In line with expectations, AEW stars will be present at the upcoming NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 event in the first week of January 2023. The two promotions have collaborated for several years and recently held their first official crossover event, Forbidden Door, in June.
AEW stars were previously reported to be working the show, and the first two names confirmed for the event are Dax Harwood and Dash Wilder.
Dave Meltzer confirmed on today’s Wrestling Observer Radio that AEW’s FTR, the current IWGP Tag Team Champions, will be working the show. The NJPW World Tag League tournament was recently announced, with the winner receiving an IWGP Tag Team Title shot at Wrestle Kingdom 17.
“FTR is going to be at the Tokyo Dome. I got that confirmed. Defending the Championships.“
This past Saturday, FTR defended the belts against Jeff Cobb and Great O Khan on NJPW’s Battle Autumn show. The following teams have been confirmed for the tournament:
* Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI)
* HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi)
* Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito & SANADA)
* United Empire (Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan)
* Be-Bop Tag Team (Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi)
* Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher)
* Suzuki-Gun (Lance Archer & Minoru Suzuki)
* BULLET CLUB (Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens)
* TMDK (Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls)
* Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin
