NJPW Anniversary Show Matches, Takashi Iizuka Retirement Show, + MSG Main Event Set

[cero2k]

Source: [url=Ihttps://www.f4wonline.com/japan/two-title-match ... ent-276801] f4wonline.com [/url]

-- After they were set up at the New Beginning in Osaka on Monday morning, New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced two title matches for this year's anniversary show.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori will defend his title against Jushin Thunder Liger at the anniversary event, and SHO & YOH will challenge for Shingo Takagi & BUSHI's IWGP Junior Heavyweight titles.

Ishimori called out Liger (who was on commentary) after retaining his title against Ryusuke Taguchi at the New Beginning in Osaka. Liger said he'd accept Ishimori's challenge at any place or time.

SHO & YOH attacked Takagi & BUSHI and grabbed their title belts after Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Takagi & BUSHI) defeated Suzuki-gun (Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado) in a six-man tag match. Takagi & BUSHI took the belts back after both teams got on the microphone and set up their title match.

This year marks NJPW's 47th anniversary. The anniversary show is taking place at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo on Wednesday, March 6 and will air live on New Japan World.

-- The winner of this year's New Japan Cup will receive an IWGP Heavyweight Championship shot at Madison Square Garden.

NJPW has announced that new IWGP Heavyweight Champion Jay White will defend his title against the New Japan Cup winner at G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, April 6. ROH and NJPW are partnering together for the show.

Previously, the stipulation for the New Japan Cup has been that the winner would receive a title shot of their choosing.

White defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to win the IWGP Heavyweight title at the New Beginning in Osaka on Monday morning. Tanahashi lost the championship in his first defense since winning it from Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 13 last month.

New Japan Cup 2019 will begin on Friday, March 8 and conclude on Sunday, March 24. NJPW has yet to announce the full list of participants for the tournament, but Kota Ibushi appeared at the New Beginning in Osaka, announced that he's staying with NJPW, and declared that he'll be in the New Japan Cup.

-- Takashi Iizuka’s retirement match has been set.

Iizuka will team with Suzuki-gun stablemates Minoru Suzuki and Taichi on 2/21 at Korakuen Hall. They will square off against the team of Kazuchika Okada, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Toru Yano in the main event of the first New Japan Road card taking place this month.

This comes as a storyline has been building between Iizuka and former tag team partner Hiroyoshi Tenzan, who wanted to team up with him before he retires. It was in April 2008 that Iizuka turned on Tenzan, joining GBH and radically changing his look, adopting a madman persona.

Despite this, Tenzan still wants to mend fences with Iizuka before he retires. Iizuka has rebuffed Tenzan’s requests, opting to attack him instead. Even after Tenzan showed him a shirt from their tag team days that said "friends", Iizuka jumped Tenzan and ripped the shirt, making it clear that he has no intentions of teaming with him.

Iizuka first entered NJPW in 1986, his first match against Akira Nogami. He’s remained in New Japan ever since, winning the tag team titles on three occasions.

[Big Red Machine]

Source: [url=Ihttps://www.f4wonline.com/japan/two-title-match ... ent-276801] f4wonline.com [/url]


Iizuka will team with Suzuki-gun stablemates Minoru Suzuki and Taichi on 2/21 at Korakuen Hall. They will square off against the team of Kazuchika Okada, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Toru Yano in the main event of the first New Japan Road card taking place this month.

This comes as a storyline has been building between Iizuka and former tag team partner Hiroyoshi Tenzan, who wanted to team up with him before he retires. It was in April 2008 that Iizuka turned on Tenzan, joining GBH and radically changing his look, adopting a madman persona.

Despite this, Tenzan still wants to mend fences with Iizuka before he retires. Iizuka has rebuffed Tenzan’s requests, opting to attack him instead. Even after Tenzan showed him a shirt from their tag team days that said "friends", Iizuka jumped Tenzan and ripped the shirt, making it clear that he has no intentions of teaming with him.

This does not build from Monday's match anywhere near as well as Suzuki & Iizuka vs. Ten-Koji would have.