Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Shinjiro Otani Set For MLW 2019 Opera Cup First Round

The next match in the Opera Cup has been announced.

MLW announced that Shinjiro Otani will take on Davey Boy Smith Jr. in the first round of the 2019 Opera Cup. The matchup will take place on the December 5 MLW Fusion tapings taking place at the Melrose Ballroom in New York City.

From MLW:

Pro Wrestling ZERO 1 has entered the legendary Shinjiro Otani into the 2019 Opera Cup in a strong style showdown with Davey Boy Smith Jr. December 5 in New York City. 

MLW today announced Shinjiro Otani vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. in an opening round match for the 2019 Opera Cup tournament at the Melrose Ballroom in New York City on December 5. The event will be a MLW FUSION TV taping for beIN SPORTS.

Tickets start at $20 at: http://www.OperaCup.com. You can learn more about the Opera Cup’s history here. 

The historic opening round of the Opera Cup is global in scale with several countries represented. 

Representing ZERO1 of Japan, the decorated Shinjiro Otani has made it his goal to claim the prestigious Opera Cup and he has the credentials to be an instant favorite to go all the way. A former Pro Wrestling ZERO1 World Champion, 4-time Fire Festival winner and J-Crown title holder, Otani also has the distinction of being the first-ever WCW World Cruiserweight Champion and is a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Otani has been a force in ZERO1 for 2 decades.  It was in ZERO1 that Otani challenged then reigning MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima for the championship in 2003.  Now, 16 years later, Otani’s mission is simple: bring the antique Opera Cup trophy home to Japan. 

The December 5 MLW event will feature the return of the Opera Cup tournament after a 71 year hiatus. Featuring 4 opening round bouts, the league has invited some of the best wrestlers from around the world to compete in this one night single elimination tournament.

Standing in Otani’s way is the man whose grandfather last won the Opera Cup in 1948: Davey Boy Smith Jr.  Smith along with the Hart family have donated the family heirloom to the league and has revived the historic Opera Cup tournament to celebrate the sport’s history and reintroduce the coveted cup.

Fighting for his family’s legacy and the coveted Opera Cup trophy, Smith promises to match Otani hold for hold, move for move and strike for strike as the two strong style combatants collide in New York City.