New matches added to NJPW’s biggest show of the calendar year.
Following the conclusion of the NJPW World Tag/Super Junior Tag League tournament, New Japan held their Wrestle Kingdom 17 press conference and new matches were added to the January 4th show at the Tokyo Dome.
As a part of Keiji Muto’s retirement tour, he’ll be having his last match for New Japan as he teams with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shota Umino to face Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI). Muto will be back in the Tokyo Dome in February for his final match.
In addition to that bout, there is going to be a memorial match for the late Antonio Inoki. It will feature Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima and Togi Makabe taking on Minoru Suzuki, Tatsumi Fujinami and Tiger Mask.
The opening match of the show will see Young Lion Ryohei Oiwa face newcomer and Yuji Nagata recruit, Boltin Oleg. Following that is the 2023 New Japan Ranbo for the KOPW trophy.
【１/4（水）東京ドーム“全カード”決定！】
16時20分~「アントニオ猪木メモリアル6人タッグマッチ」
藤波＆鈴木＆タイガーvs 真壁＆小島＆永田第0-2試合「KOPW 2023」進出権争奪ニュージャパンランボー
第0-1試合 オレッグが大岩とエキシビション
詳細
⇒https://t.co/O93KUfGnOk#njwk17 pic.twitter.com/mhJl69STlJ— 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) December 15, 2022
With those additions, here is the updated lineup for Wrestle Kingdom 17:
- IWGP Women’s Championship: KAIRI (c) vs. Tam Nakano
- NJPW World Television Championship Tournament Final: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship — Four Way: Taiji Ishimori (c) vs. Master Wato vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado
- IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Kenny Omega
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Francesco Akira & TJP (c) vs. Lio Rush & YOH
- IWGP Tag Team Championships: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (c) vs. Bishamon (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto)
- NEVER Openweight Championship: Karl Anderson (c) vs. Tama Tonga
- Keiji Muto, Shota Umino & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI)
- Antonio Inoki Memorial Match: Satoshi Kojima, Togi Makabe & Yuji Nagata vs. Tatsumi Fujinami, Minoru Suzuki & Tiger Mask
- Boltin Oleg vs. Ryohei Oiwa
- New Japan Ranbo — KOPW 2023: Participants TBD
