NJPW Wrestling Dontaku night one preview & predictions: Andrade El Idolo steps in
The first night of Wrestling Dontaku takes place on Sunday, May 3, and could see some new champions crowned and/or storylines develop.
Below are previews and predictions for the big matches booked for the show, which takes place at the Fukuoka International Center in Fukuoka, Japan.
IWGP Global Champion Yota Tsuji defends against Andrade El Idolo
NJPW will have to shift from whatever it had originally planned, as Gabe Kidd was supposed to challenge Tsuji for the title. The bout also seemed likely to move forward the storyline of Kidd representing AEW against New Japan Pro Wrestling after previously serving as a defender of NJPW, particularly against Kenny Omega at Wrestle Dynasty in 2025.
With Kidd injured, Andrade was announced as the replacement. It is a rematch from the most recent IWGP Global Heavyweight title defense, which took place at NJPW The New Beginning USA in Trenton, New Jersey on February 27. Tsuji successfully retained over Andrade there.
I think the situation here calls for a title change, even though Tsuji just dropped the IWGP World Heavyweight title to Callum Newman.
Tsuji has said that he feels the role of the Global title is for him to defend it either overseas or against wrestlers from outside New Japan. It seemed like that story was leading to Kidd winning the title and Tsuji having to win it back to protect the honor of New Japan, but with Kidd’s injury, I don’t know where things go from here.
I think Andrade probably picks up the role Kidd was going to play, although he’ll do it in a different way, with more taking off his pants than Kidd would have done.
Prediction: Andrade El Idolo wins the title.
NEVER Openweight Champion Ren Narita defends against Boltin Oleg
Buckle up, everyone. Two of the three singles matches planned for Wrestling Dontaku involve House of Torture. If you love interference in your wrestling, this is going to be the show for you.
Boltin Oleg is a guy NJPW seems invested in, just not quite as invested as they are in some other guys.
He had a good showing in the New Japan Cup, but lost to Yuya Uemura in the semifinals. He defeated Narita in the quarterfinals, leading to this title match in Fukuoka. Oleg also beat Narita during the 2024 G1 in their only other singles match.
If Oleg wins, it would be his second reign with the NEVER Openweight title. He previously held it from Dominion last June to King of Pro-Wrestling in October, winning it from Konosuke Takeshita and losing it to EVIL.
I just don’t see any real benefit to having Narita keep the title here. It feels like the right time for Oleg to win it back.
Prediction: Boltin Oleg wins the title
Aaron Wolf vs. Don Fale
The rematch we’ve all been waiting for.
At some point, Wolf is going to have to wrestle. Like, actually wrestle full matches. Evidently, NJPW does not feel as though we’ve reached that point yet.
This will be a House of Torture interference fest, similar to their singles bout in the first round of the New Japan Cup on March 4. Fale won that match, but I’m expecting a different result here.
Wolf’s record is one win and two losses in singles matches at this point, with his only win having come against EVIL for the NEVER Openweight title in the Tokyo Dome at Wrestle Kingdom. He lost the title to Narita at The New Beginning the following month, then lost to Fale in the New Japan Cup.
If NJPW wants to take advantage of Wolf’s popularity, he should probably win a few matches. And he should definitely avenge previous losses to show he’s getting better, or he’s learned to watch out for Dick Togo’s antics or something. I’m expecting that’s what will happen here.
Prediction: Aaron Wolf wins
We will have live coverage on the front page for both nights of NJPW Wrestling Dontaku. The full lineups are below:
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2026 Night One (Sunday, May 3):
- IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji defends against Andrade El Idolo
- NEVER Openweight Champion Ren Narita defends against Boltin Oleg
- Aaron Wolf vs. Don Fale
- Shingo Takagi, Drilla Moloney, Taiji Ishimori, Robbie X & Daiki Nagai vs. Callum Newman, Jake Lee, Francesco Akira, Jakob Austin Young & Zane Jay
- Konosuke Takeshita & Shota Umino vs. Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi
- Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Tatsuya Matsumoto vs. Will Ospreay, HENARE & Great-O-Khan
- Yuya Uemura, Taichi, El Desperado & Mistico vs. Ryohei Oiwa, Hartley Jackson, Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita
- Tomoaki Honma & Masatora Yasuda vs. OSKAR & Yuto-Ice
- Toru Yano, YOH & Master Wato vs. Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Taisei Nakahara
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Night Two (Monday, May 4):
- IWGP Heavyweight Champion Callum Newman defends against Shingo Takagi
- NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Boltin Oleg defend against Will Ospreay, HENARE & Great-O-Khan
- Yota Tsuji, Drilla Moloney, Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X vs. Jake Lee, Francesco Akira, Jakob Austin Young & Zane Jay
- Yuya Uemura & Taichi vs. Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson
- El Desperado & Mistico vs. Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita
- Aaron Wolf, Toru Yano, Tiger Mask, YOH & Master Wato vs. Ren Narita, Don Fale, DOUKI, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
- Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma vs. OSKAR & Yuto-Ice
- Ryusuke Taguchi & Tatsuya Matsumoto vs. Gedo & Daiki Nagai
- NJPW World Television Champion Konosuke Takeshita defends against Chase Owens
- Pre-show: Masatora Yasuda vs. Taisei Nakahara
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.