Three Surprise WWE Stars Who Could Appear at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

Mark Izzo / Professional Wrestling, WWE / December 28, 2022

Three Surprise WWE Stars Who Could Appear at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 is set to take place on Jan. 4-5 of 2023. Wrestle Kingdom is essentially NJPW’s version of WWE’s WrestleMania. It’s the biggest show of the year and features the biggest names in the company and in the world of professional wrestling.

There has been speculation of NJPW and WWE having some sort of working relationship with each other. Karl Anderson will be competing at Wrestle Kingdom 17 while he is signed to WWE, so that leaves many fans speculating if WWE and NJPW will be working together.

With Anderson set to compete in NJPW, here are three WWE stars who could also appear at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.

AJ Styles

AJ Styles has spent a lot of time in NJPW. He is a former two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his own right, so his returning to NJPW would be pretty surreal, but it makes sense.

Styles is a former leader of the Bullet Club, one of the most well-known factions of the last decade. He was in the group alongside Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Now, Styles is in a faction called the O.C with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson in WWE.

With Anderson competing at Wrestle Kingdom 17, Styles’ appearance at the show makes a lot of sense. Plus, WWE has let Styles appear in Impact Wrestling this year, so I think there is a better chance than fans expect that he shows up at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Finn Balor

Finn Balor is another wrestler who has spent a lot of time wrestling in NJPW. Balor is a six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and a three-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. Furthermore, Finn Balor was the first leader of the Bullet Club.

Balor returning to NJPW would be an incredible sight. Balor is now one of the most feared factions in WWE, The Judgement Day. The Judgement Day has been feuding with the O.C, AJ Styles’ faction, for the past few months.

Balor could show up to cost Karl Anderson the Never Openweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 17. Also, when Finn Balor created the Bullet Club, one of the original members was Tama Tonga. Tama Tonga is facing Anderson for the Never Openweight Championship, so Balor could screw Anderson while helping his longtime friend in Tonga.

Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins has had one of the best years of his career in 2022, so what better way to start the new year off than appearing at Wrestle Kingdom 17?

Rollins wrestled in ROH, PWG, TNA, and NWA before signing with WWE, so he has never appeared in NJPW, but very well can in 2023. Rollins has had an online feud with IWGP United States Champion, Will Ospreay, in the past. Rollins is also a former WWE United States Champion in his own right, so Rollins could appear in NJPW to confront Ospreay following his match with Kenny Omega.

Omega and Rollins have only met one time before and it was in ROH back in 2008. It would be a crazy visual to see Omega, Ospreay and Rollins standing in the same ring together at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17.