Four matches added to NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18

Four matches have been added to NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 set for Thursday, January 4, 2024 at the Tokyo Dome. 

As was expected following an angle at Saturday’s Power Struggle event, AEW’s Bryan Danielson will take on Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom in a rematch from this past June’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view. Danielson issued a challenge to Okada for the rematch in a video promo played Saturday and Okada quickly accepted the challenge in a follow-up promo. 

AEW’s Jon Moxley is also set for action at Wrestle Kingdom, as he will challenge IWGP US/UK Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay, as well as Bullet Club’s David Finlay in a three-way for the US/UK title. There had been speculation that this match would be for a resurrected Intercontinental title after Finlay destroyed the US/UK title belts at Power Struggle, but the match is officially billed as a US/UK Championship bout at the moment. 

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi will defend his title at the Tokyo Dome against career rival El Desperado in a bout that was all but announced at Power Struggle as Hiromu called out Desperado as his next challenger. 

The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship will be defended as Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) defend against United Empire’s Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira) after the latter duo won the Super Junior Tag League finals at Power Struggle. 

A change in start time has also been announced for the show which will begin at 4:30 PM local time/2:30 a.m. Eastern time, a half hour earlier than originally announced.

The official lineup for the show thus far: 

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18, Thursday, January 4, 2:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA defends against G1 winner Tetsuya Naito
  • Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada
  • IWGP United States/United Kingdom Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay defends against Jon Moxley & David Finlay in a three-way
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defends against El Desperado
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) defend against United Empire Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira)