NJPW New Year Dash 2026 Notes: Gabe Kidd Challenges Andrade El Idolo to IWGP Global Title #1 Contender Match at The New Beginning in Osaka 2026, Yota Tsuji Brings Back IWGP v4 Title, Will Ospreay Surprise Appearance, Ichiban Sweet Boys Wins IWGP Jr. Tag Titles

Indie / Misc
Jan 5, 2026

Gabe Kidd Challenges Andrade El Idolo to IWGP Global Title #1 Contender Match

Monday’s NJPW New Year Dash 2026 event at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan featured Gabe Kidd issuing a challenge to Andrade El Idolo for a #1 Contender’s match for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship at next month’s The New Beginning in Osaka 2026 event.

Following United Empire’s (Andrade, Francesco Akira, & Jakob Austin Young) victory over Gabe Kidd, Hiromu Takahashi, & Clark Connors in a Six-Man Tag Team match, Kidd grabbed a microphone and confronted Andrade. This led to a brawl breaking out between the two that was broken up by several Young Lions and Andrade leaving the ring to take a seat next to the ring announcer and timekeeper. Kidd grabbed the microphone again and issued a challenge to Andrade for a #1 Contender’s match for the IWGP Global title at New Beginning in Osaka, which Andrade agreed.

The New Beginning in Osaka 2026 takes place on February 11th at the Edion Arena Osaka in Osaka, Japan.

Yota Tsuji Brings Back IWGP Heavyweight v4 Title Belt

Monday’s NJPW New Year Dash 2026 event also featured IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji bringing back the v4 design title belt.

Prior to the start of the Eight-Man Tag Team match between Tsuji, David Finlay, Shingo Takagi, & Drilla Moloney and United Empire (Jake Lee, Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, & HENARE), Tsuji came out to the ring wearing his usual red trenchcoat and hat hiding his recently won IWGP World title. Tsuji was the last to get in the ring and be introduced leading to him opening up his coat revealing he brought back the prior design of the IWGP World title.

Tsuji had promised that had he won the title at Wrestle Kingdom 20, he would bring back the classic design of the title, which had been replaced in March of 2021.

Will Ospreay Makes Surprise Appearance & Reunites with United Empire

Monday’s NJPW New Year Dash 2026 event also featured Will Ospreay making a surprise appearance.

Following United Empire’s (Jake Lee, Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, & HENARE) victory over Yota Tsuji, David Finlay, Shingo Takagi, & Drilla Moloney, United Empire attacked Takagi and Moloney while Lee grabbed Tsuji’s IWGP World title. This led to Lee taunting Tsuji and gave him a slap only to get laid out by Tsuji with a slap in return after getting back his title. A furious Finlay tried to go after Newman only to be restrained by several Young Lions leading to Finlay ripping off the ring apron and tossed chairs into the ring, which Newman took one and sat down on it. Newman grabbed a microphone and after some foul mouthed insults, he talked about how this was a different United Empire he has been carrying on his back and issued a challenge to Finlay for a match at anywhere and any place of Finlay’s choosing.

This led to Ospreay’s music playing and him making a surprise appearance coming out to the ring. Ospreay embraced HENARE and shook hands with Great-O-Khan before turning his attention towards Newman. Ospreay apologized stating that he did not know that United Empire would start to fall apart after he left and stated that while he has yet to be cleared from his neck injury, once he handles some business in AEW, he will come back to New Japan and help Newman. Ospreay continued stating that he would even do it Newman’s way.

This led to Ospreay and the rest of United Empire, except Newman and Lee, standing alongside each other and gave the U.E. hand signal as Newman teased attacking Ospreay with a chair only to be prevented doing so by Khan and HENARE. Newman left the ring as the rest of United Empire looked on and Ospreay finally acknowledged Lee before leaving.

Ichiban Sweet Boys Wins IWGP Jr. Tag Titles

Monday’s NJPW New Year Dash 2026 event also featured TMDK’s Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) defeating El Desperado & KUUKAI, BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X), and HOUSE OF TORTURE (DOUKI & SHO) in a Tornado Four-way match to become the new IWGP Juniot Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.

This was Ichiban Sweet Boys’ second IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship victory in their NJPW careers.

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