Top Impact Wrestling stars will compete in a major NJPW title match next month.
NJPW has announced that Impact World Champion Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, and Josh Alexander will work the NJPW Destruction In Ryogoku event on Monday, October 9 at Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan. NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii will face them.
Tanahashi requested that Impact send three of their best stars to compete for the gold. He was out for vengeance after losing to Shelley at Impact x NJPW Multiverse United II on August 20. The challenge was issued on September 9th, following the champions’ victory over Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Mask, and Togi Makabe at the NJPW Road To Destruction Day 2 event in Tokyo, and it is now official. Okada, Tanahashi, and Ishii defended their titles for the second time on September 9 after taking them from Strong Style at NJPW Wrestling Dontaku on May 3. Their first title defense came on June 4 at NJPW Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-Jo Hall, where they defeated ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli, new AEW International Champion Jon Moxley, and Shota Umino to retain their title.
NJPW Devastation Alexander’s first trip to Japan will be to Ryogoku.
The following is the most recent card for NJPW Destruction In Ryogoku:
* IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA defends against EVIL
* NEVER Openweight Champion David Finlay defends against Tama Tonga
* IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defends in a Triple Threat against Mike Bailey and Impact X-Division Champion Lio Rush
* NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions Bullet Club War Dogs (Alex Coughlin, Gabe Kidd) defend against Hikuleo and El Phantasmo
* IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney) defend against The Jetsetters (Kushida, Kevin Knight)
* NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii defend against Impact World Champion Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin and Josh Alexander
* Tanga Loa vs. Chase Owens