New Japan Showdown Adds Big Names to Event in Philadelphia

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced the talent involved for their New Japan Showdown event. The talent includes big names like former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay and the Never Openweight Champion Jay White.

“October 16 & 17 will see NJPW STRONG taped in Philadelphia, as Showdown 2021 emanates from the legendary 2300 Arena across two nights. An already hot ticket is set to get hotter, as big names have been added to this landmark event,” said NJPW.

Tickets for the event have gone on sale.

While New Japan Showdown will be an NJPW event, they have also acquired an All Elite Wrestling talent to appear. The former NJPW United States Heavyweight Champion Lance Archer participate in the event. NJPW also added Archer to NJPW’s Autumn Attack in September.

Archer lost his championship to Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW Resurgence on August 14th. It is unclear if Archer will get a rematch for the title. Although plans can change, NJPW hasn’t advertised Tanahashi for the event.

While Ospreay vacated the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in May, he now claims he is still the champion. He is also in the New Japan Showdown poster with the championship. However, NJPW hasn’t officially acknowledged Ospreay as their champion.

It’s unclear at this time if NJPW will make Ospreay the IWGP Heavyweight Champion for their NJPW strong brand. Ospreay, in his return to NJPW, said that NJPW Strong would be his new home. He also has issued an open challenge for contenders to face him for “his” IWGP Heavyweight Championship under the NJPW strong brand. While the matches are unknown for New Japan Showdown, Ospreay will likely want to defend “his” title.