NJPW Announces Lifting Of Mask Mandate, Zack Sabre Jr. Set For GCW Debut, Ken Patera
NJPW has announced that masks will no longer be compulsory for shows starting May 1st, and the use of masks will be ‘left to individual discretion’ at venues.
You can check out the official announcement below:
“On the use of masks at Japanese events
Thank you for supporting New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Starting May 1 2023 at Road to Wrestling Dontaku in Beppu B-Con Plaza, the use of masks in venues will be left to individual discretion. Staff and wrestlers’ mask usage will also be left to the individual.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling would like to offer our sincerest gratitude for the patience, courtesy and understanding of all event attendees in complying with venue rules and guidelines in recent years.
It is thanks to the co-operation of fans, municipal governments and venues that NJPW events are now held with 100% capacity and full cheering. There will also be information soon about fans being able to have closer contact with wrestlers at meet and greets and events.
Starting May 1, fans will be allowed to cheer and converse without masks at NJPW events, but circumstances may lead to venues requiring masks in future; fans will be informed of any changes via our homepage and social media.
In order to allow as many fans as possible to fully relax and enjoy NJPW live events this month we do require masks be used at events up to and including Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni April 30 in Kumamoto.
Thank you.”
NJPW star Zack Sabre Jr. will be making his GCW debut next month in Brooklyn, NY.
On Friday, GameChanger Wrestling announced that Sabre will debut for the company on May 11th at Fight Night: Brooklyn.
Masha Slamovich, Matt Cardona, Mike Bailey, Alex Coughlin, and Tony Deppen have also been announced for the show. The event will air live on FITE+.
You can check out the official announcement below:
*BROOKLYN UPDATE*
Just Signed:
ZACK SABRE JR makes his GCW Debut on MAY 11th in BROOKYLN!Plus:
GCW Champ Masha Slamovich
Matt Cardona
Mike Bailey
Alex Coughlin
Tony Deppen
+moreGet Tix:https://t.co/gXjF8UvyWD
Watch LIVE on @FiteTV+
Thurs 5/11 – 8PM
Roulette Intermedium pic.twitter.com/j5Nbok5QOA— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) April 14, 2023
And finally, former WWE Intercontinental Champion Ken Patera released his official autobiography, Ken Patera: Weight of the World late last month.
You can purchase the independently-published book here. The autobiography, which includes a forward by Ric Flair, is described as follows:
“Ken Patera crushed competition and broke records everywhere. He hurled all Track & Field shot putters to the side. He pushed to the top of the weightlifting world winning countless medals in the Nationals, Pan Am Games and the Olympics – and was the first American to ever clean & jerk over 500 pounds. In pro wrestling, he main-evented for the AWA as one of Andre the Giant’s biggest foils and held the WWF Intercontinental Title concurrently with the NWA Missouri Championship. All these accolades were the results of hard work, but it wasn’t an easy road. With obstacles, injuries, and an intense pressure to succeed, witness the fitness of the “World’s Strongest Man” and just how he handled bearing the “Weight of the World.””
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