With Wrestle Kingdom 20 in the books, New Japan Pro Wrestling begins the post-Hiroshi Tanahashi era with their annual New Year Dash event.
The card from Tokyo’s Ota City Gymnasium traditionally is left a mystery, but the main event was already announced. In it, the IWGP Tag Team Champions The Knockout Brothers (OSKAR & Yuto-Ice) defended against World Tag League winners Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Champs Douki and Sho defended against three other teams.
New IWGP World Champion & Global Champion Yota Tsuji appeared, as did now former champion Konosuke Takeshita, following the events of Saturday night.
Other wrestlers included new NEVER Openweight Champion Aaron Wolf, members of the War Dogs, Andrade El Idolo, United Empire, House of Torture, Hontai, and TMDK.
A former United Empire leader returned, the World Heavyweight Championship received a redesign, and a new faction has been announced.
Our live coverage begins at 4:30 am Eastern.
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Main Card
Team 150 (Satoshi Kojima, Taichi & Tomohiro Ishii) defeated Katsuya Murashima, Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura
Uemura and Taichi started the evening with the early lockup. Taichi wriggled out of Uemura’s shoulder control with a lariat. Uemura fired back at opponents Kojima and Ishii. The latter forced Uemura down and shrugged off Murashima. Kojima let loose gnarly chops on Uemura, who rebounded with dropkicks. Umino exploded onto the scene, following through with a flurry of offense to Kojima, complete with a bridging suplex.
A Koji-Cutter gave way for an Ishii rampage. The Stone Pitbull didn’t so much as flinch upon Umino’s chops, but his forearms did the trick, staggering the veteran. Ishii met his match in the young Murashima, who refused to be put down, as he pounced on his now bloody-nosed elder. Taichi attempted intervention, but Uemura trounced him, so that Murashima could slam the still-legal Ishii. Taking a clobbering, Ishii headbutted Murashima as the announcer reminded the competitors of the time limit. Mercilessly sinking in a low, deep Boston Crab, Ishii tapped Murashima out for the win.
Post-match: Uemura and Taichi stared each other down while Ishii brawled with Umino after the former spat blood in the latter’s eye.
(Always a great idea to start the night with some physicality from some absolute beef steakhouses like these men here. If your adrenaline thrives on that type of action, you’ll love this. I felt a sort of generational kinship between Ishii and Murashima, the way they brought the intensity to one another.)
The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Rocky Romero) defeated El Phantasmo & Shoma Kato
Phantasmo, to Takeshita’s amusement, sustained control over the Alpha’s limbs, countering him at every turn. Kato demanded to be tagged in, hoping to tangle with his fellow Osaka-native, but contended with Romero instead, resulting in a forearm laying Azucar flat. Kato and the former World Heavyweight Champion whipped each other into the barricades. Almost tauntingly, Takeshita kept the Young Lion down with several repeated pin attempts. Still bitter at his loss in the Tokyo Dome, Kato laid out all his frustrations on Takeshita, leading to a Boston Crab.
Phantasmo helped Kato in dealing with Romero, but the Westerners quickly found themselves on the outside. Meanwhile, Takeshita struck back on Kato with a Brainbuster. Exploiting his knackered opponent, Takeshita submitted the youngster with a Boston Crab.
(I love to see some character development for the Young Lions, and that testing of Kato was it. Phantasmo, being a gentle and forgiving mentor figure in this match, was nice to see. Romero looked like he was one of those Little Debbie Chocolate Cupcakes.)
Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) & Oleg Boltin defeated House Of Torture (SANADA, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi)
Prepared for a House of Torture ambush, Bishamon and Boltin laid out their opponents with an extra barrage of fists on Kanemaru’s back. Exposing the turnbuckle, Takahashi catapulted Goto into its steel. SANADA ate a disastrous lariat from Goto. YOSHI-HASHI stampeded Takahashi and Kanemaru before spanking and dropkicking SANADA off the ropes he was propped upon. Thanks to a low blow courtesy of SANADA, Takahashi had the opportunity to wound YOSHI-HASHI, but a Boltin save put a stop to that.
Suffering a scoop and a slam, Takahashi’s world became a blur after a Boltin Shake rattled him. SANADA and Takahashi sandwiched Boltin between their boots, but couldn’t follow up if an angry Goto had anything to say about it. Bishamon propped up Takahashi for a Boltin Splash to finish the match.
(SANADA looked like he was caught by those trawler men who almost caught Nemo and those other fish in Pixar’s Finding Nemo. I think I like the combination of Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, and Boltin.)
United Empire (Andrade El Idolo, Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young) defeated War Dogs (Clark Connors & Gabe Kidd) & Hiromu Takahashi
Both teams spared no second, engaging in all-out war. Takahashi initially had Akira under his boot, but the freshly returned Italian retaliated with whips into barricades and dominant chops to the chest. Young chipped away with some kicks and bent the Time Bomb’s fingers with gremlin-like joy. Idolo added further punishment with stomps and elbow drops, punctuating with a dive like an exclamation point. Akira added to this with a standing moonsault.
At last, Takahashi found respite in a dropkick to Akira, with a subsequent Dragonscrew Leg Whip. Kidd delivered an onslaught of faceplants to the corners and a lariat to Idolo. La Sombra recovered with a dropkick and knees to the Madman’s face in the corner. Kidd bounced back with a Brainbuster. Connors laid out the United Empire and caught Idolo with a powerslam. After goring Idolo, Connors’s rampage begat all-out chaos. A decisive big boot from Idolo rocked Connors’s brain. He ended the match with a Hammerlock DDT to stamp out Connors for good.
Post-match: Kidd and Idolo brawled, with the former challenging the latter for a title opportunity for Yota Tsuji’s IWGP Global Heavyweight title at New Beginning in Osaka on February 11.
(Andrade wrestled like a star tonight and in the Dome. I hope NJPW and AEW make the best use of him possible because he looks like a million bucks right now. I selfishly want him slotted against Yota Tsuji in lieu of Jake Lee.)
Aaron Wolf, Master Wato, Toru Yano & YOH defeated House of Torture (Dick Togo, Don Fale, EVIL & Ren Narita)
House of Torture immediately isolated Wolf from his partners before bullying him as they pulled out all the stops. Wato, Yano, and YOH prevented their patented Dick-to-Dick Contact, allowing Wolf to hurl Togo clear across the ring. Wato bulldogged the rattled competitor. Fale laid his immeasurable weight on Wato, pressing fully on his back before stepping on him. EVIL doled out additional torment to Wato. Togo struck the ring bell during a pin attempt to cause a disruption. YOH and Yano dropped Narita, but paid dearly for it from a united House of Torture front. This resulted in a successful Dick-to-Dick Contact.
Togo failed an inside cradle to YOH, who replied with a Slingblade. He tapped out Togo with a Texas Cloverleaf for the pinfall.
Post-match: House of Torture assaulted YOH. His partners came to the rescue, but were also clobbered, especially Wolf. Narita clobbered him with a plank of wood, leaving the former judoka to be carried out by Young Lions.
(I would’ve had Wolf featured more in this match, maybe involved him in the finish. However, since it looks like Narita might be his next opponent, I’ll reserve judgment for what may look to be New Beginning in Osaka.)
United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, HENARE & Jake Lee) defeated War Dogs (David Finlay & Drilla Moloney), Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji
Tsuji unveiled the new look of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. True to his word, the belt appeared as the classic V4 IWGP Heavyweight Championship design.
Lee frantically overwhelmed Tsuji, including a Facebreak Shot. Finlay traded forearms with Newman before grounding him with a shoulder tackle. Newman rebounded with a dropkick. HENARE picked up the scraps, nearly following through with a Fireman’s Carry, but Finlay countered with Oblivion. Takagi struggled to topple Khan and Lee in their union against him, so Moloney provided backup. Khan and HENARE sought to whip their opponents into one another, but found themselves on the receiving end instead.
Takagi toppled HENARE, yet Khan stalled his momentum with a Mongolian Chop and an Iron Claw. Moloney smashed him with a spinebuster. HENARE pinned Moloney after a Khan-assisted powerbomb.
Post-match: While Jake Lee rubbed his hands all over the newly redesigned World Heavyweight Championship, Khan and HENARE assaulted Takagi. Tsuji stood unamused by Lee’s antics with the title. The pair paintbrushed each other. Finlay had to be restrained by Young Lions and his teammates after he ripped off the ring apron and tossed chairs into the ring.
Newman took to the microphone to insult Finlay. As though addressing someone else entirely, Newman stated that this was a different United Empire he’d been carrying on his back. Will Ospreay emerged, embracing HENARE and Khan, ignoring Lee completely. Reporting that he had yet to be cleared, but once he handled business in AEW, he’d help Newman in NJPW. He even offered to do it Newman’s way. Newman seemingly agreed before teasing a chair shot. Khan and HENARE quietly prevented this while Ospreay’s back was conveniently turned.
(Lee does not move me at all. Looks like he didn’t move Ospreay either. But HENARE is off to a great start, and Finlay’s strong 2025 continues.)
Ichiban Sweet Boys (Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles) defeated House Of Torture (DOUKI & SHO) (c), El Desperado & Kuukai, and War Dogs (Robbie X & Taiji Ishimori) for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
SHO taunted all of his and DOUKI’s opponents before sliding out of the ring. Kuukai dove over the top rope to lay them out. The bell rang, with Desperado and Kuukai ready to level the playing field when DOUKI and SHO tripped them up. Desperado aided Kuukai in elevating him for a missile dropkick to House of Torture. Ishimori and X combined their offense on Desperado. X and Eagles formed a temporary alliance on DOUKI. Since both men were named Robbie, the modest Tokyo crowd chanted “Robbie.”
SHO launched Fujita at Kuukai, who ducked and united with him for the latter’s missile dropkick. Dissolving their brief partnership, Fujita and Kuukai collided. Ishimori sent Fujita and Eagles down in a Tower of Terror spot. Before X could get the 3-count, Yoshinobu Kanemaru pulled the referee out of the ring. He, SHO, and DOUKI teased weaponry, but Fujita laid them out with SHO’s black sheet pan. A double-Thrillride from Fujita and Eagles lent the former a pinfall win over X. Ichiban Sweet Boys are the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
Post-match: As Chris Charlton mentioned, a new faction was forming backstage via Yota Tsuji as “Unbound Company”. Francesco Akira laid out the competitors from the match, with special attention directed to Ishimori. Hiromu Takahashi came to their rescue.
(I so wish Kosei Fujita could win some singles gold. But he and Eagles are so good together, so I’m not mad at it. I’m moreso curious as to Tsuji’s new faction.)
Main Event
Knockout Brothers (OSKAR & Yuto-Ice) (c) defeated TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr.) for the IWGP Tag Team Championship
Oiwa and Yuto-Ice initiated the bout with a slobberknocker brawl that saw the Knockout Brother laid flat. Sabre equalized OSKAR as he joined Oiwa to stretch Yuto-Ice’s limbs. OSKAR returned, his size nearly circumventing TMDK’s attempts to topple his giant stature. Back on his feet, Yuto-Ice fired back at Sabre, kicking him down with an assist from OSKAR.
Sabre challenged the towering OSKAR and paid the price with the German’s knee pressed on his chest. Yuto-Ice was equally as unforgiving, beating down on the blonde Brit. Oiwa decapitated Yuto-Ice with a lariat and stomped the back of OSKAR’s knee from the bottom rope. Yuto-Ice flung Oiwa’s face into OSKAR’s large boot. Sabre incurred the wrath of OSKAR for the sin of a Penalty Kick, eating stiff forearms as recompense. The Knockout Brothers maintained their dominance with a Backbreaker + knee strike combination.
Sabre planted his boot on OSKAR’s head, wrenching his arm back behind his shoulder as he screamed sweet agony, climaxing into a rope break. OSKAR bore down upon the Englishman with a booming elbow drop. By a miraculous last-second resurgence, Sabre thudded the ring with a Zack Driver for a nearfall. Oiwa matched Yuto-Ice’s fire with his own to land a Tenzan Suplex. Beheaded by lariats, Yuto-Ice watched in hazy eyes as Oiwa vertically suplexed OSKAR. Sabre tagged in, peppering Yuto-Ice with slaps until he lost focus; this gave way for Oiwa to bridge a suplex for Sabre to exploit a jackknife pin. Yuto-Ice bypassed Oiwa’s Grip for a rolling elbow. OSKAR broke Sabre’s Ankle Lock on Yuto-Ice for a life-squeezing sleeper hold. Leaking blood from his nose, Oiwa tried another Grip on Yuto-Ice. Knockout Brothers pinned Oiwa with a ruinous K.O.B. to retain their gold.
Post-match: Shota Umino and Yuya Uemura approached Knockout Brothers while the crowd was still chanting for Ryohei Oiwa. While Yuto-Ice was receptive towards Uemura, OSKAR sidestepped Umino. Tomohiro Ishii and Taichi joined the quartet, positioning themselves as next in line. Knockout Brothers suggested that the two teams face each other before taking them on at New Beginning in Osaka. Alone, OSKAR and Yuto-Ice thanked the crowd. Following the emotional retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi the night before, Ice declared himself the “Ice” of NJPW in a compelling promo that rallied the fans and commentary.
(The long build to this match continues to pay off. This isn’t some technical chess game; this is physicality and hatred made manifest by two teams with ill regard for each other. Just as the match seemed in its final gear, another was added, and yet it was hard to pull away for even a second of its engrossing action. But the post-match promo itself is required viewing, because this is the burning passion that the roster should have following the end of its star performer’s illustrious career.)
Final thoughts
New Year Dash was a successful follow-up to Wrestle Kingdom 20. Many questions to be asked and storylines continued. Yota Tsuji’s new faction amid his new championship redesign adds interest to the main event, even amid a lukewarm Jake Lee return. The United Empire drama with the excitement of a Will Ospreay reunion adds a wrinkle with the Emerald faction turning heelish. SANADA teased leaving NJPW or wrestling as a whole, so I’m curious about that and what it means. Andrade El Idolo’s involvement left me excited for what’s to come from him in 2026, now that he’s free from WWE’s despicable year-long non-compete clause.
My only complaints are that the follow-up to Aaron Wolf’s impactful Wrestle Kingdom 20 performance didn’t feel as strong as it could be, and Jake Lee was done a disservice in this push he’s receiving. Hopefully, the booking sees Yota Tsuji as the future and keeps him a strong champion. Ideally, he should mow over Lee to establish himself as a force to reckon with.
Congratulations to Ichiban Sweet Boys for the title win. That Junior Heavyweight Championship match, in my opinion, was the match of the night. As a whole, New Year Dash is the show to watch for the many new developments spiraling out of it.
