Tag: NJPW

KENTA Appeared At AEW ‘Beach Break’

Former WWE Superstar and current New Japan Pro Wrestling roster member KENTA has appeared on AEW programming for the first time.

KENTA showed up at the end of this week’s special Dynamite episode, which was titled “Beach Break.”

The man formerly known as Hideo Itami invaded the ring with his face covered and attacked Jon Moxley following the main event. He then pulled down his face mask to reveal himself before hitting Mox with a G2S.

The New Japan star — who was wearing a “G2Sleep” Bullet Club t-shirt — also stared down former Bullet Club member Kenny Omega.

Check out KENTA’s AEW debut in the clip below.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1357162388861177857

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Don Callis Says There’s Nothing Left For Him To Do In New Japan

Don Callis has hinted that his association with New Japan Pro Wrestling may be at an end as there’s nothing left for him to do there.

Callis addressed his NJPW business dealings on Sitting Ringside with David Penzer.

“I see my business with New Japan as being done,” he said. “When I went into New Japan in 2017, they were on one level. When I booked Jericho vs. Omega at the Tokyo Dome, their entire business model changed. Their revenue went up exponentially. They’ve been riding the Don Callis effect ever since,” he continued,

Callis then suggested that his time with New Japan is probably at an end.

“There is nothing left for me to do in New Japan,” he claimed. “Anything I could do in New Japan now would pale in comparison to the game-changing nature that I did three years ago,” he said.

Despite hinting at the end of his relationship with NJPW, Callis did recently tease a program between AEW Champion Kenny Omega and IWGP Champ Kota Ibushi.

“In order for Kota Ibushi to truly evolve into the Kota Ibushi he can be, he Kota needs to get on an airplane and he needs to come from Japan and defend that title around the world like Kenny Omega does,” he told TalkSPORT’s Alex McCarthy.

As you may recall, the dastardly Don Callis recently took on the role of Omega’s manager. Callis also instigated a Bullet Club reunion on Dynamite.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

WWE Reportedly Making “A Strong Play” At Jay White

Following his defeat to Kota Ibushi at the main event of day two of Wrestle Kingdom 15 for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Titles, Jay White said in the post-match press conference that he simply was done with pro wrestling and just wanted to go home after the sacrifices he made.

Many believed this to be an angle. However, the Super J-Cast is reporting that their sources of told them that there is doubt whether White would extend his NJPW contract and that WWE are making “a strong play for him.” They also reported that it is currently “50/50” as to whether he stays or leaves NJPW.

“Several sources have indicated there is some doubt whether Jay White will extend his NJPW contract, rumoured to be up at the end of the month,” Super J-Cast wrote. “WWE are believed to be making a strong play for him and it’s 50/50 whether he stays or goes.”

White has some connections in WWE as Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura were part of a group that recruited him to NJPW. White has stated in the past that signing with WWE was not on his radar.

You can view the Super J-Cast’s tweet below:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Bullet Club Reunion In AEW – Will The Name Be Used In AEW?

Impact stars Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson have made their All Elite Wrestling debuts and reunited with some former Bullet Club buddies.

It all went down on this week’s New Year’s Smash edition of Dynamite following the main event in which AEW World Champion Kenny Omega defeated Rey Fenix.

After the bell, Omega’s associate Don Callis got on the mic and declared Fenix’s career over. Omega was about to attack Fenix when Jon Moxley appeared to make the save. But Mox’s upper hand was short-lived.

Impact tag champs The Good Brothers then shocked everyone by making their AEW debuts and rescuing their old Bullet Club colleague. Omega, Gallows, and Anderson beat the hell out of Moxley for some time, until The Young Bucks appeared and pleaded for some decorum.

The show went off the air with all four former Bullet Club members participating in a four-way “Too Sweet” salute.

The question now is will they be able to use the Bullet Club name in AEW. Karl Anderson is a founding member of Bullet Club in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Bullet Club is still a group in NJPW.

The Good Brothers will be returning to NJPW at some point – Speaking to GameSpot’s Wrestle Buddies podcast the Good Brothers confirm that they will be returning to New Japan. In fact, there’s already a deal between the two sides to make it happen. “For sure. There’s a deal in place,” Anderson said. Gallows added, “Yeah, we’re going.”

The Bullet club name wasn’t mentioned during Wednesday Night’s episode of Dynamite. The Good Brother and Omega have mentioned the Bullet Club name on episodes of Impact. So it will be interesting to see if they will use/mention the Bullet Club name in AEW.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night 2 Results 1/5/21

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT AND INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Kota Ibushi (c) defeated Jay White

IWGP JR. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Hiromu Takahashi defeated Taiji Ishimori (c) to win the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship

SANADA defeated EVIL

NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Shingo Takagi (c) defeated Jeff Cobb

IWGP JR. HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) defeated Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato

PROVISIONAL KOPW 2021 TROPHY
Toru Yano defeated Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, and BUSHI

STARDOM MATCH (DARK MATCH)
Saya Kamitani, AZM, and Utami Hayashish*ta defeated Maika, Natsupoi, and Himeka

STARDOM MATCH (DARK MATCH)
Syuri and Giulia defeated Mayu Iwatani and Tam Nakano

NJPW Reportedly Close To English-Language TV Deal

NJPW is reportedly close to a new English-language television deal, according to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer.

Meltzer reports that the deal is close enough that an announcement could come at any time.

From 2014 to 2019, NJPW had a television deal with AXS TV. The deal ended when AXS TV was purchased by Anthem Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of Impact Wrestling.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 Night 1 Results 1/4/21

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT AND INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Kota Ibushi def. Tetsuya Naito (c)

Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay w/Bea Priestley

Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Great-O-Khan

RIGHTS TO IWGP US CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
KENTA (holder) def. Satoshi Kojima

IWGP TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The Guerrillas of Destiny def. Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi (c)

Hiromu Takahashi def El Phantasmo
Winner gets IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship Match on Night 2.

22-Man New Japan Rambo
The final four opponents will face off in a special four-way match for the provisional KOPW 2021 Trophy on Night 2. Winners: Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, BUSHI and Toru Yano

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 15 1/4/21 and 1/5/21

DATE: January 4, 2021 at 2:00 AM ET
LOCATION: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
AVAILABLE ON: NJPW World

CARD

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT AND INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Kota Ibushi

IWGP TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi (c) vs. The Guerrillas of Destiny

RIGHTS TO IWGP US CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
KENTA (holder) vs. Satoshi Kojima

Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Great-O-Khan

Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Phantasmo
Winner gets IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship Match on Night 2.

DARK MATCH
22-Man New Japan Ranbo
Winner challenges for provisional KOPW 2021 Trophy on Night 2.

DATE: January 5, 2021 at 3:00 AM ET
LOCATION: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
AVAILABLE ON: NJPW World

CARD

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT AND INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tetsuya Naito or Kota Ibushi (c) vs. Jay White

IWGP JR. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Taiji Ishimori (c) vs.Hiromu Takahashi

IWGP JR. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato

SANADA vs. EVIL

NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Jeff Cobb

PROVISIONAL KOPW 2021 TROPHY
Chase Owens vs. Bad Luck Fale vs. BUSHI vs. Toru Yano

STARDOM MATCH – DARK MATCH
Saya Kamitani, Azumi, and Utami Hayashis–ta vs. Maika, Natsupoi, and Himeka

STARDOM MATCH – DARK MATCH
Mayu Iwatani and Tam Nakano vs. Syuri and Giulia

NJPW Power Struggle Results 11/7/20

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT AND INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tetsuya Naito (c) defeated EVIL

WRESTLE KINGDOM 15 TITLE MATCH CONTRACT
Jay White defeated Kota Ibushi (holder) to win Wrestle Kingdom 15 contract

IWGP US CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH CONTRACT
KENTA (holder) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi

NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Shingo Takagi defeated Minoru Suzuki (c) to win the NEVER Openweight Championship

KOPW 2020 CHAMPIONSHIP
Toru Yano (c) defeated Zack Sabre Jr.

Kazuchika Okada defeated Great O-Khan

NJPW Power Struggle 11/7/20

DATE: November 7, 2020 at 3:00 AM ET
LOCATION: Edison Arena, Osaka, Japan
AVAILABLE ON: NJPW World

CARD

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT AND INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. EVIL

WRESTLE KINGDOM 15 TITLE MATCH CONTRACT
Kota Ibushi (holder) vs. Jay White

IWGP US CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH CONTRACT
KENTA (holder) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Minoru Suzuki (c) vs. Shingo Takagi

KOPW 2020 CHAMPIONSHIP
Toru Yano (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Great O-Khan