On Sunday, Yota Tsuji and EVIL both advanced from the quarterfinals. They will now face each other in the semifinals, which take place Monday morning. The winner of that match will then move on to the finals on March 20, where they will face the winner between Hirooki Goto and SANADA.
During Tsuji vs. Ren Narita, House of Torture members began to interfere towards the end of the match. Los Ingobernables de Japon ran out to even the score, allowing Tsuji to advance by rolling up Narita. HoT then jumped Tsuji, but Shingo Takagi got involved, kicking off the main event between Takagi and EVIL. Much like the previous match, HoT regularly interfered until EVIL hit Takagi with the Everything is Evil for the win.
The winner of the New Japan Cup usually challenges for the IWGP World Heavyweight title. SANADA won last year’s New Japan Cup and went on to defeat Kazuchika Okada the following month at Sakura Genesis to win the title.
Though they ended up taking different paths to get there, SANADA and Hirooki Goto have both advanced to the semifinals of New Japan Cup 2024.
SANADA booked his spot in the semifinals by defeating Jack Perry in a quarterfinal match at NJPW’s event in Nagoya on Saturday. Goto vs. David Finlay was also supposed to take place at the show, but it was announced that Finlay couldn’t compete due to illness. Goto instead advanced to the semifinals by forfeit.
“David Finlay will not compete [on Saturday] in Nagoya due to illness,” NJPW announced. “He is currently undergoing evaluation at a local hospital. Hirooki Goto will advance to the semifinals via forfeit.”
Both semifinal matches in the New Japan Cup are taking place on Monday (March 18). SANADA vs. Goto is the first semifinal that’s been confirmed.
Shingo Takagi vs. EVIL and Yota Tsuji vs. Ren Narita at Sunday’s New Japan Cup event will determine who advances to the other semifinal.
The New Japan Cup finals are being held on Wednesday (March 20). The winner earns an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship shot against Tetsuya Naito at Sakura Genesis on Saturday, April 6.
The 2024 New Japan Cup continues today in Ehime with two second round matches.
In the main event, Hirooki Goto faces Chase Owens. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals round.
In the other tournament bout on the show, Tanga Loa will take on David Finlay for a spot in the quarterfinals.
The winners of today’s tournament bouts will square off in the quarterfinals round on March 16. SANADA will face Jack Perry in the quarterfinals on that show as well.
Today’s undercard will feature six tag team matches, including a Los Ingoernables de Japon vs. Bullet Club six-man. It will be LIJ’s Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi vs. Bullet Club’s KENTA, Gabe Kidd & Taiji Ishimori in that contest.
Shingo & Kidd will square off on tomorrow’s show in the main event in a New Japan Cup tournament match.
Today’s show streams live on NJPW World beginning at 6 a.m. Eastern time.
This match opened as a test of Murashima. Once he tagged out, the now-typical Oleg rally played out. Murashima eventually tagged back in, challenged Ishii, and submitted to a Boston Crab.
TJP & Francesco Akira defeated El Desperado & Ryuske Taguchi
This was, in a lot of ways, a Taguchi-led match. His normal offense played out, and both Desperado and UE matched his energy. UE eventually overcame the silliness, with TJP hitting a knee and pinning Taguchi.
Yuya Uemura, Taichi, & SANADA (Just 5 Guys) defeated Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, & Jeff Cobb (United Empire)
This was a totally by-the-book outing for these teams. Everyone had a chance to get in their signature offense. The match eventually broke down, ending with Uemura hitting Newman with the deadbolt suplex to win the match.
Zack Sabre Jr. & Mikey Nicholls (TMDK) defeated BUSHI & Yota Tsuji (Los Ingobernables de Japon)
This was a fun match, especially compared to what was earlier on the card.
Tsuji matched the styles of both of his opponents before tagging out to BUSHI. BUSHI led an energetic sequence into a match breakdown. ZSJ emerged from the chaos with control, which he used to submit BUSHI.
After the match, ZSJ and Tsuji had a quick scuffle.
House Of Torture (EVIL, Jack Perry, Ren Narita, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi) defeated Guerrillas Of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo), Shota Umino, Togi Makabe & YOH
This was an even more over-the-top HoT match than normal. After a runtime full of cheating, Kanemaru spat whiskey in Makabe’s face. EVIL then hit Everything is Evil, winning the match.
After the match, HoT continued to attack Hikuleo. The babyfaces ran them off, ending with a chokeslam to EVIL.
BULLET CLUB (Gabe Kidd, KENTA & Taiji Ishimori) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito)
This was a decent little preview for Shingo/Kidd while it lasted. Kidd’s reckless energy significantly increased my enjoyment of this match.
Hiromu and Ishimori also interacted extensively, teasing a more formal encounter. Ishimori won the match by hitting Hiromu with a low blow and trapping him in a quick pin.
New Japan Cup: David Finlay defeated Tanga Loa
This certainly was a match that happened—not a good match, but a match. Finlay didn’t look horrible, but he never looked good. Loa was horrible, on the other hand.
Loa jumped Finlay at the curtain before the match began. The brawl worked its way into the crowd, with Loa throwing Finlay into barricades and chairs. Once the match worked its way to the ring, Loa maintained the lead he established.
Finlay gained control by taking the match back to the floor. He returned the favor, driving Loa into the barricade and throwing him into the empty floor seats. Between the ropes, Finlay continued picking apart Loa.
When Loa regained the lead, he pushed Finlay back outside and slammed him back into the barricades. He dropped Finlay on the apron before taking the action back inside. During Loa’s follow-up, he fumbled a 619, went for it again, and still hit it in the most awkward way possible. Loa eventually hit a powerbomb for a nearfall.
A relatively high-impact back-and-forth followed. Finlay hit a headbutt and a powerbomb for a near fall. After the kickout, Finlay hit his new finish, “Overkill,” and pinned Loa to end this dreadful match.
Finlay advances to the quarter-finals.
New Japan Cup: Hirooki Goto defeated Chase Owens
These first two rounds have been pretty bad, and this was another match worth avoiding.
Goto immediately took control, forcing Owens into the corner, and leveling him with heavy offense. In order to challenge Goto, Owens took the fight to the floor, using his environment to establish a lead. Back in the ring, Owens maintained his lead by working Goto on the mat.
Goto eventually hit Owens with a lariat to reset the match. Owens fought back, forcing Goto to hit him with more lariats. Owens answered him with a lariat of his own, knocking Goto to the mat.
Owens tried for C-trigger but missed. Goto followed up with ushigoroshi before initiating a strike exchange. Goto won out and locked Owens in a choke. Goto followed up with a GTW for a nearfall.
Owens tried for a rollup, but Goto kicked out. A short scramble followed, sending Goto to the floor. On the outside, Owens hit a swinging neckbreaker. Owens then removed the protective mat on the floor, exposing the concrete. Owens tried for a piledriver, but Goto reversed into a backdrop. Owens kept up the attack, brutalizing Goto’s arm. Back in the ring, Owens hit a C-trigger and a green killer for a pair of nearfalls.
Owens tried for something off the top, but Goto pulled him off, sending him crashing to the floor. Goto followed up with GTR for a nearfall. Goto then tried for Shoto, but Owens attacked the eyes.
Owens hit an enziguri and a C-trigger to put Goto back on the backfoot. He then landed another C-trigger into the ropes before attempting his piledriver. Goto slipped free and dropped Owens with a pair of headbutts. Goto then hit GTR and pinned Owens to win the match.
This match advances Goto to the quarters to face David Finlay. It also sets up a Bishamon tag title match down the line.
NJPW World Tag League 2023 concluded on Sunday in Kumamoto.
Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI defeated El Phantasmo & Hikuleo today to win the tournament for a record third straight time. They are also the first team to win the tournament while also holding the IWGP Tag Team Championships.
Bishamon have made history!
The first IWGP Tag Champions to win World tag League, and the first to ever threepeat!
With the win, Bishamon earned the right to pick which team will challenge them for the IWGP Tag Team Championships at Wrestle Kingdom. Goto said in a post-match promo that they would like to face ELP and Hikuleo again, this time with both the IWGP Tag titles and the NJPW Strong tag titles at stake inside the Tokyo Dome.
ELP and Hikuleo defeated Bishamon in the round-robin portion of the tournament, making a clash at Wrestle Kingdom essentially a rubber match.
A full report from today’s show is available here.
Monstersauce (Alex Zayne & Lance Archer), Minoru Suzuki & Yuji Nagata defeated BULLET CLUB (Alex Coughlin, Bad Luck Fale, Gabe Kidd & Jack Bonza)
United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, HENARE & Jeff Cobb) defeated CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano), Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima
House Of Torture (Ren Narita & SHO) defeated Shota Umino & Tiger Mask
House Of Torture (EVIL, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi) defeated Kaito Kiyomiya, Ryohei Oiwa & Tomoaki Honma
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada defeated Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito & Yota Tsuji) & Zandokan Jr. defeated Just 5 Guys (DOUKI, SANADA, Taichi, TAKA Michinoku & Yuya Uemura)
World Tag League Final: Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) defeated Guerrillas of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo)
NJPW World Tag League 2023 final round-robin standings:
A Block —
Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd (5-2): 10 points
Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls (5-2): 10 points
Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano (4-2): 8 points
Great-O-Khan & HENARE (4-3): 8 points
EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi (3-4): 6 points
Shota Umino & Ren Narita (3-3): 6 points
Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona (2-5): 4 points
Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa (2-5): 4 points
B Block —
Hikuleo & El Phantasmo (5-2): 10 points
Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (4-2-1): 9 points
Lance Archer & Alex Zayne (4-3): 8 points
Taichi & Yuya Uemura (4-2): 8 points
Atlantis Jr. & Soberano Jr. (3-3-1): 7 points
Yota Tsuji & Zandokan Jr. (3-3): 6 points
Yuji Nagata & Minoru Suzuki (2-5): 4 points
Bad Luck Fale & Jack Bonza (2-5): 4 points
December 8, NJPW World Tag League 2023 night 15 tournament results:
NJPW World Tag League 2023 semifinal: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Gabe Kidd & Alex Coughlin
NJPW World Tag League 2023 semifinal: El Phantasmo & Hikuleo defeated Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls
December 10, NJPW World Tag League 2023 night 17 tournament results:
NJPW World Tag League 2023 finals: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defeated El Phantasmo & Hikuleo
Due to his knee injury, Hirooki Goto will miss the remainder of NJPW’s Destruction tour.
Goto has been out of action since suffering an injury at NJPW Destruction in Kobe on September 24. In an update today, NJPW announced that Goto has sustained damage to his medial collateral ligament. Goto is off the rest of the Destruction tour.
After sustaining an injury at Destruction in Kobe on September 24, evaluation for Hirooki Goto resulted in the diagnosis of a damaged medial collateral ligament. Goto will continue to be absent for the remainder of the Destruction tour.
NJPW joins fans in wishing Goto a speedy, full recovery.
The Destruction tour is set to conclude with Destruction in Ryogoku on Monday, October 9.
A timetable for when Goto will be able to return to the ring hasn’t been given.
Goto suffered the knee injury during an IWGP Tag Team title defense at Destruction in Kobe. Goto & YOSHI-HASHI retained their titles by defeating TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste) in that match.
Hirooki Goto suffered an injury at NJPW Destruction in Kobe on Sunday.
At the show, Goto & YOSHI-HASHI retained their IWGP Tag Team titles by defeating TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste). But Goto had to miss NJPW’s Road to Destruction event on Monday due to an injury suffered during the tag title match.
“As a result of an injury sustained at Destruction in Kobe, Hirooki Goto will not be cleared to compete in scheduled matches at live events September 25 in Nagoya and September 26 in Fukui,” NJPW wrote. “Goto is currently undergoing assessment, and currently has no timetable set for his return.”
Goto was supposed to team with YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano against Jeff Cobb, Henare & Callum Newman at both of those Road to Destruction shows. Satoshi Kojima is taking Goto’s place in the matches.
Further information about the injury Goto suffered wasn’t provided. It appears that it may have been a knee injury.
NJPW also announced that Taichi “has requested and been granted a leave of absence” from events on the Destruction tour through October 7. There was an angle at Destruction in Kobe where Yoshinobu Kanemaru turned against Taichi. Kanemaru left Just Five Guys and joined House of Torture.
SANADA is defending his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against EVIL in a lumberjack match at Destruction in Ryogoku on Monday, October 9. The other members of Just Four Guys and House of Torture will be at ringside as lumberjacks.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament continues today with C Block & D Block matches in Aichi at Dolphin’s Arena.
In the main event, Hiroshi Tanahashi face Hirooki Goto in the seventeenth career singles meeting between the two NJPW veterans. Both enter the match with 2-2 records in this year’s G1.
In the semi-main, the 3-1 Tama Tonga faces 2-2 Shingo Takagi in the first career singles meeting between the two.
The full lineup:
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi (2-2, 4 points) vs. Hirooki Goto (2-2, 4 points)
C Block: Tama Tonga (3-1, 6 points) vs. Shingo Takagi (2-2, 4 points)
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (3-1, 6 points) vs. Shane Haste (2-2, 4 points)
C Block: EVIL (2-2, 4 points) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (1-3, 2 points)
D Block: Tetsuya Naito (2-2, 4 points) vs. Alex Coughlin (1-3, 2 points)
C Block: Eddie Kingston (2-2, 4 points) vs. Mikey Nicholls (1-3, 2 points)
D Block: Jeff Cobb (4-0, 8 points) vs. Toru Yano (0-4, 0 points)
C Block: David Finlay (4-1, 8 points) vs. HENARE (1-4, 2 points)
Our live coverage begins at 3 a.m. Eastern time.
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Recommended Matches
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirsooki Goto – A fantastic match built around selling the ware of the G1. Both men looked good in their agony and delivered a superb, emotional match.
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David Finlay defeated HENARE
This match felt like it was going through the mid-tournament motions. Finlay closed out the match with Oblivion.
This win leaves Finlay with 8 points, leaving him awfully close to a guaranteed playoff spot.
Toru Yano defeated Jeff Cobb
This was a short match with Yano trying to spoil Cobb’s perfect tournament. Cobb played some of Yano’s games, but in the end, Yano won. After getting a face full of cold spray, Yano rolled up Cobb, ending his undefeated streak.
While he’s already out of the running, this win gets Yano on the board with 2 points.
Eddie Kingston defeated Mikey Nicholls
This was a bit of a plotting match built around mid-tournament ware. Everything these guys threw out was substantial, even if it wasn’t at a blistering pace. Eddie closed this match out with a spinning back fist.
This result keeps Eddie in the running, 6 points, and eliminates Nicholls from contention.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Alex Coughlin
Unlike most of his G1, Coughlin was unable to control the pace of this match. With the match at Naito’s pace, Naito was able to withstand Couhlin’s pushes for control, eventually leading to the Destino and the win.
This win moves Naito toward the top of D block, with 6 points.
EVIL defeated Tomohiro Ishii
This was a very physical match, but in case you suspected something else, EVIL worked dirty throughout. Ishii matched EVIL’s energy to gain control, leading to multiple colossal exchanges between the pair. To close, EVIL distracted the referee, allowing Dick Togo to kick Ishii low; Evil followed up with Everything is Evil and pinned Ishii for the win.
EVIL remains in strong standing with this win, tieing Finlay atop of C block with 8 points.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Shane Haste
This inter-faction TMDK matchup was competitive throughout. After extended exchanges of moves and strikes, Haste was looking to break from a hold with a powerbomb, but ZSJ caught him in a trap pin, winning the match suddenly.
ZSJ ties Jeff Cobb with 8 points, leading the D block.
Time Limit Draw: Tama Tonga vs. Shingo Takagi
Another by-the-numbers match here. These guys went back and forth in all the typical ways, leading into the move-heavy closing sequence. The clock eventually ran out in about the least climatic way possible.
The draw leaves Tama just behind the C block leaders with 7 points, and Shingo in the middle of the pack with 5.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Hirooki Goto
This match was all about both men being in severe pain from the opening bell. The selling was fantastic throughout, enhancing every moment of this match. Tanahashi is seemingly trying to retire himself with High Fly Flow, which he landed on his second attempt to win the bout.
Tanahashi’s win leaves him just two points behind block leaders, staying steady with 6 points.
A title change took place at NJPW’s Burning Spirit tour show in Kagawa on Friday.
House of Torture (EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & SHO) defeated CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & YOH) in a Tornado Dog Cage Survival Match to win the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles. After Goto and YOSHI-HASHI had been locked in a dog cage, EVIL pinned YOH to get the win.
September 23’s penultimate evening on the Burning Spirit tour saw the NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Championships on the line, the Tornado Dog Cage Survival Match having been delayed from the prior week in Beppu.
The champion side of Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI and YOH headed into their bout with EVIL SHO and Yujiro Takahashi with an added rule to the no tag contest- keys for each of the ringside dog cages were on the ring posts, and could be used to release a team mate if they were locked away. That was the position YOH was put in from the outset though, left at an extreme handicap as HOUSE OF TORTURE shut both Goto and YOSHI-HASHI in a cage.
YOH valiantly fought in the face of H.O.T punishment, landing a barrage of Dragon Screws to EVIL and Yujiro before a neckbreaker to SHO gave him enough time to grab a key and release his partners. With the same furious energy, YOH shot SHO into the ringside guardrail before slamming a dog house over his former partners head; still he was unable to lock SHO away, instead being shut inside a separate cage by Yujiro after a Pimp Juice on the floor.
Goto was able to free YOH, but EVIL shut YOSHI-HASHI away, leaving HOUSE OF TORTURE with the numbers edge again. Dick Togo would provide the illegal added advantage before SHO brought another cage into the ring. As Goto took the fight to the floor, EVIL shut Goto in a cage with Yujiro and SHO on the outside, putting YOH at a practical handicap again with EVIL and Dick Togo.
YOH swung for the fences with a lariat to EVIL before striking Togo with an STO. Locking Togo into the in ring cage, YOH then kicked EVIL low and got a nearfall from a Five Star Clutch before a thrust kick, but EVIL escaped Direct Drive and hit EVIL for the victory, new champions being crowned.
With their victory, EVIL, Yujro & SHO regained the NEVER Six-Man Tag Team titles after having lost them to Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & YOH this July.
The Tornado Dog Cage Survival Match was originally scheduled to take place this past Sunday, but NJPW had to cancel two shows on the Burning Spirit tour due to Typhoon Nanmadol.
With CM Punk out of action due to injury, an interim AEW World Champion will be crowned at AEW & NJPW’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view on Sunday, June 26. The interim champion will face Punk in the future when Punk is able to return to action.
It was announced on Rampage last night that a battle royal will open this coming Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite. The battle royal winner will then face Jon Moxley in the main event of the episode. The winner of that match will advance to the interim title bout at Forbidden Door.
The other competitor for the interim title bout will be determined when Hiroshi Tanahashi takes on Hirooki Goto in an AEW World title eliminator match at NJPW Dominion on Sunday, June 12.
Punk vs. Tanahashi was originally scheduled for Forbidden Door.
AEW is calling the series of matches the “AEW Interim World Championship Eliminator Series.”
After winning the AEW World Championship from Hangman Page at Double or Nothing, Punk suffered an injury on Dynamite this Wednesday. Punk revealed the injury on Rampage last night, describing it as a broken “wheel.” Punk will need to undergo surgery for the injury.
Punk vowed to come back bigger, faster, stronger, and hungrier than ever before.
Forbidden Door is being held at the United Center in Chicago.
The finals of the 2021 NJPW World Tag League are set.
Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI will face EVIL and Yujiro Takahashi in the finals on Wednesday, December 15.
Goto and YOSHI-HASHI finished atop the block with 18 points, earning a place in the finals with today’s win over IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi. EVIL and Yujiro finished the tournament at 16 points, but held head-to-head tiebreakers over the other two teams that also finished at 16. They secured a spot in the finals with a win today over Tetsuya Naito and SANADA.
EVIL has won the World Tag League twice, both times while teaming with SANADA. They captured the 2017 and 2018 editions of the tournament back-to-back. Goto is also a two-time winner, claiming victory with Karl Anderson in 2012, and with Katsuyori Shibata in 2014.
Wednesday’s show will also include the Best of the Super Juniors 28 tournament finals, where Hiromu Takahashi will take on YOH. Shibata will also make a “major announcement” on the show. The full card has yet to be released.
NJPW has revealed the cards for their next two televised events.
NJPW will be back at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo for Kizuna Road shows on Thursday, July 1 and Friday, July 2. Both shows will begin at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time and will be available for free on New Japan World.
The July 2 show will be headlined by NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defending their titles against Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan. The match was set up by a challenge that was issued by Nagata after Ishii, Goto & YOSHI-HASHI retained their titles against EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo at this Tuesday’s Kizuna Road show.
Ishii vs. Nagata, Goto vs. Kojima, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tenzan are set for the July 1 Kizuna Road show. Ishii vs. Nagata will be the main event.
During the angle where Nagata challenged Ishii, Goto & YOSHI-HASHI to the NEVER Six-Man title match, Ishii gave Nagata a forearm strike. Nagata responded by dropping Ishii with a forearm strike of his own.
Here are the full lineups for the July 1 and July 2 Kizuna Road shows:
Thursday, July 1 —
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yuji Nagata
Hirooki Goto vs. Satoshi Kojima
YOSHi-HASHI vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & Minoru Suzuki
El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado
Friday, July 2 —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defend against Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI
El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Minoru Suzuki vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado
NJPW’s Road to Dominion tour continued today with a show in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
The NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships were on the line in the main event as Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS defended against Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI of Los Ingobernables de Japon.
Below are results and a report on today’s show.
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Recommended matches —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan vs. Kota Ibushi & Master Wato (at least the post-match angle)
This was a fun opener. Lots of action and everyone worked hard.
EVIL and Uemura started off. Uemura out-wrestled EVIL, then tagged Honma. Honma tagged in and was cut off right away. EVIL hit a senton. Owens tagged in to continue the attack. Honma hit a back elbow and tagged Tsuji.
Tsuji hit Owens with a senton. He went for a splash, but Owens got his knees up. While the other six guys brawled on the floor, Owens worked on Tsuji in the ring. Tsuji got tossed outside and hit with a Togo right hand.
ELP tagged in for some break dancing and comedy offense. Ishimori tagged in and continued with back rakes on Tsuji. Owens tagged in. He hit a pump kick. Tsuji came back with a suplex, then tagged Tanahashi.
Tana hit a jumping forearm to Owens, cleared the Bullet Club apron, then hit a baseball slide to Togo. Tana hit Owens with a dragon screw. He went for his Texas Clover Hold. He got it applied. ELP tried to break it up, but Honma intercepted him. EVIL jumped in to break it up.
Owens blocked a slingblade attempt and hit a jewel heist. Ishimori got a tag. Tana blocked a handspring kick and hit twist and shout.
Uemura tagged in and hit a running forearm and a back suplex for two. He went for an overhook suplex, but ELP jumped in to break it up. Uemura avoided an airplane spin neckbreaker. He went for a crab, but Ishimori blocked.
Ishimori then connected with the Bloody Cross for the pin.
This was good. I expect YOH and Desperado to have a great match on Monday. Desperado really upped his game at the end of 2020 and has been very good this year.
YOH and Desperado began with a striking battle. Suzuki-gun turned it into a ringside brawl and cut SHO off. It was his role again tonight to sell most of the way. He came back with a spear to Kanemaru and Taguchi got a hot tag.
Taguchi ran wild with hip attacks. He used three amigos to set up an ankle lock. Taguchi gave up the hold and went for Dodon, but Kanemaru blocked. Taguchi hit a hip attack, then missed a bumaye.
YOH and Desperado tagged back in. YOH hit a flying forearm, then used a neckbreaker for a two count. Desperado blocked Direct Drive with a hair pull. YOH hit a jumping knee. Desperado countered with a spinebuster, then tagged DOUKI.
DOUKI, Kanemaru and Desperado tripled up on YOH. DOUKI hit a springboard double stomp for a near fall. He used a triangle, but SHO saved. Kanemaru took out SHO. Taguchi took out Kanemaru. Desperado took Taguchi out with a spear. YOH hit a dropkick to Desperado.
YOH blocked DOUKI’s Suplex de la Luna, then used the Stargazer calf killer for the submission.
YOH and Desperado faced off after the match. Desperado pie-faced YOH, but there was no physicality in the angle besides that.
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki defeated Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Gedo (2:24)
They couldn’t top their effort last night, so they didn’t even try.
Bullet Club jumped Suzuki-gun in the ring before Taichi’s song had finished playing. They fought around the ring on the outside. Sabre was briefly cut off in the ring.
Tonga and Loa went for a Magic Killer on Sabre. Suzuki and Taichi saved. Sabre used a neck crank and a Clarky Cat to quickly submit Gedo.
***** Intermission *****
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan defeated Kota Ibushi & Master Wato (9:07)
O-Khan tried a sneak attack before the bell. Ibushi fought it off and landed a flying mid kick. Wato tagged in, but O-Khan came back on him with an elbow and Mongolian chops. O-Khan and Cobb traded tags and continued beating down Master Wato.
Wato managed a dropkick and a reverse bulldog. Cobb and Ibushi got tags for a crazy sequence. Ibushi blocked a pop-up powerslam with a hurricanrana. Cobb did some of his impressive power spots and landed a deadlift throw out of the corner. Cobb landed another huge slam and tagged out. That spot was ugly.
O-Khan tied Ibushi to the tree of woe. He missed a basement dropkick. Ibushi popped up to the top rope and hit a double stomp. Wato tagged in and hit O-Khan with a springboard uppercut forearm and a dreamcast for a near fall.
Wato used a rolling heel hook, but Cobb broke it up. Cobb just started throwing Wato and Ibushi around. Cobb used a spinebuster on Wato.
O-Khan used the iron claw to set up the Eliminator on Wato for the pin.
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Ibushi and Cobb had a wild brawl after the match. Tsuji and Uemura jumped in to try to pull them apart. Just when you thought it was over, one of them would break free and the brawl would start all over again. They fought in the ring, then all around the arena.
This was intense and awesome, a great angle.
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NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI to retain the titles (31:15)
This was an excellent six-man. The first ten minutes were slow, but they had to go quite a long time and that’s to be expected.
Goto pinned SANADA in a tag yesterday, so those two began here. SANADA broke cleanly off the opening lock-up. They briefly grappled to a stalemate.
Naito tagged in and demanded Ishii. Ishii tagged in, then Naito immediately tagged out to BUSHI. Ishii tried to go after Naito on the apron. As soon as Ishii turned his back, Naito jumped him. LIJ tried a 3-on-1 attack, but Goto and YH saved. CHAOS then went 3-on-1 against BUSHI.
BUSHI found himself isolated in the CHAOS half of the ring. YH tagged in for some chops. Goto tagged in and the pace slowed. YH tagged back in for a vertical suplex. They were pacing themselves to go a long time.
Naito grabbed YH from the apron and turned the tide in LIJ’s favor. A brawl broke out on the arena floor between Ishii and Naito. Naito used a kravate over the barricade. YH was then isolated in LIJ’s half of the ring. Ishii and Goto tried to make saves, but Naito and SANADA sent them to the outside.
YH came back with a headhunter to Naito. Ishii got a tag and beat up all three members of LIJ on his own. Naito was the legal man. Ishii hit a back suplex for a near fall. Naito and Ishii had a crazy striking battle in the middle of the ring. Ishii got the better of the strikes. Naito hit a back elbow and sliding dropkick at the 15 minute call.
SANADA tagged in for a cool sequence with Ishii. Ishii worked for a German suplex. SANADA avoided it once. Ishii got it on the second attempt. Goto tagged in and dispatched an interfering BUSHI, then hit a wheel kick in the corner on SANADA for a two count.
Goto teased an ushigoroshi, but SANADA blocked. SANADA took his corner flip bump and hit Goto with an atomic drop. SANADA put Goto in the paradise lock, then broke it with a dropkick. BUSHI and SANADA cleared the CHAOS apron. Goto avoided a TKO and grabbed a sleeper hold. Goto used the sleeper to set up the rolling cradle he won with yesterday, but SANADA kicked out.
Goto and YH doubled SANADA up and used the finish from yesterday for a near fall, with Naito making the save for SANADA. SANADA kicked at Goto’s spine. SANADA tried an O’Connor roll, but Goto blocked with a kick to the spine. SANADA hit a TKO into a double down.
YH and BUSHI got tags. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick and a tope suicida. All six guys were down and out on the floor just past the 20 minute mark.
Back inside, BUSHI used a DDT for a two count. CHAOS went 3-on-1 against BUSHI. Naito saved BUSHI from a headhunter. Naito hit Ishii with a dropkick off a BUSHI sunset flip. LIJ went 3-on-1 against YH. BUSHI hit a swinging neckbreaker for a two count.
BUSHI missed an MX. Everyone jumped in and hit each other with a big move. Goto hit BUSHI with an ushigoroshi. YH hit a meteora for a two count.
YH locked BUSHI in the Butterfly Lock at the 25 minute call. YH rolled through and hit a sit-out powerbomb for a two count. BUSHI blocked Kharma and rolled YH up for two.
Ishii and Naito jumped in and teased their finishers on each other. Naito blocked a brainbuster with a DDT. Ishii no-sold it. Naito hit a flying forearm. BUSHI hit YH with a codebreaker and an MX. Goto jumped in to break it up. SANADA hit a plancha to Goto.
BUSHI tried the MX again, but jumped off the ropes into a YH lariat. BUSHI went for a tag to SANADA, but Goto pulled SANADA off the apron. Ishii and Goto went for stereo ushigoroshis on Naito and SANADA, but they blocked. BUSHI used the BUSHI roll on YH for a super near fall. BUSHI and YH traded kicks. YH hit a lariat for a near fall at 30 minutes in.
YH went for Kharma. BUSHI tried to turn it into a codebreaker, but YH got him in the Butterfly Lock. Naito tried to save, but Ishii caught him in a heel hook. BUSHI verbally submitted or the referee called for the stoppage with the Butterfly Lock still locked in.
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Naito and Ishii stared each other down after the match. The best part of all of this is that it looks like a Naito-Ishii singles match will happen at Dominion if they ever get around to announcing a card.
YOSHI-HASHI cut a quick promo and the champs posed with their titles to close the show.
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Here is the announced lineup for Dominion. More matches will be announced at a later date:
NJPW Dominion, Monday, June 7, 5 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. YOH
A NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match is set for NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku 2021 tour.
In the main event of NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku event at Korakuen Hall on Tuesday, April 20, CHAOS’ Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI will put their NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles on the line against Bullet Club’s KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori. The show will air live on NJPW World starting at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Goto, Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI have been NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions since winning the titles in a tournament last August. Goto, Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI defeated their CHAOS stablemates Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & SHO in the tournament finals. The titles had been declared vacant after EVIL left Los Ingobernables de Japon and joined Bullet Club.
Leading into the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match, YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA, Goto vs. Ishimori, and Ishii vs. Takahashi will take place at NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku event at Korakuen Hall on Monday, April 19.
The Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour will begin on Saturday, April 10 and will end on Saturday, May 1. The Monday, April 26 show that’s taking place at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall will feature Tetsuya Naito vs. The Great-O-Khan and SANADA vs. Aaron Henare. Henare is the newest member of the United Empire with Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb.
Wrestling Dontaku 2021 is a two-night event that’s being held at the Fukuoka Convention Center on Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4. NJPW also has Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni taking place at the Kagoshima Arena over two nights on Wednesday, April 28 and Thursday, April 29.
