Wrestling for the first time in months, SANADA came up short against Konosuke Takeshita on Sunday night.
SANADA lost to Takeshita in a NJPW World Television Championship match this weekend, which was the opening contest of NJPW Dominion 6.14 from Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka, Japan.
The sprint match, which had a 15-minute time limit, came to an end just past the halfway mark after a Deadfall attempt from SANADA was countered into a Raging Fire.
SANADA attempted to use underhanded tactics for the win, utilizing a cold spray in Takeshita’s eyes and cracking a guitar over his head earlier in the match. However, it wasn’t enough to stop the dual AEW & NJPW talent.
SANADA made his return during May’s Wrestling Dontaku event, appearing inside an NJPW ring for the first time in four months. Donning a suit and a mask, he set his sights on Takeshita’s TV title, attacking him after a win over Chase Owens.
The future of SANADA in NJPW was put in doubt at the start of the year. After he wore a “goodbye” message during his New Year Dash tag bout in January, NJPW announced that he had gone on an “indefinite leave of absence.” In an interview after returning, SANADA revealed that his time away from the ring was due to injuries.
The returning SANADA had a grand entrance for his return. Numerous models on-stage portrayed SANADA through the eras, from Los Ingobernables, to Just Five Guys, to modern day. Then the man himself, donning a new, all-red look, hit the stage.
Takeshita has held the NJPW World Television Championship since February, when he dethroned El Phantasmo at the company’s latest U.S. event. He has since defended the title five times.
Along with his NJPW title, Takeshita also currently holds the AEW International Championship.
