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Top 5: Reasons Why Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho Is Already The Most Important Match of 2018

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A few weeks ago, Chris Jericho made an absolute blockbuster of a challenge to the NJPW Unites States champion, Kenny Omega. The two will now meet on January 4th at one of the biggest worldwide professional wrestling events of all time. Wrestle Kingdom 12 already has all the tools to produce matches that we’ll be talking about for a long long time, but the recent announcement of Jericho vs. Omega is simply one that nobody thought could happen.

What is now billed as Alpha vs. Omega has global implications in the professional wrestling world, and both men are set to change the face of the business in 2018 and on.

Here are five reasons why Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho is already the most important match of 2018.

The “Japan” Story

Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega both have firm roots in Japan. Jericho got his bearings as “Lionheart” in Japan while Omega made himself a star there. There’s something to be said here about the japanese professional wrestling system. Two of the best in the world are one way or another products of Japan. No matter how long Jericho stays away from Japan though, the fans always treat him to a hero’s welcome when he returns.

The Japanese fans play an integral part in the setup and the execution of this match. Japanese fans adore Jericho, and they also adore Kenny Omega, who has become one of the faces of NJPW in recent years. I’m curious to see what direction the fans will sway once the bell rings, and I’m also curious to see if either men will work heel. Chances are that it will be just a straight up match, but that still leaves the fans as an outstanding variable. Their reaction will give the match even more of a storied feel than it already has, and the location of the bout is perfect.

It’s Cross-Promotional

This is an easy one to pick out. The Internet (myself included) is very hyped up on the fact that Chris Jericho is having his first match outside of WWE in over 17 years. Rightfully so, Jericho performing at Wrestle Kingdom is a huge deal as that only creates buzz for NJPW and leaves non-smarky WWE fans thinking about how something like this can happen.

It’s difficult not to fixate on this very point. Kenny Omega is a top player in NJPW, which at most times feels like it’s hosted on a different planet than WWE. They are two huge names from two hugely different worlds colliding — think a professional wrestling version of Mayweather vs. McGregor.

They’re Both in Their “Prime”

I say “prime” because Chris Jericho is certainly not in his physical prime. However, Jericho is completely in the midst of his mental prime. I have never seen Jericho more determined to put on a show and draw buzz. The man has a good business sense about him and he can get a reaction out of an audience of literal crickets if he wanted to. Jericho’s mental prime is further along than any wrestler can hope to get in the wrestling business, and that is why this match is so exciting — there’s a big fight feel around it.

While Jericho is having the moments of his career, Omega is having the matches of his career. Omega vs. Okada, Omega vs. Naito and others are some of the greatest professional wrestling matches ever broadcasted. The fact that the 6-star match wizard is going toe to toe with one of the most historically influential workers in the business is fantasy warfare if I’ve ever heard it.

Wrestle Kingdom Sets The Tone for The New Year

Wrestle Kingdom 12 emanates from the Tokyo Dome on January 4th, 2018. Unlike WrestleMania, Wrestle Kingdom has a chance to kick off the new year with a “bang” each and every year. The year of professional wrestling in 2018 will start with Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega. This match has implications for the rest of the year as to what Jericho ends up doing. Could Jericho come back to complete a three match series with Omega? How will Jericho’s return affect a possible WWE return later in the year? Only time will tell.

The Swerve

Nobody thought this would happen anytime, let alone in 2018. When Jericho and Omega first started exchanging tweets there were rumors flying around about them having a match on Jericho’s cruise, but the Wrestle Kingdom Stage is a huge step up. I’m genuinely surprised that something came of a worked twitter war, but that just goes to show the way of the business today and how both men are so great at selling a storyline.


Overall, this match is a genuine surprise and treat for all wrestling fans. Omega and Jericho will no doubt wow the public and change the face of professional wrestling forever. This match may not attract as big of a crowd as Wrestlemania, but everyone watching will be extremely invested because of the build, the talent, the cross-promotional nature and the grandiose implications of this worldwide collision.

Needless to say, I’ll be tuning in.

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Opinion

Chris King: The Wyatt Sicks’ Wasted Potential By WWE

Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.

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Wyatt Sicks WWE

Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.

It’s that time of the year again, folks; it’s unfortunate and downright awful that so many WWE superstars got released today. I’m not going to list all of them, but I am going to talk about one of my favorite factions, 

The Wyatt Sicks. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Erik Rowan, and Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy) were something special. After Bo’s brother Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, WWE felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled. Wyatt was one of the most creative and brilliant characters, and Bo would be taking over his brother’s concept and bringing it to life. In 2024, at the end of an incredible documentary highlighting Wyatt’s career and struggles, Bo appeared on the screen portrayed as Uncle Howdy. The last time Uncle Howdy was seen on-screen was at the 2023 Royal Rumble, where Wyatt defeated LA Knight in a Pitch Black Match. Howdy jumped off a structure onto Knight. 

This post-credit scene sparked so much speculation and excitement that Wyatt’s brother would carry on his legacy and possibly debut the faction that was Wyatt’s concept. On the June 17th episode of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt Sicks made their dramatic debut ,destroying the backstage area as well as “murdering” Chad Gable. It was such an iconic arrival for Howdy as he made his menacing walk from the back into the audience who were chanting “Holy Shit.” The Sicks and American Made (Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers) battled for months, with The Sicks being victorious. On the September 9th episode of Raw, The Sicks defeated them, with Howdy getting the win with Sister Abigail. 

The following year, The Sicks would move over to Friday Night SmackDown, and it seemed like WWE had a plan in place. They would win the tag team championships from The Street Profits and start to look dominant. Now, what should have happened next is Howdy should have won the United States title. The Sicks could have held all the gold over on the blue brand, but it never happened. The Sicks entered into a never-ending feud with The MFT’s (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Talla Tonga.) It started off exciting, and the WWE Universe was red-hot for their interactions. 

After months of repetitive matches and The MFT’s stealing their lantern, the feud grew tiresome and boring. Even Tama asked Solo why they are still holding onto the lantern, as it was destroying them as a whole. Finally on the SmackDown before Mania, Tama

gave the lantern back to Howdy against Solo’s wishes. Please explain to me why both factions fought almost every single week instead of just having one final blowoff match at WrestleMania. 

It should have been either a massive street fight or a falls count anywhere match on the grandest stage of them all. Instead, it turned into a meaningless week-after-week extravaganza that benefited no one. The MFTs won the rivalry, and The Sicks don’t even work for WWE anymore. This was the same criminalized creative process that Wyatt dealt with during his first run in the company. 

We’ll never know how much of a dangerous force The Wyatt Sicks could have been in the WWE. For all their careers’ sake, I hope they stay far away from the company for as long as possible. Every superstar that was cut deserves better!

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SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)


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Opinion

Chris King: Bloodline Saga: Is This the Right Call For WWE?

Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns 

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WWE Jacob Fatu Roman Reigns Backlash

Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns is once again World Heavyweight Champion after his dominant win over CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. On the following night on Monday Night Raw, The OG Bloodline came back together as a well-oiled machine as The Usos stood side by side with Roman. With the WWE Universe asking who would be the first to challenge “The Tribal Chief,” Jacob Fatu shocked the world by answering the call. 

Fatu is running hot after his impressive win over Drew McIntyre and feels like he is ready to become the new world champion. This bloodline segment ended Raw, and it picked right back up on SmackDown with even Solo Sikoa and the MFTs involved. This is now two shows that have been centered around The Bloodline saga, and it’s made me question whether or not WWE should be retelling this story. 

The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa) ran WWE for over four years as Reigns’ henchmen, doing his dirty work to retain his title. Even though Roman has declared he doesn’t want Jey and Jimmy to serve him, it sure seems like WWE are spinning their wheels. Fatu could add a whole new chapter into the story, even if he’s not able to beat Roman at Backlash. “The Samoan Werewolf” could be forced to do the same thing as Jey did all those years ago and fall in line. 

 In my opinion, I feel like Fatu should be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship because that’s a title I feel like he should win. I understand standing up to your blood and trying to prove you’re the best, but I don’t think this is the right move. It feels like 2022 all over again, as The Bloodline is the central focus on both shows. If Fatu doesn’t win, what happens to all his momentum he’s been building over the last two years? 

Why did WWE make this the best choice for storyline purposes? Why couldn’t creative have come up with a different challenger for Roman? There are so many other superstars that could challenge The Tribal Chief, such as Rusev, Bron Breakker, Gunther, or even a returning Sheamus. 

I just can’t help but question WWE’s logic here, and it kind of reminds me of all the times The Shield reunited. Could WWE be pushing the same storyline too many times here? Could the WWE Universe get tired of this rinse and repeat cycle of The Bloodline Saga?

Are we about to see all the weekly episodes solely focused on The Bloodline again? Will it be cinema… Yes. Is there still money in The Bloodline… Yes. Was it the right call? That’s to be determined!

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WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling) 

THURSDAY - Nefarious Means

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SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)


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