DOUKI wins IWGP Junior Heavyweight title from Desperado

DOUKI defeated El Desperado to capture the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Road to King of Pro Wrestling tour on October 6, winning the title in the main event at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. The match aired on NJPW World and came amid a multishow tour that also featured high-profile undercard bouts and further title action later in the week.

DOUKI’s victory ended El Desperado’s reign in what promotion listings described as an upset. The Korakuen card drew an announced crowd of about 1,161 fans. Earlier on that show, Yuya Uemura recorded a victory over YutoIce in what promotion notes characterized as the highest-profile match of Uemura’s return from excursion. Shota Umino also defeated OSKAR on the same night.

The tour continued with additional stops that built toward NJPW’s King of Pro Wrestling event scheduled for October 13. On October 9 in Komatsu, the promotion ran a night of undercard and tag matches, and on October 11 in Tokorozawa, Saitama, the junior tag division was on display as SHO and DOUKI, the reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, faced El Desperado and KUUKAI. SHO and DOUKI retained the junior tag titles in Saitama,...