NJPW reveals full card for Wrestle Kingdom 17

NJPW has announced the full card for Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4.

As a result of their tournament wins on Wednesday, Lio Rush and YOH will face Francesco Akira and TJP for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles and YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto will face FTR for the IWGP Tag Team titles.

Following last night’s events that saw Karl Anderson lay out Tama Tonga, a NEVER title match between Anderson and Tonga has been added to the card as well.

The final match of Keiji Mutoh in NJPW will take place at Wrestle Kingdom 17, where he will team with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shota Umino against Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and BUSHI. An Antonio Inoki memorial match will also take place featuring Togi Makabe teaming with Satoshi Kojima and Yuji Nagata to take on Tatsumi Fujinami, Minoru Suzuki, and Tiger Mask.

Opening matches include the annual New Japan Ranbo battle royal and an exhibition match between NJPW young lions Ryohei Oiwa and Boltin Oleg. The final four in the battle royal will face each other in a match to determine the first KOPW champion of 2023 at New Year’s Dash on January 5.

Here is the full card for January 4:

  • IWGP World Heavyweight title: Jay White defends against Kazuchika Okada
  • IWGP United States title: Will Ospreay defends against Kenny Omega
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight title match: Taiji Ishimori defends against Hiromu Takahashi, El Desperado, and Master Wato in a four-way match
  • Keiji Mutoh, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Shota Umino vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and BUSHI
  • NEVER Openweight title: Karl Anderson defends against Tama Tonga
  • NJPW World TV title: Ren Narita vs. Zack Sabre Jr. to determine first champion
  • IWGP Tag Team titles: FTR defend against YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto
  • IWGP Women’s title: KAIRI defends against Tam Nakano
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles: Francesco Akira and TJP defend against Lio Rush and YOH
  • Antonio Inoki Memorial Six-Man Tag: Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima, and Yuji Nagata vs. Tatsumi Fujinami, Minoru Suzuki, and Tiger Mask
  • Opening match: KOPW 2023/New Japan Rambo
  • Opening match: Ryohei Oiwa vs. Boltin Oleg in an exhibition match