Callum Newman Calls Will Ospreay A ‘Death Rider’ After Ospreay Initially Refused To Participate In Post-Match Attack At NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2026
The post-match angle after the title match.
Cloising out NJPW Wrestling Dontaku night two on May 4th was Callum Newman’s first defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He put the title on the line against Shingo Takagi.
The video package for the match featured clips of Takagi and his wife, STARDOM wrestler Natsupoi. She was in attendance for the match. During the bout, Newman went over to Natsupoi to bother her, but Takagi took the fight to him. After Takagi did a senton over the top rope, he went over to Natsupoi, and she hyped him up.
Newman faked a knee injury and tossed referee Red Shoes Unno out of the ring. He then signaled his United Empire factionmate Zane Jay to attack Takagi. Takagi’s Unbound Company factionmate Daiki Nagai jumped in the mix to take out Jay. Entering the mix was Jake Lee, but he was taken out by Yota Tsuji.
Later in the match, newly crowned NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion Will Ospreay came to the ring to support Newman. Newman low-blowed Takagi and hit his finisher, but it was not enough. Newman would then instruct Ospreay to leave ringside.
35 minutes into the match, Newman shoved Red Shoes Unno in front of Takagi and low blowed Takagi again. He hit his finisher and retained the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Ospreay was not pleased with how Newman retained the belt.
The entire United Empire made their way to the ring to celebrate with Newman, including the new IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Andrade El Idolo. Newman was going to hit Takagi with his title, but Tsuji stopped him.
The entire United Empire got on the ring apron and Newman low-blowed Tsuji. The group was about to attack Takagi, but Ospreay stopped Newman. The IWGP Heavyweight Champion said that since Ospreay does not want him to attack Takagi, Ospreay himself can do it. Ospreay said no and was about to exit the ring, but Newman called him a ‘Death Rider,’ referring to Ospreay’s newly formed relationship in AEW with Jon Moxley’s Death Riders faction. Ospreay was not happy with what Newman said, so he blasted Takagi with a Hidden Blade.
Backstage, Ospreay and Newman got into each other’s faces, and Newman called him a Death Rider again. Ospreay opened up about coming back from neck surgery and stated that United Empire is his group that he started. He said he’s trying to find ‘that guy’ for Newman and added that he will never be a Death Rider. Newman smirked, and Ospreay asked if they were good. Ospreay stuck his hand out, and Newman gave him a quick slap on the hand before walking away.
