5 WWE vs. NJPW Dream Matches After Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega Announcement

Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega is happening in a most unexpected overlap of two worlds—WWE vs. New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Omega held off his latest foe at NJPW's Power Struggle event Sunday. The International Wrestling Grand Prix United States champ then sought a new challenger and got his wish. WWE's Jericho appeared on the big screen in a video to accept, as Joseph Currier noted on Figure Four Online.

The two wrestlers are now set to clash at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 12 on January 4 at the Tokyo Dome.

And with that, fans' imaginations had to erupt. What other crossover bouts could be possible down the line? 

Many a marquee match awaits Daniel Bryan should he return to the ring. The Bullet Club would make an ideal foe for one of WWE's most popular squads. And AJ Styles would be magic going up against a familiar face in Japan.

The following is a look at five WWE vs. NJPW matchups the wrestling gods hopefully bring to life after Jericho vs. Omega.  

Daniel Bryan vs. Kazuchika Okada

Bryan has teased venturing out into the non-WWE wrestling world once his contract is up.

WWE won't clear him to compete due to concerns about concussions. But he seems intent on battling in wrestling boots again. If he does just that, one particular NJPW showdown has massive appeal.

Bryan vs. Kazuchika Okada would be a match for the ages.

This would be a meeting of two of the best performers of their generation. It would be a sublime blend of submission, strikes and emotive drama. 

WhatCulture columnist Scott Fried wrote of the hypothetical bout: "Both men would pull out all of the stops to have the greatest match possible, and given their previous work, it would be obvious that the sky's the limit."

Okada has spent the last several years delivering top-of-the-line, main event masterpieces. A faceoff with a fresh foe who is hungry to return to the art he loves would keep that tradition rolling. 

The Shield vs. The Bullet Club

WWE's beloved three-man squad against the coolest group in wrestling is a no-brainer.

Both have been dominant, compelling forces. Both have produced their share of high-quality matches. And to this point, they exist in distant realms, depriving fans of the sight of them going to war.

The Bullet Club would throw a number of combinations at Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose.

The high-energy Young Bucks could represent the NJPW crew. The powerhouse Bad Luck Fale would be an intriguing means to try to neutralize Reigns. Or The Bullet Club could call on rising sensation Marty Scurll to take on The Hounds of Justice.

The Shield's recent reunion will see the trio face all kinds of big WWE names, but their comeback tour won't feel complete without a journey east against their NJPW counterparts. 

John Cena vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

Thanks to John Cena's star power and big-match prowess, a whole of dream matches would be possible should he find himself clashing with NJPW talent somehow. Hiroshi Tanahashi would be on the top of that list.

Tanahashi is an all-world talent who delivers classics at an impressive rate. Like Cena, he is a strong storyteller between the ropes. 

The face of WWE vs. a man who was often the cornerstone of NJPW makes a ton of sense.

There would be something poetic about these two facing each other, too. As Mike Killam of ProWrestling.com tweeted: "The careers of Tanahashi and Cena parallel each other to a scary degree. Right down to both winning and elevating their midcard belts recently."

AJ Styles vs. Kenny Omega

Omega sent Styles on his way out of Japan with a knife plunged into his back. The Cleaner took over The Bullet Club by ousting Styles.

Since then, Omega has become one of NJPW's hottest commodities and one of the most talked-about wrestlers in the world. Styles went on to have a career-defining run with WWE and has been that company's top performer.

Audiences would become unglued if these two met now.

The athleticism involved would be off the charts. The big-match ability from each wrestler would assure us of something special. And the built-in story would elevate it all in a major way.

This would be a battle built around betrayal, one alpha looking to shove another alpha aside, and a contest to determine who really is the world's No. 1 wrestler.

Seth Rollins vs. Tetsuya Naito

Rollins has faced and flourished against Cena, Finn Balor, Reigns and the best WWE has to offer. Should he ever get a crack at NJPW's loaded roster, Tetsuya Naito would be an ideal foe.

Rollins vs. Naito would be a high-octane bout that never took its foot off the gas.

Naito could not only keep up with the speedy Rollins—he could push him like few others. His flair and aggressiveness would help bring out The Kingslayer's best work to date. Creative counters and versatile offense would rule the day.

How would this match be possible? Who knows? But if you told fans last year that Jericho and Omega would go to battle in Japan, they wouldn't have believed you. 

Some dream matches do in fact come to life, so it's best not to shrug off what feels like only a fantasy at the moment.