NJPW Death Vegas Invitational 2026 Results and Highlights
New Japan Pro-Wrestling ventured into wild territory this week with the NJPW Death Vegas Invitational, a one-night Pay-Per-View event held on April 16 at the Horseshoe Las Vegas.
Billed as a hardcore-heavy spectacle (in collaboration with GCW's The Collective vibe), the show delivered exactly what the name promised: technical wrestling, quirky stipulations, and a brutal deathmatch main event drenched in blood and chaos.
The card mixed NJPW regulars with deathmatch specialists and indie standouts, creating a unique "Vegas" flavor—high risk, high violence, and plenty of surprises.
Check out the full results, plus a few standout highlights below.
NJPW Death Vegas Invitational 2026 Results
Singles Match: Zack Sabre Jr. def. Fuminori Abe (16:48)
The technical masterclass opened the show. Sabre Jr. lived up to his "World's Best Technical Wrestler" billing against the game Fuminori Abe (hand-picked by Hikaru Sato). This was the most straightforward and highly-rated match of the night, praised for its crisp grappling and storytelling. A strong, wrestling-focused start before things got... messy.
Cute? Sexy? Hardcore? 3-Way Match: ISHIN def. Effy & Jimmy Lloyd (8:22)
Things took a wild turn with this "Cute Sexy Hardcore" three-way. ISHIN picked up the victory in a short, chaotic brawl featuring plenty of attitude and hardcore spots. Not the standout of the evening, but it set the tone for the unhinged energy to come.
Runway Rush & Crash: A Drop-Dead Gorgeous 3-Way Tag Team Match: KUSHIDA & YAMATO def. MxM Collection (Mansoor & Mason Madden) & Bustah And The Brain (Alec Price & Jordan Oliver) (10:08)
The most flamboyant match of the night? Absolutely. This triple-threat tag had fashion-forward flair mixed with hard-hitting action. KUSHIDA and YAMATO emerged victorious over the stylish MxM and the energetic Bustah & The Brain duo. Fun, fast-paced, and a crowd-pleaser in the middle of the card.
“Deadly” Air-Time & Cutie Crime: High-Stakes Heartbreak Jackpot Tag Team Match: El Phantasmo & Maika def. Dragon Kid & Starlight Kid (12:29)
A highlight for many fans. El Phantasmo teamed with Maika in this unique "High-Stakes Heartbreak Jackpot" bout against the high-flying junior duo of Dragon Kid and Starlight Kid. The chemistry was excellent, and several reviewers called it one of the best matches on the show. Great aerial spots and strong tag work all around.
The Rigged Roulette: House Rules Hardcore Match: Gringo Loco & Joey Janela def. Daisuke Sasaki & Gedo (18:44)
The hardcore portion kicked into high gear here. Janela and Gringo Loco took on the veteran tandem of Sasaki and Gedo under "House Rules." Expect tables, weapons, and stiff strikes—this one delivered the violence fans were waiting for and earned solid ratings from those who love no-DQ action.
Love & Pieces Three Way Death Match: The H8 Club (Matt Tremont & Nick Gage) def. El Desperado & Jun Kasai and Masashi Takeda & Rina Yamashita (14:26)
The Main Event. This was the bloodbath everyone anticipated. A three-way deathmatch featuring deathmatch royalty: Nick Gage & Matt Tremont (H8 Club), Jun Kasai & El Desperado, and the ultra-violent Masashi Takeda & Rina Yamashita. Weapons, glass, and pure carnage defined the closing contest.
Post-match, Nick Gage cut a fiery promo declaring himself the "Greatest Deathmatch Wrestler on the Planet." Classic Gage energy to close out the night.
Overall Thoughts & Rating
Cagematch users gave the show an 8.64/10 (based on early votes), though one detailed comment rated it a more conservative 6.0, noting that while every match had solid moments, nothing overwhelmingly stood out except the technical opener and the expected chaos of the main event.
The fan feedback highlighted strong performances from Dragon Kid & Starlight Kid (unfortunate not to win) and the wild main event.
This event felt like NJPW dipping its toes deeper into the American indie/deathmatch scene while keeping some of its signature style. It was a fun, no-frills "Vegas" spectacle perfect for WrestleMania week vibes.
Sources: Cagematch, PW Ponderings, Fightful, and NJPW official channels.
