Hold onto your kendo sticks, folks! AEW’s Jon Moxley is making his thunderous return to Japan, ready to defend his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at NJPW Dominion. The date is set for June 9th, the venue is the legendary Osaka-jō Hall, and the match? It’s a Lumberjack Deathmatch against none other than the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Evil. Talk about a hot ticket!
NJPW has spiced things up with this brutal stipulation, which could tip the scales in Evil’s favor. Picture this: the ring surrounded by a swarm of wrestlers from Evil’s House of Torture and Moxley’s Blackpool Combat Club, all ready to keep the action inside the ropes and unleash chaos. With Evil’s cronies known for their mid-match meddling, it’s no wonder he proposed this stipulation. Talk about playing dirty!
Moxley’s reign of mayhem began in April when he snatched the title from Tetsuya Naito. This Lumberjack Deathmatch will be his fourth defense, having previously conquered Shota Umino, Ren Narita, and AEW’s powerhouse, Powerhouse Hobbs. But Moxley’s IWGP run hasn’t been all celebratory champagne showers; he’s faced backlash from NJPW’s locker room, including his own protege Umino. They argue that Moxley’s part-time gig with NJPW cheats fans out of seeing the champ in action at smaller events. Ouch!
Meanwhile, back in AEW, Moxley has been busy with “World Title Eliminator” matches, the latest being at Double or Nothing against Konosuke Takeshita. Despite the fierce competition, none of his AEW challengers have yet punched their ticket for an IWGP title shot.
The Lumberjack Deathmatch promises to be a spectacle of carnage and strategy, with Moxley looking to cement his legacy and Evil plotting to reclaim his throne. One thing’s for sure: Osaka-jō Hall is about to witness a showdown for the ages. Grab your popcorn, folks—this is one you won’t want to miss!