NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 (Night 1) Results

By Brie Coder

Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 14! This two-day spectacular event will take place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It's available to view on FITE TV and NJPW World. Be sure to chime in on your thoughts about tonight's show in the comments section below. Additionally, share our live coverage through social media. Make sure to click the REFRESH button to continue to get the most current up to date coverage. The pre-show will begin at 2 AM EST, and the main card will start at 3 AM EST.

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To view the entire card for night one, click here

Dark Match: Mayu Iwatani and Arisa Hoshiki defeated Hana Kimura and Giulia

The show begins by showing a recap of the Wrestle Kingdom 14 press conference that was held a few weeks ago. We now head to the ring for the pre-show!

The Pre-Show

Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji, Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe vs. Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks and Toa Henare

Uemura and Connors square off. Uemura with a side headlock. Connors comes through with a side headlock of his own. Coughlin is tagged in. He sends Uemura into the corner and consistenly slaps chest chop after chest chop. Fredericks is tagged in. Fredericks with an elbow on Uemura, cover, Uemura kicks out. Unemura gets up and lands a few elbow strikes. Fredericks fires back. Uemura tags in Makabe. Makabe powerslams Coughlin and Honma comes in to help his partner out. Tsuji is tagged in and continues holding the half crab lock on Henare while getting chest chopped by Fredericks. Henare comes into the ring, knocks out Tsuji, covers him, and picks up the win for his Dojo.

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Winners: Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks and Toa Henare

Up next, the second match!

Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata

Things start off quickly. Nakanishi slams himself on top of Kojima. Nakanishi with the cover, Kojima kicks out. Tenzan is tagged in by Kojima. He clotheslines Nagata and then goes for the brainbuster, cover, Nagata kicks out. Nagata gets up and lands a back drop. Both men go to their respective corners and tag in their partners. Kojima chest chops Nakanishi endlessly. Nakanishi and Nagata with a double takedown on Kojima and Tenzan. Nakanishi lands face-first into the mat after a cutter from Kojima and Tenzan. Kojima goes for the cover on Nakanishi and picks up the win for his team.

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Winners: Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan

That concludes the pre-show. The main card will begin after the intermission.

Main Card Matches

The first match is Jushin Thunder Liger's first retirement match.

Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask, Tatsumi Fujinami and The Great Sasuke (with El Samurai) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Shinjiro Ootani and Naoki Sano (with Kuniaki Kobayashi) w/special guest referee Norio Honaga

Liger and Sano begin the match. Liger locks up Sano by his arms and sits on his back. Liger then turns it around into a headlock then clothesline. Sano with a suicide dive to Liger the outside. Ootani takes over for Sano. He puts Liger in the corner and kicks him around a bit. Liger gets out of the corner and lands a clothesline on Ootani.

Liger tags in Tiger Mask. Ootani tags in Takaiwa. Takaiwa with a DDT, tags in Taguchi. Now, Takaiwa is back in the ring after a quick tag from Ootani. Ootani lands an elbow drop off the top rope on Tiger Mask. Tiger Mask with a Tiger Driver. Tiger Mask tags in Fujinami. Fujinami puts Takaiwa in a sleeper's hold. Sano comes in to break it up.Liger in the ring takes Taguchi off the top rope, cover, Taguchi kicks out. Taguchi with a step-up enziguri, followed by another one. Taguchi finishes the match with a face plant, cover, Taguchi takes the win for his team.

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Winners: Ryusuke Taguchi, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Shinjiro Ootani and Naoki Sano

Post-Match: The opposing team shakes Liger's hand. Liger's team takes their final bow with him.

Up next, some more eight-man tag team action with a 30-minute time limit!

BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, EVIL and SANADA vs. El Desperado, Taichi, Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.

Right before Sabre Jr.'s name was announced, both teams begin to brawl. EVIL puts Suzuki down in the corner and runs him down with a Bronco Buster. EVIL with the cover, Suzuki kicks out. On the outside, Suzuki grabs a chair and hits EVIL in the back with it. Suzuki rolls EVIL back into the ring. Suzuki attempts the gotch style piledriver, EVIL holds his own. Suzuki tags in El Desperado. Desperado with a lockup, cover, EVIL kicks out. El Desperado tags in Taichi. EVIL fights back with a vertical suplex on Taichi. Takagi comes in with a straight right follow through on Taichi. Taichi gets up and lands a strong kick on Takagi, sending him into the turnbuckle. SANADA and Sabre Jr. lock up. El Desperado comes into the ring. Sabre Jr. ties SANADA up in a cobra twist. SANADA reverses attempting the paradise lock. Sabre Jr. reverses it into a rollup pin, SANADA kicks out. BUSHI with a backbreaker on Sabre Jr. Sabre Jr. ties up BUSHI's arms and locks him into a submission. BUSHI verbally yells out that he taps. The match is over.

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Winners: Zack Sabre Jr.,El Desperado, Taichi and Minoru Suzuki

Post-Match: SANADA and Sabre Jr. continue to brawl until Sabre Jr. rolls out and leaves.

Next, the final eight-man tag team match before the title matches start. This final match also has a 30-minute time limit!

YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii and Hirooki Goto vs. Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, Bad Luck Fale and KENTA

Yano is horrified that he has to face Fale. The fans loudly chant for "Yano." He is motivated and tries to go for a clothesline. Instead, he's the one clotheslined. Fale with a swing and a miss, Yano runs over to tag in YOSHI-HASHI. Fale tags in Owens. YOSHI-HASHI with a head hunter flip. Takahashi grabs hold of YOSHI-HASHI's leg on the outside and drags him out. Owens tags in Takahashi. After a takedown, Takahashi tags in Fale. Fale and Owens both stand on the back of YOSHI-HASHI.

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Ishii tries to lift Fale, Fale has the upper hand and plants Ishii with a German Suplex. Yano slaps Fale and laughs. That was a huge mistake. Now, Goto and KENTA are in the ring. Goto with a running bulldog, covers KENTA, KENTA kicks out. KENTA tags in Takahashi. Owens and Fale step in. It's 3-on-1. Goto is down, Takahashi covers, Goto kicks out. Ishii headbutts Fale and sends him down with a German Suplex. The audience is amazed! Goto with the G.T.O. on Takahashi, covers, picks up the win!

Winners: Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii

And now, the title matches begin!

IWGP Tag Team Championship

The Guerrillas of Destiny (c) vs. FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson)

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Robinson and Finlay run up to the ramp to get the match started against G.o.D. Loa vertical suplexes Robinson back first onto the ramp. Robinson is crawling on his hands and knees. Loa and Robinson head into the ring. Loa with multiple leg strikes. Loa tags in Tonga. Tonga Irish Whips Robinson into the opposite turnbuckle. Tonga tags in Loa. Robinson tags in Finlay. Finlay with a quick strike off the ropes. Finlay flies off the middle rope. Tonga comes in and attacks Finlay. Finlay side steps Tonga, sending him to the outside. Loa sends Finlay into the turnbuckle and then knocks Robinson off the apron. He follows it up with a running powerslam. Tonga is tagged in. G.o.D. goes for a double headbutt.

Finlay tries two chest chops on Loa and it doesn't do much. Loa with a clothesline, Finlay rose himself up and slammed himself shoulder first into Loa. Finlay tags in Robinson. Robinson lands a sit down clothesline on Loa and a powerbomb on Tonga. Robinson with double lariats on G.o.D. Robinson follows it up with a cannonball on Loa. Robinson hypes up the crowd and lands several jabs, Loa reverses with a suplex. Robinson with double high kicks on G.o.D. Robinson tags in Finlay. Finlay with a dropkick on Tonga, covers, Tonga kicks out at 1. FinJuice with double flapjacks. Loa with a powerbomb on Finlay, Tonga off the top rope lands on Finlay after, cover, Robinson breaks the cover. G.o.D. with the magic killer on Finlay, cover, Robinson breaks the cover. G.o.D. go for the second magic killer on Robinson. Finlay reverses with a hurricanrana on Tonga. Finlay with a stunner, Robinson with a Left Hand of God and a Pulp Friction. Finlay with one last move, cover, FinJuice are now the new IWGP Tag Team Champions!

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Winners and New IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson)

Up next, the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship is on the line!

IWGP United States Championship

Lance Archer (c) vs. Jon Moxley In A Texas Death Match

Archer and Moxley waste no time. Moxley with a middle rope dive to Archer on the outside. Moxley drags Archer back into the ring and grabs a kendo stick from underneath the ring. Archer with a trash can lid strikes Moxley right in the head and then on his the back. Archer grabs hold of the kendo stick and chokes Moxley with it. Moxley grabs hold of the kendo stick and breaks it right on Archer's head. Moxley sets up two chairs with the trash can lid sitting in the middle. Moxley powerslams Archer smack-dab in the middle of it and then strikes him with a Regal Knee. Archer picks up one of the Young Lions and throws him on top of Moxley.

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Moxley has Archer up on his shoulders. Archer's weight is too much for Moxley. Archer has Moxley in the crucifix position and slams him down hard on the chairs that were laid out earlier. Archer with the EBD claw, Moxley counters it with an armbar. Archer grabs hold of Moxley's throat and suplexes him. Moxley counters with a double DDT. Archer comes back with a derailer. Moxley just barely gets up in time before the 10 count. Moxley gives Archer the finger and Archer suffocates Moxley with a plastic bag. Moxley raises his hand high, indicating that he is not passed out. Archer brings out two tables from underneath the ring. Archer takes a helmet with spikes on the top and rubs it across Moxley's head. Moxley puts Archer through the tables with the Death Rider. The referee begins the count. Moxley runs back in the ring in time and wins via count out!

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Winner and New IWGP US Champion: Jon Moxley

Post-Match: Moxley calls out Robinson and says that he is ready to challenge his title against Robinson tomorrow night!

Up next, the third title challenge!

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship

Will Ospreay (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi

Both men begin the match by trying to put each other down. Takahashi lands a rana on Ospreay, sending him to the outside. Back in the ring now, Takahashi and Ospreay go back-and-forth with strikes. Takahashi hangs off of Ospreay, slowing him down. Ospreay with a double stomp on Takahashi, Ospreay covers, Takahashi kicks out. Ospreay puts Takahashi in a head scissors. Takahashi drapes his boot on the bottom rope and breaks out of the hold. Takahashi with the wheelbarrow and then a flatliner, cover on Ospreay, Ospreay kicks out. Ospreay goes for the Sasuke Special, Takahashi picks him up midair and tries to put him in the German Suplex position. Ospreay lands on his feet and goes for another Sasuke Special. The fans and commentators are stunned. Ospreay climbs to the top rope and lands a double foot stomp on Takahashi, who was sitting on the apron. Ospreay again flies off the top rope and lands a back kick right on the back of Takahashi's neck. Ospreay with the cover, Takahashi kicks out. The referee checks in on Takahashi to see if he can continue. Takahashi pushes him off of him.

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Takahashi with the Dynamite Plunger, covers Ospreay, Ospreay kicks out. Ospreay with a enziguri, followed by the Robinson Special. Ospreay goes straight to the top and lands a shooting star press, covers, Takahashi kicks out. The fans are going nuts! Ospreay with the Oscutter, cover again, Takahashi kicks out. Ospreay with a hook kick to the side of Takahashi's face. Takahashi fires back with a pop-up powerbomb. Both men trade shots while slowly climbing back up to their feet. Ospreay with a high kick, gets caught in a German Suplex from Takahashi midair. Takahashi reverses and slams Ospreay down with a Canadian Destroyer. Takahashi goes for the cover, Ospreay kicks out. Ospreay attempts a Stormbreaker, it's reversed, Ospreay comes through with an all around DDT, covers, Takahashi kicks out. Ospreay with a back kick to Takahashi's head. Takahashi with an inside-out, puts Ospreay up on his shoulders and lands the Time Bomb, covers, Ospreay kicks out. Takahashi plants Ospreay on his head, covers, and becomes the new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion!

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Winner and New IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion:Hiromu Takahashi

And now, the second to last main event match!

IWGP Intercontinental Championship

Jay White (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito

Naito goes to the outside and grabs hold of Gedo by his beard. White begs him to stop and to leave him alone. White rolls out of the ring and makes sure that Gedo is ok. Naito snaps the neck of White off the apron. White gets rolled back into the ring. Naito holds on to White's neck and then kicks him in the midsection. Gedo from the outside grabs hold of Naito's leg. The crowd boos loudly after he does that. White with a knife chop on Naito's chest. Gedo grabs Naito's leg again. White pulls Naito right into the ring post. Gedo takes a chair and slams it into Naito's leg. White stretches Naito's leg over the barricade on the outside. White sends Naito back into the ring. White mocks Naito's signature pose, then heads to the outside to slam Naito back first into the apron. White with another thunderous chop, sends Naito into the corner. Naito fires back with a dropkick on White. Next, Naito pulls through with an elbow strike and a sliding dropkick to White's back. Naito goes for the cover, White kicks out. Naito psyches White out with another dropkick. Naito locks White up with a Full Nelson. White is able to get out of it, but struggles.

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White with a Deadlift German Suplex. Both men are now on the top rope. Naito hammers White down. Both men are off the top rope. Naito snaps the neck of White on to his knee. Naito climbs up the ropes again and White knocks him off. Naito lands face-first into the turnbuckle. Naito tries to fight White off with all his might. White comes back with several back-to-back strikes. White with the brainbuster, followed by the Kiwi Crusher. White goes for the cover and Naito kicks out. Naito with two elbow strikes. White focuses on Naito's injured leg and puts Naito in a reverted figure-four. Naito crawls his way over to the bottom rope. Naito spits right in White's eyes. Naito gets up and lands a combo kick. Naito stops White with a pop-up spinebuster. Gedo distracts the referee and Naito spits on him. Naito with a DDT and follows it up with a snaprana. Naito with Gloria, covers White, White kicks out. White throws Naito right into Red Shoes. Gedo comes into the ring and tries to hit Naito with a chair, Naito counters. White then lands a low blow on Naito. Naito returns the karma by landing a low blow on Gedo, who makes his way back in the ring. White spits in Naito's face and sends him down with a sleeper's assist. Naito gets up and lands the Destino. The crowd is rallying for Naito. Naito counters with a posion rana followed by another Destino. Naito covers, White kicks out. Naito gets caught, reverses, and lands the third Destino. Naito goes for the cover one last time and picks up the win!

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Winner and New IWGP Intercontinental Champion: Tetsuya Naito

And now, the main event!

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Kota Ibushi

Both men start the match in a lockup. Ibushi brings up Okada's left arm. Okada rolls out of it and Ibushi takes Okada down to the mat. Okada reverses, pins Ibushi's shoulders to the mat, Ibushi kicks out. Both men break up the holds and the audience claps their appreciation. Okada reverses out of a submission and puts Ibushi in a side headlock. Both men are on their feet and exchange strikes. Ibushi lands on top of Okada with a moonsault. Okada quickens the pace with an elbow strike takedown. Okada covers, Ibushi kicks out. Okada drapes Ibushi over the barricade and lands a DDT on the outside. Okada sends Ibushi back into the ring. Ibushi gets back up on his feet and Okada sends him down again with another DDT. Okada locks in a chin lock. Ibushi frees himself out of it with several elbow strikes and a dropkick. Ibushi catches Okada, plants a powerslam, and then another moonsault. Ibushi covers, Okada kicks out. Okada connects with a top rope drop kick, this sends Ibushi out of the ring. Okada sends Ibushi into the barricade. Okada rallies the audience with some claps and leaps over the barricade and lands right on top of Ibushi.

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Ibushi and Okada make their way back in the ring. Ibushi slams Okada down on the mat with a piledriver. Ibushi climbs up on the top rope and flies high in the sky with a moonsault and crashes down on Okada. Ibushi then lands the springboard missile dropkick on Okada, who is now back in the ring. Next, Ibushi grabs Okada and powerslams him. He goes for the cover and Okada kicks out. Okada gets up and plants a powerful tombstone piledriver. Okada thinks he has Ibushi down with the shotgun dropkick, but Ibushi rises back up to his feet quickly. Okada counters with a tombstone piledriver right off the apron on Ibushi. Ibushi makes into the ring before the 20 count. Okada with the Heavy Rain, covers, Ibushi kicks out. Okada tries to get wrist control, Ibushi fires back with a dangerous lariat. Ibushi grabs hold of Okada and lands a powerful German Suplex off the ropes. Okada gets up and counters with another tombstone. Ibushi gets up and decides to give Okada a taste of his own medicine with the Rainmaker. Ibushi with a back kick and then the Kamigoye. Both men are on their knees exchanging strikes. Both men are on the top rope. Okada strikes enough to propel Ibushi down. Ibushi climbs to the top rope and crashes, nobody home. Okada with the Rainmaker. Okada covers, Ibushi kicks out.

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Okada grabs hold of Ibushi's wrist once more and lands another Rainmaker. He dragas Ibushi up again for a third Rainmaker. He goes for it, but it's reversed by a V-Trigger. Okada counters with another tombstone and his third and final Rainmaker. Okada covers one last time. Okada retains the IWGP Heavyweight Championship!

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Winner and Still IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Kazuchika Okada

Post-Match: Okada applauds Ibushi for their successful match. Naito makes his way down to the ring and grabs a microphone. He says that tomorrow night he is going to reach his goal by beating Okada and walking out of Tokyo the double champion. Naito leaves the ring. After, Okada grabs a microphone and thanks the fans who attended tonight's show. He also thanks Ibushi for the fight of his life. As for tomorrow's main event, he knows he is the strongest IWGP Heavyweight Champion and will have no problem winning both titles. He concludes his speech by saying that he'll make it rain tomorrow.

That concludes night one of Wrestle Kingdom 14. Thanks for watching! You can catch night two of Wrestle Kingdom 14 tomorrow evening at midnight!

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