AEW Star To Defend Championship In Another Company

AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita will defend his championship at NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed.

The match for the November 8 show comes off the back of events at NJPW Power Struggle which took place on November 4, 2024.

In the official show preview, it was announced that Takeshita would be facing Catch 2/2’s TJP, revealing:

After an open challenge issued online by AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita, ‘The Alpha’ returns to the cerulean blue for the first time since the G1 Climax to face TJP.

A first-time-ever meeting of power and technical skill carries as its background the complex issue of the wider landscape in the United Empire.

During the summer, Takeshita teamed effectively, if not entirely voluntarily with United Empire members, but recent events in AEW mean that fragile alliance has apparently been shattered.

Takeshita remains loyal to Don Callis and his family in AEW, along with former United Empire member Kyle Fletcher.

Fletcher apparently removed himself from even tangential ties to UE recently though when he attacked founder Will Ospreay and estranged himself from Aussie Open partner Mark Davis.

Now the United Empire ‘captain’ wants to not only take International gold, but to bring a brand pf physical diplomacy to United Empire on both sides of the Pacific.

Mark Davis recently returned to AEW after over a year away and confronted Kyle Fletcher over his recent actions.

Will Ospreay, the first leader and founder member of United Empire, reacted to Davis’ return to AEW on Twitter.

TJP joined United Empire in September 2021 and serves as its current leader as of April 2024 following Ospreay’s move to AEW in March of that year.

Elsewhere at NJPW Power Struggle, Kenny Omega’s return saw Gabe Kidd attack the AEW star, setting up a match at Wrestle Kingdom.

Ricochet also made an appearance, attacking Zack Sabre Jr and challenging him to an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestle Kingdom on January 5, 2025.

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