NJPW reveals full card for The New Beginning in Osaka
The full card for NJPW’s The New Beginning in Osaka has been announced.
The show, which takes place on February 11, will have Kazuchika Okada defend the IWGP World Heavyweight title against Shingo Takagi after Takagi issued a challenge at the end of Wrestle Kingdom 17. Other top matches include Tama Tonga defending the NEVER Openweight title against El Phantasmo, Hikuleo vs. Jay White in a loser leaves Japan match, and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. KENTA.
Three of those matches stem from an eight man tag that took place at NJPW New Year Dash, where Tanahashi, Tonga, Hikuleo, and Master Wato defeated Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo, KENTA, and White. However, the Bullet Club immediately attacked their opponents, with White laying out Hikuelo with steel chair shots. He cut a promo blaming Hikuleo for his loss against Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 17, setting the stage for the match next month.
Here is the full card for The New Beginning in Osaka:
- IWGP World Heavyweight title: Kazuchika Okada defends against Shingo Takagi
- NEVER Openweight title: Tama Tonga defends against El Phantasmo
- Loser leaves Japan: Jay White vs. Hikuleo
- Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, and Ren Narita vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, and SHO
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. KENTA
- Master Wato vs. Taiji Ishimori
- Tomoaki Honma, Shota Umino, Tiger Mask, and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi, and BUSHI
- Toru Yano and Oskar Leube vs. Great-O-Khan and Aaron Henare