The United Japan Pro Wrestling group aka Japan Pro Wrestling Federation, made up of several major and independent promotions (excluding All-Japan Pro Wrestling) held its latest event today in Tokyo. Called FACE THE NEXT, it spotlighted younger & less experienced wrestlers while also serving as a de facto farewell to the venue that is closing soon. New Japan was responsible for promoting the event.
Today‘s event was held at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo. There is/was no live or on demand broadcast (at least at this time).
The announced paid attendance was 460, a legit sellout.
Before the event began, a talk show event was held with New Japan wrestler Kosei Fujita & DDT wrestler Takeshi Masada, followed by a speech from Japan Pro Wrestling Federation representative director Sanshiro Takagi.
Match 1: Tatsuya Matsunoto (New Japan) vs. Yuto Koyanagi (Pro Wrestling NOAH) went to a 10 minute time limit draw.
Match 2: Jiro Shinbashi (Dragon Gate), Hinata Kasai (DDT) & Sentaro Motojima (Ganbare Pro) beat Midori Takahashi (Pro Wrestling NOAH), @KEY (Dragon Gate) & Beniyo Ume (Kyushu Pro Wrestling). Motojima pinned Ume.
Match 3: Takama Selishige (Big Japan), Masatora Yasuda (New Japan), Shota Kawakami (Ganbare Pro) & Katsumi Inahata (Pro Wrestling NOAH) beat Taisei Nakahara (New Japan), Reiya Igarashi (Freedoms), Rukiya (DDT) & GuC (Dragon Gate). Yasuda pinned Nakahara.
Match 4: Kazuma Kimura (Dragon Gate), Daichi Sato (DDT) & Kazumasa Yoshida (Big Japan) beat Hiroto Tsuruya (Pro Wrestling NOAH), Koshiro Asakusa (Big Japan) & Yuki Ishida (DDT). Sato pinned Asakura after Mad Splash.
Match 5: Yuya Koroku (DDT) beat Homare (Dragon Gate) by submission.
Main Event: Ryoya Tanaka (Dragon Gate), Munetatsu Nakamura (Ganbare Pro) & Kazuma Sumi (DDT) beat Daiki Odashima (Pro Wrestling NOAH), Daiki Nagai (New Japan) & Illusion (DDT). Tanaka pinned Illusion after Stardust Press Joker Strider.
After the main event, New Japan President Hiroshi Tanahashi appeared to put over all the wrestlers and send the crowd home happy.
No word yet on when the next UJPW event will be held.