Category: New Japan News

Mustafa Ali set for NJPW Strong Resurgence

Posted on by Josh Nason

Mustafa Ali is returning to NJPW for May’s Resurgence event.

The current TNA X-Division Champion announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he will be part of the May 11th pay-per-view in response to a report that his future in the company was in doubt.

It’s unknown who Ali will face.

Bodyslam reported Friday that Ali was set to be part of the annual Best of the Super Juniors tournament and go deep into it, but was not planned to win it which was a point of contention that resulted in him being pulled. They also reported his backstage post-match promo after this month’s Windy City Riot “rubbed people the wrong way.”

Ali did not address the specific reporting about the tournament, but simply posted the following:

We have reached out independently to Ali for comment.

NJPW wrestler and executive Rocky Romero took to X Friday to also refute any claims made in the Bodyslam story.

Ali’s victory over Hiromu Takahashi match at Windy City Riot was the 38-year-old’s first match in NJPW. Since gaining his release from WWE, Ali is 30-0 and is currently the TNA X-Division Champion.

He has also worked with Pro Wrestling Revolver, GCW, Deadlock Pro and other promotions. He will be in action Friday for Action Wrestling in Georgia, Saturday for Northeast Wrestling in Connecticut, and at the C2E2 Expo in Chicago on Sunday.

All-Star junior tag match added to United Japan’s All Together 2024

Posted on by Joseph Currier

An All-Star junior heavyweight tag match is the latest addition to the card for All Together 2024.

The cross-promotional event is taking place at Budokan Hall in Tokyo on Monday, May 6. It’s the first show from United Japan Pro-Wrestling, a new collaborative group consisting of nine Japanese wrestling promotions (NJPW, AJPW, NOAH, DDT, Ganbare, Big Japan, Dragon Gate, Stardom, and Tokyo Joshi Pro).

A tag match with Hiromu Takahashi, Dragon Bane, Alpha Wolf, Tetsuya Endo & YAMATO facing El Desperado, HAYATA, Ninja Mack, MAO & Kota Minoura will take place at All Together. NJPW wrote about the match:

Another big matchup has been added to All Together on May 6, with the junior heavyweight s getting in on the action. With Best of the Super Jr. getting started in Chiba on May 11 just five nights later, some key entrants will be doing battle alongside more names from the junior heavyweight landscape.

Kota Minoura of DRAGONGATE and MAO from DDT join BOSJ 31 entrants Ninja Mack, HAYATA and El Desperado to face DRAGONGATE’s YAMATO, DDT’s Tetsuya Endo, NOAH’s Alfa Wolf and Dragon Bane, and Hiromu Takahashi. 25 year old Minoura is the 2023 King of Gate winner and a four time Triangle Gate champion, while MAO has recent previous with El Desperado, the two having teamed together at All Star Junior Festival USA last August. On the other side of the ledger, Tetsuya Endo and MAO are very familiar opponents in DDT, while Alpha Wolf and Dragon Bane bring former GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship credentials to the bout, and YAMATO and Hiromu Takahashi have some measure of mutual respect started at All Star Junior Festival last spring and further honed in singles competition at DRAGONGATE’s marquee Kobe World card.

It’ll be a stunning junior showcase on May 6 as ALL TOGETHER continues to take shape!

United Japan Pro-Wrestling was formed in December 2023 with the goal of advancing pro wrestling in Japan following the COVID-19 pandemic. The nine promotions in the organization are continuing to operate separately.

A portion of the proceeds from All Together are being donated toward helping victims of the Noto Peninsula earthquake that happened earlier this year. The show will stream live on Abema pay-per-view.

All Together 2024 (Monday, May 6) —

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Naomichi Marufuji & Sanshiro Takagi vs. EVIL, Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Tomohiro Ishii & Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Jeff Cobb & Masa Kitamiya
  • Kaito Kiyomiya, Shota Umino & Yuki Ueno vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Yuya Uemura & Shun Skywalker
  • Kenoh vs. Kosei Fujita
  • SANADA & KAI vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Chris Brookes
  • AZM & Miyu Amasaki vs. Starlight Kid & Natsupoi
  • Hiromu Takahashi, Dragon Bane, Alpha Wolf, Tetsuya Endo & YAMATO vs. El Desperado, HAYATA, Ninja Mack, MAO & Kota Minoura

NOAH’s Jake Lee attacks Tetsuya Naito at NJPW Road to Dontaku

Posted on by Ian Carey

“The Good Looking Emperor” made a surprise appearance at Korakuen Hall on Tuesday. 

After a ref bump in the Tetsuya Naito vs. Drilla Moloney match, Jake Lee of Pro Wrestling NOAH attacked Naito, eventually leading to Moloney picking up the victory. 

Chris Charlton noted on commentary that Lee aligning with the Bullet Club War Dogs is likely a marriage of convenience and not him joining the stable. He still appears to be a member of NOAH’s GLG (Good Looking Guys) stable and was wearing a shirt with the faction’s logo on it when he attacked Naito on Tuesday. 

It was later announced that Lee will join the Bullet Club team for Saturday’s show in Hiroshima. Lee will replace Gedo in the five-on-five elimination match against members of LIJ. 

NJPW Road to Dontaku on April 23, 2024 results —

  • Taiji Ishimori, Chase Owens & KENTA defeated Shoma Kato, YOSHI-HASHI, & Hirooki Goto
  • Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Katsuya Murashima, El Desperado, El Phantasmo, & Hikuleo
  • NEVER Six Man Tag Team Champions Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yujiro Takahashi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & EVIL
  • Yota Tsuji defeated Gedo
  • Gabe Kidd defeated BUSHI
  • Shingo Takagi defeated Clark Connors
  • Drilla Moloney defeated Tetsuya Nait
  • David Finlay defeated Hiromu Takahashi

Stardom to become fully owned subsidiary of NJPW this June

Posted on by Joseph Currier

NJPW and Stardom are making a move to increase operational efficiency between the two promotions.

It was announced today that Stardom will become a fully owned subsidiary of NJPW starting on June 28. The parent company of both promotions is Bushiroad, which acquired women’s wrestling organization Stardom in 2019.

The goal of the reorganization is to “improve operating efficiency and reduce redundancies within Bushiroad’s sports unit.”

NJPW wrote:

At a meeting of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s board of directors April 22, it was determined that NJPW will fully acquire all stakes in Bushiroad Fight Co. Ltd. (henceforth ‘Bushiroad Fight,’ due to rename itself STARDOM Co. Ltd. from June 28) from parent company Bushiroad Inc. With this acquisition, Bushiroad Fight will become a fully owned subsidiary of New Japan Pro-Wrestling effective June 28.

NJPW English-language commentator Chris Charlton explained how better operational efficiency could benefit fans:

While this isn’t a ‘front of house’ affecting situation, it is great news for fans indirectly. Operational efficiency = no tripping over one another with big events on the same day, better/more effective cross promotion, and better ways for the whole family to experience pro wrestling.

NJPW’s announcement included statements from Taro Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi, the respective presidents of Stardom and NJPW. Okada said:

Since STARDOM joined the Bushiroad Group in 2019, our co-operation with New Japan Pro-Wrestling has seen STARDOM matches in the Tokyo Dome, the establishment of the IWGP and NJPW STRONG Women’s Championships, and our first co-promoted event in November 2022. Now more than four years into this relationship, and with changes being undertaken in the management and operating structure of the company, there was a desire for a stronger connection between our offices, which is being put into place with this announcement. I hope we can find new ways to show the world just how impressive Japanese pro-wrestling can be, and as athletes in both STARDOM and NJPW rings continue to push new boundaries, we look forward to your continued support.

Tanahashi said:

Our fans have seen a lot of crossover between NJPW and STARDOM with our co-promoted event, as well as the IWGP and STRONG Women’s titles, but there is still a lot that can be done to strengthen connections between our companies behind the scenes. From arranging event schedules and building reservations to make sure fans have time to take in big matches from both companies, to improving our promotional efforts and sponsor acquisition, I’m excited at the opportunity to further both NJPW and STARDOM’s appeal to a broader audience. This acquisition will speed up decision making processes and improve our operating efficiency, freeing both companies up to further professional wrestling in the eyes and hearts of fans in Japan and worldwide. I look forward to fans’ continued support of both NJPW and STARDOM. 

Ryusuke Taguchi pulled from NJPW shows due to bicycle accident injuries

Posted on by Joseph Currier

NJPW veteran Ryusuke Taguchi has been pulled from upcoming shows due to injuries sustained in a bicycle accident.

It was announced that Taguchi suffered wounds to his face, hands, and knees in the accident along with injuring his neck. Because of that, he’ll no longer be competing at NJPW’s events that are taking place from April 20 through May 4. Most of those are shows on the Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour. Taguchi is also missing Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni and both nights of Wrestling Dontaku 2024.

NJPW’s announcement included the following statement from Taguchi:

Hello to all 69 of my fans across Japan. Although I can’t remember the exact accident due to my concussion, I apparently fell off my bicycle while swerving to avoid a dog. I will rest, recover and be back better than ever!

At the shows he’s missing, Taguchi will be replaced in his matches by:

  • April 20 & April 22: Shoma Kato
  • April 23: Katsuya Murashima
  • April 25 & April 26: Hiroyoshi Tenzan
  • April 29: Tomoaki Honma
  • April 30: Katsuya Murahshima
  • May 1: Shoma Kato
  • May 3 & 4: Tiger Mask

Taguchi is scheduled to be one of the participants in this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament that begins on May 11. Over his career, Taguchi has competed in the tournament 20 times and won it once.

Stardom tag match added to cross-promotional All Together event

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A Stardom tag match is the latest addition to All Together 2024, a cross-promotional event featuring several Japanese wrestling promotions.

AZM & Miyu Amasaki vs. Starlight Kid & Natsupoi will take place at the Monday, May 6 event. Rivals Starlight Kid & Natsupoi are uniting for the bout:

A ‘supernova’ prospect for STARDOM, Amasaki made her debut in 2022, and instantly joined Queen’s Quest. On May 6 she joins a regular teammate in AZM, who is riding high from her first US tour, albeit one that saw her fall short to Stephanie Vaquer for the STRONG Women’s Championship. AZM will be more than happy to show her high speed expertise against familiar foes though, in the form of Starlight Kid and Natsupoi.

With SLK representing Oedo Tai and Natsupoi Cosmic Angels, this is certainly a team of strange bedfellows. In fact, the two women are best known for their fierce rivalry over the High Speed Championship a couple of summers ago, and have never once teamed together. Aligned against a unified and common foe, might this be an exhibition that has wide reaching influences on STARDOM at large? Find out May 6!

AZM made her AEW debut on Collision last week, losing to AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm in a title eliminator match.

All Together is the first event under the United Japan Pro-Wrestling banner. It was announced in December 2023 that NJPW, AJPW, NOAH, DDT, Ganbare, Big Japan, Dragon Gate, Stardom, and Tokyo Joshi Pro had come together to form the industry group.

The nine promotions are continuing to operate separately while collaborating to advance pro wrestling in Japan following the COVID-19 pandemic.

A portion of the proceeds from All Together are being donated to victims of the Noto Peninsula earthquake that happened at the beginning of 2024. The show is taking place from Budokan Hall in Tokyo and will stream live on Abema pay-per-view.

Here’s the updated lineup:

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Naomichi Marufuji & Sanshiro Takagi vs. EVIL, Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Tomohiro Ishii & Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Jeff Cobb & Masa Kitamiya
  • Kaito Kiyomiya, Shota Umino & Yuki Ueno vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Yuya Uemura & Shun Skywalker
  • Kenoh vs. Kosei Fujita
  • SANADA & KAI vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Chris Brookes
  • AZM & Miyu Amasaki vs. Starlight Kid & Natsupoi

NJPW reveals YOH’s Best of the Super Juniors 31 injury replacement

Posted on by Ethan Renner

NJPW has revealed YOH’s injury replacement for the Best of the Super Juniors 31 tournament. 

In a social media post early Friday, two-time BOSJ winner KUSHIDA was revealed as the substitute for the injured YOH. 

KUSHIDA notes in his video promo that he originally did not make the cut for this year’s BOSJ, but now he is stepping up and will go right for the trophy, and has cleared his schedule for May to take part in the tournament:

KUSHIDA won the BOSJ tournament in 2015 and 2017, and was the runner-up in 2014.

YOH is out of action after suffering a dislocated shoulder at Sakura Genesis earlier this month. NJPW announced Thursday that YOH also suffered damage to the labrum in the left shoulder as a result of the injury and would need to be replaced.

Block assignments have yet to be revealed for this year’s tournament which begins on May 11. The finals will take place at Dominion in Osaka-Jo Hall on June 9. 

The updated field: 

  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion SHO
  • Hiromu Takahashi
  • Ryusuke Taguchi
  • El Desperado
  • Kevin Knight
  • KUSHIDA
  • BUSHI
  • Titan
  • TJP
  • Francesco Akira
  • DOUKI
  • Robbie Eagles
  • Taiji Ishimori
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Clark Connors
  • Drilla Moloney
  • Kosei Fujita
  • Blake Christian
  • Ninja Mack
  • HAYATA

Great-O-Khan, Yuya Uemura present KOPW stipulations for Road to Dontaku

Posted on by Ian Carey

Great-O-Khan and Yuya Uemura have chosen stipulations for their upcoming KOPW match. 

The two will meet for the provisional KOPW title at NJPW’s Road to Dontaku event in Hiroshima on April 27. As per the KOPW rules, a fan vote will determine the set of rules the match is contested under. 

Great-O-Khan has proposed another Rural Revitalization match involving stipulations specifically geared to the city of Hiroshima. Uemura has proposed a catch-rules match. 

Yuya Uemura’s rules:

  • 61-minute time limit, best of three falls, Catch Rules
  • No strikes allowed. Grapples, throws, and submissions only for pinfall or submission.

Great-O-Khan’s rules:

  • Rural Revitalization Rules
  • No time limit, best two of three falls 
  • First fall: Mazda Tire Carrying Contest
  • Second fall: Hiroshima Lemon Eating Contest
  • Third fall: Table Match

“Similar to his bout with Tanga Loa in Shizuoka last month, O-Khan’s pledge to ‘unite the fiefdoms’ across Japan has seen him put a Hiroshima spin on his choice of three stipulations,” reads NJPW1972.com.

The Rural Revitalization rules are best two-of-three falls, with unique stipulations for each fall.  

Great-O-Khan explained the rules for the first fall at a press conference on Thursday:

What’s famous in Hiroshima? Mazda! Mazda cars and their tires are famous. Whoever can bring four tires into the ring will be the winner of the first fall. We pledge to please the peasants of Hiroshima and make them proud of local industry’. 

The second fall, much like the first Rural Revitalization match, will be an eating contest featuring a food the hosting region is famous for. This time, each competitor will try to eat more Hiroshima lemons than their opponent. 

The third fall will be standard tables match. 

A further proposed stipulation states that should Uemura lose, he “must buy 100 lemons, and drive a Mazda car going forward.” 

Great-O-Khan said:

This is a prize for you as a loser! An honour! We will buy 100 lemons and drive Mazda cars either way! We will make the Hiroshima people proud!

Uemura has proposed a Catch Rules Match.

“The match would be contested with a 61-minute time limit, best two out of three falls. No strikes will be allowed in favour of purely throws and submissions,” reads NJPW1972.com on the match rules. 

Uemura said at today’s press conference:

I chose these rules because O-Khan is the champion. I have other reasons too, but I’ll tell you that when I win the title.

Uemura also stated that under his rules, the loser of the match must buy 20 of Hiroshima’s famed oysters for the loser. 

Tag match announced for NJPW Wrestling Dontaku

Posted on by Joseph Currier

NJPW has announced a new addition to the card for Wrestling Dontaku 2024.

Night two of the event will feature a Frontier Zone match with Togi Makabe & Katsuya Murashima teaming up against Jet Wei & Naoki Sakurajima. In Frontier Zone matches, NJPW wrestlers face off against competition from smaller promotions. The concept debuted in October 2023.

Wei and Sakurajima both wrestle for Kyushu Pro Wrestling. Wei, who is from Taiwan, is also representing his home promotion PUZZLE.

Katsuya Murashima and Togi Makabe will represent NJPW in the face of new faces from Kyushu Pro-Wrestling. Kyushu Pro have already been represented in the Frontier Zone before the World Tag League finals last December, but this time, new faces include Jet Wei, currently in his second excursion to Kyushu from his home in PUZZLE. With PUZZLE itself having been represented at Wrestling World 2024 this past weekend, how will Wei represent his host and home promotions, as well as his home country?

Wei’s partner will be Naoki Sakurajima. A 16 year veteran of the independent scene, Sakurajima brings a no nonsense hard hitting style to the ring, which has seen him compete in Osaka Pro, IGF, Wrestle-1 and others. Will he make a powerful mark on May 4? Don’t miss the Frontier Zone at Dontaku!

Wrestling Dontaku is being held in Fukuoka on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4. Makabe & Murashima vs. Wei & Sakurajima will be the pre-show match on night two.

Makabe & Murashima are also teaming together in the night one pre-show match, taking on Boltin Oleg & Shoma Kato. Murashima and Kato are both Young Lions who debuted in November of last year.

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2024 —

Night one (May 3):

  • IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Nic Nemeth defends against Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay
  • NJPW World Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Jeff Cobb
  • Jon Moxley, Shota Umino & El Desperado vs. Ren Narita, EVIL & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gedo
  • Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. KENTA, Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori
  • Hikuleo, El Phantasmo & Jado vs. Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita
  • SANADA, Taichi & Yuya Uemura vs. Great-O-Khan, Francesco Akira & Callum Newman
  • DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku vs. Yujiro Takahashi & SHO
  • Togi Makabe & Katsuya Murashima vs. Boltin Oleg & Shoma Kato

Night two (May 4):

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley defends against Ren Narita
  • NEVER Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi defends against Gabe Kidd
  • IWGP Tag Team Champions Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defend against KENTA & Chase Owens
  • Tetsuya Naito, Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. David Finlay, Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gedo
  • Nic Nemeth & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. SANADA & Taichi
  • Hikuleo, El Phantasmo, Shota Umino & El Desperado vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita vs. Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman
  • Yuya Uemura & DOUKI vs. Great-O-Khan & Francesco Akira
  • Boltin Oleg & Shoma Kato vs. Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls
  • Togi Makabe & Katsuya Murashima vs. Jet Wei & Naoki Sakurajima

YOH pulled from NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 31 tournament

Posted on by Bryan Rose

YOH is out of the upcoming Best of the Super Juniors tournament.

NJPW announced early Thursday morning that YOH would be out of action due to a dislocated left shoulder that he suffered in a match against SHO at Sakura Genesis last weekend. A replacement will be announced at a later time.

NJPW’s website wrote the following:

During a match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis, YOH sustained an injury that necessitated the match being stopped. YOH went on to have a full medical assessment, and it has been determined that YOH sustained a dislocated left shoulder as well as damage to the shoulder labrum.

As a result of his injury, YOH will not compete in Best of the Super Jr. 31, beginning May 11 in Chiba. We apologise to fans who were looking forward to seeing YOH wrestle, and appreciate your understanding. A replacement for YOH in the tournament will be announced at a later date.

Last week’s match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship only lasted 96 seconds when YOH injured his shoulder, causing the referee to stop the match. YOH was tended to by medical officials as he was helped to the back. 

This year’s Best of the Super Junior tournament begins May 11, with the finals taking place at Dominion on June 9.

IWGP World title match official for NJPW Resurgence

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be defended at NJPW Resurgence. 

NJPW has announced a total of six matches for Resurgence set for Saturday, May 11 in Ontario, California, including an IWGP World Heavyweight title bout on top with either current champion Jon Moxley, or Ren Narita defending against Shota Umino. 

Moxley defeated Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP World title at Windy City Riot last week, and is set to defend the title against Narita at Wrestling Dontaku in Japan on May 4. Umino will take on the winner of that bout. 

The NJPW Strong Openweight title will also be on the line at Resurgence in a No Ropes Last Man Standing match, with Eddie Kingston defending against Gabe Kidd.  

Also newly announced, NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer will defend her title against Alex Windsor at Resurgence. 

LIJ’s Naito & Yota Tsuji will team against Bullet Club’s KENTA & David Finlay in Ontario in Tsuji’s US debut. 

After Team Filthy’s split at Windy City Riot, “Filthy” Tom Lawlor & Fred Rosser will team against West Coast Wrecking Crew’s Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs at Resurgence. 

Matt Vandagriff vs. Adrian Quest in a Strong Survivor match is also set for the show. 

The lineup for the Saturday, May 11 Resurgence show is below. The event will air as a pay-per-view on NJPW World at 9:30 p.m. Eastern time.

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley (or Ren Narita) defends against Shota Umino
  • NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston defends against Gabe Kidd in a No Ropes Last Man Standing match
  • NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer defends against Alex Windsor
  • Tetsuya Naito & Yota Tsuji vs. KENTA & David Finlay
  • Tom Lawlor & Fred Rosser vs. Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs
  • Matt Vandagriff vs. Adrian Quest

Jon Moxley’s first IWGP World title defense set for NJPW Wrestling Dontaku

Posted on by Ian Carey

Jon Moxley will defend his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship for the first time next month. 

Wrestling Dontaku is scheduled for Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4 at the Fukuoka International Center. NJPW recently revealed the lineups for both nights. 

The show on May 3 will see the NJPW World TV title and the IWGP Global Championship defended. Nic Nemeth will make his first defense of the Global title against Hiroshi Tanahashi on the show. This match likely would have taken place at Windy City Riot had Tanahashi not suffered an ankle injury. 

Fresh off regaining the NJPW TV title from Matt Riddle on Friday, Zack Sabre Jr. will defend his belt against Jeff Cobb on the first night of Wrestling Dontaku as well. Cobb and ZSJ went to a time-limit draw at Wrestling Dontaku last year before ZSJ defeated Cobb the following month at Dominion. Cobb then defeated ZSJ in the G1 last summer to even up their head-to-head series at 1-1-1. 

On May 4, the IWGP World Heavyweight, IWGP Tag Team, and NEVER Openweight titles will be defended. 

Moxley will defend his IWGP Heavyweight title against Ren Narita on the show. Narita attacked Moxley following the main event of Windy City Riot on Friday as Moxley was attempting to announce he was giving a title shot to Shota Umino. 

Shingo Takagi will defend his NEVER Openweight Championship against Gabe Kidd on the show as well. Kidd attacked Takagi at Sakura Genesis after Takagi won the title from EVIL. Kidd then cut a promo that was heavily critical of NJPW before issuing a challenge to Takagi. 

An IWGP Tag Team title rematch from Sakura Genesis has also been announced. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI will put their titles on the line against former champions KENTA and Chase Owens. 

The next IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match has been announced as well. SHO will defend against DOUKI on April 29th’s Satsuma no Kuni event. 

Upcoming NJPW title matches:

  • Road to Wrestling Dontaku on Tuesday, April 23: NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, & Boltin Oleg defend against Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Yujiro Takahashi, & EVIL
  • Road to Wrestling Dontaku on Saturday, April 27: Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls defend against El Phantasmo & Hikuleo
  • Road to Wrestling Dontaku on Saturday, April 27: KOPW 2024 Provisional title holder Great-O-Khan defends against Yuya Uemura
  • Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni on Monday, April 29: IWGP Junior Tag Team Champions Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors defend against BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi
  • Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni on Monday, April 29: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion SHO defends against DOUKI

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku on May 3, 2024 lineup —

  • Boltin Oleg & Shoma Kato vs. Katsuya Murashima & Togi Makabe
  • TAKA Michinoku & DOUKI vs. SHO & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Yuya Uemura, Taichi, & SANADA vs. Callum Newman, Francesco Akira, & Great-O-Khan
  • Jado, El Phantasmo, & Hikuleo vs. Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste, & Mikey Nicholls
  • Ryusuke Taguchi, YOSHI-HASHI, & Hirooki Goto vs. Taiji Ishimori, Chase Owens, & KENTA
  • BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, & Tetsuya Naito vs. Gedo, Drilla Moloney, Clark Connors, & Gabe Kidd
  • El Desperado, Shota Umino, & Jon Moxley vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Ren Narita, & EVIL
  • NJPW World TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Jeff Cobb
  • Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay
  • IWGP Global Champion Nic Nemeth defends against Hiroshi Tanahashi

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku on May 4, 2024 lineup —

  • Boltin Oleg & Shoma Kato vs. Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls
  • DOUKI & Yuya Uemura vs. Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan
  • Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Callum Newman & Jeff Cobb
  • El Desperado, Shota Umino, El Phantasmo, & Hikuleo vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SHO, Yujiro Takahashi, & EVIL
  • Nic Nemeth & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Taichi & SANADA
  • BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Yota Tsuji, & Tetsuya Naito vs. Gedo, Drilla Moloney, Clark Connors, & David Finlay
  • IWGP Tag Team Champions Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defend against KENTA & Chase Owens
  • NEVER Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi defends against Gabe Kidd
  • IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley defends against Ren Narita

 

NJPW returning to Washington, DC for Capital Collision

Posted on by Ethan Renner

New Japan Pro Wrestling is returning to Washington, DC with a pay-per-view for the third consecutive year. 

NJPW announced during Friday’s Windy City Riot event that the promotion will return to the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, DC for Capital Collision on Friday, August 30. 

The first Capital Collision was held in May 2022 in the same building, a show headlined by a four-way for the now defunct IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship with Jon Moxley, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, and Will Ospreay. 

2023’s Capital Collision took place in April at the Entertainment & Sports Arena, headlined by a three-way for the NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team titles between Motor City Machine Guns, Aussie Open, and Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi. 

NJPW’s US show schedule for this year has included Battle in the Valley in January in San Jose, Friday’s Windy City Riot show in Chicago, Resurgence set for May 11 in Ontario, California, and Capital Collision now set for August 30. 

Jon Moxley captured the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Windy City Riot on Friday. Our full report from the event is here.

NJPW Windy City Riot notes: Jack Perry, Tony Khan, title changes

Posted on by Ethan Renner

News and notes from Friday’s Windy City Riot event, which featured multiple title changes: 

  • Jack Perry faced Shota Umino on Friday’s undercard, coming to the ring with a “Cry Me A River” jacket. Perry adopted many of CM Punk‘s mannerisms including his GTS taunt, and tried for a GTS in the match as the crowd chanted about Perry being choked out or not choked out by Punk. Umino defeated Perry, and the two shook hands after the match.
  • AEW’s Tony Khan attended the show and a fan snapped a photo of Khan chatting with Renee Paquette:

  • As covered here, Jon Moxley won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, and Shota Umino & Ren Narita were set up as potential challengers.
  • Nic Nemeth defeated Tomohiro Ishii in the show’s semi-main in a match where Nemeth’s IWGP Global Championship was not on the line.
  • Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Matt Riddle to reclaim the NJPW World TV Championship, becoming the first two-time NJPW TV Champion.
  • Gabe Kidd‘s team defeated Eddie Kingston‘s squad in an eight-man tornado tag match. Kidd teamed with Bullet Club’s KENTA, Clark Connors & David Finlay, while Homicide, Jeff Cobb & TJP sided with Kingston. Kingston challenged Kidd to an NJPW Strong title bout for Resurgence on May 11 in a Last Man Standing match.
  • Mustafa Ali made his NJPW debut on the show, defeating former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi.
  • TMDK’s Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste won the NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team titles in a four-way that included the West Coast Wrecking Crew, Tom Lawlor & Fred Rosser, and El Phantasmo & Hikuleo. The WCWC attacked Lawlor & Rosser after the match.
  • Stephanie Vaquer retained the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship, defeating Stardom’s AZM.
  • Ren Narita defeated Minoru Suzuki in the main card opener, giving him a win before his involvement in the main event angle.

Our full report from Windy City Riot is here.

Jon Moxley wins IWGP World title at NJPW Windy City Riot

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Jon Moxley is the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. 

Moxley defeated Tetsuya Naito in the main event of Friday’s NJPW Windy City Riot pay-per-view to win the title, becoming the first wrestler to hold the WWE, AEW, and IWGP World titles. 

In the aftermath of his title win, Moxley nominated Shota Umino as his first challenger, but was interrupted by Ren Narita who attacked Moxley with a steel bar. Umino made the save for Moxley. 

Moxley then noted that Narita was a dead man, setting up two potential challengers for the new champion. 

It was noted on commentary that Moxley is not an NJPW full-timer, and that an outsider winning the title could mean major NJPW shows without the title being defended. 

The next major dates for the company are Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni on Monday, April 29 in Kagoshima, Wrestling Dontaku on Friday May 3 & Saturday May 4 in Fukuoka, Resurgence on Saturday, May 11 in California, and Dominion on Sunday, June 9 in Osaka, all dates that Moxley could make and still maintain a presence on AEW’s flagship Dynamite.

A new NJPW World TV Champion, and new NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions were also crowned on Friday’s show, with Zack Sabre Jr. regaining the TV title, and TMDK winning the Strong Tag titles. 

Our full coverage of Windy City Riot is here.