Shingo Takagi, BUSHI cleared to return at NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam

September 2, 2021 By BLOGDAELLI

After testing positive for COVID-19, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI have been medically cleared to appear at NJPW’s Wrestle Grand Slam.

IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo will return at NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome on Sunday, according to Tokyo Sports. BUSHI’s return has been announced for a tag team match on night one on Saturday.  

Shingo and BUSHI were pulled from a Summer Struggle show on August 15 after presenting with fevers. Both would undergo PCR tests. NJPW announced on August 18 that both had tested positive for COVID-19. They missed the rest of the Summer Struggle tour. 

Six wrestlers who were identified as close contacts with Shingo and BUSHI worked the show on August 15, but were then pulled from the remainder of the tour. The six close contacts were Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL, Gedo, Dick Togo and Yujiro Takahashi.

Of those wrestlers, EVIL, Tetsuya Naito and SANADA are all still listed for the Sunday Wrestle Grand Slam show, although no specific announcement has been made regarding their status. 

Here are the lineups for both nights at MetLife Dome: 

NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome night one, Saturday, September 4, 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —

IWGP United States Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
Provisional KOPW 2021 No DQ, I Quit match: Chase Owens (c) vs. Toru Yano
SHO vs. YOH
Robbie Eagles & Tiger Mask vs. Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
Pre-show: STARDOM exhibition match TBA

NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome night two, Sunday, September 5, 2 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. EVIL
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Robbie Eagles (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito & SANADA
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo (c) vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
Pre-show: STARDOM exhibition match TBA