Konosuke Takeshita Will Defend NEVER Title Against Boltin Oleg at NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka

– New Japan Pro Wrestling announced that AEW International and NEVER Openweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita will defend the NEVER Title at NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka next month. Here’s the full announcement:

NEVER Openweight Championship bout added to Osaka!

Takeshita to face Boltin on February 11 card

An already stacked lineup for February 11 in Osaka that will see four big singles matchups and four major title bouts previously announced, now has a fifth title on the line!

Immediately after retaining NEVER Openweight and AEW International Championship gold in the Tokyo Dome at Wrestle Dynasty, Konosuke Takeshita was confronted by Boltin Oleg. The Big Man From Kazakhstan had not forgotten his win over the Alpha during G1 Climax 34 and had come to collect, with Takeshita promising that he would put the NEVER title on the line when he was back in Japan.

After a defense of the Openweight title against KUSHIDA at Battle in the Valley, Takeshita’s return is now set for New Beginning. The Alpha will not only want to continue affirming himself as champion with a second defense of his NEVER title, but to present a show of force in his hometown, with his first Osaka appearance since becoming a contracted NJPW wrestler. Yet having already outpowered the young sensation once during the summer, could Boltin shock the champion and potentially end his tour with two NEVER titles?

NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka is scheduled for February 11 at the EDION Arena in Osaka, Japan. Here’s the updated lineup:

* IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
* IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship Match: Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Gabe Kidd
* IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships Match: The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito
* IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match: Ichiban Sweet Boys (c) vs. Rocky Romero & YOH
* NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Oleg Boltin
* Taichi vs. SANADA
* Shota Umino vs. The Great-O-Khan
* Shingo Takagi vs. Drilla Moloney
* Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Togi Makabe