AEW superstar Jon Moxley has been stripped of NJPW's IWGP USA Heavyweight Championship following his failure to travel to Japan to defend it.

Moxley won the title shortly after leaving WWE but was the championship position was declared vacant when the Japanese promotion was informed of his inability to put it on the line during Monday's King of Pro Wrestling 2019 event.

The former WWE performer was slated to defend the belt against Juice Robinson but, with the championship becoming vacant, Lance Archer was named as a contender for the sixty-minute time limit fight.

Moxley's unavailability had nothing to do with AEW commitments, though. The wrestler was unable to make the trip to Japan because of the tropical cyclone that ravaged the country over the weekend.

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"Due to travel delays as a result of this weekend’s Typhoon Hagibis, we regret to announce that Jon Moxley will be unable to appear at Ryogoku Sumo Hall for King of Pro Wrestling on Monday October 14," a statement from NJPW reads.

"As Moxley is unable to wrestle in a scheduled championship defence, he has relinquished the IWGP United States Championship.

"In place of the scheduled Jon Moxley versus Juice Robinson No Disqualification match tonight for the United States Championship, a match will be contested for the now vacant title."

Archer has since become IWGP United States Champion despite not being booked until Monday morning. The Texas native slotted in for Moxley following the announcement and would go on to defeat Robinson in what became a no-disqualification match at his behest. Robinson agreed to participate under the new stipulations and turned out to be the victim of a Blackout on a pile of chairs before going out to the iron claw.

The end of the match wasn't really an end for Robinson as he also suffered a beating from David Finlay, who returned after the shoulder injury that had kept him out since February.

Don't Be Surprised If He Challenges For The belt In Future

It's unfortunate that Mox wasn't able to defend his title through no fault of his own. But, as they say, the show must go on.

It wouldn't surprise us to see him head back to NJPW to challenge for the belt in future but he will have plenty on his hands now that AEW's weekly show has kicked off.

Source: NJPW

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