Two title matches official for NJPW Anniversary event

NJPW has booked a couple of title bouts for its upcoming Anniversary event.

On March 6, NJPW will celebrate its 54th birthday with an Anniversary show at Ota City Gymnasium in Tokyo. It’s been confirmed that the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles will be on the line. DOUKI is defending his belt against Master Wato, while Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X are challenging Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita for their tag team gold.

This will be the second defense for both DOUKI and Eagles & Fujita during their respective reigns.

NJPW wrote:

  • The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship will be on the line when Master Wato challenges DOUKI. Mere days after HOUSE OF TORTURE rallied around DOUKI to assist him to a first defence of the junior heavyweight title against El Desperado in Korakuen, Wato ensured the H.O.T victory lap was cut short, striking with the Tstenkaku German to pin Japones Del Mal and assert himself as the next number one contender. As the next chapter of HOUSE OF TORTURE with Ren Narita at its helm continues, will the self proclaimed ‘junior heavyweight god’ DOUKI retain by hook and crook again, or on the site of his Best of the Super Jr. tournament victory in 2023, can Wato finally complete his journey to Grand Master status?
  • Also official for Anniversary is a battle over the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita defending against Robbie X and Taiji Ishimori. The last time NJPW was in Ota for New Year Dash, the Ichiban Sweet Boys Eagles and Fujita won the junior tag gold by defeating Robbie X in a four way bout. When Ishimori scored tag team victory for himself and Hiromu Takahashi at New Beginning in Osaka however, defeating United Empire’s Jakob Austin Young and Francesco Akira, the Unbound Co. name seemed to grow stonger in tag contention. Robbie would provide the assist to prevent a post match assault on Hiromu, and backstage, Ishimori would issue a challenge. These two teams tore the house down in a junior tag title clash in Korakuen last April as well as in the Super Junior Tag League in the autumn to bring them to a 1-1 record. This time, which team will not only bring down the house, but bring home the bacon? 

The Anniversary show will air live on NJPW World with English commentary available. Along with these title bouts, the card includes two opening-round matches in New Japan Cup 2026.

NJPW 54th Anniversary Show (Friday, March 6) —

  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion DOUKI defends against Master Wato
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita defend against Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X
  • New Japan Cup first-round match: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jake Lee
  • New Japan Cup first-round match: OSKAR vs. Callum Newman

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Joseph Currier
Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.