Kota Ibushi and Shingo Takagi’s first pre-title match meeting
Kizuna Road continues on June 15 for the second in a Korakuen triple header. With Kota Ibushi and Shingo Takagi’s future IWGP World Heavyweight title clash up in the air, the two meet in ring for the first time since the Dragon’s title win tonight, as Uemura and Tsuji continue their singles gauntlets.
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Main event: Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato vs Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI)
In our main event on night two of Kizuna Road, Shingo Takagi and Kota Ibushi will both lead teams of four into eight man action. When Takagi captured the IWGP World heavyweight Championship in Osaka Jo Hall on June 7, he wasted no time in nominating Kota Ibushi as his first challenger. A main event in any building, the Dragon left it up to NJPW to decide on a date and venue for what will be a sure fire classic title bout, but did request that he get in ring time with Ibushi to ‘figure out what he’s thinking’. Tonight, a first step for Shingo to try and crack the enigmatic Ibushi, then, while meeting a fierce rival from earlier in the year in Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Tanahashi is somewhat at odds in the present moment in NJPW, as he tries to get back into the competitive mix for the summer. Will this eight man be where the Ace makes an impact that puts him back toward the top of the cards? With junior heavyweights Master Wato and BUSHI adding some of their own spectacular flavour, this is a thrilling way to close out the card.
4th Match: CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Kazuchika Okada) vs BULLET CLUB (EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo & Gedo)
One week before CHAOS and BULLET CLUB meet with the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag team Championships on the line in Korakuen, this eight man tag will provide a preview. A chance for CHAOS to scout some of BULLET CLUB’s sneakier tactics? Or a chance for the challengers to deal some heavy damage before the title encounter?
3rd Match: CHAOS (YOH, SHO & Toru Yano) vs BULLET CLUB (Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado)
Continuing CHAOS and BULLET CLUB’s factional disputes, Roppongi 3K and Toru Yano join forces to take on IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship number one contenders Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo, along with Jado. Days before they meet with the tag titles at stake, which team gets the upper hand tonight?
2nd Match: Yota Tsuji vs Taichi
June 15 sees the Noge Dojo face off with the IWGP Tag Team Champions and mean singles competitors in their own right, in Dangerous Tekkers. Yota Tsuji has long campaigned for a match with Tetsuya Naito, one name absent from this singles gauntlet. Yet Tsuji will have an opportunity against a rival of Naito’s, and a future opponent to boot, in Taichi. Should Tsuji make a significant dent in the Holy Emperor’s game here, will Naito have any choice but to accept the Tsuji challenge?
1st Match: Yuya Uemura vs Zack Sabre Jr.
Yuya Uemura continues his singles gauntlet to start the night against Zack Sabre Jr. Uemura has shown impressive technical acumen as he’s continued to develop, and matches with Gabriel Kidd have certainly helped in that respect, but in Kidd’s countryman ZSJ, he faces the ultimate master of his craft.
