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Nick Jackson (2018)

165 PTS.



The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) only worked 10 New Japan tag matches in 2018, but they really made them count. Five were title matches (two early in the year to complete the Roppongi 3K story and put them over as the new junior tag aces, and three later after moving up to heavyweight and winning the big boy titles), plus the now legendary main event at Strong Style Evolved against Golden Lovers. Other than that, they weren’t highly visible, working the Australia tour (including the main event in Adelaide against Okada & Ishii) and a few other mid-card matches. They didn’t work a single 2v2 tag beyond September after they lost the IWGP belts to GOD.

It’s pretty incredible that the Bucks have become one of the most decorated tag teams in New Japan history while essentially always working as part-timers. Historically, you could maybe say the same for a team like The Steiner Brothers.

One thing the modern company has done, to the anger of some, is embracing the idea of part-time acts and milk them for all they’re worth. The Bucks were rarely wasted in meaningless spots and maximized right down to skipping the World Tag League yet winding up in the tag title main event of WK13 anyway. The company wisely embraced Kota Ibushi’s split schedule with DDT years ago, and have willingly worked around his eccentricities in exchange for whatever they can get out of his star power on a limited basis ever since. The best example is Chris Jericho, who continues to draw money, helped by the very fact that he isn’t constantly around, meaning the inevitable diminishing returns will come later than sooner. Demanding someone like that be around “all of the time” means you lose him entirely. This is smart, open minded thinking, the kind of good business decisions that people scream about as negatives while completely missing the forest through the trees.