New Japan Pro-Wrestling Announces NJPW Strong, New Japan Cup USA, & More
NJPW Strong Set To Feature New Japan Cup USA
New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced two big tournaments on Friday. Following Lion’s Break Collision, NJPW announced that the oft-teased NJPW Strong will debut on August 7th, and that it will feature the first ever New Japan Cup USA. The tournament will answer on of NJPW’s biggest questions post-pandemic, what happens with the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship?
The winner of the 8-man New Japan Cup USA will be crowned on August 21st and receive a title shot against IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion (and AEW World Champion) Jon Moxley.
8/7
NJPW Strong
Episode 1
- New Japan Cup USA First Round Match: KENTA vs. Karl Fredericks
- New Japan Cup USA First Round Match: Tanga Loa vs. Jeff Cobb
- New Japan Cup USA First Round Match: David Finlay vs. Chase Owens
- New Japan Cup USA First Round Match: Tama Tonga vs. Brody King
LEC presents the official NJPW Cup 2020 in the USA bracket!
Who do you have?
The action all starts Friday August 7 at 10e/9c/7p!https://t.co/0GoZpz8QkF#NJoA #njpwSTRONG pic.twitter.com/CXHbJ0kQZb
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) August 1, 2020
6-Man Tag Title Tournament Set For Summer Struggle Tour
With EVIL defecting from Los Ingobernables de Japon, the status of the NEVER 6-Man Tag Championship was thrown into chaos. NJPW announced on Friday that EVIL & his former tag partners are stripped of the titles, which comes as a relief to the new IWGP Double Champ, who showed no interest in defending the multi-man tag belt.
New champions will be crowned on August 9th, with an 8-team tournament taking place from Aug. 6th-9th in Korakuen Hall. The first round will take place on the 6th & 7th, with the semi finals taking place on the 8th. Here is the first round schedule:
8/6
NJPW Summer Struggle
- Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA, BUSHI & Shingo Takagi) vs. Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & DOUKI)
- CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, SHO & Toru Yano) vs. Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi, Gedo & Jado)
8/7
NJPW Summer Struggle
- Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
- Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto)
New NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions will be determined next week!
Over four nights from Korakuen Hall, a stacked eight team tournament!https://t.co/i1tvQAvjpV#njpw #njsst pic.twitter.com/xT5LongK53
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) August 1, 2020