

So while I can see how just about all of Archer’s matches on this tour are going to go, this is probably the only one that I’m struggling with. That is, of course, in regards to the competitiveness of the match. It’s pretty much a certainty Archer’s winning, but I’m very curious as to whether this will be a squash, or whether Nagata will – like YOSHI-HASHI – get a few minutes to shine before succumbing to defeat. If you needed one reason to watch this one, that’s probably it. If you need another, well Nagata’s great and Archer will still be on the warpath, what’s not to love?

Prediction: Archer gets his second win of the tour.

Satoshi Kojima vs Jeff Cobb

I don’t think this is as much of an outright win for Cobb as the above is for Archer, because Kojima does tend to pick up unexpected victories every now and then, but I don’t think it’ll do anybody any favours if Kojima’s pinning the younger talent on this night. This will be fun to watch and very hard hitting from both men. Cobb will bring his Tour of the Islands powerslam along with a series of suplexes, while Kojima will counter with more chops than you’ll be able to keep track of.

Prediction: Cobb wins.

Anything else?:

Clark Connors + TJP vs Colt Cabana + Toru Yano:

Not for the first, or last, time on this USA tour, this will be much of the same, but still an enjoyable experience courtesy of Yano doing whatever he must to walk out as the winner. I think this one will see TJP get something of a needed win though, as he’s possibly a shout for the Best of the Super Juniors. Prediction: TJP + Connors win.

Not for the first, or last, time on this USA tour, this will be much of the same, but still an enjoyable experience courtesy of Yano doing whatever he must to walk out as the winner. I think this one will see TJP get something of a needed win though, as he’s possibly a shout for the Best of the Super Juniors. YOSHI-HASHI vs Karl Fredericks:

YOSHI-HASHI may be one of the least interesting men on the New Japan roster, but don’t think he’s not solid in the ring. He’s put on a lot of good matches over the years and even though I’m not saying this will be one of them (not even close), this should be watchable affair and serve as some more good experience for Fredericks after his Tokyo Dome debut and match with TJP against Cabana and Yano. Prediction: YOSHI-HASHI wins, but not without being on the brink of tapping out to Fredericks’ single-leg Boston Crab.

YOSHI-HASHI may be one of the least interesting men on the New Japan roster, but don’t think he’s not solid in the ring. He’s put on a lot of good matches over the years and even though I’m not saying this will be one of them (not even close), this should be watchable affair and serve as some more good experience for Fredericks after his Tokyo Dome debut and match with TJP against Cabana and Yano. Alex Coughlin + Ren Narita vs Misterioso + Alex Zayne:

There’s not too much to be interested in for this one, but obviously it’s another opportunity to see the Tokyo and LA Young Lions as well as a a chance to see how Misterioso works in a tag team. Will this have an impact on his style? Will he have worse chemistry with Coughlin, Narita and even Zayne than he had on the first night with Connors? There’s only one way to find out. Prediction: Misterioso + Zayne get the win.

The New Beginning in Durham, NC – January 27th, 2020

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, FinJuice + YOSHI-HASHI

vs

GoD, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens + Jado

Almost a repeat of the Tampa main event, the only differences being YOSHI-HASHI taking Rocky’s spot and it being a single fall match. I think this one will be first of the three shows that properly focuses on Ibushi as the star of the match, and I sense he’ll get the pin over Chase in the end. Other than that notion, there’s honestly going to be very little that differentiates this from the main events of shows in Tampa and Nashville, and while that’s a shame as far as originality is concerned, it should be a solid, enjoyable main event.

Prediction: Ibushi pins the crown jewel of Bullet Club.

Ren Narita vs Lance Archer

Yeah so while YOSHI-HASHI and Nagata will probably get a flurry of offence in, this is going to be quick and brutal for young Ren Narita – unless Archer wants to take his time trying to murder him.

Prediction: Archer wins in emphatic fashion.

Jeff Cobb vs Karl Fredericks

Now I don’t see there being a point in this one where Fredericks locks Cobb in his Boston Crab, but I can definitely see there being moments where it’s a close, hard-hitting fight between the two. Fredericks actually has an interesting tour, as he’s starting off with what’s going to be a comedy match, going against an in-ring technician in YOSHI-HASHI, and here most likely finds himself in a brawl. He might find himself being very versatile in match styles after this tour is finished, so you might want to check this one out and keep an eye on him afterwards.

Prediction: Cobb wins.

Alex Zayne + The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs Rocky Romero, Colt Cabana + Toru Yano

If you missed them back in September at Fighting Spirit Unleashed, you can stop fretting because Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson are back in New Japan Pro-Wrestling! The Rock ‘n’ Rolls have wrestled everyone over the years – from The Midnight Express and The Four Horsemen, to Bullet Club and The Chop N Roll Express – but this is the dream match. Arguably the greatest tag team of all time are set to face the former eight time NWA World Tag Team Champions and I can’t wait to see how Cabana and Yano fare against them. Zayne and Romero will almost be afterthoughts in this one (though I’m looking forward to seeing Rocky attempt the Forever Clothesline again), because it’s all about Ricky and Robert vs The Aces of Comedy. I can’t wait.

Prediction: Zayne and The Rock ‘n’ Rolls get the win.

TJP vs Misterioso

Though they’ll both be showcased in their tag matches and in Misterioso’s match with Clark Connors, this will really be the first (and perhaps the only) chance to see what both of these two are truly capable of in a New Japan ring on the tour. It might even be a fantastic preview for the BOSJ in May as a good outing from them could definitely make them shouts for being in the tournament. This one also has the benefit of really being able to go either way, as neither man has anything to lose from a loss, but despite TJP potentially being the favourite based on name value in the United States, I think Misterioso gets the win in this one.

Prediction: Misterioso wins.

Anything else?:

Yuji Nagata + Satoshi Kojima vs Alex Coughlin + Clark Connors:

Another chance to see the New Japan dads and an opportunity to see the LA Dojo Young Lions is really all I can say about this one. It should be very similar to the previous tags on the tour. Prediction: Nagata and Kojima win.

The New Beginning in Miami, FL – January 30th, 2020

Kota Ibushi + Hiroshi Tanahashi vs GoD

If Ibushi and Tana are to remain a tag team past this tour, them beating the #1 Contenders here will put them at the very front of the line to face either FinJuice or GoD after The New Beginning in Atlanta. On the other hand, if GoD get a big win over two top names to give themselves some credibility going into Atlanta, this could result in the other scenario possible for Ibushi and Tana’s story. That story of course is Ibushi completely snapping and battering his idol, leading to a tremendous feud over the next couple of months. This one’s bound to be a good match and essentially what we’re getting with it is a win-win, as there should be no way this one finishes without an interesting development.

Prediction: It’s a tough one to call, but I have a feeling about the titles match in Atlanta, so I think Ibushi and Tana win this one.

Rocky Romero + FinJuice vs Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens + Jado

I mentioned that the match in Durham should be an Ibushi showcase, well I reckon this one will be all about Juice and Finlay looking good two days before their first defence of the Tag Team Championships. Once again, the match will be fine – but not spectacular – and without any pressure of being the main event there’s every chance all six men will be a lot looser in their wrestling making for something that’s better than just fine.

Prediction: FinJuice and Rocky get an advantage before Atlanta.

Alex Zayne vs Lance Archer

I think Alex Zayne might be presented as a little bit stronger than Narita, but not by much. This should be another vehement Archer win leading into Atlanta.

Prediction: Archer comes out of this one looking like even more of a star.

Jeff Cobb vs Ren Narita

It’s fascinating. When it’s Lance Archer against Narita it seems like an obvious Archer squash due to his lack of morals, but when it’s Jeff Cobb, you can’t help but think Narita will be treated as more of a spirited fighter who’ll get a fair few hits in before he loses. I think this one will last longer than the Archer/Narita match, but not by much, and while Cobb will walk out looking strong, I have a feeling Narita will too.

Prediction: Cobb wins, setting us up nicely for his match in Atlanta.

The Rock N Roll Express vs Colt Cabana + Toru Yano

The rematch of a lifetime. With Alex Zayne and Rocky Romero nowhere to be seen this one will live up to all of the potential it might just miss out on in Durham. Expect dropkicks, turnbuckle pads, show-off contests and more. To be perfectly honest, this will encapsulate what professional wrestling is all about. Ospreay vs Hiromu? Pfff.

Prediction: Yano and Cabana steal a win, making it 1-1. When’s the rubber match?

Anything else?:

Yuji Nagata + Satoshi Kojima vs Alex Coughlin + Karl Fredericks:

More of the same as the other tags, but with the amount of matches Nagata and Kojima will be winning across this tour, this one might well finish with a surprise win for the Young Lions. In fact, let’s go with that, because they have to get a big win at some point. Prediction: Coughlin and Fredericks get an unlikely victory.

More of the same as the other tags, but with the amount of matches Nagata and Kojima will be winning across this tour, this one might well finish with a surprise win for the Young Lions. In fact, let’s go with that, because they have to get a big win at some point. Misterioso + YOSHI-HASHI vs Clark Connors + TJP

So this should have a lot to it. High-flying athleticism, strong in-ring technical wrestling, and also the fiery flurry of a Young Lion. The more I think about this one, the more I reckon you and I shouldn’t sleep on this one. It could be quite good. Prediction: Misterioso and YOSHI-HASHI win.

The New Beginning in Atlanta, GA – February 1st, 2020

IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships:

FinJuice vs GoD

The final show of the U.S. portion of The New Beginning Tour sees Juice Robinson and David Finlay defend their IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships for the first time. The match between these four at Wrestle Kingdom 14 was good, not blow-away good, but everyone came out of it looking good and GoD even brought about a new in-ring style in contrast to how they usually wrestle. I expect similar from this one, and with the likely added stipulation of the winners facing the team of Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi, there’s more reason to be interested in the match than there usually is where it concerns the Heavyweight Tag titles.

Prediction: Juice and Finlay winning the titles was seemingly great for the division, but I have a sneaking suspicion that GoD are getting them back here.

Kota Ibushi vs Chase Owens

Whether he does pin him in Durham, or does so in one of the other cities, this one will see Chase try to get revenge for Ibushi beating him and as a result try to get himself in the (unlikely) hunt for a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship somewhere down the road. What this one will actually be about is Ibushi getting himself a needed win after going 0-2 in the Tokyo Dome, and it’ll most likely feature him once again going a bit emotionless, beating the living daylights out of Chase.

Prediction: Unless we’re getting an “Ibushi can’t win” story that started at Wrestle Kingdom, Ibushi’s undoubtedly winning this one.

Jeff Cobb vs Lance Archer

After a what will most definitely be four easy matches for Lance Archer on the tour, it finally comes to this: a challenge in the form of Jeff Cobb. This will be a fantastic brawl between two stars who at this point should just about be on the cusp of cementing themselves as top players in NJPW’s mid-card. And because of that this is practically an unofficial Number One Contender’s match for the IWGP United States Championship. Of course, the loss at Wrestle Kingdom is obviously what all of Archer’s opponents in the build up to this will have suffered for, and if Cobb’s to win this after his (likely) strong showing on the tour, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be rewarded with a shot at the title. You could make the argument as well that New Japan could really do with Cobb back in that role of being a strong mid-carder who can put on a great match with the main eventers, and won’t look to bad in defeat either, following his NEVER Openweight Championship run last year.

Prediction: Jeff Cobb wins and puts himself at the front of the line for Moxley – providing he survives Suzuki.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express + Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Clark Connors, Alex Zayne + TJP

After their battles with Cabana and Yano, Ricky and Robert are sticking around for one more match. They’ll be teaming with a familiar face in Tana, as these three were a unit back in September at Fighting Spirit Unleashed New York when they defeated the LIJ trio of Shingo, BUSHI and the now current IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion, Tetsuya Naito. This one will be a spectacle match, focusing on The Rock ‘n’ Rolls teaming with The Ace, and while Connors, Zayne and TJP will get their fair share of moves in, this is not going to be one where the three legends get out of second gear.

Prediction: We’ll be seeing Tana, Ricky and Robert playing air guitar after this one.

Colt Cabana + Toru Yano vs Jado + Yujiro Takahashi

So what happens when comedic tactics meet devious tactics? Well that’s every Toru Yano match (and that’s just him!) so Cabana and Yano won’t be completely foiled by Jado and Yujiro’s many attempts to cheat. If anything, you can expect Jado’s use of his infamous kendo stick coming back to haunt him in this one, as Yano continues to be The Sublime Master Thief and spoil this last night in the states for two members of Bullet Club.

Prediction: Cabana and Yano win.

Anything else?:

Rocky Romero + YOSHI-HASHI vs Misterioso + Alex Coughlin:

Similarly to the Misterioso and YOSHI-HASHI vs Clark Connors and TJP match, this one will be an enjoyable meshing of several in-ring styles, and might be the last chance you get to see Misterioso in NJPW for a while if he doesn’t enter the BOSJ. This will be fine. Nothing more, nothing less. Prediction: Rocky + YOSHI-HASHI win.

Similarly to the Misterioso and YOSHI-HASHI vs Clark Connors and TJP match, this one will be an enjoyable meshing of several in-ring styles, and might be the last chance you get to see Misterioso in NJPW for a while if he doesn’t enter the BOSJ. This will be fine. Nothing more, nothing less. Yuji Nagata + Satoshi Kojima vs Karl Fredericks + Ren Narita:

If Nagata and Kojima are to surprisingly lose in Miami, I sense they’ll get back to winning ways for the last night. This, like the match above, will be similar to most of the variating tag matches between the respective roster members involved on the tour, and while it should be a basic, but entertaining match. It’s unlikely to have any major implications going forward. Prediction: Nagata and Kojima win.

And that’s The New Beginning USA Tour. We won’t have to wait long until the next New Japan event though, as The New Beginning in Sapporo begins just a few hours after Atlanta ends. There’s two shows in two days, with a short break before the tour ends seven days later, and while the USA tour isn’t completely void of talent or interesting matches, believe me when I say these three cards are stacked with quality.

January 24th Update: How did Kota Ibushi’s illness affect the USA Tour?

So, as mentioned pro-wrestling’s Golden Star was struck down with illness and had to miss this tour – it’s not confirmed as of yet if he’ll miss the tour finale in Osaka – and as a result there’s had to be a few matches changed. The matches aren’t completely different, but obviously certain storyline predictions I talked about above will have to wait for now.

As a result of his injury Tampa will see Jado removed from the Bullet Club team and the match simply be an eight man tag. I predicted Tana and friends initially, and a lack of Ibushi doesn’t change that.

As for Nashville, that eight-man tag will become a six-man, with Jado once again removed. I said Bullet Club would win this one, and honestly Ibushi not being involved makes me think that even more.

Now Raleigh of course isn’t going to be the Ibushi showcase I expected. I still think Team Tana will get the win, but it’ll be interesting to see how this properly differs from the previous matches under new circumstances.

In Miami we’ll be seeing two different matches because of Ibushi’s absence and with Ibushi/Tana vs GoD not happening now that will potentially have big implications on the future of the tag division after Atlanta. Instead Rocky will be teaming with Tana, and while I still think GoD will dethrone FinJuice in their first defence the show after, I now don’t think the #1 Contenders will be losing, and I can see Rocky taking the pin to the Tongan duo here. Due to Rocky now being in this match, that makes his planned six-man tag with FinJuice now just a standard tag with the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions taking on Yujiro and Chase. A win for the Bullet Club team would potentially put them in the titles picture if Juice and Finlay retain in Atlanta, but I don’t see the champs losing in the show before their first defence.

This brings us to Atlanta and once again we’ve got two matches changes, Rocky will be facing Chase instead of Ibushi (Ibushi fears Chase is what Bullet Club’s crown jewel is going with) and even though these U.S. shows are essentially house shows where the goal is to send the audience home happy, I think Chase will pick up the win, giving him some credibility should New Japan actually want to go ahead with him vs Ibushi in the future. Finally, Rocky’s planned tag with YOSHI-HASHI against Misterioso and Alex Coughlin is now just a singles between Young Tacos and the luchadore, which should be a fun match to be perfectly honest. I reckon YOSHI-HASHI will pick up the win in this one.

The New Beginning in Sapporo – February 1st, 2020

NEVER Openweight Championship Match:

Hirooki Goto vs Shingo Takagi

Before we get to February 1st and you watch this match and the one below, make sure you check out the tag team match between the four men from New Year Dash!, which was absolutely tremendous, an absolute thrill to watch from four men desperate to make 2020 their big year. It was Shingo who made the statement in that one, pinning Goto and making his challenge for this event, noting that they aren’t strangers to one another, as he beat Goto in the G1, Goto in return beat him at Destruction in Kobe, and this rubber match will determine who the better man is. As for Goto, he’ll have a point to prove in this one, as not only will he want to best Shingo in-ring, he’ll also want to make it clear to fans that he’s not a stepping stone. He conquered KENTA at Wrestle Kingdom to win the NEVER Openweight Championship, but as has been the case so many times in the last few years, he’s had to watch as a man he’s beaten has immediately been rewarded with an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match. Even in reality that probably eats away at Goto, so he’ll be up for beating a wrestler that many call one of the very best in the world here. Sometimes NEVER Openweight Championship matches, particularly ones in the main event, don’t live up to expectations, but I reckon this one will be very good.

Prediction: Goto retains.

Tomohiro Ishii vs EVIL

If Cobb vs Archer is an unofficial Number 1 Contender’s match to the United States Championship, you really have to think this will be the same for the NEVER Openweight title, given both of these men’s involvement in tag at New Year Dash!. I can only think back to EVIL’s comments before their match at Wrestling Dontaku last year: “is it out of nowhere, is it fated, or both?“ That one didn’t have any real championship implications and still felt important because of both men’s desire to simply hurt the other, so this one definitely has a big time feel to it on this occasion.

Prediction: Ishii wins and challenges Goto later on for a CHAOS vs CHAOS brawl.

Kazuchika Okada + Jon Moxley vs Minoru Suzuki + Taichi

I won’t lie, I expected Moxley vs Suzuki at some point during the current United States Champion’s New Japan run, but at no point did I ever think Jon Moxley would interact with Kazuchika Okada, let alone tag with him. So this is going to be must-watch for that visual alone. It’s also going to be worth watching because it’s bound to be a fantastic match. Any time Okada and Suzuki are in the ring with each other it’s either a classic or just on the verge of being one, and as we’ve seen from their two moments with each other that Moxley and Suzuki will most definitely be very reckless when they’re scrapping. I’m also interested in seeing who’s taking the pin in this one. Logic would say Taichi, obviously, courtesy of a Death Rider, but you’d think New Japan would at least try to keep him somewhat credible before his match with Okada? Could Taichi pin Okada, or Suzuki beat Moxley? It’s a head scratcher.

Prediction: Okada and Moxley win.

Tetsuya Naito + SANADA vs KENTA + “Switchblade” Jay White

This is a rematch of the New Year Dash! main event, and that was fantastic so I’ve got no problems with it whatsoever. That was emotionally driven given Naito wanting revenge for KENTA’s actions the night before, but this one will be even more intense after KENTA and Jay White’s beatdown following the match. Now it won’t just be Naito trying to batter KENTA, it’ll be SANADA going for The Switchblade and I think it’ll be a similar story to New Year Dash! with SANADA surprising Jay once again with the win, but Bullet Club once more showing that they’re a step ahead with a post-match attack. If you thought Naito vs KENTA in Osaka was fully built, these two nights in Sapporo will add so much more to the story.

Prediction: SANADA pins Jay White. Again.

Robbie Eagles + Ryu Lee vs Hiromu Takahashi + BUSHI

Predicting FinJuice vs Tana and Ibushi at The New Beginning wasn’t the only thing I got wrong, as Hiromu named Ryu Lee as his first challenger for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, rather than give Robbie Eagles the match I assumed he’d earned by pinning Hiromu in his return match after coming back from injury. That singles match will be saved for another time, but it might come around sooner than you think if Eagles pins him again or even BUSHI in this one. This will be a stellar tag match with four of NJPW’s top Junior stars and after they casted aside their differences in respect to Jyushin Thunder Liger on Wrestle Kingdom night two, this one will properly see Hiromu and Ryu Lee rekindle their rivalry. They love to hate each other, and if you’ve never experienced them attempt to kill each other for fun, this will probably be a good place to start.

Prediction: Hiromu + BUSHI win.

Anything else?:

Will Ospreay, Roppongi 3K + Ryusuke Taguchi vs Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru + Douki:

A preview for the ZSJ/Ospreay match on the 2nd and the RPG3K Junior Tag titles defence on the 9th, it’ll be interesting to see if Ospreay’s in better condition after the heel injury he suffered at Wrestle Kingdom, because if he’s taking it easy here, it might not be a great sign for the title match 24 hours later. If he is this one should be a top quality tag given the quality of stars involved. It’s also going to be good to see Douki back in NJPW after his appearances on the road to Power Struggle – of course, you could check out the Fantastica Mania shows from this past weekend on NJPW World to see him beforehand. He’ll bring something different to this match that makes it refreshing from the usual CHAOS vs Suzuki-gun tags. Prediction: Suzuki-gun win .

A preview for the ZSJ/Ospreay match on the 2nd and the RPG3K Junior Tag titles defence on the 9th, it’ll be interesting to see if Ospreay’s in better condition after the heel injury he suffered at Wrestle Kingdom, because if he’s taking it easy here, it might not be a great sign for the title match 24 hours later. If he is this one should be a top quality tag given the quality of stars involved. It’s also going to be good to see Douki back in NJPW after his appearances on the road to – of course, you could check out the Fantastica Mania shows from this past weekend on NJPW World to see him beforehand. He’ll bring something different to this match that makes it refreshing from the usual CHAOS vs Suzuki-gun tags. . Toa Henare + GBH vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi + Yota Tsuji:

On February 22nd, the sweetest of stars, Manabu Nakanishi, will retire and ride off into the sunset, so this is going to be one of the very last chances we get to see him in the ring. It won’t be great – his matches in recent years have never touched that level – but with himself, four other legends and two up and coming stars involved, this should be an easy to watch spectacle of a match given what’s to happen in the coming weeks. Prediction: Tenzan, Nakanishi and Tsuji win .

On February 22nd, the sweetest of stars, Manabu Nakanishi, will retire and ride off into the sunset, so this is going to be one of the very last chances we get to see him in the ring. It won’t be great – his matches in recent years have never touched that level – but with himself, four other legends and two up and coming stars involved, this should be an easy to watch spectacle of a match given what’s to happen in the coming weeks. . Yuya Uemura + Tiger Mask vs El Phantasmo + Taiji Ishimori:

Still a tag team after their loss of the IWGP Junior Tag Team Championships on the second night of Wrestle Kingdom, this is going to be a chance for Phantasmo and Taiji to get a quick win and get back on track in the Junior Tag division. Against a Young Lion and one of the New Japan dads, this should be a good example of the two Bullet Club members acting all villainous on their way to victory. Prediction: Phantasmo and Taiji win.

The New Beginning in Sapporo – February 2nd, 2020

Kazuchika Okada vs Taichi

When Kazuchika Okada loses the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, we enter this strange limbo where we simply await him getting it back, regardless of how great and entertaining the current champion is. Because of how long he’s been in the main event scene as champion, it’s always weird when he’s in a standard singles match, and it’s probably going to be much the same for this one. That being said, it’s good to know that there’ll be a story to this one as he’s facing a man he’s been fighting since he was a Young Lion and since Taichi wasn’t an official main roster member – so obviously Taichi will be wrestling this with a grudge, given Okada’s successes in comparison to his. Don’t expect a match on the level of Okada vs Ibushi or Okada vs Naito, but at the same time don’t think this will be a dud, as Taichi’s a very reliable talent and he did a good job this time last year when he was a filler feud for Naito after Wrestle Kingdom before he went onto bigger things.

Prediction: Okada wins.

British Heavyweight Championship:

Zack Sabre Jr. vs Will Ospreay

These are two of the best British wrestlers of this generation, they’re two stars with completely contrasting ring psychologies and they’re about to rekindle a long rivalry. Tremendous. We can only hope Ospreay is healed after the Hiromu match at Wrestle Kingdom because these two at their best means the absolute best. If you want an example beforehand I’d advise checking out their twenty-minute clinic from the G1 Climax last summer. ZSJ came out with the two points on that occasion, but in New Japan it isn’t always as straightforward as the loser getting their win back in the next match – especially when it’s a match for another company’s title. So while Ospreay might seem like the bigger star and consequently the favourite, I don’t see RevPro letting ZSJ get beat here.

Prediction: ZSJ retains.

Tetsuya Naito, SANADA + Hiromu Takahashi

vs

KENTA, “Switchblade” Jay White + Taiji Ishimori

Think about how great the New Year Dash! main event was, consider how much better it’ll be on the first Sapporo show with added emotion, and now added two of the very best Junior stars in the world to it. If you want to see a potential match of the year candidate, get your eyes on this one. You never know, if Taiji pins Hiromu here that might see him jump to the front of the line (leapfrogging the owed Robbie Eagles) after the Ryu Lee match for another match of the year candidate.

Prediction: Naito, SANADA and Hiromu get some payback on the Bullet Club.

Jon Moxley, Roppongi 3K + Ryusuke Taguchi

vs

Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru + Douki

What we’re getting here is another layer to Moxley and Suzuki trying to kill each other, an additional preview for RPG 3K’s defence against Despy and Kanemaru and one more opportunity to see Douki in NJPW for the time being – will he manage to avoid the wrath of Taguchi’s greatest weapon? Of course, of the preview matches leading up to Moxley vs Suzuki it’s all about the February 1st tag featuring Okada, but this will be enjoyable too, just not as momentous.

Prediction: Suzuki-gun win.

Robbie Eagles, Tomohiro Ishii + Hirooki Goto vs BUSHI, EVIL + Shingo Takagi

After Goto successfully or unsuccessfully defends the NEVER Openweight Championship against Shingo, this will see the two of them finish their feud for the time being (they could meet again as soon as the New Japan Cup) and it’ll also see either Ishii or EVIL officially make their claim for the respective NEVER Openweight Champion’s belt. And there’s a little bit more to this, as you can expect to see Robbie Eagles, BUSHI and Shingo all in the Best of the Super Junior tournament in a few months time, so this is an early opportunity to see what they’re capable of against each other and for one of them to get an advantage leading into a possible match in May.

Prediction: CHAOS get the win; Ishii challenges Goto.

Anything else?:

Gabriel Kidd vs El Phantasmo:

Kidd is a prospect from the LA Dojo, and of course El Phantasmo hasn’t been in New Japan too long despite his recent Junior Tag title run, so this will see both men attempting to make a statement at the start of the year. Prediction: There should be no way Phantasmo doesn’t win this.

Kidd is a prospect from the LA Dojo, and of course El Phantasmo hasn’t been in New Japan too long despite his recent Junior Tag title run, so this will see both men attempting to make a statement at the start of the year. Yuya Uemura + GBH vs Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi + Tiger Mask:

The third last match of Manabu Nakanishi’s career will almost be a repeat of the match on night one in Sapporo – just with Uemura and Tiger Mask replacing Henare and Tsuji. This will be more of the same as night one, but I think there’ll be a different result just to keep things interesting. Prediction: Team GBH get the victory.

The third last match of Manabu Nakanishi’s career will almost be a repeat of the match on night one in Sapporo – just with Uemura and Tiger Mask replacing Henare and Tsuji. This will be more of the same as night one, but I think there’ll be a different result just to keep things interesting. Toa Henare vs Yota Tsuji:

This one will have been built up a little on night one, and surely it’s getting to the point where Henare has to get a convincing win and move up the card? He’s been opening cards with slogs against Young Lions for years now and while that’s obviously a reflection the company’s faith in him, 2020 feels like it’s going to be sink or swim for him. Prediction: Henare wins.

The New Beginning in Osaka – February 9th, 2020

IWGP Heavyweight + Intercontinental Championships Winner Take All:

Champion Tetsuya Naito vs KENTA

Wrestling in the main event of the Tokyo Dome for just the second time, Tetsuya Naito vanquished any demons from 2018 and defeated Kazuchika Okada to win not only the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but retain the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in the process, achieving his greatest dream and more. When you’re champion, however, in particular the double champion, you’ve got a hefty-sized target on your back and KENTA didn’t half take advantage when he ran into the ring post-match and ruined the moment. That was Naito’s career in a nutshell, his greatest moments don’t come without a price and it’s these blemishes that make his character so compelling and add to the intensity of his feuds. So even though this won’t be perfect in-ring, the story behind has really made it must-see. Preview tags aside, this won’t be their first in-ring interaction either, as they were on opposite sides of a tag way back in 2014 in Pro Wrestling NOAH when KENTA teamed with Masato Tanaka against Naito and Naomichi Marufuji. That was great, but both men have improved so much since and because of KENTA’s actions on the 5th, this won’t be your standard wrestling match. It’ll be aggressive for sure.

Prediction: Naito retains his titles.

IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship:

Jon Moxley vs Minoru Suzuki

It seemed very odd when Minoru Suzuki wasn’t announced for a singles match at one of the Wrestle Kingdom shows, and it was practically unforgivable that the one match he was in – a Suzuki-gun tag – had him entering to a song that wasn’t “Kaze Ni Nare”. Thankfully New Japan had a plan and we got Suzuki spotlighted as a singles star and entering to the greatest entrance theme in wrestling when he confronted the new United States Champion Jon Moxley, following his first defence of the title against Juice Robinson. It was one of the best moments of the weekend, and the prospect of Moxley vs Suzuki after Suzuki took the champion out with a Gotch was nearly as great as Naito winning the main event. When Moxley responded at New Year Dash! by hitting Suzuki with a Death Rider, it was clear we weren’t going to have to wait long for this. And it’s now a case of counting down the minutes before we get one of the biggest dream matches (or nightmare matches) possible for Jon Moxley after he left WWE in 2019. Suzuki’s been building this one in press conferences by saying he’s going to kill Moxley, and knowing Suzuki, he might well try. And as we’ve seen from Moxley’s recent matches in AEW against Kenny Omega and his match on Wrestle Kingdom night one against Lance Archer, he’s not averse to nearly dying in his matches.

Prediction: Moxley survives, barely.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship:

Hiromu Takahashi vs Ryu Lee

It was in San Francisco on July 7th, 2018 when Hiromu Takahashi defeated Dragon Lee to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, but in the process suffered a broken neck that nearly ended his career. For him to not only return but manage to put on as great of a match with Will Ospreay as he did was an excellent indication that Hiromu is still capable of being Hiromu. Now the issue here is that he and Ryu Lee (who was formerly Dragon Lee if you’re not 100% certain) in their matches enjoy taking it to the extreme. Obviously Ryu didn’t want to intentionally do Hiromu damage back at the G1 Special, but they like to hurt each other, and this will be a lot more of that. Following on from them tagging together for Liger’s final match on Wrestle Kingdom night two, there might even be a semblance of respect between them now, but I doubt it. Great examples of these two in the ring together to check out before this are from The New Beginning in Osaka 2017 and their matches in the BOSJ in 2017 and 2018. They’ve got great chemistry and it’ll be great to see it again, I just hope it doesn’t end with another serious injury.

Prediction: Hiromu retains.

SANADA vs “Switchblade” Jay White

“SANADA, you have been believing in yourself too much as of late, so I am going to bring you back down to reality!“

Those were the words Jay White said after he’d beaten down SANADA at New Year Dash!, following SANADA’s surprise roll up over him. And they’re words that really contributed to me thinking the LIJ member will have a really good year culminating at Wrestle Kingdom 15. Currently the only member of the faction not holding a title, the words of The Switchblade are fine evidence that SANADA’s reaching the mountaintop regardless. In 2019 he finally managed to beat Kazuchika Okada and I think it’s only a matter of time until he’s holding a top title. As is the case for many in NJPW though, and SANADA’s LIJ leader Naito is the perfect example of this, you’ve got to fall before you fly, and that means SANADA’s going to take a few defeats before reaching his promised land. That’ll start here as Jay makes himself the likely (but not confirmed) favourite for the New Japan Cup, following on his win over Ibushi on Wrestle Kingdom night two. It’ll be a great match, with SANADA’s athleticism and the crowd’s support perfectly contrasting White and Gedo’s devious tactics. Honestly this could be the match of the show, so don’t sleep on it.

Prediction: Jay White beats SANADA on this occasion.

Kazuchika Okada + Will Ospreay vs Taichi + Zack Sabre Jr.

What should be nothing more than a cool down match from the show before and a way to get the four men on the card, this does have the curiosity factor of whether Okada or Taichi get a British Heavyweight Championship match if they pin whoever the champion is after Sapporo. It’ll also be a teaser for a potential New Japan Cup match if Okada or ZSJ get a win over the other, and with a good outing for Ospreay and Taichi they could easily find themselves in the bracket as well.

Prediction: Okada + Ospreay win.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Juice Robinson + David Finlay

vs

Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi + Chase Owens

A repeat of one of the many main events in the States featuring these eight, but here we’ll either have new IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions and/or new challengers will be made. So this, in a way, has more to it than most of the USA matches. Obviously by this point fans will know what to expect from this particular tag, but with it being the final show of the tour, there’s likely to be more chance of major story implications here than there will be in Tampa on January 27th.

Prediction: Bullet Club sneak the win.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championships:

Roppongi 3K vs El Desperado + Yoshinobu Kanemaru

A match that’s happened several times before, even at last year’s New Beginning in Osaka event, so if you’re hoping for a solid tag match here between two teams with a lot of chemistry, you’re going to be pleased. The only issue with their matches at last year’s New Beginning and Dominion in 2018 was that they weren’t truly amazing bouts, but while that could be seen as a negative, it’s also a motivation for the four to do something special on this night. This should be good, and a big win for RPG 3K against credible opponents in their first title defence.

Prediction: SHO + YOH retain.

Manabu Nakanishi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima + Yuji Nagata

vs

Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Toa Henare + Ryusuke Taguchi

A former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, a G1 Climax winner, a successful amateur wrestler who competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Manabu Nakanishi has achieved a lot in his close to thirty year career, but on February 22nd his career comes to an end, and this will be the penultimate time we get to see him in the ring. It’s not as important a retirement as Liger, no, Manabu hasn’t been as revolutionary to the business as a whole. However he has been a very important member of the New Japan roster in his time, helping breed a generation of future stars including Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito, as well as being important in the rise of Hiroshi Tanahashi as New Japan’s Ace. This is one of the final chances to see him in the ring alongside a plethora of other notable legends in NJPW over the years, and you never know, if Henare is the one to pin Manabu, having the privilege of sending off a legend may well be the boost needed for him as a feature player in the company.

Prediction: Makabe, Honma, Henare + Taguchi win.

The New Beginning Tour will help focus us as to what we should expect from New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 2020, and it won’t be without it’s great matches and compelling stories. So don’t ignore this tour and make sure to check it out on NJPWWorld.com