Chris Jericho Attacks New Japan Top Star at ‘New Year’s Dash’

If you thought Chris Jericho‘s stint with New Japan Pro Wrestling was over, then think again!

One night removed from Wrestle Kingdom 12, the Japanese pro wrestling promotion kicked off it’s new year with the annual New Year’s Dash event at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on Friday night.

The event closed out with Tetsuya Naito, one of the promotion’s biggest stars, standing victorious alongside the members of his Los Ingobernables de Japon faction. Naito signed off with a promo, but as he left the ring Jericho ran in and attacked. Wrestlers from the locker room ran in to break things up, but not before Jericho got in a few shots and tore up the commentator table area.

Jericho challenged and lost to Kenny Omega for the IWGP United States Championship the night prior at Wrestle Kingdom, and many believed it’d be the only match the WWE Superstar would wrestle before returning to WWE. But with this pull-apart brawl, now it looks like Jericho will lock horns with the LIJ leader.

Naito, for those who don’t follow New Japan, is seen as one of the top three stars of the company alongside Omega and current IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada. He won New Japan’s annual month-long tournament, the G-1 Climax, last August and earned himself a championship match against Okada in Wrestle Kingdom’s main event on Thursday. Okada successfully retained his title, keeping his record-breaking championship reign alive.

Jericho and Naito’s match could come sooner rather than later, as New Japan’s next event The New Beginning in Sapporo takes place on Jan. 27-28.

Photo: Twitter / @WONF4W