New champions crowned at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19

A host of new champions were crowned in the Tokyo Dome at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19. A new IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion was crowned in the penultimate title match on the show, with Yota Tsuji defeating David Finlay for the Global title on the first anniversary of its inception. Finlay won the inaugural Global title bout at Wrestle Kingdom 18 last year.

The IWGP Junior Heavyweight title changed hands on an injury Saturday, as El Desperado was declared the winner over defending champ DOUKI after DOUKI suffered a left arm injury and was unable to continue. Konosuke Takeshita retained the AEW International Championship, plus captured the NEVER Openweight title in his victory over Shingo Takagi on Saturday’s Wrestle Kingdom card. Takeshita will now defend both titles against Tomohiro Ishii on Saturday night’s Wrestle Dynasty show.



El Phantasmo won the NJPW World TV title in a four-way in the second match on the main card. The Vancouver native made his return to NJPW last month, medically cleared after a cancer scare . ELP defeated Jeff Cobb, Ryohei Oiwa, and reigning TV champ Ren Narita for the belt.

In the main card opener, it was Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita of Ichiban Sweet Boys who captured IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team gold in the Tokyo Terror ladder match, defeating KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight, Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney, and TJP & Francesco Akira for the titles. On the pre-show, Hirooki Goto won the New Japan Ranbo to earn a future IWGP World Heavyweight title shot. IWGP World Heavyweight Zack Sabre Jr.

retained the IWGP World title in the main event with a win over Shota Umino, while Mayu Iwatani retained the IWGP Women’s Championship over AZM on the show in the other title matches at Wrestle Kingdom 19. Our full report from Wrestle Kingdom 19 is here..