NJPW WRESTLE KINGDOM 20 RESULTS (1/4): Lansdell’s report and analysis on Okada vs Tanahashi, Takeshita vs Tsuji, Wolf vs Evil

NJPW WRESTLE KINGDOM 20 REPORT
JANUARY 4, 2026
TOKYO DOME
TOKYO, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD

Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton were on commentary for the first sold-out Wrestle Kingdom in many years, and the biggest crowd for any Tokyo Dome wrestling event ever. The entrance ramp was done up to look like a Roman-inspired theatre.

(A) EL PHANTASMO (c) vs. CHRIS BROOKES – NJPW World TV Championship match

Chris Brookes wrestles in DDT Pro, and has the sobriquet “Death By Rollup”. He looks like a taller, younger Alex Shelley. The crowd was still making their way to their seats as ELP made his Bret Hart-inspired pink-and-black entrance.

ELP went for a bow-and-arrow hold early, but Brookes escaped and got a quick two-count. ELP connected with a headscissors that sent Brookes to the outside, where he waffled Jado with a pump kick. ELP went to the aid of his mentor, only to eat a shotgun dropkick and an apron-elevated neckbreaker on the floor. Brookes held ELP in place while one of his stablemates took the end of an elastic exercise band and ran up the ramp, letting go of the band which then snapped into ELP’s face. Ouch. Brookes covered for another two-count, then applied a chinlock.

Brookes hit a middle-rope senton to the back of a doubled-over ELP at the five-minute mark. Brookes hit a kick to the gut but then got taken down by a springboard twisting crossbody into a Lionsault for a two-count. ELP appealed to the crowd. He hit a body slam and a Bret-Hart style elbow from the middle rope. He strummed an air guitar in tribute to Tanahashi, then set for Sudden Death. Akki distracted ELP from the apron, allowing Brookes to counter the Sudden Death into an octopus hold. ELP reversed it into the UFO for a near fall.ELP went to the top, Brookes met him up there and hit a super underhook suplex!

Brookes nailed a running corner dropkick for a near fall of his own. He went up top and it was ELP’s turn to intercept, hitting a top-rope huracanrana. ELP went for a splash…and got nothing but knees! Brookes rolled him up for a two-count. Brookes hit a succession of stiff shots and a left-arm lariat for a two-count, then dropped ELP with a praying mantis double underhook piledriver for a very near fall at the ten-minute mark. Brookes went for the move again, ELP slid out the back and got a backslide for another two. ELP hit the CR2 for yet another very near fall. ELP called to the crowd and hit a big crossbody, then Thunderkiss 86 for the win.

WINNER: El Phantasmo via pinfall in 12:00 to retain the NJPW World TV Championship. (***)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: A solid opener for this important card between two close friends. It did feel a bit like a way for ELP to be on the card for Tanahashi’s farewell, given his importance to ELP’s career. I can’t imagine this will lead to anything more between them, unless and until Brookes shows up in NJPW full-time.)

(1) Never Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship Ranbo

The champions coming were the team of Master Wato, Yoh, and Toru Yano Seven other teams were involved, entering at one-minute intervals. A team would be eliminated if any member was pinned, submitted, or thrown over the top rope.

The first team to enter was the combo of Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura and DDT’s Kaisei Takechi. Hard to believe that last year’s main eventer was this year’s opening match competitor. Takechi got a big entrance with a popular Japanese hiphop group rapping him to the ring, complete with a dance routine that Shota and Yuya joined. Apparently Takechi is a member of this group, so that’s cool.

The House of Torture unit of Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Ren Narita, and Sanada came out next. Sanada was wearing something he apparently stole from a Daft Punk estate sale, complete with LED lights, motorcycle helmet, a screen with a scrolling message, and a camera on his helmet. He has peaked, folks.

With everyone in the ring at once, I can only promise to give you the highlights. Uemura, Umino, and Takechi hit a triple dropkick on Narita. They beat down the House of Torture as Yuto-Ice, Oskar and Clark Connors made their entrance. Connors was accompanied by Thekla, which might well be a hint as to Connors’ future. With Umino and Uemura recently having failed to capture the tag titles from the Knockout Brothers, there was some animosity here. Yuto hit the Bombaclat knee on Uemura while Connors retrieved Wheel-san from under the ring and cleaned house on the outside.

The TMDK combination of Ryohei Oiwa, Zack Sabre Jr, and Hartley Jackson was next out. So both halves of last year’s main event were in this match, which speaks volumes. Oiwa and ZSJ have a title shot against Knockout Brothers at New Year’s Dash, so again there is story here. They beat down Yuto, Connors nailed ZSJ with a spear, and Oiwa hit Connors with a dropkick as Tiger Mask’s theme rang out for the last time at the Tokyo Dome. He was teaming with Ryusuke Taguchi and Togi Makabe for this one.

In the ring, Oiwa avoided a KOB Driver before eliminating Oskar and his team by launching him over the top rope. That sets things up nicely for New Year’s Dash. Bishamon and Boltin Oleg made an extremely slow entrance as Makabe and Taguchi beat up Oiwa in the ring. Tiger Mask stomped at ZSJ while Jackson and Makabe traded old-man forearms. Taguchi ass-aulted all the newcomers before getting flattened by a lariat from Yoshi-Hashi. Oleg and Makabe slugged it out as Tomohiro Ishii, Taichi, and Satoshi Kojima entered. Oleg covered Tiger Mask after a Kamikaze, eliminating that team.

Oleg and Ishii made a beeline for each other. Ishii brute-forced Oleg up and over with a suplex, as Takechi and Uemura returned to the ring long enough to eat some Taichi kicks. The champions came out last while Umino and Ishii elbowed each other into oblivion. Yoh came out in a Toru Yano cosplay, because of course he did. We got the 15-minute call as the champions got to ringside, so I guess the intervals were not actually one minute. Taichi and Uemura were alone in the ring, and managed to eliminate each other. Yoh found himself in the ring with all three HoT members, but he channeled Yano to hold his own. He blocked the Kanemaru whiskey spit but not the Narita version. HoT tried to throw Yoh over the top, where his teammates caught him and threw him back in. Yoh tried to throw out Sanada but House of Torture returned the favour, then pulled Yoh off the apron. Yano pulled Sanada down as well, so both teams were eliminated and we were assured of a new champion team.

Jackson dropped a senton on Oleg for a two-count. Bishamon returned to the ring and took down TMDK. All three men hit charging attacks on ZSJ in the corner. Yoshi-Hashi and Goto hit a Violent Flash on ZSJ. They went for a triple-team version of Shoto but Oiwa broke it up. Chaos ensued, with Goto and Yoshi-Hashi hitting Shoto and Jackson breaking up the cover. Oleg launched Oiwa with an overhead suplex and tried to hit the Kamikaze on ZSJ, only to get caught and rolled up tight by ZSJ for the three!

WINNERS: TMDK via pinfall in 21:00 to win the Never Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship. (**1/4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Hard to really rate something this chaotic. The win gave Hartley Jackson his first NJPW title, but it does make a TMDK win tomorrow less likely. Oiwa really shone in the match, but the overwhelming story for me is the number of recent world champions and main eventers in the opening “get everyone on the card” match. You could call it a shift to the new generation if a lot of that generation weren’t also in the match. A bit of a head-scratcher in that regard.)

(2) SYURI (C) vs. SAYA KAMITANI (C) – IWGP Women’s and NJPW Strong Women’s Championship match

Each woman’s title was on the line in this one, though it was not officially called out as a unification match.With women’s matches still a rarity on any NJPW card, let alone the main card of Wrestle Kingdom, the crowd reaction to this was of particular interest.

Saya Kamitani just exudes charisma. In addition to being the NJPW Strong Women’s champ, she is also the World of Stardom champion. The latter belt would not be on the line in this match. It’s hard to explain just how much aura Kamitani has. It’s a combination of Rhea Riplei, Iyo Sky, and Liv Morgan. She came out in all black, while Syuri was in all white in an Assassin’s Creed-inspired outfit. Both women looked extremely nervous as the official introductions and photos happened before the bell.

After the early exchanges, Syuri aimed a buzzsaw kick at Kamitani’s head and narrowly missed. She hit a dropkick and grabbed a quick armbar, but Kamitani scrambled to the ropes. Syuri planted a trio of kicks to the spine and covered for a two-count. Kamitani pulled the referee in front of her to halt Syuri’s momentum, then hit a shotgun dropkick. Kamitani’s stablemates tripped Syuri from the outside and dragged her to the floor. Kamitani hit a crossbody from the top to the outside, which was gorgeous. Back in the ring they traded strikes with ferocity, and the fans got behind it to some extent. Kamitani won the exchange and just wailed on Syuri repeatedly. She took Syuri down with a spinning kick…and got starched by a knee lift.

At the five-minute mark Syuri went to the top rope, but was intercepted. Kamitani hit a super huracanrana and a northern lights suplex for a two-count. Shades of Alicia Fox! A tornado kick dropped Syuri again, and Kamitani went to the top only for Syuri to meet here there…and hit a flying armbar off the top! Syuri locked in a very nasty armbar variant, almost a Rings of Saturn, but Kamitani somehow held on long enough to get to the ropes. Syuri hit an Orton-style hanging DDT, Kamitani came back with a knee strike of her own, then landed on her feet to counter a German suplex. A blue thunder bomb from Kamitani got a near fall. She hit a fisherman’s buster for a very near fall, then went for a second one…Syuri countered into a Fujiwara armbar!

Kamitani found a way to escape the hold but ate a running knee. Syuri hit Syuri Sekkai for a very near fall, then lifted Kamitani for an Ocean Cyclone. Kamitani countered with a poison rana for a two-count, then nailed a pump kick. Syuri hit a buzzsaw kick but got caught with a Frankensteiner for another near fall. Syuri hit a German suplex and a pair of kicks to the head, but again Kamitani kicked out. Syuri lined up yet another buzzsaw kick, then went for another Ocean Cyclone…into a Death Valley driver! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Syuri via pinfall in 12:00 to win the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship and retain the IWGP Women’s World Championship.. (***1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I am a little torn on this one. There was a lot of action, the match was exciting, they worked hard, and everything was crisp. My issue is that it just felt like a succession of moves with no connecting tissue. The selling was virtually non-existent, the crowd was not really into it, and it kind of felt flat as a result. A real shame as the match deserved better, but they just did not connect with the fans at all.)

(3) HIROMU TAKAHASHI & DRILLA MOLONEY & GABE KIDD & DAVID FINLAY & SHINGO TAKAGI vs. UNITED EMPIRE (Callum Newman & Andrade El Idolo & Henare & Great-O-Khan & X)

When the match was originally announced, United Empire had two mystery partners. Andrade was somewhat surprisingly revealed as one partner during the build to Wrestle Kingdom, but the last man remained a mystery until tonight. The popular belief was Jake Lee. With rumours swirling about many members of Bullet Club War Dogs being about to leave the company, the intrigue here was deep.

Hiromu tried hard to win the fashion battle with Sanada, wearing what could only be called a bulky peacock outfit, but it was never going to beat Sanada’s Christmas tree. Finlay came out with a prop heavy machine gun, and then hit a Batista tribute as his shooting motion was not in sync with the sound effect. You have to love it when the current generation pays respect to the legends. His second attempt, in the ring, was much better.

Callum Newman came out first for his team, carrying a sword, clearly hinting that the partner was going to be Drew McIntyre. O-Khan and Henare came out next, with Henare having yet another new look and theme. He got a great reception, as is right and proper. Andrade came out to his AEW theme with even longer hair than when we last saw him. And the final member was…Jake Lee! He made an extremely slow, dead-eyed stroll down the ramp as Gabe Kidd seethed in the ring. The nonchalant expression on Lee’s face was actually infuriating. Someone making a return after 15 months, at the biggest show in NJPW history, and he looked like someone who rolled out of bed 30 seconds before his music hit.

The match started with an all-out brawl. Kidd and Andrade started in the ring, though Kidd soon ended up on the outside where he was hit with a triangle-jump tornillo. Back inside, Andrade got a quick two-count before getting clotheslined over the top to the outside. Kidd nailed an Asai moonsault, rolled Andrade back inside, then ran into a knee. Andrade blocked a lariat and hit a back elbow. Henare and Shingo tagged in, and the physicality was guaranteed to go up. They traded shots and corner lariats, then Shingo dropped Henatre with a DDT. A suplex led to a two-count for Shingo. It was almost Shingo time, but O-Khan said it was elbow to the back of the head time. O-Khan lifted Shingo and just tossed him to Henare, who dropped him with a powerbomb. That was sweet.

Henare went for a full nelson, but Shingo muscled out of it. Henare hit a loud PK, Shingo returned fire with a nasty lariat, then tagged in Moloney. A dropkick sent Henare to the floor, and Moloney followed him out with a dropkick through the ropes to the outside. Shingo and Moloney hit a pair of middle-rope elbows for a near fall, and it was Shingo AND Moloney time! Henare fought off a tandem move but fell victim to a lariat from Shingo and a spear from Moloney for a two-count. Henare avoided the War Dragon, then planted a headbutt to Shingo’s jaw. He dropped Moloney with a sidewalk slam, then tagged in Newman. Finlay also tagged in, and they just blitzed each other. Newman picked up the pace for his trademark pump kick, but then got nailed with a backbreaker. Finlay mounted Newman and absolutely pounded him with right hands. Newman found an opening for a superkick, then hit a dropkick to leave both men down.

Jake Lee tagged in, wearing United Empire tights which just looked wrong. He dropped Finlay with a scoop slam and went for a chokeslam…countered into a stunner! Hiromu tagged in and launched Finlay into Lee. Finlay launched Hiromu into Lee,, then dropped Hiromu on Lee with a Dominator for a two-count. The Finlay-Hiromu tag team should not be as entertaining as it is. Hiromu tried a Time Bomb, Lee slid out of it and buried a knee to the gut at the ten-minute mark. Kidd came out of nowhere with a corner clothesline to Lee, and things broke down as everyone came into the ring one-by-one. Andrade and Newman hit a tandem kick to level Kidd, Moloney planted Andrade with a spinebuster, Moloney blocked an Os-Cutter and went for the Drilla Killa…Newman escaped! Os-Cutter…reversed into the Drilla Killa! Newman rolled to the floor, and O-Khan came in to hit a fallaway slam on Moloney. Shingo and OI-Khan traded lariats, a battle won by Shingo. Henare and Shingo took each other over the top rope, leaving Finlay to powerbomb Hiromu over the top into the crowd of bodies on the floor. Hiromu took exception to that, and as Finlay was barking on the top rope Hiromu superplexed Finlay onto the rest of the match combatants.

Lee put an end to the shenanigans, hitting a big boot on the floor and rolling Hiromu inside. He hit the Yakuza kick in the corner and covered Hiromu with one hand for the nonchalant win. He still did not look like he cared.

WINNERS: United Empire via pinfall in 13:00. (**1/2)

• After the match, a man in a mask with a crown joined United Empire in the ring. He superkicked Hiromu and removed the mask to reveal…it was Francesco Akira. He shook hands with his faction-mates, and they posed together.

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Honestly, this did not feel like a Wrestle Kingdom match. The Jake Lee reveal was largely expected, and the Akira reveal was entirely pointless. He was already in the faction, what’s the point of putting a mask on him? There was nothing here that gave any hints as to the futures of Finlay or Moloney, and the match was nothing special. Entertaining but ultimately not really worthy of the spot. )

(4) EL DESPERADO vs. TAIJI ISHIMORI vs. KOSEI FUJITA vs. SHO

The winner here would become the number one contender for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Douki, who said he would not compete on the card so as to avoid overshadowing Tanahashi’s retirement, came out to…chill at ringside at his own table?.

Fujita was first out with new music, a new look, and a lot more swagger. Meanwhile, Sho came out with devil horns as Walker Stewart called him “the self-proclaimed Satan”. Kanemaru came out with him, but Ishimori hit a moonsault to the outside right away. All three of Sho’s opponents teamed up on him, but they couldn’t agree who would get to put him down. Sho fled to the outside, so the other three went to war. Fujita sent Ishimori to the outside,then Desperado. Sho came back in and ate a spinning kick from Fujita, then got taken down with a drop toehold. Fujita locked him into a submission, and instead of breaking the hold up Ishirmori and Desperado added to the pressure. They soon tired of that and stomped on Fujita. Ishimori hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker that sent Fujita to the outside.

Desperado and Ishimori slugged it out mid-ring. Ishimori hit a pump kick and a handspring twisting kick, then went for a shoulder breaker. Desperado countered into Gitarra del Angel for a near fall, then went for Pinche Loco. Ishimori came back with a La Mistica takedown, then hit a standing moonsault double kneedrop. Bloody Cross connected, but Sho dropped Fujita on top of the ref to break the pinfall. Of course this led to HoT Shenanigans (TM) as Douki and Kanemaru joined the fray. Douki nailed Ishimori with his pipe, and Shoretrieved his wrench…suddenly, Robbie Eagles! He nailed a missile dropkick to break up the assault…and Robbie X teleported in with a handspring double cutter! Robbie X called for Kuukai to join them, and he obliged with an assisted dropkick. Kuukai hit a tornillo to the outside, Robbie X followed up with a twisting press off the top, and the House of Torture appeared to be neutralised…except for Sho, who waffled Fujita and Eagles with his black mirror. Sho rolled the ref into the ring and dropped Fujita with the Shock Arrow. 1…2…Desperado broke it up! Tiger Driver by Desperado! Pinche Loco! 1…2…3!

WINNER: El Desperado via pinfall in 8:00. (***3/4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I’d like to tell you that I enjoyed HoT getting their comeuppance as the other factions finally realised they needed to work together to fight them off. Unfortunately it only served to prove how stupid they have all been for over two years, because they haven’t done this before! All the extra people showing up once again felt like a way to get them on the card. That might seem like a silly thing to call out all the time, but if it doesn’t serve a storyline purpose then it just feels transparent.)

(5) EVIL (C) vs. AARON WOLF – Never Openweight Championship match

Getting a championship match in your pro wrestling debut is rare enough in North America. In Japan, it is virtually unheard of. New Japan clearly has big plans and high hopes for Wolf, who so far has reminded me more of Brent Allbright (Gunner Scott in WWE) than Kurt Angle.

Wolf got a special entrance with a taiko drummer, then appeared at the top of the ramp in a gi with his head shaved. He tore away the gi to reveal the traditional Young Lion black trunks, which kind of renders pointless Evil’s press conference demands that Wolf would need to shave his head, never wear a gi again, and become a Young Lion if he lost. Regardless, he got one heck of a reaction from the crowd. Despite having an English name, he is in fact a Japanese citizen with an American father and Japanese mother. For his part, Evil had a fancy entrance with an Evil-vator through the stage and a live guitarist. He had most of the House of Torture behind him as Wolf stood in the middle of the ring with stoicism.

Say what you want about Evil (and I have, many times) but he has such a presence about him. Evil attacked before the bell, biting Wolf and grabbing a headlock. They traded shots until Wolf took Evil down with a lariat. A suplex and an elbow drop got a two-count for Wolf. Evil bravely ran away to the outside. Evil grabbed a chair, Wolf went to the outside…and this was unwise.Evil distracted the ref while HoT gang-assaulted Wolf. Master Wato and Yoh were in Wolf’s corner but they did not try to help, being grossly outnumbered. Evil put a chair around Wolf’s neck and walloped it with a second chair, sending it back back back back…gone! Home run! Evil covered Wolf several times, getting a two-count each time, as the crowd got behind Wolf with each kickout.

The crowd cheered as Wolf got back into the ring. Evil immediately whipped him to an exposed corner, courtesy of Dick Togo. At the five-minute mark, Wolf fired up and laid in some chops. He took Evil over with a hip throw, then did the same for Sanada, Narita, and Togo. Evil found a handful of powder, threw it into Wolf’s eyes, and dropped him with a suplex. He locked in the Darkness Scorpion, but Wolf crawled to the ropes. Evil slowed things right down as Wolf seemed to be gassed. Evil hit a pair of lariats, but Wolf shrugged them off. Evil came back with a flurry of shots and a big lariat, but ran into a powerslam for a near fall. The crowd almost came unglued for that one. Well, as unglued as a Japanese audience ever gets.

Wolf hit an Angle slam for another near fall. You had to know that was coming. He hit a scoop slam and went to the top rope, which seemed unwise. Frog splash…connected! 1…2…Fale pulled the referee out of the ring, and it was of course HoT Shenanigans (TM) time. Wato and Yoh tried to help but were soon wiped out. Yano left the commentary table but similarly had no effect. Fale threw a table into Wolf’s face, then they erected the table in an attempt to make Wold a permanent part of it. Fale came off the middle rope…and splashed Wolf through the table. The rest of HoT cleared away all the evidence and helped the ref back into the ring as Evil cleaned Wolf’s clock with a massive lariat. 1…2…no! Everything…is…Evil…countered into a hip throw! Wolf went for an armbar! Evil fought it off but got caught in a modified triangle choke! Evil went out!

WINNER: Aaron Wolf via TKO in 13:00 to win the Never Openweight Championship. (***)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I am choosing to put inside the HoT nonsense and focus on what was an absolute masterclass in carrying a green rookie to a very good match. Evil showed just how great he can be here, slowing the pace as needed and bumping like a training dummy for Wolf, who absolutely played his part to the best of his ability here. He did connect with the crowd, but the challenge for him will be in maintaining that connection once the novelty wears off. Of interest going forward will be how they get the title off him without making him look like a kid who got lucky. I would be utterly shocked, by the way, if both Mr Khans were not watching this one with great interest.)

(6) YOTA TSUJI (c) vs. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (C) – IWGP World and IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship match

For the second time on the card, we had a double championship match that was not announced as a unification match. In fact both men had confirmed they would defend the titles separately. A lot of focus coming in was put on Yota Tsuji and his anti-AEW comments, which were either definitely in character or absolutely not in character, depending on which sources you trust. It was also the first time since Wrestle Kingdom 8 that the main event was not for the World Championship, and the first time ever it was not for any title.

Tsuji took control early with a headscissors that sent Takeshita to the outside. He thought about a dive but Takeshit casually strolled away, causing Tsuji to put on the brakes. Back in the ring, Takeshita hit a big boot and a flying clothesline to take the upper hand. He applied a chinlock, but Tsuji got a foot on the ropes. At the five minute mark Takeshita hit a pair of nasty chops to drop Tsuji, who returned fire with a knee to the gut. A running splash from Tsuji got a two-count. He followed up with a suplex attempt, Takeshita blocked it, so Tsuji hit a gutbusted instead. Takeshita came back with a brainbuster that left both men down. Takeshita took his time getting to his feet as the ref checked on Tsuji, who seemed to have a stinger.Takeshita hit a DDT on the apron, confirming that Tsuji did not in fact have a stinger and was just selling. I hope.

On the outside, Takeshita whipped Tsuji into a barricade, then hit a running boot to send him over said barricade. Takeshita returned to the ring as the ref started his count. Tsuji easily made it back to the ring and was immediately taken down. A second-rope senton at the ten-minute mark got a two-count. Takeshita went back to a chinlock, then whipped Tsuji to a corner. Tsuji ducked a running knee, and Takeshita went over the top to the floor. Tsuji tried to go for a dive but Takeshita recovered quickly and intercepted Tsuji with a Frankensteiner. Takeshita hit a no-hands tope con giro to the outside, with ease.

Back in the ring, Takeshita connected with a forearm in the corner. Tsuji came back with his trademark face smash-stomp combo, ran into a knee lift, and then countered a backbreaker into a lucha-style arm drag that sent Takeshita to ringside. Tsuji went for a dive again, this time connecting with a Fosbury flop. He rolled Takeshita inside, went to the top, and hit a double stomp for a near fall. Tsuji called to the crowd as we went past 15 minutes. Takeshita avoided the Marlowe Crash, and both men collided mid-ring with clotheslines. Tsuji came back with a Claymore, but Takeshita hit the Power Drive knee. He went for the Bastard Driver, Tsuji reversed it and hit one of his own. He maintained his grip and took Takeshita over with a wheelbarrow German suplex. Takeshita absorbed it and hit a Gene Blaster, again leaving both men down.

Takeshita was first up, and he told Tsuji to get up. They traded strikes, Tsuji going to the ribs with heavy shots to win the exchange. Tsuji could not capitalise so the exchange continued, this time with Takeshita landing the telling blow. Tsuji staggered, giving Takeshita an opening for a powerbomb…countered into a destroyer by Tsuji! Takeshita sidestepped a charge and hit a German suplex, but Tsuji came back with a Gene Blaster into the corner! Tsuji struggled to his feet and went for a Gene Blaster…but ate a knee! Blue thunder bomb by Takeshita! Raging Fire! 1…2…Tsuji got a foot on the bottom rope! Takeshita slowly stalked his way over to Tsuji, waiting for him to stand and trade blows. Tsuji gathered himself and put everything into a chop, and Takeshita barely blinked. He wound up and waffled Tsuji with an elbow, then went for a Power Drive knee…Tsuji blocked it! Alley Oop by Tsuji! He deposited Takeshita on the top rope facing outwards, then went up with him and pummeled him with elbows. He hit a reverse superplex off the top and covered for a near fall. At the 25-minute call Takeshita sidestepped a Gene Blaster and hit a poison rana, only for Tsuji to hit a running knee in the corner.

Tsuji went for the Marlowe Crash again, but Takeshita crotched him on the top rope. Super blue thunder bomb by Takeshita! I have literally never seen that before. Power Drive knee…connected! 1…2…Tsuji kicked out! Takeshita rolled down his kneepad and lined up another Power Drive knee…but ran into a headbutt! Their foreheads pressed together, both men challenged each other. They slumped to opposite corners, each setting for their trademark move…Gene Blaster versus Power Drive…Gene Blaster connected! Tsuji locked in the Boston crab! The ultimate humiliation for the man who was never a Young Lion, who was rejected from the dojo…Takeshita tapped!

WINNER: Yota Tsuji via submission in 29:00 to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, and retain the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship.. (****1/2)

• During Tsuji’s coronation promo, Jake Lee jumped him from behind. He flattened Tsuji with a Yakuza kick, tossed the belt on top of him, and nonchalantly strolled back out of the arena. He cracked a half-sneering smile as he did so.

(Lansdell’s Analysis: A phenomenal match, and as much as I did not want this outcome I cannot say it is the wrong one. I am starting to think that Tsuji is a four-star specialist, but can’t quite climb over that last hurdle to get to the full five. Even with arguably the best in the world right now, the match felt a little repetitive in some places with Tsuji’s offence. There’s no doubt the kid is legitimately excellent, but I keep waiting for him to take that last step that ascends him to the level of Tanahashi and Naito and Okada and Ospreay, and he just…can’t seem to do it. Can we honestly say he is any better now than he was two years ago? The match with Lee should be interesting, a good first defence that needs to be carefully handled to avoid immediately devaluing Lee.)

(7) HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. KAZUCHIKA OKADA – Hiroshi Tanahashi Retirement match

Given the likely unavailability of Shinsuke Nakamura, Okada was the best choice for this match. However I will never forgive the travesty of using his AEW theme and not the objectively correct classic NJPW Okada entrance music. Weirdly, Gedo accompanied Okada. Tanahashi had his usual entrance with added pyro, which seemed fitting.

Rocky Romero joined the commentary team. Last time that happened, Chris Charlton got himself in trouble…

Tanahashi went after the arm to open, going for an armbar. Okada rolled out, but ended up in a kimmura. Okada escaped with a headscissor lock. After a cheap shot, Okada grabbed a headlock. He whipped Tanahashi to the corner, but he ran into a crossbody. Tanahashi covered for a two-count, then played air guitar to the delight of the audience. He slammed Okada and went to the second rope for his trademark senton. Okada had other ideas and dropkicked Tanahashi off the ropes and to the outside. He joined Tanahashi on the floor, whipped him to the barricade, and kicked him over it. Okada dragged Tanahashi back over the barricade, dropping him with an Orton DDT on the floor.

Back in the ring, Okada continued his beatdown. Tanahashi tried to fight back but Okada planted him on the crown of his head with a nasty-looking DDT. Tanahashi sidestepped a charge in the corner and came back with a flying forearm to regain control. He slammed Okada and hit a somersault senton from the middle rope for a two-count at the ten-minute mark. Okada tried to throw Tanahashi out of the ring, but Tanahashi skinned the cat and came back with a pair of dragon screws. He went for a cloverleaf but Okada raked the eyes to block it. Tanahashi came back with a dropkick to the knees, and Okada rolled to the floor. Tanahashi went to the top…Aces High to the outside! With both men down at ringside, the referee counted. Tanahashi rolled in at eight, Okada tried to follow at 15 but was intercepted by Tanahash and a dragon screw in the ropes.

Okada hit a flapjack to change the momentum, then hit an air raid crash neckbreaker and a scoop slam. He hit an elbow drop from the top rope, then set himself for his trademark Rainmaker pose…and of course flipped the bird to the disgust of the Tokyo Dome and the disapproving head shake of Red Shoes. Tanahashi came back with a trio of Twist and Shouts at the 15-minute mark, then decided to run into a tombstone. Okada measured Tanahashi, then hit a shotgun dropkick to send Tanahashi to the floor once more. Okada dragged him up the entrance ramp, dropping him on his fool head with another tombstone. Okada walked back to the ring while Red Shoes checked on Tanahashi. The ref returned to the ring and started to count as Tanahashi started to stir. To the surprise of apparently half the Tokyo Dome, he made it back to the ring at 19.

Okada immediately hit a spinning tombstone, pulling Tanahashi up before the three count. He connected with a discus lariat…and again pulled Tanahashi up before the three. Rainmaker…Tanahashi blocked it! He teed off with a series of slaps, but Okada just ignored them and lariated the man’s head off anyway. He maintained his grip on Tanahashi’s wrist and hit another lariat, then went for another Rainmaker…Tanahashi ducked and hit a Rainmaker of his own! After a series of reversals, Okada hit the Rainmaker! 1…2…no! Okada looked amused, then applied a Boston crab. Tanahashi fought it, Okada sat back, and the commentators pleaded with Tanahashi to hold on. He managed to find the bottom rope, forcing a break.

Okada hit a typically gorgeous dropkick, but Tanahashi ducked another Rainmaker and hit a Slingblade. He locked in a sleeper as the crowd chanted “Go Ace!” Okada faded, Tanahashi released the hold and hit a PK. He channeled Nakamura with the mannerisms and pose, then hit a Boma Ye! From the top…High Fly Flow connected! 1…2…no! Both men were down as we passed 25 minutes. Tanahashi went for a dragon suplex, but Okada elbowed free. Tanahashi hit another Slingblade, then a beautiful bridging dragon suplex for a near fall. He went up top again…High Fly Flow! And a second High Fly…into the knees! Again both men were down as the crowd cheered for both men.

They traded strikes mid-ring. I only just noticed that the lion mark was not in the middle of the ring for this show. Tanahashi got the upper hand in the exchange, until Okada hit a dropkick. Tanahashi blocked a tombstone attempt as the 30-minute call rang out, and tried to lift Okada…who countered into a Destino! Okada hit a quick Naito pose, then hit a cobra flowsion, and then finally connected with a solid Rainmaker. 1…2…2.95! Okada demanded that Tanahashi get to his feet, only to slam him down. He hit the diving elbow, and…actually did the Rainmaker pose! Rainmaker connected! 1…2…3! Arigatou gozaimashita, Tanahashi-sama.

WINNER: Kazuchika Okada via pinfall in 33:00. (****)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Much like other emotional matches and moments, this gets a star bump for the significance of the moment. Tanahashi tried with everything he had left, but could not help looking like a shadow of his former self. I think this was the best we could have hoped to get from him, and we even got some story development with Okada needing to be “the old Okada” to put Tanahashi away. I might not have been watching NJPW during Tanahashi’s heyday as the best in the world, but that’s not needed in order to respect the man and his contributions.)

Okada bowed to Tanahashi before leaving the ring. Tanahashi lasted far longer than I would have done before bursting into tears. Heck, I was crying at my computer. A procession of Bushi Road suits presented Tanahashi with flowers. Switchblade Jay White’s music hit, and he began the procession of tributes to the legend. Tanahashi got ready for a fight, but White shook his head and bowed. Will Ospreay was next out, the man whose entrance theme never fails to give goosebumps. Kenny Omega and, to my utter shock, a limping Kota Ibushi came down next. I never thought Ibushi would be back on a New Japan show, but I guess this was always going to be the exception. Making him do that walk while recovering from what had to be his fiftieth leg surgery was likely the price for it.

Katsuyori Shibata came next, and had the biggest visible impact on Tanahashi. Shibata came down in character with his fingers in his ears and wearing his Opps shirt. He tore off the shirt, they traded a couple of chops, and embraced hard in the middle of the ring. Keiji Mutoh was sitting ringside, and he joined the growing contingent in the ring. Tatsumi Fujinami was the final member of the tribute committee, and they all left the ring to leave Tanahashi to…TESTSUYA NAITO! Because of who he is as a person, he kept everyone waiting while Tanahashi stood in the ring tapping his wrist. A masked man came out holding the GHC Tag Team Championships, and eventually Naito joined them. They ambled down the ramp, and it was in fact Bushi under that mask. He sprayed mist on his bouquet before handing it to Tanahashi.

Naito took the mic and did his usual spiel. He called Tanahashi a role model and said he would probably never wrestle in a New Japan ring again (to which Tanahashi nodded emphatically), but that he hoped to meet Tanahashi in New Japan again. Naito left Tanahashi alone in the ring, and surely that would be the end of the procession. Tanahashi took the mic as the wrestlers assembled at ringside pounded the apron. He thanked everyone for his career and for selling out Tokyo Dome, then played air guitar to the delight of the crowd. He asked for one last favour, for them to do a Mexican wave, then stood in the ring as they rang out a ten-bell salute.I thought that was for wrestlers who passed away, so it felt a bit weird. He posed to his theme before reluctantly leaving the ring, and until he did I was holding out hope for a Nakamura cameo.

Final thoughts: I feel awful saying this, but what a complete fumbling of the ball by New Japan. This was the biggest audience they have had for a show, by orders of magnitude, and they gave us a damp squib. Putting the Global and World champions in the same match took away a possible spotlight for a rising star. People who have been, and arguably should be, seen as the future of the promotion were buried in a clusterfuffle of an opening match. A new viewer coming out of this show likely only remembers three people who will be around for the next tour: Tsuji, Wolf, and Jake Lee. Obviously you want Tsuji in that spot, but Jake Lee is not the kind of person who has casual appeal. Wolf is something of a national hero in Japan, but is he ready for that much scrutiny and pressure? What about Umino, Uemura, Oiwa, or Fujita? If we give leeway to the company due to contractual uncertainties around Finlay, Kidd, and Connors there are still plenty of names who need to be elevated to fill those roles. This would have been a fine card for one of the lesser annual shows, but a seven-match Wrestle Kingdom with maybe two matches that anyone will remember is a really strange way to capitalize on the opportunity presented to you by the retirement of a genuine icon. I truly find myself baffled by almost every decision made, although most of the results made sense.