Andrade El Idolo Defeats Yota Tsuji in a Thriller to Capture The IWGP Global Heavyweight Title

By: Lewis Carlan

AEW superstar Andrade El Idolo has made the absolute most of a second opportunity that was granted to him due to an injury. Yota Tsuji was originally suppose to defend the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title at WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026 against his hated rival Gabe Kidd on May 3rd. That match was cancelled when Kidd suffered an injury in early April and had to bow out of the bout.

Andrade El Idolo had unsuccessfully challenged Tsuji for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title on Feb. 27th at NJPW The New Beginning USA 2026. Due to the injury to Kidd, Andrade was granted another opportunity at the championship and this time he was not to be denied.

With 2,477 fans in attendance at the Fukuoka International Center for Night 1 of WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026, Yota Tsuji and Andrade El Idolo went to war over the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title in a bout that had the fans completely invested in from start to finish.

The bout lasted 35:37 and it was Andrade who emerged victorious after he hit a DDT on Tsuji into the ring post and followed it up with his The Message finisher which was enough for the pin. This is the first time Andrade El Idolo had won an IWGP championship in NJPW since July 2013 when he was the IWGP Intercontinental Champion as La Sombra.

Andrade had little time to celebrate as he was confronted by Shota Umino and Drilla Moloney who each wanted a shot at his newly won title. Andrade welcomed the challenge and suggested they have a three way for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title.

The three way bout Andrade El Idolo proposed has not yet been made official by NJPW.

In other action, Ren Narita defeated Oleg Boltin to retain his NEVER Openweight Championship. After the bout, Aaron Wolf declared himself the next challenger for Narita and his NEVER Openweight Championship. Wolf lost the title to Narita back in Feb. 2026 and is looking to become a two time NEVER Openweight Champion.

Photo Credit: NJPW

Here are the full results for Night 1 of NJPW WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026 courtesy of purolove.com:

• Toru Yano, YOH & Master Wato defeated Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Taisei Nakahara (5:12) after a Swan Dive Elbow Smash by Wato against Nakahara.
• Yuto-Ice & OSKAR defeated Tomoaki Honma & Masatora Yasuda (3:13) by referee stop (Yuto defeated Yasuda with a knee kick).
• Yuya Uemura, Taichi, El Desperado & Mistico defeated Ryohei Oiwa, Hartley Jackson, Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita (10:28) after a Frankensteiner from Uemura against Jackson.
• Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan & HENARE defeated Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Tatsuya Matsumoto (10:08) after O-Khan’s Houkai against Matsumoto.
• KONOSUKE TAKESHITA & Shota Umino defeated Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi (11:43) after Umino’s second chapter against Takahashi.
• Shingo Takagi, Drilla Moloney, Taiji Ishimori, Robbie X & Daiki Nagai defeated Callum Newman, Jake Lee, Francesco Akira, Jakob Austin Young & Zane Jay (10:22) after Moloney’s Drilla Killa against Jay.
  
• Special Singles Match: Aaron Wolf defeated Don Fale (10:30) with an angle slam.
  
• NEVER Openweight Title: Ren Narita (c) defeated Oleg Boltin (15:20) with a Cross Armbreaker (1st defense).
  
• IWGP Global Heavyweight Title: Andrade El Idolo defeated Yota Tsuji (c) (32:57) with The Message title change (Failed 4th defense -> 7th Champion).