Wrestle Kingdom 15

Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place over two nights, on January 4 and 5, 2021 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 30th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the 15th promoted under the Wrestle Kingdom name.

Wrestle Kingdom 15
Promotional poster featuring various NJPW wrestlers
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateJanuary 4–5, 2021
CityTokyo, Japan
VenueTokyo Dome
AttendanceNight 1: 12,689[1]
Night 2: 7,801[2]
Combined: 20,490
Tagline(s)Go To New Japan!
Event chronology
← Previous
Road to Tokyo Dome		 Next →
New Year Dash!!
Wrestle Kingdom chronology
← Previous
14		 Next →
—

Production
Other on-screen personnel
Role: Name:
English Commentators Kevin Kelly
Chris Charlton
Rocky Romero
Japanese Commentators Shinpei Nogami
Milano Collection A.T.
Katsuhiko Kanazawa
Kazuyoshi Sakai
Togi Makabe
Miki Motoi
Jushin Thunder Liger
Masahiro Chono
Ring announcers Makoto Abe
Kimihiko Ozaki
Referees Kenta Sato
Marty Asami
Red Shoes Unno

Background

The January 4 Tokyo Dome Show is NJPW's biggest annual event and has been called "the largest professional wrestling show in the world outside of the United States" and the "Japanese equivalent to the Super Bowl".[3][4] The show has been promoted under the Wrestle Kingdom name since 2007.[5]

NJPW announced Wrestle Kingdom 15 for January 4 and 5, 2021 on October 18, 2020, during the G1 Climax 30 finals. This marked the second time that Wrestle Kingdom took place over two nights.[6]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wrestle Kingdom 15 originally had a limited attendance capacity of 20,000 for both nights.[7] On December 29, NJPW stopped ticket sales due to tighter restrictions on large-scale events in Tokyo.[8]

On December 20, NJPW's sister promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom announced that they would host a match on the January 5 event.[9]

Storylines

On October 18, 2020, Kota Ibushi won the G1 Climax 30 by defeating Sanada in the finals, entitling him to a match for both the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 15.[10] Ibushi unsuccessfully defended his Right to Challenge contract at Power Struggle on November 7, losing the contract to Jay White.[11] On November 8, Naito announced that he would defend the titles against both Ibushi and White on the two nights, Ibushi on night 1 and White on night 2.[12]

On October 16, 2020, Will Ospreay defeated Kazuchika Okada in their A Block G1 Climax match, after interference from Bea Priestley and the returning young lion Tomoyuki Oka who was on an excursion at Revolution Pro Wrestling, performing under the ring name Great-O-Khan. After the match Ospreay turned heel when he attacked Okada; in the post-match interview Ospreay announced he left Chaos and formed a new stable, later called The Empire.[13][14] At Power Struggle, Okada defeated Great-O-Khan; after the match, Ospreay challenged Okada to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 15 which Okada accepted.[15]

On December 11, Hiromu Takahashi defeated El Desperado to win the Best of the Super Juniors tournament; after the match, Takahashi said he wanted to face the Super J-Cup winner before facing the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.[16] On December 12, El Phantasmo won the Super J-Cup by defeating ACH and accepted Takahashi's challenge.[17] NJPW announced that Takahashi and El Phantasmo would face each other on night 1 at Wrestle Kingdom 15 with the winner facing Taiji Ishimori on night 2 for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.[18]

On August 21, 2020, Kenta defeated David Finlay to win the New Japan Cup USA tournament, which entitled him to a match for the IWGP United States Championship.[19] During Road to Tokyo Dome on December 22, Juice Robinson challenged Kenta to a match for Kenta's Right to Challenge contract at Wrestle Kingdom.[20] However, Robinson would suffer an injury to his orbital bone, and NJPW subsequently named Satoshi Kojima as Robinson's replacement.[21]

Results
Night 1
No. Results[22][1][23] Stipulations Times
1P Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, Bushi, and Toru Yano advanced to the four way match[Note 1] 21-man New Japan Rambo to determine who will challenge for the Provisional KOPW 2021 Trophy on night 2[1] 34:40
2 Hiromu Takahashi (Best of the Super Juniors winner) defeated El Phantasmo (Super J-Cup winner) Singles match to determine who will challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on night 2[1] 17:46
3 Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) (with Jado) defeated Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr.) (c) (with Douki) Tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship[1] 19:18
4 Kenta (c) defeated Satoshi Kojima (with Hiroyoshi Tenzan) Singles match for the IWGP United States Championship challenge rights certificate[1] 14:12
5 Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Great-O-Khan Singles match[1] 17:13
6 Kazuchika Okada defeated Will Ospreay (with Bea Priestley) Singles match[1] 35:41
7 Kota Ibushi defeated Tetsuya Naito (c) Singles match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship[1] 31:18
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
  • P – indicates the match took place on the pre-show
  1. Other competitors by order of elimination: Minoru Suzuki, Yuji Nagata, Toa Henare, Hirooki Goto, Yoshi-Hashi, Togi Makabe, Douki, Yujiro Takahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Tomoaki Honma, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Rocky Romero, Sho, Tiger Mask, Gabriel Kidd, Yota Tsuji, and Yuya Uemura
Night 2
No. Results[22][2] Stipulations Times
1D Queen's Quest (AZM, Saya Kamitani, and Utami Hayashishita) defeated Donna del Mondo (Himeka, Maika and Natsupoi) Six-woman tag team match[24]
This was a Stardom exhibition match.[25]		 9:48
2D Donna del Mondo (Syuri and Giulia) defeated Mayu Iwatani and Tam Nakano Tag team match[24]
This was a Stardom exhibition match.[9]		 12:49
3 Toru Yano defeated Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, and Bushi Four way match for the Provisional KOPW 2021 Trophy[2] 7:34
4 Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (c) defeated One or Eight (Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato) (with Hiroyoshi Tenzan) Tag team match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship[2] 13:20
5 Shingo Takagi (c) defeated Jeff Cobb Singles match for the NEVER Openweight Championship[2] 21:11
6 Sanada defeated Evil (with Dick Togo) Singles match[2] 23:40
7 Hiromu Takahashi defeated Taiji Ishimori (c) Singles match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship[2] 25:31
8 Kota Ibushi (c) defeated Jay White (with Gedo) Singles match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship[2] 48:05
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
  • D – indicates the match was a dark match

References
  1. "2021.01.04 WRESTLE KINGDOM in TOKYO DOME night 1". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  2. "2021.01.05 WRESTLE KINGDOM in TOKYO DOME night 2". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  3. "GFW News: New Japan Pro Wrestling "Wrestle Kingdom 9" press conference details". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. December 23, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  4. Keller, Wade (December 13, 2016). "New Japan's WrestleKingdom 11 to air on AXS TV starting Jan. 13 in four weekly special episodes with Ross & Barnett on commentary". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  5. Hoops, Brian (January 4, 2017). "Daily Pro Wrestling History (01/04): NJPW Tokyo Dome cards". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  6. "Wrestle Kingdom 15 coming January 4 & 5 2021!". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  7. Rose, Bryan (October 27, 2020). "NJPW To Set 20,000 Capacity Limit For Wrestle Kingdom 15". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  8. "Regarding Wrestle Kingdom 15 ticket sales!". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. December 26, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  9. Rose, Bryan (December 20, 2020). "Stardom Match To Take Place At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  10. "'It has to be Naito' Kota Ibushi speaks to press as two time G1 winner 【G130】". NJPW. October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  11. "2020.11.07 POWER STRUGGLE | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  12. "No Naito Off for double IWGP Champ at Wrestle Kingdom 【WK15】". NJPW. November 8, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  13. Rose, Bryan (October 16, 2020). "Will Opsreay Turns On Kazuchika Okada At NJPW G1 Climax 30". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  14. "Ibushi heads to A Block Final as Ospreay shocks in Ryogoku 【G130】". NJPW. October 16, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  15. "Will Ospreay challenges Kazuchika Okada for Wrestle Kingdom". NJPW. November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  16. Rose, Bryan (December 11, 2020). "NJPW Crowns Winners Of BOSJ 27, World Tag League 2020". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  17. Rose, Bryan (December 12, 2020). "NJPW Super J-Cup 2020 Winner Crowned". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  18. Rose, Bryan (December 13, 2020). "NJPW Announces Six Matches For Wrestle Kingdom 15". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  19. "2020.08.21 NEW JAPAN CUP 2020 in the USA". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Bushiroad. August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  20. Lambert, Jeremy (December 23, 2020). "KENTA Accepts Juice Robinson's Challenge For Wrestle Kingdom 15". Fightful. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  21. Rose, Bryan (December 23, 2020). "NJPW CONFIRMS KENTA VS. SATOSHI KOJIMA FOR WRESTLE KINGDOM 15". F4WOnline. Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  22. "Three matches set for January 4 & 5 at Wrestle Kingdom 【WK15】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  23. Powell, Jason (January 4, 2021). "1/4 NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 results: Powell's review of Tetsuya Naito vs. Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships, Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay, Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Phantasmo for a shot at the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  24. "STARDOM Opening matches set for Wrestle Kingdom 【WK15】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. December 26, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  25. "【緊急決定】イッテンゴ東京ドーム大会にスターダムがダークマッチで参戦！" (in Japanese). World Wonder Ring Stardom. December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
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