Kenny Omega has made his intentions unmistakable: he wants back into the IWGP Heavyweight Championship picture, and he is prepared to take an unconventional route to get there.

At NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling, Yota Tsuji successfully retained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event against Ryohei Oiwa. Tsuji’s victory appeared set to close a major night for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but the champion’s post-match moment quickly became the launching point for Omega’s return to the title conversation.

As Tsuji addressed the crowd after his defense, a video message from Omega played. The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion and former AEW World Champion directly put Tsuji on notice, signaling that the reigning champion’s celebration would not last uninterrupted for long. What followed turned a warning into a physical statement.

Oleg Boltin then stormed to the ring and confronted Tsuji face-to-face. Before that confrontation could develop further, Omega appeared in person. Omega ambushed Boltin, then laid out Tsuji. With both men down, Omega picked up the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and held the title high, leaving no ambiguity about the prize he is targeting.

For more background on this topic, read AJ Styles Says He Never Viewed Himself as Bullet Club’s Leader.

The confrontation established a three-man collision rather than a straightforward challenge. In backstage comments following King of Pro-Wrestling, Omega acknowledged that he is not the number one contender for Tsuji’s championship. Rather than claim a title match outright, Omega proposed a three-way match at NJPW Power Struggle on November 3: Omega versus Tsuji versus Boltin.

The proposed bout is not currently a championship match. However, the stipulation attached to it gives Omega a clear path to the title: if Omega wins the three-way, he will earn the right to challenge Tsuji for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Omega’s challenge creates a high-stakes Power Struggle scenario

Omega’s proposal is notable because it openly recognizes the competitive order around the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He did not present himself as the established top contender. Instead, he placed himself in a match with the champion and another wrestler who had just made his own forceful move toward Tsuji.

That approach does not make Omega’s objective any less direct. By attacking Boltin and Tsuji, then raising the IWGP Heavyweight title above them, Omega made it clear that he sees a victory at Power Struggle as a gateway to a championship opportunity. The November 3 match gives him an immediate chance to prove that he belongs in the conversation without asking Tsuji to put the belt on the line before Omega has earned that position.

For Tsuji, the situation is complicated by the fact that he enters the three-way as champion but does not have the title at stake. He has already defeated Oiwa in a main-event title defense at King of Pro-Wrestling, only to be pulled straight into an encounter with two men looking to disrupt his reign. Omega’s stipulation is centered on Omega’s potential reward, but Tsuji also has a major incentive to win. Defeating both challengers would prevent Omega from securing the title shot he wants and allow the champion to reassert control over the division.

Boltin, meanwhile, was not merely an observer when Omega made his play. He entered the ring to confront Tsuji before Omega’s surprise appearance changed the scene. That places him at the heart of the developing rivalry. A victory over Tsuji and Omega would be an enormous statement, while a defeat could leave either opponent with momentum and a possible route toward the championship.

The format itself also introduces a different kind of pressure. In a three-way match, the champion does not need to be beaten to lose. Omega can fulfill his stated condition by winning the match, and the result could reshape the title picture regardless of whether Tsuji is directly involved in the decisive fall. With the IWGP Heavyweight Championship not being defended on November 3, Tsuji’s immediate priority is protecting his standing as champion as much as avoiding a loss.

Yota Tsuji’s reign receives its next major test

Tsuji’s successful defense against Ryohei Oiwa at King of Pro-Wrestling was a significant result on its own. Oiwa had pushed into the main-event spotlight, and Tsuji emerged with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship still in his possession. But Omega’s intervention ensured the focus moved swiftly beyond that completed defense.

There is now a contrast between what Tsuji has already achieved and what he must confront next. He proved himself in a one-on-one championship match against Oiwa. At Power Struggle, he will instead face the uncertainty of a non-title three-way against a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion seeking to force his way into contention and Boltin, whose confrontation with Tsuji made clear that he also has designs on the top spot.

Omega’s history with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship gives the challenge added weight. He is not simply naming a goal from a distance. He has held the championship before, and his actions at King of Pro-Wrestling were designed to remind Tsuji, Boltin, and the New Japan audience of that fact. The title raised over the ring was a visual declaration that Omega considers a return to the top of NJPW a realistic objective.

At the same time, Omega’s own words established the central condition of the match: he knows he is not the number one contender. The three-way is therefore a proving ground. He must win it to turn his declaration into a formal championship claim.

Omega said that if he wins the three-way match at Power Struggle, he will receive an IWGP Heavyweight Championship opportunity against Tsuji.

That stipulation places a spotlight on every potential outcome. An Omega victory would immediately set up a title challenge. A Tsuji win would deny Omega his desired breakthrough and strengthen the champion’s position after King of Pro-Wrestling. A Boltin victory would create another major wrinkle, potentially changing the discussion around who is most deserving of the next opportunity.

Updated NJPW Power Struggle card

Power Struggle on November 3 already features championship matches alongside the newly added three-way involving Omega, Tsuji, and Boltin. The announced card is currently headlined by the following bouts:

  • IWGP Tag Team Championship: Knock Out Brothers, Yuto-Ice and OSKAR, defend against United Empire’s Will Ospreay and Callum Newman.
  • IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Gabe Kidd defends against Taichi.
  • Three-Way Match: Kenny Omega vs. Yota Tsuji vs. Oleg Boltin. If Omega wins, he earns an IWGP Heavyweight Championship title shot.

The tag title match will see Knock Out Brothers put their championship on the line against the United Empire pairing of Ospreay and Newman. In the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship match, Gabe Kidd faces Taichi in another prominent singles title defense. Both contests add championship implications to an event that now also includes a major non-title match with potential consequences for NJPW’s top prize.

Omega’s presence gives Power Struggle an especially important direction. His stated aim is not vague: he wants the IWGP Heavyweight Championship back. The three-way match is the mechanism he has proposed to establish his claim, and he has already shown he will use force to make that pursuit impossible to ignore.

For Tsuji, the road out of King of Pro-Wrestling did not offer much time to enjoy a successful defense over Oiwa. The champion now has to prepare for two opponents at once, including a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion who has publicly identified him as the man standing between Omega and another chance at the title.

For Boltin, the attack by Omega adds a personal element to a match that was already born from his confrontation with Tsuji. And for Omega, November 3 is a chance to turn an ambush, a declaration, and a raised championship belt into an earned title opportunity. The result of the three-way will determine whether his path back to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship becomes official.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.