El Desperado punched his ticket to another IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship opportunity in emphatic fashion at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20, standing tall in a chaotic four way battle that kept the Tokyo Dome crowd on edge from start to finish.

In the fourth official match of the night on January 4 2026, Desperado went head to head with Taiji Ishimori, Kosei Fujita, and Sho with the next title shot on the line. The pace was frantic from the opening bell, with all four men trading momentum and stacking up near falls in a compact but explosive contest.

El Desperado ultimately seized control in the closing moments, planting Ishimori with a Tiger Driver before finishing the job with Pinche Loco to score the decisive pinfall. In just seven minutes, Desperado outlasted three of the division’s most dangerous competitors and made his intentions crystal clear.

The match was not without controversy. Midway through the action, DOUKI and Yoshinobu Kanemaru attempted to tip the scales in Sho’s favor, clearly trying to protect DOUKI’s IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship from a credible challenger. Their interference was cut short when Robbie Eagles, Robbie X, and Kuukai rushed in to neutralize the threat and restore order, allowing the match to reach a clean conclusion.

With the win, Desperado now sets his sights squarely on DOUKI, setting up what will be their eighth singles clash. The rivals have been closely linked since 2020, colliding repeatedly in high stakes encounters, including three championship matches since 2024. DOUKI’s current reign began in October 2025 at Korakuen Hall, where he turned back Desperado to claim the title.

A date for the championship showdown has yet to be announced, but after Wrestle Kingdom, El Desperado’s path back to the gold is undeniable and the junior heavyweight division just got a lot more volatile.

【1.4東京ドーム・第4試合】

IWGPジュニアヘビー級王座 次期挑戦者決定4WAYマッチ
デスペラードvs藤田vs石森vsSHO

注目の4WAY戦はH.O.Tの乱入で大荒れに……！

乱戦を制したデスペラードが王者・DOUKIに宣戦布告!!

★新日本プロレス・スマホサイトで詳報中！https://t.co/8GK1qb9OCF#njwk20 pic.twitter.com/aPIJgNvP8i

, 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) January 4, 2026

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