The excitement is in the air for what feels to be the first time in a long time for the pro wrestling world as New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) returns to the one-night format for Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4. The show will feature 12 matches, nine of which are on the main card, that include talent from NJPW, STARDOM, WWE, and AEW. Perhaps the most anticipated match NJPW has seen since the Double Gold Dash at 2020’s Wrestle Kingdom (if not prior) will also be taking place, so you’re not going to want to miss this. Oh, and with rumors swirling about Mercedes Varnado (fka Sasha Banks) potentially appearing, even more eyes should be on this show.
Here’s the full card for Wrestle Kingdom 17.
Wrestle Kingdom 17 Full Card
— Ryohei Oiwa vs. Boltin Oleg
— New Japan Rambo
— Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima & Togi Makabe vs. Tiger Mask, Minoru Suzuki & Tatsumi Fujinami
— IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship: Francesco Akira & TJP (c) vs. Lio Rush & YOH
— IWGP Women’s Championship: KAIRI vs. Tam Nakano
— IWGP Tag Team Championship: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (c) vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI
— NJPW World TV Championship: Ren Narita vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
— NEVER Openweight Championship: Karl Anderson (c) vs. Tama Tonga
— Keiji Muto, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Shota Umino vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI.
— IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori (c) vs. El Desperado vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Master Wato
— IWGP United States Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Kenny Omega
— IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
Wrestle Kingdom 17: Start Times and How To Watch
The preshow begins at 1:20 A.M. EST with the main card beginning at 3 p.m. EST.
WRESTLE KINGDOM 17
Watch LIVE ONLY on https://t.co/z1DNREh66D
（Japanese and English commentary）🇯🇵 3:20pm JST
🇺🇸 Jan. 3rd 10:20pm PT
🇺🇸 Jan. 4th 0:20am CT / 1:20am ET
🇬🇧 6:20am GMT
🇦🇺 5:20pm AEDT
🇳🇿 7:20pm NZDTWherever you are-be there.#njwk17 #NJPW #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/DmF0SpmsY3
— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) December 31, 2022
Wrestle Kingdom 17 can be viewed by subscribing to NJPW World.
KAIRI Defends The IWGP Women’s Championship Against Tam Nakano in a History-Making Match
KAIRI and Tam Nakano will make history as their match will be the first women’s singles match in the history of Wrestle Kingdom. And it is fitting that the match will also be the first defense of the IWGP Women’s Championship. This match will be just as important as the Historic X-Over main event in terms of helping establish the title and getting eyes on the best of the best in STARDOM. There isn’t much story to this one that is necessary. All these two needs is the time to put on a show and many fans will be won over after seeing what these two can do.
With the rumors swirling that former WWE superstar Sasha Banks will be making an appearance at this show, there’s no doubt that this match will have more eyes on it than ever before. Excitement is in the air and while the Double Main Event will take much of the interest for fans heading into this show, KAIRI and Nakano are going to show up in the biggest spot possible and deliver. That’s what they do.
Prediction: KAIRI
Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega Meet in a Dream Match at Wrestle Kingdom 17
The biggest match since Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho has arrived for international fans. Will Ospreay will put the IWGP United States Championship on the line against AEW’s Kenny Omega. This will mark the first time Omega competes in a New Japan ring since 2019 when he lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13. The anticipated battle between these two men has become incredibly personal with Ospreay raising the stakes following his promo at the press conference detailing the difficulties of competing in NJPW during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United Empire leader is very much over being compared to Omega, who went on to state that he was the “vaccine” NJPW needed as he arrives to save the promotion. It almost could be said that this match didn’t need the added build for fans to be excited but there’s no question now as to which match has the most hype with one day to go before the show. These two are two of the greatest wrestlers of their generation and have the ability to put on a special match as a result. Their most recent encounter inside the ring last year in AEW’s Trios Tag Team Championship tournament was just a taste. It’s going to be personal and physical, and you should expect many moments from each man’s history to come up in this match.
This is the dream match of the night and while it may be listed as the first of the Double Main Event, there’s no denying that this right here for many is the main event. Who wins almost doesn’t matter but someone does need to walk away the winner. This won’t be the last time these two face off.
Prediction: Kenny Omega
Jay White Defends The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, His Legacy Against Kazuchika Okada
The main event of Wrestle Kingdom will see G1 Climax winner Kazuchika Okada challenge Jay White for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. This match, unlike the first of the double main event, doesn’t carry the same heat or excitement but does carry much more history to play off of. White has had the number of Okada more than anyone in history, holding a 4-1 record over “The Rainmaker.” That bodes well for “King Switch,” but what doesn’t is his success when it comes to competing for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom. The last time he main evented the Tokyo Dome, he suffered a rather humiliating defeat to Kota Ibushi on Night Two of Wrestle Kingdom 15.
That loss in many ways set back “Switchblade” Jay White, who hasn’t been in Japan all that much since then. However, White’s IWGP World Heavyweight Championship victory at Dominion did come over Okada, so he still has the last laugh despite the ups and downs of the last few years. Many people may be overlooking this match due to its build, or lack thereof, but one thing is for sure and that is that these two will deliver with the bright lights of the Tokyo Dome shining down on them. White will do everything in his power to survive and walk away with his championship but it feels like it’ll be Okada’s time once again.
Prediction: Kazuchika Okada
More from LWOS Pro Wrestling
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can rewatch all 2022 NJPW events and plenty more tremendous wrestling content from New Japan Pro-Wrestling on NJPWWorld.com; The King of Sports Streaming.
