Inside Wrestle Kingdom 14 looks at the featured matches from both days of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s (NJPW) upcoming Wrestle Kingdom events on January 4th and January 5th. This article highlights the Hiroshi Tanahashi and Chris Jericho match. If Tanahshi wins he receives a future AEW World Championship match.
The Match
The Chris Jericho and Hiroshi Tanahashi match at Wrestle Kingdom 14 stems from Tanahashi attacking Jericho to save IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada from further damage at the hands of the current AEW World Champion (match took place before he was champion) after he lost his to Okada on June 9th at Dominion in Okada’s v2 defense of the most prestigious IWGP championship.
Numerous fans assumed the match would take place at Wrestle Kingdom 14; however, numerous months passed until the World Tag League Finals event on December the 8th when Jericho appeared by video to challenge Tanahashi to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
Tanahashi immediately accepted, and the match was set to take place on the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 5th.
Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Legacy
Hiroshi Tanahashi is a record-holding 8x IWGP Heavyweight Champion, 2x IWGP Intercontinental Champion, 1x CMLL World Trios Champion, 2x IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, 1x GHC Tag Team Champion, 1x CMLL World Tag Team Champion, and 1x RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion. He, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Yuji Nagata are the talent majorly responsible for helping New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) come out of the NJPW ‘dark ages’ of the 2000s, with Tanahashi being the most important figure.
His legacy as a legendary in-ring performer is known to all fans who approach NJPW with an open mind. However, his charming charisma and air guitar routine allowed him to connect with crowds on a personal level.
While him being a career-long member of the NJPW roster cause western-centric wrestling fans to overlook his career; most wrestling historians and journalists agree he is one of the best of his generation.
Bushiroad’s international expansion for NJPW has introduced Tanahashi’s work to a broader audience of fans in Australia, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Chris Jericho’s Legacy
Chris Jericho is a 1x WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion, 2x WCW/World Heavyweight Champion, 3x World Heavyweight Champion, 9x WWE Intercontinental Champion, 1x IWGP Intercontinental Champion, 2x WWE United States Champion, 1x WCW Television Champion, 4x WCW Cruiserweight Champion, 1x WWE European Champion, 5x WWE World Tag Team Champion, 2x WWE Tag Team Champion, and current AEW World Champion. His legacy is as an individual who could adapt to his surroundings to keep himself entertaining, exciting, and evolving with the times.
Jericho worked in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and Wrestle Association R (WAR) early in his career to become a versatile in-ring performer and character. Many thought his career was winding down as he began drifting down the World Wrestling Entertainment card, but his surprise program with Kenny Omega, which led to a Wrestle Kingdom 12, the build-up and match showed that he was still a major international draw when he was allowed to be.
His current AEW and NJPW persona may be the best version of Jericho. He is undoubtedly helping both promotions establish a global foothold against the financial powerhouse that is WWE.
The Added Stipulation
On December 23rd, Hiroshi Tanahashi made a comment to Tokyo Sports regarding his January 5th match against Chris Jericho. NJPW commentator and historian, Chris Charlton tweeted a translation of Tanahashi’s comments after various mistranslations spread through social media.
Seems necessary to put this in context. ‘He’s a champion right? All I’m saying is if I beat him and he comes back asking for a rematch then I think it’s reasonable to tell him to put the belt up. If that happened it would break down a door’https://t.co/Q6yIxV2EDX
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) December 23, 2019
On December 28th, Jericho responded to Tanahashi on his Instagram stating that AEW Owner Tony Khan agreed to give Tanahashi a championship match if he were able to defeat Jericho at the Tokyo Dome.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B6nqekohg_y/?hl=en
NJPW officially reconginzed the AEW the following day through social media.
BREAKING:
In a message released by Chris Jericho, The Painmaker has stated that if Hiroshi Tanahashi can beat him at Wrestle Kingdom January 5, he will be granted an opportunity at the AEW Championship.
WATCH: https://t.co/9MfpZDtGAp#njpw #njwk14 pic.twitter.com/zVW8zPZHWc
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) December 29, 2019
While fans were expecting a classic match between two of the best wrestlers of their generation; the added stipulation adds intrigue, especially for AEW fans who may now sign up to NJPW World to watch the match on January 5th.
Speculation has been rampant over the past several days regarding AEW joining the IWGP Conception, which NJPW is the leading partner of, but no such agreement has been announced by either side.
Wrestling historian and journalist Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer hinted at knowing something regarding the recent discussions between AEW and NJPW. Even in the advent of a Tanahashi loss at Wrestle Kingdom 14, something could happen the next day at New Years Dash, which could send shockwaves through the wrestling industry.
Either way, the added stacks adds another psychological element to a match between two performers with legendary resumes.
Inside Wrestle Kingdom 14 Series:
1. Both Nights On Better Pace Than Last Year, A Look At The Featured Matches
2. Jyushin Thunder Liger Retirement Match I
3. G.O.D. Face FinJuice For The IWGP Heayweight Tag Team Championship
4. Lance Archer and Jon Moxley IWGP US Heavyweight Texas Death Match
5. Will Ospreay Defends His IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Against Hiromu Takahashi
6. Double Gold Dash, Jay White And Tetsuya Naito For The IWGP Intercontinental Championship
7. The Tanahashi and Jericho Match Has An Added Stipulation
8. Double Gold Dash, Kazuchika Okada And Kota Ibushi For The IWGP Heavyweight Championship
9. Jyushin Thunder Liger Retirement Match II
10. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Contest
11. Zack Sabre Jr And Sanada For The RevPro British Heavyweight Championship
12. KENTA And Hirooki Goto Battle Over The Never Openweight Championship
