Destruction (2017)

Destruction is a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) annually since 2007. In 2017, NJPW will produce three events under the Destruction name; Destruction in Fukushima on September 10, Destruction in Hiroshima on September 16, and Destruction in Kobe on September 24. These will be events fifteen to seventeen under the Destruction name.

Background
2017 will be the second consecutive year in which NJPW holds three events under the Destruction name. From 2007 to 2013, NJPW held one Destruction event per year, expanding to two shows in 2014 and 2015 and to three shows in 2016.

Storylines
The Destruction shows will feature professional wrestling matches, each of which 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.

Destruction in Fukushima will be headlined by Minoru Suzuki making his third defense of the NEVER Openweight Championship against Michael Elgin. This match stems from the 2017 G1 Climax, where Elgin defeated Suzuki, challenging him to a title match afterwards. The show will also feature Chaos' Kazuchika Okada, Rocky Romero and Toru Yano challenging Los Ingobernables de Japon's BUSHI, EVIL and SANADA for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. The match marks IWGP Heavyweight Champion Okada's first-ever shot at the title and also serves as a prelude to Evil challenging him for the Heavyweight title on October 9 at King of Pro-Wrestling.

Destruction in Hiroshima will be headlined by Hiroshi Tanahashi making his first defense of the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Zack Sabre Jr. During the 2017 G1 Climax, Sabre put himself in title contention by scoring two submission wins over Tanahashi, first in their opening tournament match on July 17 and again in a non-tournament six-man tag team match on August 13. In the semi-main event, Sabre's Suzuki-gun stablemate El Desperado challenges KUSHIDA for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. El Desperado defeated KUSHIDA during the 2017 Best of the Super Juniors and on June 27, after KUSHIDA had successfully defended the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against BUSHI, hit him with a guitar and challenged him to a title match. While KUSHIDA was absent from the G1 Climax tour, El Desperado made repeated challenges towards him. When the two finally met on August 12, El Desperado hit KUSHIDA with his own title belt, which he then proceeded to steal. The show will also feature a third title match involving Suzuki-gun with Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru challenging Funky Future (Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi) for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. In addition, the show will feature Roppongi Vice's final match together as a tag team. After unsuccessfully challenging then IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) for the title on July 2, Roppongi Vice agreed to disband with Rocky Romero giving Beretta his blessing to move to the heavyweight division.

Destruction in Kobe will be headlined by Kenny Omega defending the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against Juice Robinson. This match also stems from the 2017 G1 Climax, where Robinson picked up a win over Omega, asking for a shot at his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship in a post-match interview. With Omega having won the tournament on July 2 to become the inaugural IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, this match marks the first-ever defense of the title.

In addition to these title matches, all three shows will also feature a three-way tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship with War Machine (Hanson and Raymond Rowe) taking on Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) and Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa). After successfully defending the title against Bullet Club's Cody and Hangman Page on August 13, War Machine were confronted and challenged to a title rematch by Guerrillas of Destiny. However, before they could respond, both teams were attacked by the Killer Elite Squad. This marked a return for K.E.S., who had not been seen together since the previous February, when Archer was sidelined with a lumbar disc herniation.