Welcome to our live coverage of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 from the iconic Tokyo Dome. It promises to be an emotional event as Hiroshi Tanahashi performs in his final match against Kazuchika Okada. To get the latest updates from the show, please refresh this page and scroll down.
In addition to Tanahashi vs Okada, Konosuke Takeshita takes on Yota Tsuji in a Winner Takes All match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. Elsewhere, Aaron Wolf makes his NJPW debut, challenging EVIL for the NEVER Openweight Championship. There is also another Winner Takes All match on the card, with Syuri and Saya Kamitani battling it out for the IWGP Women’s Championship and STRONG Women’s Championship.
The rest of the card sees a NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Championship Tornado Ranbo open the show, a 10-man tag team match pitting the Bullet Club War Dogs against the United Empire – who have a mystery member of their team being revealed ahead of the match – and a four-way match to determine the next challenger for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship will take place, with El Desperado, Kosei Fujita, Taiji Ishimori and Sho going at it.
Join us for the pre-show at 6:15 a.m. GMT / 1:15 a.m. EST, featuring Shoma Kato and Tatsuya Matsumoto vs. Katsuya Murashima and Masatora Yasuda, followed by El Phantasmo taking on Chris Brookes for the NJPW World Television Championship.
Pre-show match: Shoma Kato and Tatsuya Matsumoto vs Katsuya Murashima and Masatora Yasuda
A tag team match between the Young Lions saw Murashima secure the win for himself and Yasuda by submission. Murashima applied a very deep double‑leg Boston crab, forcing a tap out.
Winners: Katsuya Murashima and Masatora Yasuda
Pre-show match: El Phantasmo (c) vs Chris Brookes for the NJPW World Television Championship
An exciting back‑and‑forth bout between ELP and DDT’s Brookes ended with the champion retaining the NJPW World Television Championship. ELP, who was accompanied by Jado, picked up the win after landing a Thunder Kiss ’86.
Winner: El Phantasmo to retain the NJPW World Television Championship
It’s time for Wrestle Kingdom 20, live from the Tokyo Dome!
Match 1: Toru Yano and Spiritech (Master Wato and Yoh) (c) vs Tiger Mask, Togi Makabe and Ryusuke Taguchi vs Boltin Oleg and Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) vs. Team 150 (Tomohiro Ishii, Taichi and Satoshi Kojima) vs House of Torture (Ren Narita, SANADA and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa and Hartley Jackson) vs Kaisei Takechi and RoughStorm (Shota Umino and Yuya Uemura) vs Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors, Oskar and Yuto-Ice) in a Ranbo match for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship
Kaisei Takechi, Shota Umino and Yuya Uemura entered first, being played to the ring by The Rampage from Exile Tribe. House of Torture (Ren Narita, SANADA and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) entered next. After some quick action, Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors, Oskar and Yuto-Ice) entered the match. The next team to enter were TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa and Hartley Jackson). Tiger Mask, Togi Makabe and Ryusuke Taguchi entered next. The Bullet Club War Dogs were eliminated a few moments after.
The next team to enter were Boltin Oleg and Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi). A minute later, Team 150 (Tomohiro Ishii, Taichi and Satoshi Kojima) entered the match. Tiger Mask, Makabe and Taguchi were eliminated during Team 150’s entrance, with Tiger Mask being pinned. Toru Yano and Spiritech (Master Wato and Yoh), the reigning champions, entered last. Several teams were eliminated within the space of a few minutes, including the champions. Sabre pinned Oleg with a bridged pin to capture the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship for The Mighty Don’t Kneel.
Winners: TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa and Hartley Jackson) to win the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship
Match 2: Saya Kamitani (Strong) vs Syuri (IWGP) in a Winner Takes All match for the IWGP Women's Championship and STRONG Women's Championship
Both women attempted to get the better of each other in the opening moments of the match. Syuri took control of the bout, keeping Kamitani grounded. Kamitani soon responded, dropkicking Syuri out of the ring. Kamitani then performed a dive from the top rope to the floor. Back inside the ring, both champions traded blows, with Kamitani getting the better of Syuri. Syuri managed to take Kamitani down with a knee to the face.
Kamitani restored control and attempted a bridged pin. Syuri headed for the top turnbuckle. Syuri immediately locked Kamitani in an arm submission after both women crashed down to the mat. Kamitani managed to force a break by reaching the bottom rope. Kamitani took control and landed a Blue Thunder Bomb. Syuri kicked out of the cover that followed.
Syuri managed to stop Kamitani in her tracks. She registered a few pinfall attempts. Both champions went back and forth, each attempting pins. Syuri then found a breakthrough, slamming Kamitani down onto the mat with a Syu-Sekai and securing the win.
Winner: Syuri to retain the IWGP Women’s Champion and become the STRONG Women’s Champion
Match 3: Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay, Gabe Kidd and Drilla Moloney) and Unaffiliated (Shingo Takagi and Hiromu Takahashi) vs United Empire (Andrade El Idolo, Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, Henare and TBA)
The mystery tag team partner was revealed to be Jake Lee. The match started with a brawl between everyone involved in the match. Andrade El Idolo dived to the floor and took out Gabe Kidd. Both El Idolo and Kidd battled in the ring. Kidd then performed a dive of his own from the top turnbuckle to the outside, wiping out El Idolo. Both men continued to go at it in the ring. Henare and Takagi entered the match. Both men went back and forth. Great-O-Khan then entered the ring and assisted Henare.
Henare and Takagi continued to battle it out in the ring. Takagi took Henare out with a thumping lariat. Drilla Moloney entered, sending Henare to the floor. Takagi and Moloney worked together in the ring. David Finlay and Callum Newman were tagged in. Newman took Finlay down. Finlay immediately responded. Jake Lee became the legal man for the United Empire. Finlay tagged in Hiromu Takahashi a few moments later. Takahashi and Finlay used each other as weapons.
The pace of the action picked up, with Moloney and Newman having an exciting sequence. Great-O-Khan then entered. Takagi eventually took him out. Takagi then sent Henare and himself to the floor. Finlay used Takahashi as a weapon again, launching him over the top rope. Takahashi followed up by suplexing Finlay to the outside from the top turnbuckle, wiping out everyone below. Moments later, Lee pinned Takahashi following a Face Break Shot in the corner.
Winners: United Empire (Andrade El Idolo, Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, Henare and Jake Lee)
After the match, Francesco Akira returned and reunited with the United Empire.
Match 4: El Desperado vs Kosei Fujita vs Taiji Ishimori vs SHO to determine the number one contender for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
DOUKI, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, watched from ringside. SHO briefly exited the ring after being surrounded and attacked by Fujita, Ishimori and El Desperado. Fujita locked SHO in a submission in the ring. Desperado and Ishimori helped inflict more pain during the hold. Moments later, Ishimori and El Desperado went back and forth.
The referee was taken out following SHO’s slam. All chaos broke loose, with DOUKI and Yoshinobu Kanemaru getting involved, while Robbie Eagles, Robbie X and Kuukai also made appearances. More shenanigans occurred involving SHO. SHO then planted Fujita into the mat. Desperado returned and broke the cover. Desperado then took charge and put SHO down for the win.
Winner: El Desperado
Match 5: Evil (c) vs Aaron Wolf for the NEVER Openweight Championship
EVIL and Aaron Wolf traded blows as the match began. Wolf managed to take control. Wolf delivered a series of moves and attempted a cover. Wolf was ambushed on the outside by members of the House of Torture. Meanwhile, EVIL took out Wolf with steel chairs on the entrance ramp. As a result, EVIL took control back inside the ring. The champion attempted several successive pin attempts. However, Wolf continued to kick out.
Moments later, Wolf managed to build some momentum, taking out members of the House of Torture inside the ring. EVIL then blinded Wolf with some white powder. He then locked Wolf in a submission hold. EVIL let go when Wolf eventually grabbed the bottom rope. EVIL knocked Wolf down with a lariat. Wolf responded by slamming EVIL into the mat.
Wolf headed to the top turnbuckle. Wolf delivered a frog splash. However, the referee was pulled out of the ring during Wolf’s pin attempt. House of Torture attempted another ambush. Dick Togo brought a table into the ring. Don Fale launched the table at Wolf. Togo and Fale set up the table. Fale splashed Wolf through the table in the corner of the ring.
EVIL returned and the referee was thrown back into the ring. EVIL then struck Wolf with a lariat. However, Wolf kicked out of the champion’s cover. Wolf locked in the Triangle submission on EVIL. EVIL struggled to escape and passed out.
Winner: Aaron Wolf to become the new NEVER Openweight Champion
Match 6: Konosuke Takeshita (World) vs Yota Tsuji (Global) in a Winner Takes All match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
Konosuke Takeshita and Yota Tsuji attempted to get the better of each other in the opening moments of the match. Both champions struggled to gain an advantage, that was until Takeshita knocked Tsuji down with a flying lariat. Moments later, however, Tsuji managed to take Takeshita off his feet. Tsuji attempted a cover after delivering a series of moves.
Tsuji appeared to be struggling with his neck. Takeshita took advantage on the outside. Back inside the ring, Takeshita continued to dominate. He later dived over the top rope to wipe out Tsuji on the floor. Tsuji eventually fought back. He sent Takeshita to the outside. He followed up by launching himself over the top rope.
Back inside the ring, Tsuji landed a Coup de Grace from the top turnbuckle. Tsuji attempted another high-risk move, but Takeshita dodged out of the way. Takeshita began to build some momentum. Tsuji turned the tables for a moment before Takeshita took him out. Both champions then traded blows in the middle of the ring.
Tsuji landed a Destroyer after more back-and-forth action. Takeshita briefly fought back until Tsuji drove him into the corner. Takeshita began to take advantage of a struggling Tsuji, delivering a series of moves. However, Tsuji got his foot on the rope during a pin attempt. Takeshita delivered a big elbow to Tsuji in the centre of the ring. Tsuji responded. Tsuji hit a move on Takeshita from the top turnbuckle. Takeshita kicked out of a cover.
Takeshita landed a Poisonrana. Tsuji followed up with a knee strike in the corner of the ring. Takeshita then hit a Blue Thunder Bomb from the top turnbuckle. Tsuji kicked out of the subsequent pin. Takeshita struck Tsuji and went for another cover. Takeshita pulled his kneepad down. Tsuji blocked Takeshita’s offence with his skull. Tsuji eventually took advantage and locks in a Boston crab. Takeshita tapped out.
Winner: Yota Tsuji to become the IWGP World Heavyweight and retain the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
After the match, Jake Lee attacked Yota Tsuji while he was delivering a speech to the audience inside the Tokyo Dome.
Match 7: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada in Hiroshi Tanahashi's retirement match
Rocky Romero joined Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton on commentary for this match. Both men locked up as the match got underway. Kazuchika Okada managed to briefly ground Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tanahashi responded by trying to keep Okada on the mat. Okada took control and trapped Tanahashi in a head lock. The AEW star then knocked Tanahashi off his feet. Tanahashi soon replied and headed to the top turnbuckle. However, Okada delivered a dropkick, sending Tanahashi crashing down to the floor.
On the outside, Okada sent Tanahashi into the guardrail. He then sent him over the guardrail. Back inside the ring, Okada continued to dominate. Tanahashi eventually fought back and knocked Okada down in the centre of the ring. Okada attempted to send Tanahashi out of the ring. Tanahashi dangled from the top rope by his hands and pulled himself back into the ring.
Tanahashi continued to build momentum. Okada rolled out of the ring after Tanahashi delivered a dropkick to the knee. Tanahashi headed to the top turnbuckle. Tanahashi leaped to the floor and wiped out Okada. Back inside the ring, Okada sent Tanahashi face first into the canvas. Okada resumed control. He stuck his middle finger up after teasing doing his famous “Rainmaker” pose. Okada then landed a Tombstone Piledriver.
On the entrance ramp, Okada delivered another Tombstone Piledriver. Fans began to cheer as Tanahashi began to move towards to the ring to break the referee’s 20 count. Tanahashi made it back inside the ring at the last moment. Okada immediately planted Tanahashi with another Tombstone Piledriver. Okada toyed with Tanahashi by pulling him up when he attempted a pin.
Tanahashi somehow dropped Okada with an Ace Maker. It looked like Tanahashi was about to rally, but Okada struck him with a Rainmaker. Tanahashi managed to kick out of the cover. Okada locked in a Boston crab. Tanahashi eventually managed to grab the bottom rope. Okada delivered stomps to the back of Tanahashi’s head. He then connected with a dropkick. Tanahashi responded with a Sling Blade.
Tanahashi struck Okada with a knee and headed to the top turnbuckle after referencing Shinsuke Nakamura and Katsuyori Shibata. He landed a splash and pinned Okada. Okada kicked out. Tanahashi continued to rally. Tanahashi delivered a splash from the top. He went for second but Okada got his knees up. Both men traded blows in the middle of the ring. Okada gained the advantage.
Okada then drove Tanahashi into the canvas. Okada struck Tanahashi with a Rainmaker. Tanahashi kicked out of the cover that followed. Okada slammed Tanahashi down. He then delivered an elbow from the top turnbuckle, following up with his “Rainmaker” pose. Okada delivered one more Rainmaker to win the match.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada
A retirement ceremony was held after the match for Tanahashi. Numerous wrestlers and legends appeared, including Jay White, Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Katsuyori Shibata, Keiji Muto and Tatsumi Fujinami. Tetsuya Naito also came out once the other wrestlers and legends had left the ring.
