Satoshi Kojima Must Meet Weight Requirement, He’ll Face YOH At NJPW/Taichi Event If He Does
Satoshi Kojima will have to make weight if he wants the opportunity.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Taichi are co-presenting a show on October 17th at Taichi’s old middle school.
The match card is being rounded out, and the newest bout that Taichi has made official has a stipulation that will determine whether the match will happen or not. Taichi announced that if Satoshi Kojima can meet the target weight of 100kg (220 pounds), he’ll face IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion YOH in a non-title match. If Kojima beats YOH, then he’ll get a shot at his title.
Below is NJPW’s write-up about the match:
“Taichi and Satoshi Kojima have quite the love-hate relationship. A disastrous World Tag League team last year nonetheless led to Taichi somewhat warming to his one-time and quickly betrayed Kojima Gun faction leader. For his Old School card, Taichi has given Kojima quite the opportunity against current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion YOH. Should Kojima make the 100kg weight cut by match time, and then go on to beat YOH, he’ll get a shot at YOH’s title at a future date.
Taichi famously found a new and strong lease on his career by moving from junior to heavyweight in 2018. Could Kojima go in the opposite direction, and potentially put himself in line for a rare accolade he has yet to attain?”
Here is the lineup for the show:
- Taichi & TBA vs. Naomichi Marufuji & TBA
- DDT Universal Championship: Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. Dick Togo
- Yuya Uemura vs. TBA
- Falls Count Anywhere on School Grounds: Toru Yano & El Desperado vs. Unbound Co. (Yuto-Ice & Gedo)
- Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. Kumagoro Hokkai & TBA
- YOH vs. Satoshi Kojima (Stipulation: Match will only take place if Kojima meets the target weight)
- Kickoff Show: Masatora Yasuda vs. Ryoma Tsukamoto
