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The first major show of 2021, NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15, kicked off with Day 1 from the Tokyo Dome. There was speculation that the shows wouldn't happen with a few days of meetings regarding a State of Emergency in Tokyo, but fans were in attendance and the company delivered a memorable night.
The main event for Wrestle Kingdom Day 1 was Tetsuya Naito defending the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships against Kota Ibushi. The winner of this contest would meet "Switchblade" Jay White on Day 2. The semi-main event would be a special singles match with Kazuchika Okada facing his former CHAOS stablemate, Will Ospreay.
There were six matches set for the main show and one battle royal on the pre-show, plus two other title implication contests. Let's take a look at what happened at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1.
21-Man New Japan Ranbo (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 pre-show)
The Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 pre-show kicked off with the 21-man New Japan Ranbo, which is their version of the Royal Rumble. Participants can be eliminated by pinfall, submission or being thrown over the top rope. The final four meet for the King of Pro Wrestling 2021 on Day 2 tomorrow.
Chase Owens and Tomohiro Ishii were the first two entrants. Ishii got the better of Chase. Minoru Suzuki was the next entrant. Ishii and Suzuki traded forearms until Owens returned and tried striking both. They both struck down Chase. Yuji Nagata was the next entrant out. Suzuki and Nagata started trading forearms immediately.
Toa Henare and Hirooki Goto were the next two entrants on the Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 pre-show. Suzuki and Nagata fought on the apron, leading to Henare eliminating both men. Suzuki and Nagata fought to the backstage area. Yujiro Takahashi and YOSHI-HASHI were the next entrants. Ishii eliminated Henare over the top rope.
Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma and Hiroyoshi Tenzan were the next out on the Wrestle Kingdom 15 pre-show match. Makabe clotheslined Goto and HASHI out of the ring for two eliminations. Honma and Tenzan eliminated Makabe. Rocky Romero and DOUKI were the next two entrants. Rocky went after DOUKI with the Forever Clotheslines, but he reversed and nailed Romero with a steel pipe for the DQ and elimination.
SHO, BUSHI, Tiger Mask and Bad Luck Fale were the next out in the New Japan Ranbo on the Wrestle Kingdom 15 pre-show. BUSHI lowered the ropes to eliminate Yujiro. Chase tried to eliminate Ishii, but they both landed on the apron. Fale then rushed Ishii and eliminated him. Young Lions Gabriel Kidd, Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji were the next entrants.
Fale then eliminated Honma. BUSHI stopped Kidd from getting in the ring until Uemura helped fight him off. Fale then eliminated Tenzan, Rocky, SHO and Tiger Mask in consecutive fashion. The Young Lions tried ganging up on Fale, but Chase broke it up. BUSHI took Owens out of the ring. The Young Lions once again tried to eliminate Fale.
The KOPW 2020, Toru Yano, was the final entrant in the New Japan Ranbo on the Wrestle Kingdom 15 pre-show. Fale and Owens eliminated the Young Lions, so the final four are Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, BUSHI and Toru Yano. Yano made it to the Four Way without ever entering the match. That was silly, yet fun.
Results: Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, BUSHI and Toru Yano are the final four and move on to Day 2 of Wrestle Kingdom 15
Star Rating: **
Best of Super Juniors 27 Winner vs. Super J Cup 2020 Winner Special Singles Match: Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Phantasmo (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)
Don Kinashi opened the main show for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 as a special ring announcer and brought out NJPW legend Riki Choshu. He came out with his grandson. They declared the show has started and kicked it to the opening video package.
The opening match on the main show of Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 was Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Phantasmo. Hiromu won the Best of Super Juniors 27 tournament, while Phantasmo won the 2020 Super J Cup. The winner of this match will face Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on Day 2.
Rocky Romero kicked off the main show for Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 with "it's January 4th and you know what that means." Kevin Kelly then said the show is dedicated to Brodie Lee. Phantasmo wore Edge-inspired trunks, while Hiromu came out in a fabulous ring jacket. ELP went to the floor at the bell and threw down the BOSJ trophy. Hiromu then hit a running dropkick off the apron on Phantasmo and followed with a diving senton off the top rope to the floor.
With ELP on the apron in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 encounter, Hiromu went for the sunset flip powerbomb, but Phantasmo flipped out. He then springboarded off Hiromu's back into the ring and hit the sunset flip powerbomb to the floor. ELP followed with a rope walk moonsault to the outside on Hiromu. He then worked over Takahashi in the ring, attacking his foot. ELP then attacked the hand of Hiromu with some joint manipulation.
Phantasmo did his rope walk, while bending the fingers of Hiromu in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 opener. However, Hiromu bit his fingers and followed with a wheelbarrow cradle driver off the top rope. He then hit a Dynamite Plunger for a near-fall. They traded slaps, but that hurt Hiromu's injured hand. Hiromu hit a thrust kick and followed with a suplex flatliner for two.
ELP reversed Time Bomb 2 into a rollup for two in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 opening match. Phantasmo then hit a driver for another two. Hiromu hit a thrust kick out of the corner and tried to follow up on the top, but ELP hit a low blow with the referee down and followed with a super Frankensteiner. ELP then hit a top rope splash for a near-fall.
Hiromu reversed CR2 into a cradle, but ELP rolled out and hit Styles Clash for a two count. Phantasmo hit the V Trigger and went for One Winged Angel, but Hiromu rolled out and hit a Death Valley Driver into the corner. ELP then reversed out of Time Bomb 2 with a cradle, for two.
Phantasmo went for CR2, but Hiromu reversed into a hurricanrana with a cradle for the pin and win in nearly 18 minutes. Takahashi moves on to face Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship tomorrow on Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2. This was a very good opener.
Results: Hiromu Takahashi defeats El Phantasmo via pinfall
Star Rating: ***3/4
Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi) w/DOUKI vs. Guerillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) w/Jado for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)
The next match on Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 saw Guerillas of Destiny facing Dangerous Tekkers for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Titles. Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa won the World Tag League in 2020 for the first time to win this opportunity. They beat the champs in the tournament, but have never won in the Tokyo Dome. Zack Sabre Jr and Taichi won the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Titles at Dominion in July.
The first title match on Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 started hot with Taichi choking Tama. Dangerous Tekkers worked over Tonga in their corner. Jado distracted Taichi, leading to the Tonga twist from Tama to give Guerillas the advantage. Taichi tagged in Zack Sabre Jr., who came in hot with European uppercuts.
The Tokyo Dome crowd at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 were in the corner of Dangerous Tekkers. Sabre then hit a tornado DDT on Tanga and got Tama in the European Clutch for a close two count. ZSJ locked Tama in the Octopus Hold, but Tonga got to the ropes. Tonga then tagged in Loa and hit a double-team that ended with a neckbreaker for a two count. GOD did a backdrop into a powerbomb for a two that Taichi broke up.
Guerillas then hit Guerilla Warfare on Taichi before Jado called for the Super Powerbomb. However, ZSJ reversed and put Tanga in a guillotine choke. Taichi put Tama in a dragon sleeper. Tekkers then hit an assisted superplex for a near-fall. Sabre tagged in Taichi, who ran wild with axe bombers. He then hit a buzzsaw kick on Tanga for a two-count.
Tekkers hit double team moves in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 match, but GOD kept battling out. All four men traded strikes and kicks, leading to all four being laid out, earning applause from the Tokyo Dome crowd at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1. Tekkers then hit kicks on Loa and called for Zack Mephisto. Tama broke it up and hit Gun Stun on ZSJ. Taichi hit an enziguri on Tama and then hit Dangerous T on Tanga for a near-fall.
Taichi removed his tights, but Jado came in for the distraction. Tama then used the iron fingers on Taichi, which Tanga followed with Ape Sh-t for the win, resulting in new champions in just over 19 minutes. GOD are now record-breaking seven-time IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, thus breaking the Tokyo Dome curse at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1. This was a really good match that exceeded expectations.
Results: Guerillas of Destiny defeat Dangerous Tekkers via pinfall (new champions)
Star Rating: ***3/4
KENTA vs. Satoshi Kojima for the Right To Challenge Contract for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)
Before the next match at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1, we got a video package hyping the return of Jon Moxley. He was in a NJPW USA ring and called himself "The Boogie Man of New Japan Pro Wrestling." Moxley said he will be waiting whoever walked out with the Right To Challenge Contract.
The third match at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 was KENTA defending the Right To Challenge Contract for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against Satoshi Kojima. The Bullet Club member was supposed to face Juice Robinson here, but he got injured, with Kojima replacing him.
KENTA started this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 bout slowly by heading to the floor. KENTA ran Kojima into Tenzan and hit a DDT on the floor. He then worked over Kojima in the ring with kicks. Kojima hit forearms and chops in the corner. KENTA cut him off on the top rope and hit a superplex. He then followed with a diving clothesline for a two. Kojima cut off KENTA on the apron and hit a DDT on the edge of the ring.
KENTA hit a boot in the corner as well as stalling dropkick. KENTA then hit the double stomp off the top for a near-fall. Kojima blocked GTS and hit the Koji cutter. KENTA reversed the lariat into a powerslam. Kojima swatted the briefcase out of KENTA's hands and then hit a short arm lariat for a two count. KENTA avoided another lariat and hit the running knee.
Kojima hit a series of forearms and looked for the lariat, but KENTA hit consecutive palm strikes and another running knee for a near-fall. He then followed with the Go To Sleep for the win in 14 minutes at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1. This was the sixth time he has successfully defended the contract, more times than any IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion has defended that title. This was a rock-solid, hard-hitting contest.
Results: KENTA defeats Satoshi Kojima via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/2
*Intermission for Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 followed*
They announced during the break that NJPW will be coming to TV in America and the UK soon.
Special Singles Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Great-O-Khan (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)
Action at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 resumed with Hiroshi Tanahashi meeting Great-O-Khan. O-Khan debuted at G1 Climax 30 Day 17, joining Will Ospreay to make up The Empire. In the World Tag League 2020, he targeted Hiroshi Tanahashi, leading to this match.
There was a slow start to the fourth match at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 with both men looking for position. O-Khan got early control using his power. Tanahashi fought back with forearms, but O-Khan threw him over the top. Tana tried to skin the cat, but O-Khan hit the Mongolian chop to drop him to the floor.
O-Khan worked over Tana on the floor and hit a slam on the ramp. Tana nearly got counted out, but made it to the ring. O-Khan put on a knee bar, but Tana made it to the ropes. The Ace then reversed a kick into a dragon screw. He followed with flying forearms, but landed on his knees.
Tanahashi hit a somersault senton for two in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 match. O-Khan reversed Slingblade into a face-first front slam. They then traded forearms, which O-Khan won by hitting a pump kick and Mongolian chops. O-Khan worked over the knee again. He tried throwing Tanahashi over the top rope, but Tanahashi skinned the cat.
Tana came back with Twist and Shout. He then followed with Slingblade for a near-fall in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 contest. O-Khan cut Tana off on the top rope with a claw. Tanahashi blocked The Eliminator, but O-Khan kept on the claw and followed that with the cobra twist.
O-Khan hit a reverse suplex and looked for a steel chair. He then went for The Eliminator, but Tana hit another Twist and Shout. He followed with a dragon suplex for a near fall. Tanahashi then hit High Fly Flow to the back and followed with another for the pin and the win at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1. That was a fine match and about the best that Tanahashi could get out of O-Khan.
Results: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeats Great-O-Khan via pinfall
Star Rating: ***
Special Singles Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)
The semi-main event at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 featured Kazuchika Okada against Will Ospreay. Ospreay defeated and then turned on Okada on G1 Climax 30 Day 17 by aligning with his girlfriend, Bea Priestley, and Great-O-Khan to create The Empire. The former friends have been feuding ever since.
Ospreay and Priestley came out with the Rev Pro British Heavyweight and World of STARDOM Championships. There was a strong lockup to start this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 matchup. Okada hit a DDT that sent Will to the floor and the two men fought on the outside. Back in the ring, Ospreay hit a big boot, but Okada came back with a big boot of his own. He followed with a tope con hilo to the outside.
After a distraction from Priestley, Ospreay hit a dropkick sending Okada back to the floor. Will then exposed the concrete. Ospreay hit elbows on Okada laying on the apron and ended with a knee drop on his neck. Will followed with a backbreaker in the ring and then grounded Okada.
Ospreay ran at Okada, but he reversed with a high back drop in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 match. Okada then hit a big boot and air raid neckbreaker for two. Okada applied the Money Clip, but Will immediately fought out. Ospreay hit Pip Pip Cheerio for a two count. Okada then blocked a springboard and hit Heavy Rain on Ospreay. The two men traded forearms, chops and uppercuts that concluded with Okada hitting the dropkick to Will when he sat on the top rope.
On the floor, Okada threw Will into the guardrail and hit a shotgun dropkick to the applause of the Tokyo Dome crowd at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1. Back in the ring, he followed with a top-rope shotgun dropkick. Ospreay blocked the Tombstone and hit Cheeky Nando in the corner. He followed with a reverse Bloody Sunday for a two count. Will then hit two thrust kicks and went for Storm Breaker. However, Okada rolled out and went for the dropkick, but Ospreay avoided it.
A fast-paced exchange in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 semi-main event ended with Ospreay reversing the dropkick into a powerbomb for a near-fall. On the floor, Ospreay reversed out of the Tombstone and stood on the Wrestle Kingdom announce table. He suplexed Okada over the guardrail and through the announce table. Back in the ring, Ospreay hit a top-rope Hidden Blade for a near-fall. He then followed with a violent powerbomb for another two-count.
Okada blocked a Storm Breaker and reversed an Oscutter into the Tombstone on the apron. Ospreay made it back to the ring before he could be counted out of this key Wrestle Kingdom match. Okada then pulled him in by the wrist and hit the short-arm lariat. Ospreay tried fighting out, but Okada hit a dropkick. He followed with the Money Clip, but Will fought out again. Okada then hit the Tombstone and put back on the Money Clip. Bea Priestley got on the apron, but Okada ran Ospreay into her. He then re-applied the Money Clip, but Will made it to the ropes.
Okada landed heavy elbow strikes and stomps to the head, the intensity picking up in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 battle. Ospreay hit slaps that Okada laughed off and landed a slam. After a running boot, Will hit a Spanish Fly off the top for a close two. Okada reversed Oscutter into the Money Clip, but Ospreay rolled out. He then hit a roaring elbow, followed by the Oscutter for a near-fall.
Will rained down slaps and stomps on Okada's face. Ospreay hit an elbow to the back of Okada's head. Okada reversed Hidden Blade into a dropkick. Okada then met the Oscutter into another dropkick. He followed with a spinning Rainmaker and then the Money Clip in an attempt to finish this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 encounter.
Ospreay rolled out and hit a Tombstone. He then did the Rainmaker pose. Ospreay hit the Rainmaker for another near-fall. Okada reversed the Storm Breaker into a sit-out Tombstone. He then followed with a Rainmaker for the first time in a year for the win at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 in just over 35 minutes. That was a tremendous match that escalated in aggression as it went on.
Results: Kazuchika Okada defeats Will Ospreay via pinfall
Star Rating: ****3/4
Tetsuya Naito vs. Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1)
The main event of Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 was Tetsuya Naito facing Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships. Kota Ibushi earned the shot by winning back-to-back G1 Climax tournaments. He lost the briefcase to Jay White at Power Struggle 2020. White called his shot for January 5th, so Naito challenged Ibushi for this show. The winner faces Switchblade on Day 2.
Applause rained from the Tokyo Dome crowd at the bell of this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 closer. The match started with a struggle between the two men that went to the ground. Action sped up with an exchange ending with an Ibushi hurricanrana. The two men fought to the floor, where Naito hit a German Suplex on the ramp with Kota landing on his head.
Ibushi made it back to the ring before the 20 count, followed by Naito stomping down and then applying a headscissors. Action picked up again in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 closing match with a series of reversals. Ibushi landed a dropkick and followed with a jumping mid-kick. He then hit a standing moonsault for a two. Naito went for Combination Carbon, but Ibushi reversed it and knocked him to the floor.
The Wrestle Kingdom 15 main event continued on the floor, where Naito landed a neckbreaker. He then followed with an apron-hung neckbreaker to the floor. Once back in the ring, Naito hit another neckbreaker and locked on a headscissors submission. Ibushi fought to the ropes. A series of counters ended with Ibushi hitting a German suplex. Naito powered up but Ibushi caught him with a standing double stomp.
Naito then tried to submit Ibushi in this Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1 encounter, but Kota made his way to the ropes. Naito attacked Ibushi's neck with elbows. He followed with Gloria for a two count. Naito took him to the top rope, but Ibushi fought out and hit a backflip kick sending Naito to the apron. Kota went for the Powerbomb, but Naito back dropped him on the apron. Naito ran at Ibushi and hit a hurricanrana from the apron to the floor in a spectacular spot.
Naito broke the 20 count and rolled to the apron. Ibushi went for a German suplex from the apron off the top rope into the ring, but Naito fought out and got back in the ring. He then hit a top-rope poison rana in another brilliant spot for a near-fall. Naito reversed Kamigoye into the Destino for another near-fall. Ibushi then reversed Destino into the Bastard Driver as the Wrestle Kingdom 15 crowd got louder and louder.
The two men traded forearms from their knees and then on their feet. Naito nailed a slap and rolling kick, but Ibushi responded with a lariat to the roar of the Tokyo Dome Wrestle Kingdom crowd. Ibushi hit a powerbomb and followed with Kamigoye for a near-fall. Kota then went to the top rope for the Phoenix Splash, but Naito avoided and hit a running Destino for a close two.
Ibushi reversed Valentia into a Buzzsaw Kick and then hit a Kamigoye for a close near-fall. Kota exposed his knee and went for another Kamigoye, but Naito hit an elbow, an enziguri and Valentia. Ibushi reversed Destino, hit a V Trigger and then landed a third Kamigoye for the win, becoming new (double) champion in over 31 minutes at Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 1. Kota Ibushi becomes the IWGP Heavyweight Champion for the first time and is now in his second reign as Intercontinental Champion. Post match, Ibushi didn't realize he had won. Naito grabbed the titles and handed them to the new champion, making for a memorable moment.
After Naito left, Switchblade Jay White and Gedo came down to the ring to congratulate Ibushi and hype tomorrow's Wrestle Kingdom 15 Day 2 main event. He said that Switchblade will "become God" tomorrow. Ibushi then cut a promo to thank Naito and tell White that he will finish him tomorrow.
That was a near-flawless encounter. Ibushi and Naito had phenomenal chemistry and delivered masterful performances in this match, making for an instant classic Wrestle Kingdom main event.
Results: Kota Ibushi defeats Tetsuya Naito via pinfall (new champion)
Star Rating: ****
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
