Karl Anderson is still the NEVER Openweight Champion after defeating Hikeuleo in the NJPW World Tag League/Super Jr. Tag League finals on Wednesday.
After the match, he made a promo about how he thought he was the greatest NEVER Openweight Champion of all time and would hold the title in perpetuity. This prompted Tama Tonga to challenge him, which resulted in a brawl that ended when Anderson gained the upper hand by laying him out with his finisher.
Anderson then said he’d see Tonga at Wrestle Kingdom 17.
Despite Anderson holding the NEVER Openweight Title since June, Anderson and Luke Gallows returned to the WWE in October. Hikuleo and Anderson’s match from the November 5 show was pushed back because Anderson was in Saudi Arabia for WWE to work a match at Crown Jewel.
The following is the updated card for NJW Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4:
* IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Jay White (champion) vs. Kazuchika Okada
* IWGP Women’s Championship: KAIRI (champion) vs. Tam Nakano
* NJPW World Television Championship Tournament Final: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita
* IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship — Four Way: Taiji Ishimori (champion) vs. Master Wato vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado
* IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (champion) vs. Kenny Omega
* IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Francesco Akira & TJP (champion) vs. Lio Rush & YOH
* IWGP Tag Team Championships: FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (champion) vs. Bishamon (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto)
* NEVER Openweight Championship: Karl Anderson (champion) vs. Tama Tonga
