#AndNEW: Titles Change Hands At Wrestle Kingdom 14

By
Marc Madison (Editor in Chief)

On Saturday, January 4th New Japan Pro Wrestling presented Wrestle Kingdom 14. The event saw several memorable moments. It also had several titles change hands at Wrestle Kingdom 14. The IWGP Tag Team titles have changed hands six times at the Wrestle Kingdom. Will it happen for the seventh time? Their battle is starting even before the battle began. An attack beforehand by the Guerillas of Destiny on David Finley and Juice Robinson. As their match went on their battle seemed to lean either one way or the other. Gedo played a part in this matchup as well on behalf of G.O.D.

Titles Change Hands Wrestle Kingdom 14
Photo / NJPW

As the match was approaching its climax and Loa and Tonga were setting up David Finley for the super powerbomb, Finley turned it into a hurricanrana! This was just the advantage that FinJuice needed.

A final Pulp Friction by Juice Robinson and we have new IWGP Tag Team Champions. Congratulations David Finley and Juice Robinson.

With the IWGP United States Championship was on the line a Texas Death Match in Japan, Jon Moxley was looking to regain the title he never lost. The rules were not what fans had normally been accustomed to. Pinfalls do not count in this matchup but submissions do. The two men battled back and forth inside the ring and out. Despite the attempted suffocation by Lance Archer with a plastic bag to keep Jon Moxley down, it wasn’t enough.At one point, Archer used the top of a spike laden helmet across the top of the face of Moxley wasn’t enough.

Titles Change Hands Wrestle Kingdom 14
Photo / NJPW

Despite being busted open, Moxley still hit a death rider on Archer through two tables on the outside of the ring. As the referee was approaching the ten count, Moxley was able to make it inside the ring leaving Archer outside the ring. The referee hits a ten count and Archer couldn’t answer the call.

Jon Moxley regains the IWGP United States Championship. After the match, Moxley says that at New Year’s Dash he and Juice Robinson will settle the score.

In an emotional matchup, Hiromu Takahashi faced Will Ospreay for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. This was Takahashi’s first singles match since returning from injury. We had the arrogance of Ospreay take center stage at one point trying to put Takahashi down. However, the challenger was determined to make the most of his opportunity. Takahashi took the fight to Ospreay both inside and out of the ring. Running knee strike from the apron to the floor or a machine gun dropkick to the corner was massive.

Ospreay wanted to target the head and neck of Hiromu and did so several times.

The champion would hit dropkicks to the head or a jumping double stomp to the head and neck from the top rope. At one point, Takahashi collapses as Ospreay looks on. He even kicks at the head and neck of Takahashi telling him to get up. Ospreay gets Hiromu on his shoulders and then climbs the turnbuckle but the challenge reverses and hits a forward bomb roll on the champion. Ospreay climbs to the top to hit a shooting star press and does so but Hiromu kicks out.

Titles Change Hands Wrestle Kingdom 14
Photo / NJPW

Takahashi then kicks out of an Os-cutter! Ospreay then hits a hook kick on Takahashi who then hits a pop-up powerbomb out of desperation. Both men look exhausted. While on their knees the champion and the challenger exchange fists back and forth. Out of midair Takahashi hits a Canadian destroyer that Ospreay kicked out of! With the champion wiped out with a DVD in the corner, Ospreay then recovers to hit a hook kick. He then sets up to hit his elbow strike as Takahashi out. Just when it appears as though Hiromu will go out with a Stormbreaker he reverses it! He then hits a timebomb but Ospreay KICKS OUT! He then hits what looks like piledriver/reverse DDT driver type finisher for a three count and the win!

Takahashi is the NEW IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion

The quest for the double gold dash was next as IWGP Intercontinental Champion Jay White, faced former champion, Tetsuya Naito. Before the match even begun Naito gets ahold of Gedo coaxing Naito to come and save him. The always Tranquilo Naito takes control of this match early. Gedo gets involved wheedling a chair across the knee of Naito who was wrapped around a ring post. White makes Naito’s left knee the focus in this match up. The commentary crew gives White credit saying he could be the standard barrer for the company. Naito is very calculating throughout this match. He doesn’t rush through and even mocks and slaps at the head of White in the process.

White hits a flash DDT on Naito planted him in the middle of the ring. Naito does favor the knee in the match. He doesn’t relent and the reaction of the crowd suggests he is going to attempt Destino. However, White recovers and hits a deadlift German suplex. Naito sets up White on the top rope only to have the Switchblade pull his feet from under him. White then hits a dragon screw leg whip on Naito while he is caught between the middle and top rope on the apron. Naito can’t run but he doesn’t allow himself to surrender. White hits a uranagi and follows that up with a pin but only for a count of two. Naito blocks a kiwi crusher attempt twice but not a third time. But he challenger kicks out!

Photo / NJPW
Naito is locked into an inverted figure four leglock in the middle of the ring. The challenger struggles to make it to the bottom rope but he does!

White attempts it again but Naito spits in the champion’s face. Naito gets back to his feet and hits a wheelbarrow kick. The challenger then follows this up with a pop-up spinebuster. Eventually, Gedo tries to get involved in the match and Naito hits White with a tornado DDT off the middle rope. He follows it up with a super Rana from the top rope. Naito tries to set up for destino but is thrown into the referee who is taken out. The challenger takes out Gedo but has a chair thrown at his head in the process.

Red Shoes is down but tries to make his way back into the match. White spits in his face but Naito hits a desperation Destino on the champion. After a poison Rana, Naito hit another Destino but White kicked out. Naito then hits another Destino for the third time and this puts him down.

Winner AND NEW IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito

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