Wrestle Kingdom 17

The match lived past its lofty expectations with Kenny Omega winning the NJPW United States Championship for a second time. The main event saw Kazuchika Okada ...

The Golden Lovers reunion rumors have more life than ever. One match earlier, the announcer continued his count even after Ishimori dove to the outside. That number almost doubles inside the Tokyo Dome. won this match in typical Sabre Jr. Sabre Jr. The thrilling nearfalls helped. I expect a Revival in WWE. Sasha Banks/Mercedes Mone came off as a star, but that pop would be tripled if she shows up in Los Angeles next week. Half of this segment was meticulously spent on each entrance, and it was worth every moment. To their credit, so did the commentary team. Other AEW stars on the Wrestle Kingdom 17 card include FTR, who defended the IWGP Tag Team Championships against Bishimon. [return of Sasha Banks](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2023/01/04/njpw-wrestle-kingdom-17-results-sasha-banks-debuts-on-january-4-2023/), top AEW star Kenny Omega clashed with top NJPW star Will Ospreay in a dream match, especially among hardcore fans who will predominately be watching this event.

Here is a look at the full rundown of results and grades for the show: Kazuchika Okada defeated Jay White (IWGP World Heavyweight Championship) (A); Kenny Omega ...

We got to see some great pro wrestling and a few moments that will have fans talking for quite some time. In fact, Moné's appearance took up more time than the bout it followed. For a lot of fans, this might be their first NJPW show. If NJPW wants to build its women's division into something that rivals other major companies, then it needs to give them equal booking for big matches like this. The Boss has arrived in New Japan, and her legions of fans are going to follow. While Japanese wrestling is presented differently in some ways, the basics are the same. As a whole, Wrestle Kingdom 17 was a solid show. Ospreay had a lot of fans buzzing, too. Unfortunately, some people might take the way the crowd reacted as a bad sign. It's going to be very interesting to hear her first public comments about her WWE exit and new venture. It may have had people from other companies, but this was not being billed or booked as a Forbidden Door-like event. The debut of Moné is probably going to be the most talked-about moment from the show, but as far as the matches are concerned, there was a lot to like.

Follow along with New Japan's biggest show of the year from the Tokyo Dome, with eight titles on the line, a tribute to Antonio Inoki, stars from AEW & WWE, ...

He congratulates the champ and talks about their main event at Wrestle Kingdom 16, then touts his accolades since to lobby for a shot at the belt. The two men exchanged finishers for a while, with neither man getting three. Gedo tries to get involved, and both heels get DDT-ed on the ramp. Ospreay drags him to the middle of the ring to try for Stormbreaker, but Kenny slips free for yet another V Trigger that puts both men down. Ishimori carried the belt into this 4way, which was just as crazy as you’d imagine a 4way super-junior match to be on this stage. He did cheapshot Tama with the belt before the bell, and worked the heat against his old Bullet Club teammate in and out of the ring, but he couldn’t put Tonga away. Shooter and Naito had a tense moment as the victors exited. She called for a mic and delivered a promo introducing herself and setting up a match at Battle in the Valley in San Jose on Feb. A fun trios match designed to (a) give the commentary team a chance to talk about Muto’s connections to the other men in the ring, and (b) to put over Umino. At the end of one of those rallies he got trapped in an armbar he couldn’t get out of. CHAOS (Lio Rush & YOH) to retain the IWGP Junior Tag Team titles via pinfall. The PPV starts at 3am ET with a Kickoff show starting approximately an hour and 40 minutes before that.

Ian Hamilton is back to cast an eye over the first New Japan show of the year, as eight titles will be defended, culminating in a double main-event ...

Back inside, Okada’s hung up in the ropes as White followed up with a half-hatch suplex into the corner pad for a two-count. before the OsCutter out of the corner planted Omega for a near-fall. following with a diving V-Trigger to the back of Ospreay’s head, before they went back up top with Omega teasing an avalanche One Winged Angel… Things head onto the apron as Ospreay teased a Storm Breaker, but the pair trade strikes instead, leading to an Ospreay superkick before Omega grabbed the ropes to avoid an OsCutter onto the edge of the ring. There’s the target for Omega, as a backbreaker gets a two-count, while knees to the ribs led to Ospreay cutting off Omega with a Cobra Twist. SANADA and Muto start us off – the student and the teacher – with SANADA going right for the knees with a low dropkick. Kenny sidestepped a charging Ospreay at the bell, as things looked to settle down early on with a side headlock on the mat from Omega. In the end, Tama launches out of the corner with a Gun Stun off the middle rope, before another Gun Stun finally took down Anderson to end the long nightmare. Narita returns the favour though, following with a Northern Lights suplex for another two-count, only for Sabre to leap in with a guillotine and a triangle armbar. Back on the ring, Anderson and Tama trade blows on the apron, leading to a blocked Tama Gun Stun, then a big boot from Anderson. A tope from Cash clears out the challengers in the aisle, before a Power Plex from the champions laid out Goto for a two-count. The champions go for the Leaning Tower again, but a reverse ‘rana from YOH breaks it up as Rush ran in for a one-man Spanish Fly to Akira…

New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom has made a name for itself over the last two decades for showcasing some of the best professional wrestling on the ...

He was challenged by former champion Shingo Takagi after the match ended and a match was established for... - Kenny Omega won the belt off Will Ospreay after putting Ospreay through absolute hell. - The Anderson/Tonga match was really quite good but it ended with a pretty horrific botch by Anderson (I think?). Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. It was a clear work and turned out to be NOAH's Kongo confronting Los Ingobernables de Japon with a nice plug for the YouTube channel. CHAOS (Lio Rush and Yoh) for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. - Four-Way Match featuring Taiji Ishimori (C) vs. Tonga tried the Gun Stun and Anderson seemed to throw him off... She entered exactly when most predicted she would -- right after Kairi retained the IWGP Women's Championship. 5 for the KOPW Championship. - KOPW 2023 Right to Challenge Rumble -- Great-O-Khan, Sho, Toru Yano and Shingo Takagi were the final four. This gives you access to both Japanese and English commentary feeds of the night.

At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Tokyo earlier today, Omega leaned into that finisher's name with a spectacular Sephiroth-themed entrance. Omega--dressed in a ...

Omega defeated Ospreay with the One Winged Angel finisher to become IWGP US Champion for the second time. One Winged Angel - Rebirth from Final Fantasy VII Remake began to play, and Omega slowly made his way to the ring. At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Tokyo earlier today, Omega leaned into that finisher's name with a spectacular Sephiroth-themed entrance.

Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay might be a very early MOTY candidate, Okada wins, and FTR loses it all.

I hope NJPW features the new belt and ZSJ the way it should. Their tag team belt conquest is finito losing to Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI). With him being in the WWE, this should be no surprise. With his tribute to Antonio Inoki and being the top guy in NJPW, this was a given. on winning the IWGP TV Title. At times, this match was brutal (the exposed turnbuckle DDT spot, anyone). We had a Never Openweight and IWGP tag titles reset. The move she hit on KAIRI fell apart (I’ll chalk it up to ring rust). Going into Wrestle Kingdom 17, this was one of the matches I was least worried about in terms of quality. Bullet Club has no titles, and it was interesting to see White's post-match reaction with Okada. I don’t think this will be the last singles match between them. It was the worst-kept secret for weeks leading up to Wrestle Kingdom, but Sas...excuse me – Mercedes Moné made her debut after KAIRI beat Tam Nakano for the IWGP Women’s title.