Tag: Kingdom

New Japan is back, and it’s time for their biggest show of the year: streaming live from the Tokyo Dome, it’s Wrestle Kingdom. The company is putting their best foot forward for this show, with seven title matches, a first time ever clash between two of their biggest stars, Hiroshi Tanahashi puts his career on the line, prime spots for some of their rising stars and AEW standout Konosuke Takeshita getting a chance to clash with one of New Japan’s best.

If you want to watch the show, it’ll be available on their streaming service, NJPWWorld for just ¥1299 or $9.99 per month, which will not only get you access to this show, but also other shows they do in January, and their archives. If you prefer, you can also head over to Trillertv.com and purchase the show there – available individually or as a bundle with Wrestle Dynasty. Wrestle Dynasty? If you’ve not heard, New Japan are following up their big show with another Tokyo Dome show a day later, a crossover with AEW, ROH, CMLL and Stardom. A full preview of that will be forthcoming.

Wrestle Kingdom will be going live on the 4th January at 12midnight PT/3AM ET/8AM GMT, and if you want to watch the kickoff that will be going live an hour earlier. (But it’ll also be available on demand if you don’t fancy wrecking your sleep schedule.) Let’s take a the show.

Kickoff: New Japan Ranbo

Let’s get ready to Ranbo. New Japan’s version of the Rumble match is a staple that has kicked off events at the Tokyo Dome for years now. Two men start, at one minute intervals a new entrant joins the fray, elimination is by pinfall, submission or by going over the top rope to the floor. In recent years the last four in the match would go on to compete for the KOPW title, but with that title now retired there’s a new prize – the winner will get a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Exactly who is in the match – and even how many entrants there are – hasn’t been revealed, but we can probably expect a mix of Young Lions, returning legends, and anyone else who didn’t make the main card.

Match 1: IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Four Way Tokyo Terror Ladder Match
Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA) (c) v Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira) v Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) v Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)

Two months ago, at Power Struggle, Ichiban Sweet Boys defeated Catch 2/2 in the finals of the Super Junior Tag League, a win that earned them a shot at the titles on this show. The champs were happy to accept the challenge, but also wanted a rematch against TJP and Akira, who defeated them during the tournament. The War Dogs, recently dethroned champs, had picked up a win over Eagles and Fujita during the tournament, but mostly were just sore losers – they attacked all three teams to insert themselves into the title picture. On the year-ending Road to the Tokyo Dome shows the violence escalated further with tables and ladders and chairs, oh my. And that led to this, the first ever ladder match to take place at the Tokyo Dome. Sounds like an exciting way to kick off the main show.

Match 2: IWGP Women’s Championship
Mayu Iwatani (c) v AZM

For over 600 days the Icon of Stardom has reigned supreme as IWGP Women’s Champion, and after not making the Wrestle Kingdom card last year, the title makes its return to the Big Egg. Iwatani is coming off a hard-fought victory over Momo Watanabe at Historic X-Over. Her challenger is an up and coming star from Stardom in AZM, a former two-time High Speed Champion. The two have met in singles action six times before, with two draws and three victories for Mayu – but AZM’s one win was their most recent encounter, in the 2024 5Star Grand Prix. Can the youngster dethrone one of Stardom’s biggest stars on the grandest stage in Japanese wrestling, or will the Icon once more triumph?

Match 3: NJPW World TV Championship Four Way Match
Ren Narita (c) v Jeff Cobb v Ryohei Oiwa v El Phantasmo

At Wrestle Kingdom 17 Ren Narita competed to become the inaugural TV Champion, but came up short. In the two years since, he’s joined New Japan’s most annoying faction (House of Torture), and cheated his way to many wins. Back in October he used his usual array of dirty tactics to win that same TV title in three-way action. Rising star Ryohei Oiwa stepped up to challenge the new champ, but Jeff Cobb, the man the title was stolen from, believed he should get first crack. On the Road to the Tokyo Dome, El Phantasmo returned to action to add his own challenge. Back in August ELP refused an offer to join the House, and was on the receiving end of a beating as a result, so he’s out for revenge. Will Ren Narita be able to steal another win, or will the odds be too much for him here?

Match 4: Lumberjack Match, Tanahashi’s career on the line
Hiroshi Tanahashi v EVIL

Ugh. It was some months ago that the President of New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi, told fans that he’d heard their frustrations with the House of Torture and would work to reign them in. This met with only limited success during the G1, but at the finals of that tournament President Ace opted to take a more direct hand. Despite scoring victory after victory over EVIL and his cronies, the King of Darkness refused to back down. At his 25th Anniversary show, Tanahashi announced his intention to retire from the ring – but EVIL stepped in to rain on his parade, attacking the Ace and saying Tanahashi would retire on EVIL’s terms, not his own.

Tensions between the two continued to escalate until the finals of World Tag League, when a frustrated Tana ended up getting himself disqualified by beating EVIL repeatedly with a chair. In the aftermath he said he’d give the leader of the Hosue of Torture what he wanted – he’d put his career on the line at Wrestle Kingdom. On one condition: this match would be a lumberjack match. Will darkness reign and President Ace be forced into a premature retirement, or will the House finally be brought to heel?

Match 5: NEVER Openweight Championship/AEW International Championship
Shingo Takagi (c) v Konosuke Takeshita (c)

This match right here might be the only reason you need to watch this show. AEW and DDT star Takeshita has had plenty of good to great matches to his credit, but hasn’t always been given a push commensurate with his talent. He was given a spot in last year’s G1 Climax, and took advantage of it, finishing second in his block and being the standout performer of the whole tournament. Returning to New Japan for Fighting Spirit Unleashed, the Alpha successfully defended his AEW International title against TJP before issuing a challenge for greater competition. Two men stepped up – NEVER champ Shingo Takagi, and Tomohiro Ishii. As the Dragon was first, he gets first crack of the whip. Both men are putting their titles on the line in what is sure to be a hard-hitting encounter. And the winner will take both titles into Wrestle Dynasty to face the Stone Pitbull.

Match 6: IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship
DOUKI (c) v El Desperado

2024 was a hell of a year for DOUKI. Starting it as the perennial underdog, he pulled off a win over

Hiromu in February, managed a career-best run in Best of the Super Juniors, and finally overcame his former Suzuki-gun stablemate El Desperado to win his first jr title. He followed up with successful defences against Taiji Ishimori, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SHO, and Master Wato – most of those being the first wins he’d had over those men, and establishing him as one of the top stars in the division. Now, in his first-ever match on the main card of Wrestle Kingdom, he once more faces his friend and rival, El Desperado. Whether he retains his title or not, DOUKI can hold his head up high – but he’s not going to give up without a fight, obviously.

Match 7: IWGP Global Championship
David Finlay (c) v Yota Tsuji

It was at last year’s Wrestle Kingdom that David Finlay became the inaugural Global Champion – and aside from a brief reign for Nic Nemeth, he’s held it all year. The Savage King has surrounded himself with a pack of War Dogs, but to remain dominant he can’t afford to be weak. So it’s quite unfortunate that during the G1 he lost lost to Tsuji not once but twice. Knowing he can’t afford to let those losses go unavenged Finlay himself issued the challenge, demanding Tsuji face him. Moxley and Ospreay, Nemeth, SANADA, YOSHI-HASHI, Goto, and Taichi have all fallen before the Rebel. Will Tsuji follow suit? The charismatic youngster has had a strong 2024 – winning the New Japan Cup, and making the finals of the G1 – but has yet to win a singles championship. Yota Tsuji is a man who seems destined for big things – and probably sooner than later – but dethroning Finlay will not be easy.

The winner of this match will defend their title at Wrestle Dynasty – Finlay will be facing Brody King, and Tsuji will face Jack Perry.

Match 8: Tetsuya Naito v Hiromu Takahashi

A common tradition at New Japan’s anniversary show is for the heavyweight champion to face his junior counterpart in non-title action. Back in 2020 Naito and Hiromu were the champions, and the LIJ stablemates were booked to compete against each other. The two had long desired to test themselves against the other, mentor and pupil, but unfortunately, global events got in the way. COVID put New Japan on hiatus, that year’s anniversary show was cancelled, and when things resumed circumstances meant this clash had to be put on the back burner indefinitely. After their victory together in World Tag League, with neither having a title or a match booked for the Tokyo Dome, and with a match for the newly vacated tag titles already set for Wrestle Dynasty the two decided that there was no better moment, and no better venue.

Tetsuya Naito, New Japan’s top star, five-time Heavyweight Champion, three-time G1 winner, the man who took Hiromu under his wing. Hiromu Takahashi, five-time Jr Heavyweight Champion, four-time Best of the Super Juniors winner, the man who has ruled the jr division for many years, and who has worked so hard to show he was worthy of Naito’s guidance. Friends and teammates collide in one of the biggest matches New Japan has to offer.

Match 9: IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
Zack Sabre Jr (c) v Shota Umino

Few would dispute that Zack Sabre Jr is an incredibly talented technical wrestler, his mastery of the mat leading him to significant success in his native Britain and Japan. But for all his talent, the top prize, the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship eluded him, and he feared that if he didn’t do it soon the opportunity might slip forever beyond his reach. So he made a promise: first, the G1; second, the World title; third, the Tokyo Dome. After an impressive G1 victory, the path usually followed would see goals two and three accomplished at a stroke, but Sabre was not content to wait – he wanted the title in 2024. At King of Pro Wrestling he seized his opportunity, dethroning Naito to win the gold. Successful defences against SANADA and Takagi followed, and Sabre’s spot at the Tokyo Dome was assured – he would walk in the World Champion, and have his chance to be the first non-Japanese talent to walk out as such too.

Shota Umino is a young talent with tremendous potential. Along with Yota Tsuji and Ren Narita he was named as one of New Japan’s latest set of Three Musketeers, marked as one of the men expected to be the standard-bearers for the company going forward. Lofty expectations indeed, and living up to them is no easy feat. Failure in high profile matches, an unsuccessful challenge for the World title, a first round loss in the New Japan Cup, a G1 run ending with an unimpressive 8 points, it’s been a rough year for the Roughneck. But he was one of two men to pin Sabre during the G1, and he’s used that as the pretext for his challenge. A challenge that was met with boos from the crowd. While Narita has been content with the easy path offered by the House of Torture’s cheating ways, and Tsuji has delivered in big matches in a way that makes his cockiness feel justified, Shooter feels like he has yet to find his identity, wearing his influences on his sleeve, adopting moves from mentors and foes. Deep down, who is Shota Umino? If even he doesn’t know, how can he convince fans to root for him? And as he grapples with that question, he must also grapple with the Technical Wizard. Umino has what it takes to beat Sabre, both men know this. But does he have what it takes to truly rise to the top in New Japan? Or will failure force him to reassess, to find his own path to the top?

Whatever the result, both men will have little time to recover – at Wrestle Dynasty Umino faces Claudio Castagnoli, the enforcer of his former mentor, Jon Moxley. Meanwhile, Sabre faces Ricochet at the same show. Whichever man ends up with the gold on the 4th, they will defend it on the 5th, so their triumph may prove short lived. And for Sabre, a further challenge waits in the wings – he will face CMLL’s Hechicero at Battle in the Valley on the 11th. Could the title be on the line here, too? Time will tell.

And that’s the show. What matches have got you excited? Who will be walking out with gold? Whatever your thoughts, feel free to drop a comment in the comment section provided. As already mentioned, New Japan will return with Wrestle Dynasty. On Monday 6th we will also get New Year Dash!! This is New Japan’s “Raw after WrestleMania”, a smaller show but one which tends to set up a bunch of feuds for the next shows. It’s a mystery show, so no preview, but it’s always worth a watch. That’ll be going live at 1:30AM PT/4:30 ET/9:30 GMT, so don’t forget to check it out.

Enjoy the show, everyone.

Pics via njpw1972.com