NJPW: Wrestle Kingdom 15

[GD]

https://www.wrestlekingdom.jp/images/top/img_logo00.png

Night 1

IWGP Heavyweight Championship & IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match
IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito vs Kota Ibushi

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.4_Naito-vs-Ibushi.jpg

Kazuchika Okada vs Will Ospreay

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.4_Okada-vs-Ospreay.jpg

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Great-O-Khan

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.4_Tanahashi-vs-O-KHAN.jpg

IWGP United States Championship "Right to Challenge" Contract Match
KENTA (contract holder) vs Satoshi Kojima
https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/wk15_0104_03-NEW.jpg

IWGP Tag Team Championship Match
Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr.) vs Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa)

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.4_TaichiZack-vs-TamaLoa.jpg

#1 Contender's Match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Hiromu Takahashi vs El Phantasmo

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.4_Hiromu-vs-ELP.jpg

22-Man New Japan Rambo (final four advance to challenge for the KOPW 2021 trophy on Night 2) (Dark Match)


Night 2

IWGP Heavyweight Championship & IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match
IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Champion (Tetsuya Naito or Kota Ibushi) vs Jay White

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.5_X-vs-Jay.jpg

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori vs (Hiromu Takahashi or El Phantasmo)

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.5_Ishimori-vs-X.jpg

SANADA vs EVIL

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.5_Sanada-vs-Evil.jpg

NEVER Openweight Championship Match
NEVER Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi vs Jeff Cobb

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.5_Takagi-vs-Cobb.jpg

IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship Match
IWGP Junior Tag Team Champions Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) vs One or Eight (Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato)

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.5_DespeKanemaru-vs-TaguchiWato.jpg

Fatal 4 Way Match for the KOPW 2021 Trophy

https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1.5_KOPW2021_X.jpg

6-Woman Tag Team Match (Dark Match)
Queen's Quest (Saya Kamitani, AZM, and Utami Hayashishita) vs Donna Del Mondo (Maika, Natsupoi, and Himeka)

Mayu Iwatani and Tam Nakano vs. Donna Del Mondo (Syuri and Giulia) (Dark Match)

<iframe width="800" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sc85_efX59c" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>



<marquee>https://www.njpw1972.com/wp-content/themes/njpw-en/images/logo_01.png</marquee>

[GD]

I sincerely hope that Ibushi finally wins the IWGP Heavyweight title. Is anyone else "underwhelmed" by Jay White?

[Jordan]

I haven't watched NJPW since Wrestlebone last year. I'm just not that into it anymore. This card feels like I've seen it before. I'm sure the matches will be great I'm just so distant from the product now. I think this will be the first time I don't watch since Wrestlebone 9.

[Jordan]

I sincerely hope that Ibushi finally wins the IWGP Heavyweight title. Is anyone else "underwhelmed" by Jay White?

Yeah I totally understand the Jay White sentiment. He is obviously capable of great stuff it's just the slow start in long matches and usually fuckery finishes wears tired more and more.

[Evil Vito]

Tokyo about to go under a state of emergency so it’s possible this winds up getting cancelled or fans will be disallowed, meaning performing in front of a gigantic empty Tokyo Dome.

[Evil Vito]

Totally get Jordan’s sentiment though. Naito and Ibushi wrestled so many times in the past few years. SANADA and EVIL have worked a couple of G1s. Hiromu and Ishimori will always put on a good match but again, it’s been done so many times.

I can’t completely fault the company because it’s been a weird year to manage with the pandemic but it’s easily the least interested I’ve been in a WK since I started following the product a few years ago.

Add it to the fact that I’m not gonna be able to watch live this year, I’ve been off last week and will have a shitload to do at work on Monday so I’m not getting up at 2 AM. Don’t know if this card would prompt me to watch live even if I could.

[GD]

It’d be a bummer if the show got cancelled. I wouldn’t mind an empty dome show.

[ClockShot]

I sincerely hope that Ibushi finally wins the IWGP Heavyweight title. Is anyone else "underwhelmed" by Jay White?

I don't have a problem with Jay White.

I'm just not ready for another heavyweight title reign from him this soon.

They gotta pull the trigger on Ibushi here.

[slik]

did the evil guy lose the title??

[GD]

did the evil guy lose the title??

Yeah man! He lost both titles back to Naito at Summer Struggle.

[Volare]

For once I'm off for both fucking nights...holy god!

[rez]

Someone give me a link to send my support.

Helm gave me support to tell the King and his goons to fuck off. I'll eat their balls in my new air fryer

[slik]

haven't watched new japan in forever and am reminded it has the best camera work in wrestling

[slik]

stream for anyone who needs it

http://taima.tv/r/wooo

[DaveWadding]

TORU YANO IS THE ACE OF NEW JAPAN AND THE KING OF PRO WRESTLING

[DaveWadding]

They really did Ishii dirty this year. He should be main eventing.

[slik]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I don't think WWE or AEW understand how much they could improve their product literally over night with a cost of $0 if they just adopted this.</p>&mdash; Meltzer Said What? (@MeltzerSaidWhat) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeltzerSaidWhat/status/1346000898569494528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[slik]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The broken record point of the night where I point out how much more devastating this move looks with the low-angle shot with no camera-cut. ������ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NJWK15?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NJWK15</a> <a href="https://t.co/45QUJRZDis">https://t.co/45QUJRZDis</a></p>&mdash; Meltzer Said What? (@MeltzerSaidWhat) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeltzerSaidWhat/status/1345999429564846082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[DaveWadding]

I would like to wish both Naito and Ibushi's necks well in their recovery.

[DaveWadding]

This WK theme song is great. :lol:

[DaveWadding]

IT'S DARYL TIME

[slik]

so attracted to zsj and sanada

[slik]

prob going to sleep soon...hope Okada and Sanada matches are great and both look hot...

[DaveWadding]

Sanada match is on night 2.

[slik]

mmmm Sanada

[slik]

Great O Khan sucks...

[slik]

Tanahashi selling like his life depends on it to try and make Great O Khan look good

[DaveWadding]

Ending of Ospreay and Okada was intense as fuck.

[DaveWadding]

My God, Naito and Ibushi must hate being able to walk.

[DaveWadding]

Another top flight ending. Tomorrow should be fun too.

[GD]

Missed Ibushi’s big win :(

[GD]

Going to watch the main event in its entirety now.

[Volare]

ELP's new theme is fucking awesome!

[GD]

The eerie quiet is very overwhelming.

[GD]

Naito trying to break Ibushi's neck :(

[GD]

lol at Chris Charlton’s voice echoing through the dome.

[GD]

That was a solid bout! I'm so happy that Ibushi has finally won the heavyweight title :love:

[Volare]

Osprey champion in 2021? I could honestly see it.

[GD]

Ibushi not realizing that he won the straps...this is so cool <3

[Volare]

Said it before, I'll say it again...Bea Priestley is a bombshell.

[Jordan]

Predictions where NJPW on UK & US TV lands?

[Volare]

Kenny gave a shout out to Kota. (Translates to It finally happened, Congratulations.)


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ja" dir="ltr">ようやくですね。<br>おめでとう。</p>&mdash; Kenny Omega (@KennyOmegamanX) <a href="https://twitter.com/KennyOmegamanX/status/1346070236706050049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Jordan]

Jay White gonna spoil the fun.

[DaveWadding]

Shingo vs. Cobb was the shit.

[DaveWadding]

SANADA taking neck bumps off lariats. Damn.

[DaveWadding]

Hiromu with the best Canadian Destroyer sell I've ever seen. :lol:

[DaveWadding]

CMON HIROMU, WIN THIS ONE FOR DARYL, DAMMIT

[DaveWadding]

Love Ibushi, haven't ever really cared for Switchblade at all...hopefully will be a good match

[DaveWadding]

MURDER IBUSHI IS IN THE TOKYO DOME

[DaveWadding]

Everyone gets a Kamagoye!

[Volare]

I greatly enjoyed the Ibushi/White match.

[Volare]

Also...Jay F'n White (4:32)


<iframe width="1019" height="573" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4AlONJb4pAk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Evil Vito]

That was an incredible promo from White.

[Evil Vito]

Strangely, White followed that promo up by turning up at New Year Dash, eating a pin for his team, and then leaving with zero fanfare or indication of future direction.

Seems he's going back to Florida, and given Japan's upcoming lockdown that means he won't be going back anytime soon. So from that perspective I understand giving him a bit of a write off.

But that he ate the pin instead of Yujiro or Chase Owens has gotten people speculating that maybe he's actually leaving the company altogether.

[Volare]

I hope he gets everything in the world he wants, dude deserves it for his work....just...don't know what the E will "do for him."