New Japan announces Wrestle Kingdom card, shows in the U.S.

General
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Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2018/12/10/new-japan-announces-wrestle-kingdom-card-shows-in-the-u-s/

New Japan Pro Wrestling held a press conference to announce the entire card for Wrestle Kingdom 13 on January 4th at the Tokyo Dome.

In addition, they announce a return to the United States with two shows billed as “New Beginning USA” for Thursday, January 30th and Saturday, February 1st. The show will feature some young lions from the New Japan Dojo in Los Angeles. Wrestlers that are not part of New Japan’s New Beginning card in Sapporo that weekend will be part of the U.S. shows.

The January 30th show will take place from the Globe Theatre in Los Angeles, which is the home of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. The February 1st card takes place from the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Charlotte location is interesting given that New Japan’s U.S. partner Ring of Honor is running nearby Concord, North Carolina two weeks earlier.

Tickets for the U.S. dates go on sale Saturday, December 22nd.

Here is the full card for Wrestle Kingdom 13 that will air at 3 am Eastern on Friday, January 4th on New Japan World, Fite TV and will have a two-hour edited version airing that night on AXS TV.
*Kenny Omega vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP heavyweight title
*Chris Jericho vs. Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP United States title
*Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White
*KUSHIDA vs. Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP junior heavyweight title
*Cody vs. Juice Robinson for the IWGP United States title
*Guerrillas of Destiny vs. The Young Bucks vs. EVIL and Sanada for the IWGP tag titles
*Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre Jr. for the Revolution Pro heavyweight title
*Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado vs. Shingo Takagi and Bushi vs. Roppongi 3K for the IWGP junior heavyweight tag titles
*Kota Ibushi vs. Will Ospreay for the NEVER Openweight title
*Gauntlet Match to become the #1 contenders for the NEVER Openweight six-man tag titles on the pre-show

Unlike previous years, there will not be a New Japan Rumble on the pre-show and instead, a gauntlet match will take its place. The Guerrillas of Destiny and Taiji Ishimori are the current six-man tag champions and involved in separate matches on the show.

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Ridiculously excited for this.

I feel sad after the great year he’s had, Ishii is likely relegated to being on team CHAOS in the NEVER six-man gauntlet.

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@ScottyDee he’s facing ZSJ for the British

Hangman and Suzukifeel like odd men out here

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Ahhhhh you are so right.

I guess some of the finishes will be choreographed if the Elite announce their choices on Dec 31 at midnight…

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Do they own a map? The logistics of doing Charlotte, NC and Los Angeles one day apart has to be a huge cluster.

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Suspicious that they would announce these shows now. Not knowing The Elite’s decision. And knowing the biggest non-Elite US draws are going to be in Japan.
Like who is going to go out of their way to see a Goto v Taichi match in North Carolina ? :roll_eyes: