NJPW announces EVIL vs. Hiromu Takahashi for IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Championships
After winning both the NJPW IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Championships from Tetsuya Naito at Dominion, EVIL's first challenger has been set. New Japan Pro Wrestling announced on Monday, July 13, that EVIL's former LIJ stablemate Hiromu Takahashi will challenge him for both belts at Sengoku Lord on Saturday, July 25.
At the New Japan Cup final on July 11, EVIL defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the tournament with help from Gedo.
After the match, Naito came out to offer a congratulatory fist bump to EVIL, but he instead made Bullet Club's 'Too Sweet' hand gesture and attacked his former friend, revealing himself as Bullet Club's newest member.
Then at NJPW's Dominion, Naito was forced to fight off Bullet Club members Jado and Taiji Ishimori before Takahashi came out to make the save.
Naito was then attacked by a man wearing a Bushi mask who later revealed himself to be Dick Togo.
After the match, a heartbroken Takahashi challenged EVIL for one or both belts before breaking down and wailing in the ring.
What has EVIL said since winning the NJWP Intercontinental and Heavyweight Championships?
Speaking at NJPW's post-Dominion press conference, EVIL described his former LIJ stablemates as "rotten".
Turning his attention to his match against Takahashi at Sengoku Lord, EVIL said: "Hey Hiromu, you 100% yet? Can your neck survive my offense?"
Takahashi returned to NJPW in November 2019 after suffering a broken neck in July 2018 in a match against Dragon Lee.
He went on to capture IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship from Will Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
Six other matches announced for NJPW Sengoku Lord
NJPW has also announced six further matches for Sengoku Lord on July 25. Shingo Takagi will put his NEVER Openweight Championship on the line against El Desperado, who attacked him after his match against SHO at Dominion.
In another singles match, Kazuchika Okada will take on Yujiro Takahashi, who, back in 2014, turned to Okada and the rest of Chaos to join Bullet Club and help AJ Styles win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Elsewhere, Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Master Wato, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Yuji Nagata will take on Zack Sabre Junior, Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI.
SHO, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto) will face Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and BUSHI.
Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe, and Satoshi Kojima will take on Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Yota Tsuji & Gabriel Kidd.
And Taiji Ishimori will face Yuya Uemura.