NJPW has announced the stipulations chosen for Taichi and Shingo Takagi in their upcoming KOPW 22 Trophy match on Monday, April 25th. The match will happen as part of the Golden Fight Series tour. Taichi says he wanted to make it a main event prize in the company and selected Takagi as his challenger. Taichi chose the stipulation of a 30 Count match, in which there are multiple falls, and whoever gets a combined count of 30 wins. Takagi chose a “Takagi Style Three Falls Match”, in which the first to three falls is the winner, but you have to get one count, a two count, and a three count.
Fans will choose the stipulation with online voting happening now.
You can check out the official announcement below:
Monday, April 25 will see a new evolution of the KOPW concept, as new holder Taichi faces Shingo Takagi in the main event, the first KOPW match not to feature Toru Yano, and with a very different vision for the trophy.
The concept behind KOPW remains to have holder and challenger present rule ideas to be voted on by the public. After a lot of speculation about just what rules both men would bring, Takagi and Taichi have reached their decisions, and have proposed rulesets that will see endurance and conviction pushed hard no matter the poll outcome.
Taichi has suggested a 30 Count Match. In this match, multiple falls will see a cumulative count from the referee. The winner is the wrestler who can get a combined 30 count on their opponent. Strategy and stamina will come to the fore in this punishing match style.
Takagi meanwhile has brought his own spin on a multiple falls match, suggesting a Takagi Style Three Falls Match. In this match, the first to three falls is the winner, but rather than being the best three out of five, a competitor must get first one count, then a two count, and then three. This will likely see a hard pace being set in the opening as both men vie to get the early one counts before the will to win really comes to the fore for the third fall.
Which match do you want to see? Voting will be on Twitter until Saturday, April 23 at 10 PM JST. Cast your vote now!
