New title matches added to New Japan Soul tour
NJPW has confirmed a few new title matches for the final two stops on its New Japan Soul 2025 tour.
– Kosei Fujita — this year’s Best of the Super Juniors winner — is getting his title shot against El Desperado at Korakuen Hall on Sunday, July 6. That match is now official after Desperado successfully defended his title against Jun Kasai in a death match this week.
It was originally expected that Fujita would challenge Desperado earlier this month at Dominion. But with the Desperado vs. Kasai match already scheduled, Fujita decided to delay his title shot so that Desperado would be fully focused on their match when they face each other.
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles will also be on the line at the July 6 event with new champions House of Torture (SHO & DOUKI) defending in a rematch against former champs YOH & Master Wato.
– On July 4, the second-to-last show of the New Japan Soul tour will take place at Budokan Hall. A NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match has now been booked for that event with SHO, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita defending against YOH, Wato & Toru Yano.
Both the July 4 and July 6 shows will air live on New Japan World. Here are the updated cards:
New Japan Soul 2025 —
Friday, July 4:
- IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Gabe Kidd defends against Hiroshi Tanahashi
- G1 Climax A Block play-in match: Ryohei Oiwa vs. Satoshi Kojima
- G1 Climax B Block play-in match: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Chase Owens
- NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions SHO, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita defend against YOH, Master Wato & Toru Yano
Sunday, July 6:
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado defends against Kosei Fujita
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions SHO & DOUKI defend against YOH & Master Wato
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tiger Mask