NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Main Event Ushers In New Era

NJPW has announced its biggest match of the year as the Wrestle Kingdom main event has been announced as Zack Sabre Jr. faces a huge challenge.

The times are changing fast in NJPW with perennial Wrestle Kingdom headliner Kazuchika Okada now part of AEW and the company’s longtime ace Hiroshi Tanahashi ready to bring the curtain down on his iconic career.

That means a new era will be on display for Wrestle Kingdom 19 on the 4th of January 2025 as NJPW confirm the show’s main event. Following their confrontation at Power Struggle, Zack Sabre Jr. will defend his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Shota Umino.

Zack Sabre Jr Faces First NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Main Event

If Sabre escapes that clash with his title, he will put it on the line one night later as he clashes with AEW star Ricochet at the cross-promoted Wrestle Dynasty.

As well as the main event, NJPW also confirmed four other matches to take place at its annual Tokyo Dome spectacular. The confirmed card for Wrestle Kingdom 19 is below:

• Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Shota Umino – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. EVIL
• David Finlay (c) vs. Yota Tsuji – IWGP Global Championship
• DOUKI (c) vs. El Desperado – IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion
• Ren Narita (c) vs. Jeff Cobb vs. Ryohei Oiwa – NJPW World TV Champion
• KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight (c) vs. Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita vs. TJP & Francesco Akira vs. Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney – IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions