Photo: TRP

After the resounding success of this past weekend’s US G1 Specials in Long Beach, NJPW is definitely on the road to further expansion in the States. Both during and after the shows, announcements were made about the promotion returning to the US in 2018, and Bushiroad (the parent company of New Japan Pro Wrestling) Chairman Takaaki Kidani spoke to Tokyo Sports about more specific plans that they have for the expansion next year.

Kidani spoke of the huge success of the G1 Special shows and said he’d like to do tours in the US no later than March or April of 2018. He also said that NJPW will be opening offices in the US before this year is over, and there are plans to have the LA dojo open in early 2018.

Speaking of all things NJPW in the US, we still don’t have any word on the plans for the newly created IWGP United States Championship. Since NJPW has no plans to tour the States until next year, we can only guess that champion Kenny Omega will defend his championship in NJPW or on joint shows with Ring Of Honor. Other than creating the title and crowning a champion, NJPW hasn’t made clear the plans for their newest championship.

The post NJPW US Expansion News; Plans In Place For 2018 appeared first on TopRopePress.com – Wrestling News, WWE News, TNA News, Wrestling Results.

Photo: NJPW

The NJPW G1 US Special shows come to an end tomorrow, and the promotion is all ready to crown the inaugural IWGP United States Champion. The semi-finals and finals of the tournament will be held tomorrow night, along with matches for 2 other IWGP Championships.

Hiroshi Tanahashi will defend his IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Billy Gunn, and The Young Bucks will put their IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships on the line against Roppongi Vice.

Tomorrow’s show will air live on NJPW World beginning at 8:00 pm EDT.

NJPW US G1 Special Match Card

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Semi Final 
Tomohiro Ishii vs Zack Sabre Jr.

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Semi Final
Kenny Omega vs Jay Lethal.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
The Young Bucks vs Roppongi Vice.

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship (the winners of the semi final bouts will face off to crown the inaugural IWGP US Heavyweight Champion).

IWGP Intercontinental Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Billy Gunn.

You can join me on Twitter (@AbbeyA) as I live tweet the NJPW US G1 Special (with a bunch of other really fun folks) beginning at 8:00 pm EDT on Sunday, and as always, I’ll have a full recap and review of the event as soon as it’s in the books.

The post NJPW US G1 Special Preview (7/2/17): Time To Crown The New IWGP US Champion appeared first on TopRopePress.com – Wrestling News, WWE News, TNA News, Wrestling Results.

Photo: NJPW

It’s almost that time. This weekend, NJPW hits the West Coast for the NJPW US G1 Specials. These shows will take place in Long Beach, California, on Saturday and Sunday, most of NJPW’s top stars will be there, and with a little bit of finagling, everyone (whether you have AXS or not) should be able to watch both shows live as they happen.

First off, let’s preview the cards.

NJPW US G1 Special Match Card (Saturday, 7/1/17)

Roppongi Vice, Will Ospreay, & The Briscoes vs The Young Bucks, Marty Scurll, Yujiro Takahashi, & Bad Luck Fale.

Titan, Dragon Lee, Volador Jr., & Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI, EVIL, & SANADA.

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Quarter Final
Jay Lethal vs Hangman Page.

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Quarter Final
Juice Robinson vs Zack Sabre Jr.

David Finlay, Jay White, KUSHIDA, & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs So Tanaka, Yohei Komatsu, YOSHITATSU, & Billy Gunn.

IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa vs War Machine.

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Quarter Final
Tomohiro Ishii vs Tetsuya Naito.

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Quarter Final
Michael Elgin vs Kenny Omega.

IWGP Heavyweight Championship 
Kazuchika Okada vs Cody.

NJPW US G1 Special Match Card (Sunday 7/2/17)

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship Semi Final Matches (the winners from Saturday’s bouts will compete to see who advances to the finals in the first two matches of Sunday’s show).

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
The Young Bucks vs Roppongi Vice.

IWGP US Heavyweight Championship (the winners of the semi final bouts will face off to crown the inaugural IWGP US Heavyweight Champion).

IWGP Intercontinental Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Billy Gunn.

How To Watch The Shows

There are several ways to watch Saturday’s show, which kicks off at 8:00 pm EDT/5:00 pm PDT.

1. Watch live on AXS with limited commercial interruption (AXS will also have a full day of NJPW programming beginning at 8:00 am EDT on Saturday).
2. Canadian viewers can catch the show live on Fight Network.
3. Non-US viewers can watch live on NJPW World.
4. US viewers who don’t have AXS can watch the show live via Sling TV. They have a 7-day free trial, and AXS is available on both their orange and blue packages. Sling is available on on your computer, tablet or smartphone, and it works with Roku, Apple TV, ChromeCast, Amazon FireTV, & XBox One (this is how I am watching Saturday’s show).

As for Sunday’s show, it will be streaming live on NJPW World beginning at 8:00 pm EDT/5:00 pm PDT.

You can join me on Twitter (@AbbeyA) as I live both night’s of the NJPW US G1 Special (with a bunch of other really fun folks) beginning at 8:00 pm EDT on Saturday, and as always, I’ll have a full recap and review of the event as soon as it’s in the books.

The post NJPW US G1 Special Preview & How To Watch The Shows appeared first on TopRopePress.com – Wrestling News, WWE News, TNA News, Wrestling Results.