New Japan Pro Wrestling and Sakura Events announced their official lineup for an iPPV show happening on November 12th in Auckland, New Zealand.
The main event features The Young Bucks & Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada & Rocky Romero & Baretta, designed to start the hard push for the Okada vs. Omega Tokyo Dome NJPW main event on January 4th, 2017.
The show is called “On the Mat” which was the name of the very popular local pro wrestling show in the 70s in the era of Steve Rickard and King Curtis Iaukea. The $18 iPPV will be held under the bill of Charity Pro Wrestling at The Trusts Arena in Auckland.
New Zealand native and ROH wrestler Jay White will be pushed as a local star in facing R.J. Brewer, the former John Walters. Brewer is being pushed a foreign heel and avowed Donald Trump supporter playing on nationalism.
The third main event will be Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Dalton Castle with the idea of allowing Castle the opportunity to be in a classic Tanahashi singles match.
Other matches announced are The Haku Dynasty (King Haku teaming with his sons Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa) vs. local radio DJ Nasty Nate, Hooligan Marcus Kool & Juice Robinson; David Finlay & Kushida vs. Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly, Gedo & Yoshi-Hashi vs. Yujiro Takahashi & local powerhouse Bad Luck Fale; Jon Strongman Andersen vs. El Terrible from Mexico, Hirooki Goto vs. Paul Sayres and Henare of New Japan vs. Hiku Leo’o, which will be the pro debut of the youngest son of Haku.
Kevin Kelly will be the lead announcer on the show.
A number of New Zealand celebrities have been announced including boxer Brown Butter Bean, who will referee the White vs. Brewer match, Princess of Flowers, who will manage Andersen; New Zealand X Factor contestant Ashley Tonga, who will manage El Terrible, as well as TV personalities Niko Goulter and Sisters Singh.