The New Beginning in Nagoya (2023) was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on January 22, 2023, in Nagoya at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium. The event featured seven matches, one of which was contested for a championship. In the main event, Shingo Takagi defended the provisional KOPW Championship against Great-O-Khan. This was the thirty-fourth event under the New Beginning name and the second under the New Beginning in Nagoya name.
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the tour had some restrictions in the attendance, after the Japanese Government lifted the State of Emergency.
Production[]
Background[]
The event aired worldwide on NJPW's internet streaming site, New Japan Pro Wrestling World, with English commentary provided by Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlaton. In 2022, The New Beginning events were absent, aside from The New Beginning USA. On January 9, 2023, NJPW announced the return of New Beginning, revealing that The New Beginning In Nagoya would take place on January 22 at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan.
Storylines[]
The New Beginning in Nagoya featured five professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.
Shingo Takagi, the provisional 2023 KOPW Champion who defended his title against Great-O-Khan
The New Beginning in Nagoya was main evented by Shingo Takagi making his first defense of the provisional KOPW Championship against Great-O-Khan. On January 5, 2023 at New Year Dash, Shingo Takagi become the first Provisional 2023 KOPW Champion after defeating O-Khan, Toru Yano, Sho in a four-way match. After the match, O-Khan stared down Takagi, holding his Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship, as way of asserting his superiority over him. In a backstage interview, O-Khan challenged Takagi to a match, which Takagi accepted; despite seeing the KOPW Championship as a way to challenge Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. The title match was made official on January 10. On January 12, both men choose their stipulations with Takagi choosing a 30 count pinfall match and O-Khan choosing a mixed martial arts rules match, with Takagi's IWGP World Heavyweight Championship opportunity being also on the line, with the latter winning the fan poll.
