(This concerns Wrestle Kingdom and Wrestle Dynasty, so spoilers)
I watched both events back to back and can't help but compare two matches from both nights: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino at WK and Kenny Omega vs. Gabe Kidd at WD. Not in the way where people are comparing how Tanahashi reacted or how one is shit and the other is a masterclass, but because of the dynamic that can be formed as a future top rivalry if they ever do it.
On one hand, you have Gabe Kidd, the most charismatic member of the Bullet Club War Dogs. For all intents and purposes, the Bullet Club as a whole have been viewed as attackers and villains by the New Japan roster and fans. Yet, here's Gabe, with the entire Tokyo Dome behind him as he faces the returning Omega, who the crowd boos. Surprising? Yeah. Maybe it was because they sympathized with Gabe about his feelings towards Kenny, about how Kenny is just waltzing in to the Tokyo Dome while he had to work the entire year to even be on the card. Perhaps, maybe, they see something in Gabe: a future world champion; a future ace.
On the other, there's Shota Umino. After about a year two since coming back from excursion, Shota is already positioned alongside Yota Tsuji and Ren Narita as the "Reiwa Three Musketeers". Shota then promised he was going to be the new ace, and quite frankly, New Japan had the same idea as they position him to be such, either because they really believe in him, or because a lot of their wrestlers, including Kazuchika Okada, are leaving. Either way, the fans grew sour on him. When the promised new ace was needed the most, he was failing (and crying). He was a hero, a protagonist, that no one wants.
by some_guy_from_adnu