Andrade El Idolo will get a second chance against IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji next month.
While Tsuji was scheduled to defend his title against Gabe Kidd as part of NJPW Wrestle Dontaku from the Fukuoka Convention Center on May 3 and 4, he required a new opponent after the injury Kidd sustained at AEW Dynasty earlier this month caused him to withdraw from the lineup.
Andrade capitalized on the vacant spot on NJPW’s upcoming card, challenging Tsuji to a match during the promotion’s Korakuen Hall show on Sunday.
It’s official!
Yota Tsuji will face @AndradeElIdolo for the Global title at night one of #njdontaku! pic.twitter.com/fZFbTIiTVh— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) April 19, 2026
Andrade previously challenged Tsuji for his Global Heavyweight title as part of NJPW’s The New Beginning USA card in February, coming up short in their 26-minute contest. In a new promo, Andrade said the match was his opportunity to “study” how to beat Tsuji, and now he knows how to take him down.
Andrade has continued to be a title contender in AEW since that February match, just recently missing out on a world title shot when he lost to Darby Allin at Dynasty.
While Tsuji no longer has the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, as he lost it to Callum Newman in Ryogoku Sumo Hall just a few weeks back, he has carried the Global Heavyweight Championship for nearly 200 days. His run with the belt has also included wins over the now-retired Hiroshi Tanahashi and a high-profile victory against Konosuke Takeshita at this year’s Wrestle Kingdom card.
Wrestling Dontaku is also scheduled to feature Boltin Oleg challenging NEVER Openweight Champion Ren Narita, and Shingo Takagi taking on the newly-crowned IWGP Heavyweight Champion Callum Newman.
