The Road To King of Pro-Wrestling tour concluded after many hard-fought preview tags throughout the week, and an IWGP Tag Title change on top of that. This year’s KOPW show housed numerous title matches along with some booking decisions that mixed the crowd’s responses completely. They certainly left home buzzing after the stellar main event though! Let’s jump into this review.
Your English commentators for the show were Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton!
Unbound Co. (Shingo Takagi & Daiki Nagai) v. Hirooki Goto & Tatsuya Matsumoto – Tag Match
The first few matches of the night were tag matches, much like the past week of NJPW’s Road To shows. Shingo pulled out a Death Rider finisher to win this one, after weeks of calling out Jon Moxley to a match. Shingo played more of a heel here as Matsumoto showed his fire only to get shunned out by his opps. Still really like Nagai, though; he needs to win that Junior Title within the next few years. After this match, Jon Moxley appeared on the titantron to signal his return to NJPW, but didn’t mention Takagi by name. The sheer disrespect.
Ask and you shall receive!
Jon Moxley has a message for Shingo Takagi and NJPW!
#njkopw https://t.co/E4uEHH9Gv9
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) October 12, 2026
House of Torture (SANADA, Yujiro Takahashi, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) v. Yuya Uemura, Taichi, & El Desperado – 6-Man Tag Match
Yuya Uemura’s talents got wasted in this undercard spot; he should be winning titles by now, seriously. The non-House side won this match with relatively no fuss, surprising the crowd after HoT’s antics got stomped out into the sunset. No Kanemaru whiskey, no Yujiro cane, just a dominant performance from Taichi after Desperado took most of the punishment. SANADA and Uemura worked well against each other in a mini-match within this one, at least.
TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson) v. Hechicero & Boltin Oleg – Tag Match
Oleg, the Strong Openweight Champ, teamed with CMLL World Champion Hechicero in a great effort against TMDK. Finally, a company not in Mexico that treats the CMLL World Title with respect. All four guys put in some undoubtedly solid work, even Big Jag Hartley. Hechicero/Zack’s sequences were so technically sound while Oleg kept displaying unbelievable strength like always. The Boltin Shake to Hartley was unreal, just gut-wrench after gut-wrench!
It was a quick match with Oleg victorious after the Kamikaze on Hartley. The pinfall win was meant to preview a possible rematch for the CMLL World Title with him and Zack. Can’t wait for that if it happens again. Also, there were funny jokes from commentators Walker & Chris making fun of AEW’s Clockwork Carnage.
“How does that match work again?”
“Well, the rules are quite simple; I’ll explain them to you later.”
“Okay!”
Konosuke Takeshita & Toru Yano v. House of Torture (Shun Skywalker & Ren Narita) – Tag Match
Takeshita’s face turn with New Japan’s main unit continued with this House showdown. The House did their typical House things with attacks before the bell and endless cheap moves like eyerakes. The only significant thing from this match was Shun Skywalker’s undefeated streak ending via Toru Yano low blows and a rollup pinfall loss. Yano might be challenging for Skywalker’s TV Title soon. And lo, the heavens fell.
Hopefully, Yano will perform at the same caliber as his Tag Title contendership match against the Knockout Brothers, with Makabe.
United Empire (Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, & HENARE) (c) v. Unbound Co. (OSKAR, Yuto-Ice, & Jeff Cobb) – NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Championship Match
What a fun 6-Man Tag match, featuring five stars and also Great-O-Khan shining bright under the spotlight. The faces v. heels dynamic got VERY complicated, with Ospreay getting huge pops while O-Khan & HENARE got vicious boos from the crowd. Still, the Unbound trio each offered their unique styles and meshed well with the Empire boys.
Jeff Cobb is back in his bag, y’all. It’s like he never left Japan with how seamless he switched from showing off his athleticism to his strength. Yuto-Ice also became an MVP of this match, getting in striking exchanges with HENARE and Ospreay. He forced them to feel that “pro wrestling high,” as he likes to call it.
In the end, the KOB finisher pinned HENARE, and Unbound Co. won the NEVER 6-Man Tag Titles. Afterward, Callum Newman attacked the new Champions and nearly stabbed Ospreay with his Sword of Essex inadvertently. Tensions brewed, and then Ospreay challenged for the Knockout Brothers’ Tag Titles. Yuto-Ice and OSKAR accepted, but only if they got to pick Ospreay’s partner. They of course, picked Callum Newman. Therefore, Power Struggle (I assume) will feature KOB (c) v. Ospreay & Newman for the IWGP Tag Titles.
Aaron Wolf (c) v. Kosei Fujita – NEVER Openweight Championship Match
Wolf wrestled that NEVER Style really well, with strikes and slaps a-plenty to challenge Fujita’s grit. “The Japanese Young Punk” managed to German Suplex Wolf multiple times here, looking super strong in the process. The winner of this one was never in doubt, but Fujita fighting hard to suspend that disbelief made for a great contest. Wolf busting out a Northern Lights Bomb as a new finisher works too.
For his first defense, Aaron Wolf did well to make himself and his opponent look like championship fighters. No complaints from this openweight match, aside from the lack of more Junior challengers for the title. Like, why not? This belt is specifically made to break that weight barrier New Japan insists on enforcing.
CALLUM NEWMAN PUT THE SWORD OF ESSEX TO OSPREAYS THROAT AND THREATENED TO MURDER HIM IN THE MIDDLE IF THE RING 😭😭😭😭😭😭 #NJPW #NJKOPW https://t.co/lWM9UiMmms
— Self Made AO 💫 (@KXNGAO) October 12, 2026
Gabe Kidd (c) v. Shota Umino – IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship Match
Kidd made his entrance with PAC’s chair in the corridor. Oh, our still-aching hearts. This match was better than their Korakuen Hall title match a few months ago, although that one didn’t include Umino blading on camera. Just some extra miscellaneous tidbits: Kidd literally broke the Global Title belt by throwing it on the ground. So Umino had to fight hard for New Japan. Also, Kidd hit a perfect moonsault and then yelled: “Will Ospreay is an absolute TWAT!!” Lmao.
This was a big spotfest, featuring a Brainbuster on the apron, a powerbomb through the table, and blood on both sides. Kidd locked in a Brutalizer too, as a further tribute to PAC. By the end of the match, the overwhelming nature of everything became too much. After 20 minutes of hard hits and kickouts for days, Gabe frustratingly won with the Death Dog Driver.
Cutting out several minutes of his match would have been beneficial, as these two have proved to wrestle better in quick sprints compared to long epics. And the biggest elephant in the room: WHY ON EARTH can’t Shota Umino beat Gabe? Loss after loss piling up for him is so unfair, especially after being positioned in a spot similar to that of Yuya Uemura or Ren Narita. Oh, and Taichi appeared to be the next Global Title challenger for Gabe. Sure, we’ll take it!
YOH (c) v. Robbie Eagles – IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match
YOH’s defenses of his Junior Title have been hit or miss; this one just falls smack-dab in the middle. The Sniper of the Sky, Robbie Eagles, absolutely deserved another Junior Title run, and how dare he not get it. This one never quite got into that second gear, because of the abrupt ending.
YOH just rolled up and won outta nowhere. At least Robbie’s Turbo Backpack looked good compared to it normally looking terrible. I truly don’t know what else to say about this, though; I’m sad for Robbie Eagles. This was also an awkward spot for this match to be in since we previously saw the hero Umino lose. Hmph.
Yota Tsuji (c) v. Ryohei Oiwa – IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match
The sport is back, ladies and gentlemen. If anyone wasn’t convinced after G1 Climax 36 that Ryohei Oiwa is the greatest going right now, this title match with Tsuji should open more eyes. Tsuji targeted Oiwa’s ribs throughout this thing, heightening the struggle with moves like a diving double stomp to the floor. Ouch. That Ryogoku crowd was RABID for Oiwa and boosted the aura of this match completely. The shift in noise whenever Tsuji got offense compared to Oiwa’s comebacks was beautiful. Oiwa’s journey including winning the G1 in this very building to tonight, made Tsuji a pseudo-heel with stomp after stomp to Oiwa’s ribs.
When Oiwa got control back, he used his trusty Big Rock and Doctor Bomb among other moves to try and neutralize the Gene Blast. Some amazing moves jumped me out of my seat like The Grip countered into a Fire Blaster. Holy hell. I genuinely thought Oiwa won after The Grip hit successfully, but a 2.9 count kept the match going. Oiwa then kicked out of the Fire Blaster, which had never happened before. Ultimately though, a second Fire Blaster put away Oiwa, giving Tsuji the hard-fought win after an incredible match.
This match could easily pass as match of the year in 2026. Next to Okada/Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom and Oiwa’s G1 Final with Uemura, this is the tippity top of professional wrestling. Oiwa got so hot to the point where people in the crowd were audibly mad at Tsuji when he won. Absolutely insane motion to have at less than 30 years old, while Yota Tsuji remains New Japan’s final boss in the main event scene.
But wait, there’s more! After Tsuji beat the G1 Winner, Kenny Omega appeared on the titantron to question Tsuji’s World Champion status. How could Tsuji refuse to work Forbidden Door in AEW when he’s a champion of the world, not just Japan? Then, he seemingly challenged Tsuji, but Tsuji said no. Boltin Oleg then appeared in-person to march at Tsuji and confront him. Could Oleg be the next challenger? Hold that thought, because here came Kenny Omega, live in the flesh! One Winged Angel to Yota Tsuji and then Kenny proposed a match for the upcoming Power Struggle.
Yota Tsuji v. Kenny Omega v. Boltin Oleg, a non-title three-way match. If Kenny wins, he will become the number one contender officially, regardless of Tsuji’s. That sounds like a hell of a good time.
What’s happening?
@kennyomegamanx has issued a challenge to Yota Tsuji??
#njkopw https://t.co/udjEHlWRah
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) October 12, 2026
Overall Thoughts:
This show had a lot to love even when mixed with things to hate. Decisions like having Gabe Kidd beat Shota Umino were ridiculous, and matches like YOH v. Robbie Eagles were underwhelming. However, this show has plenty of good to great material to go back and rewatch. The NEVER Singles Title and NEVER 6-Man Title matches were both worthwhile, and Hechicero in a New Japan ring was a fun time too. But wow, that main event between Tsuji and Oiwa. It’s a match you need to witness with your own eyes to believe its own hype.
King of Pro-Wrestling 2026 left a lasting legacy with its main event, and the direction the company’s going in with its upcoming title matches is very promising. Poor one out for the TMDK faction though, losing all of their matches on the night. So parallel, so tragic.
After Tsuji refused Omega’s challenge, @KennyOmegamanX made his point in person!
#njkopw https://t.co/cUKYZNJNpU
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) October 12, 2026
