Strange Stipulations Announced For Upcoming NJPW Match
NJPW announced fans get to decide the upcoming stipulation for the KOPW 2021 Provisional Championship Match between Toru Yano and EVIL. The two are set to meet on night one of Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni on April 28 in either a Creation of Darkness Blindfold Match or a Darkness Match.
The first match's rules are the following, as per NJPW: "Distinct from a 'traditional' blindfold match, this bout will start with four blindfold hoods on each of the four ring posts around the ring. A competitor is only able to defeat their opponent if they can blindfold them first. Should a hood be secured on an opponent, usual rules apply to pinfalls, submissions, knock outs and count-outs."
The Darkness Match rules are: "The first three minutes of the match will see the lights turned on and off at thirty second intervals. From the three minute mark onward, there will be thirty seconds of darkness every three minutes until a decision is rendered."
Voting for the stipulations begin on Monday. Below are the full cards for night one and two of Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni.
Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni (Night One – Wednesday, April 28)
* SHO & YOH (c) vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship)
* Toru Yano (c) vs. EVIL (KOPW 2021 Provisional Championship)
* Will Ospreay, The Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb vs. Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
* Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
* Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
* Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. Gabriel Kidd & Tiger Mask IV
Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni (Night Two – Thursday, April 29)
* Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi vs. Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb
* Will Ospreay & The Great-O-Khan vs. Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito
* Toru Yano, Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
* Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, & Jado
* SHO, YOH & Tiger Mask IV vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Minoru Suzuki
* SANADA & BUSHI vs. Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura