Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes go 1-1 at Wrestle Kingdom 12

The Bullet Club was represented well at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual Wrestle Kingdom event. Club members were littered throughout the ten fight card held on Thursday, Jan. 4 in the Tokyo Dome.

Other than Kenny Omega’s huge match-up with Chris Jericho, the Young Bucks and Cody Rhodes were also featured in key spots.

Matt and Nick Jackson challenged Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight tag team titles in the second match of the night.

The story of the matches became all four men working over and attacking the back’s of their opponent. In Roppongi 3K’s first defense of their titles, the champs adsorbed a ton of punishment throughout the nearly 20 minute contest.

After a swanton bomb rope assisted DDT for a close two count, the Bucks repeatedly looked for a sharpeshooter finish. Isolating Yoh, the Young Bucks got multiple near falls and tapouts before a superkick into a a Meltzer Driver led to the final sharpeshooter ending.

With the win the Young Bucks became seven-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight tag team champions.

The fourth match at Wrestle Kingdom 12 featured former Cruiserweight Classic semifinalist Kota Ibushi taking on Cody Rhodes.

A key highlight from the 15 minute match was Rhodes hitting a nasty Cross Rhodes from the ring apron to the arena floor on Ibushi. With Brandi Rhodes at ringside, the former NXT announcer took a few bumps along the way as well.

The eventual end for Team Rhodes would come off a Disaster Kick attempt from Cody that was beautifully countered by Ibushi, first with a swift kick to the head that led right into a straight jacket German suplex. A final kamigoye from Kota Ibushi followed up with a Phoenix splash off the top rope was enough to earn the three count over Cody Rhodes.

Whether you watched it live early this morning or are just catching up who had the better match at Wrestle Kingdom 12, The Young Bucks or Cody Rhodes?

(Big H/T to TDE Wrestling and Italo Santana for the awesome GIFs)