NJPW: NEVER Openweight Title & IWGP Jr. Title Matches Set for Battle in the Valley 2025, Konosuke Takeshita NJPW Signing Update, NJPW Reportedly Interested in Baron Corbin

Jan 6, 2025

NEVER Openweight Title & IWGP Jr. Title Matches Announced for NJPW Battle in the Valley 2025

New Japan Pro Wrestling announced two new matches for the card of their Battle in the Valley 2025 event, which takes place on January 11th at the San Jose Civic in San Jose, California.

The first new match announced was a NEVER Openweight Championship match of KUSHIDA vs. Konosuke Takeshita (c).

The second new match announced was an IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match of Taiji Ishimori vs. El Desperado (c).

Current card for NJPW Battle in the Valley 2025:

NJPW Strong Openweight Championship – Tomohiro Ishii vs. Gabe Kidd (c)
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship – Taiji Ishimori vs. El Desperado (c)
NJPW NEVER Openweight Championship – KUSHIDA vs. Konosuke Takeshita (c)
NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship – Roppongi ReVice (YOH & Rocky Romero) vs. West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs) (c)
Sumie Sakai Retirement Six-Person Tag Team match – Sumie Sakai & House of Torture (EVIL & SHO) vs. Hiromu Takahashi, Mayu Iwanatni, & Yuka Sakazaki
Matt Vandagriff & Fred Rosser vs. TMDK (Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito)
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hechicero

Konosuke Takeshita NJPW Contract Signing Update – Takeshita’s Contract Length for One Year

As noted before, Konosuke Takeshita recently signed a new contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling to go with his current contracts with AEW and DDT Pro Wrestling.

Tokyo Sports held a recent interview with Bushiroad CEO and NJPW owner Takaaki Kidani. One of the topics discussed included Kidani’s thoughts about Takeshita’s new contract with NJPW and confirmed that it is for one year in length.

“I think the contract is for one year, but AEW doesn’t have many fights. If he wants to fight in the New Japan main event, that could happen in practice. I think it’s fine for him to come and go. There are a lot of wrestlers like that.”

NJPW Reportedly Interested in Baron Corbin

As noted before, former WWE talent Baron Corbin, real name Tom Pestock, confirmed last week that he is no longer under a contract with WWE and is currently a free agent.

Figthful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that his sources stated that NJPW officials are currently interested in potentially bringing in Pestock to the company.

Sapp reported that Pestock and NJPW officials have been in contact but it is currently not known how deep the talks between the two sides for a potential deal have been.