AXS TV announced that Jim Ross will continue calling the action for NJPW programming in 2018, despite also being under contract with WWE.
The announcement was made via press release and it notes that he and Josh Barnett will kick off the new year doing commentary for the Wrestle Kingdom 12 special on January 6.
Good Ole JR was quoted saying, “I’m excited to be returning to AXS TV and with my partner Josh Barnett we look forward to another exciting year with AXS TV and their NJPW programming. NJPW has some of the finest athletes in the world performing for them and it’s an honor to be able to add a narrative to their bouts.”
JR reportedly signed a two-year deal with WWE for a “specific number of dates” when he returned for WrestleMania this year. He also did commentary for the Mae Young Classic.
Former ROH Tag Team Champions and NJPW’s IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions “War Machine” Hanson and Raymond Rowe are currently going through medical testing to be signed by WWE, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio.
No word yet on when Hanson and Rowe may debut for WWE but word is that they will be working the WWE NXT brand, setting up another potential showdown with Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish.
Meltzer noted that War Machine finished up with Ring of Honor this past weekend but they are still scheduled to work New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 12 event from the Tokyo Dome on January 4th, 2018. If all goes well with the WWE medical tests, we could see the former IWGP Tag Team Champions in NXT before WrestleMania 34 Season gets going.
Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega took part in a press conference earlier this morning, which you can watch in the video below, to promote their upcoming match at WrestleKingdom 12 on January 4th at the Tokyo Dome. Omega addressed the media first, and spoke for about 18 minutes before leaving.
Jericho made his way out next. Jericho only got to speak for about 3 minutes before he was attacked by Omega. They brawled briefly before being pulled apart as Jericho cursed. Jericho finally regained his composure and addressed the crowd again.
“This is going to be a match that you have never seen in New Japan,” Jericho said while breathing heavily. “This is not about five stars, seven stars, this is not about how many times you can go for your finishing move. This is a fight, it’s a war, it’s Alpha vs. Omega and Kenny, you are going to get the s–t kicked out of you, do you understand me?
“I’ve been to Japan sixty times,” Jericho continued. “This match is the most important match I’ve ever had in Japan!”
An irate Jericho also cursed at someone in the crowd, calling him “f–kface” before saying that he would prove that he’s the best in the world at Wrestle Kingdom 12. He finished by saying that their bout would be Omega’s last match ever in New Japan.
As noted, Jericho made a surprise appearance and attacked Omega at the NJPW World Tag League Final on Monday in Fukuoka. After Omega and The Young Bucks had defeated YOH, SHO & Rocky Romero, the lights went out and a video from Jericho aired, who congratulated Omega on his victory. When the lights came back on, Jericho was in the ring and planted Omega with a Code Breaker. He then hit Omega in the face with the U.S. title belt. By the time the melee was over, he had also a referee and announcer Don Callis. Jericho continued his attack on Omega and busted him open before the Young Bucks finally hit the ring and Jericho retreated to the back.
Earlier today, the finals in the NJPW World Tag League took place with EVIL and SANADA defeating The Guerrillas of Destiny to win the tournament for the first time in their careers. Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks were also in action defeating YOH, SHO, and Rocky Romero.
After the match, the lights went down and Chris Jericho appeared, giving Omega a Code Breaker in the ring, and eventually busting open the IWGP US Champion. Jericho also gave NJPW Announcer, Don Callis, a Code Breaker in the ring. The two wrestlers will meet at Wrestle Kingdom 12 for the IWGP US Championship.
* EVIL and SANADA defeated The Guerrillas of Destiny (World Tag League Final)
* Hiromu Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito defeated Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada
* The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega defeated YOH, SHO, and Rocky Romero
* Marty Scurll and Cody defeated KUSHIDA and Kota Ibushi
* Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi, and Jushin Thunder Liger defeated Togi Makabe, David Finlay, Henare, Hirai Kawato, and Katsuya Kitamura
* Michael Elgin, Jeff Cobb, and War Machine (Hanson and Raymond Rowe) defeated Bullet Club (Hangman Page, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens, and Leo Tonga)
* Bad Luck Fale defeated BUSHI
* Best Friends (Beretta and Chuckie T) defeated Death Juice (Juice Robinson and Sami Callihan)
* CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, and YOSHI-HASHI) defeated Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, Davey Boy Smith Jr., and El Desperado)
Hiroshi Tanahashi has been forced out of his remaining dates on NJPW’s World Tag League Tour due to injury, NJPW announced on Thursday. The company revealed in an announcement that Tanahashi suffered a right knee injury that led them to have to remove him from their show in Yamaguchi tonight, as well as the remainder of the tour which ends on December 11th.
The company noted, that details on Tanahashi’s condition are unknown and that he’s undergoing medical tests. When more information becomes available, the company will decided as to future appearances. It added, “New Japan Pro Wrestling apologizes to fans who were looking forward to seeing Tanahashi perform.
Additionally, the company said that due to the absence, “there will be changes made to the remainder of the cards in the World Tag League tour.”
According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Jim Ross and AXS TV have verbally agreed to a contract extension, and the new contract is being finalized. Since Ross isn’t appearing on WWE TV (he was signed for the UK project, which hasn’t launched), WWE didn’t stand in the way of the deal. Aldo, his WWE deal allowed him to continue doing existing work.
AXS TV has announced they will air Wrestle Kingdom 12 on January 6, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 CT) for a special three hour re-airing of the PPV that takes place on January 4.
The show has gained a considerable amount of buzz in the United States for the addition of WWE star Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega of The Bullet Club.
You can check out the official press release below including a promo video clip.
AXS TV PREMIERES NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’S BIGGEST SHOW OF THE YEAR—WRESTLE KINGDOM 12—ON SATURDAY, JAN. 6, 2018 AT 8pE IN A THREE-HOUR SPECIAL EVENT
Championship Battles Between Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho, Kazuchika Okada & Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jay White Air Saturday Night
Additional Coverage of Wrestle Kingdom 12 Will Premiere as Part of AXS TV’s Weekly Series Friday Nights at 8pE Beginning Jan. 12
Los Angeles, CA (Dec. 3, 2017) – As the exclusive U.S. television home for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), AXS TV will premiere the promotion’s biggest show of the year, Wrestle Kingdom 12, in a three-hour special Saturday, Jan. 6 at 8pE/5pP. AXS TV FIGHTS CEO Andrew Simon made the announcement that the Wrestle Kingdom 12 national television broadcast marks the fastest turnaround time for the spectacular airing just two days after the event takes place at the Tokyo Dome. AXS TV’s Wrestle Kingdom 12 special will showcase the event’s three headlining championship matches: IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho, IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. G1 CLIMAX 27 Tournament Champion Tetsuya Naito, and IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White.
“While NJPW has delivered some of the greatest matches in wrestling history over the past year, we’ve seen viewership growth on AXS TV thanks to New Japan’s expansion in the U.S. and our commitment to air matches closer to when they take place,” said Simon. “With Wrestle Kingdom as their marquee annual event, we thank NJPW and TV Asahi for their support and are proud to kick off 2018 with this historic primetime Saturday night special featuring the dream match-up of Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho.”
AXS TV will continue its coverage of Wrestle Kingdom 12 following the special over five episodes Friday nights starting Jan. 12 at 8pE/5pP on the network’s award-winning weekly series, including the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship match between RPG 3K (Sho & Yoh) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), the four-way IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship bout featuring Marty Scurll vs. Will Ospreay vs. KUSHIDA vs. Hiromu Takahashi, and the ROH World Title Match between Cody and Kota Ibushi. The championship matches featuring Tanahashi vs. White, Omega vs. Jericho and Okada vs. Naito will also have an encore airing during this time.
Leading up to the Wrestle Kingdom 12 special on Jan. 6, AXS TV will air an eight-hour marathon of NJPW starting at 12pE/9aP. Episodes in the marathon will feature matches that set up the main card at Wrestle Kingdom, including Omega winning the IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Title versus Tomohiro Ishii at the G1 Special in USA; Omega vs. Naito in the G1 CLIMAX 27 Tournament Finals; Omega’s first U.S. Heavyweight Title defense at Destruction in Kobe; an encore of the three-hour King of Pro-Wrestling special headlined by Okada vs. EVIL; and two episodes from Power Struggle headlined by Omega vs. Beretta featuring a special appearance by Jericho.
AXS TV produces the English language version of “New Japan Pro Wrestling” in association with TV ASAHI CORPORATION, the distributor of NJPW.
NJPW announced they have opened an English NJPW YouTube channel that will feature backstage comments and event promos with English subtitles. They already have some videos up, which you can check out by clicking here.
NJPW's Official English YouTube Channel is now PRE-OPEN! Check out the best place to experience everything NJPW: backstage comments, event promos, and more, all with English subtitles! We got tons more content on the way, so subscribe to stay updated! https://t.co/vqv0h5u2Vkpic.twitter.com/fPer0gqrcG
As noted, Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega will meet at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 12 in January after Chris Jericho challenged the IWGP United States Champion at Power Struggle, earlier today. According to Pro Wrestling Sheet, Chris Jericho has been in talks with NJPW since August to appear at Wrestle Kingdom 12. The article also mentioned how during an appearance on the Killing the Town podcast, Jericho said he is personally paying for his Rock ‘n Wrestling Rager at Sea and hoped to get a partnership together with WWE by bringing some NXT talent on board. WWE decided not to get involved and Jericho moved forward by working out a deal with Ring of Honor to put together a Sea of Honor tournament. The Young Bucks and Marty Scurll have already been announced to be on the cruise. On Twitter, Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer noted that Jericho’s WWE contact expired, and he is currently a free agent.
* Juice Robinson, Tiger Mask IV, Jushin Thunder Liger, KUSHIDA, and Hirai Kawato defeated Zack Sabre Jr, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi, and TAKA Michinoku
* Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Cody, Chase Owens, and Yujiro Takahashi
* Roppongi 3K (SHO and YOH) defeated Ryusuke Taguchi and ACH (Super Jr. Tag Tournament Final)
* Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI, and Gedo defeated Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI, and Hiromu Takahashi
Wrestling News Blog 