NJPW reveals KOPW 2020 first round stipulation fan vote results

NJPW has announced the results of fan voting to determine first round stipulations for King of Pro Wrestling 2020 tournament matches. 

Fans chose Kazuchika Okada’s suggestion over Yujiro Takahashi’s  by a 56 percent to 44 percent margin, so Okada will face Takahashi, Gedo and Jado in a 3-on-1 handicap match. Takahashi’s suggested stipulation was a lumberjack match where the lumberjacks would have been armed with leather belts. 

Toru Yano and BUSHI will square off in a two count pinfalls match, Yano’s stipulation. BUSHI had proposed a five count countout match. Yano’s suggestion won 57.2 percent to 42.8 percent.

After a 68.5 percent to 31.5 percent landslide, El Desperado and Satoshi Kojima’s first round match will be a no finishers allowed match. Desperado’s Pinche Loco will be banned, while Kojima cannot use the lariat. Desperado’s stipulation was the winner. 

SANADA and SHO both proposed a submission match for their first round battle, so there was no vote taken.

All four matches will be held on Wednesday, August 26 at Korakuen Hall. The show will air live on NJPW World at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time. 

Here is the full lineup:

• Yuji Nagata, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI
• Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
• KOPW 2020 First Round, no finishers allowed match: Satoshi Kojima vs. El Desperado
• KOPW 2020 First Round, two count pinfalls match: Toru Yano vs. BUSHI
• KOPW 2020 First Round, submission match: SANADA vs. SHO
• KOPW 2020 First Round, 1-on-3 handicap match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Gedo & Jado