I was listening to a podcast that got me thinking about Wrestle Kingdom 20. The main focus right now seems to be on Tanahashi’s retirement, Aaron Wolf’s debut, and the world title match — which are definitely the biggest draws for the Dome. But I feel like the undercard matches and their stories are just as important to making the event feel like a must-see show.
There’s a perception that only the last three matches really matter, while the rest of the card exists mostly as filler with little story behind them. In some cases, that’s true. For example, the tag title matches for both divisions often have their challengers announced just a couple of months before the Dome. While a title match itself is enough to get on the card, the build is sometimes shallow, with the story amounting to nothing more than “I want your belt.”
That said, I do think the company has improved since the pandemic when it comes to the junior tag division, giving their matches more meaningful storytelling and build. The heavyweight tag division, though, still feels like it lacks compelling narratives.
With the amount of time they have to promote Wrestle Kingdom, there’s plenty of opportunity to make every match stand out. My hope is that each one has a distinct story that elevates the entire card, not just the top matches.
by DeathTriangle720