By Oliver Taylor

All Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual Champion Carnival tournament has been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, company President Takeki Fukuda and Vice President Satoshi Igarashi announced at a press conference today.

The tournament was scheduled to take place across 18 shows from April 6 to May 5, however the company has taken the precaution of cancelling all shows until April 30.

The April 30, May 4 and May 5 shows in Korakuen Hall are still scheduled to go ahead.

The original field of 18 competitors was changed on March 25, after it was revealed Joel Redman, Lucas Steel and Davey Boy Smith Jr. would not be competing due to travel issues.

Takao Omori had been announced as one replacement, but the other two slots had not yet been filled before the tournament’s cancellation.

The full list of participants were:

Kento Miyahara

Jake Lee

SUWAMA

Yuma Aoyagi

Shuji Ishikawa

Takashi Sugiura

Ayato Yoshida

Hideyoshi Kamitani

Zeus

Tajiri

Yoshitatsu

KAI

Ryoji Sai

Gianni Valletta

Shigehiro Irie

Takao Omori

TBD

TBD

The Bodyguard was also set to return to AJPW on April 17.

The tournament could be rescheduled for later in the year.

Fukuda said: “It is a major event that has a long history in the Japanese pro-wrestling world, so I would like to make every possible effort to hold it this year.”

President Fukuda: "It [Champion Carnival] is a major event that has a long history in the japanese pro-wrestling world, so I would like to make every possible effort to hold it this year." — Eastern Lariat (@EasternLariat) April 2, 2020