Multiple Titles Change Hands On Night One Of Wrestle Kingdom

All but one title match saw a new champion.

Tonight was night one of Wrestle Kingdom 14 and we saw 8 matches on the main card with five of them being title matches. In the five title matches of the matches saw new champions crowned. Some of those new champions will have to defend their title tomorrow night on night two and some will not.

The first title match we saw was for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. The Guerrillas of Destiny defended against Juice Robinson and David Finlay. Robinson and Finlay had just won last month the World Tag League to earn this title shot. The match saw the two teams brawl on the ramp before the match even started with Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa getting the early advantage.

Both teams seemed really evenly matched throughout the entire match with FinJuice able to come back at G.O.D. after every big shot they threw at them. in the end we would see Juice Robinson hit Tama Tonga with the Left Hand of God. Finlay would hit him with the Acid Drop and then pin him to become the new tag team champions. This victory was probably the only finish that really took people by surprise. Tomorrow night juice Robin will have a chance at being a double champion when he challenges for the United States championship.

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Next up was the Texas Death Match with the IWGP United States Championship on the line. Lance Archer won the title two months ago after defeating Juice Robinson for the vacant title. Moxley was the former champion but because he was unable to make it to a show due to weather he was stripped of the title. The two had a really good hardcore style match with a fun twist.

The rules of this match were simply beat your opponent down so bad that they can not get to their feet before a 10 count of making them tap out.

This match saw everything from tables, to chairs, trash can lids, Kendo sticks and more. Both men really showed their crazy side in this match with some of the spots that they did. At one point Archer choke slammed a Young Lion off the apron onto Moxley who was standing at ringside. Archer even hit a big dive over the top rope onto Moxley and a bunch of Young Lions at ringside.

The finish came when Archer set up two tables at ringside. He then had Moxley on the apron and tried to go for his Blackout off the apron through the tables and Moxley got out of it. The two fought on the apron and then Moxley gave Archer the Death Rider off the apron through the tables at ringside. Someone how Archer’s arm got all cut up from going through the tables. Moxley got back into the ring, Archer was unable to get to his feet and Moxley became the new US Champion.

Tomorrow night Moxley will defend the title against Juice Robinson. Moxley took the mix after the match and said he came to Tokyo to do one thing. Either leave with nothing or with everything. He also said tomorrow everything will finally be settled between him and Juice.

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In a match that some can call match of the night, we saw Will Ospreay defend the IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship against Hiromu Takahashi. This match was the first big match Takahashi has had since suffering an almost career-ending neck injury back in July of 2018. The match itself here was masterful.

The two have faced off a number of times in the past so they know each other’s moves and they showed that early on. There was a spot a little pasted the halfway point where they made you think Takahashi could have been hurt. Hiromu took a missile dropkick to the shoulder but sold it like he was hit in the head. The crowd instantly went silent for a moment and for a minute Takahashi sold it like he was hurt collapsing to the floor a few times.

Takahashi would finally recover and the two tried hitting the other with their big move and they kept getting countered over and over again. At one point Ospreay hit a Sasuke Special to Takahashi on the outside and missed. Takahashi went for a German suplex on the ramp and Ospreay landed on his feet. Ospreay then ran at Takahashi as fast as he could and Hiromu somewhat hit Ospeay with a belly-to-belly that sent in up in the air and into the ring through the bottom middle ropes. Ospreay then instantly bounced off the ropes and this time hit the Sasuke Special.

The finish of the match came when Takahashi hit Ospreay with a running forearm. He then hit a new cradled driver that kinda looked like a modified Air Raid Crash to pick up the victory and become the new Jr Heavyweight Champion.

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The final title change of the night was in the match that saw Jay White defending the Intercontinental Championship against Tetsuya Naito. The match saw a number of teasing and taunting spots early for the action really got going.

Early on in the match, both buys went for their big move early but it was either countered, reversed or kicked out of. A lot of this match was hitting big moves and them being kicked out of. There were a number of very close near falls mainly in the second half of this match.

At one point Gedo would try and get involved causing a distraction the allowed White to hit Naito with a low blow. Later in the match, Gedo would get what was coming to him when he tried to interfere and Naito would hit him with a low blow of his own. White would then hit Naito with a chair while the referee was down. As the ref got up White would hit the Blade Runner but Naito blocked it.

The finish of the came when Naito tried a Destino and White blocked it. White then went for the Blade Runner, but Naito reversed it into a Valentina. Naito then hit another Destino and won the match. Naito will not move on to the main event of night two where were will face Kazuchika Okada with both titles on the line.

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For a more in-depth recap of tonight’s show, check out the Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 1 Review.