Wrestle Kingdom 19

Last updated
Wrestle Kingdom 19
Wrestle Kingdom 19 poster.jpg
Promotional poster featuring various NJPW wrestlers
Promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateJanuary 4, 2025
City Tokyo, Japan
Venue Tokyo Dome
Attendance24,107 [1]
Tagline 2 Days to Move the World (Japanese: 世界を動かす2DAYS, Hepburn: Sekai o ugokasu 2 DAYS)
Event chronology
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Wrestle Kingdom 19 was a professional wrestling event promoted by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4, 2025, at the Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 34th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the 19th promoted under the Wrestle Kingdom name.

Contents

Ten matches were contested at the event, including one on the pre-show. In the main event, Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Shota Umino to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. In other prominent matches, Tetsuya Naito defeated Hiromu Takahashi, Yota Tsuji defeated David Finlay to win the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Evil in a Lumberjack match where Tanahashi's professional wrestling career was on the line, and in the opening contest, Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita) defeated Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight and Kushida), Catch 2/2 (TJP and Francesco Akira) and Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney) in a Four-way Tokyo Terror ladder match to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

Production

Background

The January 4 Tokyo Dome Show is NJPW's biggest annual event and has been called "the largest professional wrestling show in the world outside of the United States" and the "Japanese equivalent to the Super Bowl". [2] [3] The show has been promoted under the Wrestle Kingdom name since 2007. [4]

Wrestle Kingdom 19 was announced on July 3, 2024. [5] [6]

Storylines

Wrestle Kingdom 19 featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that builted tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. [7]

Event

The event started with the preshow New Japan Ranbo won by Hirooki Goto by last eliminating Great-O-Khan to become the number one contender for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Next up, Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita defeated reigning champions Kevin Knight and Kushida to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in a Tokyo Terror ladder match which also involved the teams of TJP and Francesco Akira, and Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney. The third bout saw Mayu Iwatani defeating AZM to secure the ninth consecutive defense of the IWGP Women's Championship. In the fourth bout, El Phantasmo defeated reigning champion Ren Narita to win the NJPW World Television Championship in a four-way match which also involved Jeff Cobb and Ryohei Oiwa, ending Narita's reign at 82 days and no defenses. Next up, Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Evil in a bout which was disputed for Tanahashi's in-ring career. Next up, Konosuke Takeshita defeated Shingo Takagi in a winner takes all bout to successfully defend his AEW International Championship and win Takagi's NEVER Openweight Championship. The seventh bout saw El Desperado defeating Douki via referee stoppage to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship after the latter executed a jump, subsequently suffering a legitimate shoulder injury which rendered him unable to continue the match. Next up, Yota Tsuji defeated David Finlay to win the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, ending the latter's reign at 245 days and four defenses. In the semi main event, Tetsuya Naito defeated Hiromu Takahashi in singles competition. [8] [9]

In the main event, Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Shota Umino

Results

No.Results [10] StipulationsTimes [11]
1P Hirooki Goto won by last eliminating Great-O-Khan [a] New Japan Ranbo to determine the #1 contender for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship [12] 34:35
2 Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita) defeated Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight and Kushida) (c), Catch 2/2 (TJP and Francesco Akira), and Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney) Four-way Tokyo Terror ladder match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship [13] [14] 13:05
3 Mayu Iwatani (c) defeated AZM by pinfall Singles match for the IWGP Women's Championship [15] 8:46
4 El Phantasmo (with Jado) defeated Ren Narita (c), Jeff Cobb, and Ryohei Oiwa (with Hartley Jackson) by pinfall Four-way match for the NJPW World Television Championship [16] [17] 10:01
5 Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Evil by pinfall Lumberjack Deathmatch [18]
Had Tanahashi lost, he would have retired from in-ring competition.
The lumberjacks were: Toru Yano, Oleg Boltin, Tiger Mask, Master Wato, Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru 		15:07
6 Konosuke Takeshita (AEW) (with Don Callis) defeated Shingo Takagi (NJPW) by pinfall Winner Takes All match for the NEVER Openweight Championship and AEW International Championship [19] 12:46
7 El Desperado defeated Douki (c) by referee stoppage Singles match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship [20] 5:23
8 Yota Tsuji defeated David Finlay (c) (with Gedo) by pinfall Singles match for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship [21] 19:39
9 Tetsuya Naito defeated Hiromu Takahashi by pinfall Singles match [22] 17:08
10 Zack Sabre Jr. (c) (with Hartley Jackson, Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles, and Ryohei Oiwa) defeated Shota Umino by pinfall Singles match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship [16] 43:44
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match
P – the match was broadcast on the pre-show

See also

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 In Tokyo Dome". Cagematch. January 4, 2025. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ "GFW News: New Japan Pro Wrestling "Wrestle Kingdom 9" press conference details". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. December 23, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  3. ↑ Keller, Wade (December 13, 2016). "New Japan's WrestleKingdom 11 to air on AXS TV starting Jan. 13 in four weekly special episodes with Ross & Barnett on commentary". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  4. ↑ Hoops, Brian (January 4, 2017). "Daily Pro Wrestling History (01/04): NJPW Tokyo Dome cards". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  5. ↑ Rose, Bryan (July 2, 2024). "NJPW & Stardom reveal Wrestle Kingdom Week schedule for January 2025". Wrestling Observer . Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  6. ↑ Lambert, Jeremy (July 3, 2024). "NJPW Announces Wrestle Kingdom Week Schedule, Includes Two Stardom Events And New Year Dash!". Fightful. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Grabianowski, Ed (13 January 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". Discovery Communications . Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  8. ↑ Powell, John (January 4, 2025). "Wrestle Kingdom 19, a few steps forward, a few steps back for NJPW". slamwrestling.com. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  9. ↑ "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 Review, Results & Analysis [FREE]". POSTWrestling . January 4, 2025. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  10. ↑ Michaels, Corey (January 3, 2025). "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 live results: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online . Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  11. ↑ Vetter, Chris (January 4, 2025). "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 results: Vetter's review of Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino for the IWGP World Hvt. Championship, AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita vs. Never Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi in a title vs. title match". Pro Wrestling Dot Net . Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  12. ↑ Lambert, Jeremey (December 22, 2024). "NJPW Ranbo Announced For NJPW Wrestle Kingdom, KOPW Title Officially Retired". Fightful. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  13. ↑ Rose, Bryan (November 4, 2024). "NJPW crowns Super Junior Tag League 2024 winners". F4wonline.com . Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  14. ↑ Rose, Bryan (December 23, 2024). "Stipulation added to NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 Junior Tag title match". F4wonline.com . Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  15. ↑ Currier, Joseph (November 18, 2024). "IWGP Women's title match official for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19". F4wonline.com . Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  16. 1 2 Lambert, Jeremey (November 6, 2024). "Zack Sabre Jr vs. Shota Umino, Four More Title Bouts Official For NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19". Fightful. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  17. ↑ Tessier, Colin (December 22, 2024). "Fourth Competitor Added To Title Match At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19". Fightful. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  18. ↑ Renner, Ethan (October 25, 2024). "Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. EVIL official for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19". F4wonline.com . Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  19. ↑ Lambert, Jeremy (January 4, 2025). "New NEVER Openweight Champion Crowned At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online . Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  20. ↑ Thompson, Andrew (November 4, 2024). "DOUKI vs. El Desperado for IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title added to NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19". POSTWrestling. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  21. ↑ Lambert, Jeremey (November 4, 2024). "David Finlay Agrees To Defend IWGP Global Title Against Yota Tsuji At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19". Fightful. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Tetsuya Naito Bout Official For NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19". Fightful. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
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