Kazuchika Okada will challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship when New Japan returns to the Tokyo Dome at the end of May.
After a series of challenges were laid out, newly crowned champion Will Ospreay will make his first title defense against Shingo Takagi on Tuesday, May 4th at Wrestling Dontaku in Fukuoka. The winner of the match will defend the championship against Okada at the second of two “Wrestling Grand Slam” cards the company is promoting in May.
It’s one of the most ambitious schedules in recent memory as New Japan will run a show at Yokohama Stadium on May 15th and two weeks later, run its second Tokyo Dome card of the year.
Okada has had recent matches with both sides of the championship match, defeating Ospreay on the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 15 this past January, and losing to Takagi in the opening round of the New Japan Cup last month.
Okada is a five-time IWGP heavyweight champion with his last reign ending on January 5, 2020, when he lost to Tetsuya Naito.
