RADICAN’S BIG MATCH SPOTLIGHT: NJPW Wrestling Dontaku (3/4) – Callum Newman vs. Shingo Takagi

RADICAN’S BIG MATCH SPOTLIGHT
NJPW WRESTLING DONTAKU
MAY 4, 2026
FUKUOKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD

Announcers: Walker Stewart, Chris Charlton, Gino Gambino

CALLUM NEWMAN vs SHINGO TAKAGI – IWGP Hvt. Championship match

The pace was quick during the early going. Newman went for an Os-cutter, but Takagi blocked. Takagi hit a dragon screw a short time later. Newman went to the floor to stall. He rolled in and back out of the ring, but this time Takagi chased him and tossed him back into the ring. Newman tried to surprise him by charging off the ropes, but Takagi grounded him with a shoulder tackle.

Newman fired back with a knee to Takagi’s mid-section that the announcers said was taught to him by Jake Lee. Newman set Takagi up in a chair in the crowd and nailed him with a huge running dropkick. One young female fan was about to vacate the area, but Newman told her to stay and sit with him. He sat down next to the fan and Takagi ran over and punched him right in the face.

The announcers mentioned Takagi’s wife was sitting in the front row. Newman blocked a punch and took Takagi down and began working over his ribs again. Takagi sent Newman to the floor, but was slow due to the damage to his midsection. Newman cut him off on the floor and set up for a dive. He tried to get the fans to clap in support. He went for a flip dive and landed on his feet when he missed. Takagi ran into the ring and hit a flip dive that sent Newman’s head crashing into the entrance ramp. WOW!

Takagi hit punches and chops in the corner. He then began just punching Newman with lefts and rights. He finished the sequence off with Twist & Shout. Newman tried to surprise him with a sliding dropkick, but Takagi got out of the way. They battled up top a short time later. Newman sent him to the mat, but Takagi managed to toss him off the top back down to the mat. Takagi missed a sliding bomber and Newman nailed him with a trio of kicks capped by one to the ribs.

They battled over to the timekeeper table. Newman cleared the table and eventually slammed Takagi through it with a side slam. Newman went for Made in Essex, but Takagi blocked it. He then went for Prince’s Curse, but Takagi blocked that as well. They began trading blows and Newman told Takagi to bring it. Both men traded suplexes. Takagi hit a German and Newman stood up to deliver a Hidden Blade, but instead he collapsed. Wow! What a sequence.

The 20 minute mark came and went with both men down on the mat regrouping from the prior big sequence. They had another big sequence. Newman teased an Os-Cutter, but instead he did a misdirection and Takagi took a clothesline, but got right back up and hit one of his own. Both men pulled at each other’s hair after Takagi went for Made in Japan. Newman flipped out of a DDT and went for an Os-Cutter, but Shingo caught him with an ace crusher.

Takagi hit a double underhook brainbuster for a nearfall. Takagi set up for a Pumping Bomber, but Newman collapsed. Takagi went for a cover, but Newman was already in the ropes. The ref checked on Newman to be sure he wasn’t out. Newman got to his knees and spit at Takagi. He suddenly hit a body shot and then hit an Os-Cutter for a nearfall. Newman ended up hurting his leg on the landing of the Os-Cutter.

Newman went for a double stomp and his leg buckled underneath him. Newman screamed in pain and sold his knee. Newman tried to get up, but collapsed. Newman ended up grabbing the ref and he shoved him to the floor. A bunch of wrestlers ran into the ring. Jake Lee ran into the ring and went after Takagi, but Tsuji made the save. Newman then nailed Tsuji with a kick. He hit Excalibur on Takagi for a near fall. Newman then hit Made in Essex for another nearfall. Newman then hit Prince’s Curse, but Takagi kicked out again and the fans popped big. WOW! The fans started chanting for Takagi.

Newman hit some light strikes to Takagi’s head. He then hit a big kick to Takagi’s back and he fired up. Takagi told Newman to bring it and got to his feet. Newman hit a big kick, but Takagi rolled through and hit a clothesline. Newman hit a kick to Takagi’s ribs. Newman kissed his crown tattoo, but Takagi cut him off with a clothesline. Takagi blocked a low blow attempt. He hit Made in Japan. He lifted up Newman and hit a second Made in Japan for a nearfall! WOW! Takagi got a running start and hit a Pumping Bomber. He hit a Burning Dragon, but Newman kicked out! This is CRAZY.

Will Ospreay came down to ringside to encourage Newman after the 30 minute mark passed. Newman hit some strikes, but he had nothing behind them. Takagi fired back with some forearms. Newman fired back with a hard headbutt of his own. He then cut Newman off with a headbutt. Takagi hit a big punch and Newman collapsed to the mat. Osprey tried to encourage Newman. Takagi grabbed the official to pull him away from Ospreay while he had Newman on his shoulders. The ref ended up getting shoved when Newman got free and he hit a low blow and Prince’s Curse, but Takagi kicked out!

Newman told Ospreay to clear out of the ringside area. Tsuji was also at ringside. Newman hit Kiss the Crown. Newman then popped Takagi up into the air and punted him right in the ribs. Newman lifted Takagi up, but he countered a Made in Essex attempt. Takagi hit a poison rana after a back and forth exchange. The fans fired up and Takagi hit a huge clothesline for a nearfall right before the 35 minute mark. Newman shoved the ref into Takagi and hit him with a low blow. Newman then hit Make Way for the win.

WINNER: Callum Newman at 35:20 to retain the IWGP Hvt. Championship. (****3/4)

(Radican’s Analysis: This was a tremendous match from start to finish. Newman went after Takagi’s ribs the entire match, but he could not put him away. The level of work in this match with the counters and fighting spirit was incredible. They built up to some incredible near falls late and it seemed like Newman simply would not be able to put away Takagi on this night even when he got help from the outside and tried to bump the ref so he could hit a low blow.

He eventually managed to bump the ref and hit a low blow late to set up hitting Make Way for the win. I wasn’t a fan of the finish given how good the match was and how the undercard is just littered with interference and ref shenanigans thanks to all of the House of Torture involvement on the undercard.)

Ospreay was shown sitting on the apron and not looking too thrilled with how Newman won he
match. Newman was about to hit Takagi with a belt shot, but Tsuji got in the way. United Empire got up on the apron and Newman hit Tssuji with the belt. Ospreay told Newman not to hit Takagi with the belt. Newman then told Ospreay to do it. Ospreay didn’t want to do it and Newman called him Death Rider Billy. Ospreay then nailed Takagi with a Hidden Blade. He asked Newman if he was happy.

Newman got on the mic and mocked Takagi and Tsuji. He said they are the top dogs in this company now. He said he’s sick of them ruining his moment. He challenged them to a match against him and Lee. He said if either of them can pin him in the tag match, then that person would get the main event against him at Dominion. Ospreay and Newman exchanged a prolonged glance before Newman celebrated his win with some confetti.

Contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com. Follow him on X: @SR_Torch and BlueSky: @SeanRadican.