Junya Matsunaga Defeats Hayabusa For A Shot At ZERO1 World Heavyweight Championship

By: Ian McCord

Pro Wrestling ZERO1 returned to TOKYOSQUARE in Itabashi on March 6th to decide the next challenger for the ZERO1 World Heavyweight Championship. 

In the main event of the evening, Junya Matsunaga defeated Hayabusa in just over 20 minutes, earning the right to challenge Masato Tanaka for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Matsunaga, who also is one half of the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Champions with Tsugutaka Sato, looks to become a double champion in ZERO1 after defeating his rival Hayabusa in Itabashi. Matsunaga took to social media to share his feelings on being the next challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship stating: 

“World Heavyweight Championship. I’m ready anytime, anywhere! I’ve been ready all along! I’ll wrap both singles and tag titles around this waist and carry them all on my back!!” 

The ZERO1 World Heavyweight Champion Masato Tanaka, who lost in tag team action in Itabashi, also took to social media to comment on Matsunaga’s victory: 

“I watched every single match. We lost in the tournament, but today you beat Hayabusa. I know they’re strong. But how am I gonna win when the belt’s on the line? That’s all I can think about. I don’t feel like losing. Anytime, anywhere is fine. I’ll do it.”

(Quotes translated via DeepL)

Junya Matsunaga and Masato Tanaka are set to go one on one for the ZERO1 World Heavyweight Championship at ZERO1’s 25th Anniversary Event at Shinjuku FACE on April 4th. 

Here are the full results from Pro Wrestling ZERO1’s event at TOKYOSQUARE in Itabashi on March 6th courtesy of cagematch.net:

• Van Vert Jack vs. Yuki Toki – Time Limit Draw (15:00)
• Uta Shima defeats Konomi Hori (8:32)
• Bryan Ishizaka & Takuya Sugawara defeat Masato Tanaka & Yuko Miyamoto (12:53)
• Daichi Hashimoto defeats Chris Vice (7:15) 
• Koji Doi & Kuma Arashi defeat Kubota Brothers (Hide Kubota & Yasu Kubota) (12:53)
• Junya Matsunaga defeats Hayabusa (20:09)