Will Ospreay defeated Kota Ibushi to become IWGP World Heavyweight Champion at the 2021 Sakura Genesis show and just one month into his reign, Ospreay has to vacate the championship.
The announcement was made by New Japan Pro-Wrestling that Ospreay suffered a neck injury on May 4th on night two of Wrestling Dontaku. He defended the title against Shingo Takagi and retained. It was in that match that Ospreay suffered the neck injury. New Japan noted on their official website that Ospreay is off their next series of shows and he is returning to the U.K. for further treatment.
The company does not have a timetable for his return and an announcement concerning the IWGP World Heavyweight Title is coming at a later date.
Ospreay is the second individual to hold the IWGP World Heavyweight Title. Prior to this iteration of New Japan’s top title being introduced, Kota Ibushi held both the Heavyweight and Intercontinental Titles before the belts were merged into one.
Ospreay is the reigning RevPro British Heavyweight Champion and prior to the postponement of the 5/29 Wrestle Grand Slam show at Tokyo Dome, Ospreay was going to defend the World Heavyweight Title against Kazuchika Okada.
