Lio Rush Announced As Josh Alexander's Replacement For IMPACT X NJPW Multiverse United

IMPACT Wrestling recently revealed that Josh Alexander has suffered a torn triceps, with the ‘Walking Weapon’ forced to relinquish the IMPACT World Championship in preparation for an extended spell on the injured list.

In the wake of Alexander’s injury, IMPACT revealed that Steve Maclin and KUSHIDA will fight for the vacant title at Rebellion on April 16, with IMPACT later revealing that Alexander’s planned championship bout with KUSHIDA at IMPACT x NJPW Multiverse United on March 30 has naturally been cancelled, with KUSHIDA now set to take on Lio Rush at the event.

This will mark the first time that KUSHIDA and Lio Rush will face each other in singles action, with the two last meeting in tag competition in the NJPW Super Junior Tag League in November 2022, where Lio Rush and YOH defeated KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight.

Multiverse United has already had to change several match participants due to injury concerns, with Will Ospreay and Mickie James also pulled from the event.

Updated line-up for IMPACT x NJPW Multiverse United:

• Lio Rush vs. KUSHIDA
• Masha Slamovich vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Gisele Shaw vs. Miyu Yamashita - Winner gets a Knockouts World Title shot at IMPACT Rebellion 
• Alex Coughlin, Callihan, Fred Rosser, & PCO vs. Eddie Edwards, Joe Hendry, J. R. Kratos, & Tom Lawlor
• Bullet Club (c) vs. Aussie Open vs. The Motor City Machine Guns vs. TMDK - IMPACT World Tag Team Championships
• KENTA (c) vs. Minoru Suzuki - STRONG Openweight Championship
• Trey Miguel (c) vs. Clark Connors vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Kevin Knight vs. Rich Swann vs. Rocky Romero - X Division Championship Scramble Match
• Jeff Cobb vs. Moose
• Mike Bailey vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
• Yuya Uemura vs. Gabriel Kidd