New champions crowned at NJPW Wrestling Dontaku

Two titles changed hands at Wrestling Dontaku.

The IWGP Junior Tag Team titles were the first to change when Mistico and El Desperado defeated the Ichiban Sweet Boys (Kosei Fujita and Robbie Eagles) to win the titles for the first time as a team. The duo scored a double submission win, with Mistco applying the la mistica while Desperado applied a stretch muffler.

Originally, the match was set to be non-title. But Eagles ended up accepting a title match after Mistico made the challenge following their multi-man tag match a day prior.

In the co-main event, the NEVER Six-Man Tag Team Championship changed hands when Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, and HENARE defeated Bishimon and Oleg Boltin to win the titles for the first time as a trio. Ospreay scored the win for his team, connecting with an assisted hidden blade on YOSHI-HASHI for the victory.

Callum Newman retains IWGP Heavyweight title

The main event saw Callum Newman retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship over Shingo Takagi, defeating him with the make way. After the match, all of United Empire circled around Takagi and Yota Tsuji, who tried to help his Unbound Co. stablemate. Newman laid out Tsuji and went to strike Takagi but Ospreay attempted to stop him. Newman instead goaded Ospreay into doing the deed, with the AEW star reluctantly obliging.

Konosuke Takeshita retained his NJPW World Television title, defeating Chase Owens. After the match, however, a returning SANADA laid him out, establishing himself as the next challenger.

Two title matches announced for NJPW Road to The New Beginning tour

Two title matches will take place at Korakuen Hall in the next month.

NJPW will visit Korakuen Hall multiple times during their Road to The New Beginning tour that kicks off later this month. On January 23, El Desperado will defend his newly-won IWGP Junior Heavyweight title against Yoshinobu Kanemaru. On February 4, new Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions TJP and Francesco Akira will defend their titles in a Wrestle Kingdom rematch against Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney of Bullet Club War Dogs.

January 24 will see a singles match between Shota Umino and Ren Narita. Umino has been looking for a measure of revenge ever since Narita turned on him in December, aligning himself with the House of Torture.

February 4 at Korakuen Hall will see members of United Empire take on Bullet Club War Dogs in singles action. Henare will face Gabe Kidd, Jeff Cobb will face Alex Coughlin, and David Finlay will face Callum Newman. The following day will see Los Ingobernables de Japon face Just Five Guys in a gauntlet match.

Here are the key matches for the Road to The New Beginning tour:

January 23 at Korakuen Hall

  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight title: El Desperado defends against Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • SHO vs. Master Wato

January 24 at Korakuen Hall

  • Shota Umino vs. Ren Narita
  • Tetsuya Natio and Hiromu Takahashi vs. SANADA and DOUKI

February 4 at Korakuen Hall

  • IWGP Junior Tag Team titles: TJP and Francesco Akira defends against Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney
  • David Finlay vs. Callum Newman
  • Henare vs. Gabe Kidd
  • Jeff Cobb vs. Alex Coughlin

February 5 at Korakuen Hall

  • Gauntlet match: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi, and BUSHI) vs. Just Five Guys (SANADA, Taichi, Yuya Uemura, DOUKI, and Taka Michinoku)

IWGP Junior & Junior Tag Team title matches set for NJPW Road

Both the IWGP Junior and Junior Tag Team titles will be defended during the New Japan Road tour that will take place following Dominion.

The Junior Tag Team titles will be on the line June 20, with champions Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato defending against TJP and Franceso Akira of the United Empire. The following day, June 21, Best of the Super Junior 29 winner Hiromu Takahashi will get his Junior Championship match against champion Taiji Ishimori. Both shows will take place at Korakuen Hall.

Takahashi defeated El Desperado in the Best of the Super Junior tournament to win his fourth trophy and his third in a row. Also at the Best of the Super Junior finals, the United Empire picked up the win over Taguchi and Wato. The team motioned they wanted the next shot at the Tag Team titles.

The New Japan Road tour starts on June 15 in Tochigi and ends on July 5 at Korakuen Hall.