Tag: kopw

Great-O-Khan retains KOPW title in Rural Revitalization match

Posted on by Ian Carey

Great-O-Khan retained the provisional KOPW title on Sunday. 

He defeated Tanga Loa in a Rural Revitalization in Hamamatsu match on the March 31 Road to Sakura Genesis event. The unique match type featured best-two-of-three falls rules and a five-minute eating contest as the second fall. 

The rules for the first round were that every pin attempt was worth one point. Loa ended up winning the round 9-8. 

The food eaten for the second fall was originally supposed to be freshwater unagi (eel), which Hamamatsu is famous for. However, a late decision saw gyoza dumplings, another local delicacy, replace eel as the featured food. 

With 30 seconds left, Loa began to slow down, needing sips of water to continue. After the five minutes expired, officials entered the ring to see how much eel each wrestler had consumed and awarded the fall to Khan. 

The third fall was a strap match. Both wrestlers appeared to be showing the effects of having eaten too much during the second fall. It appeared as though either could vomit at any point. Khan would eventually hit an Eliminator and touch all four corners for the win. 

The champion then addressed the crowd following his victory. NJPW1972.com wrote of his speech:

O-Khan proudly claimed that a new era, that with pro-wrestling being equated with himself, had already begun. O-Khan stated that it all began with Japan, and with the local areas; a grass roots movement that he was leading with a determination to make KOPW the most famed, and the most entertaining title in wrestling. As the loyal subjects bowed to their Dominator, the victorious O-Khan took his title to the next ground of conquest.

Sunday’s show did not air live on New Japan World but is now available on-demand. The full results are below. 

NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis March 31, 2024 results —

  • Jeff Cobb defeated Shoma Kato
  • KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight defeated Gedo & Clark Connors
  • Yuya Uemura, TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI, Taichi, & SANADA defeated Tomoaki Honma, Boltin Oleg, El Desperado, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii
  • Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori defeated Tiger Mask & Hirooki Goto
  • Ren Narita, SHO, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated YOH, Togi Makabe, & Shota Umino
  • Yota Tsuji, BUSHI, & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Callum Newman, Francesco Akira, & TJP
  • Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito defeated Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL
  • KOPW Provisional Champion Great-O-Khan defeated Tanga Loa 2-1 in a Rural Revitalization in Hamamatsu match to retain his title

Great-O-Khan, Tanga Loa choose KOPW stipulations for Road to Sakura Genesis

Posted on by Ian Carey

Great-O-Khan and Tanga Loa have chosen stipulations for their upcoming KOPW match. 

Khan is scheduled to defend his interim KOPW title against Loa in Hamamatsu on Sunday. As per the championship rules, both competitors have submitted their proposed match stipulations for fans to vote on in a social media poll. 

Loa was represented by Jado at a press conference on March 25. His camp has proposed a “King of Kaiju” match. 

NJPW1972.com described the match type as:

Much like a classical Texas Deathmatch, the bout will see competitors look to score a pinfall, after which a ten count will be applied, the last standing being the winner 

Khan reportedly commented, “That’s something an ape would think up” upon hearing the proposed stipulation. 

Khan then stated he wants to bring “renewed interest in NJPW events in local areas of Japan” before proposing a “Rural Revitalization Match in Hamamatsu.” The match type follows best-two-of-three falls rules, with the second fall promoting Hamamatsu’s local cuisine. 

NJPW1972.com describes the match type as:

The match will be a ‘two out of three falls’ bout, but with very different interpretations of falls.

Round one will be under ten minute time limit most covers rules. Every pinfall attempt will count as one point in the scenario.

Round two will be an eating contest, with the local specialty of eel being the focus for five minutes.

Round three will see the two connected via a strap with the winner having to touch all four corners consecutively to win. 

Voting will begin at 10 a.m. Japan Standard Time on March 31. 

Sunday’s show is not scheduled to air live on New Japan World. However, it will likely be available on-demand at a later date. 

NJPW New Year Dash notes: Moxley, Danielson, Ospreay, Riddle, new programs

Posted on by Ethan Renner

NJPW shot angles for all of its key players at Friday’s New Year Dash show. 

Notes from the event:

Jon Moxley —

Shingo Takagi challenged Moxley to a match at next Saturday’s Battle in the Valley pay-per-view in San Jose. Moxley accepted the challenge and proposed a no-DQ match.

Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii teamed with AEW’s Moxley & Bryan Danielson in the show’s main event against TMDK’s Zack Sabre Jr., Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste & Kosei Fujita. TMDK came away with the victory.

Bryan Danielson —

Sabre talked trash to Danielson in his post-match comments, with Danielson responding that Sabre can’t tap him out. Sabre vs. Danielson could be set for as early as Battle in the Valley next Saturday, a show that will be headlined by Okada vs. Will Ospreay as the company announced Friday.

Will Ospreay —

In addition to Ospreay vs. Okada being made official, Ospreay announced that February 11th’s The New Beginning in Osaka will be his “last NJPW match,” agreeing to team with United Empire ‘s TJP, Francesco Akira, HENARE & Jeff Cobb against Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay, Alex Coughlin, Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) in a ten-man tag. Finlay accepted the challenge and announced that the match will be held inside a steel cage. 

Matt Riddle —

Matt Riddle appeared on the show in a video promo challenging NJPW World TV Champion and company president Hiroshi Tanahashi to a future match. Tana made his first successful defense of the TV title in the opener against Ryusuke Taguchi.

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship —

SANADA issued a challenge to new champ Tetsuya Naito following a ten-man tag with SANADA’s Just Five Guys defeating Naito’s LIJ. The conclusion to Wrestle Kingdom left you to believe that either SANADA or EVIL would face Naito next. 

NEVER Openweight Championship —

EVIL attacked new NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga on the show and cut Tonga’s hair, which would appear to set a program between the two over the NEVER title in motion and keep EVIL out of the World title picture for the moment.

NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title challenge —

The main event also led to Fujita, Nicholls & Haste challenging Okada, Ishii, and Hiroshi Tanahashi for the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles at a later date. 

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship —

Yoshinobu Kanemaru was involved in House of Torture’s attack on Tonga and Junior champ El Desperado, with Kanemaru posing with Desperado’s title belt to establish himself as the next challenger. 

IWGP Tag Team Championship —

New title holders El Phantasmo & Hikuleo were attacked after their match as Chase Owens laid out ELP with a piledriver and challenging the new champs to a title match with KENTA as his partner.

KOPW —

The first KOPW 2024 Champion was crowned after Taiji Ishimori scored the final pinfall in a four-way with a ten-minute time limit. 

Young Blood sendoff —

Phantasmo & Hikuleo defeated Young Blood (Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima) in Young Blood’s final outing before they will be sent away on their international excursion.

Taichi wins KOPW 2023 at NJPW Road to Tokyo Dome event

Posted on by Ian Carey

Taichi is the NJPW King of Pro Wrestling for 2023. 

He defeated Yashinobu Kanemaru in a Whiskey on a Poll match on today’s Road to Tokyo Dome show at Korakuen Hall. 

Under KOPW rules, only the title holder at the end of a calendar year is considered to be KOPW Champion. Other title-holders throughout the year are considered Provisional Champions. Taichi now joins Toru Yano (2020 & 2021) and Shingo Takagi (2022) as the only wrestlers to be crowned KOPW Champion.  

Today’s KOPW match saw plenty of interference from House of Torture and attempts from Just Five Guys to even up the score. In the end, Taichi hit Black Mafisto for the win.  

“From needless interference, inconsistent selling, and pointless overindulgence, this match was a total slog,” our own Chick Fritts described the match. “Oh, and it went 30 minutes. If it wasn’t actively infuriating, it was horrifically boring.”

Also on today’s NJPW show, Drilla Maloney and Clark Connors and TJP & Francesco Akira set up a coffin match that will take place on Friday’s show. The Bullet Club War Dogs brought out a coffin before their match on Thursday and declared that Catch 2/2’s careers were dead. 

‘We’ve been saying all year that Catch 2/2 is dead and you won’t stay down so we’ll just have to shit you in here,’ said Moloney.

However, TJP and Akira were not intimidated by the coffin’s presence and challenged Connors & Maloney to a first-ever NJPW coffin match on tomorrow’s show. The two teams will also meet at Wrestle Kingdom 18 for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight tag titles.

Today’s main event saw Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii successfully defend their Six Man Tag Team Championships against the United Empire team of HENARE, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb. 

NJPW Road to Tokyo Dome December 21 results:

  • Masked Horse (Ryusuke Taguchi) & Masked Boltin (Oleg Boltin) defeated Tiger Mask & Toru Yano
  • TMDK (Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr.) defeated Young Blood (Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima)
  • BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gedo) defeated United Empire (Callum Newman, Francesco Akira & TJP)
  • House of Torture (EVIL, Ren Narita & SHO) defeated Master Wato, Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma
  • Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi) defeated El Desperado & Satoshi Kojima
  • Just 5 Guys (DOUKI, SANADA & Yuya Uemura) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Tetsuya Naito & Yota Tsuji)
  • NJPW King Of Pro-Wrestling Championship Whiskey Bottle Ladder Match: Taichi (c) defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship: Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, & Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated United Empire (Great-O-Khan, HENARE & Jeff Cobb)

Shingo, Great-O-Khan choose KOPW stipulations for NJPW New Beginning in Nagoya

Posted on by Ian Carey

Shingo Takagi and Great-O-Khan have picked stipulations for their upcoming KOPW match. 

Takagi will defend the KOPW belt against Khan on Sunday, January 22, 2023 at The New Beginning in Nagoya. They both presented their chosen stipulations on Thursday and voting is currently underway to determine which set of rules will be used. 

Takagi has proposed a “Takagi style 30 count pinfall match.” The winner of this contest would be the first to get a cumulative 30 count on their opponent. A one count is worth one point, a two count is worth two points and so on until one wrestler has accumulated a total of 30 points on their opponent. 

Takagi had the following to say on his chosen stipulations:

I had a lot of KOPW title matches in 2022, and one that I thought really helped elevate the status of the title was in April, a match that really showed how hard fought this title can be- the Takagi Style 30 Count Pinfall Match. In Hiroshima, Taichi and I fought it out in a match that really represented what KOPW should be. No countouts, no submissions. Whoever gets a total of 30 counts wins. 

Great-O-Khan has proposed an MMA style match. Each wrestler would wear a martial arts gi, lumberjacks would be stationed outside the ring, and the match can only end via TKO or submission. Additionally, if Khan’s stipulations are chosen, Takagi must put his future shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the line as well. 

Great-O-Khan had the following to say on his chosen stipulations:

We shall both wear martial arts gi, which can be used for submissions. The only way to win is via KO, TKO or tapout. And in case you are so scared that you attempt to escape the ring, let’s use lumberjacks as well, shall we? Bring anybody you wish. Our United Empire teammates will of course be present. So let us have a proper fight, one on one with a clear winner like men. Whether you peasants choose to vote or not? Do as you wish.

Voting is currently underway now on Twitter and will close on January 15. 

NJPW replacing KOPW trophy with new title belt

Posted on by Ian Carey

The KOPW trophy in NJPW is being replaced with a title belt. 

New Japan unveiled the new belt at Friday’s Road to Tokyo Dome event. The winner of the 2023 New Japan Ranbo at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4 will be the first to hold the KOPW title belt rather than a KOPW trophy. The unique rules the title is defended under will stay the same.  

“First established in 2020 by Kazuchika Okada, the KOPW title has seen its holders defend their status through the year before the new calendar sees a new champion contested for. From Toru Yano in 2020 and 2021, to Shingo Takagi in 2022, its holders have seen fans vote on stipulations never before seen in NJPW, and often never anywhere else either!”

“Yet the trophy that represents the KOPW holder status has not always been treated with prestige an respect! From spray paintings to utter demolition and DIY recreation, it’s fair to say that the KOPW holder was in need of something longer lasting. From 2023, the holder will have the KOPW Championship belt!” 

Shingo Takagi defeated Taichi in a Last Man Standing Lumberjack match on December 19 to be crowned the official 2022 champion. He becomes just the second wrestler to close out a calendar year with the title after Toru Yano did so in 2020 and 2021. Minoru Suzuki, Chase Owens, and Taichi have all held the provisional KOPW trophy but never closed out a year as champion. 

KOPW 2022 title changes hands at NJPW Golden Fight Series

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A title change took place in the main event of NJPW’s Golden Fight Series show on Monday.

Shingo Takagi defeated Taichi to become the new provisional KOPW 2022 Champion. Takagi vs. Taichi was a “30 Count Match,” where the first wrestler to get a combined 30 count in pinfall attempts throughout the match was declared the winner.

In a show-closing promo after his win, Takagi vowed to elevate the KOPW trophy just like he’s done with other titles that he’s held.

Provisional KOPW title matches will be held throughout 2022. After the final title match of the year, the trophy holder will be declared the official KOPW 2022 Champion.

For every KOPW title match, each participant proposes a set of rules. A fan vote then determines which rule set the match will be held under. The 30 Count stipulation was proposed by Taichi.

Here are the full results from Monday’s Golden Fight Series show:

– 30 Count Match: Shingo Takagi defeated Taichi to become the new provisional KOPW 2022 Champion

– NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa to retain their titles

– Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI defeated Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & YOH

– Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens defeated Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI

– Taiji Ishimori & Gedo defeated El Desperado & TAKA Michinoku

– Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato & Ryohei Oiwa

– Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma defeated Tiger Mask & Yuto Nakashima

Rules set for Taichi vs. Shingo NJPW KOPW 2022 title match

Posted on by Ian Carey

The rules are set for the KOPW match between Shingo Takagi and Taichi. 

The two will square off with the KOPW trophy on the line Monday, April 25 from Hiroshima. 

Takagi vs. Taichi will be a “30 Count Match” with the winner being the first wrestler to accumulate a pin count of 30. A one-count on your opponent is worth one point, a two-count is worth two and so on with the winner being the first to get to 30. 

For KOPW matches, each wrestler presents a set of rules and a fan vote is used to determine which the match will be contested under. 51% of fans voted for the “30 Count Match” rules presented by Taichi. 49% of fans voted for Takagi’s “Three Falls Match” where the winner would be the first wrestler to get a one-count, two-count, and a three-count on their opponent. 

The lineup for NJPW’s April 25 show in Hiroshima is as follows:

  • Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe vs. Yuto Nakashima & Tiger Mask
  • Ryohei Oiwa, Master Wato, & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Zack Sabre Jr., DOUKI, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • TAKA Michinoku & El Desperado vs. Gedo & Taiji Ishimori
  • YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto vs. Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens
  • YOH, Toru Yano, & Kazuchika Okada vs. BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, & Tetsuya Naito
  • NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions EVIL, SHO, & Yujiro Takahashi defend against Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tama Tonga, & Tanga Loa
  • KOPW 2022 holder Taichi defends against Shingo Takagi

Poll to determine alcohol choice for final NJPW KOPW 2021 match

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Twitter polls will determine which alcoholic beverage will be used in the Year End Party KOPW 2021 match to be held at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome event on December 24. 

Toru Yano will defend the provisional KOPW 2021 trophy against Yoshinobu Kanemaru on the show. Year End Party rules are explained as a normal match, but wrestlers will be forced to drink alcohol at two minute intervals. The referee will then administer a 20 count. Should either competitor not be able to respond to the 20 count, they will lose, but pinfall, submission and disqualification rules still apply. 

Polls on the @njpwglobal and @NJPW1972 Twitter accounts will decide whether Kanemaru’s beverage choice or Yano’s will be the alcohol served during the match. Yano has proposed sake, while Kanemaru has proposed whiskey. 

Kanemaru attacked Yano with a whiskey bottle on yesterday’s show, then issued a challenge for the KOPW title. The winner of the Christmas Eve bout will be crowned the 2021 KOPW winner. Yano won the trophy in 2020.

NJPW reveals stipulation options for Yano vs. EVIL KOPW match

Posted on by Ethan Renner

A Twitter poll will decide the stipulation for the KOPW 2021 match at NJPW’s Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni event. 

NJPW announced that a poll on the NJPW Global Twitter page will kick off on Monday. Fans will be asked to choose between provisional KOPW 2021 Toru Yano’s stipulation choice, and challenger EVIL’s proposal. 

Yano has proposed a Creation of Darkness Blindfold match. The rules of that stipulation would see a hood placed on each of the four ring posts. Pinfalls, submissions and countouts would not be in effect until one competitor placed a hood on the other. 

EVIL’s proposal is a Darkness match. Under that stip, the lights would be turned on and off for thirty second intervals in the first three minutes of the match. After that point, there would be a thirty second period with the lights out for every three minutes of match time. 

Yano and EVIL’s feud has incorporated both proposed elements. EVIL defeated Yano in the New Japan Cup after his second, Dick Togo, turned out the lights to distract Yano. Yano answered by placing a hood on Togo, then hitting him with a low blow and pinning him at Sakura Genesis on April 4. 

Night one of Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni will be held on Wednesday, April 28 at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time. 

Here is the lineup for the show: 

Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni night one, Wednesday, April 28 —

  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: SHO & YOH (c) vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • KOPW 2021 provisional Championship: Toru Yano (c) vs. EVIL
  • Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
  • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
  • Tiger Mask & Gabriel Kidd vs. Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura

And night two: 

Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni night two, Thursday, April 29 —

  • Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare
  • Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan
  • Toru Yano, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
  • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
  • SHO, YOH & Tiger Mask vs. Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • SANADA & BUSHI vs. Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura

NJPW crowns official KOPW 2020 Champion

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Toru Yano defeated Bad Luck Fale in a bodyslam or last corner pad match at today’s Road to Tokyo Dome event to win the NJPW KOPW 2020 Championship. 

Yano won with a bodyslam. Fale had slammed Yano earlier in the match, but the referee missed it after a sequence that featured interference from Chase Owens and multiple low blows by Yano.

Yano also sprayed hand sanitizer in Fale’s face and attempted to conceal a backpack that he was wearing. The backpack contained a bag of sand in an attempt to make himself too heavy for Fale to slam. 

Yano won the provisional title at Summer Struggle in Jingu on August 29th, beating Kazuchika Okada, SANADA and El Desperado in a four-way. He defended it once before today, on November 7th at Power Struggle. Yano defeated Zack Sabre Jr. by countout in a no corner pads match on that show. 

The provisional KOPW 2021 will be decided at night two of Wrestle Kingdom on January 5th in a four-way. The final four competitors in the New Japan Rambo on January 4th will advance to that match. 

NJPW announces stipulation for Yano vs. Fale KOPW 2020 match

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Toru Yano will defend the provisional King of Pro-Wrestling Championship against Bad Luck Fale on Wednesday, December 23rd in a bodyslam or last corner pad match at Road to Tokyo Dome in Korakuen Hall. NJPW made the match official earlier today. 

The match stipulation was decided in a fan vote. Fans were asked to choose between Yano’s stipulation, the ultimate winner, and Fale’s choice of just a bodyslam match.

The winning selection’s margin was announced as 18,826 votes to 5,813, or 76.4 percent to 23.6 percent. 

Wednesday’s match will be the final KOPW 2020 bout, meaning that the winner will be declared NJPW’s KOPW 2020.

Yano won the provisional title at Summer Struggle in Jingu on August 29th, beating Kazuchika Okada, SANADA and El Desperado. He has since defended it once, on November 7th at Power Struggle. Yano defeated Zack Sabre Jr. by countout in a no corner pads match on that show. 

NJPW reveals KOPW 2020 first round stipulation fan vote results

Posted on by Ethan Renner

NJPW has announced the results of fan voting to determine first round stipulations for King of Pro Wrestling 2020 tournament matches. 

Fans chose Kazuchika Okada’s suggestion over Yujiro Takahashi’s  by a 56 percent to 44 percent margin, so Okada will face Takahashi, Gedo and Jado in a 3-on-1 handicap match. Takahashi’s suggested stipulation was a lumberjack match where the lumberjacks would have been armed with leather belts. 

Toru Yano and BUSHI will square off in a two count pinfalls match, Yano’s stipulation. BUSHI had proposed a five count countout match. Yano’s suggestion won 57.2 percent to 42.8 percent.

After a 68.5 percent to 31.5 percent landslide, El Desperado and Satoshi Kojima’s first round match will be a no finishers allowed match. Desperado’s Pinche Loco will be banned, while Kojima cannot use the lariat. Desperado’s stipulation was the winner. 

SANADA and SHO both proposed a submission match for their first round battle, so there was no vote taken.

All four matches will be held on Wednesday, August 26 at Korakuen Hall. The show will air live on NJPW World at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time. 

Here is the full lineup:

  • Yuji Nagata, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
  • KOPW 2020 First Round, no finishers allowed match: Satoshi Kojima vs. El Desperado
  • KOPW 2020 First Round, two count pinfalls match: Toru Yano vs. BUSHI
  • KOPW 2020 First Round, submission match: SANADA vs. SHO
  • KOPW 2020 First Round, 1-on-3 handicap match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Gedo & Jado

NJPW reveals stipulations for upcoming KOPW qualifying matches

Posted on by Bryan Rose

NJPW has detailed the stipulations and voting methods for the upcoming KOPW qualifying matches that will take place on August 26.

The company held a press conference this morning that was streamed on NJPW World. Kazuchika Okada was at the press conference to announce the stipulations the participants have chosen for their upcoming matches:

  • Satoshi Kojima has chosen a finisher’s only match, where Kojima’s lariat or El Desperado’s Pinche Loco will lead to a win. Desperado has chosen the opposite, a no finisher’s match where the lariat or Pinche Loco will lead to a disqualification.
  • Toru Yano has chosen a two count pinfall match, where a two count pinfall will lead to a win. BUSHI has chosen a five count ring out match, where wrestlers can only win by count out after the referee’s five count.
  • SHO has chosen a submission match, while SANADA has chosen a no pinfalls, give up only match. Therefore, this match has already been determined to be a submission match.
  • For Kazuchika Okada vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Okada has chosen a 1 vs. 3 handicap match. Yujiro has chosen a lumberjack match where belts can be used as weapons. 

NJPW Global has putoutpolls for the three matches with stipulations still to be determined. The results will be announced next Monday, August 24.

The winners will face each other in a fatal four way match at Summer Struggle in Jingu on August 29, where the winner will become the first provisional champion. Whoever is champion at the end of the year will be named the 2020 KOPW champion.