The future of NJPW on AXS TV has been revealed.
On Monday, December 18, AXS TV issued a press release revealing that they have renewed their programming deal with NJPW for 2024. As a result, AXS TV will air 45 episodes of NJPW content over the course of 2024.
The episodes will continue airing on Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST. New episodes of programming for the company will return on Thursday, January 11, as the first episode will air the three way IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship bout between Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, and David Finlay from Wrestle Kingdom 18.
January 18's episode will feature another Wrestle Kingdom 18 bout, highlighting the clash between Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada. Furthermore, the January 25 episode of the show will feature the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship between SANADA and Tetsuya Naito from the same event.
Fans can learn more about the new deal between NJPW and AXS TV in the press release below:
NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING RETURNS TO AXS TV WITH 45 ALL-NEW EPISODES IN 2024, BEGINNING THURSDAY JANUARY 11 AT 10 PM ET
Highlights Include Iconic Matchups from Wrestle Kingdom 18, Featuring Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Kazuchika Okada and SANADA
LOS ANGELES (December 18, 2023) – AXS TV, a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc., has renewed its fan-favorite New Japan Pro-Wrestling series with 45 all-new episodes in 2024. The upcoming season kicks off with four weeks of exclusive coverage from Wrestle Kingdom 18, beginning Thursday, January 11 at 10 p.m. ET. All episodes are presented in English and feature expert play-by-play commentary from NJPW’s own Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton.
Additionally, AXS TV NOW viewers will be able to enjoy classic episodes in English of NJPW every Sunday, starting January 7 at 6 a.m. PT and repeating throughout the day. The AXS TV NOW January slate includes unforgettable bouts from Wrestle Kingdom 7 through 13.
AXS TV’s New Japan Pro-Wrestling schedule for January is as follows (with more matches being announced at a later date):
January 11—Wrestle Kingdom 18
– Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, and David Finlay go toe-to-toe in a triple threat match for the inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship.
January 18—Wrestle Kingdom 18
-Next, “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada meets “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson once again, in a stunning rematch of their highly-acclaimed bout at Forbidden Door 2 last June.
January 25—Wrestle Kingdom 18
-Then, G1 CLIMAX 33 Winner Tetsuya Naito gets his long-awaited title shot, as the Los Ingobernables de Japón honcho challenges SANADA for the coveted IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
AXS TV NOW’s January slate of classic New Japan Pro-Wrestling episodes is as follows:
January 7
-Highlights from Wrestle Kingdom 7, 8, and 9.
January 14
-Highlights from Wrestle Kingdom 10 and 11.
January 21
-Highlights from Wrestle Kingdom 12 and 13.
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.
Fans can see the current lineup for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 by clicking here.
