IWGP Women’s title match official for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19
The IWGP Women’s Championship will be defended at the Tokyo Dome at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19.
Mayu Iwatani is putting her belt on the line against AZM at the January 4 show. That match is now official after being set up over the weekend at NJPW & Stardom’s Historic X-Over event.
Iwatani made a successful title defense against Momo Watanabe at Historic X-Over and then declared that she wanted a match at Wrestle Kingdom. AZM, owning a victory over Iwatani from Stardom’s 5 Star Grand Prix tournament this year, made her way out to challenge the champion. AZM had been on the winning side of a six-woman tag match earlier in the night, teaming with Mei Seira & Miyu Amasaki to defeat Konami, Rina & Ruaka.
Following Kairi and Mercedes Mone, Iwatani is the third IWGP Women’s Champion in history. She’s held the title since April 2023. This will be the second time the championship has ever been defended at the Tokyo Dome.
Eight matches have now been confirmed for Wrestle Kingdom. The show will stream live on NJPW World.
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 (Saturday, January 4) —
- IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Shota Umino
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. EVIL
- IWGP Global Champion David Finlay defends against Yota Tsuji
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion DOUKI defends against El Desperado
- Three-way match: NJPW World TV Champion Ren Narita defends against Jeff Cobb and Ryohei Oiwa
- Four-way match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight defend against Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita, TJP & Francesco Akira, and Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney
- NEVER Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi defends against Konosuke Takeshita (Takeshita’s AEW International Championship will also be on the line if still champion)
- IWGP Women’s Champion Mayu Iwatani defends against AZM