Hiroshi Tanahashi has three challengers.
NJPW announced that Hiroshi Tanahashi will defend his IWGP United States Title in a four-way bout against Jon Moxley, Will Ospreay, and Juice Robinson at NJPW Capital Collision on May 14.
There is no doubt that the IWGP united States Heavyweight Championship scene has been a complicated one in recent weeks. Champion SANADA was forced to vacate his title due to injury at Hyper Battle, suggesting that former champion Hiroshi Tanahashi reassume the title. When Will Ospreay- at whose hands Cold Skull was put on the shelf in the first place during New Japan Cup- protested, a match was signed for the vacant title at Dontaku.
Before that bout could take place, Ospreay wrestled Jon Moxley at Windy City Riot in Chicago, a match Moxley won after a heavily disputed three count. Post match, claims (backed up by slow motion replay) that Ospreay had kicked out of the match-ending Death Rider notwithstanding, the victorious Moxley would issue a challenge to Hiroshi Tanahashi for Washington.
With no match between Moxley and Tanahashi yet official, the Ace was keeping his focus on Ospreay for Dontaku, but had to shift that attention to Tomohiro Ishii when COVID travel protocols and a positive test means that the Commonwealth Kingpin could not travel. Tanahashi won the IWGP US Championship over Ishii at Dontaku, but his post match celebration was quickly cut short by Juice Robinson, making a shocking defection to BULLET CLUB and jumping the line when it came to the US title.
This week, Ospreay floated an way to settle the complication. ‘Moxley challenged Tanahashi,’ he remarked, ‘And Juice jumped the line. But what you have to remember is that the only one with a signed US Championship match against Tanahashi is me’. Ospreay suggested a four way and that is now official, as Hiroshi Tanahashi will defend against Moxley, Juice and Ospreay at Capital Collision!
Here is the current lineup for NJPW Capital Collision
NJPW Capital Collision (5/14)
- Eddie Kingston vs. Tomohiro Ishii
- Brody King vs. Minoru Suzuki
- Kazuchika Okada & Trent Beretta vs. Jay White & Hikuleo
- IWGP United States Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Jon Moxley vs. Will Ospreay vs. Juice Robinson
Fightful will have results from NJPW Capital Collision following the conclusion of the event. Fans can find results from past NJPW events at Fightful's results section.
