The Road to Dontaku lacks a destination
The NJPW circuit is a grinding machine, but the current Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour feels like it is operating in neutral. Following the events of April 27 in Yamaguchi, where fans saw Robbie X pick up a victory over Taisei Nakahara in 5:36, one has to question the current booking strategy. Putting mid-card talent through these shorter sprint matches does little to build momentum for the major event on the horizon.
We saw the IWGP Tag Team Champions, the Knockout Brothers, secure a win against the Great Bash Heel. While Yuto Ice and Oskar are capable performers, the absence of high-stakes tension in these closing segments is glaring. A promotion relies on these roadshows to establish clear contenders, yet the division feels static, drifting without the gravity of a true heavyweight challenger waiting in the wings.
The inconsistency of current Japanese promotions
Elsewhere, the independent scene is providing more tactical intrigue than the major touring companies. Looking back at the OPW 27th Anniversary Show, the chemistry between Ultimate Spider Jr and Aran Sano created a compelling 9:05 bout against Shigehiro Irie and Kohei Kinoshita. Osaka Pro Wrestling managed to use their anniversary slot to showcase belt-holders in a way that felt earned, rather than perfunctory.
Contrast this with the Golden Colosseum card from April 26. While Kazuma Kimura and his team succeeded in their six-man tag, the match duration of 9:12 emphasizes a trend of rapid-fire finishes that leave little room for psychology. These clusters of tags often feel like filler, meant only to keep performers active on the roster without advancing the status of the challengers.
The defensive liability at Sendai PIT
Even in Pro Wrestling Noah, where the technical pedigree is traditionally higher, the 22nd night of Lethal Odyssey felt disjointed. Watching Midori Takahashi and Hi69 execute a Figure 4 on Yuto Koyonagi to close their match in 10:52 highlighted a persistent reliance on legacy submission spots over fresher story arcs. The crowd response in Sendai was modest, indicative of an audience that knows when they are watching a stop-gap show rather than a destination card.
My prediction for the remainder of the Dontaku tour? expect more of the same. NJPW is currently prioritized on volume rather than surgical precision, which leads to bloated undercards that distract from the main championship picture. Unless they pivot toward a more aggressive vetting process for their challengers, they are going to find themselves with a very cold building come the final night. I expect the upcoming title matches to be technically sound but narratively empty, a recurring issue that management continues to ignore at the expense of their own product's heat.
