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NJPW Champion Wants Better Opponents From AEW

By Craig Ballantyne • Published 3rd January 2024
AEW & NJPW logos over blurred background

NJPW’s Shingo Takagi has asked AEW to bring him better challengers for the NEVER Openweight Championship.

Shingo Takagi captured the NEVER Openweight Title from Tama Tonga at Fighting Spirit Unleashed in Las Vegas back in October. The following month, he defended the title against AEW’s Trent Beretta Lonestar Shootout in Garland, Texas.

Ahead of his rematch against Tama Tonga at Wrestle Kingdom 18, Takagi told Tokyo Sports that he has ambitions to follow in the footsteps of his Los Ingobernables de Japon stablemate Hiromu Takahashi and defend his title in multiple promotions around the world.

He ended by saying that now he’s beaten Beretta, he wants AEW to provide “someone better” for him to defend against.

“I want to take full advantage of NEVER’s unopposed division. This year, Hiromu (Takahashi) has participated in various events with other organizations, but I want to do what I can only do now with all my heart. I want to show my strength against other organizations and overseas. I’m willing to have a title match in the U.S. if necessary. I won against Trent Beretta, so I want them to bring someone better from AEW.”

AEW President Tony Khan Responds To Shingo Takagi

Trent Beretta caught wind of the comments and responded on social media, joking that he was being “disrespected.”

“look at these motherf***ers disrespecting me by making this a headline”

Tony Khan followed up, saying he had sent NJPW his “favourite guy.”

“Literally sent them my favorite guy and everything.”

Whether the comments will lead to a rematch remains to be seen, but it seems that Shingo Takagi has his sights set on AEW if he is able to overcome Tama Tonga on January 4th in the Tokyo Dome.

As well as the NEVER Openweight Title bout, Wrestle Kingdom 18 will see the first IWGP Global Champion crowned, and the company recently gave the first glimpse of the new title belt.