Minoru Suzuki is now a two-time NEVER Openweight Champion!
This past weekend, NJPW held their Summer Struggle Show and Shingo Takagi defended the NEVER Openweight title for the fourth time; however, it would ultimately be his last title defense.
Not surprisingly, this was a match full of hard stiff shots from both men. One of the highlights of the contests was Takagi reverse the Gotch Piledriver into a Death Valley Driver, and then connecting with a Pumping Bomber that got him a strong nearfall.
The tide of the match turned after Suzuki countered The Last of the Dragon with a big headbutt. Two more headbutts put the former champion down temporarily. Both men exchanged big shots moments later; however, the 52-year-old got the best of the striking war. Suzuki put Takagi away with a sleeper hold and then connected with a piledriver that got him the three count.
After 210 days, Shingo Takagi drops the NEVER Openweight Championship. Sukuzi previously held the belt back in 2017 and managed to keep the title for 252 days before losing it to Hirooki Goto.