Power Struggle (2020)

Promotional poster for the event, featuring various NJPW wrestlers

**Power Struggle (2020)** was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on November 7, 2020, in Osaka, Japan, at the Edion Arena Osaka. It was the tenth event under the Power Struggle name. The event was headlined by Tetsuya Naito defending the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships against EVIL.

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the tour had some restrictions in the attendance, after the Japanese Government lifted the State of Emergency.

## Background

### Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, other wrestling promotions began to cancel or postpone their shows in an attempt to prevent further spreading of the COVID-19 virus. At the end of February, following recommendations by the Japanese Ministry of Health regarding the coronavirus outbreak, NJPW canceled the events between March 1 and March 15 including the promotion's Anniversary Event and the first and the second round of New Japan Cup. On March 23, NJPW also canceled the 2020 Sakura Genesis event, which was originally scheduled to take place on March 31. On April 8, NJPW canceled more events from April 11 through May 4, leading to the cancelation of both nights of 2020 Wrestling Dontaku and would also cancel the whole Best of the Super Juniors tournament as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on May 6. Various wrestlers such as David Finlay, El Phantasmo, KENTA, the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa), Jay White, Juice Robinson, Will Ospreay, Rocky Romero, and Robbie Eagles were unable to work on NJPW events due to travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, NJPW wrestlers and staff created the *NJPW Together* project in order to do bring content to NJPW World with interviews and old archived matches. On May 6, NJPW announced that their Wrestle Dynasty event would be postponed to 2021, due to the effects of the 2019-20 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On June 8, during an online press conference, NJPW Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi announced that the promotion would start to held shows on June 15, starting with the *Together Project Special* and the return of the 2020 New Japan Cup between June 16 and July 11, with all shows being held behind closed doors. It was also that the finals of the New Japan Cup and the Dominion in Osaka-jo Hall would be the first shows to allow fans into the arena, but only a third of the venue's normal capacity, after the Japanese Government lifted some restrictions on many regions in Japan.

### Storylines

Power Struggle featured nine professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storyline. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

Power Struggle was main evented by Tetsuya Naito defending the IWGP Intercontinental and IWGP Heavyweight Championships against EVIL. On July 11, EVIL defeated Kazuchika Okada in the finals to win the 2020 New Japan Cup, when Gedo, Jado, Taiji Ishimori, and Yujiro Takahashi helped him win the match and earn a shot at the IWGP Intercontinental and IWGP Heavyweight Championships. Afterwards, EVIL called out Tetsuya Naito, before turning on him and the *Los Ingobernables de Japon* stable, defecting to Bullet Club. On July 12 at Dominion in Osaka-jo Hall, EVIL defeated Naito to win the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships, before losing them back Naito on August 29, 2020, at Summer Struggle in Jingu. On October 19, EVIL teamed with his Bullet Club stablemate Yujiro Takahashi against Naito and his *Los Ingobernables de Japon* stablemate BUSHI in a winning effort. Afterwards, EVIL and Dick Togo laid out Naito, before EVIL posed with the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships. The following day, NJPW officially announced the title match. In the weeks leading to October's 2015 King of Pro-Wrestling event, Naito began teasing bringing in a *pareja* ("partner") to witness his match against Hiroshi Tanahashi, contested for Tanahashi's contract for a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome, which was later revealed to Takaaki Watanabe, who made his NJPW return after a two-year overseas learning excursion. In a post-match interview, Naito gave Watanabe his new ring name, "King of Darkness" EVIL.

Also, on October 19, Kota Ibushi defeated SANADA in the finals to win the 2020 G1 Climax. Afterwards, in a post-match interview, Ibushi was challenged by Jay White for his contract. Following the win, Ibushi gained possession of the Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate, which granted him a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome, a contract that he would have to defend for the rest of the year. During the 2020 G1 Climax, Ibushi was defeated by White in their head-to-head match. However, due to White losing to Tomohiro Ishii on the final of day the tournament, causing White to be eliminated and Ibushi to reach the finals. The following day, NJPW officially announced the match. In August 2019, Ibushi and White faced each other in the finals of the 2019 G1 Climax, which Ibushi ended up winning.

From September 19 until October 18, KENTA and Hiroshi Tanahashi took part in the 2020 G1 Climax. During the tournament, on October 6, Tanahashi defeated KENTA in their head-to-head match in the tournament. Both wrestlers failed to advance to the finals, depite defeating Tetsuya Naito and Zack Sabre Jr. respectively, in their last tournament matches. On October 19, KENTA and Tanahashi faced each other in a eight-man tag team match, with Tanahashi winning the match for his team. Afterwards, in a post-match interview, Tanahashi, who recently regained his confidence, challenged KENTA for his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate. In contrast, KENTA sarcastically said that Tanahashi should fix the damage on his briefcase first, before giving him a match. The following day, NJPW officially announced the match.

On October 16, Great O-Khan made his surprise return to NJPW alongside Bea Priestley by interfering and helping Will Ospreay defeat Kazuchika Okada in his final block match in the 2020 G1 Climax. After Ospreay left CHAOS, O-Khan and Priestley were announced as part of Ospreay's newest stable. The following day, O-Khan wrestled his return match, where he and Ospreay defeated Okada and Sho in a tag team match. Afterwards, in a post-match interview, Ospreay nominated O-Khan to face Okada. The following day, NJPW officially announced the match. Leading to the match, O-Khan has an undefeated streak since his excursion in Revolution Pro Wrestling in 2018, never losing a match by submitting or being pinned.

In July, during the 2020 Summer Struggle tour, after Minoru Suzuki defeated his rival Yuji Nagata, teased a mystery opponent to be his next target, which was revealed on August 10. The following day, NJPW officially announced the match for the August 29 event. Following a victory over Takagi and his *Los Ingobernables de Japon* stablemate BUSHI on August 12, Suzuki officially challenged Takagi to a title match for the NEVER Openweight Championship, which Takagi accepted. This led on August 29, at Summer Struggle in Jingu, Takagi losing the NEVER Openweight Championship to Minoru Suzuki in his fourth title defense. On October 16, Takagi defeated Suzuki in his final roud-robin match of the 2020 G1 Climax. On October 19, Takagi and Suzuki faced each other in a tag team match, which Takagi's team won. Afterwards, the two had to seperated during a brawl, leading Suzuki to nominate Takagi as his next challenger.

In August, Yano took part in a tournament to crown the provisional KOPW 2020 Champion, defeating Yano defeated his CHAOS stablemate Kazuchika Okada, El Desperado, and SANADA in a four-way match to become the inaugural and provisional KOPW 2020 Champion on August 29, at Summer Struggle in Jingu. On October 8, Yano was defeated by Zack Sabre Jr., despite using cheating tatics in an attempt to secure the win. On October 19, Yano and Sabre faced each other in a eight-man tag team match, which Sabre's team won. Afterwards, Sabre kept attacking Yano, leading him to challenge Sabre to a match where he was willing to put on the line his provisional KOPW 2020 Championship under a special rules match, which he would chose the stipulation. The following day, NJPW officially announced the title match. On November 2, at the *Road to Power Struggle* tour, after Sabre and Taichi successfully defended the IWGP Tag Team Championship against Yano's CHAOS' stablemates Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi, Yano who was on commentary for the match, went to the ring and proceeded to remove the corner pads from the ring, before showing that he was furious for always putting the corner pads on when Yano took them off during their matches, leading Yano to announce that their match for the 2020 KOPW Championship would be a no corner pads match. Afterwards, Yano attempt to sent Yano into an exposed buckle, only for Sabre to sent him instead. The following day, NJPW officialized the stipulation of the title match.

## Results

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* (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
* – refers to the video of that match