SEScoops

Category: NJPW

  • NJPW COVID-19 Outbreak Update

    NJPW COVID-19 Outbreak Update

    New Japan Pro Wrestling canceled its planned Wrestle Grand Slam events on May 15th and 29th shortly after it was revealed that multiple wrestlers on its roster had tested positive for COVID-19. The promotion revealed that 2 wrestlers initially tested positive for the virus following protocols after Wrestling Dontaku Night 2. An additional 7 wrestlers were later confirmed to have tested positive as well.

    NJPW has since announced a return to live events beginning next week. The big Wrestle Grand Slam show from the Tokyo Dome is still postponed, however.

    According to a report from Wrestling Observer Radio, both David Finlay & Jay White have tested positive for the virus. There have also been some scheduling and quarantining issues that have come out of the recently canceled events.

    “(The foreign wrestlers) were all going to go home because they were shut down,” said Dave Meltzer. “Well now, they are coming back on the 25th, which is 8 days from now. So a couple of days ago, they were all going to go home, and there’s a 2-week quarantine coming back. So now it makes no sense for people to go home but some people did.”

    “(Juice) Robinson, (David) Finlay, and Jay White all went to the airport together to go home. Finlay and Jay White both tested positive for COVID-19 so they could not board the plane,” Meltzer continued.

    Robinson confirmed that he actually tested positive for the virus earlier this year. No matches have been announced as of yet for NJPW’s shows next week.

  • NJPW Announces Return To Live Events

    NJPW Announces Return To Live Events

    New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced it will return to running live events in front of fans beginning on May 22nd. The Road to Wrestle Grand Slam show scheduled for May 22nd from the Nagoya Congress Center Event Hall will take place as previously planned. Events scheduled for May 24, 25, and 26 from Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall will also take place as previously planned.

    The Wrestle Grand Slam event on May 29th from the Tokyo Dome has still been postponed, however. NJPW has not revealed new dates for either the canceled Wrestle Grand Slam show on May 15th or the show planned for the 29th.

    Earlier this month, multiple wrestlers were pulled from Wrestling Dontaku Night 2. In total, 9 wrestlers from NJPW have tested positive for the virus since. NJPW gave an update on their condition in today’s update.

    “Infected wrestlers have all continued to display minor or no symptoms, and have isolated and received appropriate medical treatment,” NJPW’s statement reads.

    On June 6th, NJPW has scheduled Dominion from Osaka Jo Hall. There has been no announcement made regarding if that show will be postponed or not. So far, it remains on NJPW’s schedule.

    NJPW also announced updates to its health and safety protocol for its return to live events. The company noted that it conducts “daily temperature and blood oxygen saturation checks, as well as regular screening before events. At events, attendees are temperature screened on entry to venues, masks are required during training and backstage, and packaged food is provided in order to limit unnecessary movement outside.”

  • Jon Moxley & Yuji Nagata Comment On Their Title Match On Dynamite

    Jon Moxley & Yuji Nagata Comment On Their Title Match On Dynamite

    Jon Moxley will defend his IWGP United States championship against Yuji Nagata on Dynamite this Wednesday. Moxley teamed with Chris Dickinson on NJPW Strong this week and they defeated the team of Yuji Nagata and Ren Narita. Following the match, Nagata locked Moxley in an arm-bar. Both teams were interviewed after the match and Nagata and Moxley both spoke on their upcoming title match.

    “Mr. Jon Moxley. Under this COVID-19 situation, I, Yuji Nagata, came for you here in America,” Nagata said. “And I had a match with you. I still want more. I got some good attacks from you. Your move was not bad. However, that was not enough. I am not satisfied with today’s tag match. When is the next match with you? The next one is the US Heavyweight Championship match. I am going to give it all I got. Do same thing to me. And then, I will win. Zea!”

    Following Nagata’s comments, champion Jon Moxley and his partner Chris Dickinson were also interviewed backstage.

    “Let me tell you about Nagata-san,” Moxley began. “Let me tell you about this guy who got on a plane and came all the way across the Pacific Ocean to do me a favor, to come here and glad handle the American citizens and all the fans. The great respected Yuji Nagata making a tour of the United States, problem is he’s going back to Japan in a body bag.”

    “Tonight, what I saw after this match, that’s the Nagata I want! I want an angry Nagata, I want a mean Nagata, I want a pissed off Nagata,” Moxley continued.

  • 7 More NJPW Wrestlers Test Positive For COVID-19

    7 More NJPW Wrestlers Test Positive For COVID-19

    NJPW is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. 7 additional wrestlers have now tested positive for the virus. This brings the total number of 9 infected people on the NJPW roster. 2 wrestlers also tested positive for the virus following Wrestling Dontaku Night 2.

    While NJPW has not announced which wrestlers have tested positive, Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SHO, and YOH were the wrestlers removed from Wrestling Dontaku Night 2. According to updates from NJPW1972.com, 2 of those wrestlers presented to the May 3rd show with a fever. Those wrestlers would later test positive for the virus, while 4 additional wrestlers were kept off the show as well.

    Following these positive tests, NJPW tested its entire roster and 7 more additional positive tests were confirmed.

    “In light of this news, all those who had close contact with the infected parties, in addition to every wrestler on the roster, received PCR tests, with a further seven wrestlers testing positive,” an NJPW update reads.

    All 9 wrestlers who tested positive are said to be experiencing mild or no symptoms.

    “All those who tested positive are experiencing mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. According to protocols and under medical advice, all are isolating and receiving appropriate treatment,” NJPW’s statement continues.

    NJPW recently cancelled planned shows in Yokohama on the 15th and inside the Tokyo Dome on May 29th.

  • NJPW Postpones Both Wrestle Grand Slam Events

    NJPW Postpones Both Wrestle Grand Slam Events

    NJPW announced today that they have postponed both Wrestle Grand Slam events scheduled for later this month. The events were to have taken place May 15th in Yokohama and May 29th from the Tokyo Dome. Kazuchika Okada was to have challenged Will Ospreay for the IWGP World title on the 29th.

    The promotion is working on determining new dates for the event. Tickets for the event will be valid for the new date. Refunds will be available for ticket-holders unable to attend on the rescheduled date.

    6 wrestlers were taken off the Wrestling Dontaku Night 2 show on May 3rd. Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SHO, and YOH were all removed due to health and safety protocols. It was later revealed that 2 of those wrestlers then tested positive for COVID-19.

    NJPW Statement On Postponed Events

    “On Friday May 7, the Japanese government announced an extension to the state of emergency currently in place in Tokyo and other prefectures,” reads an update from NJPW1972.com.

    “In light of this announcement, as well as current COVID-19 infection status, and in order to prevent any potential further spread of the virus,  New Japan Pro-Wrestling has arrived at the decision to postpone the Wrestle Grand Slam events in Yokohama Stadium and the Tokyo Dome previously scheduled for May 15 and 29 respectively.”

    Will Ospreay Reacts

    IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay posted a video reacting to this news. While he understands the issue of safety, he is convinced this is all a conspiracy orchestrated by Kazuchika Okada to avoid getting in the ring with him.

  • 2 NJPW Wrestlers Test Positive For COVID-19

    2 NJPW Wrestlers Test Positive For COVID-19

    After NJPW pulled several wrestlers from yesterday’s Wrestling Dontaku Night 2 event, the promotion has revealed that 2 wrestlers have tested positive for COVID-19. NJPW has not revealed who the two wrestlers that have tested positive are, however.

    Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SHO, and YOH were all removed from yesterday’s event. A scheduled IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match between El Desperado and YOH was scrapped from the show.

    The two wrestlers who recently tested positive were both discovered to have a fever the morning of the show.

    “According to protocol, they were taken for immediate testing, while those that had close contact with the individuals in the last two events were removed from proceedings. NJPW has learned that the individuals’ tests were positive for COVID-19,” reads an NJPW update on NJPW1972.com. 

    Both wrestlers are said to be experiencing mild symptoms and are under medical care.

    NJPW has two significant events upcoming this month. On May 15th, the promotion presents Wrestle Grand Slam in Yokohama Stadium. No matches have been announced thus far fro that show. Then on May 29th, NJPW will present Wrestle Grand Slam from the Tokyo Dome. Kazuchika Okada is currently scheduled to challenge IWGP World Champion Will Ospreay on the show.

  • 6 Wrestlers Pulled From NJPW Show Due To COVID-19 Protocols

    6 Wrestlers Pulled From NJPW Show Due To COVID-19 Protocols

    Wrestling Dontaku night 2 this morning from Fukuoka has undergone several lineup changes due to COVID-19 protocols. 6 wrestlers have been removed from the event. The scheduled IWGP Junior Heavyweight title match between El Desperado and YOH has been scrapped entirely.

    Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SHO, and YOH were all removed from the event. NJPW explained the changes in an update on its website.

    “One wrestler who was scheduled to appear on today’s Wrestling Dontaku Day 2 card presented with a fever on the morning of the event,” NJPW’s update reads. “This individual is currently undergoing thorough examination and PCR and antibody testing. In addition, another wrestler who has been a part of events since May 1 in Beppu and has since also presented with a fever is also undergoing evaluation.”

    The scheduled IWGP World Championship match on the show was not impacted by the changes. Will Ospreay will still face challenger Shingo Takagi on the card. The winner of that match will face Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Grand Slam. That event will take place from the Tokyo Dome on May 29th.

    Will Ospreay On Being IWGP World Champion

    Ospreay was recently interviewed by NJPW1972.com about being the new champion.

    “It sits with me. It sits well with me. It’s all about the journey. Years ago I saw what was then the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on a guy I admired in AJ Styles, and he said to me ‘if you want this, you’ve got to come to Japan’.”

    “I feel like there’s two sides to me. Half of me is that 14 year old boy with stars in their eyes. The other half is the 27 year old man who’s all business. I don’t have friends or brothers except the United Empire. Everyone else is trying to take food off of my table and I’ll walk over anybody to stop that. It isn’t a dream, it’s reality, and I have to do all it takes to stay at the top of this mountain.”

  • Will Ospreay Comments On Wrestling Dontaku & World Title Run

    Will Ospreay Comments On Wrestling Dontaku & World Title Run

    Will Ospreay is set to defend his IWGP World Championship on night 2 of Wrestling Dontaku tomorrow against Shingo Takagi. He recently sat down with NJPW1972.com and spoke about his run as champion.

    Ospreay was asked how he feels being called the IWGP World Champion.

    “It sits with me. It sits well with me. It’s all about the journey. Years ago I saw what was then the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on a guy I admired in AJ Styles, and he said to me ‘if you want this, you’ve got to come to Japan’,” Ospreay said.

    Ospreay was also asked about his United Empire faction and what he enjoys about having them with him.

    “I enjoy having them there. You see a lot of shenanigans from seconds in New Japan. But I’m different. I don’t need Jeff Cobb and Aaron Henare to help me win a singles match. We work together in tags of course, and we’re training hard together to help improve there. But I never need help in singles matches.”

    Whoever comes away from Wrestling Dontaku as IWGP World Champion will face Kazuchika Okada on May 29th at Wrestle Grand Slam. Ospreay spoke about the importance of that match and facing Okada once again.

    “The history with Okada is against me. I only beat him once, and that was the one and only time I needed help to win a match. If, when I beat Shingo, Tokyo Dome is May 29. It’ll be my third big singles match in under two months, and Okada has had a lot of rest.”

    The full interview with Will Ospreay can be read here.

  • Jon Moxley’s Return To NJPW Announced

    Jon Moxley’s Return To NJPW Announced

    Jon Moxley defeated KENTA to retain his IWGP United States Championship on an episode of New Japan Strong in February. AEW recently revealed that Moxley will defend that title May 12th on Dynamite against NJPW’s Yuji Nagata. NJPW announced last night on New Japan Strong that both Nagata and Moxley will be in action on next week’s show.

    Jon Moxley will team with Chris Dickinson next week on New Japan Strong to take on the team of Yuji Nagata and Ren Narita.

    NJPW President Comments On New Japan Strong

    In a recent interview with NJPW1972.com, NJPW President Takami Ohbari spoke about the importance of New Japan Strong to the promotion.

    “Up to now, New Japan has been exclusively about Japan,” he said during the interview. “Until very recently, the only way to see a New Japan wrestler live outside of Japan was in another company. And vice versa; the only path to wrestlers from overseas to compete in a NJPW ring was an incredibly difficult one. What we have in STRONG is a mid-way point. That’s what I’ve always wanted to build. Now we have a place for wrestlers from all these other promotions to get together. It’s a place for wrestlers you’ve never seen before and matches you’ve never seen before. Without a practical example, it was hard for me to go out in that press conference in November 2019 and say ‘listen, this is going to benefit fans all over the world’, but now it’s happening.”

  • NJPW’s El Phantasmo Headed To Impact Next Week

    NJPW’s El Phantasmo Headed To Impact Next Week

    On last night’s edition of Impact Wrestling, a vignette for NJPW’s El Phantasmo was shown to preview the 34-year-old’s pending arrival in the promotion. ELP going to Impact comes on the heels of NJPW’s David Finlay and Juice Robinson doing the same. FinJuice are the current Impact Wrestling tag-team champions and wore the title bouts to the ring during a recent NJPW tour.

    Phantasmo is a former 2x IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. He’s also won the Super J-Cup tournament two years in a row in 2019 and 2020.

    ELP is from Vancouver and began his training alongside other British Columbia bred wrestlers, Kyle O’Reilly and WWE’s Bollywood Boyz (aka the Singh Brothers).

    Following the announcement of his forthcoming debut for Impact, Phantasmo named over a dozen wrestlers he wants to work with.

    https://twitter.com/elpwrestling/status/1388110725894180866

    Forbidden No More

    NJPW President Takami Ohbari recently commented on his company’s new approach to talent-sharing with other promotions:

    “I will say this until I’m blue in the face: this is a star driven business, and the wrestlers are the focus,” Ohbari said in an interview with NJPW1972.com. “So if our wrestlers say ‘I want to wrestle that guy’ ‘I want to test myself against that guy’ ‘I want to show that I’m better than that guy’. Then it becomes our job as a company to do what we can to back them, make it happen and make it successful.”

  • NJPW President Reveals Position On Talent-Sharing With Other Companies

    NJPW President Reveals Position On Talent-Sharing With Other Companies

    Takami Ohbari took over from Harold Meij has President of New Japan Pro Wrestling in October. The change in management led to much speculation that NJPW could reverse its position on talent-sharing and working with other wrestling companies.

    During a recent interview with NJPW1972.com, Ohbari clarified the company’s current position on the matter is to support wrestlers who wish to work for other companies.

    “I will say this until I’m blue in the face: this is a star driven business, and the wrestlers are the focus,” Ohbari said. “So if our wrestlers say ‘I want to wrestle that guy’ ‘I want to test myself against that guy’ ‘I want to show that I’m better than that guy’. Then it becomes our job as a company to do what we can to back them, make it happen and make it successful.”

    New Japan Strong

    NJPW Strong
    NJPW Strong

    Ohbari continued to talk about the door is open for more American talent to wrestle for NJPW on New Japan STRONG, which airs Fridays on the New Japan World streaming service.

    If there is someone who wants to come in and the fans want to see it, NJPW will work to make it happen. “When you look at things overseas right now, especially in the US, there are a lot of wrestlers who want to come to Japan, and can’t, right? Even if you get into the country, you have to quarantine. But STRONG is there for those guys.”

    He added, “That is authentic, genuine New Japan Pro-Wrestling. If you want to be in NJPW, and you’re good enough, this door is open: come in, come do what you can do, and we’ll make sure the world can watch it. That goes for the fans too; if there’s a match you guys want to see, we’ll do what we can to make it happen.”

    Ohbari’s comments come on the heels of several “Forbidden Door” type moves in recent months. NJPW’s David Finlay & Juice Robinson have been performing for Impact and are the promotion’s current tag champions. Yuji Nagata will be appearing on AEW Dynamite to face Jon Moxley next week for the IWGP United States title as well.

    The full interview can be read here.

  • Jon Moxley To Defend IWGP US Title Against Yuji Nagata on AEW Dynamite

    Jon Moxley To Defend IWGP US Title Against Yuji Nagata on AEW Dynamite

    As announced last night, IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley will defend his title on the May 12th edition of AEW Dynamite. His opponent will be Yuji Nagata.

    This will be the second time Moxley has defended the title in the United States. He defeated KENTA on an episode of New Japan Strong from the company’s Los Angeles dojo recently as well.

    IWGP United States Championship History

    Moxley is one of only six wrestlers who have won the title since its inception in 2017. Kenny Omega became the inaugural champion that year after defeating Tomohiro Ishii in the finals of a tournament. Omega then dropped it to Jay White after a 210 day reign and 4 title defenses.

    Moxley’s current title reign sits at 476 days as champion and 3 title defenses. His previous reign lasted 130 days but he was forced to vacate the belt due to injury before making any title defenses. Should he defeat Nagata on May 12th, Moxley will tie Omega for the most combined title defenses as well as the most title defenses in a single reign with 4. Juice Robinson and Jay White each had 3 successful title defenses during their respective reigns with the belt as well.

  • NJPW Cancels Three Events Due To State Of Emergency in Tokyo

    NJPW Cancels Three Events Due To State Of Emergency in Tokyo

    New Japan Pro Wrestling sent in word that three upcoming shows are being canceled due to the ongoing State of Emergency that has been declared in the country.

    The May 8th, 10th and 11th events from Korakuen Hall have been affected. These shows are part of the Road to Wrestle Grand Slam tour.

    In a press release sent in to SEScoops, NJPW wrote:

    “We deeply apologize to fans who were looking forward to these events. Though matches with no fans in attendance were considered, NJPW has decided that, in order to act in the best interests of staff and wrestlers as they prepare for Wrestle Grand Slam in Yokohama Stadium May 15 and Tokyo Dome May 29, cancellation was the correct course of action.”

    All other events on our current schedule are set to proceed as planned, though New Japan Pro-Wrestling will be in constant contact with local authorities with regards to restrictions and regulations. Visit njpw1972.com for the latest event information.

  • Jim Ross Wants NJPW Champion To Join All Elite Wrestling

    Jim Ross Wants NJPW Champion To Join All Elite Wrestling

    Jim Ross recently discussed IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay on the Grilling Jr podcast. JR discussed that while Ospreay is a ‘very good hand’ he still has a long way to go before he can be classed as one of the best in wrestling history.

    “He’s now the greatest champion in the history of wrestling and nobody’s been better, are you sh*tting me?” Ross began on Grilling Jr. “Come on. He’s a very good hand. I called some of his matches back in the day, he’s very good and very unique, he creates his own style with a lot of British stuff.”

    Jim Ross then discussed the former top Champions of New Japan, questioning whether Will Ospreay even ranks up to them at present.

    “I think Will Ospreay is a great talent, but all of a sudden, because he did have a fantastic NJPW experience, is he the greatest ever?” Ross asked. “Is he even the greatest NJPW champion? It’s hard to say he’s better than [Hiroshi] Tanahashi, it’s hard to say he’s better than [Kazuchika] Okada or the list of all luminaries that held that title. I do think he’s very good, it might be a little early a week after his win to consider him the greatest ever.”

    Jim Ross on Will Ospreay

    JR finished by saying that he wants to see Ospreay appear for AEW at some point in the future. “I wish he wrestled in AEW, he’d do great here,” Ross noted. “He’s not from here you know, I don’t know if that means a lot to him or not. I know he could probably make more money than he’s making where he is, that’s my guess.”

    “We know he’d have more creative freedom if he wrestled for Tony Khan than if he wrestled for Vince McMahon” Jim Ross added. “I think that’s one of the attractive things about our company that’s ever growing, you get to have a bigger influence on your creative. I know guys here in AEW that outline their whole program, I think that’s cool as hell. It gives them some creative release and wrestlers are creative by nature.”

    Would you like to see Will Ospreay appear in AEW? Let us know in the comments

  • Toru Yano Sets a Wild Stipulation for his Match with Evil

    Toru Yano Sets a Wild Stipulation for his Match with Evil

    NJPW fans were given the chance to vote for the stipulation in the upcoming fight between Toru Yano and Evil. Both Yano and Evil picked their desired match and the vote was opened to the NJPW universe.

    Evil suggested a darkness match, stipulating the lights to be turned on and off at thirty second intervals, until the three-minute mark. Following that, the lights would cut out for thirty seconds every three minutes.

    Toru Yano suggested a Creation of Darkness Blindfold match, stipulating that a blinding hood be hung from each corner post. The wrestlers much first attempt to place the hood over their opponent. From then on normal rules exist with victor coming via pinfall or submission.

    An the winner is…Toru Yano

    The winner with 51.58% of the votes was Toru Yano and his creation of darkness blindfold match.

    This stipulation is certainly an interesting one. Given that Yano is such a master of sneaky style that even Rocky Romero can be seen taking notes at his matches, you have to wonder what sort of cheeky deviousness Yano will be looking to spring on the former LIF member.

    On paper, a matchup between the two should be a no brainer. However, if Yano has proven anything during his tenure with New Japan it is that he can beat absolutely anybody on his day. Just ask Tanahashi.

    While many may laugh him off as a fool, Yano is a seasoned professional. When it comes to putting on matches that are shall we say less than traditional, he proves that perhaps he is truly the ace of New Japan.

  • Kazuchika Okada Serves As Olympic Torch Bearer

    Kazuchika Okada Serves As Olympic Torch Bearer

    The Summer Olympics are scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan from July 23rd to August 8th, 2021. Kazuchika Okada recently served as a torch bearer in the official Olympic torch relay.

    Okada posted the following to Instagram of him posing with the torch:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CNUSqGNhpN6/?utm_source=ig_embed

    “Everybody was waving and smiling as I made my run, so I wanted to return those smiles right back to them. It was a fantastic experience,” Okada said.  

    Kazuchika Okada holds the record for the most combined title defenses (30) and days spent with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1790). The title was recently unified with the Intercontinental Championship as the IWGP World Championship. Okada has been largely out of the title picture since dropping the belt to Tetsuya Naito on January 5th, 2020 on the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 14. He’ll challenge again for the belt on May 29th.

    Upcoming Lineups In NJPW

    The following matches are upcoming in NJPW:

    April 28th: Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni – Night 1
    • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
      SHO & YOH (c) vs El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
    • KOPW 2021
      Toru Yano vs EVIL
    • Will Ospreay, The Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb vs. Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
    • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
    • Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. Gabriel Kidd & Tiger Mask IV
    April 29th – Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni – Night 2
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi vs. Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb
    • Will Ospreay & The Great-O-Khan vs. Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito
    • Toru Yano, Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
    • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, & Jado
    • SHO, YOH & Tiger Mask IV vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Minoru Suzuki
    • SANADA & BUSHI vs. Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura
    May 3rd – Wrestling Dontaku – Night 1
    • NEVER Openweight Championship
      Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs Jay White
    • Iron Finger from Hell
      ladder match (2nd ever in NJPW history)
      Taichi vs. Tama Tonga
    • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tanga Loa
    • Will Ospreay, The Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb vs. Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
    • Kazuchika Okada, SHO & YOH vs. Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
    • Toru Yano, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Mask IV & Master Wato vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
    May 4th – Wrestling Dontaku – Night 2
    • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
      Will Ospreay (c) vs Shingo Takagi
    • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
      El Desperado (c) vs YOH
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Jay White, EVIL, KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori
    • Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. The Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb
    • Kazuchika Okada & SHO vs. Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
    • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado

    The winner of Will Ospreay vs Shingo Takagi will go on to face Kazuchika Okada for the belt on May 29th at Wrestle Grand Slam inside the Tokyo Dome.

  • Jon Moxley Calls Out Yuji Nagata For IWGP US Title Match

    Jon Moxley Calls Out Yuji Nagata For IWGP US Title Match

    IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley knows who he wants to defend his belt against next. NJPW posted a video of Moxley calling out Yuji Nagata to Twitter recently.

    “As far as the IWGP United States Championship is concerned, the way of the world aside, one thing has never changed, I call my own shots,” Moxley said in the video. “Just like I said January 4th last year at the Tokyo Dome when I won that belt, I’m big game hunting. And New Japan Pro Wrestling, I’m taking scalps from the hardest hitters in the game.”

    “I have a deep respect for the legends of this sport. And I feel like things should be done a certain way. I’m not one for ego trips and grandstanding. I’m not one for talking trash on Twitter, so I’m going to make this real simple. Nagata-san, grab your 6-shooter, meet me outside the saloon at dawn and we’ll see who can get a shot off first. That is if you’re up to it.”

    Moxley last defended the belt against KENTA on an episode of New Japan Strong. The match was filmed in the New Japan Dojo in Los Angeles. You can view Moxley’s full promo in the Tweet below:

  • Will Ospreay Challenges CM Punk To IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match

    Will Ospreay Challenges CM Punk To IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match

    New IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay has made an official challenge to CM Punk. The British wrestler appeared at a post-show press conference for Sakura Genesis and relayed a number of topics for fans regarding the future of the Championship and his stable the United Empire.

    “Before I was champion, a man who sparked a whole lot of interest in pro-wrestling, CM Punk said he’d like to face Will Ospreay” The new IWGP Champion noted. “Now I have the biggest prize in pro-wrestling, so if you really want to prove you were the best in the world and not the best of a bad bunch, come over here and try and take this.”

    CM Punk did once say that Ospreay was an opponent he would consider facing IF he were ever to return to the squared circle. Punk made the comments during the Swing and Mrs. radio show back in March 2020.

    CM Punk on Will Ospreay

    “For people I haven’t ever wrestled before? I think Will Ospreay” CM Punk noted on the show. “I would listen to your idea. But there’s — like, I said, there’s a lot of moving parts. But I’m busy doing other stuff.”

    “And nobody, I think, has found the right combination of ways to approach me” Punk continued. “It’s not all up to me, ladies and gentlemen. It’s up to the people who actually run the companies.”

    Do you want to see Will Ospreay vs CM Punk? Let us know in the comments

  • Will Ospreay Wins IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

    Will Ospreay Wins IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

    New Japan Pro Wrestling’s latest big event Sakura Genesis took place today from Ryogoku, Japan.

    The main event of the show saw Kota Ibushi defend his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against NJPW Cup winner Will Ospreay. Ibushi was 2-1 heading into the match against the British sensation.

    Will Ospreay defeated Kota Ibushi to become the second IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in the company’s history. The IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships were ‘retired’ earlier this year and made way for this new top belt in NJPW.

    Will Ospreay – New Champion

    Ospreay took the win after hitting a Hidden Blade and Stormbreaker to get the pinfall and win his first singles IWGP Championship in New Japan.

    Following the match, Will Ospreay called out Kazuchika Okada. The former IWGP Champion appeared but before he could speak Shingo Takagi demanded that he get a shot at the champion first.

    Takagi defeated Okada in the first round of the New Japan Cup, so he asked why Okada would deserve the title shot over him. Ospreay agreed and said that he would defend the belt against Shingo first and then come for Okada.

  • New Japan Reveals NJPW Strong Openweight Championship

    New Japan Reveals NJPW Strong Openweight Championship

    New Japan Pro Wrestling has confirmed that another new Championship will be coming to the company.

    The NJPW Strong Openweight Championship was revealed on this week’s episode of NJPW Strong. This Friday’s episode saw the Road to New Japan Cup USA 2021 begin; and it was revealed exactly what each of the eight competitors in the single elimination competition this April will be fighting for.

    The 2020 iteration of the New Japan USA Cup was held to determine who would go on to face IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Jon Moxley. That tournament was of course won by KENTA.

    NJPW Strong Openweight Championship

    English language NJPW website NJPW1972.com sent out the following regarding the brand new title.

    The title represents the pinnacle of competition on NJPW STRONG on Friday nights, and will be contested for by wrestlers of any weight class. Things are going to get even more exciting going forward on NJPW STRONG; who of the eight in this year’s tournament will become the first holder of the gold? 

    New Japan also recently unveiled the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship belt. Many fans weren’t happy with the design, saying that it resembled the old WWE Divas ‘butterfly’ belt.

    Do you think the new Openweight belt looks better than the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship? Let us know in the comments

  • Final Card for NJPW Sakura Genesis, Ryogoku (04/04)

    Final Card for NJPW Sakura Genesis, Ryogoku (04/04)

    New Japan Pro Wrestling’s latest big event Sakura Genesis will be taking place on Sunday 4th from Ryogoku, Japan.

    The main event of the show sees Kota Ibushi defend his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against NJPW Cup winner Will Ospreay. Ibushi is currently 2-1 in their overall record.

    There following preview for the massive bout comes from NJPW1972.com:

    Ospreay’s number one contendership status was earned after a 30 minute war with Shingo Takagi. That bout showed off the Commonwelath Kingpin’s effortless ability to change gears between high flying high risk offense and intense, focused punishment.

    It’s an ability that has evolved within Ospreay since making the transition to heavyweight; a transition that arguably began with the first ever in ring meeting between these two men.

    Here’s the full card for the event this weekend:

    • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match – Kota Ibushi (c) vs. Will Ospreay
    • IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match – El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) vs. SHO and YOH
    • DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr., and Taichi vs. Jado, Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga
    • YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano, and Kazuchika Okada vs. Dick Togo, Taiji Ishimori, Yurijo Takahashi, KENTA, and EVIL
    • Shingo Takagi, SANADA, and Tetsuya Naito vs. Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan, and a mystery partner
    • Satoshi Kojima and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale and Jay White

  • NJPW Reveals New IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Belt

    NJPW Reveals New IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Belt

    New Japan Pro Wrestling unveiled the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship belt at Tuesday’s Road to Sakura Genesis event.

    Kota Ibushi is the first IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. The belt was introduced following the unification of the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships.

    Ibushi’s historic first defense takes place this Sunday at Sakura Genesis. He will face Will Ospreay, winner of the recent New Japan Cup.

    Here is a clip of the big reveal, along with some additional photos:

    Belt Backlash

    Believe it or not, some wrestling fans on social media had a mixed reaction to the new belt design. Some compared it to the retired WWE Divas ‘butterfly’ belt, while others compared the center plate design to the most notorious tattoo in the game.

    https://twitter.com/benris84/status/1376837494247976963?s=12

    Belt Maker Responds

    Dan Beltzer created the new championship belt for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He issued the following statement on Wednesday in response to fans who are complaining about the new design:

  • NJPW Reveals Brackets For New Japan Cup USA

    NJPW Reveals Brackets For New Japan Cup USA

    The New Japan Cup USA tournament will run throughout April on episodes of New Japan Strong on New Japan World. The final qualifying matches for the tournament have now taken place and NJPW has released the full brackets for the tournament.

    New Japan Cup USA 2021 Brackets:

    1. Clark Connors vs. Lio Rush
    2. Brody King vs. Chris Dickinson
    3. Ren Narita vs. Tom Lawlor
    4. Hikuleo vs. Fred Rosser
    5. Semi-Final #1: Winner 1 vs Winner 2
    6. Semi-Final #2: Winner 3 vs Winner 4
    7. Finals: Winner 5 vs Winner 6

    Qualifying matches took place throughout March for the tournament:

    1. Clark Connors defeated TJP
    2. Lio Rush defeated Rocky Romero
    3. Brody King defeated Bateman
    4. Chris Dickinson defeated Blake Christian
    5. Ren Narita defeated Misterioso
    6. Tom Lawlor defeated The DKC
    7. Hikuleo defeated Jordan Clearwater
    8. Fred Rosser defeated JR Kratos

    KENTA was the winner of the tournament last year. He defended the briefcase for months before finally facing Jon Moxley for the IWGP United States Championship earlier this year. Moxley won the match. KENTA is not entered into this year’s tournament.

    NJPW has also announced recently that beginning on Thursday, old episodes of New Japan Strong will air for free on FITE TV. NJPW is gearing up for April 4th’s Sakura Genesis event. Kota Ibushi will defend his IWGP World Championship against the New Japan Cup Winner Will Ospreay on the show.

  • NJPW Will Reveal New IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Belt

    NJPW Will Reveal New IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Belt

    New Japan Pro Wrestling is going to reveal the brand new belt for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship before champion Kota Ibushi defends it at Sakura Genesis in April. The company announced that the belt will be witnessed by fans during the Road to Sakura Genesis event on March 30 where Ibushi is set to team with Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan in the main event against Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan. The announcement reads, “At Sakura Genesis on April 4, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi will defend his brand new title for the very first time against Will Ospreay in our main event. Days before this huge kard (sic) in Ryogoku, fans can witness the future of NJPW competition in Korakuen Hall. On March 30’s Road to Sakura Genesis event, the brand new championship belt will see its first public reveal!”

    NJPW decided to unify the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship belts, both of which were held by Kota Ibushi. He defended both the titles successfully against El Desperado at the NJPW 49th Anniversary Show in Tokyo on March 4, 2021 which marked the final defense of the titles. Will Ospreay then won the 2021 New Japan Cup earning a title shot against Ibushi at Sakura Genesis.

    Here is the full line-up for NJPW Sakura Genesis which will take place on April 4:

    • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
      Kota Ibushi (c) vs Will Ospreay
    • IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
      El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) vs. SHO & YOH
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Satoshi Kojima vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale 
    • Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & Shingo Takagi vs. The Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & a mystery partner
    • Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. EVIL, KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
    • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
  • Update On Bea Priestley’s Status With NJPW

    Update On Bea Priestley’s Status With NJPW

    Bea Priestley is no longer a member of Will Ospreay’s United Empire faction. She was kicked out of the group, and seemingly Ospreay’s romantic life, at the conclusion of the New Japan Cup finals this weekend.

    As it turns out, Priestley is not expected back in New Japan Pro Wrestling and the angle was likely her send-off. This was addressed recently on Wrestling Observer Radio.

    “Her contract with New Japan is ending very shortly and it’s not being renewed, she’s done with New Japan. And that is on her as far as the decision, it’s not on them. It’s not like they decided not to use her, it’s she decided not to do New Japan once her contract’s up.”

    “This wasn’t an angle necessarily to do a big split-up. It’s possible she’ll come back on April 4th (Sakura Genesis), it’s only a couple of weeks away and she’s going to be in Yokohama which is 25 minutes from Tokyo.”

    So, Priestley is finishing up with New Japan but may still be in the area for Sakura Genesis when Ospreay takes on Kota Ibushi. Ospreay has also promised that a new member of the United Empire will be revealed on the show.