Empyrean Heaven
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For the 26th consecutive year, New Japan Pro-Wrestling will emanate from the world-famous Tokyo Dome on January 4th, 2017 for Wrestle Kingdom 11, their biggest event of the year. It is also the conclusion point for what has certainly been a tumultuous year for the company, having lost four of their biggest stars to WWE, but having rebounded by creating new stars that have brought them continued worldwide acclaim. And now, those stars will be put to the ultimate test in the Tokyo Dome, with eight championships on the line, in what promises to be a truly memorable event.
Live English commentary will be available once again for Wrestle Kingdom 11, with the Ring of Honor announce team of Kevin Kelly and “King of Old School” Steve Corino calling the action live on NJPWWorld.com, which you can sign up for just 999 yen (about $10) a month. However, if you don't mind waiting a week, the event will also air in four parts starting January 13th on AXS TV in the US, with the legendary Jim Ross and UFC legend Josh Barnett giving their play-by-play.
And now, LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!
Pre-Show Match – New Japan Rumble
For the third straight year, kicking off the event will be a special battle royal, being competed under Royal Rumble rules with 1-minute intervals, with wrestlers eliminated by pinfall, submission, disqualification, or the more traditional over-the-top-rope method. Thus far, six New Japan stars have been confirmed to compete, with former IWGP Heavyweight champions Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yuji Nagata, and Manabu Nakanishi, as well as former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight champions Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, and Ryusuke Taguchi all confirmed to be taking part in the action.
The event has previously also seen appearances from Japanese wrestling legends such as Hiro Saito, Shiro Koshinaka, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, The Great Kabuki, and even King Tonga aka Haku aka Meng competing. Hell, even Ring of Honor's own Cheeseburger made an appearance in last year's match, so you never know who may be showing up.
Match 1 – Tiger Mask W Special Match
Tiger Mask W vs. Tiger the Dark
The opening bout of Wrestle Kingdom 11 will be a special match promoting the pro-wrestling anime series Tiger Mask W, which is co-produced by NJPW and airs on their TV station TV-Asahi. Like the original Tiger Mask character of the 1970's, the new Tiger Mask has also made the leap from the screen to real-life, making his debut appearance at October's King of Pro-Wrestling defeating rival character Red Death Mask.
Now, he makes his long-awaited return, facing off with his arch-rival from the anime series, Tiger the Dark, a member of the Global Wrestling Monopoly (GWM for short) and a new take on the classic Black Tiger character. While we have yet to see him in action thus far, expect him to be a firm challenge as the anime characters come to life.
Also, Tiger Mask W is played by Kota Ibushi, and Tiger the Dark is rumored to be portrayed by ACH. So the match should be awesome just for that.
Match 2 – IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) (c) vs. Roppongi Vice (Beretta & Rocky Romero)
Since debuting in NJPW in late 2013, the Young Bucks have continued to prove their worth as one of the premier tag teams in the world as members of Bullet Club, currently holding the ROH and PWG Tag Team championships to go along with their record-setting fifth reign as IWGP Jr. Tag Team champions. But while some of the most unique high-flying offensive maneuvers in wrestling, not to mention a copious amount of superkicks, have led the brothers Jackson to fame and fortune in previous four-way bouts at Wrestle Kingdom, their first two-on-two Tokyo Dome encounter awaits them when they defend their belts against CHAOS's Roppongi Vice.
Taking their name from Tokyo's ritziest party district, the duo of Rocky Romero and (Trent) Beretta are themselves former two-time Jr. Tag champions, but faced a tough challenge in late 2016 as Romero's long losing streak led to dissension in the team, with Beretta threatening to split the team up on more than one occasion. However, the two were able to win the 2016 Super Jr. Tag Tournament, earning themselves a shot at the Young Bucks in the process. Expect high-flying, exciting action when these long-time rival teams face off for Jr. Tag gold.
Match 3 – NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship Gauntlet Match
Satoshi Kojima, Ricochet, and David Finlay (c) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA, EVIL, and BUSHI) vs. CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Will Ospreay, and Jado) vs. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi, and Hangman Page)
The NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag titles will mark their one-year anniversary with the titles being defended against representatives of all three of New Japan's top factions in a Gauntlet match. Better known as Tag Team Turmoil, the match begins with two teams squaring off. When a team is pinned or submits, they are eliminated, and another team takes their place, and the last team standing will be crowned the champions. The defending champs are the longest reigning and perhaps the most surprising in the title's short history, with legendary former IWGP Heavyweight champion Satoshi Kojima, owner of one of the best lariats in wrestling history, teaming up with the independent high-flying daredevil Ricochet, as well as David Finlay, a New Japan young lion with an undeniable pedigree - a fourth-generation wrestler and the son of the legendary David “Fit” Finlay - who saw great improvement in 2016.
The first group to oppose them represents Los Ingobernables de Japon, formed by Tetsuya Naito in late 2015 and composed of wrestlers who want to bring complete anarchy to New Japan. “Cold Skull” SANADA, a former protege of the legendary Keiji Mutoh in All Japan Pro-Wrestling and Wrestle-1, joined the group earlier this year and obtained great success, including several huge victories in the G1 Climax against Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, and Hiroshi Tanahashi. “King of Darkness” EVIL, formerly young lion Takaaki Watanabe, has gained a new attitude as a savage, intimidating brawler. Rounding out the team is the masked high-flyer BUSHI, who - while never making much of an impact competing in the Jr. Heavyweight division before an injury put him out of action for nearly a year, has become a feared competitor who frequently employs a poison mist attack to blind his opponents.
The next trio, representing the faction CHAOS, is led by YOSHI-HASHI, who grew from the faction's resident jobber into a major player, earning his first G1 Climax berth and a huge upset victory over eventual tournament winner Kenny Omega. He is joined by "Aerial Assassin" Will Ospreay, a British Jr. Heavyweight phenom who had a breakout 2016, including winning the Best of the Super Juniors and coming very close to knocking off Jr. Heavyweight champion KUSHIDA on a pair of occasions, while also briefly holding the ROH TV title and having a match with Ricochet that became a social media sensation. Lastly is Jado, a legendary former Jr. Heavyweight and Jr. Tag champion who has spent most of the last couple years competing in Pro Wrestling NOAH before returning to New Japan in December.
Finally, the Bullet Club contingent start with the monstrous 6' 4'' 300 lbs.+ “Underboss” Bad Luck Fale, whose massive strength and power has allowed him to pick up several huge wins over NJPW main eventers in recent years. Next comes “Tokyo Pimp” Yujiro Takahashi, one of only two native Japanese members of the faction, who makes up for his lack of wrestling skill by often distracting opponents with one of the bevy of beauties he often brings to the ring. Lastly, there is Adam “Hangman” Page, who normally wrestles for Ring of Honor, joining Bullet Club in 2016. Page often employs a noose in his arsenal (because he's a Hangman...get it?) and has quickly evolved into one of the group's most feared members.
Match 4 – Special Singles Match
Juice Robinson vs. Cody
Leaving WWE after a ten-year run, Cody Rhodes hit the ground running on the independent wrestling circuit, competing for TNA, PWG, Ring of Honor, Evolve, Progress, WCPW, and basically every other promotion under the sun. Thus, it was only a matter of time before “The American Nightmare” and the most popular non-WWE faction worldwide would cross paths, and at the World Tag League finals in December, Bullet Club leader Kenny Omega made the announcement that Cody was joining the group, and would make his NJPW debut at Wrestle Kingdom 11 – an announcement that didn't sit well with Juice Robinson.
An alumni of WWE's developmental promotions Florida Championship Wrestling and NXT as CJ Parker, Robinson was released in 2015, but - not wanting to give up on his dream of becoming a world-class wrestler - signed with NJPW later that year. While he began at the very bottom, often finding himself suffering losses against higher-profile opponents, a fan following began to blossom as fans responded to his positive attitude and his impressive in-ring performances, leading to several major upset wins in 2016. Robinson was offended by the fact that Cody would use New Japan as a place to obtain more notoriety rather than a place to improve, and challenged him to a singles match at Wrestle Kingdom 11, easily the highest-profile match he has ever been a part of. However, it may also be one of the biggest challenges of his career, as Cody's familial history as the son of the iconic “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes and world-class ability could spell a beautiful disaster for New Japan and it's fans.
Match 5 – Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Championship
Kyle O'Reilly (c) vs. Adam Cole
For the second consecutive year, the top prize in Ring of Honor – with whom NJPW has a working relationship – will be defended at Wrestle Kingdom, this time in a match featuring arguably the company's greatest rivalry. Kyle O'Reilly and Adam Cole broke into Ring of Honor together as the tag team Future Shock, and while never becoming ROH tag team champions, became among the top duos in the promotion. The two would go their separate ways, and would eventually form new groups, O'Reilly joining up with journeyman Bobby Fish as reDRagon and scoring several ROH tag team and IWGP Jr. tag title reigns, while Cole would form The Kingdom with Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, winning the ROH World Heavyweight title in the process. After the Kingdom disbanded, Cole would tease a reunion with O'Reilly only to stab him in the back once again, and in 2016 would join Bullet Club as the group's leader in Ring of Honor, going on to end Jay Lethal's year-plus long title reign for his second ROH championship.
However, Cole would find himself in the crosshairs of his former partner, and after a brutal No Disqualification match at Final Battle 2016, O'Reilly finally won his first ROH World Championship reign. Cole was quick to obtain a rematch, which will take place at Wrestle Kingdom. Will O'Reilly once again be able to fend off his greatest adversary? If not, then the hallowed halls of the Tokyo Dome will most certainly ring out with the sound of “ADAM COLE BABAY!!!”
Match 6 – IWGP Tag Team Championship Three-Way Match
Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) (c) vs. Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma) vs. CHAOS (Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii)
Tama Tonga was considered one of the lower-tier members of Bullet Club until early in 2016, when he announced he was bringing his brother Tanga Loa to New Japan to challenge for the IWGP Tag Team championships. The sons of the legendary King Haku, now known as the Guerrillas of Destiny made good on that legacy at Invasion Attack in April, defeating Great Bash Heel to win their first of two IWGP Tag Title Reigns. However, the ultra-popular duo of "Unchained Gorilla" Togi Makabe and "Everyone's Kokeshi" Tomoaki Honma would go on to defeat the GOD to become the first team to win back-to-back World Tag League tournaments, and were all set to challenge them at the Dome to try to reclaim their former glory as the top tag team in New Japan.
That is, until Toru Yano, as he often does, got himself involved where he wasn't wanted.
The CHAOS co-founder made his return from a long stint in Pro Wrestling NOAH in December, and after years of bringing mystery tag team partners to Wrestle Kingdom, announced that this time, he would be the mystery opponent, and, together with partner “Stone Pitbull” Tomohiro Ishii, challenged both GBH and GOD to make the match a 3-way one fall to a finish clash. And just to hammer the point home, he and Ishii attacked both teams and stole the tag belts, forcing New Japan to put them into the match. Considering the six men involved are among the wildest brawlers in the world today, expect nothing but pure bedlam in this match.
Match 7 – IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship
KUSHIDA (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi
Currently in his fourth reign as IWGP Jr. Heavyweight champion, “The Time Splitter” KUSHIDA has become the unquestioned ace of New Japan's Junior division, holding the title for most of 2016 and winning the Super J Cup in August. It seemed as though KUSHIDA had run out of challengers until Power Struggle in November, when a mysterious “Time Bomb” countdown vignette that had been seen during previous NJPW events came to an explosive end, revealing the return of Hiromu Takahashi to the company.
Best known for his time in Mexico's CMLL and in ROH as Kamaitachi, Takahashi would be reborn as the anarchistic “Ticking Time Bomb”, and would challenge KUSHIDA for a match at the Tokyo Dome. One month later at the World Tag League finals, Takahashi would assist Los Ingobernables de Japon in a victory over KUSHIDA, and accepted entry into the group as presented by leader Tetsuya Naito. Now having proven himself as one of the quickest, most unpredictable wrestlers on the planet, Takahashi looks to upend New Japan's biggest Jr. Heavyweight star in what should be an unforgettable affair.
Match 8 – NEVER Openweight Championship
Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
The story of Katsuyori Shibata and Hirooki Goto literally goes all the way back to high school, where the two grew up as best friends in their hometown of Kuwana before both achieving their dream of competing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. However, while Goto would go on to be one of the promotion's top stars, Shibata, on the verge of becoming a New Japan megastar, would leave the company to wrestle as a freelancer and later compete in Mixed-Martial Arts. When he returned to New Japan in 2012, he was branded a traitor, and had to work his way back into the fans' good graces, finally doing so when he claimed his first singles championship, the NEVER Openweight Title, after a hard-fought war with Tomohiro Ishii at Wrestle Kingdom 10.
For Goto, it is nearly the opposite story. Despite being a New Japan lifer who has never wavered in his loyalty to the promotion, Goto has gained a reputation of never being able to win the big one, as despite three New Japan Cup titles, two reigns as IWGP Intercontinental champion, and a G1 Climax victory, he has never been able to parlay that into a run as IWGP Heavyweight champion, having failed in 9 challenges for the company's top prize. After his latest defeat at the hands of Kazuchika Okada at New Beginning in February, Okada stunned Goto by offering him the chance to join CHAOS as its newest member, an invitation he initially refused. However, after falling short to Naito in the New Japan Cup finals, Okada would once again make his offer, which Goto accepted – a decision that didn't sit well with Shibata, his long-time tag team partner and best friend.
While the two men were kept apart for most of 2016, their rivalry was reignited during the World Tag League when Shibata pinned Goto in a tag match, with Goto returning the favor a few days later, making the challenge for Shibata's title. Considering that the NEVER Openweight Championship is all about hard-hitting Strong Style pro-wrestling and considering that these two men are geniuses at doing just that, expect sheer brutality when these two collide in the Tokyo Dome.
Match 9 – IWGP Intercontinental Championship
Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
For many years, Tetsuya Naito was seen as the future ace of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and the man who would take over the legacy left behind by Hiroshi Tanahashi, the company's biggest star. However, the fans would never take to Naito as Tanahashi's successor, which was shown in full effect at Wrestle Kingdom 8, where the fans voted for Naito's IWGP title challenge against Kazuchika Okada to take a back seat to Hiroshi Tanahashi facing Shinsuke Nakamura for the Intercontinental Championship. A year and a half later after an excursion to Mexico, Naito would return to Japan a changed man who no longer respected the fans, management, and other wrestlers in New Japan and would join up with EVIL and BUSHI to form Los Ingobernables de Japon. This new attitude would lead to a new level of popularity for the now-rebellious Naito, as he would finally gain the IWGP Heavyweight title at Invasion Attack in April from Okada, and after losing the title back to him, would gain the IWGP Intercontinental Title from Michael Elgin at Destruction in September, becoming the first wrestler in NJPW history to hold all four of the promotion's heavyweight titles.
On the other hand, it was a rough year for Tanahashi. After being defeated by Okada in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 10, he would also lose out on the Intercontinental championship as he was defeated by Kenny Omega in a decision match at New Beginning the next month. While Tanahashi was set to take part in New Japan's first-ever ladder match for the IC title at Dominion, an injured shoulder forced him to pull out of the match, and he was later unable to successfully defend his crown as G1 Climax champion, being forced out of the finals when his match with arch-rival Okada went to a 30-minute draw.
After Naito successfully defended the IC title against Jay Lethal at Power Struggle, Tanahashi would step up to Naito to challenge him for the Tokyo Dome, stating he wanted one last opportunity to show that he was still the ace. After all, Tanahashi's 8-2 record at Wrestle Kingdom is unparalleled, as well as his eight times appearing in the Tokyo Dome main event, while Naito has yet to win a Wrestle Kingdom singles match. Does the now 40-year-old Tanahashi have one more classic performance in him? Or will Naito finally end the run of arguably the biggest star in Japanese wrestling history?
Match 10 – IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Kenny Omega
At Wrestle Kingdom 10, Kenny Omega was stuck in the midcard, losing his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight title against KUSHIDA. The next day at Korakuen Hall, he made a decision that would change the face of New Japan forever, when he dropped fellow Bullet Club member AJ Styles with his signature One-Winged Angel finisher, leading the rest of the group in kicking Styles out of the group (and out of NJPW altogether) and uniting behind Omega as the new leader. Thus began a meteoric rise for “The Cleaner”, as he would capture the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in a decision match against Hiroshi Tanahashi, and later team with The Young Bucks as the Bullet Club's “Elite” to become NEVER Openweight Six-man Tag Champions as well.
While Omega would go on to lose both titles, he would then go on to enter the G1 Climax and, in an incredible five star-rated affair, would upset Tetsuya Naito to earn a spot in the finals, where he upended Hirooki Goto to become the first-ever gaijin to win New Japan's most prestigious tournament, and earn an IWGP Heavyweight championship opportunity at Wrestle Kingdom 11. After successfully defending his title shot against both YOSHI-HASHI and Goto, Omega would finally set his sights on the one man standing between him and the biggest prize in Japanese pro-wrestling, Kazuchika Okada.
It has been an eventful year for "The Rainmaker", one begun by him finally dispelling the looming shadow of Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 10 and standing firm as the undisputed new ace of New Japan. With the departure of Shinsuke Nakamura, Okada would become CHAOS's solitary leader as well, and, other than a short stint of losing his title to Naito, would reign as IWGP champion for nearly the entirety of 2016, successfully defeating the likes of Bad Luck Fale and even Pro Wrestling NOAH ace Naomichi Marufuji in recent months. However, he has seemingly had no answers for Omega, being defeated by him after a One-Winged Angel in a tag match at Power Struggle, being dropped with another One-Winged Angel at the World Tag League finals, and most recently, being hit with a third One-Winged Angel, this time through a table, at the final show of the year for New Japan, which required that he be taken out of Korakuen Hall on a stretcher.
So now, it comes to this. With seemingly an entire nation behind him, can Kazuchika Okada withstand the challenge from Bullet Club's final boss? Or will Kenny Omega truly reach godhood by ending Okada's reign atop New Japan, and claim what he believes is his destiny in the biggest match of his career? At Wrestle Kingdom 11, one thing is for sure – it's going to be one hell of a match.
