El Desperado Retains IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title At NJPW Dominion

El Desperado is still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Despe defended the gold for the first time at today's Dominion show against YOH and the Suzuki-gun man picked up the win after 23 minutes following a Pinche Loco. Both men fought back and forth during the match and repeatedly targeted the other's legs, but El Desperado was the one who walked away with the title. 

Despe and YOH were originally scheduled to go one on one at Wrestling Dontaku but the match was postponed following New Japan Pro-Wrestling's COVID-19 outbreak. Desperado revealed he was quite ill from the virus and suffered from joint pain, "unbelievable" back pain, dizziness, a cough and a high fever. 

El Desperado's next challenger stepped forward after the Dominion match and two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori declared he wanted a title match. Despe quickly accepted. 

Desperado defeated El Phantasmo and BUSHI for the vacant title back at Castle Attack in February to begin his first reign. Hiromu Takahashi was previously the champion but he was forced to relinquish the gold after suffering a left pectoral injury.