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[[File:Kazuchika Okada 2016.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Kazuchika Okada]], the defending and longest-reigning [[IWGP Heavyweight Champion]]]]
[[File:Kazuchika Okada 2016.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Kazuchika Okada]], the defending and longest-reigning [[IWGP Heavyweight Champion]]]]
On August 13, 2017, Naito defeated Kenny Omega in the finals to win the 2017 G1 Climax. With Naito now being fully embraced by NJPW fans, this was seen as the conclusion of a four-year arch that started at the 2013 G1 Climax, where he was rejected by the same fans.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/731859/ | script-title=ja:【新日Ｇ１】内藤が３４分３５秒大激闘の末にケニー撃破　４年ぶり２度目Ｖ | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/news/1871871.html | script-title=ja:内藤Ｇ１史上最長制覇、死闘34分35秒の「運命」 | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Nikkan Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2017/08/14/0010460678.shtml | script-title=ja:内藤Ｖ「主役はオレ」　Ｇ１史上最長試合でオメガ粉砕…４年前の“リベンジ” | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=Daily Sports Online | publisher=[[Kobe Shimbun]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> Following the win, Naito gained possession of the [[Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate]], which granted him a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 12.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/732540/ | script-title=ja:【新日】Ｇ１覇者・内藤が「ＩＷＧＰ挑戦権利証」獲得　防衛戦に石井を指名 | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> On October 9 at [[King of Pro-Wrestling (2017)|King of Pro-Wrestling]], Naito successfully defended the certificate against [[Tomohiro Ishii]], while Kazuchika Okada successfully defended the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against [[Evil (wrestler)|Evil]], setting up the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 12 between champion Okada and challenger Naito.<ref name=KOPW2017WON>{{cite web | url = http://www.f4wonline.com/japan/njpw-king-pro-wrestling-live-results-kazuchika-okada-vs-evil-244191 | title = NJPW King of Pro Wrestling live results: Kazuchika Okada vs. Evil | last=Rose | first=Bryan | date=October 8, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.pwinsider.com/article/112802/the-official-main-event-for-njpw-wrestlekingdom-is.html?p=1 | title = The official main event for NJPW WrestleKingdom is.... | last=Johnson | first=Mike | date=October 9, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref> The match was officially announced in a press conference the following day.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/791776/ | script-title=ja:【新日】内藤哲也　１・４東京ドームのオカダ戦正式決定「まさにデスティーノ」 | date=October 10, 2017 | accessdate=October 10, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref><ref name=PCDS>{{cite web | url = https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2017/10/10/0010630135.shtml | script-title=ja:新日本１・４ＩＷＧＰ戦決定　オカダ「世界を考えたら内藤さんは物足りない」 | date=October 10, 2017 | accessdate=October 10, 2017 | work=Daily Sports Online | publisher=[[Kobe Shimbun]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> Okada has held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship ever since defeating Naito at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall and enters the match as the longest-reigning champion in the title's history.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/744789/ | script-title=ja:【新日本】オカダ　IWGP最長政権樹立見えた | date=August 25, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> This match marks Okada's fourth consecutive and overall fifth Wrestle Kingdom main event, while Naito has never main evented the show before.<ref name=PCDS/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/791104/ | script-title=ja:【新日】オカダがＩＷＧＰ王座Ｖ８　１・４東京ドームで内藤と激突へ | date=October 10, 2017 | accessdate=October 10, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref>
On August 13, 2017, Naito defeated Kenny Omega in the finals to win the 2017 G1 Climax. With Naito now being fully embraced by NJPW fans, this was seen as the conclusion of a four-year arc that started at the 2013 G1 Climax, where he was rejected by the same fans.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/731859/ | script-title=ja:【新日Ｇ１】内藤が３４分３５秒大激闘の末にケニー撃破　４年ぶり２度目Ｖ | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/news/1871871.html | script-title=ja:内藤Ｇ１史上最長制覇、死闘34分35秒の「運命」 | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Nikkan Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2017/08/14/0010460678.shtml | script-title=ja:内藤Ｖ「主役はオレ」　Ｇ１史上最長試合でオメガ粉砕…４年前の“リベンジ” | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=Daily Sports Online | publisher=[[Kobe Shimbun]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> Following the win, Naito gained possession of the [[Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate]], which granted him a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 12.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/732540/ | script-title=ja:【新日】Ｇ１覇者・内藤が「ＩＷＧＰ挑戦権利証」獲得　防衛戦に石井を指名 | date=August 14, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> On October 9 at [[King of Pro-Wrestling (2017)|King of Pro-Wrestling]], Naito successfully defended the certificate against [[Tomohiro Ishii]], while Kazuchika Okada successfully defended the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against [[Evil (wrestler)|Evil]], setting up the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 12 between champion Okada and challenger Naito.<ref name=KOPW2017WON>{{cite web | url = http://www.f4wonline.com/japan/njpw-king-pro-wrestling-live-results-kazuchika-okada-vs-evil-244191 | title = NJPW King of Pro Wrestling live results: Kazuchika Okada vs. Evil | last=Rose | first=Bryan | date=October 8, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.pwinsider.com/article/112802/the-official-main-event-for-njpw-wrestlekingdom-is.html?p=1 | title = The official main event for NJPW WrestleKingdom is.... | last=Johnson | first=Mike | date=October 9, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref> The match was officially announced in a press conference the following day.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/791776/ | script-title=ja:【新日】内藤哲也　１・４東京ドームのオカダ戦正式決定「まさにデスティーノ」 | date=October 10, 2017 | accessdate=October 10, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref><ref name=PCDS>{{cite web | url = https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2017/10/10/0010630135.shtml | script-title=ja:新日本１・４ＩＷＧＰ戦決定　オカダ「世界を考えたら内藤さんは物足りない」 | date=October 10, 2017 | accessdate=October 10, 2017 | work=Daily Sports Online | publisher=[[Kobe Shimbun]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> Okada has held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship ever since defeating Naito at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall and enters the match as the longest-reigning champion in the title's history.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/744789/ | script-title=ja:【新日本】オカダ　IWGP最長政権樹立見えた | date=August 25, 2017 | accessdate=October 9, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref> This match marks Okada's fourth consecutive and overall fifth Wrestle Kingdom main event, while Naito has never main evented the show before.<ref name=PCDS/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/791104/ | script-title=ja:【新日】オカダがＩＷＧＰ王座Ｖ８　１・４東京ドームで内藤と激突へ | date=October 10, 2017 | accessdate=October 10, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=Japanese}}</ref>


[[File:Kenny Omega IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kenny Omega]], who defends the [[IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship]] as part of the show's double main event]]
[[File:Kenny Omega IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kenny Omega]], who defends the [[IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship]] as part of the show's double main event]]

Revision as of 10:22, 14 December 2017

Wrestle Kingdom 12
Promotional poster for the event, featuring various NJPW wrestlers
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateJanuary 4, 2018
CityTokyo, Japan
VenueTokyo Dome
Tagline(s)"Pro Wrestling Together! 1.4!!" (Japanese: みんなでプロレス! イッテンヨン!!, Hepburn: Minnade Puroresu! Ittenyon!!)[1]
Event chronology
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Fan Festa 2018 		Next →
New Year Dash!!
Wrestle Kingdom chronology
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Wrestle Kingdom 11 		Next →
—

Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome is an upcoming professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event is scheduled to take place on January 4, 2018, at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It will be the 27th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show, which is NJPW's biggest annual event and has been called "the largest wrestling show in the world outside of the United States" and the "Japanese equivalent to the Super Bowl".[3][4]

The show will be headlined by Kazuchika Okada defending the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against the winner of the 2017 G1 Climax, Tetsuya Naito, in a rematch from Wrestle Kingdom 8 in 2014. The second match of the show's "double main event" will see Kenny Omega defending the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against Chris Jericho, the latter of whom will be returning to the NJPW ring after nearly 20 years away from the promotion.

Five other title matches have also been announced for the show with Hiroshi Tanahashi defending the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Jay White, Marty Scurll defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in a four-way match against Hiromu Takahashi, Kushida and Will Ospreay, Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) defending the IWGP Tag Team Championship against the 2017 World Tag League winners Los Ingobernables de Japon (Evil and Sanada), Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) and Cody defending the Ring of Honor (ROH) World Championship against Kota Ibushi.

Production

Background

Wrestle Kingdom 12 was officially announced on August 13, 2017, during the finals of the 2017 G1 Climax.[5] Jurina Matsui of SKE48 was appointed the special ambassador of the event.[1] The event will air live through NJPW's internet streaming site, NJPW World, with English commentary provided by Kevin Kelly and Don Callis.[6]

Chris Jericho will wrestle his first NJPW match in nearly two decades at the event

Takaaki Kidani announced that NJPW looked to get 30,000 fans in attendance for the show.[7] Tickets for the event went on sale on October 25, 2017.[8] NJPW was said to have been shocked at the large number of tickets sold outside of Japan with the situation being described as "like nothing before for any Japanese pro wrestling show in history".[9] On November 27, NJPW announced that ticket sales were up 80% from the previous year with 20,000 tickets having already been sold.[2]

The event will feature a special appearance by Chris Jericho, who is set to wrestle his first NJPW match in nearly two decades against Kenny Omega. Billed as "Alpha vs. Omega", the match will mark Jericho's first match outside of WWE since 1999. Jericho previously worked for NJPW in 1997, originally as the masked Super Liger, before returning to the Chris Jericho name.[10] Jericho's last NJPW match before Wrestle Kingdom 12 took place on September 23, 1998.[11] He most recently worked for WWE in July 2017,[12] but was now a free agent.[13] Jericho came up with the idea for the match after seeing the August 2017 fight between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr. and how much money it made. Wanting to put together a match he thought fans would never think possible, he picked Omega as his opponent. Jericho then reached out to his and Omega's mutual friend, NJPW color commentator Don Callis, who contacted Omega, who then talked to NJPW booker Gedo, Jericho's tag team partner from 20 years ago. The two sides met in New York City and negotiated for several weeks, before the deal for the match was reached. At that time, Jericho's appearance at Wrestle Kingdom 12 was scheduled to be a one-time deal.[14] Jericho called the match a throwback to the 1980s, where wrestlers would travel overseas for matches and stated that the match would push promotions to think more and be more creative.[15]

Behind the scenes, Jericho became part of a group of people that started pushing for the show to air on American pay-per-view (PPV) for the first time since Wrestle Kingdom 9 in 2015. Some in NJPW felt that airing the show through NJPW World would be enough, hoping that the Jericho signing would increase subscriber numbers. While NJPW was now considered more popular than in 2015, when Wrestle Kingdom 9 did 14,000 buys on American PPV, it was noted that the 2018 show would take place early Thursday morning in the United States as opposed to a weekend like it did in 2015, which was seen as a major negative in terms of getting buys from the country.[16] In late November, it was reported that NJPW had turned down Fite TV's offer for PPV rights outside of Japan and would not be allowing the event to air on American PPV, wanting their streaming service to be the only way to see the event live.[17] On December 3, it was announced that the top matches from the show would air on AXS TV on January 6, 2018, as part of an 11-hour block of NJPW programming with additional matches airing between January 12 and February 9.[18][19]

Storylines

See also: Professional wrestling

Wrestle Kingdom 12 will feature professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.[20]

Tetsuya Naito, the winner of the 2017 G1 Climax and the number one contender to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Wrestle Kingdom 12 will be main evented by Kazuchika Okada defending the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Tetsuya Naito. The storyline behind the match dates back to 2013, when Naito won the G1 Climax tournament to earn a shot at Okada and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 8 on January 4, 2014. However, at that time, Naito, despite being a clean cut babyface, was disliked by NJPW fans, which led to the company changing their course of action, announcing a fan vote to determine whether the match between Okada and Naito or an IWGP Intercontinental Championship match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Hiroshi Tanahashi would main event Wrestle Kingdom 8. Nakamura and Tanahashi won the vote, resulting in Okada and Naito losing their main event spot. Okada went on to defeat Naito in the match to retain the title.[21][22] In the summer of 2015, Naito traveled to Mexico to work for the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) promotion, where he joined the villainous Los Ingobernables stable.[21] Upon his return to NJPW, Naito, using the NJPW fans' rejection of him as a catalyst, completely reinvented his character, eventually leading to him forming the Los Ingobernables de Japon stable.[21] Despite now being a villain, fans eventually started getting behind Naito with Los Ingobernables de Japon merchandise becoming NJPW's top seller.[21] When Naito defeated Okada at Invasion Attack 2016 on April 10 to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the first time, he had the crowd solidly behind him.[21] Naito eventually went on to lose the title back to Okada on June 19, 2016, at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall.[23]

Kazuchika Okada, the defending and longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion

On August 13, 2017, Naito defeated Kenny Omega in the finals to win the 2017 G1 Climax. With Naito now being fully embraced by NJPW fans, this was seen as the conclusion of a four-year arc that started at the 2013 G1 Climax, where he was rejected by the same fans.[24][25][26] Following the win, Naito gained possession of the Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate, which granted him a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 12.[27] On October 9 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Naito successfully defended the certificate against Tomohiro Ishii, while Kazuchika Okada successfully defended the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Evil, setting up the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 12 between champion Okada and challenger Naito.[28][29] The match was officially announced in a press conference the following day.[30][31] Okada has held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship ever since defeating Naito at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall and enters the match as the longest-reigning champion in the title's history.[32] This match marks Okada's fourth consecutive and overall fifth Wrestle Kingdom main event, while Naito has never main evented the show before.[31][33]

Kenny Omega, who defends the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship as part of the show's double main event

On November 5, 2017, at Power Struggle, Chris Jericho made a surprise return to NJPW, appearing in a video, where he challenged Kenny Omega to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome. The challenge was quickly accepted by Omega, who had been engaged in a "Twitter feud" with his fellow Winnipegger over the past weeks.[12][34] The match, contested for Omega's IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, was officially announced the following day.[13] Due to the high-profile status of the match, Omega began petitioning for Wrestle Kingdom 12 to have a "double main event" much like the Wrestle Kingdom shows had had in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Omega stated that he agreed that Okada and Naito should have the final match of the show, but felt that he and Jericho should have the second to last match, claiming that just four months after the creation of the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, he had already made it the number two title in NJPW over the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.[35] Jericho made his in person return at the December 11 show, attacking and bloodying Omega following his match, while also laying out a referee, a young lion and Don Callis.[36][37] At a press conference the following day, Omega stated that with the attack Jericho had turned their upcoming "gentleman's contest" into a fight, before attacking his Wrestle Kingdom 12 opponent.[38] During the same conference, NJPW officially announced that Wrestle Kingdom 12 would feature a double main event with the IWGP Heavyweight and United States Heavyweight Championship matches.[39]

In the IWGP Intercontinental Championship match, Hiroshi Tanahashi will defend the title against Jay White.[13] White joined NJPW in January 2015 and worked for the promotion as a young lion until June 2016, when he left for an indefinite learning excursion to the United States, where he worked for Ring of Honor (ROH).[13] During the 2017 G1 Climax, NJPW started airing vignettes for an individual dubbed "Switchblade", who was announced as making his debut on November 5 at Power Struggle.[40] Following the main event of the show, where Tanahashi successfully defended the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Kota Ibushi, Switchblade was revealed as the returning Jay White, who confronted Tanahashi and challenged him to a title match at Wrestle Kingdom 12, before laying him out with the Shellshock.[41] The following day, NJPW officially announced the match between Tanahashi and White for Wrestle Kingdom 12.[42] In December, Tanahashi was sidelined with a knee injury when an MRI discovered arthritis and water in his knee. However, as he had a long history of working hurt and not missing major shows, it was noted that the injury would have to be "unbearably bad" for him to miss Wrestle Kingdom 12.[43]

Marty Scurll, who defends the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in the first four-way match in the title's history

Wrestle Kingdom 12 will also feature the first-ever four-way match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, where Marty Scurll defends the title against Hiromu Takahashi, Kushida and Will Ospreay.[13] The match was set up through a series of title challenges in the second half of 2017. After Kushida had successfully defended the title against El Desperado on September 16 at Destruction in Hiroshima, he was confronted by Takahashi, who was ready to challenge him to a title match. However, before Takahashi could complete his challenge, he was knocked out by Ospreay,[44] who took the title match for himself and went on to defeat Kushida to become the new champion on October 9 at King of Pro-Wrestling. Following the match, Takahashi again came out to issue a title challenge, but was again interrupted, this time by Scurll, who snapped his fingers and made his own challenge to Ospreay.[28] This led to a match on November 5 at Power Struggle, where Scurll defeated Ospreay to become the new champion. Following the match, Scurll and Ospreay continued arguing, while Kushida came out to challenge Scurll to a title match at Wrestle Kingdom 12. Finally, Takahashi also came out, this time wearing a helmet and gloves to prevent the other challengers from knocking him out or breaking his fingers, and made his own title challenge. Scurll then declared that he would take on all three challengers.[45] The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship has previously been defended in a three-way match, with Prince Devitt defending the title against Kota Ibushi and Low Ki at Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome, but this marks the first four-way for the title.[13]

Roppongi 3K after winning both the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship and the 2017 Super Jr. Tag Tournament en route to Wrestle Kingdom 12
Sanada (left) and Evil (right) (pictured with Bushi), the winners of the 2017 World Tag League

On October 9 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu made their return to NJPW from their overseas learning excursion, when they were revealed as Rocky Romero's new mystery team Roppongi 3K. Working under the names "Sho" and "Yoh", the two defeated Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions in their first match back.[28][46] The following month at Power Struggle, Roppongi 3K also won the 2017 Super Jr. Tag Tournament by defeating Taguchi and ACH in the finals, becoming the first team to win the annual tournament as the reigning champions.[45] Following the win, the two were challenged by The Young Bucks, which was accepted by Romero,[41] who had significant history with the two involving the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship and his previous team Roppongi Vice.[47] Ever since their NJPW debut in October 2013, The Young Bucks had become synonymous with the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship with their six title reigns.[13] Though the two teams had faced off in ROH during Sho and Yoh's excursion, this marks the first match between the teams since Sho and Yoh's "rebirth" as Roppongi 3K.[13]

Also at Power Struggle, Cody confronted Kota Ibushi after he had been defeated by Tanahashi in the main event, offering to defend the ROH World Championship against him at Wrestle Kingdom 12. The match was officially announced the following day. Prior to Wrestle Kingdom 12, Cody has multiple title defenses scheduled and should he lose the title, the match on January 4 will instead be contested as a non-title "special singles match".[13][42] Prior to the Chris Jericho announcement, Ibushi had been seen as a possible opponent for Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12,[42] with the two former tag team partners having teased a match against each other since Ibushi's June 2017 return to NJPW.[48][49][50] Ibushi, now facing Cody instead, saw the ROH World Championship as a way of getting another shot at the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, which he considered a superior title.[51]

On December 11, Los Ingobernables de Japon members Evil and Sanada defeated Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) to win the 2017 World Tag League. Traditionally, the winners of the tournament have earned a shot at the IWGP Tag Team Championship at the January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and following the win, Evil and Sanada called out reigning champions, Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer), and challenged them to a title match, which they accepted.[52] The match was officially announced the following day.[53] Evil and Sanada are two thirds of the reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions with stablemate Bushi, but decided to put that title on hold in order to challenge for the tag team title at the biggest event of the year. The three were looking to defend the title the day after Wrestle Kingdom 12,[54] but NJPW instead announced that they would defend it against the Guerrillas of Destiny and Bad Luck Fale on December 17.[53]


Matches

No.Matches*[55]Stipulations
1Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Tetsuya NaitoSingles match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
2Kenny Omega (c) vs. Chris JerichoSingles match for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship
3Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Jay WhiteSingles match for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
4Marty Scurll (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Kushida vs. Will OspreayFour-way match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
5Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) (c) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson)Tag team match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
6Cody (c) vs. Kota IbushiSingles match for the ROH World Championship
7Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) (c) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Evil and Sanada)Tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match
*Card subject to change

See also

References

  1. ^ a b SKE48松井珠理奈がアンバサダーに 新日本プロレス「Wrestle Kingdom 12 in 東京ドーム」来春開催. HMV (in Japanese). October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  2. ^ a b 【お知らせ】『Wrestle Kingdom 12 in 東京ドーム』の前売り券販売が“20,000枚”を突破!!【WK12】. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). November 27, 2017. Archived from the original on November 27, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  3. ^ "GFW News: New Japan Pro Wrestling "Wrestle Kingdom 9" press conference details". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. December 23, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  4. ^ Keller, Wade (December 13, 2016). "New Japan's WrestleKingdom 11 to air on AXS TV starting Jan. 13 in four weekly special episodes with Ross & Barnett on commentary". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  5. ^ Rose, Bryan (August 12, 2017). "NJPW G1 Climax 27 finals live results: Tetsuya Naito vs. Kenny Omega". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  6. ^ Namako, Jason (November 6, 2017). "Matches set for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12 on January 4". Wrestleview. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  7. ^ Currier, Joseph (November 5, 2017). "Daily Update: Chris Jericho, Wrestle Kingdom card, UFC 217". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  8. ^ Currier, Joseph (October 25, 2017). "Daily Update: Wrestle Kingdom tickets, Neville, Jeff Jarrett". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  9. ^ Meltzer, Dave (October 30, 2017). "October 30, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE TLC reviewed, Survivor Series lineup, plus tons of news". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California. p. 54. ISSN 1083-9593.
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