Gabe Kidd’s IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship reign is headed for its next major test at Wrestle Kingdom 21. Following a successful defense against Taichi at NJPW Power Struggle 2026, Kidd issued a challenge to Yuya Uemura for a championship match on January 4, 2027.
The confrontation came at the end of Power Struggle, where Kidd defeated Taichi to remain IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion. Rather than allowing the show to close on the result of the title match, Kidd turned his attention toward NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi. Kidd insulted Tanahashi after the bout and then struck the company president inside the ring.
Yuya Uemura emerged in response to Kidd’s attack on Tanahashi, setting off a chaotic scene involving several of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s most prominent names. Uemura was joined by Shingo Takagi, while Kidd had Jon Moxley at his side. The two sides brawled, with the conflict expanding well beyond the original title defense and putting an immediate spotlight on the road to Wrestle Kingdom.
In his post-match comments, Kidd made his intentions clear. He challenged Uemura to meet him at Wrestle Kingdom 21 with the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship at stake. The proposed match is now listed for the January 4 card, giving Uemura one of the most significant opportunities of his NJPW career and giving Kidd another high-profile defense on the promotion’s biggest annual stage.
For more background on this topic, read Yota Tsuji Addresses Callum Newman’s Strong Style Challenge Ahead of NJPW’s Next Era.
Kidd retains against Taichi, then creates a new Wrestle Kingdom problem
The Power Struggle main event was initially centered on Kidd and Taichi, with the Global title on the line. Kidd successfully put away Taichi, preserving his status as champion. However, the closing moments ensured that the discussion around the match would not be limited to the defense itself.
Kidd’s verbal attack on Tanahashi and subsequent physical strike escalated the atmosphere quickly. Tanahashi’s role as NJPW President added another layer to the incident, as Kidd did not merely confront a fellow wrestler or a prospective challenger. He chose to target the figure leading the company in an overtly provocative act immediately after retaining one of its championships.
Uemura stepping forward made him the central opposition to Kidd’s actions. The ensuing fight did not remain a one-on-one issue, either. Takagi and Moxley became involved, creating two distinct Wrestle Kingdom directions from the same volatile post-match scene. Kidd’s title challenge to Uemura now stands alongside the announced singles match between Takagi and Moxley.
That sequence makes Power Struggle an important turning point for the Wrestle Kingdom 21 lineup. Kidd left the event still holding the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, but he also left with Uemura positioned directly in front of him. Uemura’s intervention came after Kidd attacked Tanahashi, and the challenge gives the challenger a chance to answer that act in a match where the championship will be at stake.
Yuya Uemura receives a major championship opportunity
For Uemura, the title match places him in a marquee Wrestle Kingdom position against a champion coming off a successful defense. There is no ambiguity about the stakes: Kidd will enter as IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, and Uemura will challenge him for the title on January 4.
The tension between the two men was established in a particularly heated setting. Kidd’s confrontation with Tanahashi brought Uemura into the ring, and their conflict became physical before Kidd formally named Uemura as his intended Wrestle Kingdom opponent. The challenger therefore has more than a championship pursuit driving the match. Uemura was present because Kidd crossed a line with Tanahashi, then found himself in a fight with the champion and Moxley.
Kidd, meanwhile, will arrive at Wrestle Kingdom with the confidence of having turned back Taichi at Power Struggle. His actions after that win also underline the confrontational posture he is taking into the Tokyo Dome season. The champion did not wait for a quiet formal announcement or a conventional faceoff. He generated the match through a public escalation that drew Tanahashi, Uemura, Takagi and Moxley into the same closing segment.
Whether Uemura can use that emotion to his advantage will be among the central questions surrounding the Global title bout. Kidd has made it clear that he is willing to create disorder around his championship reign. Uemura now has the chance to turn that disorder into the biggest victory available to him at Wrestle Kingdom 21.
Takagi and Moxley also set for January 4
The Power Struggle brawl did more than establish Kidd versus Uemura. Shingo Takagi and Jon Moxley were on opposite sides of the confrontation, and they are also scheduled to face each other at Wrestle Kingdom 21.
Takagi joined Uemura during the post-match chaos, while Moxley fought alongside Kidd. Their involvement gives the January 4 event another major singles contest that emerged from the same confrontation. Although Kidd versus Uemura is the championship match created by the angle, the Takagi-Moxley bout adds further weight to the Wrestle Kingdom card and ensures the issues from Power Struggle will not be resolved in only one match.
The two announced contests also show how quickly the closing events of Power Struggle reshaped the immediate NJPW landscape. Kidd’s defense against Taichi began as a title match, yet its aftermath produced both a Global championship program and a separate clash involving Takagi and Moxley. With Wrestle Kingdom serving as the destination, the fallout from Kidd’s actions will be a central part of the build toward January 4.
Wrestle Kingdom 21 card takes shape
Kidd versus Uemura joins a lineup that already includes title stakes, personal consequences and several prominent international matchups. The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship will be on the line when YOH defends against SHO in a match carrying a major stipulation for both competitors.
If YOH loses to SHO, YOH must leave NJPW. If SHO loses, he must leave HOUSE OF TORTURE and reunite with YOH to reform Roppongi 3K. The stipulation gives the junior heavyweight title match consequences extending beyond the championship itself, with both men’s futures tied directly to the result.
Elsewhere, Ryohei Oiwa is scheduled to face MJF. Will Ospreay will meet Callum Newman in another announced singles match. Combined with Takagi versus Moxley and Kidd’s title defense against Uemura, the card has assembled several bouts that carry major relevance for NJPW heading into 2027.
For Kidd, the immediate objective remains straightforward: leave Wrestle Kingdom 21 with the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship still in his possession. He overcame Taichi at Power Struggle, but his decision to attack Tanahashi brought Uemura into his path. Now, on January 4, the champion and challenger will settle their issue with the Global title on the line.
Updated NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 lineup
- Ryohei Oiwa vs. MJF
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: YOH (c) vs. SHO
- If YOH loses, he must leave NJPW.
- If SHO loses, he must leave HOUSE OF TORTURE and reunite with YOH to reform Roppongi 3K.
- Shingo Takagi vs. Jon Moxley
- Will Ospreay vs. Callum Newman
- IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Gabe Kidd (c) vs. Yuya Uemura
Wrestle Kingdom 21 takes place on January 4, 2027. Kidd’s successful Power Struggle defense has ensured he reaches the event as champion, but Uemura’s challenge has been made official in the most turbulent way possible. The road to Wrestle Kingdom now runs through the fallout of Kidd’s attack on Tanahashi and the brawl that followed.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.