It’s an exciting time for the New Japan Pro Wrestling’s (NJPW) Junior Heavyweight division. They have signed one of the top luchadors today, Ryu Lee. Fans will better know him as former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Dragon Lee. Following his messy departure from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), he was forced to rebrand his name.
His signing could have potentially caused issues with the NJPW/CMLL partnership, but he is a strong enough talent that he is undoubtedly worth it. The Fantasticmania shows in late January are still planned like usual, and are to be run by both companies. CMLL also loans wrestlers to NJPW for tournaments like Best of Super Jrs and World Tag League, with CMLL talent El Terrible competing alongside Shingo Takagji.
Ryu Lee To Make An Instant Impact
As announced on the final night of the world tag league, and confirmed at the Tokyo Dome Press Conference, Ryu Lee will team with his greatest rival, Hiromu Takahashi to be a part of Jushin Ligers final match ever. They will face Liger & his first big rival, Naoki Sano. Being a part of a legends final match is a huge boon to anyone’s career.
Ryu Lee teaming with Hiromu Takahashi is also interesting. They’re best known as rivals, and Ryu was the one that put Hiromu out of action when he botched his finisher, the Phoniex-Plex, which caused Hiromu to land neck first. You would think this would only build the feud between them, yet they’re partners. I don’t expect this union to last long, nor do I want it too. Their matches are classics, some of the fastest paced yet brutal matches around today, and while there has been many installments, you really can’t have too much.
Championship Aspirations
Ryu Lee is a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, having held the belt for 64 days earlier this year, winning it in Madison Square Garden where he beat Bandido & then champion Taiji Ishimori for the belt, he then retained against Ishimori before losing to current champion Will Ospreay at Dominion in June. Ospreay has been dominant since that day, but with Lee now signed to NJPW full time, it could pose a threat to the cheeky brits reign. Granted, Ospreay needs to defeat Hiromu Takahashi before that is an option, but it is now looming above his head. Lee also recently faced Kenny Omega for the AAA Mega Championship in a losing effort, in a match which received rave reviews.
Are you familiar with Ryu Lee and his work? If so, let us know your favorite match of his in the comments down below, and stay tuned for more NJPW news right here on The Overtimer.
