Kenny Omega to defend IWGP US title against tournament winner

Kenny Omega will defend the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against the winner of an upcoming number one contender’s tournament. 

NJPW announced Sunday that Omega will face the winner of a four-man tournament, with the number one contender being decided at Dominion on June 4. The tournament participants will be Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay, Lance Archer, and Juice Robinson. 

Archer will take on Robinson at Collision in Philadelphia on Sunday, April 16, while Tanahashi vs. Ospreay is set for Resurgence in Long Beach, California on Sunday, May 21. 

The Archer vs. Robinson and Tanahashi vs. Ospreay winners will face off at Dominion in Osaka-Jo Hall on Sunday, June 4 to cement the top contender to Omega’s title.

No date has been announced for Omega’s eventual defense against the winner, but AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door in Toronto on Sunday, June 25 seems a logical destination for that match. 

Ospreay, Tanahashi, Archer, and Robinson are all former IWGP US Champions.

Omega defeated Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4 in the Tokyo Dome to win the IWGP US title, kicking off his second reign with the Championship. 

Omega had his first tile defense of his current reign against Jeff Cobb on the March 29 episode of AEW Dynamite.