NJPW Star Tetsuya Naito Reportedly Set For Eye Surgery This Week

New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Tetsuya Naito will be undergoing his third right eye surgery on November 7. He announced the news to Tokyo Sports. Since 2019, Naito has been dealing with superior oblique muscle paralysis — a condition that causes double vision. He spoke about the surgery, noting the unfortunate news about it never getting "completely better."

"It's muscle paralysis, so even if you have surgery, it won't get completely better. So, even if you have this surgery, ... you'll probably return to the same condition eventually," assuming he continues to wrestle, a translated version of Tokyo Sports indicates he told the outlet.

Naito has undergone surgery twice before — in 2019 and 2022. His upcoming surgery this week will be his last since his doctor told him that the surgery can only be performed three times. Naito revealed that he wanted to wait to do the surgery after retirement, but he decided to "cherish the present," and do it now.

Also, another reason was that after the 2023 G1 Climax tournament, his condition worsened. Naito was the winner of this year's G1 Climax tournament, which was how he earned his Wrestle Kingdom 18 match against the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA for the title.

Over the weekend, Naito was in action at NJPW Power Struggle, where he and Yota Tsuji defeated the IWGP Heavyweight Champion and Yuya Uemura. It was the same event where AEW star Jon Moxley defeated Great-O-Khan in a Falls Count Anywhere match. IWGP United States Champion Will Ospreay also had a confrontation which led to another match likely being made for Wrestle Kingdom 18 — Ospreay is expected to be defending his title against both Moxley and David Finlay.