We have a new Ace in the Junior Heavyweight division.
The then-reigning and six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA put his title on the line today at Wrestle Kingdom 13 against Bullet Club member Taiji Ishimori. Ishimori burst onto the New Japan scene in May of 2018 at 'Wrestling Dontaku' and was revealed as the new "Bone Soldier" and the newest member of Bullet Club and it was put out there to the universe by Tama Tonga that Ishimori was going to be the next Ace of the Junior Heavyweight division and that all came true when Ishimori defeated KUSHIDA inside the Tokyo Dome.
Statement win for @taiji_ishimori -- #njwk13
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) January 4, 2019
https://t.co/8n90d75Nfk pic.twitter.com/ixqJquqfiN
Taiji Ishimori took on Hiromu Takahashi in the finals of the 2018 Best Of Super Juniors tournament and fell short in the match but it all came full circle for "Bone Soldier" today. He and KUSHIDA had a technical back and forth match and although KUSHIDA was on top of his game, it was not enough to slow down Ishimori and there is now a new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Fightful is going live on our YouTube channel immediately after Wrestle Kingdom 13 concludes for our post-show review podcast.
