Karl Anderson's NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Opponent Announced

Karl Anderson successfully retained his NJPW NEVER Openweight Championship against Hikuleo on December 14 during the 2022 World Tag League and SUPER Jr. Tag League finals show. Following this successful defense, Anderson next puts his title on the line at Wrestle Kingdom 17. After Anderson's victory over Hikuleo, Tama Tonga challenged him for the title, and the two immediately found themselves brawling, as they have been rivals for quite some time. The brawl ended with Anderson laying out Tonga with a Gun Stun.

Tonga and Anderson's history goes back to Impact Wrestling's No Surrender event early in 2022, as Tonga and Tanga Loa, a tag team known as Guerrillas of Destiny, took on the Good Brothers for the Impact World Tag Team Championships. Prior to the match, G.O.D. were members of the Bullet Club and had been for years — however, that changed during the bout. Jay White cost G.O.D. their title match and in the process, kicked both men out of the Bullet Club. By kicking out G.O.D., The Good Brothers became the newest Bullet Club members, with this being their second time as part of the faction. Even though they are both signed to WWE now, Anderson and Luke Gallows remain active Bullet Club members.

By defending the NEVER Openweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 17, Anderson makes history as he becomes the first-ever WWE contracted talent to compete at a Wrestle Kingdom event. This unusual bit of cooperation stems from Anderson wrestling at WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia on November 5, leading to him not being able to make his scheduled title defense at NJPW Battle Autumn.