Nemeth retains his NJPW title against Tanahashi, the next defense is already ready

New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s first attempt to book a match between IWGP World Champion Nic Nemeth and his longtime star and current President Hiroshi Tanahashi had to be called off due to an injury to President Ace. But the 47-year-old Tanahashi was good to go for Night One Wrestling Dontaku today (May 3) in Fukuoka.

Their main event clash started cautiously, but built up after big moves from each man. Both attempted multiple times for their finishers, and it countered Tanahashi’s High Flow Fly allowing Nemeth to hit the Danger Zone twice to win the match.

However, Nemeth did not have long to celebrate. Bullet Club War Dogs leader David Finlay – the man who defeated FKA Dolph Ziggler for the world title in February The new beginning in Sapporo crashed the party to attack the champion. After the brawl, Nemeth threw out a challenge for a title match on Saturday’s second night Wrestling Dontaku.

Both Nemeth and Finlay book multi-man matches on the May 4 card, but it appears they will be pulling double duty. For now, New Japan’s description of today’s final scene just asks if there will be “a major change made to the map in Fukuoka?”

Earlier on Friday’s show, Finlay scored a Bullet Club-assisted victory over New Japan Cup winner Yota Tsuji. The show also saw Jeff Cobb take over the TV title from Zack Sabre, Jr.

Here are the full Night One results from Wrestling Dontaku:

• Oleg Boltin & Shoma Kato defend. Katsuya Murashima and Togi Makabe

• House Of Torture (SHO & Yujiro Takahashi) final. Just 5 Boys (DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku)

• Only 5 boys (Taichi & Yuya Uemura) final. United Kingdom (Callum Newman and Great-O-Khan)

• Guerrillas Of Destiny (El Phantasmo, Hikuleo & Jado) def. TMDK (Kosei Fujita, Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste)

• Bullet Club (Chase Owens, KENTA & Taiji Ishimori) defeated Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) and Tiger Mask

• Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) final. Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney, Gabe Kidd and Gedo)

• House Of Torture (EVIL, Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) final. El Desperado, Jon Moxley and Shota Umino

• Jeff Cobb defeated Zack Saber Jr. and wins the NJPW World Television Championship

• David Finlay def. Yota Tsuji

• Nic Nemeth final. Hiroshi Tanahashi retains the IWGP Global title

Both nights of Wrestling Dontaku are available on New Japan’s NJPWWorld streaming service.