Tag: Wrestle Kingdom 17

Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay official for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship is official for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17. 

The company formally announced Ospreay defending the US title against in Omega on January 4, 2023 at the Tokyo Dome after setting up the bout earlier in the day Sunday at NJPW X STARDOM Historic X-Over. 

At Historic X-Over, a video promo from Omega played proposing the Ospreay match. Ospreay accepted, but the formal announcement was not officially made until later. 

It will be the first NJPW match for Omega since January 2019 in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13. 

Additionally, the IWGP Women’s Championship match set up at the end of Historic X-Over was officially announced for Wrestle Kingdom as well. 

KAIRI will make her first defense of the IWGP Women’s title at Wrestle Kingdom against Tam Nakano. 

The updated Wrestle Kingdom lineup: 

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, Wednesday, January 4 —

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
  • IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Kenny Omega
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado vs. Master Wato
  • IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: FTR (c) vs. TBA
  • NJPW World Television Championship tournament finals: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita
  • IWGP Women’s Championship match: KAIRI (c) vs. Tam Nakano

Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay set for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Kenny Omega is returning to New Japan Pro Wrestling. 

Omega appeared via video promo at Sunday’s NJPW X STARDOM Historic X-Over event to challenge Will Ospreay to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4, 2023. Ospreay accepted the challenge, and the bout for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship is set. 

In his video promo, Omega said that once AEW began, there was nothing keeping him in NJPW. He said that Ospreay replaced him, and blamed Ospreay for smaller crowds and lack of cheering at NJPW events. Omega said that people blame the pandemic for that, but that he knows there is another reason — Ospreay. 

Omega said that he was surprised to receive a phone call from NJPW, and that he was not particularly interested in the match, but for the sake of the fans and the good of pro wrestling, he would face Ospreay at the Tokyo Dome. 

In a brief retort to the video, Ospreay said that he stayed with NJPW while Omega left and kept the heartbeat of the company going, then accepted the challenge. 

Omega last wrestled for NJPW on January 4, 2019 in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13, dropping the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi on his way out of the company. 

Omega’s promo and Ospreay’s response can be seen via the embedded tweets below. 

The Wrestle Kingdom lineup so far: 

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, Wednesday, January 4 —

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
  • IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Kenny Omega
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado vs. Master Wato
  • IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: FTR (c) vs. TBA
  • NJPW World Television Championship tournament finals: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita
  • IWGP Women’s Championship match

FTR set for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

Posted on by Joseph Currier

FTR are set to wrestle at the Tokyo Dome for the first time ever.

On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed that FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) will be wrestling at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17. FTR will be defending their IWGP Tag Team titles at the event.

“FTR is going to be at the Tokyo Dome. I’ve got that confirmed, defending the championship,” Meltzer said.

FTR won the IWGP Tag Team titles by defeating Jeff Cobb & The Great-O-Khan and Trent Beretta & Rocky Romero in a three-way match at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door this June.

In their two title defenses since becoming IWGP Tag Team Champions, FTR have retained against Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) and Great-O-Khan & Cobb.

There was a post-show angle with FTR and Aussie Open after NJPW Battle Autumn in Osaka last Saturday. Aussie Open confronted FTR backstage, saying that they’re going to win NJPW’s World Tag League tournament and then go on to challenge FTR at Wrestle Kingdom.

Wrestle Kingdom 17 is taking place at the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. FTR wrestling at the event means they’ll miss that week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

Finals set for TV title tournament at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The finals are set for NJPW’s World Television Championship tournament. 

It will be Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita in the tournament finals at Wrestle Kingdom 17, as both won their semifinal bouts at Saturday’s Battle Autumn in Osaka event. 

Narita scored an upset pinfall victory over SANADA in the first semifinal match, ducking a lariat and connecting with a Narita Special for the win. 

In the second semifinal bout, Sabre defeated EVIL after avoiding Everything is EVIL and stealing a flash pin. 

Three bouts are now official for Wrestle Kingdom on January 4, 2023. The IWGP Women’s Championship will also be defended on the show, but the first title holder and challenger have yet to be decided. KAIRI will face Mayu Iwatani on November 20 to crown the first IWGP Women’s Champion. 

The Wrestle Kingdom lineup so far: 

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17,  Wednesday, January 4 —

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado vs. Master Wato
  • NJPW World Television Championship tournament finals: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita
  • IWGP Women’s Championship match

NJPW dedicating Wrestle Kingdom 17 to Antonio Inoki, main event set

Posted on by Joseph Currier

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 will be dedicated to the company’s late founder.

During NJPW’s Declaration of Power event on Monday, it was announced that Wrestle Kingdom 17 will be held in honor of Antonio Inoki. Inoki passed away at 79 years old on October 1.

“Wrestle Kingdom 17 will be held in honour and memory of Antonio Inoki,” NJPW wrote. “More details to follow.”

A ceremony honoring the life of Inoki took place at the start of Declaration of Power.

NJPW was founded by Inoki in January 1972. In celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary, NJPW planned to reveal at Declaration of Power that Inoki had accepted the ceremonial role of “Honorary Lifetime Chairman” of NJPW. He was named Honorary Lifetime Chairman on September 1.

Wrestle Kingdom 17 is being held at the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. It will be the first time Wrestle Kingdom has been a one-night event since 2019.

The main event for Wrestle Kingdom 17 is set coming out of Declaration of Power. Jay White will defend his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Kazuchika Okada.

White retained his title against Tama Tonga in Declaration of Power’s main event. Okada was the winner of this year’s G1 Climax tournament.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 to be one-night event

Posted on by Joseph Currier

New Japan Pro Wrestling’s signature event is returning to its previous format.

NJPW has announced that, for the first time in four years, Wrestle Kingdom will be a one-night event in 2023. Wrestle Kingdom 17 is taking place at the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.

January 4 is the date that NJPW’s Tokyo Dome show has traditionally been held on.

The day after Wrestle Kingdom 17, NJPW New Year Dash will make its return. New Year Dash is being held at Ota Ward Gymnasium in Tokyo on Thursday, January 5, 2023.

The last one-night Wrestle Kingdom prior to this was Wrestle Kingdom 13 in 2019. Wrestle Kingdom 14 and 15 were both two-night shows, while Wrestle Kingdom 16 was held over three nights. The final night of Wrestle Kingdom 16 had an NJPW vs. Pro Wrestling NOAH theme.

On Wrestling Observer Radio earlier this week, Dave Meltzer noted that some AEW wrestlers are expected to take part in Wrestle Kingdom 17.

“I don’t know how many but I have, in fact, been told of certain plans for AEW wrestlers on Wrestle Kingdom,” Meltzer said.

AEW wrestlers expected to take part in Wrestle Kingdom 17

Posted on by Ian Carey

Wrestlers from AEW are expected to take part in Wrestle Kingdom next year. 

Our own Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that plans are in place for AEW talent to be featured on the show. 

“I don’t know how many but I have, in fact, been told of certain plans for AEW wrestlers on Wrestle Kingdom,” Meltzer said on the show. 

The first night of Wrestle Kingdom 17 will likely be scheduled for January 4, 2023. The date falls on a Wednesday next year when AEW normally runs live episodes of Dynamite. Meltzer does not believe the promotion will pre-tape its shows that week, however. 

“I have no idea that they are going to tape two weeks ahead, I’m going to guess that they won’t, I think they are going to go live but there are plans for certain AEW guys to be at the Tokyo Dome show, yes.”