Despite ailments, Naito wrestling at tonight’s ROH/NJPW show in NYC
Despite recovering from a high fever and hospitalization Friday and a bum elbow, IWGP heavyweight champion Tetsuya Naito rallied Saturday and will be in action against ACH as part of the ROH/NJPW Global Wars event at New York City’s Terminal Five.
It was unclear yesterday and today if he would be able to wrestle on tonight’s show due to his many ailments.
As one of the most popular of the New Japan wrestlers on the current tour, he had noted long autograph lines for him this year when last year on this same ROH/NJPW tour that wasn’t the case in the U.S. and Canada.
Naito beat Kazuchika Okada at the Invasion Attack PPV in Sumo Hall in Tokyo in April, and will make his next defense against Okada in the main event of Dominion on June 19th in Osaka Jo Hall.
Tonight’s show was already revamped due to storyline changes as well as a rib injury to The Young Bucks’ Nick Jackson. There are a number of other injuries to talent performing tonight including Young Buck Matt Jackson (swollen and bruised hand) and Hiroshi Tanahashi, who was banged up in matches earlier in the week.
Here’s your lineup:
- Bullet Club (Adam Cole & Matt Jackson) vs “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs ROH World Champion Jay Lethal & Roderick Strong
- IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito vs ACH — non-title
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Reborn Matt Sydal
- ROH Tag Team Champs The Addiction vs War Machine
- Cedric Alexander vs Donovan Dijak w/ Prince Nana
- Jushin “Thunder” Liger & the Briscoes vs Guerrillas of Destiny & “Hangman” Adam Page
- CHOAS (Beretta & Gedo) w/ Rocky Romero vs Motor City Machine Guns
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA vs “Pro Wrestling’s Last Real Man” Silas Young – non-title
- Michael Elgin vs Moose w/ Stokely Hathaway vs Dalton Castle w/ the Boys vs Lio Rush
- reDRagon vs All Night Express