New Japan Pro-Wrestling is set to return to Korakuen Hall this Sunday for its New Japan Soul event, and the full match lineup has now been confirmed.
The show will be headlined by a high-stakes IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match, as El Desperado puts his title on the line against Kosei Fujita, who earned his shot by winning this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament. In another featured title bout, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions SHO and DOUKI of House of Torture will defend their belts against the team of Master Wato and YOH.
In light of Hirooki Goto’s recent withdrawal from the G1 Climax due to injury, NJPW has announced a special Last Chance Play-In Gauntlet Match to determine his replacement. Taichi, Chase Owens, Satoshi Kojima, and Tomohiro Ishii will battle it out with the winner earning a spot in the prestigious tournament.
The card will also feature a special singles match between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tiger Mask, taking place just two days after Tanahashi’s unsuccessful IWGP Global Championship challenge against Gabe Kidd. The bout serves as a tribute to Tiger Mask’s 30-year wrestling career, which began in July 1995.
Elsewhere, fans will see a six-man tag team clash as Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi, and Hiromu Takahashi reunite to take on TMDK’s Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, and Hartley Jackson. A ten-man tag match has also been scheduled, pitting Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomoaki Honma, and Boltin Oleg against the House of Torture faction.
The undercard will include a tag bout with Masatora Yasuda and Shoma Kato facing Katsuya Murashima and Daiki Nagai, and Zane Jay taking on Tatsuya Matsumoto in singles competition.
Full New Japan Soul Lineup for Sunday, July 6:
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. Kosei Fujita
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: SHO & DOUKI (c) vs. Master Wato & YOH
G1 Climax Last Chance Play-In Gauntlet Match: Chase Owens vs. Satoshi Kojima vs. Taichi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tiger Mask
Hiromu Takahashi, Yota Tsuji & Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson
Shota Umino, Tomoaki Honma, Yuya Uemura, Ryusuke Taguchi & Boltin Oleg vs. EVIL, SANADA, Ren Narita, Yujiro Takahashi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Masatora Yasuda & Shoma Kato vs. Katsuya Murashima & Daiki Nagai
Zane Jay vs. Tatsuya Matsumoto
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