According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, New Japan Pro Wrestling has a number of different scenarios for their January 4th and January 5th WrestleKingdom 15 pay per view from the Tokyo Dome, which is the promotion’s biggest event of the year. Below are the reports notes.
-Due to the COVID-19 pandemic NJPW will not be able to run the Tokyo Dome at full capacity, with the Japanese government set to make their final decision in January.
-NJPW has been trying to keep shows on the shorter side (under three hours), but this year’s show will depend on the size of the card. This year’s WrestleKingdom was the first time ever the promotion ran WK as a two-night event.
-No word on whether foreign talent like IWGP U.S. champion/AEW world champion Jon Moxley will be able to appear. The current plan for the roster is to go home following the end of the BOSJ/World Tag League Tour, then return on December 20th to quarantine for two weeks. This does mean that talent would be quarantining during Christmas and New Year’s.
-Head booker Gedo reportedly has multiple plans for who can and cannot appear for the show.
-English commentator Kevin Kelly will be doing the holiday quarantine as he plans on being present live for WrestleKingdom.
-The scheduled main event at the moment is Kota Ibushi facing double-champion Tetsuya Naito in the main event unless “something major happens.” Ibushi is defending his number one contender’s spot against Bullet Club leader Jay White at Power Struggle, but no G1 Climax winner has ever lost their title opportunity in the history of the company.
