Ryohei Oiwa vs. MJF Set For Wrestle Kingdom 21

After challenging Ryohei Oiwa last month, MJF’s match with “The Grip” is set.

MJF will make his Japanese wrestling debut on January 4, 2027, inside the Tokyo Dome against G1 Climax winner Ryohei Oiwa at Wrestle Kingdom 21. The former AEW World Champion appeared on the video board inside the Hiroshima Sun Plaza to taunt his new rival after Oiwa and Hartley Jackson defeated Blake Christian and Lee Johnson from The Swirl.

MJF appeared in the video package under a jet black background, holding the Triple B.

“Oiwa. It’s the one true champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, MJF. And as you know, I hail from the only country that matters, the United States of America, whilst you hail from Japan, a third world country. I come from AEW, a place where the best wrestle. You come from New Japan, a place where the best leave. I’m a world champion. I’ve beaten every major name in this industry: Ospreay, Omega, Moxley, just to name a few. Meanwhile you lost to that skinny fat dork, Tsuji, a fake champion who beat the everloving s*** out of you like you owe him money. And yet here I am, here I am once again offering you the opportunity of a lifetime to wrestle me for the only championship that matters, the Triple B. And hell, I’ll even sweeten up the deal. I’ll let you wrestle on the one show that everyone in New Japan kills to be on, Wrestle Kingdom. If you choose to accept my challenge, I will beat you in the middle of the ring, in the middle of that crappy little Tokyo Dome with a move that is as simple as a headlock takeover. So Oiwa, they call you “The Grip”. I find that name to be quite apropos because if you wrestle me, when I’m done with you, you’ll have embarrassed yourself, your company, and your country. So the only thing you’ll be gripping is a sword to commit seppuku because of Big Hebrew.”

-MJF

Oiwa would go on to accept the challenge, meaning that he will take on MJF at Wrestle Kingdom 21 inside the Tokyo Dome. It’ll be the first major singles match in Oiwa’s career on January 4, and it’ll be MJF’s first match in the country at all.

Also announced following this show is that Oiwa will team with Hartley Jackson in the upcoming World Tag League.

As one tag league is set to begin, another reached its conclusion, as today’s show also saw the final of the 2026 Super Junior Tag League. You can read more about that here.

As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Ryohei Oiwa vs. MJF as soon as we hear more.