The first-ever ladder match at the Tokyo Dome is set.
NJPW confirmed on Monday that the four-way match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles will now be a Tokyo Terror ladder match. This stems from an angle that took place on the final night of the Road to Tokyo Dome event on Monday morning.
“After a tag team preview in Korakuen Hall for Ichiban Sweet Boys and the Intergalactic Jet Setters saw Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney get involved with steel chairs, Catch 2/2 joined the mix,” NJPW’s website explained. “Soon chairs were joined by tables and ladders, prompting Kosei Fujita to suggest that as Super Jr. Tag League winners, he and Robbie Eagles were willing to make use of all the hardware in the Tokyo Dome. KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight accepted, and now a Tokyo Terror Ladder Match is set for Wrestle Kingdom 19!”
Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita won this year’s Super Junior Tag League tournament. However, current champions KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight eventually agreed to defend the titles against TJP & Francesco Akira as well as Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney of the Bullet Club after both teams made claims to the titles.
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 (Saturday, January 4) —
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Shota Umino
Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi
IWGP Global Champion David Finlay defends against Yota Tsuji
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion DOUKI defends against El Desperado
NEVER Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi defends against Konosuke Takeshita (Takeshita’s AEW International Championship will also be on the line if still champion)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. EVIL
Four-way match: NJPW World TV Champion Ren Narita defends against Jeff Cobb, Ryohei Oiwa, and El Phantasmo
IWGP Women’s Champion Mayu Iwatani defends against AZM
Four-way Tokyo Terror ladder match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight defend against Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita, TJP & Francesco Akira, and Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney
Kickoff: NJPW Ranbo battle royal for future IWGP World title shot
NJPW has crowned new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
The Jetsetters, KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight, defeated Catch 2/2, TJP & Francesco Akira, for the belts on Thursday’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku show in Hiroshima. Knight pinned Akira after he and KUSHIDA hit Kulture Klash for the win.
For KUSHIDA, this is his third time winning these titles after his Time Splitters team with Alex Shelley won the belts in 2012 and again in 2014. As for Knight, this is his first championship in the promotion. They become the 40th team to win the belts and begin the 71st reign in the titles’ lineage.
Congrats to Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA! Not many had them picked but we have new champions! #njdontaku
Knight and KUSHIDA started teaming together at the Super Juniors Tag League last year. They finished the tournament with a record of two wins and seven losses, placing them in a three-way tie for last place.
Catch 2/2’s title reign ends after 310 days and four successful title defenses.
Full results from NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku on 4/27 from Hiroshima:
United Empire (Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan) defeated Oleg Boltin & Oskar Leube
CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano, YOH & YOSHI-HASHI) defeated House Of Torture (Dick Togo, EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
BULLET CLUB (David Finlay, KENTA & Taiji Ishimori) defeated Guerrillas Of Destiny (Hikuleo & Tama Tonga) & Master Wato
TMDK (Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr.) defeated United Empire (Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)
NJPW has added another title match to its Battle Autumn in Osaka event on November 5.
In a match announced on their website, United Empire’s TJP and Francesco Akira will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships against Los Ingobernables de Japon’s BUSHI and Titan.
The match was set up on Sunday’s Battle Autumn tour event, with Titan pinning TJP in a trios match.
In all three title matches are now set for Osaka, along with the semifinals of the IWGP World Television Championship tournament, multiple tag team bouts, and Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, and Tama Tonga in action.
Here is the updated lineup for November 5:
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito
NEVER Openweight Championship: Karl Anderson (c) vs. Hikuleo
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: TJP & Francesco Akira (c) vs. BUSHI & Titan
IWGP World Television Championship tournament semifinals
Kazuchika Okada in action
Jay White in action
Tama Tonga in action
Aussie Open in action
Master Wato & Taiji Ishimori vs. El Desperado & Hiromu Takahashi
New champions were crowned at today’s NJPW New Year’s Golden Series event in Hokkaido.
In the show’s main event, SANADA defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. SANADA used a clutch hold to pin Tanahashi and capture his first singles title in NJPW.
Tanahashi’s second reign with the US title ends at 45 days, and without a single successful defense.
Elsewhere on the card, Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, defeating Robbie Eagles & Tiger Mask, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo in a four-way.
For Wato, this is his first NJPW title win. For Taguchi, this is his seventh IWGP Junior Tag title win, and he holds the distinction of having the 69th IWGP Jr. Tag title reign, as well as the 69th IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship reign.
Eagles and Tiger’s first reign as a duo ends at 116 days, with one successful defense.
In the show’s other title match, Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI made a successful defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team titles, defeating EVIL and Yujiro Takahashi to retain.
New champions were crowned at today’s NJPW Road to Power Struggle event.
Robbie Eagles and Tiger Mask defeated El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on the third of three consecutive nights at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Eagles used the Ron Miller Special to submit Kanemaru and earn the title win for his team in the show’s main event.
For Tiger Mask, the win marks the first time he has held gold in NJPW since 2012, when he captured the Junior Tag titles with Jushin Liger. This is also the first time that Eagles has held tag team gold in NJPW. Eagles currently holds the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, making him a double champion.
Eagles will defend the Junior Heavyweight title against Desperado at Power Struggle on Saturday, November 6.
Desperado and Kanemaru’s fourth reign with the Junior Tag titles ends after 52 days. Three of their four reigns have come since September 2020, as they have spent much of the last year trading the titles with Bullet Club’s Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo.
An IWGP Junior Tag title match will headline the NJPW Road to Power Struggle tour.
El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships against IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Robbie Eagles and Tiger Mask on Tuesday, October 26.
Aside from the title match, the most notable news items from the card announcements are the return of Aaron Henare after months away, plus the absence of Taichi.
Henare last appeared for NJPW in May at Wrestling Dontaku. Taichi wrestled the final matches of the G1 Climax tournament with his ribs taped, though it remains unclear whether the injury was a work or a shoot.
The tour begins on Sunday, October 24 with a Korakuen Hall show on NJPW World. The next two nights will also be shown on NJPW World, while the remainder of the Road to Power Struggle will be strictly house shows.
NJPW Power Struggle takes place on Saturday, November 6. That show will be headlined by Zack Sabre Jr. challenging Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Here are the full lineups for the tour:
NJPW Road to Power Struggle, Sunday, October 24, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Elimination match: Shingo Takagi, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
Kazuchika Okada, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata vs. KENTA & Gedo
Toru Yano & Satoshi Kojima vs. Great-O-Khan & Aaron Henare
Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Kosei Fujita vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Dick Togo
New IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions were crowned today at NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam.
El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo in 20:28 to win back the titles. This marks the fourth IWGP Jr. Tag title reign for the Suzuki-gun tandem.
Ishimori and ELP’s third reign ends after another defeat at the hands of Desperado and Kanemaru. Desperado and Kanemaru defeated Ishimori and ELP to win the 2021 Super Junior Tag League on August 17 in Korakuen Hall.
The two teams have traded the titles for the better part of a year. Desperado and Kanemaru won the vacant titles last September, then lost them to Ishimori and ELP in January. Desperado and Kanemaru got the belts back in February, then dropped them to SHO and YOH in April. SHO and YOH then lost the titles back to Ishimori and ELP in June.
While the reign is the fourth for Kanemaru and Desperado as a unit, this marks the sixth total reign for Kanemaru, as he has also held the Junior Tag titles with Taichi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi.
NJPW’s Summer Struggle tour continued today with a show in Korakuen Hall.
The top two bouts were singles match previews of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match set to take place at Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome on July 25.
In the main event, Rocky Romero took on El Phantasmo in a rematch of a classic Best of the Super Juniors match from May 2019. In the semi-main, Taiji Ishimori faced Ryusuke Taguchi. Ishimori and ELP will defend the IWGP Jr. Tag titles against Romero and Taguchi at the Tokyo Dome.
The undercard was made up of tag team previews of some of next week’s biggest bouts.
Eagles used the Ron Miller Special to submit DOUKI.
Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Taiji Ishimori (14:23)
Taguchi pinned Ishimori with a cradle after Ishimori failed in an attempt to cradle Taguchi by pulling his tights down. Taguchi then used a stinkface on Ishimori. This has to be seen to be believed.
ELP then ran in and attacked Taguchi. Romero ran in for the save and the main event began.
Rocky Romero and El Phantasmo went to a time limit draw (30:00)
Taguchi teased throwing in the towel for Romero. ELP intercepted the towel. ELP hit Sudden Death, but Romero kicked out as the time limit expired.
Here are the lineups for the next week and weekend’s NJPW World events:
NJPW Summer Struggle in Osaka night one, Thursday, July 22, 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi
SANADA vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
Kazuchika Okada & Hirooki Goto vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
Today’s NJPW Kizuna Road event at Korakuen Hall saw a title change.
Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo defeated SHO and YOH in 26:43 to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships in the main event of the show.
The finish of the match came after SHO and Ishimori brawled to the floor. With El Phantasmo and YOH the legal men, Phantasmo stomped on YOH’s foot with a loaded boot. Phantasmo then followed with his Sudden Death superkick with the loaded boot and pinned YOH to win the titles.
This marks the third reign with the IWGP Junior Tag titles for Ishimori and ELP. Their first reign also began at a Kizuna Road event in June with a win over Roppongi 3K, that coming in June 2019.
Ishimori and ELP’s second reign began with a win over El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru at a Road to the New Beginning show in January 2021. They would drop the titles back to Desperado and Kanemaru a month later at a Road to Castle Attack event in February.
Ishimori is also next in line to challenge Desperado for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. No date has been announced for that match as of yet.
SHO and YOH’s fifth IWGP Jr. Tag title reign ends after one successful defense.
NJPW’s Kizuna Road tour continued today at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships were on the line in the main event as SHO & YOH defended against Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo.
Following yesterday’s show-closing angle with Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima and Yuji Nagata confronting the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI, a change was made to today’s card.
The scheduled Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo, Gedo & Jado match was changed to Okada, Goto, Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Yano vs. Tenzan, Kojima, Nagata, Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma.
On the undercard, Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji’s singles gauntlets continued. Tsuji faced Great-O-Khan in the opener, while Uemura took on Kota Ibushi in the second match.
This was solid. A little more offense for Tsuji would have made for a more exciting match, but O-Khan was booked to look dominant.
They opened with some chain wrestling. O-Khan got a takedown off an ankle pick. Tsuji got a takedown and began working for an armbar. O-Khan forced a quick rope break. O-Khan took control of the bout after hitting a throw.
O-Khan worked Tsuji over. Tsuji came back with a dropkick, a splash and a powerslam. Tsuji used a crab, but O-Khan forced a break. O-Khan hit a gutwrench throw for a double down.
They traded chops. Tsuji hit a spear for a near fall. Tsuji missed a top rope splash. O-Khan used an elbow for a near fall, then used a Boston crab. Tsuji forced a rope break at the 10 minute call.
O-Khan hit a powerslam and a vertical suplex. Tsuji cradled O-Khan for a near fall. O-Khan came back with a belly-to-belly, then used a Boston crab for the submission.
Kota Ibushi defeated Yuya Uemura (13:13)
This was very good. I think Taichi actually had a better match with Uemura yesterday, but Uemura continues to shine. Ibushi gave him a ton of offense.
Uemura hit a series of strikes to begin. Ibushi took him down and dominated a mat wrestling sequence. Ibushi used a camel clutch, but Uemura forced a break.
Ibushi dared Uemura to strike with him. Ibushi then dominated a striking battle. Uemura went for a dropkick and missed. He got the dropkick on his second attempt and had an offensive flurry. Uemura hit a back suplex and a series of slaps.
Ibushi blocked a crab attempt and hit a double stomp to the chest. Ibushi hit a series of kicks, but Uemura refused to go down. They traded heavy forearms in the center of the ring. Uemura tried for a double overhook suplex, but Ibushi blocked. Uemura fought off a submission attempt from the overhook position and got a high-angle crab applied. Ibushi forced a break.
Uemura hit a beautiful bridging German for a two count. Uemura ran off the ropes into an Ibushi lariat for a near fall. Ibushi then used a single-leg crab at a crazy high angle for the submission.
Ibushi applauded Uemura after the match and urged the crowd to do so as well. A classy move.
Ishii and Nagata began, playing off the angle at the end of yesterday’s show. Kojima and Tenzan jumped in to make it three-on-one. Ishii bailed to the floor.
Okada and Makabe tagged in. Makabe hit some forearms and punches. Okada hit a back elbow in the corner and a DDT to cut Makabe off. CHAOS then went to work on Makabe. Yano exposed a buckle and whipped Makabe into it.
Makabe came back with a powerslam on Goto. Kojima tagged in and hit machine gun chops on Goto, then sent him into the exposed buckle. YH saved for Goto and it was Kojima’s turn to be cut off. Tenzan saved for Kojima and ran wild with Mongolian chops. Tenzan and Kojima hit a double suplex on Goto.
Kojima hit Goto with a rolling elbow. Goto blocked a lariat. Kojima blocked an ushigoroshi attempt. Kojima hit a cutter, then tagged Nagata. Nagata hit a low dropkick to Goto. Goto answered with a lariat.
Ishii got a tag. Ishii and Nagata had an awesome striking battle. Neither guy sold much of anything for the other. Nagata hit an exploder out of the corner. Ishii came back with a powerslam. Nagata hit a second exploder and tagged Honma.
Honma hit Ishii with chops and a running bulldog. Honma missed a kokeshi, but caught an interfering Goto and YH with a lariat combo. Honma hit Ishii with a lariat. Okada saved for Ishii. Makabe jumped in. Okada missed a dropkick. Makabe nailed him with a lariat.
Yano and Okada ate a double lariat from Makabe. Makabe and Honma hit Ishii with a GBH lariat. Honma hit a diving kokeshi and a brainbuster to Ishii. He hit a second diving kokeshi for a near fall.
Honma went up top, but Goto cut him off. Honma took out Goto and YH with lariats. Ishii then hit Honma with a lariat for a near fall. Honma blocked a brainbuster and hit two more kokeshis.
Ishii blocked a Honma brainbuster and hit his Vertical Drop Brainbuster for the pin.
Tenzan, Kojima and Nagata briefly brawled with Ishii, Goto and YH in the ring after the match.
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI (12:26)
There was some good wrestling comedy here involving Naito and a cardboard box.
Yesterday was Naito’s 39th birthday, so Taichi brought a box to the ring as a present. Hiromu Takahashi was on commentary and had paper poppers for Naito. Taichi kicked Hiromu off the apron and Hiromu took a bump to the floor.
Taichi gave Naito his present. Naito made a big show of accepting the box, then promptly hit Taichi over the head with it.
SANADA and Sabre started the match with a nice sequence. Shingo briefly tagged in in the plus position on Sabre. Naito tagged in and began working on Sabre’s arms. Taichi hit Naito in the head with the box, then put the box on Naito’s head and kicked it. The box was empty.
Naito ended up cut off in the Suzuki-gun corner. Taichi tagged in and choked Naito. BUSHI tried to save, but Desperado and Kanemaru sent him outside. Sabre tried to double up on Naito. SANADA saved and hit a rana to Taichi. Sabre hit a PK to SANADA. Naito hit a neckbreaker to Sabre. Taichi hit an axe bomber to Naito, who took a flip bump.
Shingo and Kanemaru got tags. Kanemaru went after Shingo’s left leg. Shingo ate a DDT, but hit Kanemaru and Desperado with a double lariat. BUSHI tagged in for a missile dropkick and a tope suicida.
BUSHI hit Desperado with a low dropkick and a DDT. Desperado blocked a swinging neckbreaker and hit a spinebuster. Desperado hit Guitarra de Angel for a near fall. Naito and SANADA tried to save for BUSHI, but Sabre and Taichi cut them off with dueling cobra twists. Kanemaru and Shingo brawled to the floor.
BUSHI and Desperado traded strikes. BUSHI hit a dropkick. Desperado blocked a codebreaker and hit a right hand. Desperado followed with Pinche Loco and pinned BUSHI.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo defeated SHO & YOH to win the titles (26:43)
You knew they were going a long time based on the pacing. The first ten minutes were filler, but they found another gear and turned in a great overall performance.
First SHO, then YOH were cut off. Ishimori hit YOH with a sliding German. ELP tagged in for some comedy offense. YOH managed a tag to SHO. SHO and YOH used dueling submissions on ELP and Ishimori. ELP and Ishimori then returned the favor.
They did a long submission tease with SHO in Ishimori’s Yes Lock, but SHO forced a break. SHO hit a lungblower and tagged out. Ishimori tagged ELP as well.
YOH and ELP traded strikes and slaps, then pinning combinations. YOH hit a thrust kick and a nice German into a bridge for a near fall. ELP used a cradle for a near fall. YOH used a jackknife cradle for a two count.
ELP missed a v-trigger. YOH used an O-Connor roll for a two count. ELP kicked out, sending YOH into an Ishimori kick on the apron. Ishimori tagged in, then hit a plancha to SHO. ELP hit an airplane spin neckbreaker to YOH, then Ishimori covered for a near fall.
Ishimori hit YOH with a lungblower. ELP tagged back in and hit a frog splash for a two count. Ishimori hit a codebreaker to YOH. ELP missed a moonsault and hit Ishimori by mistake. SHO hopped in and Roppongi doubled up on Ishimori.
SHO and YOH hit a 3K to Ishimori. SHO and YOH hit the Strong X for a near fall on ELP with Ishimori saving. SHO hit a deadlift German on Ishimori and a kick on the apron as they fought to the floor.
YOH went for Direct Drive on ELP. ELP blocked and stomped on YOH’s foot with a loaded boot. ELP then hit a Sudden Death superkick with the loaded boot. YOH sold like he was knocked out and ELP covered for the pin to win the titles.
**********
Live action returns to NJPW World on Thursday, July 1 and Friday, July 2. Both shows will be at Korakuen Hall and will air for free on NJPW World. No cards have been announced for those events as of yet.
A pair of title matches will headline the first leg of NJPW’s Kizuna Road tour this month.
On Tuesday, June 22, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI will defend the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships against EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi and Dick Togo.
On Wednesday, June 23, SHO and YOH will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships against Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo.
Both title matches were set up with angles on yesterday’s Dominion show.
The other key announcement for the tour are a pair of singles gauntlets for Young Lions Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura.
Each night of the tour, both Tsuji and Uemura will face an established star in singles competition.
Here are the full Kizuna Road cards announced so far:
NJPW Kizuna Road in Korakuen Hall, Monday, June 14, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Kazuchika Okada, SHO & YOH vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Gedo
Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo & Jado
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yota Tsuji
Minoru Suzuki vs. Yuya Uemura
NJPW Kizuna Road in Korakuen Hall, Tuesday, June 15, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo & Gedo
SHO, YOH & Toru Yano vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado
Taichi vs. Yota Tsuji
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Yuya Uemura
NJPW Kizuna Road in Korakuen Hall, Wednesday, June 16, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Elimination match: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI, SHO & YOH vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Kota Ibushi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata
Kazuchika Okada vs. Yota Tsuji
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yuya Uemura
NJPW Kizuna Road, Friday, June 18, untelevised —
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
SHO, YOH & Kazuchika Okada vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Gedo
Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo & Jado
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuya Uemura vs. Minoru Suzuki & DOUKI
Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Yota Tsuji vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag titles are on the line tonight on night one of NJPW’s Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni.
SHO and YOH will attempt their first defense on this title reign against former champs El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
In the semi-main, Toru Yano will defend the provisional KOPW 2021 title against EVIL in a creation of darkness blindfold match.
The battles between Los Ingobernables de Japon and The United Empire will continue on the undercard, as Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI take on Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb and Aaron Henare. BUSHI and Shingo fell to Ospreay and Cobb in a tag match on Monday’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku show, while SANADA beat Henare and Naito defeated O-Khan in singles matches.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo will be the third match of the evening.
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado will take place for the twelfth time on the current tour.
Tiger Mask & Gabriel Kidd will face Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura in the opener.
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
It was all Tiger and Kidd at the outset. Kidd quickly took over with some slams. Tiger tagged in and continued the assault with kicks. Tiger used a single-leg crab and a camel clutch. Uemura broke the clutch with a kick.
Tsuji came back with a slam on Tiger and tagged out. Uemura hit arm drags and dropkicks on both Tiger and an interfering Kidd. Uemura used a suplex and a cross armbreaker.
Kidd and Tsuji got tags. Kidd again dominated their exchanges. He hit a slam, a senton and a vertical suplex for a near fall. Kidd went for a Regal suplex, but Tsuji avoided it with a backdrop. After a striking battle, Tsuji hit a spear.
Tsuji used a Boston crab. Tiger tried to break the hold with kicks, but Uemura took him out with a dropkick. Tsuji used a giant swing, then went back to the crab and got the tapout.
Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado defeated Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI by DQ (7:53)
This was just a fight.
Bullet Club attacked Suzuki-gun as they made their entrance. They brawled around the ring. Jado used a kendo stick on DOUKI.
A match briefly broke out. Bullet Club remained in control. Tama worked over Taichi. Taichi managed a tag to Sabre. Loa tagged in as well. Sabre tagged DOUKI. Taichi introduced a ladder to the proceedings and was disqualified.
Suzuki-gun left Bullet Club laying. Sabre cut a promo after the match and said that G.O.D. has taken everything from them, but next week, Taichi gets his iron fingers back in a ladder match with Tama, then they’ll get their rightful Tag title shot.
They opened with a lot of comedy, which was enjoyable. Tanahashi, Taguchi and Wato worked over Gedo by pulling on his beard. Bullet Club attacked Taguchi by biting his funky weapon.
Wato got a tag and ran wild with kicks and a springboard forearm. Ishimori cut him off with a Yes Lock and a handspring kick. Gedo tagged in and promptly got hit with a dreamcast.
Tana tagged in and hit Gedo with a flying forearm and a senton. Tana played some air guitar. He teased a Blade Runner on Gedo, but Yujiro saved. Taguchi saved for Tana. Tana and Taguchi hit stereo hip attacks to Gedo.
Taguchi and Wato hit stereo planchas to Yujiro and Ishimori. Tana then used a slingblade. He locked on the Texas cloverleaf and Gedo tapped out.
***** Intermission *****
Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare defeated Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI (12:14)
I liked the Shingo & BUSHI vs. Ospreay and Cobb match on Monday more, but this was quite good as well.
United Empire pounced as LIJ attempted their pre-match fist bump and the brawl was on. O-Khan and Naito ended up the legal men, with O-Khan in control following the jumpstart. O-Khan hit Mongolian chops. Naito was cut off in Empire’s corner and they took turns working hm over.
Cobb hit a standing moonsault. Ospreay hit a double stomp to a draping Naito as Cobb held him. Naito came back with an elbow and a basement dropkick on O-Khan. Naito hit a flying forearm into a double down.
Shingo and Ospreay tagged in and picked up the pace. Cobb tried to interfere, but Shingo hit him with a vertical suplex. Shingo missed a sliding lariat to Ospreay. Ospreay hit a stunner. They had a rare misstep as Shingo slipped while trying to block a rana.
SANADA and Henare got tags. SANADA used the paradise lock. He broke the hold with a dropkick, then hit a plancha. Back inside, SANADA missed a springboard attack. Henare hit a vertical suplex. SANADA avoided Streets of Rage and hit a back suplex.
Cobb interfered. SANADA hit him with a rana, then tagged BUSHI. BUSHI hit a DDT and a missile dropkick. Cobb blocked a swinging neckbreaker and Empire wenr 4-on-1 against BUSHI. Cobb hit a spin cycle. LIJ jumped in to make the save.
Everyone jumped in for a big move. Ospreay and Shingo had another crazy sequence. The speed with which those guys execute is absurd.
BUSHI used a schoolboy for a two count, then hit a victory roll for another. Cobb caught BUSHI coming off the ropes and hit Tour of the Islands for the pin.
Creation of darkness blindfold match for the provisional KOPW 2021: Toru Yano defeated EVIL (w/Dick Togo) to retain (14:58)
This was an easy worst match of the year contender. It was endless. The comedy wasn’t funny. The work was clunky. The stipulation was beyond stupid. Everyone involved in the booking and execution of this should retire.
The rules were that you had to put a hood on the loser. If the hood was off, pinfalls, countouts and submissions were null and void.
They dueled with hoods right away. Yano used a schoolboy for a near fall. EVIL missed wth Everything is EVIL. Togo hit Yano with a corner pad. EVIL hit a baseball swing chair shot.
EVIL taped Yano’s wrists to the barricade for a countout tease. Yano shook the hood off at 18, so the count was stopped.
EVIL put a hood over the ring announcer, then bumped him. EVIL put a hood on Yano and tossed him back in for a two count. Togo assisted EVIL as he used a cobra twist. EVIL got a two count as Yano shook the hood off.
Togo and EVIL stomped Yano on the outside. EVIL rolled Yano under the ring. Yano beat the count back in. EVIL tried a lariat, but Yano had cut holes in the hood and ducked it.
Yano sent EVIL into the exposed buckle. Yano hit a belly-to-belly. Yano tried a low blow, but the ref stopped him. Yano put a hood on the ref, who then took a bump. Togo interfered. Yano put a hood on Togo. Yano hit a low blow on EVIL. Everyone was down. Togo walked to the back.
Yano hit a slingshot into the exposed buckle. He put a hood on EVIL. The lights went out. When they came back on, EVIL was choking out Yano with Togo’s ligature. EVIL hit a lariat. Yano kicked out.
EVIL used a scorpion deathlock. Yano removed his hood and this match must continue.
Yano avoided Everything is EVIL and bumped the ref. Togo ran back in. Yano avoided a Magic Killer and hit a double low blow. EVIL had a hood on and hit Togo with Everything is EVIL by mistake.
Yano hit another low blow and rolled EVIL up for the pin.
Yano spray painted his KOPW trophy gold again after the match.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: SHO & YOH defeated El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru to retain the titles (27:09)
This was very good. The time just flew by. These four could probably havea good match with each other in their sleep.
Kanemaru and YOH started with an exchange of holds. Kanemaru quickly went after YOH’s bad knee and cut him off. Desperado and Kanemaru went to work. They took the fight to the floor and sent YOH into the barricade. They teased a countout, but SHO urged YOH along and he got back in.
YOH managed a tag to SHO. SHO was quickly cut off by Desperado and Kanemaru. The first five minutes were spent working over YOH, the next five working over SHO. SHO finally came back with a kitchen sink and a double spear.
YOH got a tag and hit a missile dropkick to Kanemaru. Desperado got a tag and went for Pinche Loco, but YOH hit a backdrop to escape it. YOH hit a falcon arrow and a pumphandle driver for a two count.
YOH went for Direct Drive, but Desperado blocked. Kanemaru interfered with a well-timed dropkick to the bad knee. Desperado used Numero Dos. SHO broke free from Kanemaru on the outside to break up the submission attempt on YOH.
Desperado hit Guitarra de Angel for a near fall. After a double down, both tagged out. SHO tried for a power breaker, but Kanemaru grabbed the referee. SHO hit a spear for a near fall, then used a kimura for a near submission.
Kanemaru came back with a sattelite DDT. Kanemaru hit a slam and a moonsault for a near fall. Kanemaru teased Deep Impact. YOH jumped in to cut him off. Desperado got in and took out YOH.
SHO hit a series of German suplexes on Kanemaru. He used a cross armbreaker. Kanemaru forced a rope break. SHO and YOH hit Kanemaru with tandem offense. They set up for the 3K, but Kanemaru fought out of it.
SHO and YOH hit stereo knees, then hit the 3K. Desperado broke up the pin. YOH ducked a right hand from Desperado and hit a superkick and a tope con giro. It looked like a nasty landing on the floor.
Kanemaru caught SHO in two quick cradles for near falls. SHO hit a lariat. He used a Shock Arrow, but Kanemaru kicked out.
SHO and YOH hit the Strong X. SHO covered Kanemaru for the pin.
YOH is Desperado’s next challenger for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title, so they had a brief staredown after the match.
SHO and YOH addressed the crowd after the match.
**********
Here is the lineup for tomorrow’s show:
NJPW Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni night two, Thursday, April 29, 2 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare
Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan
Toru Yano, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
Tiger Mask, SHO & YOH vs. Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships at today’s Road to Castle Attack event at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Desperado and Kanemaru defeated El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori in the main event, dethroning the former champs. Desperado pinned Ishimori with a Pinche Loco to win the titles in 20:12.
Desperado and Kanemaru were not originally scheduled for a title match on this tour, but an injury to Hiromu Takahashi left BUSHI and Hiromu unable to challenge for the Jr. Heavyweight titles as planned. Instead, an angle was shot at the February 22 Road to Castle Attack show where Desperado and Kanemaru laid out ELP and Ishimori to set up the title bout.
This reign is the third with the Jr. Tag titles for Desperado and Kanemaru. They most recently lost the titles to ELP and Ishimori at a Road to The New Beginning event on January 23. ELP and Ishimori did not manage a successful defense in their just-ended reign.
NJPW held the final Road to Castle Attack show today in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
In the main event, El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, defeating El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori.
To open the show, Hiromu Takahashi vacated the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and asked that BUSHI wrestle scheduled challenger El Phantasmo for the vacant title on Sunday’s Castle Attack show at Osaka-Jo Hall. After the main event, Desperado cut a promo and asked to be added to ELP vs. BUSHI, or to face the winner at the March 4 NJPW Anniversary show. ELP then laid out Desperado with a Sudden Death superkick. BUSHI would then attack ELP with a codebreaker and posed with the Jr. title belt.
After missing several shows with a knee injury, Tetsuya Naito returned to action on today’s show and wrestled in a six-man. Naito is scheduled to challenge Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on Sunday.
Castle Attack takes place this weekend over two nights, with shows Saturday at 2 a.m. Eastern time and Sunday at midnight Eastern time.
Here are results from today’s show:
Great-O-Khan, Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Satoshi Kojima & Yota Tsuji (8:24)
