Clarification on the match at Dominion.
Aussie Open’s Kyle Fletcher appeared at NJPW Resurgence to break the news that his tag partner Mark Davis is sidelined with an injury. Due to Davis being out of action for the foreseeable future, Aussie Open relinquished both the IWGP and STRONG Tag Team Championships.
At Dominion on June 4th, Aussie Open were scheduled to defend the IWGP Tag Titles in a three-way tag against Bishamon (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto) and House of Torture’s EVIL and Yujiro Takahashi. Fletcher and Davis have been pulled from that bout.
Fletcher stated that the match between Bishamon and House of Torture would be for the IWGP and STRONG Tag Titles. NJPW provided an update and noted that the match is just going to be for the IWGP Tag belts. The following is from NJPW’s website:
New IWGP Tag Team Champions will be crowned when Bishamon face HOUSE OF TORTURE. After Aussie Open defended tag gold back at Satsuma no Kuni against TMDK, Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI headed to the ring to demand a rematch from their encounter at Sakura Genesis in Ryogoku. Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis were more than willing to accept, but HOUSE OF TORTURE intervened, and Fletcher suggested a three way to finally send EVIL and Yujiro Takahashi packing.
In the intervening weeks though, fate delivered a cruel twist to the tale. Fletcher would appear at Resurgence with the unfortunate news that an injury to Davis means they are unable to defend their titles, and vacated both the IWGP and STRONG Tag Team Championships. Now the IWGP titles are on the line in Osaka, but Aussie Open will stop at nothing to ensure that whoever emerges with the gold will get a short reign.
Below is the updated card for Dominion:
- Tournament Final to determine #1 Contender to IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Title: Lance Archer vs. Will Ospreay
- NEVER Openweight Championship: David Finlay (c) (w/ Gedo) vs. El Phantasmo
- NJPW World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Jeff Cobb
- Vacant IWGP Tag Team Championships: Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. House of Torture (EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi)
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: SANADA (c) vs. Yota Tsuji
