New Japan is back in the US today for one of their annual spring events, Windy City Riot. Today is significant because, barring a change of plans, it’s the last time Hiroshi Tanahashi will compete in the US before his retirement at Tokyo Dome in January. In what is expected to be his final US match, he will face Konosuke Takeshita and, although Takeshita is still NEVER Openweight Champion, this will be a NON-TITLE match. There are 3 big title matches planned though-first up, STRONG Tag Team Champions Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs defend the titles against KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight, the latter recently confirming he is still signed with New Japan after signing with All Elite Wrestling recently (multiple contracts much like Takeshita has). In the second match, STRONG Openweight Champion Gabriel Kidd defends again vs. Tomohiro Ishii following their INSTANT CLASSIC draw in January (and I was lucky enough to be there!), but this time it’s an Iron Man Match and, if it’s a draw again, sudden death with no time limit-there must be a winner this time. Finally, after his latest successful defense at SAKURA GENESIS last weekend, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hirooki Goto will defend the title against Shota Umino. Whoever wins could be coming back to the US next month as champion for a title defense. Additionally, the next challenger for STRONG Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone on 5/9 will be determined in a match between Mina Shirakawa & AZM. Shirakawa just left Stardom for, presumable, AEW so we’ll see if that factors into the outcome.
Today’s event will be held at WinTrust Arena in Chicago, IL and can be watched LIVE on New Japan World as a PPV in Japanese & English (no freebie for monthly paid subscribers this time-everyone has to pay. But a monthly paid subscription IS NOT required to purchase the PPV) for $19.99 outside Japan and 2999 Japanese yen in Japan (which given recent stock market turmoil may actually be more than $20 US). Purchase includes unlimited on demand viewing until 5/31/25. It will likely be available without additional purchase for subscriberes on or after 6/1/25. No Triller/FITE option this time. There will be a pre-show match 30 minutes before the event. Including the pre-show I anticipate this event, with 8 matches total and only one or two likely to go more than 30 minutes, having a total running time of around 3 1/2 hours.
Today’s lineup:
Pre-show:
Zane Jay vs. CJ Tino
PPV:
TJP vs. Tom Lawlor
AZM vs. Mina Shirakawa for the next STRONG Women’s Championship shot
STRONG Tag Team Champions Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs. vs. KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight for the titles
STRONG Openweight Champion Gabriel Kidd vs. Tomohiro Ishii in an Iron Man Match for the title. If a time limit draw (30 minutes), match continues until there is a winner
Rocky Romero & El Phantasmo vs. Tetsuya Naito & Titan
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. David Finlay
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Konosuke Takeshita
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion HIrooki Goto vs. Shota Umino for the title
Refresh this page occasionally for the latest results.
Updates below will begin at 4:30 PM PT/7:30 PM ET.
4:20 PM PT UPDATE: You will also be able to watch the pre-show FOR FREE on YouTube.
4:30 PM PT UPDATE: Live updates begin now.
We are LIVE from WinTrust Arena in Chicago, IL. Your hoses are Haruo Murata, Milano Collection A.T. & Yoh in Tokyo. Your English hosts on-site are Walker Stewart & Veda Scott.
The paid attendance will be announced after the event. The last ticket sale estimate I have is from when I launched the live stream at 4 PM PT/7 PM ET and that was (via Ticketmaster sales) 4418 with a setup for about 4550 so it could be a legit sellout (the venue’s maximum capacity is just over 10,000) So whether or not they sell out will depend on walk-ups but based on this I’m going to go with them getting very close and predicting 4500. (UPDATE: The announced paid attendance was 4674, a full house/near sellout. That would suggest the actual setup was for closer to 5000)
Pre-show match: Zane Jay vs. CJ Tino. 20 minute time limit
Result: Zane Jay beat CJ Tino by submission. Afterwards, Jay with microphone. He put Tino over then announced he was giving up the “STRONG Survivor” title because he has been training at the NJPW Dojo in Japan the last 3 months and he is going back over there to focus on making his Japan debut in the promotion. Someone else from the NJPW Academy can now take the unofficial title which is contested for on US pre-show matches. I saw Jay beat longtime “Survivor” Matt Vandagriff in January in person. He has a lot of potential.
The pre-show ends here (4:48 PM PT/7:48 PM ET).
Updates will resume when the PPV begins.
PPV:
Opening video with today’s lineup then right into the matches.
Match 1: TJP vs. Tom Lawlor. 30 minute time limit
Result: TJP beat Tom Lawlor
Match 2: AZM vs. Mina Shirakawa for the next STRONG Women’s Championship shot. 30 minute time limit
Result: Double Countout. As a result, for now at least, NEITHER gets the title shot against Mercedes Mone.
Match 3: STRONG Tag Team Champions Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs. vs. KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight for the titles. 30 minute time limit
Result: STRONG Tag Team Champions Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs beat KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight to retain the titles. Nelson pinned KUSHIDA. V2 for the champs. Next up: Potentially TJP as one half of it as he was at ringside as the champs left and teased a confrontation with them.
Match 4: STRONG Openweight Champion Gabriel Kidd vs. Tomohiro Ishii in an Iron Man Match for the title. 30 minutes. If it’s a time limit draw, match continues with no time limit until there is a winner
Result: 1-1 after 30 minutes. Which means, per the rules for this match…CONTINUATION! No time limit, first pinfall/submission wins. There must be a winner!
Result: Tomohiro Ishii beat STRONG Openweight Champion Gabriel Kidd to win the title. Ishii becomes the 8th STRONG Openweight Champion. Another Classic Hoss Fight.
Match 5: Rocky Romero & El Phantasmo vs. Tetsuya Naito & Titan. 30 minute time limit
Result: Tetsuya Naito & Titan beat Rocky Romero & El Phantasmo. Titan pinned Romero after a diving foot stomp.
Match 6: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. David Finlay. 30 minute time limit
Result: Zack Sabre Jr. beat David Finlay. Right before the end there was a potential botched finish where it appeared and sounded like the ref counted 3 on a Sabre pinfall attempt but then signaled 2.
There’s been a last-second match order change because next is…
Match 7: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion HIrooki Goto vs. Shota Umino for the title. 1 Hour time limit (this was supposed to have been the main event. Turns out it’s now double main event)
Result: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hirooki Goto beat Shota Umino to retain the title. V4 for Goto. Next up: TBA but it may be at WRESTLING DONTAKU on 5/3 & 5/4 in Fukuoka, but whoever is champion will be defending in the US on 5/9.
The Young Bucks promo via recorded video. They challenge Bullet Club to a match of some sorts on 5/9.
Main Event: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Konosuke Takeshita. 30 minute time limit
Result: Konosuke Takeshita beat Hiroshi Tanahashi. Takeshita showed Tanahashi respect before leaving, but as soon as he left the ring El Phantasmo was there to confront him and perhaps make a NEVER Openweight Championship challenge. After he left, several of the wrestlers gathered and rallied around the ring in support of Tanahashi. Cameras also caught Zack Sabre Jr. watching alongside some fans. Tanahashi with microphone. He thanked the fans in English for coming and although retiring as wrestler he vowed as President to make NJPW number 1 in the world. He finished by leading the crowd in his Japanese fist-raising shout to close the event. But he made sure to stop for lots of selfies and well-wishes among front row fans to do what he always has done best-send the crowd home happy.
The next US event will be Resurgence on 5/9 in Ontario, CA. I will miss the event due to being in Japan at the time.
The next event is 4/19 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo for the start of the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU 2025 Tour. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin on 4/18 at 7:30 PM PT/10:30 PM ET.
UPDATE: Regarding the double countout and how it will affect the STRONG Women’s Championship match on 5/9…it’s now official-it will be a 3-way. Mone vs. Shirakawa and AZM for the title, first fall wins.
