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New Japan Soul

The IWGP Global title is the newest title in New Japan, being established after the deactivation of the US title. David Finlay was its inaugural champion, but he quickly lost it to TNA’s Nic Nemeth at New Beginning. However, after some rebuilding and a short health scare, he would regain the Global title at Wrestling Dontaku.

After taking his title back, David Finlay would take a bit of a back seat among the ranks of New Japan, missing Dominion altogether. However, he would finally make his first defense of this new reign against SANADA at New Japan Soul. SANADA was Finlay’s first major loss as Bullet Club leader, beating him in the finals of last year’s New Japan Cup. However, Finlay would find redemption here, successfully defending the title against SANADA.

G1 Climax, Destruction, and King of Pro-Wrestling

Next for Finlay was the G1 Climax, where he found himself in B Block. There, he would find great success, claiming the top spot in B Block with a 6-3 record and 12 points, losing to Hirooki Goto, Yuya Uemura, and Yota Tsuji. With the #1 placement in B Block, he earned himself a bye in the final playoffs, but would go on to fall in the semi-finals, losing once again to Yota Tsuji.

Finlay continued to stumble, getting pinned in multi-man tag team action by YOSHI-HASHI, thereby earning him a title shot. YOSHI-HASHI would face Finlay for the Global title at Destruction in Kobe, but was unsuccessful in his challenge. However, Finlay would quickly find himself a new challenger in YOSHI’s tag team partner Hirooki Goto, who beat Gabe Kidd earlier in the night and who had beaten Finlay in the G1 Climax. Goto would challenge for the Global title at King of Pro-Wrestling, but he too was unsuccessful in his challenge.

Building to Wrestle Kingdom & Wrestle Dynasty

With almost all of his past losses avenged, Finlay felt there was only one issue left: Yota Tsuji. Since Finlay took control of Bullet Club and formed the War Dogs, he hasn’t lost that many times, and many of those losses were later avenged, as with Sanada and Goto. However, although he beat Tsuji earlier this year, Yota beat him not once but twice in the G1 Climax, most notably in the semi-finals, eliminating Finlay from the tournament. Wanting to correct this blemish on his record, David called out Tsuji for a match for the Global title, and the two will face off at Wrestle Kingdom 19.

However, that’s not all Finlay will have to deal with for the weekend, nor will it be all for Tsuji. Finlay had already made an open call for Wrestle Dynasty, and it was answered by Brody King, a man Finlay has only had brief encounters with in the past. Likewise, Jack Perry attacked Tsuji at Fighting Spirit Unleashed, making a match for themselves for Dynasty as well. As with the World title, either of these could become Global title matches depending on what happens at Wrestle Kingdom, so with so much up in the air, the future is very uncertain for New Japan’s top two heavyweight titles.