Death Riders Lay Out Hiroshi Tanahashi, Yuya Uemura & Shingo Takagi, Big Singles Matches Set for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom

By: Noah Leatherland

NJPW Power Struggle saw AEW’s Death Riders in action and cause a chaotic scene to close the show. After successfully retaining the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, Gabe Kidd kicked off a melee that saw he and Jon Moxley lay waste to Yuya Uemura, Shingo Takagi and NJPW President, Hiroshi Tanahashi.

The main event of the evening saw Kidd keep hold of the white belt after a 30 minute war with Taichi, a man intent on ridding NJPW of as much AEW influence as possible. As Hiroshi Tanahashi presented Kidd with the title, Kidd tossed it aside and gave the NJPW President a piledriver.

Yuya Uemura came to Tanahashi’s aid, fighting Kidd off. Uemura took the microphone and laid out the challenge:

Hey, Gabe! I won’t let you guys run New Japan Pro Wrestling however you please any longer! I’m going to finish you off! Put that belt on the line—anytime, anywhere! Face me in the ring!

(Quote translated via DeepL)

At that moment, another Death Rider appeared. Jon Moxley crept in behind Uemura and struck. He dropped Uemura with his Death Rider DDT. Earlier in the night, Moxley had teamed with Wheeler Yuta in a losing effort to Shingo Takagi and Jeff Cobb. After that match, Takagi had challenged Moxley to a singles match at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21. Takagi rushed out here to assist Uemura and Tanahashi. Takagi fought hard against the Death Riders, but the 2-on-1 advantage was just too much.

Having laid the three NJPW representatives out, Kidd took the microphone and accepted Uemura’s challenge. The two will face for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th.