Wrestle Kingdom III: Tanahashi Reclaims the Summit on a Deep Interpromotional Card

Milano Collection A.T., Minoru & Taichi Ishikari defeating Mitsuhide Hirasawa, Kazuchika Okada & Nobuo Yoshihashi occupies match 1 and runs 06:24. In the pre-show/dark portion, the bout's value comes from how clearly it performs its assigned job. The result is easy to understand, the time allotment is neither hidden nor exaggerated, and the match gives the surrounding card a distinct beat. A 5.8 score reflects the combination of stakes, placement and available time rather than reputation alone. The match is judged as one part of this specific Tokyo Dome event, so its grade rises when the result changes a title picture or advances the card and falls when the slot is mostly functional.

Match 2 has Místico, Ryusuke Taguchi & Prince Devitt over Averno, Jado & Gedo in 09:50. That runtime is important to the verdict because Wrestle Kingdom cards can become crowded, and this bout has to justify the space it receives. Within the main card, it provides a different matchup or championship consequence without being credited merely for the names involved. The 7.4 score weighs the finish, the position on the show and whether the bout feels complete for its role. Where the match succeeds, it gives the event momentum or a tangible result; where it is limited, the grade stays closer to supporting-card territory.

At 08:47, Jushin Thunder Liger & Takuma Sano vs. Wataru Inoue & Koji Kanemoto is positioned as match 3. The bout is most useful when read in sequence with the matches around it: Wrestle Kingdom needs each section of the card to change pace while still preserving the strongest attractions for later. This one earns a 7.0 because its result and structure contribute something identifiable to the event without automatically becoming a must-watch attraction. Championship stakes or a distinctive stipulation add consequence, but the grade remains tied to the complete viewing experience, including runtime and card position.

Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) beats No Limit (Tetsuya Naito & Yujiro) (c) in 13:21 at match 4. The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is at stake. The placement gives the bout a clear responsibility within the main card: either establish the event's rhythm, bridge into the stronger singles programs, or deliver one of the card's major payoffs. Its 8.1 score reflects how fully it meets that responsibility. The verdict does not treat a famous participant or title belt as an automatic quality boost. Instead, the match is measured by the way the finish, time and stakes work together and by whether the next match inherits more momentum than the card had before it.

Tiger Mask IV defeating Low Ki (c) occupies match 5 and runs 08:48. The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is at stake. In the main card, the bout's value comes from how clearly it performs its assigned job. The result is easy to understand, the time allotment is neither hidden nor exaggerated, and the match gives the surrounding card a distinct beat. A 8.2 score reflects the combination of stakes, placement and available time rather than reputation alone. The match is judged as one part of this specific Tokyo Dome event, so its grade rises when the result changes a title picture or advances the card and falls when the slot is mostly functional.

Match 6 has Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash over Giant Bernard, Takashi Iizuka, Tomohiro Ishii & Karl Anderson in 07:09. That runtime is important to the verdict because Wrestle Kingdom cards can become crowded, and this bout has to justify the space it receives. Within the main card, it provides a different matchup or championship consequence without being credited merely for the names involved. The 6.5 score weighs the finish, the position on the show and whether the bout feels complete for its role. Where the match succeeds, it gives the event momentum or a tangible result; where it is limited, the grade stays closer to supporting-card territory.

At 11:41, Yuji Nagata (c) vs. Masato Tanaka is positioned as match 7. The ZERO1 World Heavyweight Championship is at stake. The bout is most useful when read in sequence with the matches around it: Wrestle Kingdom needs each section of the card to change pace while still preserving the strongest attractions for later. This one earns a 7.8 because its result and structure contribute something identifiable to the event without automatically becoming a must-watch attraction. Championship stakes or a distinctive stipulation add consequence, but the grade remains tied to the complete viewing experience, including runtime and card position.

Jun Akiyama beats Manabu Nakanishi in 10:27 at match 8. The placement gives the bout a clear responsibility within the main card: either establish the event's rhythm, bridge into the stronger singles programs, or deliver one of the card's major payoffs. Its 7.6 score reflects how fully it meets that responsibility. The verdict does not treat a famous participant or title belt as an automatic quality boost. Instead, the match is measured by the way the finish, time and stakes work together and by whether the next match inherits more momentum than the card had before it.

Team 3D defeating Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (c) occupies match 9 and runs 15:34. The IWGP Tag Team Championship is at stake. In the closing stretch, the bout's value comes from how clearly it performs its assigned job. The result is easy to understand, the time allotment is neither hidden nor exaggerated, and the match gives the surrounding card a distinct beat. A 7.9 score reflects the combination of stakes, placement and available time rather than reputation alone. The match is judged as one part of this specific Tokyo Dome event, so its grade rises when the result changes a title picture or advances the card and falls when the slot is mostly functional.

Match 10 has Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto over Mitsuharu Misawa & Takashi Sugiura in 15:17. That runtime is important to the verdict because Wrestle Kingdom cards can become crowded, and this bout has to justify the space it receives. Within the closing stretch, it provides a different matchup or championship consequence without being credited merely for the names involved. The 8.4 score weighs the finish, the position on the show and whether the bout feels complete for its role. Where the match succeeds, it gives the event momentum or a tangible result; where it is limited, the grade stays closer to supporting-card territory.

At 30:22, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Keiji Mutoh (c) is positioned as match 11. The IWGP Heavyweight Championship is at stake. The bout is most useful when read in sequence with the matches around it: Wrestle Kingdom needs each section of the card to change pace while still preserving the strongest attractions for later. This one earns a 8.9 because its result and structure contribute something identifiable to the event without automatically becoming a must-watch attraction. Championship stakes or a distinctive stipulation add consequence, but the grade remains tied to the complete viewing experience, including runtime and card position.