Juice Robinson Stripped Of The IWGP US Title
The vacancy will be filled at Dominion
NJPW announced Saturday morning that Juice Robinson has been stripped of the IWGP United States title. The planned three way title match at Sunday's Dominion in Osaka will now be a one-on-one bout for the vacant title, as SANADA takes on Will Ospreay.
New Japan's statement reads, "On Friday June 9, New Japan Pro-Wrestling was in receipt of a video from Juice Robinson, in which he stated that he would not be present for his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship three way match at Dominion.
"In fact, Robinson had initially agreed to the championship match Sunday in Osaka Jo Hall. Having now reneged on this agreement and refusing to attend in Osaka, NJPW is hereby stripping Robinson of his champion status and is demanding the return of the championship belt currently in his possession.
"As a result of the championship vacancy, the previously scheduled IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship three way is now a singles match that will determine a new champion."
Robinson missed a June 3 NJPW card with appendicitis. On Thursday, Robinson released an in-character promo announcing that he would not be at Dominion due to still suffering from appendicitis.
The updated card for NJPW Dominion 2022, taking place on Sunday, June 12 at Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka, is as follows:
* IWGP World Heavyweight: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Jay White
* Vacant IWGP United States: SANADA vs. Will Ospreay
* Interim AEW World Title qualifier: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto
* NEVER Openweight: Tama Tonga (c) vs. Karl Anderson
* Provisional KOPW trophy: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Taichi
* IWGP Tag Team: Chase Owens and Bad Luck Fale (c) vs. Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan
* NEVER Openweight Six Man: EVIL, SHO, and Yujiro Takahashi (c) vs Zack Sabre Jr, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and El Desperado
* Toru Yano vs. Doc Gallows
* Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI, and Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Phantasmo, Ace Austin, and Taiji Ishimori
* TJP, Francesco Akira, and Aaron Henare vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.
