The next defense in Goto’s reign.
Headlining night two of NJPW Wrestling Dontaku was the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match between Callum Newman and the champion Hirooki Goto. The match came together quickly as Jeff Cobb finished up with New Japan and Newman was slotted into the title match opportunity.
Goto bested Newman to retain and then afterwards, he brought up the conversation about who will be next to challenge him. Out came Zack Sabre Jr., who Goto defeated to win the championship at The New Beginning in Osaka in February. Sabre Jr. stuck claim to a title match and Goto accepted.
Next to hit the ring was Shingo Takagi and he stuck his claim to an IWGP World Heavyweight Title shot. Takagi admitted that Sabre Jr. is first in line so he can challenge Goto first and he’ll challenge the winner. It was decided that Goto versus Sabre Jr. is taking place at NJPW Resurgence on May 9th in Ontario, California and commentary suggested that Takagi is getting his title shot at Dominion on June 15th.
Below is the updated lineup for Resurgence:
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship — Three-Way Match: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. AZM vs. Mina Shirakawa
- NEVER Openweight Championship: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. El Phantasmo
- NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Drilla Moloney
- NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships: World Class Wrecking Crew (Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson) (c) vs. TJP & Templario
- BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Gabe Kidd, David Finlay, Clark Connors & Gedo) vs. Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, TBA & TBA
- Fred Rosser vs. Matt Vandagriff
- STRONG Survivor Match: Allan Breeze vs. C.J. Tino
