10 Ups & 4 Downs From NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14
79-and-a-third stars in the Tokyo Dome, etc.
New Japan Pro Wrestling's biggest show of the year, Wrestle Kingdom 14, dominated 2020's first major wrestling weekend.
A two-nighter for the first time in history, it attracted over 70,000 fans as Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Jay White, and Kota Ibushi contested another new concept: the Double Gold Dash tournament. The winner would walk away with both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental championships to their name. A divisive idea that split the fanbase prior to the event, though there were few complaints after the weekend had unfolded.
Elsewhere, WK14 saw Chris Jericho put an AEW World Championship shot on the line against the legendary Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiromu Takahashi returning to his blitzkrieg best versus IWGP Junior Heavyweight kingpin Will Ospreay, Jushin Thunder Liger's last stand, Jon Moxley's overdue New Japan return, and a night two closing angle that brought more heat than an atomic bomb.
Wrestle Kingdom 14 is supposed to be the workrate show of the year. It is to be held to the highest in-ring standards, so this review (which combines both nights) will endeavour to do just that.
Get your "nine stars in the Toky Dome" jokes at the ready. Let's go...