NJPW has revealed its slate of events for Wrestle Kingdom Week.
During a press conference on Monday, NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi and Stardom President Taro Okada revealed details on the slate of events both promotions will hold leading to Wrestle Kingdom 19 on January 4. Tanahashi said the key point of the week was to “bring fans together across Japan, and around the world.”
The week begins with Stardom’s traditional year-end card on December 29. The first Stardom event of 2025 will be held on January 3 with the New Year Dream event at the Tokyo Garden Theatre. Pro-Wrestling Matsuri, NJPW’s fan festival, will be held on January 2 at the Bellesalle Haneda. The following day, a Wrestle Kingdom 19 kickoff event will be held, with future details to follow.
Wrestle Kingdom 19 will be held on Janaury 4 at the Tokyo Dome. The following day, Wrestle Dynasty will take place at the same venue, featuring representation from NJPW, AEW, CMLL, ROH, and Stardom. The final event on the schedule is NJPW’s mystery card event New Year Dash on January 6 at Ota-ku Gymnasium.
Here is the entire Wrestle Kingdom Week schedule:
Sunday, December 29: Stardom at Ryogoku Sumo Hall
Thursday, January 2: Pro-Wrestling Matsuri fan festival, Bellesalle Haneda
Friday, January 3: Wrestle Kingdom 19 Kickoff, venue TBA
Friday, January 3: Stardom New Year Dream, Tokyo Garden Theatre
Saturday, January 4: Wrestle Kingdom 19 in Tokyo Dome
Sunday, January 5: Wrestle Dynasty in Tokyo Dome
Monday, January 6: New Year Dash, Ota-ku Gymnasium
– We have a busy weekend coming up as we have a show today with Garrett Gonzales talking about a huge week of news, so big that we had one of the largest issues in our history, plus we’ve got a Saturday night show covering UFC and a Sunday night show covering Forbidden Door.
– We’ve got a monster-sized issue of the Observer because of so many major stories this past week:
The life and times of Sika Anoa’i, from moving to San Francisco, being a fan at the Cow Palace watching Peter Maivia, to running through territories, going all over the world, to being one of the most legendary tag team champions in WWF history, along with his role in the most famous modern pro wrestling family today as the father of Roman Reigns and uncle of the Usos, Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. We look at the legends, realities and more.
A look at WWE’s deal in Indiana and the news behind the scenes on it.
We look at the life and career of Jamie Kellner and the death of WCW, including the last two months of WCW and the strange questions that to this day haven’t been answered.
A detailed look at Forbidden Door, the unique match on the undercard, business notes, stories behind the matches and an update on how Double or Nothing ended up doing.
A look at the final episode of Who Killed WCW, why it ultimately was such a major disappointment and a timeline of faulty memories
An updated look at WWE coming to Toronto for Money in the Bank and NXT Heatwave, lineups and business.
A look at the biggest Fantastica Mania show to date, last week’s show at Arena Mexico
A look at the life and career of Taylor Wily, also known as Teila Tuli, the first man to walk the aisle at the first UFC PPV, and the fight that remains etched in history. We look at a life that includes sumo, and being a regular on Hawaii Five-O.
The continued drop in homes that air WWE, AEW, and all pro wrestling and MMA programming.
The most detailed look at the ratings over the past week, including how wrestling shows did in the weekly standings, how each show did and its placing, comparisons to last year, competition and audience makeup.
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hechicero and why it’s a must-see match.
A look at one of the biggest weeks of the year in CMLL
Notes on the last TripleMania show of the year
Breakup of a legendary Stardom faction
G1 qualifying tournament and who will miss G1 for the first time since 2007
Former WCW wrestler and Japanese Lucha star about to retire
One year celebration of the death of Terry Funk talked about for August
Death of Louie Tillet, a well known wrestler and booker
Very detailed look at the arrest of 2 Cold Scorpio
Nick Bollea sentenced for drunk driving arrest last year
MLW hiring new name people for production
Tony Khan press conference and keys things he talked about
Khan again discusses media rights talks
Khan talks Shane McMahon
Death of German announcer Gunter Zapf, the voice of WWE for a generation, AEW, Lucha Underground and the NFL with notes from those who worked with him.
AEW’s first TV taping outside North America
Details on AEW expenses broken down for a PPV as well as the percentage of revenue that the talent makes and how it compares with WWE, UFC and other sports.
International TV ratings and streaming numbers
Advanced ticket sales for WWE & AEW events
Update on the Cung Le lawsuit
Update on Conor McGregor’s fighting again
Why UFC is only running one show and never again at The Sphere and why WWE & AEW are unlikely to ever run it.
ONE financial breakdown
A look at a number of people leaving WWE for different reasons
New head writer for SmackDown
Daughter of major WWE star trying to make the Olympic team this year
WWE house show reports
– AEW Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York will be 9/25. They will do Dynamite live and tape two hours of Collision.
– As of this morning, Stardom is now officially owned by New Japan Pro Wrestling as part of the Bushiroad dealings.
– Rampage at 10 p.m. tonight on TNT:
Roderick Strong & Gabe Kidd vs. The Infantry
Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata
El Phantasmo vs. AR Fox for a spot in the TNT title ladder match
Orange Cassidy vs. The Outrunners in a handicap match
– For this weekend we’re looking for reports on these shows:
WWE tonight in Madison Square Garden (dark matches only)
TNA tapings in Philadelphia tonight and tomorrow night
We’re looking for results, finishes and other highlights to [email protected]
– Charlie Dempsey is at the TNA tapings tonight.
– Wes Lee, Nathan Frazer and Joe Coffey were sent to tonight’s show in Madison Square Garden. I don’t know this but I could see them being in matches for WWE Speed.
– We’ll be doing our poll on AEW Forbidden Door this weekend, thumbs up, down or middle, best and worst match to [email protected].
– UFC 303 is tomorrow from the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
ESPN and ESPN+ coverage at 6 p.m. Eastern
Ricky Simon (136) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (136)
Rei Tsuruya (125.5) Carlos Hernandez (125)
Andrei Arlovski (245) vs. Martin Buday (264.5)
Michelle Waterson-Gomez (115) vs. Gillian Robertson (116)
Payton Talbott (135.5) vs Yanis Ghemmouri (136)
Cub Swanson (146) vs. Andre Fili (145.5)
Joe Pyfer (185.5) vs. Marc-Ander Barrault (185)
Charles Jourdain (146) vs. Jean Silva (147.5)
PPV at 10 p.m. Eastern
Ian Machado Garry (170) vs. Michael Venom Page (171)
Anthony Smith (206) vs. Roman Dolidze (205)
Mayra Bueno Silva (136) vs. Macy Chiasson (1355)
Brian Ortega (155) vs. Diego Lopes (155)
Alex Pereiera (204.5) vs. Jiri Prochazka (204.5) for the light heavyweight title
Silva missed weight and forfeited 20 percent of his purse.
Ortega vs. Lopes was originally at 145, but Ortega’s side said that he couldn’t make weight and both fighters agreed to have it at 155.
Tsrurya will have Shinsuke Nakamura in his corner. Nakamura fought MMA in Japan including some high profile fights against Alexey Ignashov, at the time one of the top kickboxers in the world. He had a UFC offer but turned it down due to pro wrestling but later has said he wished he at least had done one UFC fight.
– Kyle Fletcher defends the ROH TV title tonight at Arena Mexico against Atlantis Jr. Mistico & Volador Jr. & Esfinge face Angel de Oro & Euforia & Averno in the semi. The last time a major non-CMLL or Mexican championship changed hands at Arena Mexico was when La Sombra (Andrade) beat Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental title in 2013.
– The 7/26 WWE show at Sumo Hall in Tokyo is sold out.
– The Forbidden Door preshow will be starting Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.
– PFL is on ESPN tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern with these tournament matches in featherweight and welterweight from Sioux Falls, SD:
Brendan Loughnane (146) vs Justin Gonzales (145.6)
Logan Storley (170.4) vs. Luca Poclit (170)
Magomed Umalatov (170.4) vs. Brennan Ward (171)
Gabriel Braga (150.6) vs. Bubba Jenkins (146)
The prelims start at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+ with these bouts
Lorenz Larkin (170.8) vs. Alan Dominguez (170.6) – non-tournament
Murad Ramazanov (170.4) vs. Shamil Muasaev (170.8)
Timur Khizriev (146) vs. Enrique Barzola (146)
Goiti Yamauchi (170.6) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (171)
Kai Kamaka (146) vs. Pedro Carvalho (146)
Dan Madge (169.8) vs. Neiman Gracie (170.4)
Tyler Diamond (145.4) vs. Brett Johns (145.6)
It should be noted that Braga missed weight by 4.6 pounds. He forfeits 20 percent of his purse to Jenkins and has one point deducted from his standings point total but is eligible to earn points to reach the playoffs. I’m highly against someone in this type of a tournament having the chance to earn points in a match where they missed weight, let alone by that much. It’s ridiculous.
– Matt Riddle has a meet and greet from 6-6:30 p.m. before the 7/12 MLW show at the St Petersburg Coliseum. You can preorder autographs and a photo at MLWVIP.com.
– Kid Lykos defends the Progress title against Luke Jacobs on 7/28 at the Electric Ballroom in London
– The IWA in New South Wales promoted the first 30 minute women’s Iron Man match ever in the state last Friday in Sydney. Rita Stone and Charlie Evans were the opponents, Historian Ed Lock said Stone is probably the best rookie he’s seen in over 25 years of calling matches in Australia. Stone won three falls to two.
– Damian Willoughby was announced as the new Head of Global Partnerships for the PFL. He’ll be based out of the London office and report to CEO Peter Murray. He’ll be in charge of all the different PFL divisions. He had been an executive for the City Football Group, Chelsea and Rangers FC.
– A correction from last week in International Wrestling Revolution notes, it was Trey Miguel & Myron Reed as a tag team on the show, not Miguel & Zachary Wentz as was listed.
Notable events include the second-ever Historic X-Over event, a joint production featuring talent from both NJPW and Stardom. That will take place on November 17 in Edion Arena Osaka. NJPW will also run a show in the same arena earlier that month on November 4.
Other events feature a Kobe World Hall event on September 29 and a December 8 date at Gran Messe Kumamoto.
It was also confirmed that next year’s Wrestle Kingdom 19 will take place on the usual January 4 date at the Tokyo Dome.
Toni Storm has challenged a notable name from Stardom for Forbidden Door.
During Stardom’s event at Korakuen Hall on Saturday night, Mina Shirakawa was in the ring when the lights went out and a video played. Storm appeared with Mariah May and said she has noticed Shirakawa coming to May’s aid when she isn’t around. She said that she has opened the forbidden door and challenged Shirakawa to a match, saying that while any friend of May’s is a friend of hers, she wants to see what kind of woman Shirakawa really is.
Shirakawa responded by saying everyone wants her and she would face Storm anywhere at any time. She then copied Storm’s catchphrase, ending with “watch out for me”.
Shirakawa has appeared on AEW television recently, coming to the aid of former Stardom partner May on multiple occasions when Storm wasn’t around. She also wrestled on the April 24 edition of AEW Dynamite, defeating Anna Jay.
Forbidden Door will take place on June 30 at the UBS Arena in New York. Confirmed matches include Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship and a ladder match for the vacant TNT Championship that includes Konosuke Takeshita.
On Saturday, AEW star Willow Nightingale was in Japan for a successful defense of her TBS Championship.
Nightingale defeated Tam Nakano at Stardom Flashing Champions 2024. It was Nightingale’s first time wrestling for Stardom in Japan, though she did compete at Stardom’s show in the United States during WrestleMania week last month. Nightingale had previously wrestled in Japan for NJPW and Tokyo Joshi Pro.
“Tam, I can see exactly why you have a very decorated past. I can see why people love you and absolutely adore you. And a piece of me did feel a little bit bad smashing you in your very cute face and dropping you on your very cute head,” Nightingale said.
“But this right here — this is the AEW TBS Championship, and I came here to show you what the AEW TBS Champion is all about. So you really brought a fight for me. Like, my goodness. I am sweating. I am pulsing. Oh my goodness. But I’m still a winner. So Tam, maybe this isn’t the end of the line for us. Who knows, really, in this crazy wrestling business. But today, Willow Nightingale was the better woman.”
Nightingale won the TBS Championship from Julia Hart at AEW Dynasty last month.
Next up for Nightingale is a title defense against Mercedes Mone at Double or Nothing in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 26. The match is Mone’s AEW in-ring debut and her first time wrestling since suffering an ankle injury during a match against Nightingale for NJPW in May 2023.
Willow Nightingale will defend the TBS title in Japan.
It was announced during AEW Collision that Nightingale will defend the title against Tam Nakano at Stardom’s Flashing Champions event on May 18 in Yokohama. Stardom confirmed the title match on their X account.
Last appearing in Japan back at NJPW Strong Independence Day last July, Nightingale lost the Strong Women’s Championship at that event to Giulia.
Nightingale won the championship back at AEW Dynasty last month, defeating Julia Hart. Since then, she has continued to defend the title. On last week’s AEW Rampage, she defeated former friend Skye Blue in a Manitoba Massacre match, a falls count anywhere match that ended when Nightingale gave Blue a doctor bomb through a barbed wire table.
A match between Nightingale and Mercedes Mone is currently scheduled for AEW Double or Nothing in Las Vegas on May 26. The two will meet in a contract signing that will take place on this coming Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Yes, the Pacific Rim Pro Wrestling Podcast still exists.
Longtime wrestling journalist Fumi Saito and I discuss his trip to Philadelphia last month to see Bull Nakano inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He talks about how it happened, his thoughts on the ceremony, and WrestleMania 40 itself. (You might recognize him and a famous wrestler in the picture above).
From there, we talk about Rossy Ogawa, Stardom and Rossy’s new Marigold situation.
Other topics include this year’s Hana Kimura Memorial Show, Fumi’s interview with Giulia, his appearance on the John Tenta episode of Dark Side of the Ring, and much more.
NJPW and Stardom are making a move to increase operational efficiency between the two promotions.
It was announced today that Stardom will become a fully owned subsidiary of NJPW starting on June 28. The parent company of both promotions is Bushiroad, which acquired women’s wrestling organization Stardom in 2019.
The goal of the reorganization is to “improve operating efficiency and reduce redundancies within Bushiroad’s sports unit.”
NJPW wrote:
At a meeting of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s board of directors April 22, it was determined that NJPW will fully acquire all stakes in Bushiroad Fight Co. Ltd. (henceforth ‘Bushiroad Fight,’ due to rename itself STARDOM Co. Ltd. from June 28) from parent company Bushiroad Inc. With this acquisition, Bushiroad Fight will become a fully owned subsidiary of New Japan Pro-Wrestling effective June 28.
While this isn’t a ‘front of house’ affecting situation, it is great news for fans indirectly. Operational efficiency = no tripping over one another with big events on the same day, better/more effective cross promotion, and better ways for the whole family to experience pro wrestling.
NJPW’s announcement included statements from Taro Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi, the respective presidents of Stardom and NJPW. Okada said:
Since STARDOM joined the Bushiroad Group in 2019, our co-operation with New Japan Pro-Wrestling has seen STARDOM matches in the Tokyo Dome, the establishment of the IWGP and NJPW STRONG Women’s Championships, and our first co-promoted event in November 2022. Now more than four years into this relationship, and with changes being undertaken in the management and operating structure of the company, there was a desire for a stronger connection between our offices, which is being put into place with this announcement. I hope we can find new ways to show the world just how impressive Japanese pro-wrestling can be, and as athletes in both STARDOM and NJPW rings continue to push new boundaries, we look forward to your continued support.
Tanahashi said:
Our fans have seen a lot of crossover between NJPW and STARDOM with our co-promoted event, as well as the IWGP and STRONG Women’s titles, but there is still a lot that can be done to strengthen connections between our companies behind the scenes. From arranging event schedules and building reservations to make sure fans have time to take in big matches from both companies, to improving our promotional efforts and sponsor acquisition, I’m excited at the opportunity to further both NJPW and STARDOM’s appeal to a broader audience. This acquisition will speed up decision making processes and improve our operating efficiency, freeing both companies up to further professional wrestling in the eyes and hearts of fans in Japan and worldwide. I look forward to fans’ continued support of both NJPW and STARDOM.
Former AEW World Champion and longtime Japanese star Kenny Omega made some strongly-worded comments toward Stardom founder Rossy Ogawa on Friday night, indicating some negative revelations exist about the Marigold founder that is already known by others.
During his Twitch stream Friday, Omega was asked about Ogawa and said he would caution against listening to praise “for that individual” based on what those in the wrestling industry and “government-issued press” in Japan know about him.
“I would say, ‘Don’t be so quick to listen to praise for that individual’ because someday, I’m not sure when it will be, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, people will know the truth. What they do with that truth, I don’t know. Will they share it? Maybe. A lot of the higher-ups in Japan, they know exactly what business he’s up to and what he’s been up to for decades. That’s all I gotta say,” he said.
However, that wasn’t all he had to say.
Omega was then asked about Ogawa being an “E-drone” (a backhanded reference to WWE fans on social media) since Marigold has a partnership with WWE. Omega said he didn’t care about that as it’s “not even the tip of the iceberg.”
He said there are “a lot of people” that refuse to work for Ogawa “for the very same reason” who are currently both in WWE and AEW. He then alluded to what the allegations are about without specifically making accusations.
“If you want to know along what lines they tread amongst, the dude just flat out said, ‘Hey, we’re looking for girls ages 13-to-21 that don’t have a boyfriend and aren’t married.’ We already know he puts underage girls in very revealing swimsuit calendars and books. I wish that’s all he did. Let’s put it that way,” he stated.
Despite saying all that, he then clarified that he didn’t know anything and that he was “not going on record to say anything” as he didn’t want lawyers “barking at my door.”
“I don’t have any sort of video evidence, I just have the good word of people that are very close. I’m outside of it. If those people feel like commenting or saying something, whatever. For now, I’ll say that people going to Marigold, good luck. I hope you have a great time. I hope it works out for you. For me, I would be very hesitant. I would be very hesitant. That’s it. That’s all,” he said, before saying “redact my comments” and that “I didn’t say anything” before again questioning Marigold’s desired age range and then agreeing with a commenter that he should delete the Twitch video.
He finished by saying he supports current WWE star Asuka and that “she’s got her reasons, probably the same one as mine.”
A Stardom tag match is the latest addition to All Together 2024, a cross-promotional event featuring several Japanese wrestling promotions.
AZM & Miyu Amasaki vs. Starlight Kid & Natsupoi will take place at the Monday, May 6 event. Rivals Starlight Kid & Natsupoi are uniting for the bout:
A ‘supernova’ prospect for STARDOM, Amasaki made her debut in 2022, and instantly joined Queen’s Quest. On May 6 she joins a regular teammate in AZM, who is riding high from her first US tour, albeit one that saw her fall short to Stephanie Vaquer for the STRONG Women’s Championship. AZM will be more than happy to show her high speed expertise against familiar foes though, in the form of Starlight Kid and Natsupoi.
With SLK representing Oedo Tai and Natsupoi Cosmic Angels, this is certainly a team of strange bedfellows. In fact, the two women are best known for their fierce rivalry over the High Speed Championship a couple of summers ago, and have never once teamed together. Aligned against a unified and common foe, might this be an exhibition that has wide reaching influences on STARDOM at large? Find out May 6!
AZM made her AEW debut on Collision last week, losing to AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm in a title eliminator match.
All Together is the first event under the United Japan Pro-Wrestling banner. It was announced in December 2023 that NJPW, AJPW, NOAH, DDT, Ganbare, Big Japan, Dragon Gate, Stardom, and Tokyo Joshi Pro had come together to form the industry group.
The nine promotions are continuing to operate separately while collaborating to advance pro wrestling in Japan following the COVID-19 pandemic.
A portion of the proceeds from All Together are being donated to victims of the Noto Peninsula earthquake that happened at the beginning of 2024. The show is taking place from Budokan Hall in Tokyo and will stream live on Abema pay-per-view.
