NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 Results

As is tradition, New Japan Pro-Wrestling kicked off 2025 with their biggest show of the year as Wrestle Kingdom 19 emanated from the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.

The main event saw Zack Sabre Jr. successfully defend his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Shota Umino in a match that won't go down as a classic Tokyo Dome main event, but still went 43 minutes.

The action picked up after 25 minutes and Umino appeared close to victory but Zack Sabre Jr. suddenly twisted Umino’s ankle and applied a Knee Bar. ZSJ repeatedly dragged the challenger back into the middle of the ring as the move was locked in for several minutes until Umino finally powered through and reached the bottom rope, receiving spatterings of applause from within the Tokyo Dome. 

The match only became more bitter from there, especially after Umino connected with an Avalanche Death Rider, simply following up with repeated kicks to Zack's head and he even pushed away his father Red Shoes Uno to continue the attack. Umino's actions saw the Tokyo Dome fill with boos and Shota tried to put the champion away with an Emerald Flowsion before he went for another Death Rider. ZSJ blocked the move, however, and followed up with a Zack Driver, Gotch Style Piledriver, and another Zack Driver to finally win the contest and exit the Tokyo Dome as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

A dream match took place in the semi-main event of Wrestle Kingdom as Log Ingobernables de Japon stablemates Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi squared off in singles action for the first time ever.

Hiromu Takahashi dominated much of the action, connecting with Time Bomb and Time Bomb 2 but he was unable to put Naito away. Naito then simply moved into a higher gear and he connected with a Destino for what looked to be the finish but Hiromu kicked out. Naito then looked to be cute and go for the Stardust Press but Hiromu simply grabbed his stablemate’s leg. An annoyed Naito instead decided to hit Valentia and a second Destino for the win. 

Hiromu rejected the LIJ salute before the contest but he bowed to Naito following the match and raised his arm alongside the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, with the two men hugging and heading to the back together. 

Beyond Shota Umino, another crowning moment saw Yota Tsuji defeat David Finlay to become the new IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion. Finlay had reigned as champion across two reigns for much of 2024 and he threw everything at Tsuji, connecting with Oblivion and Overkill during the match. He was unable to put Tsuji away, though, and the LIJ member eventually connected with a Powerbomb and a second Geneblaster to win the championship.

In what was many fans' most hotly anticipated match at Wrestle Kingdom 19, Konosuke Takeshita emerged victorious from his Winner Takes All Match against Shingo Takagi to win the NEVER Openweight Championship. Both competitors spent plenty of time landing on their heads in a hard-hitting affair and Konosuke Takeshita connected with a huge forearm to the face down the stretch before he followed up with Raging Fire for the win.

A sudden injury also led to the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title changing hands at Wrestle Kingdom. DOUKI was the star of the junior heavyweight division in 2024 but the biggest match of his career ended in disaster after he hit a Top Rope Seated Senton to the floor. DOUKI awkwardly landed and suffered a suspected broken arm, with the referee immediately waving off the match and handing El Desperado the win by forfeit. A visibly upset Despe announced following the match that he and his former Suzuki-gun stablemate would run it back when DOUKI is able to do so.

Hiroshi Tanahashi will also continue his glittering in-ring career after defeating EVIL in their Lumberjack Deathmatch. Tanahashi's career was on the line and House of Torture riddled the match with interference, managing to largely fight off Tanahashi's own lumberjacks. House of Torture even managed to block the eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion from connecting with the High Fly Flow and EVIL took advantage, hitting Everything is EVIL. Before EVIL could make the pin, however, Tanahashi trapped him in a small package for the sudden win.

Post-match, House of Torture looked to beat down the NJPW President but a hooded figure made the save, chasing off H.O.T. The hooded figure was then revealed to be Katsuyori Shibata, making his NJPW return, and after a challenge from the AEW star, it was made official that it will be Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5.

In a feel-good title change, El Phantasmo captured the NJPW World Television Title following his recovery from cancer in a four-way featuring Ren Narita, Jeff Cobb, and Ryohei Oiwa. Ren Narita was the champion walking into the Tokyo Dome and he looked to win the match following a ref bump by grabbing his trusty wooden plank. The weapon was swiftly split by Jeff Cobb, though, and the United Empire member looked to have the match won following an F5 to Narita. The pin was suddenly broken up by a Senton Bomb from ELP, though, and Phantasmo followed up with the Thunder Kiss 86 to Narita for the pinfall win.

In the opening contest of the main card, the Ichiban Sweet Boys of Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles, winning a Tokyo Terror Ladder Match against the Intergalactic Jet Setters of Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA, Bullet Club War Dogs’ Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney, and Catch 2/2’s TJP & Francesco Akira. The win ended KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight’s reign at 82 days and saw Robbie Eagles become a two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, while Kosei Fujita won his first title in pro wrestling.

Full results from NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19:

• Hirooki Goto wins the New Japan Ranbo - Ranbo for future IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Shot
• Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) def. Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA) (c), Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney), & Catch 2/2 (TJP & Francesco Akira) - Tokyo Terror Ladder Match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
• Mayu Iwatani (c) def. AZM - IWGP Women's Championship
• El Phantasmo def. Ren Narita (c), Jeff Cobb, & Ryohei Oiwa - Four-Way for the NJPW World Television Championship
• Hiroshi Tanahashi def. EVIL - Lumberjack Deathmatch with Hiroshi Tanahashi's Career On The Line
• Konosuke Takeshita (c) def. Shingo Takagi (c) - Winner Takes All Match for the NEVER Openweight Championship & AEW International Championship
• El Desperado def. DOUKI (c) - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
• Yota Tsuji def. David Finlay (c) - IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
• Tetsuya Naito def. Hiromu Takahashi
• Zack Sabre Jr. (c) def. Shota Umino - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship