NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 2: Results, Grades, and Analysis

Night 1 of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 proved to be an incredible show that saw several big matches tear the house down. From Jon Moxley reclaiming the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship, to Naito winning the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, to Hiromu Takahashi defeating Will Ospreay.

Night 2 looks to continue where Night 1 left of, with a significant stipulation to the main event. The winner of the main event will walk away the first person to ever hold the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at the same time. The winner of this match will go down in history as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, making Tokyo Dome history as NJPW succeeded in having two shows in a row in the building.

Everything about this is historic for NJPW, but it is not all that is happening. Chris Jericho and Hiroshi Tanahashi go one-on-one in a dream match that has another interesting stipulation: If Hiroshi Tanahashi can defeat Chris Jericho, he will get a shot at the AEW World Championship. Since The Elite left NJPW, the relationship between them and NJPW has been rather cold.

The fact that NJPW has not only used the AEW World Championship for marketing, but AEW has allowed the championship title to appear in hype videos for the match with Tanahashi, indicates that we might be closer to a working agreement than ever. While nothing is set in stone, where NJPW previously never mentioned AEW, it is significant that they are acknowledging them now. Regardless, NJPW has setup a fantastic card that will see two massive main events.

Preshow

Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi, & Chase Owens) vs. CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii, Robbie Eagles, YOSHI-HASHI) – Gauntlet Match for the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship

Fale started the match with Eagles, and hit the Grenade early on, but Eagles kicked out. Fale went for the Bad Luck Fall, but Eagles slipped out and sent him into a superkick from YOSHI-HASHI. YOSHI-HASHI nailed Fale with a clothesline to down the big man. Chase Owens and Yujiro were able to get in there quickly and run wild with some tandem offence of Ishii.

Chase Owens went for a package piledriver on Ishii, but Eagles made the save with a kick and then he dived on Fale. Owens and Ishii exchanged a few strikes, as Owens tried to use a V-Trigger, managing to hit one on Ishii, but YOSHI-HASHI superkicked him and Ishii hit a brainbuster on Owens for the pinfall victory.

CHAOS vs. Suzuki-gun (Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, & El Desperado)

The Suzuki-gun trio immediately jumped Ishii, leaving him laying with several strikes, including an axe bomber. Ishii kicked out and hit a suplex. Taichi dodged a corner charge and kicked Ishii in the face. The other CHAOS men tried to turn it around, but Taichi hit another kick to Chase Owens as well. Ishii and Taichi exchanged some strikes, and both men went down.

Robbie Eagles managed to a missile dropkick on Desperado’s knee. Both moved quickly afterwards, with Desperado hitting an uppercut and tagging out to Kanemaru. Kanemaru hit an inverted DDT for a 2 count that was broken up by YOSHI-HASHI. Kanemaru and Eagles exchanged a series of standing switches that ended with Eagles pinning Desperado.

Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL, Shingo, & BUSHI) vs. CHAOS

BUSHI and Eagles started with some lucha spots, ending with BUSHI hitting a dropkick and tagging out to EVIL. EVIL did a corner charge that dropped the smaller man. EVIL hit a bronco buster and tagged out to Shingo who ate the chops from Eagles and followed up with a big chop of his own. Eagles managed to hit a combo of moves before tagging out to YOSHI-HASHI, who immediately hit a Head-hunter on Shingo.

YOSHI-HASHI and Shingo exchanged a series of strikes, ending with YOSHI-HASHI hitting a huge lariat that Shingo got up from and nailed YOSHI-HASHI with one of his own. Both men tagged out and EVIL and Ishii exchanged a series of hard blows. LIJ hit a triple team on Ishii for a 2 count that was broken up by YOSHI-HASHI. BUSHI hit a flipping dive through the middle rope on Eagles.

Ishii blocked Everything is EVIL by EVIL, but got hit with a lariat, and then Darkness Falls. The referee botched the count here and counted to three, leaving CHAOS eliminated. The new ref was way to eager and was clearly not experienced enough. I would have kept him to the Road to shows and off the Tokyo Dome.

LIJ vs. Toru Yano (CHAOS), Togi Makabe (GBH), & Ryusuke Taguchi (Taguchi Japan)

Yano ran in and immediately started rolling people up for near falls and attempted to send several people into the corner of the ring, where he conveniently removed the turnbuckle padding. Makabe beat on BUSHI for a bit, hitting a Northern Lights Suplex for a 2 count. Makabe went for some sort of Full Nelson slam, but BUSHI fought out and tagged Shingo.

Shingo and Makabe exchanged several strikes, hitting double lariat, ending with Makabe killing Shingo with a huge lariat. Taguchi tagged in and went for a hip attack on Shingo, but Shingo hit an atomic drop. Taguchi hit the 3 Amigos suplex and went for another hip attack, but BUSHI dropkicked him in the butt.

Makabe hit the ropes hard and dropped EVIL and Shingo. Taguchi hit the Dodon on Shingo for a 2 count, but Taguchi immediately grabbed an ankle lock. The referee got shoved and BUSHI hit the poison mist on Taguchi. Shingo killed Taguchi with a lariat and then Made in Japan for victory! We have new champions.

Result: LIJ

Rating: **1/2 (2.5 stars)

This was a very solid opening tag that saw LIJ win their first sets of gold of the night. Hiromu Takahashi walked away with the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship, and we might also see SANADA walk away with the RevPro British Heavyweight crown, while Naito could walk away with both top titles in the company. A good star of LIJ that might be a sign of things to come. It looks like LIJ is set to have a huge year in NJPW.

Naoki Sano & Jyushin Thunder Liger vs. Hiromu Takahashi (LIJ) & Ryu Lee: Jyushin Thunder Liger Retirement Match

Hiromu and LLiger started the match with Takahashi pushing Liger back to the ropes. Neither could get the advantage. After a brief exchange, Liger was able to lock on a surfboard on Hiromu. Liger eventually locked on the full move on Hiromu, but it was broken up by Ryu. It was at this point that they started to get the heat on Liger, including using a Fujiwara armbar while Fujiwara looked on himself.

Hiromu tried to keep the advantage, but Liger hit a bodyslam on both Lee and Hiromu. Sano tagged in and hit a missile dropkick from the top ropes before hitting a running dropkick on Lee and Hiromu both. Lee and Sano exchanged strike and Sano turned Lee inside out with a clothesline. Liger tagged back in with Hiromu and they started to exchange strikes.

Liger and Hiromu have always had chemistry and this was no exception, as Hiromu punched Liger in the corner. Liger powerbombed Hiromu from the corner and started slapping him. Ryu made the save and Liger and Sano were held by Hiromu as Ryu Lee went for the tope con giro. Liger and Sano moved, so Lee crashed into Hiromu.

Liger hit a huge powerbomb on Hiromu for a 2 count, and Hiromu hit a German suplex on Liger. Liger stood right up and hit a shotei, and then a brainbuster on Hiromu! Liger got a 2 count that Lee broke up. Lee hit a huge dive on Sano while Hiromu hit a falcon arrow on Liger for a 2 count.

Hiromu threw Liger into a knee strike from Lee, then he superkicked Liger. Both men hit combo knees for a 2 count. Hiromu hit a Death Valley Driver into the corner on Liger and picked him up for the Time Bomb, but Liger rolled through into a 2 count. Liger went for the shotei, but Hiromu countered with a lariat and then hit the Time Bomb for the pinfall.

Result: Hiromu Takahashi & Ryu Lee

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Hiromu yelled at Liger that he made the Jr. Heavyweight division and promised to carry on Liger’s legacy. Ryu Lee helped Liger up after the match and bowed to him, then hugged him, gave him one of his masks, and celebrated with him. Liger grabbed the mic for a speech, and the crowd went nuts cheering him. He talked about how Liger was born in 1989, and in 2019 that Liger the wrestler was no more. He thanked the fans for 31 years of support.

I am quite emotional about this one. Liger is one of my favourites of all time and seeing him hang it up when he is still so great is hard. Liger wanted to end his career on his terms and not as someone that couldn’t wrestle anymore. Liger high fived and shook hands with as many fans as possible and bowed to the fans as he left. Absolutely fantastic.

Bullet Club (El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori) (c) vs. Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) w/ Rocky Romero – IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

RPG3k immediately dropkicked the Bullet Club and hit a flip dive onto both men. They threw ELP back into the ring and sent him to the ropes before hitting a drop toe hold/dropkick combo. They also hit double team kicks on him. They sent ELP to the ropes, but he slid out of the ring and he and Ishimori decided to regroup.

ELP pulled SHO to the floor and threw him into the guardrail, which allowed them to get the heat on him for a bit, with Ishimori missing a 450 splash, but hitting a neck twister with his feet. ELP and Ishimori then exchanged several tags working over SHO’s back. Ishimori used a high flying Greco Roman back rake.

ELP decided to one up him and walk across the ropes and back flip into a back rake. He did rake the back while in midair, which was quite impressive. ELP hit a springboard crossbody, then a springboard moonsault, and then a dive on Rocky Romero before hitting a splash on SHO for a 2 count that YOH broke up.

Ishimori put SHO in the tree of woe and both men dropkicked SHO. They went for a double dropkick but stopped in midair and stood on SHO’s crotch instead. They then put YOH in the tree of woe too and stood on both men’s crotches. This is some very creative cheating. Excellent heel work. The crowd was not pleased with them.

SHO avoided a springboard from Ishimori and nailed him with a spear and finally mad the tag to YOH. YOH took out both Ishimori and ELP, but ate a kick from ELP that briefly brought them back into control. YOH threw Ishimori out of the ring onto ELP, but ELP caught his partner. YOH used this as a chance to hit a dive onto both men.

YOH and Ishimori hit the ropes, but Ishimori did a handspring into a kick that floored YOH. SHO and ELP tagged in and SHO hit 2 rolling German suplexes on ELP, but ELP grabbed Ishimori to try and prevent himself from being thrown for the third. SHO just threw both of them. Excellent spot. ELP rolled up SHO, but he kicked out.

ELP put SHO in a torture rack, and Ishimori hit a flying knee to SHO’s head. ELP turned that into a neckbreaker on SHO that earned a 2 count. ELP put Ishimori on his shoulders and threw him towards SHO. Ishimori turned that into a Code Breaker, and then ELP hit a moonsault while SHO he was on Ishimori’s knees. Ishimori went for a flapjack, but SHO countered it into a Canadian Destroyer on ELP!

SHO superkicked Ishimori and sent him to the floor. ELP managed to hit a Styles Clash on SHO, which got a massive pop from the crowd because NJPW spent 2 years making it one of the most dangerous finishers in wrestling. Ishimori distracted the referee and ELP went to use the title to smash SHO, but Rocky took it away.

With that being out the window, ELP tried to punch SHO in the crotch. ELP hurt his hand doing it though, and SHO pulled out a cup to show he was prepared. RPG 3k then sent Ishimori back to the floor before hitting a combo Package Piledriver and double stomp for the 3 count! We have new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Champions!

Result: RPG3k

Rating: ****1/4 (4.25 stars)

This was an absolutely excellent tag match between these two that saw all 4 four men use some incredibly innovative offence. All 4 are excellent workers and it’s clear SHO and YOH have a ridiculously bright future, both as a team, and as singles wrestlers.

Zack Sabre Jr. (Suzuki-gun) (c) vs. SANADA (LIJ) – RevPro British Heavyweight Championship

As one would expect, both men started the match with highly technical grappling. For every move that ZSJ had, SANADA had a counter, and both men had a standoff early. There was a wild exchanged of pinfall attempts and submissions and neither man was able to get any significant advantage.

ZSJ pulled SANADA into an armlock, but both men kept reversing in very creative ways. For fans of technical wrestling, this was something to see. SANADA blocked a figure four attempt and sent ZSJ to the floor. SANADA hit the ropes and went for a dive, but ZSJ moved. SANADA simply floated over onto the apron and then flipped back into the ring.

Once back in the ring, ZSJ hit the ropes into an abdominal stretch, but SANADA reversed it into one of his own and did a rolling cradle for a 2 count. SANADA went for a moonsault, but Sabre countered into an armlock and worked towards getting what looked like a sugar hold, but SANADA made the ropes.

SANADA hit the ropes hard and dropkicked ZSJ in the knee in the first major impact move in the match. ZSJ got to his feet and went for a snapmare, but SANADA flipped out and missed a dropkick to the knee. ZSJ went for a kick, so SANADA countered with a dragon screw and then hit a plancha to the floor on ZSJ.

Both men exchanged a series of submission attempts in the ring, with SANADA going for Cold Skull multiple times, settling on swinging ZSJ by the neck and going for a moonsault. SANADA missed and ate a penalty kick from ZSJ and both men were down. Both men exchanged European uppercuts, which saw SANADA dropping ZSJ.

There was a series of pinfall attempts after this that kept poor Tiger Hittori, the 74-year-old ref, bouncing around the ring for the count. Of course, he not only stayed with the, but didn’t show his age at all. Further attempts were exchanged, ending with ZSJ going for Hurrah! Another Year, Surely This One Will Be Better Than the Last; The Inexorable March of Progress Will Lead Us All to Happiness, but SANADA countered out of it. ZSJ countered that into a pinfall attempt and got the 1-2-3!

Result: Zack Sabre Jr.

Rating: ****1/2 (4.5 stars)

This was a brilliant display of technical wrestling that told a great story and had call backs to all their previous matches in the last year. SANADA always seemed to be able to one up ZSJ, and this time, ZSJ had one too many counters, showing that he is the top technical wrestler in the world. NJPW has something very special with him and SANADA both, and you can tell they know it.

NJPW clearly delights in letting SANADA and ZSJ show their ridiculous technical ability on a grand stage, and having seen ZSJ live in New York last April, I can confirm that he is that good. Sadly, I only saw SANADA in the Honor Rumble, but it was a delight, nonetheless. I expect big things from both these men in 2020, and I’m very excited to see what further title chances they’ll get.

Jon Moxley (c) vs. Juice Robinson – IWGP US Heavyweight Championship

Robinson started the match by diving onto Moxley before he could even make it into the ring, and Robinson slammed Moxley into the guardrail. Moxley setup a chair at ringside, but soon regretted it as Juice hit a drop toe hold into it. Juice put Moxley on the chair and hit a cannonball on it before sending Moxley back into the ring.

Moxley reversed an Irish whip and sent Juice flying over the top rope to the floor. Moxley grabbed a chair and hit Juice in the back with it. Moxley hit several elbows to the face of Juice. The referee told him not to use punches, so Moxley bowed to him in a mocking way, which made the crowd laugh.

Moxley pulled on Juice’s hair and locked on a camel clutch with a sleeper. He then nailed Juice wit ha lariat in the corner and followed up with a pinfall attempt for a 2 count. Both men exchanged chops, which Moxley didn’t like, so he bit Juice. Juice responded with a spinebuster and leg lariat.

Juice hit the Juice Box and then hit a running powerbomb for a 2 count. Juice hit a series of punches, so Moxley grabbed his legs and locked on a figure four leglock. Moxley pulled Juice to the ring post and wrapped Juice’s knee around the post and locked on the Bret Hart special, the figure four around the ring post.

Moxley put a chair around the neck of Juice and went to use a second chair on it, but Juice punched the chair into Moxley’s face. Juice put Moxley on the top rope and went for a suplex. He hit it and immediately floated into a picking Moxley back up and hitting a Jackhammer for a 2 count. Juice went for Pulp Friction, but Moxley countered into a German suplex.

Moxley charged at Juice, and Juice ducked under and hit a German of his own. Juice hit a lariat, but Moxley fired up and hit one of his own that dropped Juice. Moxley went for Death Rider, but Juice countered and rolled up Mox for a 2 count. Juice hit a huge lariat and both men were down. Both men stood up and Moxley begged Juice to hit him. Juice obliged and Moxley asked for more before hitting a headbutt and slapping Juice.

Juice responded with a slap of his own, and then Moxley nailed him and hit a running knee before going for Death Rider. Both men exchanged punches after Juice countered the Death Rider and went for Pulp Friction. Moxley countered into the double arm DDT, and then rolled through into the Death Rider for the 1-2-3!

Result: Jon Moxley

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Another excellent match, as Jon Moxley continues to show that he is not Dean Ambrose anymore. Moxley is one of the hottest acts in wrestling right now, and is right at home in NJPW. NJPW. As Moxley was celebrating, Kaze Ni Nare hit, and the crowd went insane! Minoru Suzuki made his way down to the ring. Chris Charlton informed us that Moxley saw a match between Tanahashi & Suzuki that made him want to come to NJPW to wrestle him. It seems like it’s going to happen!

Suzuki had a huge smile on his face, as the crowd cheered wildly. Suzki was in his gear and ready for a fight! Suzuki has been laying low since around the G1, as there were rumours that he was going to leave NJPW, but it seems like he isn’t now. Both men started brawling once they were in the ring, and Suzuki locked on the sleeper hold and hit the Gotch Style piledriver!

Suzuki grabbed a mic and said “Who do you think you are picking a fight with? I am the king of pro wrestling, and the fight you are picking, I am picking it up.” NJPW is giving me exactly what I want, as I wanted this match as soon as Moxley came to NJPW. They are going to have a wild brawl and beat the crap out of each other. I can’t wait.

KENTA (Bullet Club) (c) vs. Hirooki Goto (CHAOS) – NEVER Openweight Championship

Goto forearmed KENTA right away and started stomping on him to start the match. KENTA going after his friend, Shibata, has led to Goto having a particular edge heading into this match. KENTA got nailed with a clothesline and bulldog before trying to escape to the outside, but Goto brought him back into the ring and kicked him hard in the back.

KENTA hit a running boot on Goto and sent him to the floor. Goto got right back in, but KENTA threw him to the other side of the ring. KENTA kicked him in the face as he tried to get back in and then whipped him into the guardrail. KENTA whipped him into the other side and rolled back into the ring.

Goto barely made it back into the ring before KENTA threw him out again to the other side, and the crowd booed KENTA as he conducted them in their jeers. KENTA hit a snapmare and a kick to the back for a 2 count. KENTA continued to work over Goto with several hard strikes and a slower paced offence, slowly making Goto angrier and angrier. Goto caught a kick and hit a rolling lariat after an extended time with no offence.

Goto hit hard forearms and drove KENTA back to the corner. KENTA and Goto then turned it around multiple times, both of them killing each other with forearms. Goto replied with one final one that dropped KENTA like a rock. Goto picked him up and sent him to the opposite corner and then hit a back-heel kick and a suplex for a 2 count.

Goto hit the ropes, but KENTA replied with a powerslam. KENTA hit a tornado DDT into the top rope and then hit a clothesline off the top rope on Goto. KENTA hit a DDT on Goto and placed him on the middle rope before hitting a running knee to drive his throat into the rope. KENTA hit the ropes, but Goto replied by picking him up and hitting a Ushigoroshi.

KENTA didn’t stay down for long though, locking on a crossface, and then hitting a draping DDT from the middle rope. KENTA hit the Shibata style dropkick in the corner, and then hit a double stomp. KENTA set up for the running knee, but Goto went behind into a sleeper. KENTA countered and locked on a sleeper of his own before hitting a PK, right out of Shibata’s book.

KENTA called for Go to Sleep, and picked Goto up, but Goto caught the knee and hit a hard headbutt that dropped KENTA. Goto smashed KENTA with a lariat, and KENTA ate it and then hit a spinning backfist and a lariat of his own. Goto no sold it and smashed KENTA with another one for a 2 count.

Goto blocked a kick so KENTA replied by slapping the crap out of him. Goto ate it and several slaps before both men started hitting each other right in the face. Goto went for the GTR, but KENTA fought out. Goto went for the Ushigoroshi, but turned it into a GTR, but KENTA kicked out. Goto picked him back up and hit the GTR to finish KENTA off! We have a new NEVER Openweight Champion!

Result: Hirooki Goto

Rating: **** (4 stars)

This match was a very hard-hitting affair that saw Goto finally defeat KENTA and claim revenge for Shibata. I imagine the original plans saw Shibata coming out of retirement, but it’s possible they didn’t feel comfortable having him wrestle in the match, so Goto was a good 2nd option. It could also be that it was simply the plan from the start to have Goto stand in. Regardless, NJPW offered us a great story with Goto being able to defeat KENTA after months of taunting.

Jay White (Bullet Club) vs. Kota Ibushi

White rolled to the outside of the ring as soon as the bell rang, saying that he was going to take his sweet time, fighting on his own terms. Gedo tired to distract Kota, but he turned around and countered White right away. Ibushi then hit a series of strikes and a standing moonsault for a 2 count. White countered an Irish whip with some forearms and the sent Ibushi onto the apron.

White shoved Ibushi off the apron into the guardrail on the floor. White threw Ibushi into the guardrail hard, and then slammed Ibushi into the apron. White hit a neckbreaker back in the ring for a 2 count. White screamed at Ibushi that the crowd didn’t care about him anymore as he tried to choke him out.

Ibushi responded with a kick and then as White ran at him, he hit a hurricanrana. Ibushi hit a tope to the floor that dropped White. Back in the ring, Ibushi managed to hit a slam, and a moonsault from the second rope for a 2 count. White responded with a DDT when they were both standing. White hit a running European uppercut and then a Death Valley Driver for a 2 count.

White went for a tombstone, but Ibushi floated over backwards and hit an inverted piledriver and both men were down. Ibushi stomped on White’s back and tried to pick him up for a lawn dart into the corner, but White fought out with several elbows. Ibushi responded with a forearm that dropped White. Ibushi yelled “Come on!” and begged White to hit him.

White tried again, but Ibushi immediately dropped him to a roar from the crowd. Ibushi got him to hit him again, and Ibushi dropped him with one shot. Ibushi picked White up and asked for one more, it went the same way as the others, and White kept falling to the mat as Ibushi just stood their eating the strikes.

White slapped Ibushi and ducked a strike from Ibushi before unleashing a few hard strikes, but Ibushi followed up with a lariat that killed White. White fought out of a lawn dart attempt and shoved the ref into Ibushi. As Ibushi pushed the ref aside, White hit a flatliner on Ibushi and a dead lift Saito suplex.

White asked Gedo what he should do next, so he hit a twisting suplex and then the Kiwi Crusher for a 2 count. White tried for a sleeper suplex, but Ibushi fought it, so White just went back with another Saito suplex that dropped Ibushi on his head. White ended up on the top rope, but Ibushi cut him off and went for a springboard hurricanrana into the ring.

White caught him mid jump and tied him up on the top rope. White picked Ibushi up and hit a uranage from the top rope into the ring! White picked him up and hit a half nelson suplex, but Ibushi fired up and hit a V-Trigger, and both men were down. Ibushi called for the Bomaye, but White scouted it, so Ibushi rolled into a German suplex for a 2 count and then hit the Bomaye for a 2 count.

White went for the Blade Runner, but Kota countered with a kick. White pulled Ibushi into the referee, who dropped to the floor. Gedo grabbed a chair and hit Ibushi with it, but Ibushi no sold it and turned around like he was going to kill Gedo. Gedo tried several strikes, so Ibushi smashed him with one palm strike, and Gedo crashed to the floor.

White tried to use the chair, but Ibushi kneed him in the face and hit the last ride powerbomb, but there was no referee. Ibushi helped the referee into the ring and picked up White, but White dead weighted him and refused to be pulled up. Ibushi hit 2 kicks and a Kamigoye but Gedo pulled the referee out of the ring so hard he flew over the guardrail onto the announce table.

Gedo grabbed a pair of brass knuckles, but Ibushi blocked the shot with it. White threw a chair into Ibushi’s head, and he almost no sold it, but Gedo punched him with the knuckles and dropped him. White picked up Ibushi and hit a Bloody Sunday and went for Blade Runner, nailing it! White wins!

Result: Jay White

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Jay White worked a perfect heel match here, and Ibushi was screwed out of the win. We know that if Gedo didn’t pull the referee from the ring, White would have lost. NJPW is committed to pushing White as the top heel, which is a good idea going into 2020. Ibushi will get his revenge later in the year, as he works on his redemption story.

I think Ibushi will win the IWGP Heavyweight championship before the year is out, but for now NJPW needs him to be in the sympathetic position of trying to recover after two losses at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14. Ibushi was fighting to get away from the Young Lions, looking like he wanted to kill White and Gedo. This was great stuff.

https://twitter.com/njpwglobal/status/1213744404747321345

An opening video showed a guy dressed like Chris Jericho, and someone slapped him and picked up his hat. It was Tanahashi dressed as Chris Jericho, and he sang a song/cut a promo on Jericho. This was great. Jericho’s video saying he was going to offer a title shot to Tanahashi if he could win played.

Tanahashi’s entrance featured remixed version of his theme that sounded like it was being played by a live band. Jericho walked down to the ring with the AEW World Championship around his waist, which is very, very interesting. We are far closer to a relationship between AEW and NJPW that we ever have been before.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Chris Jericho (Inner Circle)

Jericho flipped the crowd off and posed to massive boos from the crowd. Tanahashi got wildly cheered. They did nothing in the first few minutes of the match and got a ridiculous reaction. They ran into each other for a shoulder block, but Tanahashi posed and yelled “Come on, baby!” like Jericho would. That was great.

Jericho did an arm wringer and Tanahashi turned it into an armdrag and armbar of his own. Tana went for a back-body drop, but Jericho kicked him. Jericho went for a back-body drop, but Tanahashi kicked him. Tanahashi hit a rolling dropkick and a hip toss in the middle of the ring before putting his foot on Jericho’s chest and yelling “Come on, baby!” to a great pop from the crowd.

Jericho responded by throwing Tanahashi to the floor and hitting a springboard dropkick when Tanahashi went back onto the apron. Jericho threw Tanahashi into the guardrail and slammed the door of the guardrail on his head. Jericho stole a ringside camera and took several pictures of himself flipping the crowd off before slapping a young lion and throwing Tana into another guardrail.

Jericho threw Tanahashi over the guardrail onto the US announce table. Jericho cussed them out and hit a DDT on the table that sent both of them crashing to the floor. That was nuts. Jericho brought Tanahashi back into the ring and hit him with a knee drop from the middle rope for a 2 count.

Tanahashi hit several forearms, but Jericho did the butterfly suplex into a backbreaker and then dropkicked Tanahashi. Jericho then mocked Tanahashi by doing air guitar and going for a horrific High Fly Flow. Tanahashi rolled out of the way and smiled, to a roar from the crowd. Tanahashi hit a few strikes, but Jericho threw him over the rope. Tanahashi skinned the cat and hit more strikes before hitting a flying forearm.

Tanahashi went for a splash in the corner, but Jericho pulled the referee in the way and then kicked Tanahashi low. Jericho took off his weight belt and started whipping Tanahashi with it. Jericho went to pick up Tanahashi, so Tanahashi low blowed him. Jericho got his comeuppance quickly on that one, but that was great.

Jericho went for his face crusher, but Tana ran Jericho into the opposite corner and then hit his splash before hitting a flipping senton off the middle rope for a 2 count. Tanahashi hit the ropes, but Jericho hit a back elbow and went for the Lionsault. As Jericho hit the middle rope to go backwards, Tanahashi cut him off and sent Jericho to the floor.

Tanahashi hit a High Fly Flow off the top rope to the floor! Jericho barely made it back into the ring, and Tanahashi hit two dragon screw leg whips in the ropes on Jericho as he screamed “No!” Tanahashi went for the sling blade, but Jericho countered with the Code Breaker. Tanahashi held him up and then hit another dragon screw! Tanahashi followed it with two more on the ground!

Tanahashi went to the top rope and went for the High Fly Flow, but Jericho got his knees up and hit the Lionsault. Jericho sold his knee and Tanahashi kicked out at 2. Jericho went for the Judas Effect, but Tanahashi blocked it and hit a straight jacket suplex for a 2 count. Tanahashi went for the sling blade again, but Jericho countered it into the Walls of Jericho!

Every time Tanahashi tried to make it to the ropes, Jericho would pull Tanahashi back into the middle of the ring. Eventually Tanahashi gave up on trying to get to the ropes, so he powered out and twisted Jericho to the mat. As they both stood up, Tanahashi hit the sling blade! He dropped Jericho again and went to the top rope, looking for the High Fly Flow.

Jericho stood up and countered it into the Code Breaker for a 2 count! Jericho went for the Judas Effect, but Tanahashi ducked and hit the Code Breaker himself for a 2 count. Tanahashi went for another sling blade, but Jericho countered into the Liontamer, but Tanahashi rolled him up for a 2 count. Tanahashi held on and hit Twist and Shout before hitting another sling blade.

Tanahashi got another 2 count and went back to the top rope for a High Fly Flow, but Jericho rolled through into another Liontamer attempt. Jericho got him over this time, and after a period of time was able to pull Tanahashi into a full Liontamer, and Tanahashi tapped out.

Result: Chris Jericho

Rating: ****1/4 (4.25 stars)

Fantastic match from Jericho and Tanahashi here, as they told a very old school story, with Jericho being the cheating, lying heel, and Tanahashi being the traditional babyface. While Tanahashi wasn’t able to win and challenge for the AEW World title, it’s obvious that some of the walls between the two companies have been removed.

There might be no official working agreement yet, but I think the fact that both companies allowed the AEW World Championship to be an important part of marketing the match between Tanahashi and Jericho is a sign that things might be progressing towards that. I could be entirely wrong, but that does seem to be the natural direction, especially with Jericho wearing the title out on the show and the announcers talking about it openly.

Kazuchika Okada (CHAOS) (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito (LIJ) (c) – IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental Double Championship Match

The crowd became unglued as soon as the bell rang, and this felt incredibly special. It felt even bigger than their first Tokyo Dome main event where Okada won a few years ago. It seems like Gedo was right to wait to further establish Okada’s dominance, and make Naito’s quest for the title even more intense.

Naito kept teasing a lock up but not going for it, and he just smirked at Okada, trying to get under his skin. They gave us a very intense lock up as soon as the match started, showing us all how a good lock up matters. Okada and Naito ended up in the ropes, and Okada made a clean break, but unlike usual, where he would slap the chest, he threw Naito to the other ropes.

Okada hit a flying forearm, played to the crowd, picked Naito up, hit an uppercut and then a DDT on Naito. Okada slammed Naito and then hit the slingshot senton onto Naito. Naito hit an armdrag and an elbow before hitting a basement dropkick on Okada. Naito threw Okada to the corner and hit his triangle dropkick and posed to a roar from the crowd.

Naito pulled Okada to the apron and hit a neckbreaker to the floor just like he did to Jay White the night before. Naito hit an inverted DDT into a backbreaker and locked on a full nelson with his legs, further working the neck of Okada. Naito let go of the move and hit several elbows in the corner before locking on a cravat and hitting a few more elbows.

As Naito charged Okada, Okada got the foot up and hit a flapjack when both stood on their feet again. Naito blocked a big boot, and then there was a series of move attempts that ended with Okada hitting Naito with a neckbreaker over his knee. Okada slammed Naito and nailed a flying elbow. Okada did the Rainmaker pose but Naito hit a series of elbows to break the move when Okada pulled him up.

Naito’s assault continued for several elbows, but Okada ducked under one and hit the ropes. Naito responded with a spinebuster that drove Okada down to the mat. Naito hit a Frankensteiner off the top rope on Okada. Okada was able to hit a huge shotgun dropkick that drove Naito back towards the corner of the ring.

Okada charged at Naito, and Naito got his foot up twice, jumped to the middle rope, but ate a dropkick from Okada that sent him to the floor. Okada slammed Naito’s knee on the floor, leaving Naito writhing in pain. Okada cleared one of the ringside tables and tried to slam Naito onto it, but Naito blocked it.

The blocking didn’t last long, as Okada lifted Naito and slammed him knee first into the table! Naito crashed to the floor, screaming in pain. Naito barely made it back into the ring by the count of 19, and as soon as he stood up, Okada nailed him with a missile dropkick that got a 2 count. Okada hit a German suplex and went for the Rainmaker, but Naito ducked under and hit a Tornado DDT on Okada.

Naito managed to hit Gloria, and Okada had to drag himself to the corner to even try to stand. Naito put Okada on the ropes and hit a poison rana off the top rope! Okada kicked out! Okada landed right on his head! Naito went for Destino but Okada fought out. Okada ate an enziguri instead. Naito hit the ropes and went for a flying forearm, but Okada ducked.

Okada went for a Rainmaker, but Naito ducked and hit the ropes and hit a forearm. Okada fought out of a Destino, but Natio hit a koppo kick. Naito went for another flying forearm, but Okada cut him off with a perfect dropkick. Naito responded by hitting Destino for a 2 count! Naito picked Okada up and went for it again, but Okada countered into a Rainmaker!

Naito ducked again but ate a dropkick from Okada that saw both men crash to the mat. The crowd got even louder, chanting Naito’s name. I’ve never heard anything like this before. Both men exchanged forearms from their knees. Okada smiled as Naito hit him, and Naito did the same. The crowd was living or dying with every strike here, and you could hear them go insane for every blow.

As they got back to their feet, Okada hit one, and Naito spit on him before hitting another. Okada gave himself a second and then they exchanged several forearms that ended with Naito hitting a staggering slap to Okada. Naito went for Destino, but Okada fought out and hit the Rainmaker! Okada picked up Naito, but Naito went for Destino again! Okada countered into a tombstone and hit the Rainmaker! Naito kicked out! The crowd, if it was even possible, got even louder here.

Okada went for another tombstone, but Naito fought out and crashed to the mat, exhausted. Okada stood over him, getting ready to make the kill. Naito pushed him away and spit on Okada again before falling to the mat. Okada slammed Naito’s knee into the mat in response. Okada did it again and the crowd began to boo Okada. Okada played to the crowd, and they booed him more, so he drove Naito’s knee into the mat one more time.

Okada picked Naito up and hit the Rainmaker again. Maintaining wrist control, Okada hit a fourth Rainmaker. He went for one more, but Naito ducked and hit Destino! He hurt his knee on the move though and was late making the cover, so Okada kicked out!

Naito went to the top rope and hit the Stardust Press! He has only gone for this move twice since he became the leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon, and he missed both times. The last time, it cost him the match against Okada at the Tokyo Dome. Naito hit it, but Okada kicked out! Naito picked up Okada and went for Destino again, but Okada fought out and went for a tombstone! Naito countered and hit Valentia and Destino for the 1-2-3! Naito has done it! He has won both titles!

Result: Tetsuya Naito

Rating: ******1/2 (6.5 stars)

After years of failure and being replaced in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom, Naito was finally able to win the main event of Wrestle Kingdom! It was destiny. After crawling his way back to the main event only to lose to Okada 2 years ago, he has finally defeated Okada. After seeing the Intercontinental championship supersede his match against Okada in 2014, and losing again in 2017, he has finally done it in 2019.

Not only has Naito won the Tokyo Dome main event, achieving full redemption for his past losses, but he made history, defeating Kazuchika Okada to hold both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental championship. Naito has finally claimed what was his, and proved two things: The Intercontinental Championship is just as much a main event title as the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Naito called for the microphone and said, “Winning the main event of the Tokyo Dome feels pretty good. Perhaps we could do this one more time in the future?” Okada then raised his fist like the members of Los Ingobernables de Japon. That was incredible. The crowd roared their approval of Okada’s gesture, and Okada smiled and walked away.

Naito was presented with both titles, and he posed for the crowd with massive cheers. Naito thanked everyone and all the people watching around the world on the internet. He said that they have finally seen Tetsuya Naito flip the script and asked them how it was. The crowd roared again. Naito said he was going to take both belts, and he was going to be Tranquilo.

There was one thing he wanted to say, and it was that he would never, ever forget this weekend, and with both of those titles he will step into the future. He said he was going to end it in style, and he said that for the first time in Tokyo Dome history, he listed the members of Los Ingorbernables de Japon and the crowd roared their approval.

As he was finishing, KENTA ran in and attacked Naito, hitting a dropkick and PK. KENTA picked up Naito and hit him with the Go to Sleep, and KENTA picked up both titles and sat on Naito’s chest, posing with both titles. The crowd started chanting for KENTA to go home, and as BUSHI ran out to help Naito, KENTA ran away. KENTA said, “I don’t respect you!” in English to a bunch of foreign fans too.

The amount of heat KENTA got for doing this was absolutely insane. BUSHI helped Naito out, and the crowd cheered him, but KENTA ruined the celebration, leaving Naito limping out of the Tokyo Dome again. This was an absolutely fantastic angle, as Naito and KENTA are two men that had something to prove. Naito proved it tonight, finally showing he can main event and win at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom, and KENTA still wants to prove it, as KENTA’s run in WWE was a failure, both due to booking and injuries.

KENTA is now the biggest heel in NJPW, even more so than before, and Naito is even more the biggest babyface in NJPW. That was a beautiful moment with Naito winning, and an incredible angle to close the show. Naito made history, and KENTA did a very rare angle at the end of the Tokyo Dome.

Show Rating: ****** (6 stars)

This was an incredible two nights from NJPW, with the first night have the top 3 matches better than this night, but the story and emotions carrying night 2 to another level. NJPW gave the fans what they wanted and waited for the right time. Many said it was too late and that NJPW should have given the title to Naito 2 years ago, but Gedo was patient and had a plan.

NJPW instead provided us with something better: Tetsuya Naito walking out with both titles, making history, and erasing the failures of the past. NJPW has provided us with a lot to think about heading into tomorrow’s NJPW New Year Dash, where we will see several angles setting up the next year in NJPW. While we normally don’t see angles at Wrestle Kingdom itself, NJPW provided us with 3 big ones: The first being Naito and Okada advancing to night 2, the second being Minoru Suzuki attacking Jon Moxley and confirming that he is staying with NJPW, and the third was KENTA attacking Naito after he finally won both titles.

How NJPW advances these angles, and more, will be seen at NJPW New Year Dash tomorrow, and I can’t wait to see what NJPW has for us going forward. This was an excellent start to NJPW’s year, and both Tokyo Dome shows will be on the lists for show of the year. NJPW is in another league when compared to everyone else in wrestling right now, providing long term storytelling with everything paying off like no other. NJPW has done such a wonderful job building Naito, Okada, White, Ibushi, and now KENTA. I am sure NJPW will have many more surprises in store for as the year goes on.