Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about including the New Japan ownership transfer, questions about the Vince McMahon shareholder lawsuit and what the latest is, the NXT TV report from Tuesday night, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Tag: new japan
WOR: WWE cuts in depth, Stardom, New Japan, Smackdown, Collision, more!
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including tons of notes on all the current WWE cuts and whether there are more to come, Stardom, Arena Mexico and New Japan notes, Smackdown and Collision reviews, all the news and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Linda McMahon, Shane McMahon, Dana White at White House Correspondent’s Dinner
3:06: WWE cuts
19:28: Stardom, CMLL, NJPW notes
23:58: Lineups for the coming week, ratings notes, Hulk Hogan documentary notes
32:48: WWE SmackDown recap
52:35: AEW Collision recap
WOL: Pat McAfee details, Stand and Deliver and New Japan, RAW, more!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about including all the big shows this weekend, Pat McAfee’s Smackdown appearance, Stand and Deliver, New Japan with a new IWGP Champion, RAW tonight, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
WOR: McMahon case, McAfee, Sakura Genesis, NXT, Smackdown
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the Vince McMahon case, Pat McAfee’s involvement in Smackdown, New Japan Sakura Genesis high points, NXT Stand and Deliver was excellent, Smackdown was not, all the weekend news and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Latest on Janel Grant/Vince McMahon lawsuit
16:03: Pat McAfee mystery reveal & fallout
24:22: Billy Jack Haynes fit to stand trial for wife’s murder, NWA gets television deal
28:10: CMLL notes from the weekend, Mistico vs. Hechicero set for Las Vegas
33:36: Ratings, NXT Stand & Deliver viewership numbers, yet another Jon Jones altercation
39:55: NJPW Sakura Genesis notes
56:01: NXT Stand & Deliver recap
1:07:37: WWE SmackDown recap
WOR: Elimination Chamber, New Japan, Collision, news!
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including a full recap of Elimination Chamber, the New Japan PPV from Friday night, Collision, Ricky Steamboat, ratings, CMLL and UFC notes, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Elimination Chamber fallout & recap
28:05: NJPW New Beginning USA recap
40:32: Ricky Steamboat turns 73, AEW Dynamite rating
46:50: Johnny Consejo shaved bald in Arena Mexico, Brodie Lee Jr. challenging Joey Janela for Spring Break X
52:06: UFC notes, RAF incident
58:07: AEW Collision report
WOR: Great AEW Dynamite, All In ticket update, NJPW New Beginning in Osaka review
Image: AEW
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the New Japan show from Wednesday with new champions, a bad main event and more, AEW Dynamite, Wembley tickets, ratings ticking up thanks to Nielsen changes, Arena Mexico, NXT notes and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: More on Tadao Yasuda
6:25: El Satanico is retiring, update on Chelsea Green
11:21: NJPW New Beginning in Osaka thoughts, NJPW Cup lineup
42:37: Bad Bunny scores big ratings, Logan Paul & Tom Brady flag football match in Saudi Arabia
47:56: All In tickets going on sale soon, Louis Armstrong Stadium may hold Double or Nothing
53:46: Ratings, Arena Mexico notes
1:02:24: UFC notes on CBS, White House event
1:05:05: AEW Dynamite recap, Grand Slam Australia lineup
1:24:55: WWE NXT thoughts
WOL: Yasuda, pankration history, NXT, New Japan news!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about including the death of Tadao Yadusa, the history of MMA dating back to the Greek Olympic Games, Lesnar’s return and what might happen at WrestleMania, the NXT TV report, New Japan big show recap from last night, comings and goings, and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Hiroshi Tanahashi reveals new haircut following retirement
Hiroshi Tanahashi has done the unthinkable: cut his hair.
On Saturday, the now-retired wrestler and New Japan Pro Wrestling’s President revealed he went ahead and chopped off his infamous flowing hair. On social media, he shared pictures of a shorter, more standard haircut, perhaps a nod to the end of his in-ring career.
He had teased the decision throughout the week, noting he had a hair salon appointment. Shortly before the reveal, he posted a picture of himself sitting in a salon chair confirming it was indeed happening.
“It’s black. And short,” he wrote.
Tanahashi headlined this year’s Wrestle Kingdom 20 event in his last-ever match, wrestling Kazuchika Okada. The two longtime rivals had an emotional back-and-forth bout but in the end, Okada ended up winning the match with a rainmaker. As the Ace was recovering post-match, Okada thanked Tanahashi before making his exit.
During his retirement ceremony, Tanahashi was greeted by the likes of Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Keiji Muto, Tatsumi Fujinami, Jay White, and shockingly Tetsuya Naito. After playing air guitar and waving to fans in a moving float in the Tokyo Dome, Tanahashi eventually made his exit, disappearing into the smoke-filled entrance.
New faction introduced at NJPW New Year Dash
Double champion Yota Tsuji has introduced a new faction into the NJPW ranks.
At New Year Dash 2026 on Monday, Tsuji announced the formation of a new faction named “Unbound Company.” It will see former Los Ingobernables de Japon members Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi officially align with the Bullet Club War Dogs after the two sides had already been working together.
“There’s something I need to say here today. Until now, Bullet Club War Dogs and the Independents have been working together. But that ends today,” Tsuji announced. “From now on, we will fight as one unit. Our name is Unbound Co. An organization that is not bound by anyone.”
Tsuji defeated Konosuke Takeshita at Wrestle Kingdom 20 to retain the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship and win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. He is now locked into a feud against United Empire, with Tsuji, Takagi, David Finlay & Drilla Moloney losing to Jake Lee, Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan & HENARE in an eight-man tag match at New Year Dash.
Jake Lee was added to United Empire at Wrestle Kingdom 20 and attacked Tsuji, likely putting himself in IWGP World Heavyweight Championship contention. It was revealed at New Year Dash that Gabe Kidd and Andrade El Idolo will soon face off to determine a challenger for Tsuji’s Global Heavyweight title.
At New Year Dash, Tsuji brought back the fan-favorite classic design of the IWGP Championship that had been retired in 2021.
Yota Tsuji has brought the v4 IWGP Championship back to New Japan Professional Wrestling. #NJDash pic.twitter.com/kb146XrQSN
— JJ Williams (@JJWilliamsWON) January 5, 2026
WOR: Tokyo Dome, Tanahashi retirement, Jericho, tons more!
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including a full recap of the New Japan Tokyo Dome show, all the matches and angles, Tanahashi’s retirement and post-match ceremony, and more, plus Smackdown and Collision, WWE injuries and departures, Chris Jericho, and more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Johnny Legend passes away
6:29: NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 recap
54:25: Chris Jericho teased for Raw, WWE SmackDown notes, injury updates
1:02:31: Arena Mexico notes, Holly Holm loses boxing match, AEW Collision notes, lineups for the week
Dates & locations revealed for 2026 NJPW Cup tournament
NJPW has revealed dates and locations for the upcoming New Japan Cup tournament.
The company announced on their website that the 2026 tournament will begin on March 4 at Korakuen Hall and will run through March 21 at Aore Nagoka in Niigata. Tickets for these shows will start going on sale next month, with general sales starting late in January.
Here is the full schedule for the single-elimination tournament:
- March 4 at Korakuen Hall
- March 5 at Korakuen Hall
- March 8 at Baycom Gymnasium in Hyogo
- March 10 at Shigeto Arena in Okayama
- March 12 at Takamatsu City Gymnasium in Kagawa
- March 13 at Kanaoka Park Gymnasium in Osaka
- March 14 at Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena in Aichi
- March 15 at I-Messe Yamanashi in Yamanashi
- March 17 at Big Palette Fukushima in Fukushima
- March 20 at Aore Nagoka in Niigata
- March 21 at Aore Nagoka in Niigata
2025 saw David Finlay win the 24-man tournament, defeating Shota Umino in the finals. He would go on to challenge IWGP World Champion Hirooki Goto in a losing effort at Sakura Genesis the following month.
WOR: Tanahashi’s last match, RAW report, Rousey, more!
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including updates on Joe Doering and Jon Gresham, the RAW report from Monday night, a great article about Tanahashi’s final match and the road to get there, Ronda Rousey wanting a big boxing match, the weekend preview, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Joe Doering battling cancer for third time, Jonathan Gresham returning to the ring
2:48: TNA may be heading to AMC
11:08: ‘The Final Road’ article from Social Suplex re: Tanahashi/Okada Wrestle Kingdom 20 match
28:40: Dave’s thoughts from the AAA show last Friday, ‘Zootopia 2’ opens big
33:46: Ronda Rousey may try boxing, Tom Aspinall’s eye hasn’t healed, Dave’s thoughts on Kayla Harrison/Amanda Nunes fight
45:01: Lineups for the coming week
48:45: More WarGames thoughts, WWE Raw report
Trios match added to NJPW’s Purge Night of Torture
New Japan’s House of Torture faction is hosting its own event later this month, and now they have added a trios match to that card.
The latest match added to the card is a trios battle. Three members of the House of Torture—Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale & Yoshinobu Kanemaru—will face Tomohiro Ishii & Masato Tanaka & Ikuto Hidaka. Ishii has spent most of the year splitting time between NJPW and AEW/ROH. Tanaka, a former singles and tag champion in the original ECW, wrestled for ZERO1 in Japan, but in recent years he has done matches with US indie stars such as Bryan Keith, Calvin Tankman, Tom Lawlor, Adam Priest, and Mike Santana. Ikuto Hidaka has spent recent months wrestling for several Japanese indy promotions; he is probably best known for his team with Minoru Fujita, with whom he has won several championships in ZERO1.
Already announced for the show is singles match—EVIL facing Dragongate’s Shun Skywalker—and a tag match pitting House of Torture’s Dick Togo & Ren Narita against a pair of veteran freelancers, HANZO & The Great Sasuke.
Purge Night of Torture takes place on November 19 from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Here is the lineup for that show:
NJPW Purge Night of Torture (November 19)
- EVIL vs. Shun Skywalker
- Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Tomohiro Ishii & Masato Tanaka & Ikuto Hidaka
- Dick Togo & Ren Narita vs. The Great Sasuke & HANZO
WOL: UFC potential fix, Tokyo Dome, SNME, tons of news!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about including a potential fixed fight in UFC, injury updates, New Japan Tokyo Dome main event and top matches, Super Juniors hilarious ending, Saturday Night’s Main Event, Collision, Smackdown, upcoming line-ups and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
WOR: Weekend news recap, reviews of WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA & more
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including all the matches and shows from this past weekend, NXT, Collision, New Japan, Smackdown, Mexico, ratings notes, Wanderlei knocked out in post-match brawl, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: Injury updates on Hologram, Ridge Holland, Ash by Elegance, Kelani Jordan, Jade Cargill
8:17: Dave’s thoughts on Stardom, NJPW, AAA shows this weekend
18:49: Ratings
22:41: Wanderlei Silva knocked out after post-fight brawl, article on Zuffa Boxing
33:47: Observer Hall of Fame/Observer Awards comparisons
37:46: WWE NXT No Mercy recap
47:34: AEW Collision recap, lineups for the coming week
57:33: WWE SmackDown recap