NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 Results

New Japan Pro-Wrestling kicked off 2023 in a major way as Wrestle Kingdom 17 emanated from the Tokyo Dome on January 4.

The show was held in honour of the late Antonio Inoki and Wrestle Kingdom 17 celebrated the NJPW Founder's legacy, with Kazuchika Okada winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from Jay White in the main event before he led the fans in attendance in shouting out Inoki's famous catchphrase to bring the event to an end.

Wrestle Kingdom was also a big night for Kenny Omega as The Best Bout Machine challenged Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship in his NJPW return. Omega and Ospreay proceeded to have an early match-of-the-year contender and Omega ultimately regained the US Title, hitting Ospreay with a Kamigoye before he followed up with the One Winged Angel for the victory.

Other titles also changed hands at Wrestle Kingdom 17 as Hiromu Takahashi regained the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in a Four-Way with Taiji Ishimori, El Desperado, and Master Wato in a match that showcased Wato. FTR also dropped the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Titles to YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto, while Tama Tonga defeated Karl Anderson to capture the NEVER Openweight Championship, and Zack Sabre Jr. forced Ren Narita to submit as he became the inaugural NJPW World TV Champion. ZSJ then joined TMDK following the bout.

A major debut also occurred at Wrestle Kingdom 17 as Mercedes Moné (FKA Sasha Banks) attacked KAIRI following her successful IWGP Women's Title defence against Tam Nakano. Moné and KAIRI are set to go one on one for the gold at Battle in the Valley on February 18.

Beyond Inoki, New Japan honoured Keiji Muto as the wrestling legend picked up a win in his final NJPW match alongside Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shota Umino against Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and BUSHI. New Japan looked to the future with the finish, however, as Shota Umino pinned BUSHI to score the victory.

Elsewhere at Wrestle Kingdom 17, TJP and Francesco Akira defeated YOH and Lio Rush to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles. Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima, and Yuji Nagata picked up a win over Tiger Mask, Tatsumi Fujinami, and Minoru Suzuki in the Antonio Inoki Memorial Match, and Shingo Takagi, Toru Yano, Great-O-Khan, and SHO were the final four in the New Japan Rambo for the KOPW 2023 Title. Ryohei Oiwa and Boltin Oleg went to a draw in the opener.

Check out the full results from Wrestle Kingdom 17 below:

• Ryohei Oiwa vs. Boltin Oleg ended in a draw
• Shingo Takagi, Great-O-Khan, Toru Yano, & SHO won the KOPW 2023 New Japan Rambo
• Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima, & Yuji Nagata def. Tiger Mask, Tatsumi Fujinami, & Minoru Suzuki
• Francesco Akira & TJP (c) def. YOH & Lio Rush - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
• KAIRI (c) def. Tam Nakano - IWGP Women's Championship
• YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto def. FTR (c) - IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
• Zack Sabre Jr. def. Ren Narita - NJPW World TV Championship
• Tama Tonga def. Karl Anderson (c) - NEVER Openweight Championship
• Shota Umino, Keiji Muto, & Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, & BUSHI
• Hiromu Takahashi def. Master Wato, El Desperado, & Taiji Ishimori (c) - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
• Kenny Omega def. Will Ospreay (c) - IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship
• Kazuchika Okada def. Jay White (c) - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship