New Japan Celebrates Christmas as Snow Falls at Korakuen Hall

With only three days until Christmas, the King of Sports celebrates the holidays in the best way

By: James Carlin

The holiday season has been ramping up in the last few weeks as multiple companies and independent wrestlers have released their own Christmas merchandise throughout the December month.

New Japan sold out Korakuen Hall with over 1,500 fans attending the company’s last show of the year, with a recent card change seeing War Dogs (Dan Moloney and Clark Connors) facing off against Catch 2/2 (TJP and Francesco Akira) in NJPW’s first ever coffin match. Whilst there was no Ebeneezer Scrooge in the crowd, Catch 2/2’s loss may have the duo thinking about their Christmas Future as they return home from the show with War Dogs gaining the momentum going into their Jr. Tag Title defence at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th.

The end of the show saw the venue covered in snow as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA sent the crowd home happy for NJPW’s 2023 sendoff.

The snow was late but a festive gift was there!
The last of (I think) 54 shows called for me this year.
Thanks to Big Chair Sitters I’ve worked with in 2023 @realkevinkelly, @IanRiccaboni @ShutUpExcalibur
Thanks to a a parade of guests while I had the big seat, but esp… pic.twitter.com/U60yAODcdv

— chris charlton (@reasonjp) December 22, 2023

Full Results for NJPW’s December 22nd Korakuen Hall Show:

Togi Makabe and Shoma Kato def. Satoshi Kojima and Katsuya Murashima

YOH and Toru Yano def. Masked Boltin and Masked Horse

Tomohiro Ishii def. Callum Newman

Bishamon (YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto) def. Oskar Leube and Yuto Nakashima

Master Wato and El Desperado def. BUSHI and Hiromu Takahashi

Coffin Match: War Dogs (Dan Moloney and Clark Connors) def. Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira and TJP)

Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Zack Sabre Jr. and Kosei Fujita

SANADA, Taichi and Yuya Uemura def. Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji