Several new champions were crowned at New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 19 event.
First-up, Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita (Ichiban Sweet Boys) won the Four-Way Tokyo Ladder Match to capture the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, defeating defending champions Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight and Kushida), Catch 2/2 (TJP and Francesco Akira) and Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney).
Ichiban Sweet Boys aka Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita win the TOKYO TERROR LADDER opener on WK19 to become the new IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champions!
THIS MATCH WAS BATSHIT CRAZY.
pic.twitter.com/tehu0pNL14— Drainmaker 🌧️ 💵 (@DrainBamager) January 4, 2025
Two matches later, after Mayu Iwatani retained her IWGP Women’s Championship, the NJPW World Television Championship changed hands with El Phantasmo dethroning Ren Narita (and also beating Jeff Cobb and Ryohei Oiwa, as this was a four-way match).
El Phantasmo with the win, let's go!
Finally someone broke that damn push up board that Narita has been using for what feels like forever.
Still waiting for a match that feels like a Wrestle Kingdom match though. #njwk19pic.twitter.com/XVP3pvhyLz
— WrestleDrop (@wrestle_drop) January 4, 2025
After that, Konosuke Takeshita defeated Shingo Takagi to not only retain his AEW International Championship, but win Takagi’s NEVER Openweight Championship, as this was a Winner Takes All match. This means Takeshita will have to defend tomorrow night at Wrestle Dynasty against Tomohiro Ishii.
Konosuke Takeshita wins the Open-weight NEVER championship!!!! pic.twitter.com/Oc19NxOhcd
— 𝙒𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 (@WrestlePerfect) January 4, 2025
Sadly, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship also changed hands in the next match, but by referee stoppage, as Douki’s arm snapped backward with an awkward landing from a sit out powerbomb to the outside. El Desperado was awarded the title, but cut a promo after about how they’ll fight again.
DOUKI BROKE HIS ARM #NJPW #NJWK pic.twitter.com/AjIeyksHMe
— Kade The Kidd (@KadeTheKidd_) January 4, 2025
The title changes kept rolling in, as Yota Tsuji defeated David Finlay to win the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. Tsuji will now have to defend the title tomorrow against Jack Perry.
What a match, hats off to David Finlay & Yota Tsuji.
Great stuff #njwk19 pic.twitter.com/vfcuJXsOi7
— Hunter (@ProbablyHunter) January 4, 2025
What do you think of these title changes? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
