Kushida is coming back to MLW.
Matt Riddle is scheduled to defend the MLW World Heavyweight Championship in the company’s annual Battle Riot match and it’s shaping up to be a star studded event featuring names from all kinds of professional wrestling. For those who don’t remember, Battle Riot is a 40-wrestler match where pinfalls, submissions, and over-the-top eliminations all count.
This is also the first time that the Battle RIOT match has been held for the World Heavyweight Championship. MLW has already confirmed several big names; former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima, Paul Walter Hauser, Bobby Fish, Jesus Rodriguez, Paul London, and Brock Anderson are just some of the competitors confirmed for the match.
Now, add the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion to the mix.
Kushida has competed for MLW here and there for the past three years and the New Japan star has yet to win a belt in the promotion. The 41-year-old is more of a guest than a contracted talent, but MLW did emphasize that numerous names from different companies will be entering the 2025 Battle Riot. Kushida is no stranger to holding championship gold as the New Japan star is a former ROH World Television Champion and NXT Cruiserweight Champion, in addition to the Junior Heavyweight title.
But Kushida isn’t the only other name that’s recently joined. Anthony Greene is another name that Matt Riddle has to worry about.
The former CZW World Heavyweight Champion has been making waves all around the wrestling world. Greene has competed in AEW, NWA, Limitless Wrestling, and Beyond Wrestling; and he’s won seven world titles in different promotions. Greene is making his MLW debut here; could he walk out as the MLW World Heavyweight Champion in his very first match in the promotion?
Battle Riot is rounding out nicely. Check out the updated line-up below:
40-wrestler Battle RIOT match for Matt Riddle’s MLW World Heavyweight Championship. Participants:
- Matt Riddle (champion)
- Donovan Dijak
- Satoshi Kojima
- Barbaro Cavernario
- Hechicero
- Paul Walter Hauser
- Paul London
- ”Filthy” Tom Lawlor
- Atlantis Jr.
- BRG
- Bobby Fish
- MLW National Openweight Champion Matthew Justice
- Alex Kane
- Brock Anderson
- Esfinge
- Okumura
- Kushida
- Anthony Greene