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NJPW The New Beginning
NJPW The New Beginning
NJPW The New Beginning
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The New Beginning
The NJPW New Beginning logo
NJPW The New Beginning logo
PromotionsNew Japan Pro-Wrestling
First eventThe New Beginning (2011)

The New Beginning is an annual professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event has been held since 2011 as a pay-per-view (PPV). From 2013 to 2014, the event also aired outside Japan as an internet pay-per-view (iPPV). Since 2015, the event has aired worldwide on NJPW's internet streaming site, NJPW World. The event is held in February, the month following NJPW's biggest annual event, the January 4 Dome Show, usually the culmination point of major storylines. As the name of the event suggests, it marks the beginning of a new year for the promotion.

Events

[edit]
# Event Date City Venue Attendance Main event Ref(s)
1 The New Beginning (2011) February 15, 2011 Tokyo, Japan Korakuen Hall 1,500 Hiroshi Tanahashi and Prince Devitt vs. Kojima-gun (Satoshi Kojima and Taka Michinoku) [1]
2 February 20, 2011 Sendai, Japan Sendai Sun Plaza Hall 3,200 Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Satoshi Kojima for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [2]
3 The New Beginning (2012) February 12, 2012 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 6,200 Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [3][4]
4 The New Beginning (2013) February 10, 2013 Hiroshima, Japan Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall 4,780 Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Karl Anderson for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [5][6][7]
5 The New Beginning in Hiroshima (2014) February 9, 2014 5,040 Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship [8][9][10][11]
6 The New Beginning in Osaka (2014) February 11, 2014 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 6,400 Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [12][13][14]
7 The New Beginning in Osaka (2015) February 11, 2015 7,500 Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. A.J. Styles for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [15][16][17]
8 The New Beginning in Sendai February 14, 2015 Sendai, Japan Sendai Sun Plaza Hall 2,900 Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship [18][19][20]
9 The New Beginning in Osaka (2016) February 11, 2016 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 5,180 Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [21][22][23]
10 The New Beginning in Niigata February 14, 2016 Nagaoka, Japan Aore Nagaoka 3,603 Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kenny Omega for the vacant IWGP Intercontinental Championship [24][25][26]
11 The New Beginning in Sapporo (2017) February 5, 2017 Sapporo, Japan Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center 5,545 Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [27][28]
12 The New Beginning in Osaka (2017) February 11, 2017 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 5,466 Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Michael Elgin for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship [29][30]
13 The New Beginning in Sapporo (2018) January 27, 2018 Sapporo, Japan Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center 4,862 Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship [31]
14 January 28, 2018 5,140 Kenny Omega (c) vs. Jay White for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship [31]
15 The New Beginning in Osaka (2018) February 10, 2018 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 5,481 Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Sanada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [31]
16 The New Beginning USA (2019) January 30, 2019 Los Angeles, California, USA Globe Theatre 531 LifeBlood (Juice Robinson and Tracy Williams) vs. Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) [32]
17 February 1, 2019 Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Grady Cole Center 969 Juice Robinson (c) vs. Beretta for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship [33]
18 February 2, 2019 Nashville, Tennessee, USA War Memorial Auditorium 618 LifeBlood (Juice Robinson, David Finlay and Tracy Williams) vs. Chaos (Beretta, Chuckie T. and Rocky Romero) in a six-man tag team elimination match [34]
19 The New Beginning in Sapporo (2019) February 2, 2019 Sapporo, Japan Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center 4,868 Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale and Jay White) [35]
20 February 3, 2019 6,089 Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Taichi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship [36]
21 The New Beginning in Osaka (2019) February 11, 2019 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 5,570 Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Jay White for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship [37]
22 The New Beginning USA (2020) January 24, 2020 St. Petersburg, Florida, USA St. Petersburg Coliseum 863 Taguchi Japan (Hiroshi Tanahashi, David Finlay and Juice Robinson) and Rocky Romero vs. Bullet Club (Chase Owens, Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga, Yujiro Takahashi and Jado) in an Eight-man tag team elimination match [38]
23 January 26, 2020 Nashville, Tennessee, USA War Memorial Auditorium 560 FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) and Rocky Romero vs. Bullet Club (Chase Owens, Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga) [39]
24 January 27, 2020 Durham, North Carolina, USA Durham Armory 637 Taguchi Japan (Hiroshi Tanahashi, David Finlay and Juice Robinson) and Yoshi-Hashi vs. Bullet Club (Chase Owens, Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga, Yujiro Takahashi and Jado) [40]
25 January 30, 2020 Pembroke Pines, Florida, USA Charles F. Dodge City Center 525 Hiroshi Tanahashi and Rocky Romero vs. Guerrillas of Destiny (Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga) [41]
26 February 1, 2020 Cumberland, Georgia, USA Coca-Cola Roxy at The Battery Atlanta 855 FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) (c) vs. Guerrillas of Destiny (Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga) for the IWGP Tag Team Championship [42]
27 The New Beginning in Sapporo (2020) February 1, 2020 Sapporo, Japan Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center 4,569 Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Shingo Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship [43]
28 February 2, 2020 5,690 Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi [44]
29 The New Beginning in Osaka (2020) February 9, 2020 Osaka, Japan Osaka-jō Hall[45] 11,411 Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Kenta for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Intercontinental Championship[46] [47]
30 The New Beginning in Nagoya (2021) January 30, 2021 Nagoya, Japan Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium 2,156 Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NEVER Openweight Championship [48]
31 The New Beginning in Hiroshima (2021) February 10, 2021 Hiroshima, Japan Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall 1,135 Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. Sho for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship [49]
February 11, 2021 2,007 Kota Ibushi (c) vs. Sanada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship [50]
32 The New Beginning USA (2021) February 19, 2021 Port Hueneme, California, USA Oceanview Pavilion 0 El Phantasmo vs. Lio Rush [51]
February 26, 2021 Jon Moxley (c) vs. Kenta for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship [52]
33 The New Beginning USA (2022) January 15, 2022 Seattle, Washington, USA Washington Hall 516 Tom Lawlor (c) vs. Tyler Rust for the Strong Openweight Championship [53]
34 The New Beginning in Nagoya (2023) January 22, 2023 Nagoya, Japan Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium 1,650 Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Great-O-Khan in a mixed martial arts rules match for the Provisional KOPW 2023 Championship [54]
35 The New Beginning in Sapporo (2023) February 4, 2023 Sapporo, Japan Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center 3,073 Shota Umino vs. Tetsuya Naito [55]
36 February 5, 2023 3,316 Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. Yoh for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship [56]
37 The New Beginning in Osaka (2023) February 11, 2023 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 4,055 Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship [57]
38 The New Beginning in Nagoya (2024) January 20, 2024 Nagoya, Japan Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium 2,710 Tama Tonga (c) vs. Evil in a Lumberjack match for the NEVER Openweight Championship [58]
39 The New Beginning in Osaka (2024) February 11, 2024 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 5,400 United Empire (Will Ospreay, Francesco Akira, TJP, Jeff Cobb and Henare) vs. Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney) in a Steel Cage match [59]
40 The New Beginning in Sapporo (2024) February 23, 2024 Sapporo, Japan Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center 3,231 David Finlay (c) vs. Nic Nemeth for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship [60]
41 February 24, 2024 5,355 Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Sanada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship [61]
42 The New Beginning in Osaka (2025) February 11, 2025 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium 5,502 Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship [62]
43 The New Beginning in Osaka (2026) February 11, 2026 Osaka, Japan Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Jake Lee for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
44 The New Beginning USA (2026) February 27, 2026 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. CURE Insurance Arena
(c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

NJPW The New Beginning

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from Grokipedia
The New Beginning is an annual (PPV) event series promoted by (NJPW), debuting on February 15 and 20, 2011, with shows in and , . Held primarily during , it serves as a cornerstone of NJPW's post-Wrestle Kingdom schedule, typically comprising multiple nights across various Japanese venues and featuring championship defenses, tournaments, and pivotal storyline advancements. The series emphasizes renewal and momentum-building after the January event, with some events drawing crowds exceeding 5,000 attendees, as in the 2025 show. Since its inception, The New Beginning has expanded beyond single events to include multi-night tours, with notable iterations in cities such as Osaka, Sapporo, Nagoya, and Sendai. Key highlights include high-stakes matches for titles like the IWGP Heavyweight and Junior Heavyweight Championships, as seen in the 2011 main event where Hiroshi Tanahashi defended the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Satoshi Kojima. From 2013 to 2014, select events were broadcast internationally via internet PPV, broadening NJPW's global reach. In 2019, the series ventured abroad with The New Beginning USA tour in the United States, including stops in California, North Carolina, and Tennessee, marking NJPW's growing international presence, a trend continuing with the announced 2026 event in Trenton, New Jersey, where El Phantasmo will defend the NJPW World TV Championship against Konosuke Takeshita as the first match announced for the February 27 show at CURE Arena. The event's format often integrates ongoing feuds from while setting up future arcs leading into spring tournaments like the , contributing to NJPW's reputation for athletic, narrative-driven wrestling. Recent editions, such as the 2025 show, have featured stacked cards with five title matches, underscoring its role in elevating emerging talents alongside established stars.

Overview

Introduction

The New Beginning is a recurring (PPV) event series produced by (NJPW), which began in 2011 as a key fixture in the promotion's annual schedule. This series represents one of NJPW's major touring events, emphasizing competitive cards that highlight top talent from the roster. The events center on high-profile matches, frequently including defenses of NJPW's heavyweight championships such as the IWGP World Heavyweight and IWGP Junior Heavyweight titles, alongside resolutions to ongoing feuds and emerging rivalries. Positioned early in the year, The New Beginning typically occurs in February, acting as a symbolic fresh start after the flagship pay-per-view in January, and helps propel storylines into subsequent tournaments like the . As of 2025, the series has produced 16 flagship events, drawing consistent crowds to venues across and occasionally internationally, with attendance for primary shows generally ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 fans depending on the arena capacity and card appeal. These gatherings underscore NJPW's commitment to delivering intense, narrative-driven wrestling that bridges the post-New Year momentum into the broader competitive season.

Significance in NJPW

The New Beginning series holds a pivotal position in New Japan Pro-Wrestling's (NJPW) annual calendar as the first major event following , typically occurring in and serving as a critical reset point for ongoing feuds and championship landscapes. This timing allows NJPW to transition from the high-stakes conclusions of its flagship event into fresh storylines, often resolving immediate post- tensions while establishing new rivalries that propel the year forward. For instance, the 2025 edition in marked the culmination of narratives from Wrestle Kingdom 19 and Wrestle Dynasty, while simultaneously advancing character arcs such as Shota Umino's personal reinvention and Hirooki Goto's long-awaited title pursuit. Beyond its scheduling role, The New Beginning significantly contributes to NJPW's storytelling by providing opportunities for talent development, particularly in elevating the mid-card and junior divisions through dedicated spotlight matches. Events in the series frequently showcase non-main event titles like the NEVER and IWGP Junior Championships, allowing wrestlers outside the top tier to gain prominence and build momentum. Examples include the 2025 Osaka card, where Drilla Moloney's victory over symbolized his graduation to the division, and the junior tag team title defense by the Ichiban Sweet Boys against , highlighting teams such as Ichiban Sweet Boys and . These matches not only foster deeper character growth but also ensure balanced representation across NJPW's roster, preventing overreliance on established stars. The series has also played a key role in enhancing NJPW's global popularity since the late 2010s, particularly through international iterations and cross-promotions with organizations like (AEW). The introduction of The New Beginning in USA events, starting in , expanded NJPW's footprint in , drawing larger audiences and integrating international talent into high-profile bouts. This aligns with broader partnerships, such as the AEW-NJPW collaboration initiated around , which has featured AEW wrestlers in New Beginning cards and contributed to events like Forbidden Door, boosting viewership and cross-cultural storytelling. By 2024, NJPW had expanded its U.S. events significantly, though attendance challenges in 2025 led to a scaled-back schedule. Statistically, The New Beginning events typically feature 4–6 title matches per major show, accounting for a substantial portion of NJPW's annual championship changes and reinforcing its importance in title dynamics. In the 2025 Osaka installment, four championships were defended, resulting in two changes, including Hirooki Goto's upset victory for the .

History

Inception and Early Years (2011–2013)

The New Beginning series was launched by (NJPW) in 2011 as a event held in , serving as a key post-Wrestle Kingdom showcase during the promotion's rebuilding efforts following financial and competitive challenges in the late 2000s. The inaugural edition consisted of two shows: the first on at Korakuen Hall in , drawing 1,500 spectators, and the second on February 20 at Sendai Sun Plaza Hall in , Miyagi, with an attendance of 3,200. These events emphasized NJPW's core divisions, featuring matches for the and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, with the Sendai card headlined by IWGP Heavyweight Champion defending against in a hard-fought contest that underscored Tanahashi's role as the promotion's ace. The 2011 Sendai event represented NJPW's first venture into a regional Tohoku venue for a major PPV, highlighting the promotion's commitment to nationwide outreach amid its recovery phase. By , the format solidified into a single flagship show on February 12 at , attracting 6,200 fans and focusing on title defenses across weight classes. Key highlights included retaining the against , while the main event saw defeating to win the , blending heavyweight storylines to build momentum for the year's tournaments. In 2013, The New Beginning continued its annual tradition on February 10 at Sun Plaza Hall, with 4,780 in attendance, maintaining the emphasis on championship clashes to establish the event as a mid-card pillar in NJPW's calendar. The show was headlined by Tanahashi defending the against of the stable, a match that highlighted the growing international influences in NJPW's heavyweight division, alongside junior heavyweight action such as Prince Devitt's title defense. This period from 2011 to 2013 cemented the event's structure as a domestic PPV centered on IWGP titles, typically featuring 8-9 matches with 3-4 contests involving championships, setting the stage for future expansions without delving into multi-city tours at the time.

Expansion and International Growth (2014–2018)

In 2014, The New Beginning series expanded to two major events, marking a significant maturation in NJPW's early-year touring schedule. The first took place on February 9 in at Sun Plaza Hall, drawing 5,040 attendees, while the second occurred on February 11 in at the Prefectural Gymnasium with 6,400 fans. This dual-event format allowed NJPW to cover more regional markets while building on the momentum from , with the Hiroshima card headlined by defending the against . A key innovation was the introduction of internet pay-per-view (iPPV) streaming for overseas audiences, enabling global fans to access the events live for the first time beyond traditional PPV in . The series continued this multi-event approach in subsequent years, emphasizing regional accessibility through varied locations. In 2015, events were held on in (7,000 attendees) and February 14 in at Sun Plaza Hall, incorporating matches that highlighted NJPW's junior and divisions amid a broader tour that visited multiple prefectures. This regional focus helped sustain fan engagement post-Wrestle Kingdom. By 2016, the event on featured a marquee main event where IWGP Heavyweight Champion defended against in a hard-fought contest that underscored Goto's resurgence as a top contender. These milestones reflected NJPW's strategy to use The New Beginning as a platform for high-stakes defenses and faction rivalries, such as Bullet Club's growing influence. Growth during this period was evident in rising attendance figures, which demonstrated increasing domestic popularity. For instance, the 2017 event on February 11 at EDION Arena drew 5,466 fans, a solid turnout for the venue, while the series overall benefited from NJPW's expanding roster and storylines. A pivotal factor was the integration of The New Beginning matches as preludes to the annual tournament, where outcomes often seeded feuds and challengers—such as Goto's performance against propelling him into the 2016 Cup bracket. This narrative continuity enhanced the events' role in NJPW's yearly cycle, fostering deeper storyline investment. International growth accelerated with the iPPV debut, which laid groundwork for broader accessibility, culminating in the July 2015 launch of NJPW World—a subscription streaming service that made events available worldwide shortly after airing. By , with dual events in (January 27-28) and (February 10), English-language commentary by Kevin Kelly and became standard on NJPW World, aiding overseas viewer comprehension without disrupting Japanese broadcasts. These steps marked initial forays into global engagement, though logistical demands of multi-site tours posed challenges in production consistency.

Recent Developments (2019–2025)

In 2019, (NJPW) expanded The New Beginning series internationally with its debut U.S. tour, titled The New Beginning USA, featuring events across three cities to build on the promotion's growing American footprint. The tour kicked off on January 30 at the in , , followed by February 1 at the Grady Cole Center in , and February 2 at the War Memorial Auditorium in . These shows highlighted emerging talents and divisions, drawing crowds eager for NJPW's strong-style action stateside. The onset of the significantly disrupted The New Beginning events from 2020 onward, forcing NJPW to adapt operations amid global restrictions. While the 2020 edition in on February 9 proceeded with a near-full house of 11,411 attendees at Osaka-Jo Hall before Japan's lockdowns intensified, subsequent tours faced cancellations and modifications. By 2021, events like The New Beginning in on January 30 and on February 4 operated under strict capacity limits, with attendances hovering around 1,000 to 2,000 in venues capable of holding far more, and some U.S.-based shows, such as The New Beginning USA, held entirely without live audiences. NJPW pivoted heavily to its NJPW World streaming platform during this period, enabling global access to full cards and fostering viewer growth despite the absence of crowds. In 2022, amid ongoing COVID-19 challenges, NJPW held only The New Beginning USA events as part of NJPW Strong, with no major shows in Japan until recovery in subsequent years. Post-2022 marked a robust recovery for the series, with NJPW gradually lifting restrictions and returning to full-capacity venues as pandemic measures eased in Japan. This trend continued through subsequent years, culminating in the 2025 edition on February 11 at EDION Arena Osaka, where Hirooki Goto captured the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from Zack Sabre Jr. in the main event, ending a 23-year pursuit of the top prize and drawing a reported attendance of 5,502. Contemporary iterations of The New Beginning have emphasized and formats to deepen faction rivalries and showcase depth, with recent cards featuring multiple title defenses in these styles. For instance, the 2025 event included bouts for the IWGP Tag Team and Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, alongside six-man tags involving groups like War Dogs and . Additionally, cross-promotional ties with (AEW) have enriched the series, exemplified by Jon Moxley's high-profile defenses of the IWGP United States Championship, such as his 2020 clash with in and 2021 matchup against KENTA during the USA tour. These elements have helped sustain The New Beginning's role as a pivotal early-year platform amid NJPW's evolving global landscape. Looking ahead to 2026, NJPW announced the first match for The New Beginning USA event on February 27 at CURE Arena in Trenton, New Jersey, where El Phantasmo will defend the NJPW World TV Championship against Konosuke Takeshita, following their confrontation at New Year Dash.

Event Format

Structure and Typical Card

The New Beginning events typically feature a card of 8 to 10 matches, structured to showcase a progression from high-energy openers to climactic main events. The undercard often begins with junior heavyweight divisions, including multi-person tag matches involving wrestlers like those from the United Empire or Bullet Club War Dogs, setting a fast-paced tone with aerial and technical displays. This builds toward heavyweight bouts on the main card, where singles or tag team contests escalate in intensity, culminating in a marquee heavyweight title defense or grudge match. The events embody a "renewal" motif, serving as a post-Wrestle Kingdom platform to either revisit unresolved rivalries from the Dome show or ignite fresh feuds that shape the year's arcs. Cards commonly include 3 to 4 championship contests, such as defenses of the IWGP World Heavyweight, NEVER Openweight, or Strong Openweight titles, emphasizing transitions and new challengers. Preceding the flagship show, the Road to New Beginning tour consists of house shows from late January through early February, held at venues like Korakuen Hall to generate momentum through non-televised matches that advance storylines and test emerging talents. While the core format remains consistent, variations occasionally incorporate tournament finals, such as concluding stages of the qualifiers, or special attraction matches featuring outsiders or milestone bouts, exemplified by Jushin Thunder Liger's retirement matches in 2020.

Broadcasting and Production

The New Beginning events have been broadcast domestically in primarily on since their inception in , with live airings allowing fans to experience the shows in real time alongside nationwide audiences. This partnership with , which also features weekly NJPW programming like "World Pro-Wrestling," has ensured consistent exposure for major events such as The New Beginning, emphasizing their role in the promotion's annual cycle. Internationally, the events transitioned from internet pay-per-view (iPPV) formats in 2013 and 2014, distributed through platforms like Ustream for global access, to the launch of the subscription-based NJPW World streaming service in 2015, which provides live and on-demand viewing worldwide. NJPW World's English-language streams marked a significant evolution, making events accessible without geographical barriers and supporting the promotion's international expansion. Concurrently, in the United States began airing delayed episodes of NJPW events, including highlights from The New Beginning series, starting in 2015 and continuing intermittently until the partnership concluded at the end of 2024, further broadening North American reach through linear television. Production for The New Beginning utilizes professional multi-camera setups at key venues like EDION Arena Osaka, capturing the high-energy atmosphere with comprehensive coverage of matches and crowd reactions to enhance both live and broadcast experiences. English commentary has evolved to support global viewers, with Kevin Kelly serving as the lead voice from 2015 until early 2024, often paired with Chris Charlton who joined around 2018 as color commentator. Matt Rehwoldt provided commentary for select U.S. events in 2022. Following Kelly's departure, Walker Stewart became the lead play-by-play commentator in 2024, continuing alongside Charlton. In January 2025, Charlton received a two-month suspension for controversial anti-AEW comments during Wrestle Dynasty, leading to guest commentators like Clark Connors for the New Beginning in Osaka event; the primary Stewart-Charlton team resumed thereafter, as of November 2025, providing contextual insights and narration that has become a staple of the international feed. These elements have contributed to growing viewership, with NJPW World reporting substantial global streams for major events, reflecting the series' increasing popularity beyond Japan.

Events

Events in Japan

The New Beginning events in form the core of the series, serving as NJPW's primary post-Wrestle Kingdom touring shows since , typically held in across various cities and venues to advance major storylines and feature bouts. These domestic flagship events have grown from single-show formats in early years to multi-night series, emphasizing NJPW's strong regional fanbase and live attendance. By 2025, more than 30 such events have taken place in , with typical attendance ranging from 1,500 to over 11,000, averaging approximately 8,000 fans per show to underscore their scale as key revenue drivers outside spectacles. The series began with two events in 2011 amid NJPW's efforts to rebuild momentum, and has since hosted pivotal matches like title defenses and faction wars, contributing to the promotion's global reputation while remaining rooted in Japanese markets. The highest attendance was recorded at the February 9, 2020, event in Osaka, drawing 11,411 spectators to Osaka-Jo Hall for a double-championship main event.
Event NumberDateCityVenueAttendanceMain EventReferences
1February 15, 2011TokyoKorakuen Hall1,500Hiroshi Tanahashi and Prince Devitt vs. Kojima-gun (Satoshi Kojima and Taka Michinoku)
2February 20, 2011SendaiSendai Sun Plaza Hall3,200Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Satoshi Kojima for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
3February 12, 2012OsakaOsaka Prefectural Gymnasium6,200Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
4February 10, 2013HiroshimaHiroshima Sun Plaza Hall4,780Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Karl Anderson for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
5February 9, 2014HiroshimaHiroshima Sun Plaza Hall5,040Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
6February 11, 2014OsakaBodymaker Colosseum6,400Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
7February 11, 2015OsakaBodymaker Colosseum7,500Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. A.J. Styles for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
8February 14, 2015SendaiSendai Sun Plaza Hall2,900Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
9February 11, 2016OsakaEdion Arena Osaka5,180Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
10February 14, 2016NagaokaAore Nagaoka3,603Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kenny Omega for the vacant IWGP Intercontinental Championship
11February 5, 2017SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center5,545Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
12February 11, 2017OsakaEdion Arena Osaka5,466Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Michael Elgin for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
13January 27, 2018SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center4,862Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
14January 28, 2018SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center5,140Kenny Omega (c) vs. Jay White for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship
15February 10, 2018OsakaEdion Arena Osaka5,481Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. SANADA for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
16February 2, 2019SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center4,868Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale and Jay White)
17February 3, 2019SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center6,089Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Taichi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
18February 11, 2019OsakaEdion Arena Osaka5,570Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Jay White for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
19February 1, 2020SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center4,569Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Shingo Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship
20February 2, 2020SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center5,690Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi
21February 9, 2020OsakaOsaka-Jo Hall11,411Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. KENTA for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships
22January 30, 2021NagoyaAichi Prefectural Gymnasium2,156Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NEVER Openweight Championship
23February 10, 2021HiroshimaHiroshima Sun Plaza Hall1,135Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. Sho for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
24February 11, 2021HiroshimaHiroshima Sun Plaza Hall2,007Kota Ibushi (c) vs. SANADA for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships
25January 22, 2023NagoyaAichi Prefectural Gymnasium1,650Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Great-O-Khan for the KOPW 2023 Championship
26February 4, 2023SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center3,073Tetsuya Naito vs. Shota Umino
27February 5, 2023SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center3,316Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. Yoh for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
28February 11, 2023OsakaEdion Arena Osaka4,055Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
29February 11, 2024OsakaOsaka Prefectural Gymnasium5,327Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. SANADA for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
30February 23, 2024SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center3,231David Finlay (c) vs. Nic Nemeth for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
31February 24, 2024SapporoHokkaido Prefectural Sports Center3,500Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Matt Riddle for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
32February 11, 2025OsakaEDION Arena Osaka5,502Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (c) for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

International Events

NJPW's The New Beginning series expanded internationally in 2019 with dedicated tours , aimed at fostering global growth by delivering premium wrestling content to North American fans. These events marked a strategic push into new markets, featuring a mix of Japanese stars and U.S.-affiliated talent to appeal to diverse audiences. Held in collaboration with emerging partnerships like initially and later NJPW's own American subsidiary, the shows emphasized cultural exchange through integrated storylines and title opportunities for wrestlers like , a prominent American performer who frequently defended championships on these cards. The international iterations typically occur in smaller venues with capacities of 4,000 to 6,000, creating energetic, up-close experiences that contrast with the larger arenas of NJPW's domestic events. This format supports NJPW's outreach by prioritizing accessibility and over massive scale, while streaming on NJPW World as spectacles. By 2025, five such events had been held across two U.S. tours, establishing The New Beginning as NJPW's inaugural regular international PPV series and solidifying its presence in the American wrestling landscape. In October 2025, NJPW announced The New Beginning USA for February 27, 2026, at the Cure Insurance Arena in , continuing this expansion through NJPW of America with expected integrations of local talent.
DateLocationVenueCapacity (approx.)Main Event/Key MatchLocal Partnership
January 30, 2019, CA, 1,400Cody defeats (c) to win IWGP ChampionshipNJPW/ROH
February 1, 2019Charlotte, NC, 8,600Hangman Page defeats NJPW
February 2, 2019Nashville, TN, Municipal 5,000 defeats (c) to win IWGP Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipNJPW
January 24, 2020St. Petersburg, FL, St. Petersburg Coliseum6,000 & David Finlay defeat Guerrillas of Destiny in actionNJPW of America
February 1, 2020, GA, Morehouse Convocation Center4,000 (c) vs. David Finlay for IWGP Championship ends in no contestNJPW of America/Lec sponsor

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