NJPW: The New Beginning Tour 2024 Preview and Predictions
With Wrestle Kingdom 18, New Year Dash!!, and Battle in the Valley in the books, it’s time to look forward to NJPW’s first tour of the new year: The New Beginning. Each year, The New Beginning tour sets the tone for what to expect from New Japan Pro Wrestling, setting up multiple feuds for the rest of the year, while also giving fans the first batch of major title matches.
The biggest show of the tour will be on Feb. 11 for “The New Beginning in Osaka,” which will get its own preview and predictions piece. So for now, let’s dive into some of the most high-profile matches leading up to the big show in Osaka.
My name is Sam Palmer from Vendetta Sports Media, my NJPW prediction record for 2024 stands at 16-7, and here are my predictions for New Japan’s “New Beginning” tour!
Taiji Ishimori {c} vs. Great-O-Khan [10 Minute Ishimori Ring Fit Match for the NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2024 Championship] – The New Beginning in Nagoya (Jan. 20):
The first of many title matches on the tour sees the first KOPW Champion of 2024, Taiji Ishimori, play to his own strengths as he defends his title against Great-O-Khan. The stipulation for the bout will be an “Ishimori Ring Fit Match” with a 10-minute time limit. The rules are simple, you can pin your opponent as many times as you want within the time limit, and the person to get the final fall will win the match. Seems simple enough, doesn’t it? However, every three minutes, there will be 30 seconds of intense circuit training before the match resumes.
If that sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is, but Ishimori designed the match like this due to his cardio being so much better than Khans. All Ishimori has to do is outlast Khan and he keeps his title. It won’t be the greatest bout in the world, leaning more into comedy than actual wrestling, but Ishimori should retain barring any muscle strains in the circuit training.
PREDICTION: Taiji Ishimori
Guerrillas of Destiny {c} vs. Bullet Club [NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship] – The New Beginning in Nagoya (Jan. 20):
This will be the first of two meetings between these four men in the coming weeks as the Guerrillas of Destiny have accepted the challenge to defend both the NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship, and the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against Chase Owens and KENTA of Bullet Club. The latter of the two matches will take place in Osaka, with the former taking place on the first night of the tour.
All four men have a long history together. El Phantasmo and KENTA are former tag team partners in Bullet Club, while Hikuleo is also a former member of Bullet Club. These four men know each other very well, and with the second title match taking place just a few weeks later, this will be a feeling-out process, albeit with a competitive edge given that there is a title on the line. I would personally go for ELP and Hikuleo to retain their belts, but don’t be surprised if we see the first upset of the tour.
PREDICTION: Guerrillas of Destiny
Tama Tonga {c} vs. EVIL [NEVER Openweight Championship] – The New Beginning in Nagoya (Jan. 20):
The main event of The New Beginning in Nagoya might very well be one of the more emotional matches of the entire show. It was recently announced that Tama Tonga would be leaving NJPW at the end of the month, citing family reasons for wanting to leave the company. EVIL managed to trick everyone into thinking that Tonga had already left the company last week by hacking into the company’s website, so it’s clear that The King of Darkness already sees himself as the champion.
Due to Tama’s status with the company, this will end up being a victory for EVIL. However, it’s the aftermath of the match that people will have their eyes on. Tama Tonga has been with New Japan for 14 years, was a founding member of the Bullet Club, and held gold on a staggering 15 occasions. He will go down as one of the greatest foreign stars to ever grace the blue canvas, and it will be sad to see him go. However, it will be just as exciting to see what he does next!
PREDICTION: EVIL
SHO vs. Master Wato – Road to The New Beginning (Jan. 23):
The first of many special singles matches on The Road to The New Beginning sees another member of the House of Torture try and get the better of one of NJPW’s most promising junior heavyweights. Master Wato was the winner of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in 2023, but has lost a lot of momentum since his big victory.
On the other side of this, SHO doesn’t seem to care about momentum as he only cares about pleasing himself and his House of Torture teammates. This won’t blow anyone away, but New Japan seems to put its stock in the House of Torture for some reason, and I can see SHO picking up the win.
PREDICTION: SHO
El Desperado {c} vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru [IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship] – Road to The New Beginning (Jan 23):
While I wasn’t happy to see my prediction at Wrestle Kingdom 18 get ruined, I was happy to see El Desperado get his flowers and become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. This will be Despy’s third reign with the belt, and given how much Hiromu Takahashi did with the belt in 2023, Despy has a lot to live up to. However, his first task is going to be an interesting one as he takes on Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
Kanemaru defeated Despy in the opening round of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament last year, proving to everyone that he has more to him than just drinking liquor all day. He is an experienced, technical hard-case, and he won’t give up easily plus he can pick you apart at will when he feels like it. Though that’s the thing: He’s now part of the House of Torture, so I don’t think he will feel like it. Expect interference and shenanigans, but also expect an El Desperado victory.
PREDICTION: El Desperado
Shota Umino vs. Ren Narita – Road to The New Beginning (Jan. 24):
The final match I’ll talk about that features the House of Torture has all the capabilities of being a great one. Two young stars who will be looking to have banner years in New Japan given the amount of departures that seem to be taking place. Ren Narita might be a member of the House of Torture, but he is still very capable in the ring, it’s just whether or not he chooses to apply himself. Shota Umino had some breakout performances in 2023, but hasn’t quite hit his stride, this will be his chance.
Again, it’s a House of Torture match, so expect weapons, interferenc, and far too much Dick Togo for my liking. But don’t be surprised if Umino manages to bring out a different side of the former “Son of Strong Style.” It would be great to see a competitive contest that proves to everyone that Ren can still show up, but I can’t see that happening sadly. While the House of Torture got off to a good start, I think a Shota Umino victory is on the cards.
PREDICTION: Shota Umino
CHAOS & Hiroshi Tanahashi {c} vs. TMDK [NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship] – Road to The New Beginning (Jan. 24):
Remember when I said that Tama Tonga’s match in Nagoya was going to be emotional, this might top it. It was recently announced that Kazuchika Okada, one of the faces of New Japan Pro Wrestling, would be leaving the company at the end of his contract. The Rainmaker has agreed to stick around until the end of The New Beginning tour, but this could very well be his final title match as he, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii defend the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships against TMDK.
The team of Shane Haste, Mikey Nichols, and Kosei Fujita want to make 2024 their year, and what better way to do it than to beat three NJPW legends for a set of titles? Fujita in particular wants a win over Okada before he leaves the company, and this might be his only chance to do it. This match will go one of two ways: TMDK win because Okada is leaving, or the champions retain and they have one more defense before Okada leaves. I’m going to go with the former as I think Okada’s final weekend in New Japan will be fun farewell matches, not competitive title bouts.
PREDICTION: TMDK
Gabe Kidd vs. HENARE – Road to The New Beginning (Feb. 4):
One of the matches people are looking forward to the most for the show in Osaka is the Steel Cage match between the United Empire and Bullet Club’s War Dogs. There will be no rules, no escape and no holding back when the door locks behind the two factions. To hype people up about it, NJPW has booked the two factions in a series of special singles matches to highlight what to expect on Feb. 11.
The first of which will be stiff as hell, as Gabe Kidd and HENARE go one-on-one. Both men are unpredictably violent in different ways, with Gabe often getting too emotional in his matches. This will be his downfall against HENARE, who I can see picking up the win.
PREDICTION: HENARE
Jeff Cobb vs. Alex Coughlin – Road to The New Beginning (Feb. 4):
Two men who are just tough but ten-times stronger are Jeff Cobb and Alex Coughlin. Cobb has otherworldly strength that is coupled with the ability to do things that men his size shouldn’t be able to do, while Coughlin looks like a stereotypical circus strongman, only he is stronger than a strongman and twice as tough.
I haven’t seen a lot of people talking about this match, which is surprising as it could steal the whole tour: Two behemoths tossing each other around until one of them can’t stand up anymore is going to be a lot of fun, and I can see Cobb getting the win for United Empire.
PREDICTION: Jeff Cobb
David Finlay vs. Callum Newman – Road to The New Beginning (Feb. 4):
The final singles match will be United Empire’s newest member Callum Newman taking on the first-ever IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion and leader of the Bullet Club, David Finlay. Newman is a junior heavyweight with an ungodly amount of speed, he can run the ropes quicker than some people can spring down a running track.
However, he is getting into the ring with one of NJPW’s best in Finlay, whose mean streak has only gotten more volatile in 2024. This is the easiest to predict for me, David Finlay will win. However, don’t be surprised if a lot of people have the name Callum Newman on their lips when this one is over.
PREDICTION: David Finlay
Catch 2/2 {c} vs. Bullet Club War Dogs [IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship] – Road to The New Beginning (Feb. 4):
Rounding out this set of predictions will be the only Wrestle Kingdom 18 rematch so far as Catch 2/2 defends the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships against the War Dogs’ Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors. TJP and Francesco Akira got the win at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th, ending the reign of Drilla and Clark just as they got their new custom belts made. TJP donned his new ‘Aswang’ persona to push his team to victory, something the Bullet Club War Dogs weren’t prepared for. This time, they will be prepared for anything.
If there is one thing that we have learned watching the War Dogs in action, it’s that they work best when they are angry. Drilla and Clark will go into this match with a vengeance after what happened in the Tokyo Dome, and that will work to their advantage. However, when you give guys like Akira to move, you can’t keep up with him; combine that with the experience of TJP, you really do get a well-oiled machine. However, I think revenge will be the difference maker and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships will return to Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors.
PREDICTION: Bullet Club War Dogs
Are you looking forward to NJPW’s ‘New Beginning’ Tour? Let us know in the comments section below! Don’t forget to follow myself and Vendetta Sports Media on all your favorite social media platforms.
