Wrestle Kingdom 18 delivers in spectacular fashion! New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) turns it up on the grand Tokyo Dome stage once again. Those big lights shining on bright as one of professional wrestling’s most prestigious annual events continues to elevate that perception.
A true all-time dream match in Kazuchika Okada vs Bryan Danielson, a legend honored in “President Ace” Hiroshi Tanahashi, new generational rivals established in Tsuji vs Uemura and Umino vs Narita, the promotion’s biggest arc reaching its climax in Naito vs SANADA finally having their grand encounter.
There’s a lot of positives on display on this year’s Wrestle Kingdom; the past, present and future all honored in spectacular fashion. 30,000+ packing into the Tokyo Dome and seemingly every one of them a Naito fan.
Anyway, there’s a lot to get through with 10 main card matches, so let’s not waist any more time with grand Google SEO introduction fashion. We’ve got no time for a ‘What Is A Wrestle Kingdom?’ section with a show card this big!
Quick notes: some great surprises in the KOPW 2024 RAMBO this year, like our iron-clawed madman Iizuka returning to a lovely pop, terrorizing the poor time keeper who got an hilarious reaction shot. Won by: Great O’Khan, YOH in his tracksuit, Taiji Ishimori and of course Toru Yano. Who are your final 4 facing off for the title at New Year’s Dash.
Also, Mayu Iwatani was on the Japanese commentary Hiroshi Tanahahsi vs Zack Sabre Jr, but there was no women’s match at the Tokyo Dome this year for the first time since the IWGP Women’s Championship’s inception.
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira & TJP) vs Drilla Maloney & Clark Conners
Spooky-spooky TJP The Aswang! A mythical figure of Filipino legend, accidentally awoken by the War Dogs in their coffin match on a Road to the Tokyo Dome show. The Super Jr. Tag League 2023 winners getting their Wrestle Kingdom title shot.
The Bullet Club War Dog champions out in all white with their fancy, new, bright white Jr. Heavyweight Tag titles. Looking all full of swag and cool until TJP took his straw hat off, the shock of The Aswang catching them off guard and giving the challengers an edge.
The match playing out as the fast-paced Jr. tag Wrestle Kingdom opener we’ve become accustomed to over these years. A unique aura with creepy crawling TJP being all spooky-spook as Akira handles the high-flying athletic side.
I love the vibes of the Drilla and Conners tag team, but this match was all about the monster in TJP. The Aswang taking the brunt of the big offence, but his monster-like extra HP elevated him to the mini-boss our villains couldn’t conquer.
NJPW World Television Championship
Zack Sabre Jr. vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
Our President, now the Master of the Universe, our beloved boss and yours, President Ace Hiroshi Tanahashi leads us into the new year! Although, as a Brit, Zack Sabre Jr. is obviously my Prime Minister of wrestling. “It’s about time a socialist was running a company in professional wrestling!” – Chris Charlton, January 4th 2024.
This was such a perfect second match, the fast-pace of ZSJ’s technical skill matching up with President Tana’s urgency generating a top notch pace. Two lads who more than know exactly what they’re doing: Zack manipulating holds, Tanahashi manipulating the audience into cheering for him.
The President Ace seemingly more invigorated than I’ve seen for a long time, Sabre Jr. continuing the amazing quality of his work during this NJPW TV reign. Tana keeping up with the champion’s pace to an impressive degree, his body may be old and aching, but his fighting spirit shone through once again in this match. And we all know how quick Zack Sabre Jr. is with his technical wrestling, so saying Tanahashi kept up really is strong praise.
The President books himself to win a title! How dare he. Sure, I genuinely cheered alone with my cup of tea at 8am GMT, and we love you, Mr President, but the socialist dream is over.
Yota Tsuji vs Yuya Uemura
Just 5 Guys’ young Yuya Uemura (say that 5 times fast) in a special showcase match with Los Ingobernables de Japon’s quickly rising star Yota Tsuji. Generational rivals with what is sure to be their first of many matches on stages such as this.
Both lads showing off exactly why so much faith is being put in them for the future. The sheer level of counter wrestling on display more than convincing us that the future is in safe hands. The two given 5 minutes or so just to blitz and excite at an exhilarating pace. The absolute perfect way to showcase the promotion’s rising stars without forcing the new generation into the spotlight before the fans are ready.
P. S. Uemura’s wind machine blowing his wavy hair during his entrance was A++.
Shota Umino & Kaito Kiyomiya vs EVIL & Ren Narita
Shota Umino on a bike! The Roughneck becomes the Japanese Badass. Sans Kid Rock so it’s actually good.
New Japan’s future generational rivals continue to get a mid-card spotlight. Our evil baddies running mischievous riot as we still reel from learning Ren has fallen to crack Narita joining the House of Torture.
Plenty of HOT boy distractions and beatings: dick-to-dick contact, group stompings and numbers game ringside over-crowding. Umino and the young NOAH star in Kiyomiya up against the odds, a bar they were never going to beat. Quite literally as Shota was clocked with a push up bar and Double Crossed into the mat by Ren Narita.
You know what you’re getting with a House Of Torture tag match, you got exactly what you expected and that was the point. Continuing to ripple the waves of Narita joining the group and Umino’s only friend to come to his aid is from a whole different company.
NEVER Openweight Championship
Shingo Takagi vs Tama Tonga
Changing gears into our string of Wrestle Kingdom tag team matches! Tama and Shingo lit up the G1 in their block this year, Tonga now getting the chance to light a fire with The Dragon in the Tokyo Dome.
Shingo Takagi simply doesn’t miss, especially on a grand stage such as this. Quite literally elevating his offence and flying over the top rope, bringing the air as well as the big boy power. Tonga impressing too as he matches the flow of the champion, the pace climbing up and up as the match goes on. Hitting a counter blitz at around 10 minutes in, our first example of that true New Japan fighting spirit style of the night.
These two really brought it, doing the NEVER Openweight title and it’s Wrestle Kingdom lineage justice as they clobbered each other with force and kicked out of big moves like the tough bastards that they are. Delivering on the stage once again as Tama Tonga really does start to build a synonymous quality with the NEVER belt, making it two years on the trot with impressive Dome showings for the championship.
Our first genuine banger of the night, the show escalating into the increasingly hot final run with a match I can’t recommend enough.
IWGP Tag Team Championship
NJPW Strong Tag Team Championship
Bishamon (Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) vs El Phantasmo & Hikuleo
A big surprise as Nick and Ryan Nemeth walk through the crowd to sit down and watch this match. A former WWE name doing something like this is the far more interesting move than showing up in AEW or TNA.
Both titles on the line as the NJPW Strong titles are dissolved into the lineage of the main belts. Last year was the cementing of Bishamon as THE tag team in NJPW, an aura only heightened over the course of 2023 with the quality of their time on top. A thrown together tag team Goto and YOSHI-HASHI are not.
Speaking of, Hikuleo is also a lad that’s surprised in how much he’s impressed this past year. ELP’s breakout foreshadowed and carried out in 2023, but Hikuleo’s rise wasn’t on the start of year predictions at all. Great to see both lads get this spot as their stock continues to rise.
The communication for our NJPW Strong champs not as fluid as Bishamon, coming more together as the match goes on. Building up to a fire finish, the big lad even flying high from the top with a Splash like he’s a man half his size. Fecking impressive to see a 7ft fella fly like that through the air!
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship
Hiromu Takahashi vs El Desperado
The Tokyo Dome crowd massively behind El Desperado. A match with no down time, flying from the off as Despy crashed into Hiromu and the guard rail, setting the tone for the next 20 minutes of increasingly fast-paced action.
There’s no Junior that’s been more trustworthy for the Wrestle Kingdom stage than Hiromu Takahashi, but everything about this match screamed that it was Desperado’s time. A match so good that it’s a review that almost writes itself, the flow exactly what you would have hoped it would be. Enough praise I cannot give. Watch this match, sickos!
A flash flow, quick roll ups and Bombs that earned champion Takahashi victory over the course of the past year, but it was a Pinche Loco Piledriver for the ages that completely swung the tide. El Desperado surviving and having the crowd fully behind him for the second Pinche Loco. Hell of a final flow as the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight title delivered yet another banger at Wrestle Kingdom. This was Desperado’s time and this match nailed that switch, even if there’s a likely chance this will be unfortunately forgotten on the night because of what comes next.
IWGP Global Championship
Will Ospreay vs Jon Moxley vs David Finlay
The big white belt. What’s old is new again. David Finlay quite literally smashing things up and forcing himself into Ospreay and Mox’s business. This is the stage he wanted, his big Wrestle Kingdom entrance alongside the big stars… but was he able to shine in the spotlight?
Batman mask Moxley walking through the crowd (yes, I know it’s Red Hood, don’t @ me) with his special aura, Ospreay finally getting his full Assassin’s Creed entrance with the Hidden Blade and all. The stadium with a spine-tingling reaction for Will Ospreay as he leads them through singing his name in time with his song.
A perfect start too, Mox and Ospreay operating in the promised truce agreed upon with a couple non-alcohol beers at the press conference. The two lads just beating the shit out of Finlay, using the three-man rules to take all the time in the world to exact pleasure from launching the son of an Irishman into barricades out in the crowd.
Finlay fighting back, only leading to Mox quickly getting out a table to slam him through so perfect a way to end the first 5 minute act of this match. Immediately using the wreckage to switch gears into Mox and Ospreay having a one-on-one run in the ring. The two so damn fluid together, an exciting promise of what they could achieve in a singles special (oh hey, Tony).
As for now, it’s a day ending in a ‘Y’ so Mox has to bleed via Finlay interfering with his shillelagh. The flow of all three lads back together in the ring at a rate of knots, almost like a Heavyweight Junior affair as Mox Suicide Dives onto Finlay and sets up Ospreay Moonsaulting onto them both. The Bullet Club leader may have upped the offence,
Which takes us into Act Three and the arrival of the big hitters trying to score pinfalls, leading into Mox upping the ante and violence. For Moxley, the previous realm of fast action was perfect for Ospreay’s house, but the violence was then perfect for Finlay. Luckily for the Blackpool Combat Club man, the other two had a damn great back n’ forth sequence beating each other up instead of him. No one able to hit that second follow up blow as the dynamic of the three people comes properly into action. Hidden Blades stopping both Moxley and Finlay’s flows, setting us up for the hard hitting final act.
A final act completely swung from where it was going by Gabe Kidd and Alex Coughlin, the Bullet Club War Dogs. Mox and Ospreay having to work together to take them both out. The table freaks made happy as Ospreay Swanton’s through both interfering chaps, Japanese tables earning their reputation with Coughlin simply pushed into the bloody thing for an hilarious visual.
The closing flurry was a rumble of thunder, all three lads flying in and clobbered in huge final bursts of fury. It seeming multiple times that each one had hit the final big hitter, heart in your mouth action in an incredible display.
This is the Wrestle Kingdom flow at its finest.
Kazuchika Okada vs Bryan Danielson II
Speaking of the Wrestle Kingdom flow… no rest at all from the previous match’s Nick Nemeth/David Finlay brawling angle. Okada’s music hitting whilst the crowd’s still coming down, Big Match Kazu making his way out for his futuristic amazing magical changing coat entrance.
2016 me would be going crazy knowing this match is taking place at a Wrestle Kingdom. The journey we’ve been on since then, how wildly the wrestling business has shifted since NJPW hit that prime peak with the ascension of Naito and Okada to lead the current generation.
A legendary rematch on the grand Tokyo stage. This time playing with the fact that Danielson is plagued with injuries, whilst Okada is in tip top shape. A very different dynamic to their first match, Kazu somewhat toying with Danielson, like he was trying to bring out the violent dragon in his opponent.
And violence he got! Your NJPW big match flow as both men get the shots on top in, Okada being a dick and targeting Danielson’s eye. The no nonsense demeanor Okada adopted throughout times in 2023 showing itself once again as he stomps the American’s injured eye and rips off the eye patch. Danielson having targeted the arm to hinder the Rainmaker, squinting as he tries to focus through the damage to the injured orbital bone.
A great spot as Okada just grits his teeth through the Combat Club stiff elbows, an awesome sight as the spirit of Inoki shines through against the Dragon. I loved the way Danielson upped the pain, all the way to hooking the arms back with his legs just like he did for the victory at Forbidden Door. Okada selling the escape like he had found a last scrap of energy to evade death’s door.
And good lord the stomps that followed were brutal! Even the Rainmaker’s had a special umph. The match shifting up through the gears and past where the match from the Summer concluded. Again and again the American Dragon kicked away the Rainmaker, an incredible pace of counters as neither man lets the other have any give.
The exact exhilarating level of closing offence Okada brings year after year, Rainmaker versus Busaiko Knee in a lightning pace of counter offence. Danielson fighting through the pain to try and focus his sight to hit that charge, Okada battling the damage to the arm to hit the Rainmaker Lariat regardless.
MAIN EVENT
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
SANADA vs Tetsuya Naito
In the same tryout 18 years ago, SANADA may be the champion, but it was Naito treated with the reception of a megastar. Dressed like a champion in red and gold, but it was his opponent with the love of the crowd. And I’m describing it kindly here, the Tokyo Dome was not there for SANADA.
The story woven in that Naito’s been critical of his former stablemate, saying that even as champion we haven’t seen the best of SANADA. Echoing the sentiment that he’s held onto the title, but not brought that special something deserving of the grand Wrestle Kingdom main event Naito’s experienced in.
Setting up the champion bringing that fire of offence, the odd flurry showing you exactly what he’s capable of. Like the flash of the Reverse Rana crashing Naito onto his dome in the Dome, setting SANADA up to hit more, but Naito’s there to echo those sentiments through action again as he gets the knees up to stop the Moonsault at the end.
Esperanza DDT spiking SANADA and setting up the Running Destino, Naito at full flow, but we’ve seen his over-confidence cost him before in those big closing moments. The LIJ leader nailing the Running variant, but caught in attempting the full rotation of the Destino. Signalling SANADA’s moment, cooking as he hits a Moonsault to the back, then again to the front. The crowd feeling it correctly, Naito kicking out as SANADA tried to win without really having to bring it once again.
On this occasion Naito won’t let him escape so easily, to stay champion SANADA will HAVE TO bring it. A flow somewhat hindered by the man really struggling to lift Naito over his shoulder for the Destino on multiple occasions, giving the final run a lot more to do bring you back in. Luckily they absolutely nailed that final flow, the story hitting it’s beats perfectly from here on out as SANADA showed his former stable leader he can bring it.
The NJPW main event counter sequence sending the crowd into a fever pitch, a crazy atmosphere as the champion and challenger pulled out new offence in final desperate cries. Naito swinging counter with SANADA’s own Deadfall finisher, finally rocking him enough to set up the Destino and score the win.
A white hot end to both SANADA’s reign and Wrestle Kingdom 18.
So what happened after the match per tradition? EVIL immediately attacked to stop the roll call Naito talked about wanting, beating down with Dick Togo to drowning boos. Only for SANADA to save the day in a lovely wholesome moment, which only got more so when Naito grabbed the mic and told SANADA the only reason he’s stood here right now is because of him. Causing SANADA to cry as he walked out of the Tokyo Dome.
Showing the wrestlers genuinely caring adds so damn much.
Naito finally able to give his thanks to the crowd and get that roll call he so desperately wanted. Loud, “Naito! Naito!” chants ringing out as our new IWGP Heavyweight Champion’s music played.
And that’s it for Wrestle Kingdom and another year! 2024 once again starting off with a bang. This year’s show may not have hit godly, heavenly heights, but that special January 4th feeling was definitely in the air. A routinely incredible show with prestige that just builds and builds. Continuing to deliver just that once again as New Japan continues to build into their new era.
Proof of how much I enjoyed it was me writing over 3,000 words for this thing, if you get that much out of me you’re either an AEW show with too many matches or smashing it out the park with something special. Fair to say Wrestle Kingdom 18 was the latter.
Contact Imp:
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Email – theimplicationsyt@gmail.com