Hirooki Goto’s recent IWGP World Heavyweight Championship loss came with more bad news, as he has now been ruled out of action due to injury. The NJPW veteran will not be appearing at the company’s July 4 event at Tokyo’s Budokan due to an elbow injury sustained during his title defense.

NJPW issued the following statement on Goto’s condition:
“Hirooki Goto, who competed with Zack Sabre Jr. over the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in Nagoya June 29, sustained an injury to his right elbow during the match, and as a result will be absent from competition on July 4 in the Tokyo Budokan. We apologise to fans looking forward to seeing Goto wrestle, and appreciate your understanding.”

The injury follows Goto’s shock defeat on Sunday during the Tanahashi Jam broadcast, which aired exclusively in Japan. In the closing moments of the bout, both men struggled to gain the upper hand until Sabre turned the tide with a powerful right-handed lariat. He followed up with a Sabre Driver and a punishing submission called the "You’ve Been Tangoed Edition," which Goto miraculously survived. However, a final armbar sealed his fate as the referee called for the bell, handing the title back to Zack Sabre Jr.

Goto’s second reign with the championship lasted 138 days. He originally defeated Sabre for the belt on February 11 and successfully retained it during a rematch at NJPW Resurgence in May, which ended in a double pinfall. That outcome left the door open for one more clash, but this time Sabre left no doubt.