The biggest non-WWE produced pro wrestling event of the year, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 8 took place this morning at the world-famous Tokyo Dome. The annual January 4th dome show is a tradition for NJPW which goes back over the last 20 years, and featured the top Japanese wrestling talent with special guest wrestlers including the legendary Great Muta.

Wrestle Kingdom aired live worldwide on internet pay per view with UStream. If you missed it, the entire show will be posted online for on-demand viewers early Saturday morning at a cost of $25.

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(0) 8 Man Tag Dark Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tomoaki Honma, Captain New Japan & BUSHI vs. Manabu Nakanishi, Super Strong Machine, Jushin Thunder Liger & Yohei Komatsu

Winner: Tenzan (8:11) with an Elevated Crab on Komatsu.

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(1) IWGP Junior Tag Championship 4WAY Match: [37th Champions] “The Young Bucks” Matt & Nick Jackson vs. [Challengers] Taichi & TAKA Michinoku [K-DOJO] vs. [Challengers] “Time Splitters” KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley vs. [Challengers] Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov

Winner: Matt Jackson (10:35) following the More Bang 4 Your Buck on Taichi.

~ 1st successful title defense.



(2) IWGP Tag Championship Match: [63rd Champions] “K.E.S.” Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. [Challengers] “The Machine Gun” Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows

Winner: Anderson (10:27) following the Magic Killer.

~ champions fall on their first title defense. Anderson & Gallows become the 64th generation champions.



(3) NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match: [124th Champion] Rob Conway vs. [Challenger] Satoshi Kojima

Winner: Kojima (8:27) following a Lariat.

~ Kojima becomes the 125th generation champion.

(4) Special Tag Match: Yuji Nagata & Kazushi Sakuraba [Free] vs. Daniel & Rolles Gracie



Winner: Nagata (9:50) via foul.

(5) Special Tag Match: Toru Yano & Great Muta [WRESTLE-1] vs. Minoru Suzuki [Pancrase MISSION] & Shelton “X” Benjamin



Winner: Yano (12:04) following the Dokukiri to Akakiri.

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Upcoming big event schedule….

2/9 “THE NEW BEGINNING” in Hiroshima.

2/11 ”THE NEW BEGINNING” in Osaka.

3/6 “Raising an Army Anniversary” in Ota.

4/6 “INVASION ATTACK 2014” in Ryogoku.

4/12 “Wrestling World” in Taiwan.

5/3 “Wrestling Dontaku 2014” in Fukuoka.

5/25 “BACK TO YOKOHAMA ARENA” in Yokohama.

Then the finals of this years “BEST OF THE SUPER Jr. XXI” will take place at theYoyogi Stadium, 2nd Gymnasium on 6/8.

6/21 “DOMINION 6.21” in Osaka.

NJPW announced that this years “G1 CLIMAX 24” will begin on 7/21 in Sapporo with the finals being at the Seibu Dome in Sapporo on 8/10.

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(6) King of Destroyer Match: Togi Makabe vs. Bad Luck Fale

Winner: Makabe (15:05) following 2 back to back King Kong Knee Drops, KO.

~ Makabe and Fale were both down for the 10 count, but Makabe got to his feet right before the count reached 10.

(7) Special Single Match ~Hirooki Goto’s Return~: Hirooki Goto vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Winner: Goto (15:33) following the Shouten Kai.

~ Shibata raised Goto’s hand in victory, then the two left the arena together.

(8) IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: [66th Champion] Prince Devitt vs. [Challenger] Kota Ibushi (DDT)

Winner: Ibushi (16:22) with a Phoenix Splash.

~ Champion falls on his 5th title defense. Ibushi becomes the 67th generation champion.

~ The mysterious ​​El Desperado, in a white mask, came out and gave the new champion a black rose. Desperado is set to make his debut at tomorrow’s Korakuen show.





El Desperado, clearly is not Kyosuke Mikami, but this dude in the mask appears only to be like 168cm tall… so judging by talented little guys… K-DOJO’s Yuki Sato, aka Kenbai in Michinoku, Rasse in Michinoku… and even the possibility of Takuya Sugi.

(9) IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match: [59th Champion] Kazuchika Okada vs. [Challenger / 2013 G1 CLIMAX Winner] Tetsuya Naito





Winner: Okada (30:58) following the Rainmaker.

~ 7th successful title defense.



(10) IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match: [6th Champion] Shinsuke Nakamura vs. [Challenger] Hiroshi Tanahashi

Winner: Tanahashi (23:24) with the High fly Flow.

~ Champion falls on his 4th title defense. Tanahashi becomes the 7th generation champion.