Castle Attack

{{short description|2021 professional wrestling event}} {{Infobox professional wrestling event |name = Castle Attack |promotion = New Japan Pro-Wrestling |date = February 27–28, 2021 |city = Osaka, Japan |venue = Osaka-jō Hall |attendance = Night 1: 1,846<ref name="Night1results"/> Night 2: 3,218<ref>{{Cite web|last=NJPW|title=CASTLE ATTACK {{!}} NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING|url=https://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/276641?showResult=1|access-date=2021-03-14|website=NJPW|language=Japanese}}</ref> |liveevent = Y |lastevent = The New Beginning in Hiroshima Road to Castle Attack |nextevent = 49th Anniversary Event }} '''Castle Attack''' was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on February 27 and 28, 2021, in Osaka, Osaka at Osaka-jō Hall.

The event featured 12 matches across both days. The first day saw Kazuchika Okada defeating Evil in the main event with other prominent matches including Jay White defeating Tomohiro Ishii. The second day main event saw Kota Ibushi successfully defend the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Tetsuya Naito, making this the first time the IWGP Intercontinental Championship was defended separately from the IWGP Heavyweight Championship since Wrestle Kingdom 14. Other matches on the card for the second day included El Desperado defeating El Phantasmo and Bushi to win the vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, which the title was vacated by former champion Hiromu Takahashi after suffering a shoulder injury (Takahashi was originally scheduled to defend the title against El Phantasmo at the event). Hiroshi Tanahashi also successfully defended the NEVER Openweight Championship against Great-O-Khan.<ref name="fightful">{{cite web | url = https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/njpw-announces-cards-both-nights-castle-attack-four-title-matches-set-night-two | title = NJPW Announces Cards For Both Nights Of Castle Attack, Four Title Matches Set For Night Two | last=Lambert| first=Jeremy | date=February 12, 2021| access-date=February 12, 2021 | work=Fightful}}</ref>

== Production == {|class=wikitable style="font-size:90%; margin: 0.5em 0 0.5em 1em; float: right; clear: right;" |+ '''Other on-screen personnel''' !|Role: !|Name: |- | rowspan="3" |English Commentators |Kevin Kelly |- |Chris Charlton |- |Rocky Romero |- |rowspan=8|Japanese Commentators |Shinpei Nogami |- |Milano Collection A.T. |- |Katsuhiko Kanazawa |- |Kazuyoshi Sakai |- |Togi Makabe |- |Miki Motoi |- |Jushin Thunder Liger |- |Masahiro Chono |- |rowspan=2|Ring announcers |Makoto Abe |- |Kimihiko Ozaki |- | rowspan="3" |Referees |Kenta Sato |- |Marty Asami |- |Red Shoes Unno |- |} === Background === Since 2020, NJPW has unable to run events with a full arena capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.prowrestlingsheet.com/njpw-resume-operations-first-show-fans-again-july/#.YBX2Y-gzbIU | title = NJPW To Resume Operations This Month, First Show With Fans Again Announced | last=Satin | first=Ryan | date=June 8, 2020| access-date=January 31, 2021 | work=Pro Wrestling Sheet}}</ref> The New Beginning is NJPW's first major show after their annual January 4 Tokyo Dome Show, which is their biggest show of the year. On December 25, NJPW announced Castle Attack for February 27 and 28, 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.f4wonline.com/new-japan-news/njpw-announces-two-night-castle-attack-event-february-328561 | title = NJPW Announced Two-Night Castle Attack For February | last=Renner | first=Ethan | date=December 25, 2020| access-date=February 12, 2021 | work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter}}</ref>

=== Storylines === Castle Attack featured twelve professional wrestling matches across both days that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.<ref>{{cite web|last=Grabianowski|first=Ed|title=How Pro Wrestling Works|url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling.htm|accessdate=September 13, 2014|work=HowStuffWorks, Inc.|publisher=Discovery Communications}}</ref>

Since New Year Dash!!, Kazuchika Okada has been asking for a match with Evil.<ref>{{Cite web|last=NJPW|title=Five singles matches on Castle Attack night one card; preview {{!}} NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING|url=https://www.njpw1972.com/90885|access-date=2021-02-12|website=NJPW|language=en}}</ref> On night two of The New Beginning in Hiroshima, Okada teamed with Toru Yano to take on Evil and Dick Togo but the match ended due to a double countout as Evil attacked Okada outside of the ring with a steel chair. After the match, Okada asked for an impromptu match with Evil which he accepted; although the match ended by disqualification after inference by Togo.<ref name="NBIHResults">{{cite web | url = https://www.f4wonline.com/new-japan-results/njpw-new-beginning-hiroshima-live-results-ibushi-vs-sanada-332681 | title = NJPW New Beginning In Hiroshima Live Results: Ibushi vs. Sanada | last=Renner | first=Ethan | date=February 10, 2020| access-date=February 12, 2021 | work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter}}</ref> NJPW later announced a rematch between Okada and Evil was scheduled for Castle Attack.<ref name="fightful"/>

After winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship from Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 15, Kota Ibushi declared that he wants to unify the championships into one belt.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.f4wonline.com/new-japan-news/double-champion-wants-njpw-unify-iwgp-heavyweight-ic-titles-329366 | title = Double Champion Wants To Unify IWGP Heavyweight & IC Titles | last=Currier | first=Joseph | date=January 5, 2021| access-date=January 30, 2021 | work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter}}</ref> At The New Beginning in Hiroshima, Ibushi made his first successful defence for both championships against Sanada. After the match, Naito came out and challenged Ibushi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship; stating that since he lost at Wrestle Kingdom 15 that he feel that he doesn't has the right to challenge for both championships but he doesn't want Ibushi to unify the titles, deciding to only challenge for the Intercontinental Championship; Ibushi accepted Naito's challenge.<ref name="NBIHResults" /> The match was scheduled for Castle Attack.<ref name="fightful"/>

Hiromu Takahashi was originally scheduled to face El Phantasmo for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, but on February 22, it was learned that Takahashi suffered a left pectoral tear, which will leave him out of action for six months.<ref>{{Cite web|title=411MANIA|url=http://411mania.com/wrestling/hiromu-takahashi-suffers-pectoral-injury-out-for-six-months/|access-date=2021-02-25|website=Hiromu Takahashi Suffers Pectoral Injury, Out For Six Months|language=en-US}}</ref> On February 25, Takahashi vacated the championship, and a three-way match between El Phantasmo, El Desperado, and Bushi for the vacant title was announced.<ref>{{Cite web|last=NJPW|title=Hiromu vacates, three strive for IWGP Junior Heavyweight gold {{!}} NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING|url=https://www.njpw1972.com/91951|access-date=2021-02-25|website=NJPW|language=en}}</ref>

== Results == === Night 1 (February 27) === {{Professional wrestling results table |results = <ref name="fightful"/> |times = <ref name="Night1results">{{Cite web|last=NJPW|title=2021.02.27 CASTLE ATTACK {{!}} NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING|url=https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/88363?showResult=1|access-date=2021-02-28|website=NJPW|language=en}}</ref> |match1 = United Empire (Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima) |stip1 = Six-man tag team match |time1 = 10:22 |match2 = Tanga Loa defeated Yoshi-Hashi |stip2 = Singles match |time2 = 12:58 |match3 = Hirooki Goto defeated Tama Tonga |stip3 = Singles match |time3 = 6:39 |match4 = Toru Yano (c) defeated Chase Owens |stip4 = YTR Style Texas Strap match for the Provisional KOPW 2021 Trophy The first one to pull out all corner pad consecutively while strapped to the opponent wins |time4 = 12:50 |match5 = Jay White defeated Tomohiro Ishii |stip5 = Singles match |time5 = 25:42 |match6 = Kazuchika Okada defeated Evil |stip6 = Singles match |time6 = 28:11 }}

=== Night 2 (February 28) === {{Professional wrestling results table |results = <ref name="fightful"/> |times = <ref name="Night2results">{{Cite web|last=NJPW|title=2021.02.28 CASTLE ATTACK {{!}} NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING|url=https://www.njpw1972.com/tornament/88364?showResult=1|access-date=2021-02-28|website=NJPW|language=en}}</ref> |match1 = Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima) defeated United Empire (Will Ospreay and Jeff Cobb) |stip1 = Tag team match |time1 = 9:56 |match2 = Chaos (Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, and Toru Yano) defeated Bullet Club (Jay White, Evil, and Chase Owens) by submission |stip2 = Six-man tag team match |time2 = 8:35 |match3 = Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) (c) defeated Chaos (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) |stip3 = Tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship |time3 = 15:46 |match4 = Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated Great-O-Khan |stip4 = Singles match for the NEVER Openweight Championship |time4 = 18:44 |match5 = El Desperado defeated El Phantasmo and Bushi |stip5 = Three-way match for the vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship |time5 = 23:12 |match6 = Kota Ibushi (c) defeated Tetsuya Naito |stip6 = Singles match for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship |time6 = 27:50 }}

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * [https://www.njpw1972.com/ Official New Japan Pro-Wrestling's website] {{2021 NJPW events}} {{New Japan Pro Wrestling events|Castle Attack}}

Category:February 2021 in Japan Category:2021 in professional wrestling Category:New Japan Pro-Wrestling shows Category:Organized events in Osaka