Hiromu Takahashi returns, challenges Ospreay for Wrestle Kingdom 14

After a 16-month absence, Hiromu Takahashi has returned to NJPW.

Following a successful IWGP Jr. title defense against BUSHI this morning at Power Struggle, Ospreay cut a promo asking who would challenge him next. After no one responded, he started to leave when a video started to play, similar to the time bomb vignettes that aired prior to Hiromu Takahashi’s return from excursion. The timer was set for January 4.

Hiromu Takahashi’s cat dolls Daryl and Naoru then emerged on the video screen and lit a bomb that started a timer for ten seconds. After a countdown clock ended at 0, Takahashi emerged.

After a few minutes of running around the ring and taking bumps into the barricade, he entered the ring and thanked the fans for waiting for him. He said he would make the Jr. division more fun, and mocked those for saying he should tone down his style by taking bumps all over the ring. He then, in English, challenged Ospreay to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 14.

Takahashi was IWGP Jr. champion when he broke his neck taking a dragon driver from Dragon Lee at the G1 Special in San Francisco on July 7, 2018. The title was later vacated on August 20 of that year.