NJPW Power Struggle notes: El Desperado returns, SANADA, new champions crowned
Notes from Monday morning’s Power Struggle.
Most of NJPW’s show in Osaka was built towards Wrestle Kingdom 19. After taking a leave of absence earlier in the year, El Desperado returned to NJPW and issued a challenge to DOUKI for January 4 at the Tokyo Dome for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title. Desperado told DOUKI that he wanted this version of DOUKI that has been champion since the summer. DOUKI accepted Desperado’s challenge.
Desperado had won this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament and defeated SHO to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title. However, he only held the title for 19 days, losing to DOUKI during the New Japan Soul tour in July.
SANADA, meanwhile, turned his back on Just Five Guys and revealed he was the newest member of Bullet Club War Dogs. Taichi had the match won against David Finlay for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship when SANADA emerged, wearing a Just Five Guys tracksuit. However, he took off his jacket to reveal he was wearing a Bullet Club t-shirt. That allowed Finlay to lay out Taichi to retain the title.
After the match, SANADA took out Taka Michinoku and Taichi and fended off DOUKI who attempted to enter the ring. After boasting about Yuya Uemura being out of action, Finlay issued a challenge to Yota Tsuji for Wrestle Kingdom. Tsuji entered the ring and accepted the challenge.
One title change took place at Power Struggle, with Henare & Great-O-Khan defeating TMDK (Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls) to win the IWGP Tag Team titles together for the first time. TMDK had held the titles for 119 days, defeating Chase Owens and KENTA at Dominion back in June. The upcoming World Tag League tournament starting later this month will likely determine the next challengers.