NJPW announces next two IWGP World Championship matches
The next two IWGP World Heavyweight Championship matches, as well as the next NEVER Openweight title match, have been confirmed
After Zack Sabre Jr. successfully defended the IWGP World title against Nigel McGuinness at Forbidden Door, NJPW announced that he will next face House of Torture’s Ren Narita, who defeated ZSJ in G1 Climax round-robin action. That match will take place at Destruction in Kobe on September 28.
NJPW has also announced that NEVER Openweight Champion Boltin Oleg will defend his title against House of Torture’s Don Fale at Destruction in Kobe. Oleg defeated Fale in the first round of the New Japan Cup back in March.
The winner of ZSJ vs. Narita will then defend against G1 Climax 35 winner Konosuke Takeshita. For the second straight year, the G1 winner will cash in before Wrestle Kingdom, as NJPW has announced Takeshita will challenge for the title at King of Pro Wrestling on October 13.
NJPW’s upcoming schedule is below:
Yuji Nagata Produce Blue Justice XVI – Chiba・Togane Arena – September 7, 2025
- Yuji Nagata vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Shinnichi-Champion Event at Korakuen Hall – September 12, 2025
From NJPW1972.com about this event: “Produced by the staff of the popular Shinnichi Champion variety show which airs on NJPW World and TV Asahi, Pion! Has already sold out Korakuen Hall and is set to be a unique event with factions mixed and unique in ring pairings. Show host Tsumugi Mitani announced the main event of the card, which has the theme of ‘Generation Crash’.”
- Generation Crash Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Taichi, Tomohoro Ishii and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Kosei Fujita, Ryohei Oiwa, Yuya Uemura, and Shota Umino
Road to Destruction – Korakuen Hall – September 13, 2025
- NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions Master Wato, YOH, and Toru Yano defend against Ryusuke Taguchi, El Desperado, and Hiroshi Tanahashi
NJPW Battle Line Hokkaido – September 15
The rules for this match listed on NJPW1972.com are: “The first fall will be contested under six-man tag rules, the second fall as a standard tag match, and the final fall as a one-on-one singles bout, with the wrestlers themselves deciding who will represent their teams.”
- No Time Limit, Trio/Tag/Singles 2/3 Falls: Ryusuke Taguchi, El Desperado, and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe, and Toru Yano
Road to Destruction Hokkaido – September 24, 2025
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Master Wato
- IWGP Junior Tag Team Champions DOUKI & SHO defend against Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado defends against YOH
Destruction in Kobe – September 28, 2025
- IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Ren Narita
- NEVER Openweight Champion Boltin Oleg defends against Don Fale
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Great-O-Khan
- IWGP Tag Team Champion Taichi & Tomohiro Ishii defend against The Knockout Brothers (OSKAR & Yuto-Ice)
- Taiji Ishimori vs. Hiromu Takahashi
- Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay
- IWGP Global Champion Gabe Kidd defends against Shingo Takagi
King of Pro Wrestling – October 13, 2025
- Winner of ZSJ vs. Narita defends IWGP World Title against G1 Climax Winner Konosuke Takeshita
