On March 6th, New Japan Pro-Wrestling presents it’s 52nd Anniversary show at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo. For the first time since 2021, the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion will do battle with the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion as the Anniversary tradition makes its return.
The main event will see the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito square off against the IWGP Jr Heavyweight Champion SHO in a match in which neither title will be on the line. Naito had stated in a past interview with Tokyo Sports that he will vacate the title in he loses to SHO on March 6th.
The New Japan Cup 2024 tournament gets underway with three first round matches at the NJPW 52nd Anniversary event.
Hiroshi Tanahashi was initially scheduled to compete in an eight man tag team match but pulled out of the show due to injury. He was replaced by Boltin Oleg.
Here is the full lineup for NJPW’s 52nd Anniversary event on March 6th:
- Main Event: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito vs IWGP World Jr Heavyweight Champion SHO (Non-title match)
- New Japan Cup 1st Round: Shota Umino vs Jack Perry
- New Japan Cup 1st Round: YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA
- New Japan Cup 1st Round: Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi
- SANADA, Taichi, Yuya Uemura & DOUKI vs. EVIL, Ren Narita, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Dick Togo
- TJP, Francesco Akira & Callum Newman vs. David Finlay, Gabe Kidd & Gedo
- Boltin Oleg. Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & El Desperado vs. Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
- Hikuleo & El Phantasmo vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Mikey Nicholls
- Tanga Loa & Tomoaki Honma vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
NJPW 52nd Anniversary show will air live on NJPW World subscription streaming service on March 6th.
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