Konosuke Takeshita is wasting no time getting back into the title hunt.
After losing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship to Yota Tsuji at Wrestle Kingdom 20, Takeshita has his sights set on a new prize. NJPW has announced that “The Alpha” will challenge El Phantasmo for the NJPW World TV Championship at New Beginning USA.
The event is scheduled for February 27 in Trenton, New Jersey. This marks the first NJPW title defense on US soil in 2026. The rivalry between the two dates back to last year, with Takeshita holding a pair of wins over ELP, though Phantasmo retained his TV title against Takeshita via a time-limit draw at Dontaku last May.
“ELP will not be playing for time in Trenton, but rather looking to retain his title with a clean win. For Takeshita meanwhile, capturing the TV title would add new dimension to his international television footprint,” NJPW wrote in the announcement.
Also advertised for the show is the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Yota Tsuji.
NJPW New Beginning USA (Feb 27):
NJPW World TV Championship: El Phantasmo (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Appearance: Yota Tsuji
