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Tetsuya Naito Becomes Dual IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Champion At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14

Wrestling
Carlos Toro Jan 5, 2020 5:29AM

This year’s Wrestle Kingdom was historic in many ways, but it could only conclude with the culmination of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s first dual IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental champion. 

In the main event of the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 14, a first in the event's history, Tetsuya Naito defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the IWGP Heavyweight title, adding to the Intercontinental belt he won the night before.

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The match capped off the Double Gold Dash, a four-man tournament involving Naito, Okada, Kota Ibushi and Jay White in order to crown the first-ever double champion across the two nights.

The night's festivities did not end there as KENTA, fresh off his NEVER Openweight Championship loss to Hirooki Goto, attacked Naito as Naito was addressing the crowd at the Tokyo Dome.

Okada’s journey to the main event of the second night began with the main event of the first night. Okada faced a hardy and battle-tested Ibushi, the winner of the most recent G1 Climax, and defeated him to retain the IWGP Heavyweight title.

Naito was the only wrestler heading into the Double Gold Dash that held neither a championship or the G1 Climax briefcase. Naito’s match on the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 14 saw him capture the IWGP Intercontinental title for a fifth time, tied with Shinsuke Nakamura for most all time, by defeating White. It was White who defeated Naito at the Destruction in Kobe event this past September to win the Intercontinental title. 

The match was also the culmination of a two-year plus journey for Naito, who won the G1 Climax in 2017. Naito would then challenge Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight title at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in 2018, but Okada emerged victorious. 

As for the losers of the first night of the Double Gold Dash, White and Ibushi, the two wrestlers faced each other in one of the marquee matches of the second night. Thanks to some interference from Gedo at various points in the match, White defeated Naito to remain alive in the title picture.

For full results of the second night of Wrestle Kingdom, check out Fightful’s coverage of the event and there will be a post-show podcast later in the day to give a review of both nights.

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