Report: DOUKI Planned To Lose IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship At Wrestle Kingdom 19

A scary moment took place at NJPW’s recent Wrestle Kingdom 19 event on January 4 inside the Tokyo Dome, as the highly anticipated IWGP Junior Heavyweight match between reigning champion DOUKI and challenger El Desperado was brought to an abrupt and sudden end due to DOUKI suffering a serious injury. Following a Top Rope Seated Senton, DOUKI landed awkwardly and dislocated his elbow. This led to the referee waving the match off and awarding Desperado the title. 

There was some talk that the planned winner of the match was changed on the fly, but it seems as though this was not the case, and El Desperado was always set to be crowned the winner, only not after just five minutes of in-ring action. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, DOUKI was always losing the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. 

This was known due to internally El Desperado being planned for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match at last night’s Battle In The Valley 2025 PPV against Taiji Ishimori. Desperado subsequently emerged victorious in this match with Ishimori, retaining his gold.

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