Karl Anderson vs. Hikuleo NEVER title match set for NJPW Tag League finals

The NEVER Openweight Championship will be defended on the final night of the World Tag and Super Junior Tag League tournaments. 

Champion Karl Anderson posted to social media on Tuesday that he will defend his title on the December 14 show from Sendai Sunplaza Hall in Miyagi, Japan. NJPW then confirmed on Wednesday that Anderson’s challenger will be Hikuleo.

Anderson vs. Hikuleo had originally been scheduled for November 5 in Osaka but The Good Brothers claim NJPW did not confirm the date with them before advertising it. Anderson and Doc Gallows were also booked for WWE Crown Jewel that day and stated on social media that they would be performing on that show rather than on New Japan’s. 

In storyline, Anderson was not stripped of the title at the request of Hikuleo. 

“As the match had been made through the proper channels and advertised, NJPW moved to strip Anderson of the NEVER Openweight Championship, but Hikuleo refused to let the move happen, demanding that he fight Anderson for the title in an NJPW ring. On November 23 Japan time, Anderson posted a message on social media indicating that he and Gallows would be in Sendai on December 14, and the match has now been made official,” reads NJPW1972.com

 The finals of the World Tag and Super Junior Tag League are also scheduled for the December 14 show in Sendai.