Will Ospreay and Tatsumi Fujinami have been pulled from this weekend’s NJPW Wrestling Dontaku event due to COVID-19. NJPW issued the following:
Thank you for your support of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
As a result of PCR testing, it has been determined that Tatsumi Fujinami and Will Ospreay are both positive for COVID-19, and will not be able to wrestle on Sunday May 1 at Wrestling Dontaku.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling deeply apologizes to fans who were looking forward to seeing Fujinami and Ospreay wrestle. We appreciate your understanding, and join fans in wishing a speedy recovery and return.
Changes have been made to the Dontaku card as a result. In the semi main event, Tomohiro Ishii will face Hiroshi Tanahashi for the vacant IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. Ishii defeated Minoru Suzuki at Windy City Riot on April 16, and is slated to wrestle Eddie Kingston in Washington DC May 14.
In Fujinami’s absence, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI will team with a mystery opponent to open the Dontaku card.
Here is the updated card for NJPW Wrestling Dontaku:
Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP World Heavyweight title
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the vacant IWGP United States title
El Desperado vs. Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title
EVIL vs. Tama Tonga for the NEVER Openweight title
Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb vs. Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens for the IWGP Tag Team titles
Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru and DOUKI for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles
Hiromu Takahashi vs. YOH
Shingo Takagi, BUSHI, and ? vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., and Taka Michinoku
