NJPW News: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Vacated, Tournament Announced

As has been noted, the reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi suffered a devastating injury believe to be a broken neck back on July 7th at the G1 Special in San Francisco while successfully defending the title against Dragon Lee. Takahashi, who at last word was still in the hospital (read that here), is facing a very long road to recovery, leaving the future of the championship up in the air.

Today, New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced that the title has been vacated, revealing there will now be a tournament to crown a new champion:

At a press conference on August 20^th, a chairman Sugabayashi announced that Hiromu Takahashi relinquished the IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion belt due to injury. He also announced that IWGP Junior Heavyweight championship tournament will be held staring at the next series.

The following is the participants of this tournament who were also former IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion

・KUSHIDA (68^th, 71^st, 73^rd, 75^th, 77^th)

・BUSHI (74^th)

・Will Ospreay (78^th, 80^th)

・Marty Scurll (79^th)

All matches will have 60 minute time limit. The first round will be held at Kobe on September 23^rd: KUSHIDA VS. BUSHI, and at Walter Pyramid L.A. U.S.A on September 30^th: Ospreay VS. Scurll.

The winner advances to the final at Sumo Hall on October 8^th.

Which junior warrior will grab the title and become the new king?

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