New Japan Pro Wrestling has confirmed the talent lineup for the New Year Dash event in Tokyo.
The show takes place at Ota City Gymnasium on January 5, one night after Wrestle Kingdom 20. While the full card remains a mystery pending results from the Tokyo Dome, a main event is already official.
IWGP Tag Team Champions OSKAR and Yuto-Ice, known as the Knockout Brothers, will defend their titles. They face World Tag League winners Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa.
The promotion confirmed that Konosuke Takeshita and Yota Tsuji are scheduled to appear. The two will meet in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom with both the IWGP World Heavyweight and Global Heavyweight Championships on the line.
Olympic judo gold medalist Aaron Wolf is listed for action following his professional wrestling debut the previous night. Wolf challenges EVIL for the NEVER Openweight Championship on January 4.
Andrade El Idolo is listed to appear as a member of the United Empire faction.
Below is the full list of talent announced for the show:
- Hontai: Aaron Wolf, Boltin Oleg, Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, Taichi, Satoshi Kojima, El Desperado, YOH, Master Wato
- TMDK: Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita
- War Dogs: David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, Drilla Moloney, OSKAR, Yuto-Ice, Clark Connors, Taiji Ishimori
- Unaffiliated: Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi
- United Empire: Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, Andrade El Idolo, HENARE
- House of Torture: EVIL, Ren Narita, SANADA, Yujiro Takahashi, DOUKI, SHO, Yoshinobu Kanemaru
- Don Callis Family: Konosuke Takeshita
This will be the first event for the company following the retirement match of Hiroshi Tanahashi. New Year Dash will stream live on NJPW World.
