Tetsuya Naito's knees and the future of NJPW.

 

NJPW is in a funky situation these days. It's not necessarily a completely bad thing and I have faith in the booking team to keep the ship afloat and the company growing. It's just a situation that could potentially see a downward turn and it's rather intriguing. 

Tetsuya Naito is a mega star in NJPW. Everywhere he goes, he draws the domestic crowds who flock to see their beloved ungovernable anti-hero. With him at the top of the card, NJPW is safe and secure in the fact that they'll have good turn-outs as his star power alone will be enough to see to it. This makes him an invaluable asset to the company and the first choice as the top title holder. Having said that, recurring injuries, involving his eye and his knees have caused him to slowly start slowing down, becoming a shell of what he once was with him struggling at times to put on great matches. 

So, with Naito's various injuries catching up to him, the question is: Who should NJPW move into the main event scene? 
There are a number of options depending on whether the company wants a short-term solution or a long-term one. 

For the short-term, there are a handful of wrestlers capable of handling the main event scene. For instance, Shingo Takagi, a grizzled veteran who has held the IWGP World Heavyweight Title once before and had arguably the best reign with it. He's also one of the most consistent performers on the roster and a popular figure both domestically and overseas. Questions remain about his overall drawing power however. 

Zack Sabre Jr is another person that could be slotted into the main event scene. He could fulfil the role of the companies top Gaijin performer, as either a face or a heel. Like Takagi, he is one of the most consistent performers on the roster and would offer fresh match-ups at the very top of the card. There are doubts about his drawing power both domestically and overseas however. There's also the believability factor with his physique being light for a supposed heavyweight. He's not the most intimidating figure and that hurts his credibility. 

As a couple of long-shots and more of a hope than actual possibilities, the company could fall back on the ever reliable veterans, Hirooki Goto and Tomohiro Ishii. Adding them to the main event slot could add some emotional payoffs with them finally capturing the title that's eluded both men for their careers in NJPW. It's sadly very unlikely to happen with Ishii seemingly slowing down a little and Goto being a bit more injury prone in his latter years. Still, they can both still perform at a high enough level should NJPW need to pull the trigger on either or both of them. 

Mid to long-term, there's also SANADA. That man has already held the title once before and although his reign wasn't the greatest, he is a solid wrestler with a tremendous finish. If he was booked better than previously, he could have a good run and sway doubters to his side. 

Long-term wise, there is an obvious answer: The Reiwa Musketeers. Yota Tsuji seems like a good bet for the one who could slot into the main event slot first. He had a great G1 Climax run, making it all the way to the finals and as such, his stock is at an all-time high. He is the most complete package of the trio, with his one major weakness being his match pacing when it comes to going over 25 minutes. Next up would be Ren Narita. Narita could easily take over the role of the main heel in the company with him possibly usurping EVIL and taking over House of Torture. His current finish is kind of lacklustre, but it also works in the sense that it's the ultimate slap in the face after hitting his opponent with his signature weapon. He's such a good heel. Then there's Shota Umino. I genuinely thought that he might be the one that would be pushed to the top of the card first until I noticed that he lacks an identity of his own. He tried to be a version of Hiroshi Tanahashi, which is not a good idea and recently, the crowds have begun to turn on him. He needs to change things up if he is to become a main eventer.