Power Struggle (2019)

Promotional poster for the event, featuring various NJPW wrestlers

**Power Struggle (2019)** was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on November 3, 2019, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Edion Arena Osaka. It was the nineth event under the Power Struggle name. The event was headlined by Jay White defending the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Hirooki Goto.

## 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 headlined by Jay White making his first defense of the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Hirooki Goto. In March 2019, White began feuding with Goto, calling him a disappointment after always failing to win his big matches, leading White to defeat Goto on April 29 at Wrestling Hinokuni. Afterwards, Goto went to the NJPW's L.A. dojo to rediscover himself. On September 22 at Destruction in Kobe, White defeated Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. After the match, White was attacked by Hirooki Goto, who challenged him to a title match, with the goal of becoming the first IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Champion at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 4, 2019, but White refused. However, on October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling, White changed his mind and decided to give Goto an opportunity for his title. NJPW announced the title match on the following day.

The NEVER Openweight Championship was also be defended at Power Struggle with KENTA making his second defense against Tomohiro Ishii. On August 12, KENTA and Ishii teamed with Yoshi-Hashi in a match against Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa). During the match, KENTA turned on his partners and joined the Bullet Club. Afterwards, Ishii vowed revenge against KENTA. The two faced each other on August 31 at Royal Quest, with KENTA defeating Tomohiro Ishii with help from his Bullet Club stablemates to Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa win the NEVER Openweight Championship. KENTA would return the favor to Tonga and Loa on September 15 at Destruction in Beppu, after helping them retaining the IWGP Tag Team Championship in their match against Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi. On October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling, KENTA teamed with his Bullet Club stablemates Jay White and Yujiro Takahashi in a losing effort against Ishii and his CHAOS stablemates Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi. Afterwards, KENTA and Ishii were involved in a brawl, leading Ishii to challenge KENTA to a rematch for the NEVER Openweight Championship. NJPW announced the title match on the following day. Leading to the match, Ishii proclaimed that he wanted to see the old KENTA, while KENTA who started to have an arrogant attitude, began trying to reduce Ishii to comedic figure, in order to take his credibility as a challenger for the title.

Power Struggle also featured a singles match between Taichi and Tetsuya Naito. In August during the 2019 G1 Climax, Taichi defeated Naito in their head-to-head match. On October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Taichi and Naito faced each other in a tag team match, where Taichi teamed with his Suzuki-gun stablemate DOUKI, while Naito teamed with his *Los Ingobernables de Japon* stablemate Shingo Takagi. The match ended by disqualification after Taichi attacked with his mic and afterwards Taichi also attacked Naito laying him out with the *Last Ride*. Taichi proceeded to mock him for losing the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and having his quest to become a double champion getting derailed, stating that he would finish what Naito couldn't. NJPW announced the match on the following day. In the following weeks, Taichi kept provoking Naito until on October 27, Naito attacked Taichi during an eight-man tag team match, causing the referee to end the match in a disqualification. Afterwards, Naito and Taichi began attacking each other after their matches, leading NJPW to announce that the winner of the match could become the #1 contender to the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.

In IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Will Ospreay would make his third title defense against BUSHI. On October 28, during a post-match interview, BUSHI challenged Ospreay to a match for his title. Initially, Ospreay refused but he ended up accepting BUSHI's challenge. Three days later, Ospreay and Robbie Eagles faced Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) in their last round robin match of the 2019 Super Jr. Tag League. During the match, BUSHI attacked Ospreay, causing them to lose their match, costing Ospreay and Eagles their spot in the finals of the 2019 Super Jr. Tag League. NJPW announced the title match on November 2.

The event also featured the finals of the 2019 Super Jr. Tag League. The tournament matches took place during the Road to Power Struggle tour between October 16 until November 1. On November 1, Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) defeated reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori, while Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated Birds of Prey (Will Ospreay and Robbie Eagles) to finish the tournament with a record of five wins and two losses, setting up the finals of the tournament. Later that night, Suzuki-gun attacked Roppongi 3K. The two teams had been involved in a rivalry, where Suzuki-gun faced Roppongi 3K in numerous matches for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. The match was officially announced on November 2.

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada and his number one contender Kota Ibushi, who were set to headline Wrestle Kingdom 14 in Tokyo Dome, met at Power Struggle in a tag team match, where Okada teamed with Yoshi-Hashi, while Ibushi teamed with Hiroshi Tanahashi.