IWGP World Title Match Added To NJPW Battle In The Valley

New Japan Pro-Wrestling has announced another title match for NJPW Battle in the Valley.

NJPW previously confirmed that Mercedes Mone will challenge KAIRI for the IWGP Women’s Championship. Plus, KENTA will challenge Fred Rosser for the STRONG Openweight Championship. The company has added another major match to the card, but the participants have not been settled yet.

The show will feature a match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship; Kazuchika Okada will defend the gold against Shingo Takagi at The New Beginning in Osaka show on February 11, and the winner of that bout will put the title on the line at Battle in the Valley on February 18.

The announcement, courtesy of NJPW’s official website, is as follows:

Battle in the Valley on February 18 is looking to be an explosive start to 2023 for NJPW in the US. With Mercedes Moné challenging KAIRI for the IWGP Women’s Championship, and KENTA already confirmed to challenge whomever the STRONG Openweight Championship, two title matches have already been made, and now a huge third has been added.

The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be on the line on February 18, for the first US defence of the gold since Jay White retained his title in a four way match at Forbidden Door. Just one week before Battle in the Valley, Kazuchika Okada will defend the world title against Shingo Takagi in Osaka; now it’ll either be a tight turnaround for Okada defences, or yet another bout in an intense schedule over January and February for challenger Takagi.

Who enters San Jose as the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion? And who will move to challenge for the gold?

WrestleZone will provide more information as it becomes available.

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