Zack Sabre Jr. Set To Face Jeff Cobb In NJPW World TV Title Match
Jeff Cobb is still stinging from his loss to Kenny Omega on "AEW Dynamite," but he will soon get another chance to capture New Japan Pro-Wrestling gold.
NJPW announced that Cobb will face NJPW World Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr. at Wrestling Dontaku on May 3 in Fukuoka, Japan. Cobb initially challenged Sabre earlier this month, but Sabre couldn't accept Cobb's challenge until successfully defending the title at Capitol Collision in Washington D.C. against "Filthy" Tom Lawlor. Sabre bested Lawlor, and now Cobb "has next" as they say on the court.
Cobb and Sabre's TV Title clash isn't the only title match that has been added to Wrestling Dontaku, as NJPW Strong Openweight Champion KENTA will defend his title against Hikuleo in Fukuoka. KENTA has only himself to blame for this predicament, as he raised the ire of the tall Tongan by bashing him with the title belt earlier this year. After KENTA retained his title against Eddie Edwards in D.C., Hikuleo demanded a title match, which is now official.
Both matches extend current conflicts between warring factions. Sabre, a member of TMDK, has been a thorn in the side of the United Empire, as Cobb and Sabre's match is essentially an offshoot of the bad blood between TMDK's Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls and United Empire's Aussie Open, who recently won the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, as wells as the NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship. Meanwhile, KENTA and Hikuleo's match continues the Guerrillas of Destiny's vengeance-fueled animosity towards their former compatriots in Bullet Club.