Coming out of NJPW Power Struggle 2026, the card for Wrestle Kingdom 21 has taken shape in a massive way.
With seven matches announced on the show, there is not a lot of room for many more matches, but there should be a spot available for The Knockout Brothers to defend the IWGP Tag Team Championships.
While their challengers could come from the World Tag League 2026 winner, it is possible for KOB to win and then choose an AEW pairing to face in the Tokyo Dome on January 4.
Here are five AEW tag teams to potentially face Knockout Brothers at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21.
Cope & Cage (Adam Copeland & Christian Cage)
In recent interviews, The Knockout Brothers recently revealed which AEW duo they would like to face in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
OSKAR noted that he has always been a fan of Cope and Cage, saying they would be his choice to face from All Elite Wrestling.
Meanwhile, Adam Copeland has listed the Tokyo Dome as the last major building he would like to wrestle in his career.
With Cope announcing his retirement in 2027, NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 could be the last time for “The Rated R Superstar” to compete in the Dome and facing Knockout Brothers alongside Christian Cage could make for a tantalizing dream match.
FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)
Speaking of Cope and Cage, one of the main rivals in AEW has been FTR.
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler are in the conversation for the best tag team of their generation.
When talking about AEW tag teams, Knockout Brothers also mentioned FTR as potential opponents.
As former IWGP Tag Team Champions, FTR could make their return to try to regain those titles from OSKAR and Yuto-Ice at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21.
The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley)
Another pairing that has made their name in Japan for NJPW is The Motor City Machine Guns.
During their time in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships.
Now years later, The Machine Guns could try to win the heavyweight version of these titles.
Sabin and Shelley challenging The Knockout Brothers would make for an interesting clash of styles at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 on January 4.
The New Level (Kofi & Austin Creed)
At AEW All In London 2026, The New Level made their debut in the company and teamed with Swerve Strickland to win the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
Kofi and Austin Creed have revealed that they would like to head over to Japan to compete.
Being students of the game, The New Level would love to step in the ring at the Tokyo Dome.
Facing off with The Knockout Brothers, The New Level could showcase just how good they still are, battling for the IWGP Tag Team Championships at the NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 event.
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
For the past year, fans have discussed a possible dream match between The Young Bucks and Knockout Brothers.
Considered by many to be the two best duos in the business today, The Bucks and KOB have been setting the pace in tag team wrestling.
The Young Bucks heading back to New Japan would make sense with Kenny Omega’s recent comeback and headlining the Tokyo Dome at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21.
The Bucks and KOB might deliver one of the best tag team matches in recent memory on January 4.
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