It is a big night for New Japan Pro Wrestling, as they hold their final pay-per-view level event before the January 4th Tokyo Dome and the biggest event of their calendar year, Wrestle Kingdom 11. As noted, we will have complete live coverage of NJPW Power Struggle kicking off at 3:00 am EST with a discussion page going up one hour prior to the start of the show.
Besides the four title matches and special challenge between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Sanada, the big moment tonight is the “time bomb” going off, which has been teased for months. At this time the expectation is for it to be an invasion from NOAH to compliment the already stellar program between Katsuyori Shibata and several members of the NOAH roster. This will likely be in the form of Minoru Suzuki, but could also see the returns of two-time IWGP tag champions Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr., among others.
Power Struggle is generally a show heavy on the storyline, one of the only times in the year that New Japan does this, to set up all the major matches at Wrestle Kingdom. Expect movement from top factions including Bullet Club, Los Ingobernables de Japon (who are working four of the five major matches tonight), and most if not all of the titles to have contenders coming out of this show. They will either be announcing some of the matches for Wrestle Kingdom tonight, during or after the show, or in a press conference next week.
Before we get to the Tokyo Dome the last scheduled series for New Japan this year is of course the World Tag League, which will kick off on 11/18 at Korakuen Hall and end with two shows in the same building on 12/16 and 12/17. Ring of Honor tag team War Machine has already been confirmed, as are Brian Beaker and Leland Race, being sent by wrestling legend Harley Race. We should have a complete run down of all the teams in the next few days.
