Photo Credit: New Japan Pro Wrestling
By: Noah Leatherland
NJPW were in the Kobe World Hall for this year’s Destruction event with a trio of title matches on the top half of the card. In the main event, Yota Tsuji retained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, setting him on course for a title defence with G1 Climax winner, Ryohei Oiwa.
In Kobe, Tsuji had to contend with former champion, Hirooki Goto. The two men had met in this year’s G1 block round, where Goto claimed a win over Tsuji. Both Tsuji and Goto brought the intensity again with the title on the line. They threw everything they had at each other, with Goto even dipping into E. Honda’s playbook ahead of the release of the Street Fighter movie.
Ultimately, a pair of Fire Blasters proved to be the deciding factor in the main event. Tsuji finally overcame Goto just as the clock ticked over the 24-minute mark, securing a first successful defence of his current reign.
Tsuji and Oiwa came face-to-face in the ring, with both men sharing their feelings on their upcoming bout in the post-match comments
Tsuji:
As champion, I still have things I need to do. Naturally, these are things I feel I must do myself. First up is Oiwa. This is a match in which I, as the IWGP [Heavyweight] Champion, will take on the G1 winner. Oiwa, you’re ready for this, aren’t you? Go on then—try and beat me your way.
Oiwa:
My opponent for the match at Ryogoku on October 12th has been confirmed. I’ll be stepping into the ring riding the wave of my current momentum, partly seeking revenge for the G1, so I intend to put Fire Blaster right in his place. I’m fully prepared.
In the semi-main event, Gabe Kidd returned to Japan to defend the IWGP Global Championship. Across the ring stood his fellow countryman, Drilla Moloney. It was a hard-hitting affair between the two, with Kidd even driving Moloney through the ringside table as they ropes failed to contain their brawl. Kidd finally put Moloney away with a piledriver, but that was not the end of his night.
Shota Umino interrupted the champion’s celebrations, meeting him in the ring. Kidd’s mockery of Umino’s recent injury led to the pair getting into a scrap, with Umino coming out on top and laying out Kidd.
The NJPW World Television Title was also on the line in Kobe, as Konosuke Takeshita defended against the newest member of the NJPW roster, Shun Skywalker. As expected from the House of Torture, the bout fell victim to outside interference. Skywalker blinded Takeshita with powder, but The Alpha managed to fight through the odds. However, the numbers disadvantage had swayed the match too much. Skywalker escaped the Raging Fire and connected with a pair of Skyfalls to put Takeshita away and claim the gold.
The House of Torture descended on Takeshita in a post-match beat down. Luckily, Toru Yano made the save, running off the treacherous faction.
Speaking in the post-match comments, Skywalker was very pleased with the result, seeing it as a statement to all of NJPW:
Shun Skywalker has sent Konosuke Takeshita, the G1 Climax winner, to heaven in less than 15 minutes. Or rather, perhaps it would be more accurate to say he knocked him down from heaven. New Japan Pro Wrestling, what are you going to do about this? How do you feel now that a belt bearing your organisation’s name has been won so easily by an outsider?
(Quotes translated via DeepL)
Here are the full results for NJPW Destruction in Kobe:
Date:
September 28, 2026
Category:
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