Category: New Japan Pro Wrestling

NJPW And Stardom Announce IWGP Women’s Championship

It’s been a big week for new championships in wrestling promotions. In the United States, AEW has introduced the AEW Trios Championships, with the inaugural champions to be crowned at AEW All Out on Labor Day weekend. Now, in Japan, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and World Wonder Stardom Ring are getting in on the fun, announcing a historic new championship.

“Just announced in today’s Stardom 2022 Strategy Meeting: The IWGP Women’s Championship!” Stardom’s official account tweeted. “NJPW and Stardom are creating this title for defenses not only in Japan but also in the US on New Japan Pro Wrestling events, appealing to the world with the rich IWGP history!”

While the IWGP Women’s Championship is being announced now, the Stardom account went on to reveal that there will be a little bit of a wait before the first champion is crowned.

“The inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion will be crowned at the NJPWxStardom joint show on November 20th at the Ariake Arena,” the tweet read. “Please note, this belt does not usurp the Red and White Belts in any way. They are the main titles for Stardom events.”

The promotion also offered some more clarification regarding where fans will see this new IWGP Women’s Championship defended.

“The IWGP Women’s Championship is for the NJPW events,” Stardom tweeted. “It’s possible that it could be defended on big Stardom events though. Stardom’s main title remains the World of Stardom title (the Red Belt) along with the Wonder of Stardom title (the White Belt).”

For New Japan, the IWGP Women’s Championship marks the first time a belt exclusively for female talent will be featured in the promotion’s 50 years of operation. Women in NJPW have traditionally held the role of valet, though former WWE star Chyna did briefly wrestle for the promotion in 2002.

New Japan began featuring Stardom talent at Wrestle Kingdom 14, the first Wrestle Kingdom to feature a women’s match, shortly after Bushiroad, NJPW’s parent company, purchased Stardom in late 2019. The promotion has continued to feature talent from their sister promotion at various shows ever since. Earlier this month, Bushiroad announced Stardom talent would also be featured on NJPW shows in the US going forward.

As noted, NJPWxStardom will take place on November 20. As of this writing, it is unknown which talent will be competing for the IWGP Women’s Championship or what format will be used to crown the inaugural champion.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Backstage News On Relationship Between Kota Ibushi And NJPW

In a two-month span loaded with major story after major story, it’s easy to forget about the saga between Kota Ibushi and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Ibushi spent much of May publicly criticizing the promotion, where he’s worked as both a freelancer and as a contracted wrestler for the past five years, for a variety of reasons, so much so that his future with NJPW was called into question. Those questions didn’t go anywhere after NJPW publicly apologized to Ibushi and sanctioned an official he had issues with back in early June.

Since then, things have been quiet regarding Ibushi’s status with NJPW and his feelings towards the promotion — until today. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer provided some good news on the Ibushi-NJPW situation, with sources close to both parties stating that the gulf between the two sides has narrowed over the last month. Meltzer also noted that Ibushi is looking to get back into both wrestling training and martial arts training, and is interested in starting a dojo in his hometown of Kagoshima.

There are some obstacles to be overcome before Ibushi can get back into the ring, however. Meltzer reports that Ibushi’s main priority at the moment is caring for his mother, who fans may recall attempted suicide during the height of Ibushi’s issues with New Japan. What happened to his mother was thought to have ended any potential for reconciliation between Ibushi and NJPW for good, especially after Ibushi addressed the situation on social media.

The other hold-up is an injury to Ibushi’s shoulder, which he suffered during the G1 Climax 31 final against Kazuchika Okada. Meltzer noted that Ibushi had tweeted earlier in the week, revealing his injury wasn’t healing and was getting worse. This will likely require Ibushi to get surgery, something he was hoping to avoid in favor of healing his shoulder with rest, setting his timetable back even further. In the same series of tweets, Ibushi also stated his issues with NJPW were not settled.

With Ibushi’s return nowhere in sight, NJPW will nevertheless move forward with the 32nd edition of the G1 Climax. The tournament will kick off tomorrow in Toyohira-ku, Sapporo.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door Results 6/26/2022, Claudio Castagnoli (Cesaro)

THE BUY-IN:

CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto) defeated The Factory (QT Marshall & Aaron Solow)

Lance Archer defeated Nick Comoroto

Swerve In Our Glory (Shane Strickland & Keith Lee) defeated El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Max Caster & The Gunn Club defeated NJPW Dojo’s Kevin Knight & The DKC & Alex Coughlin & Yuya Uemura

FORBIDDEN DOOR:

Trios Match To Determine Advantage In Blood & Guts Match
Chris Jericho, Minoru Suzuki & Sammy Guevara defeated Eddie Kingston, Shota Umino & Wheeler Yuta

WINNER TAKES ALL MATCH FOR IWGP & RING OF HONOR TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) (c) defeated Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero & Trent Berreta) and Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan (c) (**TITLE CHANGE**)

AEW ALL-ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Pac defeated Clark Connors and Malakai Black and Miro (**TITLE CHANGE**)

Darby Allin, Sting & Shingo Takagi defeated AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) & El Phantasmo

-Jericho Appreciation Society tell Shota Umino that he earned their respect. Jericho then threw a fireball in Umino’s face.

AEW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Thunder Rosa (c) defeated Toni Storm

IWGP UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Will Ospreay (c) defeated Orange Cassidy

-After the match, United Empire attacks Cassidy. Beretta and Rocky Romero make the save. Katsuyori Shibata’s music hits. Shibata takes out Aussie Open. Shibata is dressed to fight. Shibata hits a huge Pump Kick on Ospreay. Shibata hits Ospreay with a Shotgun Dropkick. Aussie Open save Ospreay from the Rear Naked Choke.

-Orange Cassidy thanks Shibata by putting his sunglasses on him.

Claudio Castagnoli defeated Zack Sabre Jr.

IWGP WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Jay White (c) defeated Adam Cole and Hangman Page and Kazuchika Okada

INTERIM AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Jon Moxley defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi (**TITLE CHANGE**)

After the match, Jericho Appreciation Society beat up Tanahashi and Moxley. Massive brawl as more and more members of both JAS and Blackpool Combat Club run out to add to the brawl. Claudio comes out and clears the ring. Claudio spins Garcia endlessly and Blackpool Combat Club stand tall to end the show.

AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door 6/26/2022

DATE: June 26, 2022 8:00 pm
LOCATION: United Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
AVAILABLE ON:Pay-Per-View, Bleacher Report, FITE (International), NJPW World (Japan)

CARD

INTERIM AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jon Moxley

IWGP WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Adam Cole vs. Hangman Page vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White (c)

AEW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Toni Storm vs. Thunder Rosa (c)

IWGP UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Orange Cassidy vs. Will Ospreay (c)

AEW ALL-ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Malakai Black vs. Miro vs. Pac vs. Clark Connors 

WINNER TAKES ALL MATCH FOR IWGP & RING OF HONOR TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan (c) vs. FTR (c) vs. Roppongi Vice

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. TBA

Chris Jericho, Minoru Suzuki & Sammy Guevara vs. Eddie Kingston, Shota Umino & Wheeler Yuta

AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks, El Phantasmo & Hikuleo vs. Darby Allin, Sting, Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi

Swerve In Our Glory (Shane Strickland & Keith Lee) vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

THE BUY-IN:
Max Caster & The Gunn Club vs. NJPW Dojo’s Kevin Knight & The DKC & Alex Coughlin & Yuya Uemura

KUSHIDA Returns To NJPW

At the conclusion of Tuesday’s New Japan Road show in Korakuen Hall, a familiar face graced the cerulean blue canvas. Former-IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA made a shocking return to the company after three years away. KUSHIDA challenged current IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori, after Ishimori’s successful defense against Hiromu Takahashi.

Backstage at Korakuen Hall, KUSHIDA announced that he’d not only signed with NJPW but that he plans “to spend the rest of [his] wrestling life” in the promotion, according to NJPW’s English broadcaster and translator Chris Charlton.

KUSHIDA went on to praise the work of Hiromu Takahashi, El Desperado and Taiji Ishimori, saying they carried the standard well, but that he plans on taking the IWGP Jr. Title, saying that if he doesn’t win the belt “I have no place here.”

KUSHIDA left New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 2019, later signing with WWE. KUSHIDA went on to compete on WWE’s developmental brand NXT, where he held the WWE NXT Cruiserweight Championship. WWE even reunited KUSHIDA and Alex Shelley’s Timesplitters tag team in the 2020 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, but much to the chagrin of fans the reunion was short lived. A move away from the in-ring focus of NXT frustrated KUSHIDA, with the wrestler reportedly voicing numerous frustrations with the direction of the promotion’s developmental brand. KUSHIDA was last seen on WWE TV being attacked by Von Wagner. The six-time IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion’s parted way with WWE in April of this year. The return and promise of spending the rest of his career in NJPW is reminiscent of the way Kota Ibushi signed with the company in 2019, after years of being a freelancer.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Wrestling Legend (The Great Muta) Keiji Mutoh Announces His Retirement From The Ring

Keiji Mutoh, best known for his portrayal of The Great Muta in WCW and NJPW, announced his impending in-ring retirement at the “Cyberfest Festival” yesterday.

Muta, currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, appeared at the joint project of DDT, Noah, and Tokyo Joshi Pro, and announced that he will no longer be competing in the ring after this Spring. He intends to have a final 5 matches before he takes off his boots for good.

The longtime veteran returned to pro wrestling this past May after recovering from a hip injury. He has been competing on and off for nearly 40 years now, first debuting in 1984 with New Japan Pro Wrestling. He would go on to be the IWGP Heavyweight Champion with the promotion on four separate occasions throughout his career.

Muta is also recognized as one of the wrestlers that popularized innovative moves that are used often in modern wrestling like the Shining Wizard, the Moonsault, the Muta Lock, and the Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Additionally, he is one of only four wrestlers that was able to capture AJPW’s Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, NJPW’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and Noah’s GHC Heavyweight Championship in his career.

He is also a thirteen-time world tag team champion, including five AJPW World Tag Team Championships, six IWGP Tag Team Championships, one GHC Tag Team Championship, and one WCW World Tag Team Championship. Muta has held an impressive total of 32 Championships over the course of his career, a feat few other wrestlers can proclaim.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Will Ospreay Debuts On AEW Dynamite, Leads United Empire Invasion

Cheeky Englishman Will Ospreay and his United Empire comrades ambushed FTR and Trent Beretta on this week’s AEW Dynamite on TBS.

Will Ospreay made his All Elite Wrestling debut when he and his United Empire cronies (Aaron Henare, Mark Davis, and Kyle Fletcher) ambushed FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) and Trent Beretta on this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite on TBS.

It all went down at the Cable Dahmer Arena in Kansas City, Missouri on Wednesday, June 8. The segment began with Trent Beretta cutting a promo in which he addressed the ROH World Tag Team Title match from the May 25 edition of Dynamite, which ended in a double disqualification when United Empire member Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb interfered, allowing FTR to retain the gold while screwing Roppongi Vice in the process.

FTR came to the ring and informed Trent that he needs to take his grievances up with “Will Ospreay’s bitch boys” in United Empire … and then the man himself arrived on the scene.

Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion appeared on the ramp, which distracted FTR and Trent long enough for Aaron Henare and Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) to ambush the trio from behind. Ospreay got involved in the ensuing brawl which allowed United Empire to maintain the upper hand and leave their enemies reeling. Ospreay hit Rent with a Hidden Blade and the UE celebrated as the segment drew to a close.

Later in the night, it was announced that Ospreay and Aussie Open would take on FTR and Trent in trios action on this week’s Rampage.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1534700811808292864
https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1534701329125367808

Ospreay was sidelined with a neck injury last May and was forced to relinquish the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship he’d won the previous month at Sakura Genesis. Ospreay sustained the injury during a match against Shingo Takagi, who would go on to defeat Kazuchika Okada for the vacant championship at Dominion on June 7.

The Essex boy shocked the wrestling world when he gatecrashed NJPW’s Resurgence event which emanated live from The Torch at LA Coliseum in Los Angeles, California on Saturday, August 14. The 28-year-old revealed that he was medically cleared to compete and proclaimed that he was the rightful IWGP World Heavyweight Champion since he never actually lost the title.

Source: TheSportster

NJPW Announces Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships

NJPW Strong continues to grow as the American branch of New Japan Pro Wrestling. These tag titles are the next part of that growth.

NJPW Strong is the American branch of New Japan Pro Wrestling. The brand takes NJPW-style wrestling on tours across the US. The roster mostly features American pro wrestlers, but big names from Japan occasionally make appearances on Strong, as well.

Since August 2020, NJPW has aired weekly episodes that are more akin to American wrestling TV shows. The show as a whole is part of NJPW’s expansion into the US, as is the creation of their LA Dojo and their working relationships with AEW and IMPACT.

As mentioned previously, NJPW Strong began running weekly episodes in August 2020. Once COVID-19 protocols allowed, the company started taking its show on tour. So far, they’ve visited numerous cities up and down the east and west coasts, along with a few cities in Texas.

At the present, the only championship title in the show is the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship, currently held by Fred Rosser. Occasionally, other NJPW titles are defended on Strong, but those are always painted as special appearances. The NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship will then become the second championship of the Strong brand.

An 8-team tournament will kick off on June 19 at NJPW’s show, Ignition. The finals will take place on July 14 in Charlotte, North Carolina. No teams have been announced yet, and with the belts being openweight, the possibilities are truly limitless.

The ever-present Forbidden Door might even play a role; perhaps we’ll see names from IMPACT or AEW come over and take their shot at tag team gold in New Japan. One thing that’s for sure is that this is a period of growth for NJPW in terms of American expansion, and fans in the US are in for a treat with this tournament.

Source: TheSportster

NJPW Capital Collision Results 5/14/2022

Karl Fredericks defeated Ren Narita

Team Filthy (Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs, JR Kratos, Danny Limelight, and Tom Lawlor) defeated The DKC, Yuya Uemura, David Finlay, Tanga Loa, and Fred Rosser

Chase Owens defeated Great-O-Khan

TMDK (Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste, and Jonah) and Bad Dude Tito defeated United Empire (Aaron Henare, Kyle Fletcher, Mark Davis, and Jeff Cobb)

Brody King defeated Minoru Suzuki

Tomohiro Ishii defeated Eddie Kingston

Lio Rush makes his way to the ring. Lio says he is still not cleared to compete, yet. He came to Washington tonight to send a message to multiple people. He says that message is when he is cleared, the entire landscape of the Junior Heavyweight division will drastically change.

Bullet Club (Jay White and Hikuleo) defeated Chaos (Kazuchika Okada and Rocky Romero)

– Jay White and Hikuleo attack Okada after the match. Jay White picks Okada up and delivers a Bladerunner. Tanga Loa comes out and tells Hikuleo that he doesn’t turn his back on family.

IWGP UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
Juice Robinson defeated Will Ospreay, Hiroshi Tanahashi(c) and Jon Moxley (TITLE CHANGE)

 After the match, Bullet Club come out to congratulate Juice Robinson, as the commentators debate over whether Will Ospreay’s foot was under the rope when he was being pinned. Juice gets on the microphone and says he beat Ospreay, Moxley and Tanahashi at the same time. He says no more flamboyant bullsh*t, he’s rock hard. He says he’s the boost that Bullet Club needed.

NJPW Capital Collision 5/14/2022

DATE: May 14, 2022 7:00 pm
LOCATION: D.C. Entertainment and Sports Arena, Washington, District Of Columbia, USA
AVAILABLE ON: FITE, Pay-Per-View

CARD

IWGP UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
Hiroshi Tanahashi(c) vs. Jon Moxley vs. Juice Robinson vs. Will Ospreay

IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada & Trent Beretta vs. Jay White & Hikuleo

Eddie Kingston vs.  Tomohiro Ishii

Brody King vs. Minoru Suzuki

Great-O-Khan vs. Chase Owens

Karl Fredericks vs. Ren Narita

Jeff Cobb, Aaron Henare & Aussie Open vs. JONAH, Bad Dude Tito, Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste

NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Tom Lawlor, Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs, JR Kratos & Danny Limelight vs. Fred Rosser, Tanga Loa, David Finlay, Yuya Uemura & Rocky Romero