Tag: windy city riot 2025

Three matches added to NJPW Windy City Riot

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Three matches have been added to the card for NJPW Windy City Riot 2025 — including a potential IWGP World Heavyweight title bout.

NJPW returns to Chicago for Windy City Riot on Friday, April 11. It’s been announced that David Finlay vs. Zack Sabre Jr. will take place at the show. If Finlay is able to dethrone Hirooki Goto at Sakura Genesis on April 5, this will be his first title defense. Finlay vs. Sabre will still happen as a special singles match if Finlay loses to Goto.

Finlay earned the Sakura Genesis title shot by winning New Japan Cup 2025, and Sabre was the opponent he defeated in the semifinals. Sabre dropped the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship to Goto in February and is looking to get the title back.

The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be defended at Windy City Riot no matter what. A challenger for Goto if he’s still champion has not been named yet.

NJPW’s Strong Openweight Tag Team titles will also be on the line in Chicago with Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson defending against KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight.

Plus, a tag team match has been added to the show with Tetsuya Naito & Titan facing Rocky Romero & El Phantasmo.

Wintrust Arena is hosting Windy City Riot, which will air as a pay-per-view on NJPW World. Here is the updated lineup:

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi’s last match in the United States: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Konosuke Takeshita
  • 30-minute Iron Man match: NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Gabe Kidd defends against Tomohiro Ishii
  • David Finlay vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson defend against KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight
  • Tetsuya Naito & Titan vs. Rocky Romero & El Phantasmo

IWGP World title to be defended at two NJPW US events

Posted on by Joseph Currier

When NJPW returns to the United States this April and May, the company’s top title will be on the line.

NJPW has announced that the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be defended at both Windy City Riot (Friday, April 11) and Resurgence 2025 (Friday, May 9). The title is currently held by Hirooki Goto, who became the new champion by dethroning Zack Sabre Jr. earlier this week. NJPW has not announced who will be challenging for the belt at either of these two events.

A veteran of the NJPW roster for more than 20 years, Goto finally reached the top of the company with his IWGP World Championship win. His first defense will be against Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW’s 53rd Anniversary show on March 6. The winner of that match will defend their belt against the New Japan Cup tournament winner at Sakura Genesis on April 5, less than a week before Windy City Riot.

Wintrust Arena in Chicago is hosting Windy City Riot, while Resurgence will be held at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. Tickets for Resurgence are going on sale to the general public this Friday (February 14). Windy City Riot tickets are already available.

There were also IWGP World Championship matches at both Windy City Riot and Resurgence last year. Jon Moxley won the belt from Tetsuya Naito in Chicago before retaining against Shota Umino at Resurgence. Moxley, Naito, Sabre, and Goto are the most recent title holders.