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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

Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of the first night of New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 15 from The Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan!

The announcing team is Kevin Kelly and Chris Carlton.

NEW JAPAN RUMBLE

The four finalists will move onto the Four-Way to determine the first New Japan King of Pro Wrestling 2021 Champion.

You can be eliminated via being over the top as well as pinfall, submission, DQ and KO.

Chase Owens is the first competitor with the storyline being that he petitioned to be first.  The second out is Tomohiro Ishii.   Owens went right after Ishii, who survived his strikes and came back with a low clothesline, which Owens avoided.  They faced off.  Ishii was choked in the corner as the third competitor, Minoru Suzuki came to the ring.  Owens looked like he knew he was doomed, which probably wasn't far from the truth.

Ishii and Suzuki went right at it.  Chase got involved and was quickly taken down.  He kept getting knocked down and beaten by Suzuki and Ishii, who then went right back at each other.  Next out was Yuji Nagata, which was even worse for poor Owens.  Nagata and Suzuki began battling while Owens and Ishii fought in the corner.  

Next out was Toa Henare, who went right after Ishii.  He went for a German suplex but Ishii blocked him.  He finally nailed a delayed vertical suplex.  HIrooki Goto was next out as Nagata was almost caught by Suzuki in a rear naked choke but fought his way out.   Nagata and Suzuki went over the top but landed on the apron,.  They battled but Henare knocked them out of the ring.    Nagata and Suzuki kept fighting on the floor.

Yujiro Takahashi made his way out next.  They have Hanare a lot of power spots to showcase his toughness before he was eliminated by Ishii.  YOSHI-HASHI was next.  Takahashi and Owens teamed but were taken down by HASHI.  Everyone battled.  Togi Makage was next to the ring.  He shined early on, nailing a series of lariats.  He took out YOSHI-HASE and Hirooki Goto.  Ishii and Makabe battled the Bullet Club members.

Tomoaki Honma was the tenth competitor.  Everyone battled.  Hiroyoshi Tenzan was next out.  He and Honma worked over Makabe and tossed him out.    Next out was Rocky Romero.  DOUKI was next out and battled with Romero.  He was quickly DQ'd for using a steel pipe on Romero and began choking him with it.  SHO was next out, making the run out to make the save.  He nailed a big spear and checked over Romero.   Everyone battled.  BUSHI was next.

Tiger Mask was next.  The announcers noted that he nearly lost his life to diverticulitis last year.  He and Romero went back and forth.  SHO was almost tossed but Romero made the save. 

Bad Luck Fale was next out, which means a lot of likely eliminations.  Fale was wiping out the competition, including Honma.  Gabriel Kidd was next out, hitting ringside but was attacked and beaten on the floor.  Tenzan was tossed.  Yuya Uemura was next out.  Romero was tossed.  Mask was tossed out by Fale.  Kidd finally made it to the ring and nailed a big dropkick. 

Yota Tsuji was next and all the Young Lions tried to work over Fale.  Owens ran interference but BUSHI tripped him and pulled Owens to the floor.  The three Young Lions tried to power Fale over the top but he knocked them all down.  The next man out was Toru Yano, who didn't even get into the ring before the Lions were all tossed.

The final four men are Yano, Chase Owens, BUSHI and Bad Luck Fale.  They will all face off tomorrow in the opening match.  This was fine.

Time for the official opening.

Riki Choshu is introduced and comes out carrying his grandson.    He wished everyone a happy new year.  He said everyone has been waiting for this day and now it is finally here.  He officially announced Wrestle Kingdom 15 was underway.

The English announce team dedicated the broadcast to the late Brodie Lee.

Rocky Romero has joined the English language team.

Best of Super Juniors Winner Hiromu Takahashi vs. Super J-Cup Winner El Phantasmo

The winner earns IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match on 1/5.

Phantasmo was kicking around the golden jacket he earned by winning the 2020 Super J-Cup.  He looked around ringside for Jushin Liger, setting himself up for Takahashi to nail him with a dropkick off the apron and then hit a back senton splash off the top.

Phantasmo was tossed back into the ring and nailed with a running DVDR into the corner.  He went for the Time Bomb but Phantasmo rolled out of the ring to the floor.   Takashi went for a sunset flip powerbomb but didn't get it.  Phantasmo landed on his feet, used Hiromu as a step-ladder back into the ring and nailed a sunset flip powerbomb of his own to the floor.  Takahashi was almost counted out but made it back to his feet.  Phantasmo walked the ropes and nailed a standing moonsault to the floor, but came up favoring his ankle.

Back in the ring, Phantasmo slapped Hiromu a number of times on the mat.   Takahashi fired back with a series of chops across the chest but was kicked in the leg.  Phantasmo worked over his ankle and foot before going after the other.    He place Hiromu across the top rope, then dove off the top with a back senton splash.  Phantasmo walked the top rope but Hiromu grabbed his hand and bit hit fingers.  Phantasmo was drilled and dazed on the top rope.  He nailed a cradledriver off the ropes for a close two count.  Hiromu's hand was worked over for some time.

Phantasmo cut off Hiromu and teased going for CR2 and bit Hiromu's hand but was caught with an over the shoulder slam for a two count.  Hiromu nailed a flapjack on Phantasmo and grabbed him but was caught in a forward rollup for a near fall.  They went back and forth until Takahashi was caught under Phantasmo and driven down for a two count.   They battled to the top, where Phantasmo drilled him with a kick to the head.  Phantasmo set up for a superplex but was battled off.  Phantasmo knocked the referee down and nailed a low blow on Hiromu.  He nailed a rana off the top and a frog splash but Takahashi kicked out at the last second.

Phantasmo went for the CR2 but Hiromu escaped.  Phantasmo nailed him with the Styles Clash and scored another near fall.   They continued to battle back and forth with near falls.  Phantasmo nailed a kick to the head and went for the CR2 but Takahashi shocked him with a rana and rolled through, scoring the pin.

Your winner, Hiromu Takahashi!

Takahashi will challenge Taiji Ishimori tomorrow for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.

Takahahi sold the hand after, with the idea he was going into the title shot injured.

A solid back and forth opener.  It felt like they were holding back for Night Two.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom can be ordered via New Japan World and at www.FITE.TV!

Coverage continues on Page 2.

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