Wild night on the Strip hits NJPW World PPV
After violent, unpredictable carnage took over NJPW World PPV from Korakuen hall in 2024 with Despe Invitacional and its sequel in 2025 Death Pain Invitacional, the third running of the El Desperado produced event will hit Las Vegas and the Horsehoe for Death Vegas Invitacional. Already chaotic enough, an international twist now sees Sin City enveloped in what's sure to be a unique and unforgettable experience.
Horseshoe Las Vegas TICKETS (Standing room only)
Order on NJPW World PPV! (Separate purchase required. No subscription necessary)
(Card listed in chronological order of announcement. Match order TBD during the event)
High Stakes Heartbreak Jackpot: Dragon Kid & Starlight Kid vs El Phantasmo & X
What was set to be a fight of the 'Kids' and the 'Cutest', a tag team match for Dragon Kid and Starlight Kid against El Phantasmo and Maki Itoh was thrown into further chaos this past weekend as visa issues put paid to Itoh's appearance tonight. Now, a mystery partner will be taking Maki's place on the 16th. As Dragon and Starlight Kid present a wealth of experience combined with sensational athleticism in a similar vein to former NJPW World TV Champion Phantasmo, who will ELP have in his corner?
Love & Pieces 3 Way Deathmatch- Nick gage & Matt Tremont vs El Desperado & Jun Kasai vs Masashi Takeda & Rina Yamashita
A three way tag team deathmatch has much to connect the members within it, and a lot of that connective tissue will be carved up by night's end. A fundamental motivating factor for Death Vegas Invitacional at large, and a main reason for El Desperado and Jun Kasai to make the trip to the Strip was the chance for the two to battle Nick Gage. Gage has played an instrumental part in Kasai's career from an early twist of fate; as Big Japan Pro-Wrestling and Combat Zone Wrestling were embroiled in a promotional feud, a visa issue for Gage would prevent a trip to Japan, and Kasai seized the gap and opportunity to turn on BJW and join the CZW side.
Gage and Kasai tangled many time since, but it's a first for Desperado, who has more familiarity with Tremont having battled him in three way action back in 2023. A memorable violent three way also connects Desperado to FREEDOMS icon Masahi Takeda, with the two being joined by Kasai back last March in a brutal war for referee Barb Sasaki's Crazy Fest. That match followed a tag team battle from FREEDOMS' Yokohama event in 2023 when Takeda and Yamashita joined forces against Desperado and Kasai with Kasai and Desperado victorious; will they be as successful with three dangerous teams and six insane individuals involved?
Cute? Sexy? Hardcore 3 Way: Jimmy Lloyd vs ISHIN vs Effy
Long time GCW staples Jimmy Lloyd and Effy are no strangers to one another, nor to hardcore violence. A third addition from DRAGONGATE will be new to both men however. A powerful participant in this one, 28 year old ISHIN is looking to make his mark on the US, the Strip and his opponents.
Drop Dead Gorgeous 3 Way Tag- Bustah & The Brain (Jordan Oliver & Alec Price vs KUSHIDA & YAMATO vs MxM Collection (Mansoor & Mason Madden)
Almost certainly the most handsome match on the Strip tonight, a three way tag team contest makes the Death Vegas card. Back at New Beginning USA in New Jersey this February, the Bustah and the Brain combination of Jordan Oliver and Alec Price impressed against an impromptu team of KUSHIDA and El Desperado. In Vegas, the young duo get another shot at KUSHIDA, this time in a different combination with DRAGONGATE's YAMATO. NJPW fans last saw YAMATO in another odd couple pairing during Super Jr. Tag League with Tiger Mask; one wonders whether the DRAGONGATE veteran will team better with KUSHIDA. Meanwhile, always on the same wavelength with one another are Mansoor and Mason Madden, and the MxM collection are looking to make a successful debut on NJPW World PPV.
House Rules Hardcore: Gedo & Daisuke Sasaki vs Gringo Loco & Joey Janela
More unusual combinations see Daisuke Sasaki and Gedo teaming together opposite Joey Janela and Gringo Loco. The last time Loco and Janela were on the same side was for FREEDOMS in Korakuen Hall back in 2023, while Sasaki and Gedo haven't teamed before at all.
Sasaki will be in his first Best of the Super Jr. tournament for 14 years in the month of May, and should he be able to turn back the memory clock to that time, he will remember tagging against Gedo and Jado in 2012, and defeating Gedo in singles action the year before. Sasaki also has a pinfall victory over Janela from DDT's D-Ou Grand Prix in 2022. Can DDT's charisma and the brains of the Unbound Co. operation get another win over Janela and Loco tonight?
Zack Sabre Jr. vs X
When it was announced that Zack Sabre jr. would be making his way to Vegas this week, an opportunity came up for ZSJ to resume an 'Invitacional' rivalry with one MMA fighter/pro-wrestler/noted fetishist Hikaru Sato. Without a US visa however and competing exclusively in Japan, Sato declined the offer, but said that he had 'a guy in mind'. Sabre will now take on a 'first class third rate, top five drawer talent' in Vegas. Who will it be?
