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NEW CHAMPIONS CROWNED, OSPREAY VS. OKADA, TANAHASHI, KENTA, MOXLEY ISSUES A WARNING & MORE: FULL NIGHT 1 NJPW WRESTLE KINGDOM 15 COVERAGE

IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito vs. Kota Ibushi.

Lots of back and forth wrestling early on, trying to feel the other out early.  They put over this was the Dome main event for Ibushi hard.  Naito was sent to the floor.  Ibushi prepared for a dive but Naito charged back and swept the leg.  They battled on the apron and then in the entrance ramp, where Naito nailed a back suplex and seemingly dropped Ibushi on his head.

Naito stomped the hell out of Ibushi when he returned to the ring.  Naito cinched in a head scissors around Ibushi's head, trying to wear him down.  Ibushi was beaten down but came back with a big boot.  Ibushi tried to rally himself and nailed a series of forearms.    He rebounded off the ropes with a nice jumping mid-kick.  Ibushi nailed a standing moonsault for a two count.

Naito regained control and drilled Ibushi off the apron to the floor.  He nailed a neckbreaker, then used the legs to crimp Ibushi's head, trying to force a submission.  Ibushi made a comeback with a German suplex and a double stomp on Naito.  Ibushi went for a moonsault, but missed an Naito went back to using his legs to work over the neck again.  Ibushi teased that he was fading but used his legs to grab the ropes, forcing the break.

Naito drilled his challenger with a series of short elbows and nailed Gloria for a near fall.  They fight on the top rope.  Ibushi slipped underneath and nailed a Pele Kick, sending Naito to the apron.  They battle to the apron.  Ibushi went for a move but was backdropped on the apron.    Ibushi nailed a rana off the apron to the floor.  Naito clutched at his knee after coming down.  Naito was almost counted out but rolled back into the ring at 19.

Ibushi tried to muscle him in for a back suplex but Naito furiously fired back with shots.  Naito climbed up behind a dazed Ibushi on the ropes and nailed a reverse rana off the ropes for a close two count. Ibushi kicked Naito with a buzzsaw kick as he charged, nailed a second.    He went for a move but was caught out of nowhere with Destino for a close near fall.  Ibushi cut him off and nailed a sit-down emerald frosion but was too spent to capitalize.  They made their way to their knee and then their feet, firing back at each other.  They are really laying it in.

Ibushi finally nailed a big lariat that took Naito inside out.  He went for a powerbomb and nailed it, then drilled Naito with a kick to the head for a close near fall.  Naito came back with a Destino for another two count.  They continued beating each other with big moves.  Ibushi nailed a big lariat for a two count. Naito nailed an enziguiri for a two count.  Ibushi blocked Destino.  They battle continued until Ibushi caught him with a big knee to the face and then drilled him with a V-Trigger and scored the pin.

Your winner and new IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Kota Ibushi!

A good main event.

Naito presented the title belts to Ibushi and raised his arm.

Naito left.  Jay White came down to ringside and said he was just coming to say hi.  He demanded a microphone and entered the ring.  He congratulated Ibushi but said that everyone knows he's not the real champion,  He said that it will last for one night, so enjoy it.  Tomorrow, he's taking everything from Ibushi.  He's going to expose him for the fraud that Ibushi is.  Every time Ibushi is going to reach the heights he's so desperate to get to, White promises that he'll always be there to pull him back down.  Tomorrow, he will help White fulfill his destiny and become God.  Tomorrow, Ibushi will bring the Switchblade to his new era.  He told Ibushi to enjoy his one night as champion.

Ibushi took the mic and said his title reign won't end tomorrow.  He said he'll see White tomorrow and he's finished tomorrow.  He told everyone who was there today under difficult times that he has to thank them.  He's not finished and tomorrow, he will keep the championships because with the strongest belt and the best belt, he will still be a champion.   He will become God tomorrow night.

That's all from Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night One!

New Japan Pro Wrestling will present Wrestle Kingdom Night 2 tomorrow at 2 AM EST, featuring the following:

*IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental Champion Kota Ibushi vs. Jay White

*IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori vs. Hiromu Takahashi

*EVIL vs. SANADA.

*NEVER Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi vs. Jeff Cobb

* IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Master Wato and Ryusuke Taguchi

*King of Pro Wrestling 2021 Four-Way: Toru Yano vs. Bad Luck Fale vs. BUSHI vs. Chase Owens.

PWInsider.com will have live, ongoing coverage tonight.

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