8 Wrestlers Pulled From NJPW Show Due To COVID-19 Protocols

Shingo Takagi led the list of absentees from today's Summer Struggle event.

by Andy H Murray
Shingo Takagi
NJPW

Shingo Takagi and seven other NJPW wrestlers were pulled from today's Summer Struggle event due to COVID-19 protocols.

NJPW announced as much on Monday morning, noting that Takagi and BUSHI arrived for the previous day's event with a fever. The duo were taken off that card and have both conducted PCR tests, for which they are still awaiting results.

Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Gedo, and Dick Togo were also removed from today's show after wrestling with Takagi and BUSHI during Saturday's show in Nagano. There is currently no word on how long any of these names will be absent.

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As a result of this, Gedo and Togo were made to forfeit a Super Junior Tag League bout with Master Wato and Ryusuke Taguchi, who have been awarded the points. Kazuchika Okada was also added to the card in a replacement match.

Takagi is currently booked to defend his IWGP World Heavyweight Title against EVIL at Wrestle Grand Slam on Sunday 5 September. He has mounted one successful defence since beating Okada to take the vacant strap in June, defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi on 25 July.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.