IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match Set For NJPW Battle In The Valley
The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be defended at NJPW Battle in the Valley.
The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be defended at NJPW Battle in the Valley.
As previously announced, Kazuchika Okada will put the title on the line against Shingo Takagi at the New Beginning in Osaka event on February 11. In an update, the winner of that match will defend the gold at the Battle in the Valley event on February 18. The challenger was not named in the announcement.
Okada defeated Jay White to win the title at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17. After the bell, Takagi confronted him and challenged him to match.
From NJPW:
Battle in the Valley on February 18 is looking to be an explosive start to 2023 for NJPW in the US. With Mercedes Moné challenging KAIRI for the IWGP Women’s Championship, and KENTA already confirmed to challenge whomever the STRONG Openweight Championship, two title matches have already been made, and now a huge third has been added.
The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be on the line on February 18, for the first US defence of the gold since Jay White retained his title in a four way match at Forbidden Door. Just one week before Battle in the Valley, Kazuchika Okada will defend the world title against Shingo Takagi in Osaka; now it’ll either be a tight turnaround for Okada defenses, or yet another bout in an intense schedule over January and February for challenger Takagi.
Who enters San Jose as the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion? And who will move to challenge for the gold?
The world title match at NJPW Battle in the Valley will mark the first time the championship will be defended since AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door in June 2022. There, White beat Okada, Adam Cole, and Hangman Page to retain the title.
The updated card for NJPW Battle in the Valley is below.
NJPW Battle in the Valley (2/18)
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada/Shingo Takagi (c) vs. TBA
- IWGP Women’s Championship: KAIRI (c) vs. Mercedes Mone
- NJPW STRONG Championship: Fred Rosser (c) vs. KENTA
- Pre-Show: David Finlay vs. Bobby Fish
- Pre-Show: JR Kratos vs. Alex Coughlin
Fightful will provide more information as it becomes available.
Catch up on past NJPW shows using Fightful’s results section.
