AXS TV continues partnership with New Japan
December 22, 2022
By Nik Roseveare
AXS TV, a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, continues its successful partnership with iconic global professional wrestling organisation New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) —acquiring 45 all-new episodes of the promotion’s weekly series, kicking off with five weeks of NJPW’s premier Wrestle Kingdom 17 coverage, starting January 12th. The popular NJPW series follows IMPACT Wrestling’s flagship IMPACT! series at 8, forming a formidable combination of professional wrestling programming every Thursday on AXS TV.
The series gives viewers the best seat in the house to world-class New Japan Pro-Wrestling action every week, delivering one hour of exclusive content compiling the absolute best moments from the groundbreaking promotion’s most recent broadcasts. Each episode features fast-paced play-by-play commentary from NJPW’s English-language broadcast team of Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlton. As a special lead-in to the fresh crop of episodes launching in 2023, AXS TV presents an encore broadcast of 2017’s unforgettable Wrestle Kingdom 11 main event on January 5th – pitting NJPW powerhouse Kazuchika Okada against international sensation Kenny Omega for the coveted IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
AXS TV’s upcoming schedule of Wrestle Kingdom 17 coverage is as follows:
January 12
-The legendary Kenny Omega makes his highly-anticipated return to NJPW for the first time in four years, as he challenges the “Commonwealth Kingpin” Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.
January 19
-Bullet Club’s own Jay White puts the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on the line against the “Rainmaker,” Kazuchika Okada, in a rematch of their championship bout from Dominion 2022, where White shocked the world by stripping Okada of his title.
Specific programming for January 26th, February 2nd and February 9th will be announced at a later date.
“IMPACT and New Japan Pro-Wrestling have long-enjoyed a fruitful relationship both in and out of the ring, with each company highlighting the other’s brightest stars at some of the biggest IMPACT and NJPW events of the year,” said Scott D’Amore (pictured), Executive Vice President, Anthem Sports Media Group. “The two organisations perfectly complement each other, and this translates to the NJPW and IMPACT! series, as well – making our Thursday night lineup the ultimate destination for the absolute best in professional wrestling content, as we give viewers unprecedented access to world-class action from two industry trailblazers. AXS TV is proud to continue our partnership with NJPW, and we look forward to achieving even greater success as we move into the future.”
“We’re honoured to continue this partnership with AXS TV into a second year,” added NJPW President Takami Ohbari. “Starting with Wrestle Kingdom 17 you’ll see the exciting action and Strong Style competition get even hotter as we bring full cheering crowds back to our events. Don’t miss it! “
AXS TV produces the English-language version of New Japan Pro-Wrestling as a joint venture with New Japan World and in association with TV ASAHI CORPORATION.