Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2013. It was the 22nd January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the seventh held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name. The event featured eleven matches (including two dark matches), five of which were contested for championships.

For the first time, the event was made available for international market on internet pay-per-view (iPPV). The event drew 29,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome, supposedly down from the three previous years, although NJPW president Naoki Sugabayashi revealed that for the first time, the promotion announced a legitimate number of tickets sold instead of a "papered" number of attendees.{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/match/detail_result_game2.php?e=657&c=5084 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130327083244/http://www.njpw.co.jp/match/detail_result_game2.php?e=657&c=5084 | script-title=ja:菅林直樹社長の大会総括 | archive-date=March 27, 2013 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}}

The event featured outside participation from All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) representative Keiji Mutoh, Pro Wrestling Zero1 representative Shinjiro Otani, and American freelancer Shelton Benjamin. For the first time in five years, the event did not feature wrestlers from Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL).

Production

class=wikitable style="font-size:90%; margin: 0.5em 0 0.5em 1em; float: right; clear: right;"

|+ Other on-screen personnel

!|Role:

!|Name:

rowspan=2|Commentators

|Shinji Yoshino

Shinpei Nogami

rowspan=1|Ring announcers

|Kimihiko Ozaki

rowspan=4|Referees

|Kenta Sato

Marty Asami

Red Shoes Unno

Tiger Hattori

=Background=

In addition to airing in Japan as a traditional pay-per-view (PPV),{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/45219 | script-title=ja:1.4「Wrestle Kingdom 7」ロイヤルシート完売、スペシャルシート、アリーナAが残り僅か！ | date=December 21, 2012 | access-date=September 6, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}} the event was for the first time also aired internationally on internet pay-per-view (iPPV).{{cite web | url = http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Other_News_4/article_67634.shtml | title = Japan News: Tokyo Dome Show Friday – several U.S. stars in action, available on iPPV for first time, full line-up | last=Caldwell | first=James | date=January 4, 2013 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}

=Storylines=

Wrestle Kingdom 7 featured eleven professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.{{cite web | url = http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131129050844/http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm | title = How Pro Wrestling Works | last=Grabianowski | first=Ed | archive-date=November 29, 2013 | url-status = live | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=HowStuffWorks, Inc. | publisher=Discovery Communications}}

File:Kazuchika Okada at BCW East meets West.jpg, who challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event]]

On August 12, 2012, Kazuchika Okada defeated Karl Anderson in the finals to win the 2012 G1 Climax, winning the tournament in his first attempt, while also breaking the record for the tournament's youngest winner. Okada immediately announced his intention of regaining the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 7.{{cite web | url = https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2012/08/13/1p_0005291541.shtml | script-title=ja:オカダ、初出場で史上最年少Ｇ１制覇 | date=August 13, 2012 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Daily Sports Online | publisher=Kobe Shimbun | language=ja}}{{cite web | url = http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/quicknews/article_64211.shtml | title = NJPW: Former TNA wrestler wins G1 | last=Caldwell | first=James | date=August 12, 2012 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Pro Wrestling Torch}} Okada then signed a contract for the title match, which was then sealed in a briefcase, which he would be forced to defend until January 4.{{cite web | url = http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/quicknews/article_64921.shtml | title = NJPW Video - Former TNA wrestler's Tokyo Dome main event contract signing | last=Caldwell | first=James | date=September 6, 2012 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}{{cite web | url = http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/quicknews/article_64953.shtml | title = NJPW: Update on former TNA wrestler's Tokyo Dome main event quest | last=Caldwell | first=James | date=September 7, 2012 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Pro Wrestling Torch}} After successfully defending the contract against Karl Anderson and Hirooki Goto, the Wrestle Kingdom 7 main event was officially set between Okada and IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi.{{cite web | url = http://www.wrestleview.com/misc-news/36349-10-8-njpw-ippv-results-tokyo-japan | title = 10/8 NJPW iPPV Results: Tokyo, Japan | last=Namako | first=Jason | date=October 8, 2012 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Wrestleview}}{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/12916?showResult=1 | title = NJPW 40th anniversary Power Struggle | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}}

The top two matches underneath the main event featured mixed martial artists Kazushi Sakuraba and Katsuyori Shibata. The two had made a surprise return to NJPW on August 12, 2012,{{cite web | url = http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/news/p-bt-tp0-20120813-999989.html | script-title=ja:桜庭が新日参戦へ！このリングで／新日本 | date=August 13, 2012 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Nikkan Sports | language=ja}} and worked several matches during the rest of the year with both remaining undefeated. At the end of the year, Shinsuke Nakamura nominated Sakuraba as his challenger for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 7. Meanwhile, Shibata had entered a rivalry with Togi Makabe, which was set to culminate at Wrestle Kingdom 7.{{cite web | url = https://sports.yahoo.co.jp/column/detail/201211140004-spnavi | script-title=ja:中邑vs.桜庭のＩＷＧＰインター王座戦決定=１．４新日本プロレス第１弾カード「歴史を変えます」レインメーカーが再びＩＷＧＰ挑戦 | date=November 14, 2012 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Sports Navi | publisher=Yahoo! | language=ja}}

Wrestle Kingdom 7 was also supposed the feature the NJPW debut of Daichi Hashimoto.{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/45056 | script-title=ja:【 1.4東京ドーム全カード決定!!】武藤＆大地vsテンコジ! 田中vsベンジャミン! IWGPタッグ! 永田vsみのる! | date=December 4, 2012 | access-date=December 21, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}} The Pro Wrestling Zero1 representative was to be the focal point of a tag team match that would also feature Keiji Mutoh, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima, three wrestlers his father Shinya had had classic matches with during NJPW's heyday.{{cite magazine | last = Meltzer | first = Dave | author-link = Dave Meltzer | date = January 7, 2013 | title = Jan. 7, 2013 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE and UFC looking to turn fortunes around in early 2013, UFC 155 title change, New Japan Tokyo Dome preview, death of Emilio Charles Jr., tons more | magazine = Wrestling Observer Newsletter | location = Campbell, California | issn = 1083-9593 | page=25}} However, on December 27, 2012, it was announced that Hashimoto had fractured his left forearm in a match on Christmas Eve and would be replaced by Zero1 president Shinjiro Otani.{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=8758 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121229134252/http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=8758 | script-title=ja:橋本大地が"左腕骨折"で1.4東京ドームを無念の欠場...! その思いを胸に大谷晋二郎の緊急参戦が決定!!（詳細追加） | archive-date=December 29, 2012 | date=December 27, 2012 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}}

Event

In the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 7, Hiroshi Tanahashi made his sixth successful defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against 2012 G1 Climax winner Kazuchika Okada. In the semi-main event, billed by NJPW as the second of the "double main event", Shinsuke Nakamura made his fourth successful defense of the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Kazushi Sakuraba. The event also featured a three-way match, where Prince Devitt made his first defense of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Low Ki and Kota Ibushi. Low Ki wrestled the match as a protest over NJPW suspending him for a year for refusing to wrestle a show in Fukushima because of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. NJPW was reportedly "furious" over Low Ki wrestling a title match in a suit without clearing it with them first to the point that even years later, the company was said to be open to bringing anyone back "with the exception of Low Ki".{{cite magazine | last = Meltzer | first = Dave | author-link = Dave Meltzer | date = August 14, 2017 | title = August 14, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Takayama paralyzed, WWE financials examined, tons more | magazine = Wrestling Observer Newsletter | location = Campbell, California | issn = 1083-9593 | page=62}}

Other title matches featured the Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) making their second successful defense of the IWGP Tag Team Championship against the winners of the 2012 World Tag League, Sword & Guns (Hirooki Goto and Karl Anderson) and Masato Tanaka making his first successful defense of the NEVER Openweight Championship against Shelton Benjamin.

Daichi Hashimoto, who was forced to miss the event due to injury, accompanied Shinjiro Otani to his and Keiji Mutoh's tag team match against Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima. After Tenzan had pinned Otani to win the match, Hashimoto had a heated exchange with the winners, slapping Tenzan, who responded with a headbutt.{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/card_result/7968 | script-title=ja:Wrestle Kingdom 7 〜Evolution〜 in 東京ドーム | access-date=December 21, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}}

Reception

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter called Wrestle Kingdom 7 "the best Tokyo Dome show the promotion has ever put on", praising the main event as a "classic world title match". Meltzer also noted that if NJPW were being truthful about the attendance number being the actual number of paid attendees, the show would have to be considered a "huge success" as the last time the company drew a larger attendance number of paid fans to the Tokyo Dome was in 2003.

Aftermath

The day after Wrestle Kingdom 7, Takaaki Kidani resigned from his position as NJPW chairman. Dave Meltzer wrote that while Kidani was an "enthusiastic supporter" of NJPW, his hero in professional wrestling was Eric Bischoff and like Bischoff, he wanted to be a part of the show. Kidani had been the one to sign Kazushi Sakuraba and Katsuyori Shibata and wanted to do a full invasion storyline with shooters. Meltzer noted that the last time NJPW had tried a similar storyline under Antonio Inoki it killed the company's in-ring product. At Wrestle Kingdom 7, Kidani wanted both Sakuraba and Shibata to win and he wanted to personally be in Sakuraba's corner as he became the new Intercontinental Champion. However, a conflict with NJPW bookers Gedo and Jado led to both Sakuraba and Shibata losing and Kidani announcing his resignation. While Kidani left his position inside NJPW, his company Bushiroad retained ownership of NJPW.{{cite magazine | last = Meltzer | first = Dave | author-link = Dave Meltzer | date = January 14, 2013 | title = Jan. 14, 2013 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Return of the Rock, Tokyo Dome turmoil and big show review, biggest stars of 2012, Amazing Zuma bio, tons more | magazine = Wrestling Observer Newsletter | location = Campbell, California | issn = 1083-9593 | pages=6–18}}

Results

{{Pro Wrestling results table

|results={{cite web | url = http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Arena_Reports_10/article_67650.shtml | title = Show results - 1/4 New Japan Tokyo Dome Show: Former WWE stars in undercard matches, Tanahashi vs. Okada, did any titles change hands? | last=Caldwell | first=James | date=January 4, 2013 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}{{cite web | url = http://www.pwinsider.com/article/74415/new-japan-pro-wrestling-tokyo-dome-report.html?p=1 | title = New Japan Pro Wrestling Tokyo Dome report | date=January 4, 2013 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Pro Wrestling Insider}}{{cite web | url = http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0104-njpw-tokyo-dome-cards-227681 | title = Daily Pro Wrestling History (01/04): NJPW Tokyo Dome cards | last=Hoops | first=Brian | date=January 4, 2017 | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter}}

|times={{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/12943?showResult=1 | script-title=ja:Wrestle Kingdom 7 〜Evolution〜 in 東京ドーム | access-date=August 25, 2017 | work=New Japan Pro-Wrestling | language=ja}}

|match1=Captain New Japan, Tama Tonga and Wataru Inoue defeated Chaos (Jado, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi)

|stip1=Six-man tag team match

|time1=05:58

|note1=dark

|match2=Bushi, Kushida and Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Hiromu Takahashi, Jyushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask

|stip2=Six-man tag team match

|time2=07:12

|note2=dark

|match3=Akebono, Manabu Nakanishi, MVP and Strong Man defeated Bob Sapp and Chaos (Takashi Iizuka, Toru Yano and Yujiro Takahashi)

|stip3=Eight-man tag team match

|time3=07:53

|match4=Masato Tanaka (c) defeated Shelton Benjamin