Wrestle Kingdom 18

Wrestle Kingdom 18
Promotional poster featuring Sanada and Tetsuya Naito
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateJanuary 4, 2024
CityTokyo, Japan
VenueTokyo Dome
Attendance27,422[1][2]
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Wrestle Kingdom 18 was a professional wrestling event promoted by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 4, 2024, at the Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Japan. It was the 33rd January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the 18th promoted under the Wrestle Kingdom name. Wrestlers from NJPW partner promotions All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) were featured at the event. This was the first Wrestle Kingdom event to feature Hiroshi Tanahashi as the new president of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. This was the first Wrestle Kingdom since Wrestle Kingdom 13 to have a one-night format, as the previous Wrestle Kingdoms had been held across multiple nights in a row.

Eleven matches were contested at the event, with one taking place on the pre-show. In the main event, G1 Climax winner Tetsuya Naito defeated Sanada to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. In other prominent matches, Kazuchika Okada defeated Bryan Danielson, David Finlay defeated Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley to become the inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Zack Sabre Jr. to win the NJPW World Television Championship.

The event was also notable for appearances by former WWE wrestler Dolph Ziggler, now known using his real name Nic Nemeth, and his brother Ryan Nemeth who were in the front row.

  1. ^ "ベルク Presents WRESTLE KINGDOM 18 in 東京ドーム". njpw.co.jp (in Japanese). January 4, 2024. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  2. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (January 4, 2024). "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 In Tokyo Dome". cagematch.net. Retrieved January 4, 2024.