– New Japan Pro Wrestling announced last night that the paid attendance for the Wrestle Kingdom 12 pay-per-view was 34,995, the biggest crowd in 15 years and that it surpassed the 26,192 for Wrestle Kingdom 11 that was headlined by Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada and the 25,204 for Wrestle Kingdom 10 that was headlined by Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada. NJPW English commentators Kevin Kelly and Don Callis revealed that the attendance was closer to 40,000 including comp tickets and sponsorship tickets.
– Kevin Kelly also announced during the broadcast that New Japan World, the streaming service for all New Japan Pro Wrestling content, saw a major spike in new subscribers, particularly due to the huge interest in Chris Jericho vs. Kenny Omega.
– Speaking of Jericho, during his latest Talk Is Jericho podcast, he revealed how he told WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon that he would be wrestling for a rival promotion and how he asked for Vince’s permission before accepting the deal. Jericho said that he was terrified waiting for the phone call from Vince and that it felt like it was coming from his own father after he wrecked his car, but explained that he told Vince that he wanted to wrestle Kenny Omega at New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom 12 and that Vince told him that he has to do it, it is great for him and that everyone knows that Chris Jericho is a WWE guy, stating that Jericho would be somewhat flying the WWE flag in Japan. Jericho said that he was relieved that Vince allowed him to wrestle Omega in New Japan and that when he eventually makes his WWE return, Vince agreed that it will put him on a different level.
– For those who may have missed it, Masahito Kakihara won the New Japan Rumble. Kakihara, who has previously battled cancer, defeated Katsuya Kitamura, BUSHI, Delirious, Leo Tonga, Manabu Nakanishi, Chase Owens, Yuji Nagata, TAKA Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado, Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask IV, Gino Gambino, Henare, YOSHI-HASHI, David Finlay, Yujiro Takahashi, Cheeseburger, Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan to win the Rumble.
– There were 5 title changes at last night’s event. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) defeated Roppongi 3K (Sho Tanaka & Yohei Komatsu) to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, CHAOS (Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii & Beretta) outlasted Michael Elgin & War Machine (Raymond Rowe & Hanson), Suzuki-gun (Takashi Iizuka, Zack Sabre Jr & Taichi), Taguchi Japan (Ryusuke Taguchi, Juice Robinson & Togi Makabe) and BULLET CLUB (Tama Tonga, Tanga Roa & Bad Luck Fale) to become the new NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions. Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA & EVIL) defeated Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr & Lance Archer) to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions, Hirooki Goto defeated Minoru Suzuki in a Hair vs. Hair Match for the NEVER Openweight Championship and finally, Will Ospreay defeated Marty Scurll, Hiromu Takahashi and KUSHIDA to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
– War Machine (Raymond Rowe & Hanson) are believed to be done either at Wrestle Kingdom 12 or the DASH! show tomorrow before they join WWE as part of the NXT roster.
