Tonight’s World Tag League finals in Hiroshima will be determined by two key matches.
There are two scenarios that could go down. If Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI beat Guerrillas of Destiny tonight, the David Finlay & Juice Robinson vs. SANADA and EVIL match will be winner take all.
The situation gets murkier if Guerillas of Destiny win and if EVIL and SANADA win after that. EVIL and SANADA would need to win that match or else it would end up in a three way tie, in which case there would be a playoff matches to determine a winner.
The rest of tonight’s card will feature the remaining participants complete in one final World Tag League tournament match, mostly just for rankings’ sake.
Whoever ends up winning tonight will challenge the current IWGP Tag Team champions Guerillas of Destiny at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
Join us for live coverage starting at 2 a.m. EST. There will be English commentary.
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WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: MANABU NAKANISHI & YUJI NAGATA DEFEATED HIROYOSHI TENZAN & SATOSHI KOJIMA
If heart and workrate were the same thing, all Nakanishi and Tenzan matches would be great. Alas.
Tenzan and Kojima got the heat on Nagata. Kojima hit his top rope elbow. Nagata came back with a weak dropkick to the leg of Kojima.
Nakanishi and Tenzan tagged in. Nakanishi hit a spear and tagged Nagata. Tenzan hit Nagata with a mountain bomb and a brainbuster. Tenzan and Kojima hit a TenKoji cutter. Tenzan called for a moonsault, but Nagata cut him off.
Nakanishi came off the top with a chop while Nagata hit an enziguri for a combination move. Nagata used a Nagata Lock II (crossface) for the submission on Tenzan.
WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: TORU YANO & COLT CABANA DEFEATED BAD LUCK FALE & CHASE OWENS
They did a total comedy match. A highlight saw Yano poke Owens in the eyes, which caused Owens to headbutt Fale low.
For the finish, Yano hit a low blow while the referee’s back was turned, allowing Cabana to use the Superman pin to get the win over Owens.
WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: JEFF COBB & MIKEY NICHOLLS DEFEATED TERRIBLE & SHINGO TAKAGI
This was a lot of fun. They had a heck of a little undercard match.
Cobb hit a dropkick to Shingo, then hit a standing moonsault while Nicholls hit a fist drop. Terrible and Shingo responded to the early assault by taking the fight to the floor. There they got the heat on Nicholls.
Shingo and Terrible worked over Nicholls in the ring. Shingo hit a sliding lariat. Terrible hit a top rope splash and made a cover, but Cobb broke up the pin with a dropkick.
Nicholls made a comeback and hit a double lariat. Cobb jumped in to double up on Terrible. Cobb hit a Spin Cycle, while Nicholls hit a sliding lariat for a near fall.
Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber on Cobb. Nicholls took out Shingo with a lariat. Terrible hit some strikes, but Nicholls cut him off, then used the Mikey Bomb to pick up the pin.
WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: HIROSHI TANAHASHI & TOA HENARE DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO & KARL FREDERICKS
This was another good undercard match. Fredericks is something else, man.
Tana and Fredericks had a nice opening exchange that saw Fredericks score a near fall on The Ace. Henare and Tana used a double crab on Fredericks, then went to work on him.
Tana hit a somersault senton for a two count. Fredericks came back with a spinebuster, then tagged Goto. Goto hit Tana with a hip toss, a lariat, then used a bulldog for a two count.
Tana came back with a forearm, then used a cloverleaf on Goto, but Fredericks broke it up. Goto tried a misdirection spot, but Tana countered into a slingblade.
Fredericks and Henare got tags. Fredericks hit a huge top rope crossbody on Henare, then a dropkick on Tana for good measure. Fredericks used a hip toss and a diving chop on Henare for a two count. Goto and Fredericks hit their tandem Russian leg sweep/blockbuster on Henare, but Tana saved.
Henare hit a Samoan drop on Fredericks. Henare and Tana hit a leg sweep/slingblade combo on Fredericks, but Goto saved.
Tana took out Goto with a plancha. Henare went for a tackle but Fredericks turned it into a sunset flip for a two count. Fredericks used another quick cradle for a two count. Henare hit a lariat and Fredericks took a flip bump. Henare covered for a near fall.
Henare then hit the Toa Bottom on Fredericks for the pin.
CHRIS JERICHO VIDEO
As Tanahashi and Henare celebrated the win, the lights went out. A video played on the entrance screen.
In the video, Chris Jericho posed with an army of people painted up in his Painmaker gimmick. He told Tanahashi that time is running out and he’ll see him January 5. He said it’ll be one of Tana’s greatest matches, but also his last match.
Tanahashi then cut a promo. He said he thought Jericho would be there. He said he doesn’t plan to quit any time soon, and January 5 may be Jericho’s last match.
WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: LANCE ARCHER & MINORU SUZUKI DEFEATED YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & KENTA
This was a pretty standard Suzuki-gun brawl.
KENTA went after Suzuki before the opening bell. They brawled all around the arena, with Suzuki-gun getting the upper hand. They teased a countout, but Yujiro made it back in.
Archer did his rope-walk spot with Yujiro. Suzuki and KENTA continued fighting on the floor with hard slaps. Archer hit a series of slams. Suzuki and KENTA tagged in and continued their slap-fest in the ring.
KENTA sent Suzuki outside and into the barricade. KENTA and Yujiro doubled up on Archer. KENTA hit a double stomp off the top for a two count. Archer sent KENTA outside and hit a pounce on Yujiro for a two count.
Everyone jumped in. Suzuki used a rear naked choke on KENTA, then threw him outside. Yujiro hit a sliding dropkick on Archer. Archer came back with a chokeslam. Yujiro bit Archer’s hands. Archer teased a Blackout, but Yujiro bit him again.
With Suzuki and KENTA still on the outside, Archer hit the Blackout on Yujiro. He then pulled Yujiro up before the inevitable three count. He then used the EBD claw to pin Yujiro.
Archer and Suzuki attacked some Young Lions after the match.
JON MOXLEY APPEARS
As Suzuki and Archer posed in the ring after their match, Jon Moxley’s entrance video played. Moxley then appeared in the crowd. Moxley then walked to the ring.
Archer and Moxley had a staredown. Moxley turned to leave, but then hit a Death Rider on Archer. Suzuki stepped towards Moxley, but then ate a Death Rider himself.
Moxley cut a promo and said he wants his belt back. He said he’ll take it back at Wrestle Kingdom in a Texas Death Match.
Moxley then pulled a table from under the ring. He teased sending Archer through the table, but Archer fought back. They had an intense brawl around the arena, then brawled out of the arena. The cameras did not follow them.
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KOTA IBUSHI, JUSHIN LIGER & TIGER MASK DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA, SHO & YOH
They built this match around a hot tag to Liger, whose appearance was the highlight of the night for the crowd. Okada played total heel here as well. The crowd clearly favored Ibushi in his confrontations with Okada, even before Okada played heel.
Ibushi went after Okada at the opening bell. He hit a running boot, knocking Okada to the floor. He hit another boot on the floor against the barricade. Back inside, Ibsuhi continued to attack with kicks. Okada came back with a flapjack, then tagged YOH.
Ibushi managed a tag to Tiger, and 3K and Okada took turns working Tiger over in their half of the ring. Tiger tried to tag Liger, but Okada pulled Liger off the apron. Liger finally got the tag.
Liger hit a top rope rana, hit both members of 3K with shoteis, and even hit a shotei on Okada. Ibushi tagged in and hit a springboard dropkick. Okada countered with a shotgun dropkick.
The match broke down and everyone hit a big move. Liger ducked a Rainmaker and hit a shotei on Okada.
Ibushi and SHO were left the legal men. Ibushi hit a Bomaye and a Kamigoye on SHO for the pin. Good match.
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Okada got in Ibushi’s face after the match. Ibushi hauled off and smacked Okada in the head with his Wrestle Kingdom briefcase. Ibushi continued to attack Okada, standing on his throat after the briefcase shot. Everyone from both teams tried to pull Ibushi off Okada. Okada was helped to the back.
On his way to the back, Ibushi attacked Okada again with a running knee. The crowd didn’t want to boo Ibushi, so they were just quiet for most of this. This was a super effective angle.
RYU LEE CHALLENGES JUSHIN LIGER
Ryu Lee (the former Dragon Lee) appeared on the screen as Liger posed in front of his hometown crowd. Liger put Lee over as being one of the best. But he said he also wants to wrestle someone else. Someone who just returned from a neck injury. He seemed to be referring to Hiromu Takahashi. He challenged both to take him on, so perhaps a triple threat between Lee, Liger and Takahashi is coming up January 5.
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WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: TOMOHIRO ISHII & YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED TAMA TONGA & TANGA LOA
They were bound and determined to get the crowd into this match, and it seemed as though they were going to stay out there until they did. They finally accomplished their goal, but it was tough.
Far be it from me to tell Tonga and Loa how to lay out their matches, but their opponents just sell, sell, sell, sell, sell for without so much as a hope spot for the first ten minutes of their matches and the crowd dies.
The Guerrillas of Destiny used a kendo stick shot from Jado on the floor to take control in the early-going. They turned the match into a crowd brawl, then worked over YH in the ring.
Ishii finally got a tag and hit Tonga with a lariat. Loa cut him off. Ishii managed a tag to YH, who scored his first significant offense of the match with a lariat and headhunter on Loa.
YH hit a codebreaker on Loa into a suplex by Ishii. YH covered, but Tonga saved at the last pssible second. YH hit a lariat on Loa for another near fall. Ishii and Tonga brawled to the floor.
Jado took the referee. Tonga jumped in and hit a low blow on YH. Loa then used the OJK on YH, teasing a submission. YH reached for the ropes, but Loa rolled through and re-applied in the center of the ring. YH pulled Loa over into a cover for a near fall.
Ishii jumped in and knocked Jado off the apron. Tonga hit a Tongan Twist on Ishii. Tonga and Loa each hit top rope splashes on YH for a near fall.
G.O.D. teased a super powerbomb. YH fought it off and hit a top rope rana. Tonga tried a Gun Stun on Ishii, but Ishii fought it off. Ishii hit a lariat, and YH used an inside cradle on Loa for the pin.
WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: JUICE ROBINSON & DAVID FINLAY DEFEATED SANADA & EVIL TO WIN WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2019
Finlay scored early with some shoulder tackles on SANADA. Juice came in for the double team and hit some jabs. Juice ended up the legal man. EVIL cut him off with a trip from the floor. EVIL then tagged in and hit a shoulder tackle.
EVIL used a scorpion deathlock on Juice, who reached the ropes. SANADA tagged in and tried for the paradise lock, but Juice blocked the first attempt. SANADA got it applied on the second try, then hit a dropkick to break it.
SANADA got sent up and over the top, which allowed Juice to tag out. Finlay hit EVIL with an uppercut forearm. Juice tried to jump in for a double team, but SANADA saved with a dropkick.
On the outside, EVIL placed a chair around Finlay’s neck, then swung a second chair into the first. This was not a DQ. SANADA sent Juice into the barricade. EVIL and SANADA went to work on Finlay in the ring.
SANADA tried a standing moonsault, but Finlay rolled away. SANADA then hit a dropkick, and the assault on Finlay continued. EVIL hit a seated senton in the corner on Finlay after begging the crowd to get into the match by pounding the mat.
Finlay escaped a back suplex attempt from SANADA, then hit his own back suplex. Juice got a tag and hit SANADA with a senton. He teased a cannonball, but EVIL jumped in. Juice dispatched EVIL, then connected with the cannonball on SANADA.
Juice stacked up SANADA with a powerbomb and got a two count. He teased a Juice Box, but SANADA blocked it. EVIL jumped in to hit a quick strike, enabling SANADA to hit a backdrop. They teased a Magic Killer, but Finlay saved, then clotheslined EVIL outside.
Juice and Finlay hit a double flapjack on SANADA. Finlay hit a superplex into an immediate frog splash by Juice for a two count. SANADA landed badly on the superplex, but appeared to be okay.
Juice and SANADA each teased a finisher. EVIL hit a German on Juice. Finlay hit EVIL with a spear. SANADA hit a springboard dropkick to Finlay. SANADA tried Skull End. Juice tried Pulp Friction. SANADA blocked, then locked in Skull End.
EVIL held Finlay on the floor while SANADA held Juic ein Skull End. Referee Red Shoes really tried to sell this as a finish, but no. SANADA gave up the hold, then tried a moonsault. Juice got his knees up, and they did a double down.
EVIL and Finlay got tags and exchanged strikes. EVIL tried a misdirection spot out of the corner, but Finlay blocked and hit a uranage over his knee. Finlay hit an ushigoroshi for a near fall.
Finlay tried a cutter. EVIL blocked and hit a fisherman buster. EVIL hit a superplex, then a lariat. Finlay took a flip bump, then kicked out at two.
EVIL used a scorpion deathlock. Juice tried for a save, but SANADA cut him off and put him in Skull End. After a struggle, Finlay reached the ropes.
EVIL and SANADA hit a Magic Killer on Juice, who rolled to the floor. They tried a Magic Killer on Finlay, but Finlay used a Granby roll for a great near fall.
EVIL hit Darkness Falls on Finlay for a two count. EVIL and SANADA then hit a Magic Killer. EVIL covered, but Juice saved.
SANADA hit a plancha on Juice. EVIL tried Everything is EVIL on Finlay, but Finlay blocked and hit his own Everything is EVIL.
Finlay hit EVIL with a stunner. Juice hit EVIL and SANADA with Left Hand of God. Juice hit Pulp Friction on SANADA. Finlay then hit his Acid Drop and pinned EVIL. The last few minutes of this were exceptional.
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After the match, Cobb, Nicholls, Tenzan, Kojima, Henare, Tanahashi, Nagata, Nakanishi, Cabana, Yano, Makabe and Honma came to the ring to celebrate with Juice and Finlay. Zima is a sponsor, so the babyfaces drank Zima and gave the winning team a Zima bath.
Juice called out G.O.D. and challenged them. Tonga and Loa came to the stage. Tonga flipped off Juice, then left.
The babyfaces continued celebrating with confetti and the World Tag League trophies to close the show.
FINAL WORLD TAG LEAGUE STANDINGS
- Juice Robinson & David Finlay — 26 points (13-2)
- EVIL & SANADA — 26 points (13-2)
- Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa — 24 points (12-3)
- Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI — 22 points (11-4)
- Minoru Suzuki & Lance Archer — 18 points (9-6)
- Toru Yano & Colt Cabana — 18 points (9-6)
- Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi — 18 points (9-6)
- KENTA & Yujiro Takahashi — 16 points (8-7)
- Jeff Cobb & Mikey Nicholls — 16 points (8-7)
- Shingo Takagi & El Terrible — 12 points (6-9)
- Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens — 12 points (6-9)
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima — 8 points (4-11)
- Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toa Henare — 6 points (3-12)
- Hirooki Goto & Karl Fredericks — 6 points (3-12)
- Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi — 4 points (2-13)
