Yuya Uemura has won his first championship in NJPW, well, sort of. Uemura defeated Great-O-Khan to become the new KOPW Provisional Champion in a Rural Revitalization Match in a very, very odd match even for NJPW. The word to remember as we go forward is that it is a “provisional” win. The King of Pro-Wrestling Championship is officially awarded to the person who has the title at the end of 2024.

The rules for their match were:

Best-Two-of-Three Wins

  • Round 1: Ten minute most tires on a traffic cone match. Either opponent can remove the other’s tires to force them to start again.
  • Round 2: Five minute lemon eating contest.
  • Round 3: Tables Match. First one through a table loses.

In the first round, as Yuya went to splash Khan over the ropes Khan threw a car tire at him. Khan wrapped Yuya in more tires so he could drop elbow after elbow on him. He then stomped on the apron. Khan slams Yuya on a stack of tires. Yuya rolls up Khan so he can steal the tire he is carrying. Yuya puts it on his stack and wins that part of the match 3 to 0.

Yuya cannot get free. Courtesy: New Japan World.

In round two, Khan ends up eating an entire lemon and defeating Yuya.

In round three, Khan throws Yuya through five rows of chairs on the floor. Khan beats Yuya with a barricade and buries him under a bunch of them. Khan pulls a lemon out from under the ring and rubs it in Yuya’s eyes and face blinding him. Khan sets up a table in a corner. Yuya stops Khan from throwing him into it by giving him a German Suplex. Khan pulls out another table setting that one up in the ring after failing to put Yuya through it on the floor.

Yuya suplexes Khan through the table he set up in a corner to become the new KPOW Provisional Champion.

Douki gets his revenge on Sho. Courtesy: New Japan World.

When we last left Douki he had been tricked by The House of Torture into a signing a contract for a non-title match against Sho at Wrestling Dontaku. Douki righted that wrong tonight as he and TAKA Michinoku took on The House of Torture’s Sho and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.

Kanemaru pinned Taka after a mule kick in the “lower abdomen” and a roll-up. Sho holds up the contract Douki mistakenly signed that indicates his match against Sho will be non-title. Taichi attacks from behind. He throws Sho back in the ring for Douki. Douki rips up the phony contract after putting the boots to Sho. Dick Togo and Evil blindside Douki. With Taichi’s help Douki fights them off. Douki puts Sho in a submission demanding he sign the real contract for a title match or he won’t release the hold. Sho eventually signs his name on the dotted line. Douki triumphantly holds up the new contract as Sho limps to the back. Douki will now face Sho for his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling Dontaku on May 3rd.

In the main event Los Ingobernables de Japon fought The Bullet Club War Dogs and their new ally Jake Lee from Pro Wrestling Noah, the leader of the Good Looking Guys faction in an Elimination Match. 

The elimination order was:

14:22 Both Kidd and Takagi go over the top rope. They hit the floor together and are both out of the match.

15:56 Drilla takes a rewind kick from Bushi. He is thrown over the top rope.

16:23 Bushi pins Connors with a sneaky Bushi Roll.

17:04 Finlay just pitches Bushi out of the ring.

20:43 As Finlay collides with the official in the ring Jake Lee pulls Tsuji’s leg. Tsuji fights off Lee but his back is turned. Finlay kicks Tsuji off the apron to the floor.

24:02 As Finlay goes to powerslam Finlay over the top rope Hiromu gives him a hurricanrana. Finlay lands on the floor. He is stunned and pissed off.

24:56 Lee hits his Face Breaker to knock Hiromu out of the ring.

It is Jake Lee and Tetsuya Naito who are left for their respective teams.

28:43 Naito leg sweeps Lee on the apron. Naito drop kicks him to the floor.

LIJ are the survivors and winners of the Elimination Match.

Road To Wrestling Dontaku

Toru Yano and Oleg Boltin defeated HANZO and Rey Paloma

Hanzo ends up with his pants down around his ankles revealing his red thong. Boltin pins Hanzo with his Kamakazi Slam.

Winners: Toru Yano and Oleg Boltin

Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI and Tiger Mask versus Bullet Club (KENTA, Chase Owens and Taiji Ishimori)

As Kenta distracts the official Owens hits Tiger Mask in the head with one of the IWGP Tag Team Championship belts. He pins Tiger Mask as the crowd boos and boos. Kenta holds Goto while Owens nails him with the belt too. They do the same to Hashi.

Winners: KENTA, Chase Owens and Taiji Ishimori

TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. and Kosei Fujita) versus The United Empire (Jeff Cobb and Francesco Akira)

Cobb pins Fujita with a Tour of the Islands.

Winners: The United Empire (Jeff Cobb and Francesco Akira)

Tomohiro Ishii, Shota Umino and El Desperado versus House of Torture (EVIL, Ren Narita and Yujiro Takahashi)

Umino pins Yujiro with a Death Rider. As soon as he does Narita rushes into the ring knocking him out with his push-up bar.

Winners: Tomohiro Ishii, Shota Umino and El Desperado

Hiroshi Tanahashi and Katsuya Murashima versus Tomoaki Honma and Shoma Kato

Kato taps out to The Ace’s Texas Clover Leaf submission.

Winners: Hiroshi Tanahashi and Katsuya Murashima

Just Fivc Guys (DOUKI and TAKA Michinoku) versus The House of Torture (SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

Winners: The House of Torture (SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

TMDK (Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste) (c) versus Hikuleo and El Phantasmo – STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship Match

Hikuleo goes to chokeslam Haste. Nicholls, the legal man, rolls up Hikuleo for the win. Hikuleo is furious after the match.

Winners: …and still STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champions, TMDK (Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste)

Yuya Uemura versus Great-O-Khan (c) – KOPW 2024, Rural Revitalization Match

Winner: …and new KOPW Provisional Champion, Yuya Uemura.

Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay, Jake Lee, Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney) versus LiJ (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI)

Winners: LiJ (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI)