New Japan Pro-Wrestling has announced multiple late changes to its Destruction in Kobe card after Yuya Uemura, Kosei Fujita and Yushin Hatazawa were ruled out of the September 27 event at Kobe World Memorial Hall in Hyogo, Japan.

Uemura and Hatazawa have both withdrawn because of ill health. Fujita, meanwhile, will miss the show after sustaining an injury to his right knee. NJPW did not provide a timetable for any of the three wrestlers’ returns, nor did it specify the nature or severity of Fujita’s knee injury beyond confirming that he cannot compete on Sunday.

The withdrawals have directly altered one of the advertised matches on the lineup. Aaron Wolf and Taichi had originally been scheduled to team with Uemura against Fujita, Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr. That six-man contest is now a straight tag team bout, with Wolf and Taichi facing the TMDK pairing of Oiwa and Sabre.

In addition, the planned kickoff match has been canceled. NJPW’s revised lineup lists nine matches for the event, with the Taichi and Wolf versus Oiwa and Sabre contest remaining on the card in its new form.

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“Thank you for supporting New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Yuya Uemura and Yushin Hatazawa, who were both scheduled to compete at Destruction in Kobe Sunday, have both been forced to withdraw due to ill health. In addition, Kosei Fujita has sustained an injury to his right knee and will also be unable to compete. We apologize to fans who were looking forward to seeing all three wrestle, and appreciate your understanding.”

Six-Man Match Reduced to Taichi and Aaron Wolf vs. TMDK

The most notable in-ring adjustment involves four wrestlers who remain available for Destruction in Kobe. The original match was set to bring together Taichi, Wolf and Uemura against Fujita, Oiwa and Sabre. With Uemura and Fujita unable to appear, NJPW has preserved the core competitive matchup by retaining Taichi and Wolf on one side and Oiwa and Sabre on the other.

The change removes both Uemura and Fujita from a match that could have offered significant interaction between established NJPW names and a mix of wrestlers continuing to define their positions on the roster. Instead, the new tag match puts Taichi and Wolf opposite the TMDK tandem of Sabre and Oiwa.

Sabre’s inclusion ensures that the revised bout still features one of NJPW’s most technically accomplished competitors, while Oiwa remains alongside his TMDK stablemate. Taichi and Wolf now enter the contest as a two-man unit rather than part of the originally announced three-man lineup.

There was no replacement announced for Uemura, Fujita or Hatazawa. Rather than reshuffling other wrestlers from the already announced card, NJPW elected to cancel the kickoff match and reduce the affected six-man tag into a conventional two-on-two contest.

Health Comes First as NJPW Revises Kobe Event

Last-minute changes are never ideal for a major live event, particularly when fans have been anticipating appearances from wrestlers who have been specifically advertised. Still, the promotion’s decision removes Uemura, Hatazawa and Fujita from competition rather than asking them to work through illness or injury.

Uemura’s absence is attributed to ill health, as is Hatazawa’s. The announcement makes clear that both men were scheduled for the Kobe event before being withdrawn. Fujita’s situation is different, with NJPW identifying a right knee injury as the reason he will not be wrestling.

At this stage, there is no indication that any further matches have been changed. NJPW’s announcement focused on the altered tag team match and the cancellation of the kickoff contest, while the rest of the advertised lineup remains intact.

The company also issued an apology to supporters who had been looking forward to seeing the three competitors and thanked fans for their understanding. With the show taking place the day after the announcement, the revised card gives viewers a clear picture of what to expect when Destruction in Kobe goes live.

Title Matches Remain Set for Destruction in Kobe

Despite the necessary changes lower on the card, Destruction in Kobe remains anchored by four championship-related matches and several high-profile singles bouts.

Yota Tsuji is scheduled to defend the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Hirooki Goto. The main-event-level title match places the reigning champion opposite a veteran challenger in Goto, with NJPW’s top prize on the line.

Gabe Kidd is also set to put the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship up for grabs against Drilla Moloney. That contest remains unchanged on the updated card, as does Konosuke Takeshita’s NJPW World TV Championship defense against Shun Skywalker.

Elsewhere, Shingo Takagi will face Claudio Castagnoli in a marquee singles match. Jeff Cobb versus Callum Newman is also still scheduled, ensuring United Empire representation across the event even as the faction is also booked in a separate six-man tag team contest.

For the wrestlers still competing, the alterations mean that Destruction in Kobe will proceed with a slightly leaner slate but with its major advertised attractions preserved. The show’s championship matches, singles meetings and multi-man bouts continue to offer a substantial lineup for the Kobe crowd and those watching on NJPW World.

Updated NJPW Destruction in Kobe Card

NJPW Destruction in Kobe will be held September 27 at Kobe World Memorial Hall in Hyogo, Japan, and will stream live on NJPW World. The updated lineup is as follows:

  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match: Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
  • IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship Match: Gabe Kidd (c) vs. Drilla Moloney
  • Shingo Takagi vs. Claudio Castagnoli
  • NJPW World TV Championship Match: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Shun Skywalker
  • Jeff Cobb vs. Callum Newman
  • Aaron Wolf & Taichi vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa)
  • Unbound Co. (Yuto-Ice, OSKAR & Daiki Nagai) vs. United Empire (HENARE, Great-O-Khan & Zane Jay)
  • YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Unbound Co. (Taiji Ishimori, Robbie X & Gedo)
  • Shota Umino, Boltin Oleg, Mistico, El Desperado & Toru Yano vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita, SANADA, DOUKI, SHO & Dick Togo)

What the Changes Mean for the Remaining Card

The revised Taichi and Wolf versus Oiwa and Sabre match is now one of the key non-title bouts on the card. It is also the only contest specifically adjusted in response to the three absences, while the canceled kickoff match becomes the other direct scheduling consequence.

With no additional details announced on recovery expectations, the immediate focus is on the health of Uemura, Hatazawa and Fujita. Fujita’s right knee will naturally be a point of concern given the physical demands of NJPW competition, but no prognosis has been made public. Similarly, NJPW has not stated whether Uemura or Hatazawa’s illnesses will affect their status beyond the Kobe event.

For now, fans attending or viewing Destruction in Kobe have an updated nine-match card. Tsuji’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship defense against Goto, Kidd’s Global Heavyweight Championship clash with Moloney, and Takeshita’s TV title bout against Skywalker remain in place, while the Taichi and Wolf versus TMDK tag match takes the spot of the previously scheduled six-man encounter.

NJPW will move forward in Kobe without Uemura, Fujita and Hatazawa, with the promotion making clear that all three are unable to compete on September 27. The hope will be for each wrestler to make a safe return once medically able, but their next appearances have not yet been announced.

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.