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New Japan finally books FTR’s first IWGP Tag title defense

They won the belts at June’s AEW X NJPW: Forbidden Door show.

Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler of FTR are super over as babyfaces, and carry around the AAA, IWGP & ROH Tag Team titles. But (through no fault of their own) it’s hard to call them fighting champions.

They defend the Ring of Honor belts fairly regularly, since Tony Khan can book that scene without any inter-promotion negotiations. But they’ve only defended the AAA straps four times since winning them almost a year ago, and they’ve yet to defend the New Japan championship they claimed at July’s Forbidden Door show.

That will change on Oct. 1, the first night of NJPW’s Royal Quest II in London. The two night event will be New Japan’s first in the United Kingdom since 2019.

FTR will face reigning NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team champions Aussie Open. Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher issued a challenge to Dax & Cash back at New Japan’s SummerSlam weekend show in Nashville, and the Top Guys just recently responded.

In addition to their work in New Japan’s U.S.-based Strong brand, Davis & Fletcher should be familiar to American audiences thanks to there appearances on AEW programming. Aussie Open is part of Will Ospreay’s United Empire faction, and have made several appearances on Dynamite will Opsreay — including two matches in the recent Trios Tournament.

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