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 Lance Archer’s v2 IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship match against Jon Moxley.
For months IWGP United States Champion Lance Archer has used Twitter as a way to call out former champion Jon Moxley. Archer won the championship in a No Disqualification match against Juice Robinson at NJPW King of Pro Wrestling on October 14th. Moxley was unable to fly into Japan, due to a typhoon which caused havoc in a portion of Japan.
The January 4th Wrestle Kingdom match will be the first singles match for both at the Tokyo Dome, and the first match of Moxley’s career to take place at the legendary arena.
On December the 8th, Moxley attacked Lance Archer during the last event during NJPW’s 2019 World Tag League Tournament, hitting he and Minoru Suzuki with his Death Rider, Double Arm DDT. NJPW’s consistent long-term storytelling combined with Moxley and Suzuki publicly stating they wanted to wrestle one another will likely lead to a program in 2020.
Texas Death Match Rules
Lance Archer is having a breakout year as a singles star which began during the New Japan Cup when he had a standout match against IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay on March 14th. His success continued with numerous critically acclaimed G1 Climax performances, leading to him winning the IWGP United States Championship in October.
After leaving World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) earlier in the year, Moxley put on a well-received performance during the G1 Climax, became one of the biggest stars in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), and became IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.
The IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship is becoming known for it’s brutal, weapon filled matches, which give it a personality from other singles championships in NJPW. While NJPW has yet to announce the specific rules surrounding the Texas Death Match, a contest that has had differing rules based on the territory, decade, and promotion hosting the match.
Rules range from a match that won’t stop no matter the weapon used or the amount of blood spilled by either contestant, a match that any fall follows a ten count that a wrestler must meet for the match to continue, to a more watered-down version which resembles a normal hardcore match.
It’s unlikely the match will just be a typical hardcore match due to the Archer and Robinson match from October being one itself. Moxley himself is coming off a ‘Lights Out’ Death Match at AEW Full Gear on November 9th against Kenny Omega, which drew critique and praise for the violence featured.
The Archer and Moxley Texas Death Match will feature less gore than the aformentioned match with Omega, and certainly won’t look like a Big Japan Pro-Wrestling (BJW) or Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) Death Match. While FMW was active they were known for a gruesome variety of matches that became famous with tape traders. BJW carries on the FMW tradition in Japan, often pushing the boundaries of what is safe in a professional wrestling contest.
In the following clip former 7x NWA Texas Junior Heavyweight Champion, 4x NWA Western States Heavyweight Champion, WWC Universal Champion, and NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, and Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame member Dory Funk Jr explains a version of the Texas Death Match.
Famous Texas Death Match From The Past
The following is a set of two newspaper clippings from July editions of the Amarillo (Texas) Glode-Times newspaper where Dory Funk Sr battled Iron Mike DiBiase in a legendary Texas Death Match.
FUNK SR. GIVEN EDGE IN BATTLE WITH MIKE
Amarillo (Texas) Glode-Times
Thursday July 29, 1965
Dory Funk Sr. will be a narrow favorite over Iron Mike DiBiase tonight at the Sports Arena with the majority of the fans.
They reason that the Umbarger rancher always comes through in the big matches. His North American Wrestling Title will be at stake.
Also, it’s a Texas Death Match. Falls don’t count. The men go until one wrestler can’t continue. Each fall will be worth $50 to the winner as a special bonus. There will be no disqualifications, but a fall will be forfeited if a wrestler is out of the ring more than 20 seconds.
“Funk is real mad at Iron Mike and he has never lost when he’s real mad.” added a veteran follower. DiBiase is undefeated since returning three months ago. He not only came out with a win over Funk but caused Dory to be suspended for slugging the referee.
Killer Karl Kox and The Big Yankees (each 6-10 and 310) are expected to come out with a triumph over Tim Woods, Ricky Romero and Jose Lothario in the semifinal.
“Kox will mean the difference. He knows too many tricks,” said one fan.
Jessica Rogers should have too much experience for Ann Casey in the special attraction.
Dory Funk Jr. should be too fast for Tarzan Tyler in the second event.
Klondike Bill (360 pounder) should win the 8:30 p.m. opener with Jerry Starr without much trouble.
Reservations may be made by calling the Sports Arena. Prices are $2.50 for ringside, $1.75 for reserved seats, $1.25 for general admission and 50 cents for children.
West Texas State students and military personnel are admitted for half price.
The box office at the Sports Arena opens at 4 p.m. today.
… the results:
FUNK SR., DIBIASE WRESTLE 3 HOURS
Amarillo (Texas) Glode-Times
Friday July 30, 1965
Wrestling history was recorded Thursday night at the Sports Arena.
Dory Funk Sr. and Iron Mike DiBiase battled 3 hours and 10 minutes in a Texas Death Match.
It was stopped at 1 a.m. by orders of Kirby Suggs of the Texas Athletic Commission because of curfew and on the advice of a physician. Both Funk and DiBiase were badly cut around the face.
According to the National Wrestling Alliance headquarters in St. Louis, it’s the longest match in the past 25 years.
There wasn’t a decision, so Funk retains his North American championship. In a Texas Death Match falls don’t count. The men go until one of them can’t continue.
As a special bonus, each fall was worth $50 to the winner. Each man had five.
Most of the capacity crowd was still on hand when the match match was stopped.
Tim Woods, Ricky Romero and Jose Lothario came out with a triumph over Killer Karl Kox and The Big Yankees in the semifinal event.
Kox stopped Woods with a press after 9:30 in the first fall. Romero used a press to conquer Yankee No. 2 in the second at 6:50. Woods finished Kox with a brain-buster in the third at 3:58.
The brain-buster is Killer Karl’s favorite weapon. He was trying to use it on Woods but fell and was a victim of it himself.
In the special attraction, Ann Casey pinned Jessica Rogers with an airplane spin and press in 6:08.
Dory Funk Jr. used a spinning toe hold to stop Tarzan Tyler in 4:48.
Klondike Bill disposed of Jerry Starr in 6:52 with a squasher in the opener.
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
