NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 Ongoing Results, Winners, Updates
NJPW starts the year 2024 with Wrestle Kingdom 18, their yearly January 4 show(and biggest one). IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match is set for the main event between Sanada and Tetsuya Naito.
A big rematch is set in the co-main event as Kazuchika Okada clashes with Bryan Danielson. New IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship is introduced and the first title holder will be decided via a triple threat match between David Finlay, Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley.
Bishamon and Guerrillas of Destiny will clash over IWGP Tag and NJPW Strong Tag Team Championship. Hiromu Takahashi will defend IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against El Desperado. Many more exciting matches are set for the show and we will be here to bring all the results and updates from the show.
RESULTS
First up was the New Japan Rambo match on pre-show. The final four will advance to fatal 4-way match for KOPW 2024 title at New Year Dash. Great-O-Khan and Chase Owens started the match. Other participants in the match- Gabe Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Jeff Cobb, Henare, Tomohiro Ishii, Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste, Yujiro Takahashi, Master Wato, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, YOH, SHO, Fujita Jr. Hayato, Taiji Ishimori, Douki, Toru Yano, Takashi Izuka, Taichi. YOH, Great-O-Khan, Toru Yano and Taiji Ishimori were the final four to advance.
Elimination Order – Jeff Cobb(by TMDK), Henare(by TMDK), Shane Haste(by Tomohiro Ishii), Mikey Nicholls(by Yujiro Takahashi), Tomohiro Ishii((by Yujiro Takahashi), Gabe Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Douki, Fujita Jr. Hayato, Yujiro Takahashi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SHO, Takashi Izuka, Taichi, Chase Owens.
Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira) defeated Bullet Club War Dogs(Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)(c) to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. TJP appeared as a cursed supernatural character. Wardogs tied him to the rails after the initial brawl. Wardogs kept Akira under control for a while before TJP returned to bring his team back into the match. TJP bit Moloney and spit his own blood into his eyes before Catch 2/2 hit their finisher to get the pinfall.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Zack Sabre Jr.(c) to win NJPW World TV Championship. Tanahashi made a quick start, but his High Fly Flow was countered by double knees from ZSJ. ZSJ almost had the match in his bag with head screw and penalty kick, but Tanahashi blocked a body slam. They trade quick pin attempts before Tanahashi held onto ZSJ’s legs to get the three count.
Yuya Uemura defeated Yota Tsuji in a singles match. A bit short but good match between two young stars of NJPW. Uemara hits deadbolt suplex to get the pinfall.
House of Torture (Evil & Ren Narita) defeated Shota Umino & Kaito Kiyomiya in a Tag Team Match. Umino and Kiyomiya took control early and had their opponents in submission moves when other HOT members on the outside rang the bell for distraction. After a referee bump, HOT members attacked them. Despite a fight back from Umino and Kiyomani, a referee distraction allowed Narita to hit Umino with a crowbar and Narita then hit Umino with the double cross spike to get the pinfall.
Tama Tonga defeated Shingo Takagi(c) to win NEVER Openweight Championship. Very entertaining match with lots of nearfalls. Tonga hit Styles Clash, gun stun and DST to get the pinfall.
Guerrillas of Destiny(El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) defeated Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi) to win IWGP Tag Team Championship & NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship. After a back and forth match, Yoshi-Hashi was taken out on the floor by a moonsault from El Phantasmo. Goto kicked out of the pin even after a chokeslam from Hikuleo and springboard splash from El Phantasmo. Hikuleo then hit a frog splash from the top rope to get the pinfall.
El Desperado defeated Hiromu Takahashi(c) to win IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Desperado caught Hiromu with a suicide dive during his entrance. After Desperado dominated the early part, Hiromu countered on the floor to get into a back and forth rhythm. Desperado hit Pince Loco twice in the end to get the pinfall.
David Finlay defeated Will Ospreay & Jon Moxley to become IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. Ospreay and Moxley worked together to take out Finlay at the start. Finlay returned after recovering. Gabe Kidd and Alex Coughlin attacked Ospreay and Moxley when they had taken down Finlay once again. Moxley hit Deathrider on Coughlin while Ospreay hit Oscutter on Kidd. They were put through the tables after this. Ospreay hit Moxley with hidden blade and Stormbreaker. Finlay then finished Ospreay to get the pinfall.
After the match, David Finlay got into Nick Nemeth, who was sitting in the VIP row. When Nemeth came to have a face-off, Finlay pushed him to start a brawl. Security quickly intervened.
Kazuchika Okada defeated Bryan Danielson in a singles match after hitting second Rainmaker to get the pinfall. After the match, both men bowed down to each other to show respect.
Tetsuya Naito defeated SANADA(c) to win IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. After several counters, finishers and nearfalls, Naito hit Destino for the second time to get the pinfall.
After Naito got his title, EVIL and Dick Togo attacked him. Sanada helped him fight back.
