Multiple AEW stars are set for championship matches at NJPW Wrestling Dontaku, with Gabe Kidd’s first NJPW match since signing with AEW announced.
Will Ospreay wasn’t the only AEW name to make a NJPW return during the April 4 Sakura Genesis event, with Gabe Kidd attacking Yota Tsuji following Tsuji losing the IWGP Heavyweight Title to Callum Newman.
NJPW has now announced that Gabe Kidd will challenge for Tsuji’s IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship during the first night of Wrestling Dontaku on May 3.
NJPW shared the following preview on its website:
“After the Sakura Genesis main event on April 4, and just as the reality of defeat over the IWGP Heavyweight Championship was sinking in for Yota Tsuji, the now former champion suffered another shock to the system.
“A balaclava clad man assaulted Tsuji, removing his hood to reveal a returning Gabe Kidd to an eruption of cheers… that turned to deafening boos as he revealed an AEW T-shirt.
“The once ‘dark hero’ of NJPW is now pledging allegiance to the very promotion he was at war with a year ago, and stole the IWGP Global title, returning with it to America.
“Six months after losing to Tsuji with a Boston Crab, Kidd is looking to unleash physical and mental torment on his career rival as Tsuji seeks revenge.”
While Gabe Kidd had made prior appearances for AEW as early as June 2024, the English star was confirmed to be All Elite in early-March, along with his fellow The Dogs factionmates Clark Connors and David Finlay.
His last NJPW match saw him lose to Andrade in an IWGP Heavyweight Championship #1 contender’s bout at the February 11 New Beginning in Osaka show.
With Yota Tsuji vs Gabe Kidd headlining the first night of Wrestling Dontaku, Will Ospreay will compete in his own title match on night two. Ospreay will team with HENARE and Great-O-Khan to challenge for Bishamon-tin’s NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship.
Konosuke Takeshita – who has contracts with AEW, NJPW and DDT-Pro – will also defend his NJPW World TV Championship on night one, against Chase Owens.
With NJPW and AEW having an established partnership since February 2021, stars from both companies regularly make crossover appearances.
With a number of AEW and CMLL stars announcing dual contracts with both promotions this year, we could soon see more stars join Takeshita in having deals with both AEW and NJPW.
There has reportedly been talk about several AEW stars taking part in this year’s G1 Climax tournament, click here to read more.
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