AXS TV has announced that they will be extending their partnership with New Japan Pro-Wrestling through 2023 beginning with a delayed airing of matches from Wrestle Kingdom 17 starting on January 12.
AXS TV issued the following:
Highlights Include Kenny Omega’s Return to NJPW to Battle Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship, Jay White vs. Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title & Much More
LOS ANGELES (December 21, 2022) – AXS TV, a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc., continues its successful partnership with iconic global professional wrestling organization New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)—acquiring 45 all-new episodes of the promotion’s popular weekly series, kicking off with five weeks of NJPW’s premier Wrestle Kingdom 17 coverage, starting Thursday, January 12 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The popular NJPW series follows IMPACT Wrestling’s flagship IMPACT! series at 8 p.m. ET, forming a formidable combination of world-class 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 5 at 10 p.m. ET—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 26, February 2 and February 9 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, Executive Vice President, Anthem Sports Media Group. “The two organizations 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 honored to continue this partnership with AXS TV into a second year,” said 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.
About AXS TV
AXS TV is a leading multi-platform music, entertainment, and lifestyle digital platform and television company owned and operated by Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. AXS TV’s broad library is curated to appeal to diverse and passionate fanbases across the entertainment spectrum, offering eclectic content headlined by premiere concerts and music-inspired programming, as well as exclusive celebrity interviews, acclaimed documentaries, world-class professional wrestling, hard-hitting MMA bouts, star-studded special events, and immersive pop culture series. AXS TV’s signature programs include the investigative series Music’s Greatest Mysteries; fan-favorite countdown series The Top Ten Revealed; the in-depth profile A Year in Music; and the intimate artist interview series At Home And Social. The channel is also the home of global combat sport staples IMPACT Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Invicta Fighting Championships. AXS TV is available nationally in the United States, and parts of Canada and the Caribbean. Additionally, AXS TV’s digital programming can be enjoyed on several different platforms including the AXS.TV website and the Network’s FAST Channel AXS TV NOW, as well as via the AXS TV App, and on the Network’s official YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram pages, and Twitter profile. For a full list of providers and territories, please visit axs.tv/subscribe.
