Tetsuya Naito headlines the first night of the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 15, a two-night affair that is the crown jewel of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s slate of shows each year.
As the reigning IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion, Naito is the current face of the company, a spot where countless New Japan officials always believed he would find himself. But the route to the top of the New Japan hierarchy was not a linear one for Naito, who has spent the past decade-and-a-half proving that, while the opponent may change, the main event belongs to him.