Title matches set for NJPW Destruction 2024

NJPW has booked a slate of title matches for the promotion’s next tour.

Following the G1 Climax, NJPW is set to embark on its Destruction tour next month. It will culminate with Destruction in Kobe being held on Sunday, September 29. The first two matches have now been announced for the show:

• IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito defends against Great-O-Khan
• IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion David Finlay defends against YOSHI-HASHI

Great-O-Khan was positioned for this title shot by defeating Naito during the G1 Climax. On the undercard for the G1 Finals, YOSHI-HASHI pinned Finlay in a six-man tag match, setting himself up as Finlay’s next challenger.

This is Naito’s first title defense since regaining the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from Jon Moxley at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. The winner of Naito vs. Great-O-Khan will defend the belt against G1 winner Zack Sabre Jr. at NJPW King of Pro Wrestling this October.

Finlay is a two-time IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion during the title’s brief existence. He made a successful defense against SANADA this June.

In addition to these two matches, NJPW also has several title bouts set to take place on the Road to Destruction tour:

• Sunday, September 8: NJPW World Television Champion Jeff Cobb defends against Yota Tsuji
• Monday, September 9: NEVER Openweight Champion HENARE defends against Hiromu Takahashi
• Wednesday, September 11: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion DOUKI defends against Taiji Ishimori
• Saturday, September 14: NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano & Oleg Boltin defend against EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo

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