NJPW: Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi Confirmed for Wrestle Kingdom 19, New IWGP Tag Champions to be Crowned at Wrestle Dynasty

Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi Confirmed for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19

New Japan Pro Wrestling officially confirmed one new match for the card of their Wrestle Kingdom 19 event, which takes place on January 4, 2025 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.

This new match announced was a singles match of Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi.

NJPW’s official website:

8th Match: Tetsuya Naito vs Hiromu Takahashi

A match some 15 years in the making sees Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi one on one for the first time. Way back in the early 2010s, Tetsuya Naito saw somethign in a young Hiromu Takahashi and offered to teach the then struggling Young Lion the ropes. That started a connection between the two men and a detrmination on Hiromu’s part to repay Naito’s kindness through career success and, someday, a singles match.

When Hiromu and Naito were heavyweight and junior heavyweight champions respectively in 2020, it seemed as if that time would come at March’s Anniversaery card. World events got in the way and the global pandemic cancelled the bout, and for years since the stars just couldn’t align until World Tag League 2024.

In victory in the tournament, Tetsuya Naito invoked the need to take a courageous step, and extended Hiromu his dream match. Takahashi accepted, and now a bout with a decade and a half of history sees LIJ teammates, and mentor and protege, one on one for the first time.

Current card for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19:

• IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match – Shota Umino vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (c)
• IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match – El Desperado vs. DOUKI (c)
• IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship – Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay (c)
• IWGP Women’s Championship – AZM vs. Mayu Iwatani (c)
• NJPW World Television Championship 3-Way match – Jeff Cobb vs. Ryohei Oiwa vs. SHO (c)
• NEVER Openweight Championship match of Konosuke Takeshita vs. Shingo Takagi (c)
• IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match – Ichiban Sweet Boys (Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles) vs. Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira & TJP) vs. Bullet Club War Dogs (Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors) vs. Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin knight & KUSHIDA) (c)
• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. EVIL
• Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi

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NJPW Announces New IWGP Tag Champions to be Crowned at NJPW x AEW Wrestle Dynasty

As noted before, United Empire’s HENARE and Callum Newman both suffered knee injuries at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s World Tag League 2024 event this past Thursday in Nobeoka, Japan. Great-O-Khan had announced at this past Friday’s event that him and HENARE would likely have to vacate their IWGP Tag Team Championship and their match against the Young Bucks at Wrestle Dynasty being cancelled as a result.

NJPW provided an update earlier today stating that the IWGP Tag Team Championship has been officially vacated but Great-O-Khan’s tag team match against The Young Bucks will still be taking place at Wrestle Dynasty.

It was also announced that new IWGP Tag Champions will be crowned at Wrestle Dynasty in a match between Great-O-Khan & mystery partner vs. The Young Bucks.

NJPW’s official website:

IWGP Global, World titles will be defended January 5; new tag champions to be decided

Wrestle Dynasty on January 5 continues to load up with under four weeks to go before the biggest weekend in professional wrestling. A new match sees CMLL in the mix, while stipulations have been added that affect four crucial bouts.

First, a change to the originally announced card has had to be implemented as the right knee injury to HENARE means he and Great-O-Khan have been forced to vacate the IWGP Tag Team titles. O-Khan has insisted to reply to the Young Bucks’ challenge from earlier in the World Tag League tour however, and there will be a match to determine new IWGP Tag champions, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson facing O-Khan and a partner of his choosing.

Current card for NJPW x AEW Wrestle Dynasty:

• IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship – Brody King vs. David Finlay (c)
• Vacant IWGP Tag Team Championship – Great-O-Khan & mystery partner vs. The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson)
• International Women’s Cup Four-way match – TBD (AEW) vs. TBD (ROH) vs. TBD (CMLL) vs. TBD (Stardom)
• NEVER Openweight Championship match – Tomohiro Ishii vs. Winner of Konosuke Takeshita/Shingo Takagi (c)
• Kenny Omega vs. Gabe Kidd
• Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ricochet
• Yota Tusji vs. Jack Perry
• Shota Umino vs. Claudio Castagnoli