Wrestle Kingdom III

Wrestle Kingdom III
Promotional poster for the event, featuring Keiji Mutoh and Hiroshi Tanahashi
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateJanuary 4, 2009[1]
CityTokyo, Japan[2]
VenueTokyo Dome[1]
Attendance40,000[2] (official)
27,500[3] (claimed)
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Wrestling Dontaku 2009

Wrestle Kingdom III in Tokyo Dome (レッスルキングダムIII in 東京ドーム, Ressuru Kingudamu III in Tōkyō Dōmu) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2009.[1][4][5] It was the 18th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the third held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name. The event featured eleven matches (including one dark match), five of which were contested for championships.

For the second year in a row, the show featured wrestlers from the American Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and again their matches aired in the United States as part of the Global Impact! broadcast. In addition, the show also featured wrestlers from the Mexican Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) as part of a new relationship between NJPW and CMLL. Wrestlers from other Japanese promotions also took part in the show, including All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1, whose top title, the World Heavyweight Championship, was defended during the show.

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference WKIIIPWI was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference WKIII was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Meltzer, Dave (January 16, 2012). "Jan 16 Observer Newsletter: Cyborg busted for steroids, all the details, Edge and Horsemen going into WWE Hall, New Japan Dome Show review, 30 year Muchnick retrospective, TNA and Strikeforce shows, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California. pp. 14–16. ISSN 1083-9593.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference WKIIIWON was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference WKIIIWV was invoked but never defined (see the help page).