Since New Japan Pro Wrestling announced the lineup for Wrestle Kingdom 13 last week, there’s been only one Tokyo Dome-card-related mystery left: who will compete in the pre-show gauntlet match to become number one contender for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships? With a significant portion of the roster not on the main show, there were a lot of options for possible trios. NJPW announced the teams on their website today, and they should make for a pretty interesting match. We have:
- Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano, and Togi Makabe continuing the growing alliance between Chaos and Taguchi Japan/Team New Japan
- David Finlay, Jeff Cobb, and Michael Elgin
- Chuckie T, Beretta, and Hirooki Goto representing Chaos
- Marty Scurll, Yujiro Takahashi, and Hangman Page representing the Elite
- Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, and Davey Boy Smith Jr. representing Suzukigun
Goto and Suzuki being relegated to the Wrestle Kingdom pre-show this year is pretty wild given that they had one of the best matches (if not the best) at Wrestle Kingdom 12. And no Taichi on the show at all??? We will SURELY HEAR ABOUT THIS FROM THE HOLY EMPEROR.
Anyway, whatever its placement on the card, the trios gauntlet match is always an especially crazy part of Wrestle Kingdom, and this year looks no different. The winning team with go one to face the champs from the Bullet Club, who all are wrapped up in other title matches at the Dome, on January 5 at New Year Dash!!.
