By: Sonal Lad
On January 4th, New Japan Pro Wrestling will hold its annual Wrestle Kingdom event, signaling the start of 2022 and cementing itself as the biggest show of the year. Like every year, the card is full of some of the biggest wrestlers fighting for all the company’s titles and special matches to suit every wrestling fan.
Here’s a look at the card for New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 17.
Young Lion Ryohei Oiwa will be making his Wrestle Kingdom singles debut against amateur wrestler Boltin Oleg, who is making his New Japan debut after being introduced to crowds by Yuji Nagata. While Oiwa has impressed fans in his matches, it will be a chance to see the hype surrounding Oleg. With a three-minute time limit, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a time-limit draw. The importance of the match comes from the two young lions showcasing their talents on a huge stage.
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It almost seems impossible to have Wrestle Kingdom without a Rambo, and this year, it’s once again for the right to challenge for the KOPW title. Even without a title, after El Phantasmo destroyed it, 2022 winner Shingo Takagi raised the prestige of KOPW. With the KOPW division gaining attention in recent months, the Rambo will definitely be a lot of fun and showcase those who didn’t make the main card.
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The second match sees a tribute to NJPW’s founder Antonio Inoki, who passed away in October. The match will see NJPW’s Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, and Togi Makabe facing an unexpected team of veterans. While seeing Minoru Suzuki teaming with Tiger Mask and Fujinami might seem unbelievable, it completes a line-up full of legends with connections to Antonio Inoki.
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The opening match on Wrestle Kingdom’s main card sees two fairly new teams battle over the IWGP Junior Heavyweight tag titles. Back in June, the Empire’s TJP and Francesco Akira won the titles. After the recent Super Jr. Tag League, CHAOS’s newest team of YOH and Lio Rush team won and cemented their place at Wrestle Kingdom.
Both teams are extremely talented and have so much experience. TJP has been wrestling for decades, YOH has always shined in tag wrestling, Lio Rush is a household name, and even the youngest Akira has showcased his talent. With a mixture of speed, athleticism, and submissions, it will be a fast and precise match.
In the past, the Junior tag division has been an afterthought in the company. With two extremely strong teams and four talented wrestlers, opening Wrestle Kingdom could be the perfect showcase for the division.
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On November 20th, the first IWGP Women’s Champion was crowned, as two of the “Three Daughters of Stardom” fought for the honor. KAIRI’s five-and-a-half-year journey back to STARDOM was punctuated with the victory over Mayu Iwatani. For her first defense, she will be facing Tam Nakano.
The wrestler first debuted for STARDOM two months after KAIRI left for the WWE. In the absence of the Pirate Princess, Tam rose up the ranks from a cutesy lower carder to one of the key figureheads of the company. Two generations of STARDOM are set to square off when the lights shine brightest.
Tam isn’t afraid to throw her looks away to win. She allows her emotions to drive her and makes her opponents sacrifice a part of themselves to survive. The former Wonder of Stardom Champion has promised that a special kind of hell will await the champion on January 4th.
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When NJPW and AEW had their historic Forbidden Door event, FTR shocked fans after beating two other teams to retain the ROH tag titles and also win the IWGP Heavyweight titles. After two successful defenses, YOSHI HASHI and Hirooki Goto (Bishamon) cemented their title shot at Wrestle Kingdom after winning World Tag League.
Between the four wrestlers, they have decades of experience both as singles and tag team wrestlers. Whether it’s submission skills, strong style, or just heart, the match will definitely have the passion and technical skills that make the NJPW tag division.
Bishamon may be the underdogs compared to FTR, but they have proven their skills and ability for years as part of CHAOS and now as a tag team. With a home advantage, FTR should not underestimate the heart and passion of the CHAOS duo. There will be a contrast of styles and personalities, but it will surely be a match to watch.
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Back in October, NJPW announced their newest NJPW World TV Championship. Throughout October and November, wrestlers fought for a chance to make the final at Wrestle Kingdom. In the end, Ren Narita and Zack Sabre Jr fought off their opponents to secure their place on January 4th.
For both men, the opportunity is just as important, and the match will be one to watch. Compared to other matches, Zack Sabre Jr and Narita’s style is more similar, with both wrestlers focusing on Japanese strong style and submissions. It will be a match of style, submissions, and a lot of technical offense.
What’s more exciting is that it will be a first-time match between the two, who have so much to gain and lose. Following his return from his excursion, Ren Narita is out to make a statement at Wrestle Kingdom, while Zack Sabre Jr will be out to have his moment and win his first IWGP singles title.
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Two of the biggest moments in NJPW this year have been Tama Tonga’s removal from Bullet Club and the return of Karl Anderson to NJPW. After returning to the company, Karl quickly won the NEVER title before shocking fans by returning to WWE.
In the midst of all this, Tama’s disdain for his former faction mate only increased. After Anderson cheated his way to beat both him and his brother Hiku Leo, Tama challenged for the title and set the stage for Wrestle Kingdom.
Karl Anderson’s reign has prompted questions about non-contracted stars holding the title. Tama Tonga is not only out for revenge on his former Bullet Club but to bring the NEVER title back to Japan and the prestige it could have. No matter what people’s views are on Karl’s recent NJPW run, this match could be a huge moment for Tama Tonga, cementing his first singles Wrestle Kingdom moment.
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In the midst of his retirement tour, legend Keiji Mutoh has made Wrestle Kingdom his last NJPW match. It isn’t surprising that he chose the biggest stage NJPW has to offer, and the participants of the match are equally as legendary with the present and future of the company.
Without a match at the event, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tetsuya Naito found their place in the historical match with LIJ’s SANADA and BUSHI, along with Shota Umino. Undoubtedly, it will be a match showcasing the best of Japanese wrestling with six very different wrestlers with diverse styles in the ring.
It will be a fitting way to complete Mutoh’s journey in NJPW that started in 1984. Aside from Mutoh showing he could easily continue fighting, there will be interesting interactions between rivals Tanahashi and Naito, along with showing Shota’s growth as a wrestler.
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Since winning the IWGP Jr Heavyweight title back at Dontaku in May, Taiji Ishimori has only defended the title once. It wasn’t surprising that his next challenge gave him not one but three opponents in the form of his rivals Hiromu Takahashi, El Desperado, and Master Wato when they challenged him in October.
In the match, there are heels and babyfaces, the present and the future, the high-fliers, and the submission specialists. Between the four wrestlers, there is also a huge disdain for each other, shown in the chaotic tag team match. This hatred and rivalry will only make the match even hotter.
Although NJPW isn’t known for multi-man title matches, the Juniors have always showcased their best in chaotic formats. With four completely different wrestlers, it will definitely be a challenge to keep up with all the action. Ishimori might be a veteran wrestler, but Hiromu, Desperado, and Wato will be out to prove why they are the benchmark of NJPW’s junior division.
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At NJPW and STARDOM’s Historic X-Over event, Will Ospreay successfully defended the title against Shota Umino. Amidst his celebration, fans were shocked when former NJPW wrestler Kenny Omega appeared in a VT and challenged Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Championship at Wrestle Kingdom.
Their last and only singles bout was back in 2015 in PWG, and a lot has changed since then. Both wrestlers made the move to heavyweight and become two of the best wrestlers in the world. Yet, despite the weight gain, both Ospreay and Omega’s styles are still a hybrid of speed, strength, and agility. All of this means that fans will be treated to an explosive and entertaining match, with the possibility of being a MOTY candidate.
It has been four years since Kenny’s last NJPW match, and he will undoubtedly put on a huge show for fans and win back the title that he was the inaugural champion of. Yet, after staying with the company through the darkest times, Will Ospreay won’t be letting Omega take his Wrestle Kingdom moment. Instead, he will be hoping to cement his continued dominance in the company.
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One of the most iconic feuds in NJPW has to be between Jay White and Kazuchika Okada. From being CHAOS teammates, to White betraying Okada, the duo has had some epic bouts over the past few years. After Okada won the G1 for the second consecutive year, his match against Jay for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship will be one of the most important.
Despite holding the title for nearly 300 days, Jay has only defended the title twice and hasn’t been much of a presence in Japan. Okada will be out to bring the title back to Japan and take the company back into the light, away from all the Bullet Club shenanigans. White and Okada are two of the best in the world and could easily put on another MOTY contender.
In theory, Jay has Okada’s number and it should be a simple win for the Switchblade. Yet, when it comes to big matches, especially at Wrestle Kingdom, Okada never fails to impress and will be even more motivated to dethrone his arch-nemesis, Jay White. No matter the result, it will be another epic chapter of the long-standing rivalry.
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Date:
December 26, 2022
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