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With Sakura Genesis firmly in our rear view mirror, we’re moving on to New Japan Pro Wrestling’s spring spectacular, Wrestling Dontaku. Once again two nights, naturally both of them will air live and in full on NJPW World, so why not watch along with the best pro wrestling community on the internet?
Today’s action takes place in Fukuoka’s Fukuoka Convention Center, kicking off at a brisk 2AM Eastern / 11AM Pacific, and is headlined by a pair of big matches, as Will Ospreay defends the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Shingo Takagi, and El Desperado defendds the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Roppongi 3K’s YOH.
Some last-minute card changes here due to COVID protocols— the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match and the tag between Chaos and Suzuki-gun were both taken entirely off the card, and the ten-man between Bullet Club and New Japan loyalists was split into two matches to compensate.
Suzuki-gun (DOUKI, Taichi, & Zack Sabre, Jr.) over Bullet Club (Jado, Tama Tonga, & Tanga Loa) by submission with Hurrah! Another Year, Surely This One Will Be Better Than the Last; The Inexorable March of Progress Will Lead Us All to Happiness from Sabre on Jado.
Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori & Yujiro Takahashi) over Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato by pinfall with Bloody Cross from Ishimori on Wato.
UNITED EMPIRE (Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan, & Jeff Cobb) over Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito) by pinfall with Tour of the Islands from Cobb on BUSHI.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Toru Yano over Bullet Club (Dick Togo, EVIL, & “Switchblade” Jay White) by pinfall with a low blow and a schoolboy pin from Yano on Togo.
Will Ospreay (c) over Shingo Takagi by pinfall with Storm Breaker to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Post-match, Ospreay thanked Shingo for being a stepping stone and called Okada out ahead of their Wrestle Grand Slam match.
Enjoy the show!