Takeshita Loses The NEVER Title, Will Enter This Year’s G1 Climax

NJPW “DOMINION 6.15 IN OSAKA-JO HALL”, 15/06/2025
Osaka Jo Hall
6,525 Fans

6. NEVER Openweight Title: Oleg Boltin defeated KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (c) with the Kamikaze (13:12).
*KONOSUKE TAKESHITA fails in V7. Oleg Boltin becomes the 48th NEVER Openweight Champion!

Some interesting turn of events went on over at New Japan today. Konosuke Takeshita’s five month reign as the NEVER Openweight Champion came to an end when he lost his rubber match with Oleg Boltin. The two wrestlers had one singles win over each other going back to last summer. Boltin beat Takeshita in the G1 Climax last August and then this past February Takeshita won the rematch when the NEVER Title was put on the line. When they crossed paths again in a tag match last month, Boltin said he wanted a third singles match with Takeshita confident he would beat him this time and take the belt.

Boltin lived up to his word and beat Takeshita. At first Takeshita countered the Kamikaze into a Dragon Suplex. Boltin fought back by using a Shotgun Dropkick an then caught Takeshita’s Jumping Knee Strike. From there he turned it into the Kamikaze to pin Takeshita for the three count. Backstage Boltin described Takeshita as a monster who would be an Olympic champion in pro wrestling. Takeshita accepted defeat and called Boltin strong. That only means that from today Takeshita will get even stronger. Now that the NEVER Title is taken away from Takeshita he has his eyes on something new. This summer he will climb to the top in order to get a championship with the letters “IWGP” attached to it!

The big summer climb Takeshita is referring to is the 35th annual G1 Climax. This was spoiled during the week when some eagle eyed visitors to the NJPW store in Suidobashi spotted a G1 advertisement on the wall with Takeshita front and center on the poster. This year’s tournament is starting on 19th July with the final being held on 17th August. Prior to the NEVER Title match the majority of this year’s entrants were revealed. Takeshita will be entering in the B Block alongside El Phantasmo, Shota Umino, Shingo Takagi, Zack Sabre Jr., Great-O-Khan, Gabe Kidd, Ren Narita and two unknown wrestlers to be determined via play in matches.