Chris Jericho Returns To New Japan Pro Wrestling (Video and Photos)

A week after appearing at WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble, Chris Jericho returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling and resumed his feud with IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito.

While wearing a mask and dressed as a Los Ingobernables de Japon fan, Jericho came out of the crowd and attacked Naito as he was heading to the back at this morning’s Wrestling Dontaku event in Fukuoka. Jericho brought Naito back to ringside, took off his mask to reveal it was him, and gave Naito a Codebreaker.

Jericho bloodied Naito by hitting him with the ring bell. He tried to continue the attack, but officials and the rest of Los Ingobernables de Japon — who were already backstage before Jericho appeared — were finally able to break things up. Naito left under his own power after refusing to be stretchered out.

Chris Jericho Attack Naito at #njpwdontaku pic.twitter.com/rW9MCfMVyV

— Wrestling Culture (@WWECultureNews) May 4, 2018

IT'S @IAmJericho!!!!! CHRIS JERICHO IS BACK TO NJPW #NJDontaku #NJPW pic.twitter.com/2KnVhmmlHp

— Italo Santana (@BulletClubItal) May 4, 2018

CODEBREAKER TO TETSUYA NAITO!!!!!!! #NJDontaku #NJPW @IAmJericho pic.twitter.com/O5m2OxqkHb

— Italo Santana (@BulletClubItal) May 4, 2018

OH MY GOD, @IAmJericho HAS JUST BUTED WIDE OPEN TETSUYA NAITO WITH THE RING BELL!!!!! #NJDontaku #NJPW pic.twitter.com/TVuG9xxAcd

— Italo Santana (@BulletClubItal) May 4, 2018

'' Get your hands off me. Fuck off! '' –@IAmJericho #NJDontaku #NJPW pic.twitter.com/Cochxr1gUW

— Italo Santana (@BulletClubItal) May 4, 2018

場内騒然！ なんと覆面男が観客席から乱入して、内藤を急襲！
その正体はクリス・ジェリコ…!!
5.4福岡大会を新日本プロレスのスマホサイトで独占詳報中！https://t.co/ecHxKIAIDj #njdontaku #njpw pic.twitter.com/lBcLlwLEfh

— 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) May 4, 2018

I’m baaaaack…. @njpw1972 #SorryNotSorryNaito #ListaIgnorablesDeJericho #ThisAintBushi

A post shared by Chris Jericho (@chrisjerichofozzy) on May 4, 2018 at 2:42am PDT

For whom the bell tolls…. #SorryNotSorryNaito #LookAtTheRefsFace #IRangHisBell @njpw1972 #ListaIgnorablesDeJericho

A post shared by Chris Jericho (@chrisjerichofozzy) on May 4, 2018 at 4:34am PDT

This was Jericho’s first appearance for NJPW since attacking Naito at New Year’s Dash on January 5th, and Jericho tried to make it seem like he was done with NJPW in the lead-up to today’s angle. Jericho and Naito’s storyline began with them arguing over whether Kenny Omega vs. Jericho or Kazuchika Okada vs. Naito was the real main event at this year’s Tokyo Dome show.

Jericho vs. Naito will presumably be happening at one of NJPW’s upcoming big shows, with Dominion at Osaka-jo Hall on June 9th and the G1 Special at the Cow Palace on July 7th as possible options.