COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Almost Cost Robbie Eagles His First NJPW Title

COVID-19 travel restrictions between Australia and Japan almost cost Robbie Eagles his first championship in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

The Sniper Of The Skies had been absent from NJPW since December 2020 but he returned to the promotion in July ahead of an IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title match against El Desperado inside the Tokyo Dome on July 25. Eagles would go on to defeat Despe for the gold and he has held the championship for 33 days at the time of writing. 

Speaking about the title win on the On The Turnbuckle Podcast, Eagles revealed he almost didn't make it to Japan because of travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"I struggled to leave the country and I was delayed by two days to here when I was supposed to because of our government saying I wasn't allowed to leave Australia after I called and said, 'Do I need an exemption?' They said, 'You're cool.' I get there and it was the exact opposite and I needed to prove this, this, and this. I missed my flight and it was all up in the air. This whole situation might not have happened and I might not have been IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion if things didn't work out. It was a lot of stress and scrambling, but luckily I got the exemption," Eagles said. 

The 31-year-old is set to defend the Junior Heavyweight Title for the first time on September 5 at Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome against Hiromu Takahashi.

H/T to Fightful