New Japan News Part 2

Then following the “NEW BEGINNING in SAPPORO”, New Japan will be hosting the second show in Osaka on February 11.

The main event of this show will feature Tetsuya Naito defending the IWGP IC belt against the former champion Michael Elgin. A match that was originally scheduled to take place last year on November 5 in Osaka, but did not due to Elgin suffering an injury by the hand’s of Naito a month before. Elgin was taken out of the match as Naito remained champion through WRESTLE KINGDOM. Naito is coming off a career high win after besting Hiroshi Tanahashi at the big show, but Elgin has declared both to reclaim the belt and get a win back from his ally in Tanahashi. Elgin earned the challenge after beating Naito on January 5 with a Burning Hammer of all moves. Will Naito continue to carry his reign as one of the more popular wrestlers in the promotion today or will Elgin once more managed to deliver a killer blow to the champion?

The IWGP Junior Heavyweight belt will then be contested between the new champion Hiromu Takahashi and his rival, stemming from his time in CMLL, Dragon Lee. These two have carried a grudge against one another for well over a year now and the two showed that in the New Japan ring during last year’s “FANTASTICA MANIA” shows. Lee took no time in solidifying his right to a challenge by taking out Hiromu with a surprise attack at the “NEW YEAR DASH” show following WRESTLE KINGDOM, and looks to once more solidify himself over the now IWGP Junior Champion? Can Hiromu potentially put an end to this grudge, for the time being, or will only continue to be sparks in what appears to be an everlasting fire between the two?

The show will feature the IWGP Tag belts once more in contention with the same three teams once more facing off to potentially settle among which team are indeed the rightful champions. Not much can be said about this match until the conclusion of the previous match, but 3WAY matches have proven to be in favor of the challenging teams.

Katsuyori Shibata will be taking on Will Ospreay in a special singles match on the show. Though New Japan hinted that a title could take place, but Shibata will be on tour in England from January 19 through the 22. If Shibata can manage to come out the champion from those shows then a title match will be set for the big show in Osaka.

As for the last of the title matches, the NEVER 6 Man Tag belts will be in defense as the new champion team of Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi, and Ryusuke Taguchi will be taking on the former champions in SANADA, EVIL, and BUSHI. EVIL has declared that Tanahashi will be devoured in the upcoming rematch as the “L.I.J.” trio will reclaim what is rightfully theirs after initially capturing the belts at WRESTLE KINGDOM.

Them the rest of the show will feature the fallout stemming from the Sapporo show if any belts change hand between during the Suzuki-gun invasion.

NJPW Event Cards for January & February 2017


NJPW “Sengoku Enbu -KIZNA- Presents THE NEW BEGINNING in OSAKA”, 2/11/2017 [Sat] 17:00 @ EDION Arena Osaka

(1) Yoshitatsu & Hirai Kawato vs. David Finlay & Henare
(2) Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & KUSHIDA vs. Takashi Iizuka, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado
(3) Yuji Nagata, Juice Robinson, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask IV vs. Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Jado & Gedo
(4) Kazuchika Okada, Rocky Romero & Barreta vs. Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & TAKA Michinoku

(5) NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Championship Match: [10th Champions] Hiroshi Tanahashi, Manabu Nakanishi & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. [Challengers] SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI
~ 1st title defense.

(6) Special Single Match: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Will Ospreay (potential British Heavy Defense)

(7) IWGP Tag Championship 3WAY Match: (depending on 2/5 outcome) Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr.

(8) IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: [76th Champion] Hiromu Takahashi vs. [Challenger] Dragon Lee
~ 1st title defense.
(9) IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match: [15th Champion] Tetsuya Naito vs. [Challenger] Michael Elgin
~ 3rd title defense.