Rural Revitalization match official for NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis

Eel will be eaten in Hamamatsu on Sunday. 

Some unique rules have been made official for this weekend’s KOPW provisional title match between Great-O-Khan and Tanga Loa. A fan vote conducted on Wednesday confirmed it will be a “Rural Revitalization in Hamamatsu Match.”

The match will be contested under best-two-of-three falls, with the second fall being a five-minute eating contest. 

The rules on NJPW1972.com read:

Round 1: ten minute most covers match (every pinfall attempt results in one point)

Round 2: five minute eel eating contest

Round 3: strap match (competitors joined with a strap, and must touch all four corners consecutively)

Hamamatsu is famous for its freshwater Unagi (eel) from nearby Lake Hamana. A travel guide for Hamamatsu reads, “If you hear Hamamatsu, you think of eel.”

The unique match type was suggested by Khan and earned 72 percent of the votes. Loa’s camp pitched a “King of Kaiju” match with rules resembling a traditional Texas Death Match. 

14,704 fans voted in the social media poll, with 10,624 votes cast for the Rural Revitalization rules. 

The Road to Sakura Genesis event on Sunday, March 31 will not air live on New Japan World but will be available on-demand at a later date, which NJPW1972.com says is only being done at Khan’s request. 

The only way to watch live will be in person March 31, but thanks to the personal request of Great-O-Khan, the match will air on NJPW World at a later date!