Tetsuya Naito announces his return.
Naito hasn't competed since the opening night of the G1 tournament on September 18 against Zack Sabre Jr due to a knee injury.
On Monday, he announced he will be back in action on November 14 as part of World Tag League where he will team with SANADA.
In a press conference, Naito said, "As you all know, on September 18 in Osaka, on the first night of the G1 Climax, I injured my knee and have been off since. My G1 Climax ended with a 0-9, zero point score, a truly terrible record. I’ve torn ligaments in my knee twice before, and I know that with severe ligament damage, you tend to need surgery that can put you on the shelf for a year. That’s what I was preparing myself mentally for as I went to the hospital, but thankfully there was no ligament damage, and no need for surgery. It was a painful injury, and I needed time to heal, but on November 14, in Korakuen Hall on the first night of World Tag League, I will be back. My partner? Of course, SANADA. I messaged SANADA yesterday, and all I got in response was a thumbs up emoji. That’s pretty on brand, right?"
He continued by saying, "There’s one thing I want to say to everyone, and one thing I want to make sure we’re all clear on. I am not rushing back to the ring. Please be assured on that front. Now the guys who have a match at Wrestle Kingdom all lined up, they won’t be in World Tag League, right? Even if they want to, NJPW won’t let ’em. I don’t get it, I never will, but me and SANADA will be more than adequate substitutes. So, to recap- I am back on November 14 at the World Tag League kickoff in Korakuen. See you then."
The full field for NJPW World Tag League has yet to be announced.
You can view the lineup for Best of Super Juniors 28 by clicking here.