Yota Tsuji Defends IWGP Heavyweight Championship Against Ryohei Oiwa at Ryogoku Kokugikan
In a grueling 35-minute encounter at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji successfully defended his title against G1 Climax winner Ryohei Oiwa at New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s King of Pro-Wrestling event. While Tsuji secured the victory with his signature Fire Blaster, the aftermath was dominated by a surprise physical assault from All Elite Wrestling star Kenny Omega.
The 35-Minute Title Defense and Strategic Striking
The main event spanned 35 minutes and 10 seconds. Tsuji targeted Oiwa’s abdomen with a diving foot stomp to seize early momentum, while Oiwa utilized his signature headlock strategy. Despite sustaining damage from a Zack Driver and a lariat, Tsuji ultimately landed the decisive Fire Blaster to secure the three-count for his second successful title defense. The event drew 6,422 attendees to Ryogoku Kokugikan, marking an increase of roughly 1,000 spectators compared to the previous year’s October card.
| Match Component | Champion: Yota Tsuji | Challenger: Ryohei Oiwa |
|---|---|---|
| Age & Experience | 33 years old | 27 years old (G1 Climax 36 Winner) |
| Key Offense | Fire Blaster, Gene Blaster | Headlock, Zack Driver, Lariat |
| Match Duration | ||
| Outcome | Retained IWGP Heavyweight Championship (V2) | Defeated via pinfall |
Kenny Omega’s Surprise Intervention and Three-Way Match Proposal
Following the conclusion of the bout, a prerecorded video message from AEW’s Kenny Omega interrupted the celebration. Omega challenged Tsuji’s status as a global champion, prompting Tsuji to reject the remote challenge by insisting Omega travel to Japan. Omega subsequently made a physical appearance in the ring, eliminating Boltin Oleg—who had also confronted the champion—with a dragon suplex. Omega then delivered a V-Trigger and the One-Winged Angel to knock out Tsuji. Backstage, Omega explained that the challenge stemmed from a recent world title loss at Wembley Stadium and proposed a three-way match for the November 3 Hiroshima event involving Tsuji and Oleg, where a victory for Omega would earn him an IWGP title shot. Tsuji departed the area with assistance, stating, “The IWGP is not your toy.”
Event Context and Preceding Championship Bouts
The card featured multiple title matches. The NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship saw challengers Yuto-Ice, Oskar, and Jeff Cobb defeat the champion team of Great-O-Khan, Henare, and Will Ospreay. In the NEVER Openweight Championship bout, champion Wolf Arog successfully defended his belt against Fujita in 15 minutes and 05 seconds. Meanwhile, Gabe Kidd retained the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship against Shota Umino in 22 minutes and 25 seconds via Death Dog Driver.
References
- Tokyo Sports Web (tokyo-sports.co.jp): 【新日本】大岩陵平退けたＩＷＧＰ王者・辻陽太の前にケニー・オメガが電撃登場 １１・３広島でボルチン加えた３ＷＡＹ戦浮上
- Yahoo! News / Nikkan Sports: 【新日本】辻陽太IWGPヘビーV2も乱入ケニー・オメガにKOの屈辱、ケニーは3WAY戦要求
- TV Asahi POST: テレ朝POST » 新日本プロレス秋のビッグマッチ！地上波特番に3人の豪華ゲストが決定
- dメニューニュース / Sports Hochi: 新日本プロレス、１０・１２両国国技館「観客動員数」は６４２２人…昨年１０月大会から約１０００人増
