First broadcast stop on Dontaku series
The road to Wrestling Dontaku gets underway on April 20, and after some non televised stops, the leadup to Golden Week hits Osaka and NJPW World on Sunday April 23.
Watch Road to Wrestling Dontaku LIVE on NJPW World! (English to follow on demand)
Main event: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI) vs Just Five Guys (SANADA, Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI)
A brace of preview matches hits the main event in Osaka, as LIJ face Just Five Guys, headed up by new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA. May 3 and Dontaku will see SANADA put his freshly won title on the line against Hiromu Takahashi, but before that, the Time Bomb’s own gold will be at stake opposite Yoshinobu Kanemaru in Hiroshima April 27.
Also in Hiroshima, after some spicy trash talk from both men, DOUKI has a singles match with Tetsuya Naito that could prove transformative to Japones Del Mal’s career. Two days later meanwhile, Satsuma no Kuni will see Shingo Takagi and Taichi collide over the KOPW 2023 belt; will we get a hint of prospective rules tonight?
6th Match: Toru Yano, Togi Makabe, Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada vs Tiger Mask, Shota Umino, Ren Narita, El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki
Ten man tag team action will act as a preview for the champions and challengers in May 3’s NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag team Championship match between Strong Style and Kazuchika Okada’s team. Especially after weekend events in America, speculation is strong that Okada will go with Dream Team partner Hiroshi Tanahashi and CHAOS mate Tomohiro Ishii, but questoins are circulating around Tanahashi’s status, and Ishii has flatly stated that he doesn’t plan on teaming with the Ace. In the meantime, this is sure to be a spirited affair in front of the sell out EDION crowd.
5th Match: Jado, Master Wato, Hikuleo & Tama Tonga vs BULLET CLUB (David Finlay, KENTA, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo)
At Sakura Genesis on April 8, David Finlay was able to unite BULLET CLUB in the expulsion of El Phantasmo, and carried tat leadership into Washington DC, where he enlisted Clark Connors as a handpicked replacement for ELP. Now, Finlay heads into Dontaku May 3 and the tenth anniversary of the Club, where he will challenge NEVER Openweight Champion Tama Tonga. Meanwhile Hikuleo will be chasing KENTA’s STRONG Openweight Championship in Fukuoka, meaning this is sure to be a heated eight man battle.
4th Match: TMDK (Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Zack Sabre Jr.) vs United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)
After successful defences for Zack Sabre Jr. and Aussie Open in the US, title matches against Jeff Cobb, and Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls respectively now look clear to proceed in Kagoshima and in Fukuoka. With a double preview in store tonight, who can set the pace heading into big matches in the coming fortnight?
3rd Match: Kevin Knight, KUSHIDA & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs United Empire (Francesco Akira, TJP & Aaron Henare)
Four days before Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA challenge Catch 2/2 for the IWGP Junior Tag Team Championships in Hiroshima, a six man preview comes to Osaka. The EDION Arena 2 holds a rough history for the current tag champs, who got shown up by Titan and BUSHI last October. That said, the champions were able to rally from that situation, retaining their titles a day later in the main arena. It’s always when the chips are down that the matches matter most, but will Catch 2/2 be able to set a strong pace heading into Hiroshima?
2nd Match: Yuto Nakashima, YOH, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi & SHO)
As Hirooki Goto returns from a weekend of battles in Australia, he reunites with YOSHI-HASHI and YOH as well as Yuto Nakashima. A much less happy reunion for the CHAOS and Hontai team will be with HOUSE OF TORTURE; how deep will fans be in the traditional H.O.T drinking game?
1st Match: Ryohei Oiwa vs Boltin Oleg
In the opening bout, NJPW World viewers get a second look at Boltin Oleg, as he has singles action in front of him against Ryohei Oiwa. In Fukuoka on May 3, one Young Lion will have to run the gauntlet of the other three for championship and barbecue prizes in a hat trick challenge, with rich and delicious prizes awaiting, all Young Lions will be looking to impress through the tour.
Originally posted at Read More