We are ready to begin.
It’s really hot, isn’t it?
Today’s above 30 degrees, are you guys okay?
I heard that you all waited in line for this.
Welcome to those of you joining the
live stream online, thank you for your patience.
Now, the ceremony for KING OF PRO-WRESTLING
at Ryogoku, presented by Kyushu Sangokushi.
I, Shigeki Kiyone, will be your host.
Thank you.
Many people have been waiting for this
from very early today.
We also have a pre-sale for the
Tokyo Dome show, today.
How many of you already bought your tickets?
Fantastic!
I ask the same question every year and it
looks like more and more hands go up when I do.
We will soon announce the card, please don’t miss
the good seats, they will sell out very quickly.
We will continue the pre-sale through this
signing ceremony ends, so don’t miss it.
However, before you buy your ticket,
you want to know about the card, don’t you?
They will be set soon. But in order to decide the
matches, tomorrow’s show is very important.
Usually, this is the when the picture becomes
clear and the excitement escalates to the Dome.
Let me announce the tickets for tomorrow, also...
Day-of tickets will go on sale at 1PM, tomorrow.
Only Arena A and B tickets are available.
The show kicks off at 5PM.
Tickets on sale at 1PM with a 5PM start time.
Now we will have the wrestlers featured tomorrow,
Before that-
A roller coaster!
This happens every year.
Before we begin the signing ceremony,
I believe many of you have already seen this
on NJPWWORLD.com
There are many other exciting things besides
the title matches,
Tetsuya Naito will introduce his newest ‘Pareja'.
The pareja is announced as ‘X’ on the card.
Some of you may have not seen this
message from Naito yet,
So, let us show the video here, again.
That was the video message from Naito.
By the way, Los Ingos go to the
coolest places, don’t they?
I wonder where they shot the video.
They will reveal who ‘X’ is tomorrow.
It was 3 years ago when they introduced EVIL as
their new member at KING OF PRO-WRESTLING,
Please look forward to seeing who they introduce.
Thank you for your patience.
We would like to begin the signing ceremony, now.
We will have the wrestlers finally.
Please mind the rules as usual.
Photos are okay.
Taking video is prohibited.
We thank you for your understanding.
So, are you guys ready?
We will kick off with the signing for the IWGP
briefcase to main event the Tokyo Dome.
First, the challenger, Jay White.
Tanahashi is waiting backstage,
so he most likely saw what went on,
Jay White taking a fan's towel and throwing it
to the ground before trampling it.
And now, the holder of the contract,
Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Please, have a seat.
This match was set in motion on
September 23rd in Kobe.
Tanahashi successfully defended
the contract against Okada.
But Jay White invaded the ring.
This match was set to acknowledge
Jay White’s request.
We will now ask for Jay White’s comments
on the upcoming match.
Thank you very much.
Now we’ll have comments from Tanahashi, please.
New Japan’s 1 in 100 years talent,
Hiroshi Tanahashi, here.
Finally, after 3 years, I won G1 again,
and earned this briefcase.
And in Kobe, finally, I defeated Okada
after 4 years and defended the briefcase.
But...
Jay crashed the party.
My...
My performance after a match…
Is as important to me as the match itself.
Sometimes, it goes on longer than the match.
But the briefcase goes to the one who wins
the G1 and allows him to go to the Dome.
So every year this briefcase reflects
the colors of the winner.
My colors are white, black, and red.
Kenny used black.
Naito used black too.
Okada used gold, I think.
Well, this will take the winner, full throttle,
to the Dome, riding the wave of winning G1.
I believe that’s what it means,
But there is one thing I’m concerned about...
White…
White…
White…
White.
White.
Am I reading too much into it?
I will pay him back for what he did
in Los Angeles and in Kobe.
And I will defend the briefcase, handily.
Jay!
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you for your comments.
We will now open the floor for any questions
you may have.
Go ahead.
This is for New Japan's web site,
This is question is about Kobe, for Tanahashi,
Jay teamed up with Gedo,
About Gedo being the second for Jay,
When Okada returned from his excursion,
he was solo at first,
But after Gedo became his second,
Okada’s rise began.
What are your thoughts on this?
That’s true, that when Gedo became his second,
I failed to defend the IWGP on that challenge.
The rise of Okada...
AKA, The Rainmaker Shock, began.
However, I won’t make the same mistake again.
So, there's no need to worry.
Are there any other questions?
Go ahead.
This question is for Jay...
Since Kobe, you have started teaming up with Gedo,
Do you feel any progress in yourself since?
And one more...
For the past 6 years or so,
the briefcase for the Dome,
Has never changed hands.
Your thoughts on this fact?
Thank you very much.
Are there any other questions?
Are we good?
One more?
Okay.
For Tanahashi,
As usual, after KING OF PRO-WRESTLING,
the main event for Tokyo Dome will be set.
Tomorrow you will be featured in the
semi-main event against Jay White,
What are your thoughts on the main event after?
I don’t have the time to
think about that right now,
Maybe before, I was able to.
Right now…
It wasn’t easy for me to win the G1
and to beat Okada in Kobe,
I want to set something off, somehow.
But I’m living on the edge.
So, I will stay focussed on my
defense match tomorrow.
Are we good?
Is that all for questions?
That will be it for questions.
Now we will have a photo op with both competitors.
Is that good?
Tanahashi will keep a
strong grasp on that briefcase.
This is the end of the signing ceremony
for the IWGP briefcase.
Give Tanahashi a round of applause.
To both competitors, thank you very much.
That concludes the portion for the
IWGP Tokyo Dome briefcase.
Now we move on to the
IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Please give them a moment to get ready.
The IWGP Heavyweight Championship
will be contested in a three way match.
It is very rare to have a three way match
for the IWGP championship.
This will be first time to have this
defense match in Ryogoku.
I guess we are ready to move on.
This is unusual, but there will be
3 competitors signing the contract.
Actually, 3 plus a witness.
Are we now ready to move on?
Okay.
Now we will have the signing ceremony
for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship match.
First, one of the challengers, Cody.
And now, the second challenger, Kota Ibushi.
And finally, the champion, Kenny Omega.
We now have all the competitors
for the three way match.
And we also have Chairman Sugabayashi
to serve as witness.
The setup for the three way match
goes back to September 30th in Los Angeles.
The match was set by Cody
putting himself in the mix.
And now we’ll ask for Cody’s thoughts
on this three way title match, please.
And now, the man who pinned the champion
in the G1, Kota Ibushi, please.
Kota Ibushi, here.
Honestly, I have mixed feelings
on this three way match.
A three way match for a title match
feels a little odd to me.
However,
Since the match is set, all I have to do is
go straight at it. However...
Cody is already holding a title.
And of course Kenny is putting the
IWGP title on the line.
And, I have nothing to risk.
So, honestly…
I want to put my pro-wrestling career
on the line in this match.
I am that determined.
It will be a legendary match tomorrow.
Thank you very much.
And now, the champion, Kenny Omega, please.
Good afternoon.
Since the are so many foreigners speaking English,
I’ll try my best in Japanese.
People have been asking me, “Kenny, are you crazy
to risk it all in this kind of match?”
“Why a three way match?”
“Why are you going for something so different?"
That is true. But us three want to
make our own history.
It’s something different from before.
And that is the future of pro-wrestling,
not just about the present.
And we are partners and friends, so we will
show you all amazing pro-wrestling tomorrow.
Thank you very much.
We are moving on to the questions.
Please raise your hand if you have any.
This three way match will be
different from the usual match,
If Kota Ibushi pins Cody,
Or if Cody pins Kota Ibushi,
then the title changes hands.
I want to ask each of you three,
Who do you want to target in order to
win the championship?
First Kenny, please.
Me, right?
About who I want to pin and to win,
For me,
Kenny is my best friend and a great companion,
And Cody...
He's a friend.
We’re friends.
We’re friends.
But it doesn’t mean this will be a
kind and friendly match.
Tomorrow, we three will fight very seriously.
This isn't about who I'll pin. I just want to
main event the Dome, that’s what it's about.
Are we good?
There’s one more?
Go ahead.
For Kenny,
Your thoughts, as champion,
on Tanahashi vs Jay White.
Thank you very much.
And with that, we end the question portion.
Now we will sign the contract,
starting with Cody, please.
The IWGP US Heavyweight Champion.
Cody also holds the
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.
Now, Kota Ibushi, please.
The man who defeated Kenny Omega in the G1 CLIMAX.
And the champion, Kenny Omega, please.
Finally, Chairman Sugabayashi, please.
Now that we have the signature of the witness,
the IWGP Championship match is official.
And now we will have a photo op.
This will conclude the internet stream
for the conference.
Sorry about the delay in starting.
Thank you to all of those who watched today.
