New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Yota Tsuji has been forced to withdraw from a portion of the ongoing Road to Destruction tour due to illness, leaving a noticeable void in the recent live event lineups.
Tsuji, known as the "Gene Blast" and one of the company's most rapidly ascending talents, missed at least two shows on the tour, including the September 15th event and the latest Road to Destruction stop in Korakuen Hall on Wednesday, September 17th.
The illness has led to immediate changes on the cards. For Wednesday's event, Tsuji was scheduled for a high-profile six-man tag team match. Following his withdrawal, the bout was adjusted, seeing David Finlay and Gabe Kidd defeat Daiki Nagai and Shingo Takagi in a traditional tag team contest.
While NJPW has confirmed the absence is due to illness, no further details have been provided regarding the nature of the ailment or a timeline for the Los Ingobernables de Japon member’s return to action.
Tsuji was recently a major focal point for the company, having just completed a strong G1 Climax run that saw him reach the finals and participate in a highly anticipated NJPW World Television Championship match against Jeff Cobb on September 8th. His immediate future plans, including potential matchups for the upcoming major Destruction events, remain uncertain until he is medically cleared to compete.
All of us wish Yota Tsuji a speedy recovery and look forward to his explosive return to the ring.
