Tag: NJPW

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors night nine results, updated standings

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Things continue to tighten up in A Block as NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 enters its final stretch.

After starting off the tournament on an unbeaten run, Titan has now lost two consecutive matches. He does still hold the A Block lead in a tiebreaker over Master Wato. They each have 10 points, with five other competitors closely behind at eight points.

Here are the quick results from Friday’s show:

  • A Block: Kosei Fujita defeated Valiente Jr.
  • A Block: Nick Wayne defeated Titan
  • A Block: Robbie X defeated Ryusuke Taguchi
  • A Block: Master Wato defeated Daiki Nagai
  • B Block: Hyo defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • El Desperado, KUSHIDA & YOH defeated Francesco Akira, Jakob Austin Young & Zane Jay
  • SHO & Dick Togo defeated Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
  • Robbie Eagles, Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson defeated Daisuke Sasaki, Toru Yano & Masatora Yasuda
  • Tiger Mask defeated Tatsuya Matsumoto

There are now only three block shows remaining until the June 5 semifinals. The finals will then be held on June 7. At stake is the BOSJ trophy and a title shot against IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion DOUKI.

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors standings —

A Block:

  • Titan (5-2): 10 points
  • Master Wato (5-2): 10 points
  • Francesco Akira (4-3): 8 points
  • Jun Kasai (4-3): 8 points
  • Nick Wayne (4-3): 8 points
  • Robbie X (4-3): 8 points
  • Kosei Fujita (4-3): 8 points
  • Ryusuke Taguchi (3-4): 6 points
  • Valiente Jr. (2-5): 4 points
  • Daiki Nagai (0-7): 0 points

B Block:

  • El Desperado (4-2): 8 points
  • SHO (4-2): 8 points
  • Daisuke Sasaki (3-3): 6 points
  • YOH (3-3): 6 points
  • Robbie Eagles (3-3): 6 points
  • Taiji Ishimori (3-3): 6 points
  • Hyo (3-3): 6 points
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru (3-3): 6 points
  • KUSHIDA (2-4): 4 points
  • Jakob Austin Young (2-4): 4 points

Next up is a B Block show on Saturday (May 30) consisting of five tournament matches: Ishimori vs. SHO, El Desperado vs. KUSHIDA, Eagles vs. Sasaki, YOH vs. Kanemaru, and Hyo vs. Jakob Austin Young.

AEW programming leaving NJPW World this summer

Posted on by Josh Nason

The end of AEW TV on NJPW World is coming soon for those in Japan.

Announced Wednesday by NJPW, archive episodes of Dynamite, Collision, Rampage, Battle of the Belts and AEW Now will no longer be available to those in the country after August 31, 2026, when their contract ends.

Starting in late-June, new episodes of Dynamite (June 24) and Collision (June 27) will also cease to be uploaded. There is one exception: the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-views which are “still available for purchase and viewing.” That is assumed to also include next month’s PPV in San Jose, California.

The reason for all this is the MyAEW service which the announcement directed fans toward. The streaming service was created due to the dissolving of AEW’s Triller relationship which gave international fans the ability to watch their weekly TV and buy PPVs.

The content relationship began in April 2022 with episodes of Dynamite and Rampage available at no extra cost to NJPW viewers in Japan.

The news comes on the same day TV Asahi and CyberAgent took full control of NJPW from Bushiroad.

TV Asahi, Stardom’s Taro Okada comment on future of NJPW following ownership change

Posted on by Josh Nason

Following Wednesday’s surprise news that TV Asahi and CyberAgent had acquired the majority of shares in New Japan Pro Wrestling from Bushiroad, the Japanese broadcast outlet has spoken about the deal to Tokyo Sport.

In the story (translated into English), an unnamed spokesperson said the deal was made “to further strengthen cooperation in the development and rollout of content and IP, and to work together to create powerful content and IP with an eye toward global expansion, thereby further increasing the corporate value of both companies.”

Bushiroad, which oversaw NJPW through its 2010s revival and international expansion efforts, transferred all of its shares in the promotion to TV Asahi and CyberAgent, making the wrestling brand a consolidated subsidiary of the broadcaster with support from the massive entertainment company publicly traded in Japan.

In terms of how they are going to run it, the only comment relayed was from Tokyo Sport who wrote “it is highly likely that a new system will be established with TV Asahi as the main operator.”

The article also mentions Stardom and speculates as to the future of the women’s brand. It included a quote from Stardom president Taro Okada who said that “coordination between the two sides will start from here” but they would like to continue working together.

Both NJPW president Hiroshi Tanahashi and Bushiroad founder Takaaki Kidani issued positive statements about the change Wednesday.

We’ll have more on this story with Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez tonight on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Daily Update: Cody Rhodes-Danhausen, Shingo Takagi, The Rock

Posted on by Joseph Currier

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Wednesday Update

Lola Vice Izzi Dame WWE
Lola Vice faces off with Izzi Dame on WWE NXT. (Image credit: WWE)

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full Lola Vice vs. Izzi Dame NXT Women’s Championship match from last night.
  • To promote Clash in Italy, Cody Rhodes appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter, First Take, Get Up, and The Rich Eisen Show today.
  • Rhodes told ESPN Unsportsmanlike that Danhausen is the “king” of WWE’s merch sellers right now:
    • I think it’s safe to say Danhausen is one of the most popular people in all of WWE at the moment, and I don’t see it really stopping. He overtook the merch game. There’s all kinds of market confusion because the WWE Shop website has a thing that people actually believe, but I’ll tell you who’s the king right now of the merch game – it’s Danhausen. He’s beating us all.
  • For an ESPN video, Seth Rollins looked back at some of his WWE highlights.
  • Though it’s not confirmed that he’ll be attending, Dana White told Time that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been invited to the UFC’s show at the White House next month:
    • At least 1,200 of the approximately 4,300 seats will go to active military members. The White House, TKO, and the UFC will divvy up the rest: White has invited Adam Sandler, Guy Ritchie, Tom Brady, Jared Leto, Jason Statham, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and Mario Lopez.
  • AJ Styles’ son Avery shared training footage of himself doing his father’s patented Spiral Tap into a crash pad.
  • Today marks 30 years since Scott Hall arrived in WCW by invading Nitro. To celebrate the anniversary, WCW’s YouTube channel posted that full Nitro episode.

Other Wrestling

  • Shingo Takagi commented on the news that NJPW’s ownership is transferring from Bushiroad to TV Asahi & CyberAgent:
    • I know the [Bushiroad] owner personally, and I want to say once again, thank you for the past 14 years. It was the same when LIJ (Los Ingobernables de Japon) disbanded, but I’m in a situation where I’m wondering ‘what’s going to happen,’ and I can’t help but be excited. I just have to work hard and stay positive, showing a bright future.
  • AEW wrestler Max Caster filed a trademark for the term “Volume 2” on May 26.  Along with that, Caster posted a tweet calling indie promotion Beyond Wrestling/Wrestling Open his new home and the only place where people will be able to see him every week:
    • My new home. Proud to be a part. 
    • The only place you’ll see the Best Wrestler Alive every week.
  • The Young Bucks uploaded a new Being the Elite video focused on Stadium Stampede.
  • 94WIP in Philadelphia interviewed Wheeler Yuta.
  • Indie wrestler Erick Stevens announced that he’s stepping away from the ring for what might be the final time:
    • Thank you to all of the promotions who brought me in, all of my opponents, and all of the fans who supported this run.  
    • Pro wrestling owes me nothing.  I just hope that I’m leaving it better than I found it.  
    • I’ve learned to never say ‘goodbye’ in this business.  Did that a couple times and looked like a dummy when I came back.  Even though this feels like my last run, you really just never know.  With that being said, I’ll leave you with this:
    • See you later.

Will Ospreay says BOSJ match vs. Ricochet ‘changed everything’

Posted on by Ian Carey

New Japan Pro Wrestling, Will Ospreay and others are reflecting on one of the greatest matches in Best of the Super Juniors history.

On May 27, 2016, Ospreay defeated Ricochet in a match that went 16 minutes and 47 seconds and headlined a show at Korakuen Hall.

There were those who were negative on the bout, most notably former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader, who criticized it for not telling a story and instead focusing on acrobatics.

Ospreay reflected on the match in a social media post on Wednesday, saying that he’s grateful to have been part of the “flippy s–t generation.’”

Ospreay wrote:

“10 years ago today was the match that changed everything. It’s crazy how quick time has flown by. Seeing where me and ricochet are now in our careers makes me smile. Grateful to have been part of the ‘flippy s–t’ generation.”

NJPW wrote:

“#onthisday in 2016, one of the most talked about matches in Best of the Super Jr. history had Will Ospreay facing Ricochet!”

Dave Meltzer wrote:

“This was the match that made my son a fan of pro wrestling. He never watched it, met Ricochet that year and saw how people reacted to him and wanted to see one of his matches. That’s the match I chose.”

Meltzer also wrote of the match in the June 6, 2016 edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

“New Japan’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament got a major viral reaction when a GIF of the 5/27 Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay match spread across social media.

The match was a state-of-the-art match for its time. It can be compared, like the recent Dragon Lee vs. Kamaitachi matches in Mexico, to a modern version of the Tiger Mask vs. Dynamite Kid matches in the early ’80s that put junior heavyweight wrestling on the map. The match contained moves, spots and acrobatics, along with hard hitting strikes and innovative wrestling moves.”

Meltzer rated it four and three-quarter stars.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Takaaki Kidani issue statements on NJPW ownership change

Posted on by Joseph Currier

NJPW president Hiroshi Tanahashi has issued a statement assuring fans that the promotion remains committed to its mission of delivering the best wrestling possible.

News broke early Wednesday morning that ownership of NJPW has changed hands with Bushiroad transferring all of its shares to TV Asahi and CyberAgent. In a statement posted to NJPW’s Japanese website, Tanahashi expressed his gratitude for the support Bushiroad has given during its 14 years leading the promotion. NJPW hopes to achieve significant growth under its new owners while continuing to deliver the product fans expect.

Tanahashi wrote:

  • To all New Japan Pro-Wrestling fans and everyone who has supported and assisted us,
  • We are pleased to announce that Bushiroad Co., Ltd. will be transferring its shares in our company to TV Asahi Corporation and CyberAgent, Inc. Bushiroad became our parent company in 2012, and through various forms of support — including large-scale advertising campaigns — it has enabled New Japan Pro-Wrestling to achieve significant growth. We are deeply grateful.
  • To repay this kindness, we will now strive as a consolidated subsidiary of TV Asahi, with the support of CyberAgent, to achieve significant growth for New Japan Pro-Wrestling as a united company. Our mission to create the best possible wrestling and provide entertainment for all of you remains unchanged. We sincerely ask for your continued support and encouragement.

Takaaki Kidani statement —

Takaaki Kidani, a wrestling fan and the founder of Bushiroad, put out his own statement reflecting on the time he spent overseeing NJPW. He called the ownership change a positive step, with TV Asahi and CyberAgent able to maximize NJPW’s video assets and advance its digital media operations.

Kidani wrote:

  • Thank you very much for your continued support of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
  • Today, we have decided to transfer all of our shares in New Japan Pro-Wrestling to TV Asahi and CyberAgent. We realize this announcement may come as a surprise to many of our fans.
  • In 2012, at a major turning point when New Japan Pro-Wrestling was aiming for its next phase of growth, we had the privilege of welcoming the company into our group. Over the past 14 years, believing in the power of pro-wrestling as a wonderful form of entertainment, we have worked tirelessly alongside all of you to bring its appeal to an even wider audience.
  • Thanks to these efforts, at the Tokyo Dome event on January 4 of this year, we recorded an attendance of 46,913, achieving a sold-out crowd for the first time in 28 years. Having overcome the challenge of generational transition, young stars in their 20s and 30s are now rising one after another, shining brilliantly in the ring. As Bushiroad, it is a great source of pride in my life to have witnessed New Japan Pro-Wrestling grow so powerfully and to be able to pass the baton to the next generation.
  • However, for New Japan Pro-Wrestling to make even greater strides globally and continue its golden age, it is essential to maximize the use of our accumulated video assets and evolve into a diversified revenue-generating business centered on a powerful streaming platform.
  • Therefore, I am convinced that the best course of action is to entrust the future to the very best possible owners: first, by returning the reins to TV Asahi, our partner since our founding who has consistently supported New Japan Pro-Wrestling through terrestrial broadcasts; and second, by welcoming CyberAgent as a partner to bring a breath of fresh air through cutting-edge digital media.
  • To all our fans, and to the wrestlers and staff who have continued to support New Japan with their passionate battles, thank you so much for walking alongside Bushiroad all this time. Your passion and cheers have been our greatest driving force.
  • Although [NJPW is] parting ways with Bushiroad, I can confidently say that the future of New Japan Pro-Wrestling is brighter than ever. As a passionate pro-wrestling fan myself, I will continue to cheer on the new golden age that you all will create.
  • Thank you so much for the past 14 years. Please look forward to the future of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

NJPW ownership transfer —

Before this transfer, Bushiroad — a trading card company — owned 70 percent of NJPW and TV Asahi owned 22.7 percent. TV Asahi and CyberAgent now each own 46.3 percent. The promotion will operate as a “consolidated subsidiary” of TV Asahi while receiving support from CyberAgent.

TV Asahi is NJPW’s longtime broadcast partner and also owns a stake in the NJPW World streaming service. CyberAgent operates the streaming platform Abema and already owns Pro Wrestling NOAH, DDT Pro Wrestling, and Tokyo Joshi Pro through its subsidiary CyberFight.

The share transfer is valued at approximately 3.6 billion yen, which is roughly $22.6 million.

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors night eight results, updated standings

Posted on by Ian Carey

NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors 33 continued with a show in Numazu, Shizuoka, on Wednesday.

The first tournament match of the night saw Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeat Daisuke Sasaki via tapout to a figure four leg lock. The finish of the match saw several whiskey sprays and interference attempts before Kanemaru ultimately picked up the victory.

The second tournament match of the show featured HYO and SHO. The story of the match was that SHO had HYO’s plush leopard doll named Myon Myon held captive in a cage at ringside. HYO made an attempt to retrieve his friend, but SHO was ultimately able to trap his arm in the cage.

The finish saw several referee bumps and SHO use a wrench to soften up HYO’s arm, then get the tapout to an armbar once the referee was back in position. SHO becomes the first wrestler in B Block to reach eight points.

El Desperado picked up a victory over Jakob Austin Young in the third tournament match to improve his record to 4-2 with eight points. Jakob Austin Young drops to 2-4 in the tournament.

KUSHIDA came into this match needing a win to keep his chances of advancing to the knockout stage alive. In a match that involved him and YOH trying to put KUSHIDA’s socks in each other’s mouths, KUSHIDA picked up the win with Back to the Future. He improves to 2-4 with four points. YOH drops to 3-3 with six points.

Robbie Eagles defeated Taiji Ishimori in the final B Block match of the night to improve to 3-3 with six points. Eagles countered Ishimori’s Bloody Cross attempt by dropping a knee right on Ishimori’s leg and moments later got the tap out with the Ron Miller Special. Ishimori drops to 3-3 with six points.

The main event saw the lone A Block match with Jun Kasai up against Francesco Akira. The two fought over skewers, and Kasai fought off interference attempts by Zane Jay, but Akira ultimately stuck a fork in Kasai’s forehead and later picked up the win with Crown Fall. Akira improves to 4-3 with eight points, while Jun Kasai is also now 4-3 with eight points.

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 Night Eight Results –

  • A Block: Francesco Akira defeated Jun Kasai
  • B Block: Robbie Eagles defeated Taiji Ishimori
  • B Block: KUSHIDA defeated YOH
  • B Block: El Desperado defeated Jakob Austin Young
  • B Block: SHO defeated HYO
  • B Block: Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Daisuke Sasaki
  • Tiger Mask, Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi & Nick Wayne defeated Gedo, Daiki Nagai, Robbie X & Titán
  • Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa & Kosei Fujita defeated Masatora Yasuda, Toru Yano & Valiente Jr.
  • Tatsuya Matsumoto defeated Taisei Nakahara

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 standings —

A Block:

  • Titan (5-1): 10 points
  • Master Wato (4-2): 8 points
  • Francesco Akira (4-3): 8 points
  • Jun Kasai (4-3): 8 points
  • Nick Wayne (3-3): 6 points
  • Ryusuke Taguchi (3-3): 6 points
  • Robbie X (3-3): 6 points
  • Kosei Fujita (3-3): 6 points
  • Valiente Jr. (2-4): 4 points
  • Daiki Nagai (0-6): 0 points

B Block:

  • El Desperado (4-2): 8 points
  • SHO (4-2): 8 points
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru (3-2): 6 points
  • Daisuke Sasaki (3-3): 6 points
  • YOH (3-3): 6 points
  • Robbie Eagles (3-3): 6 points
  • Taiji Ishimori (3-3): 6 points
  • Hyo (2-3): 4 points
  • KUSHIDA (2-4): 4 points
  • Jakob Austin Young (2-4): 4 points

The tournament continues on Friday with a show from Korakuen Hall.

NJPW announces ownership change with Bushiroad transferring all shares

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A huge story in professional wrestling broke overnight with ownership of NJPW changing hands.

Bushiroad, which oversaw NJPW through its 2010s revival and international expansion efforts, announced that it has transferred all of its shares in the promotion to TV Asahi and CyberAgent. NJPW now becomes a “consolidated subsidiary” of TV Asahi with support from CyberAgent.

TV Asahi is NJPW’s longtime broadcast partner and already owned 22.7 percent of the voting shares in the promotion. Bushiroad owned 70 percent of NJPW, with the transfer of their shares being broken down into 3,550,200 shares to TV Asahi and 6,950,200 shares to CyberAgent. TV Asahi and CyberAgent now own an equal number of shares at 46.3 percent.

The share transfer is valued at approximately 3.6 billion yen, or roughly $22.6 million.

CyberAgent (through its subsidiary CyberFight) already owns three of Japan’s biggest wrestling companies in Pro Wrestling NOAH, DDT Pro Wrestling, and Tokyo Joshi Pro, so it will be interesting to see how closely NJPW collaborates with them going forward. CyberAgent operates the streaming platform Abema, which broadcasts WWE content in Japan. However, WWE programming will be moving to Netflix in Japan before the end of 2026.

In statements regarding the share transfer, NJPW says this will be a good move for the company given TV Asahi’s strong broadcasting and video business base and CyberAgent’s excellent digital media operations. NJPW does not plan to make any changes to its event schedule. As for NJPW World, its future has not been directly addressed, but TV Asahi has been part-owner since the streaming service’s launch and controls the NJPW video library.

“Currently, we have no plans to make any changes to our various business operations, including the events we organize, as a result of this Share Transfer,” NJPW said. “We would like to express our gratitude to Bushiroad, which has supported our business for many years as our largest shareholder, and we look forward to working together with TV Asahi and CyberAgent to further expand our business.”

NJPW/Stardom relationship —

One potentially significant change is that Bushiroad still owns Stardom, meaning that NJPW and Stardom are no longer under the same umbrella. NJPW transferred its ownership stake in Stardom to Bushiroad back in March.

Stardom president Taro Okada — who also works for NJPW — tweeted that the two promotions will continue to work together as fellow members of the Japanese wrestling community.

Bushiroad’s NJPW ownership history —

Bushiroad, a Japanese trading card company led by wrestling fan Takaaki Kidani, acquired NJPW from Yuke’s in 2012. The following years were an important period for NJPW as the promotion continued to break out of its dark ages and find business success during the Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada era. Developments in streaming technology meant that NJPW was now able to broadcast its events live worldwide, which helped build the NJPW fan base internationally and give existing fans easier access to the product.

The impacts of COVID brought another lull as the Japanese wrestling scene was hit hard economically. But the final Wrestle Kingdom of the Bushiroad era did serve as a high point, with NJPW selling out the Tokyo Dome this January for Tanahashi’s retirement match. Tanahashi currently serves as NJPW’s real-life president amid this ownership change.

“Our mission to create the best wrestling and bring joy to everyone remains unchanged,” Tanahashi said. “We sincerely appreciate your continued support and encouragement.”

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors night seven results, updated standings

Posted on by Ian Carey

NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors 33 continued on Sunday, May 24, with a show in Kyoto.

Five A Block matches were featured on the show, including Jun Kasai defeating Nick Wayne in the main event.

Also on the show, Titan took his first loss of the tournament to Robbie X.

With all wrestlers having six matches completed, Titan still remains atop the group with 10 points, and Master Wato and Jun Kasai are tied just below him with eight points.

Nick Wayne, Ryusuke Taguchi, Robbie X, Kosei Fujita, and Francesco Akira are tied below them with six points. Valiente Jr. has four points, and Daiki Nagai has zero points with an 0-6 record.

Quick results from the show:

  • A Block: Jun Kasai defeated Nick Wayne
  • A Block: Robbie X defeated Titan
  • A Block: Kosei Fujita defeated Ryusuke Taguchi
  • A Block: Master Wato defeated Valiente Jr.
  • A Block: Francesco Akira defeated Daiki Nagai
  • Hyo, YOH & KUSHIDA defeated Dick Togo, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SHO
  • Ryohei Oiwa & Robbie Eagles defeated Gedo & Taiji Ishimori
  • Zane Jay & Jakob Austin Young defeated Tiger Mask & El Desperado
  • Daisuke Sasaki & Masatora Yasuda defeated Tatsuya Matsumoto & Toru Yano

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 standings —

A Block:

  • Titan (5-1): 10 points
  • Master Wato (4-2): 8 points
  • Jun Kasai (4-2): 8 points
  • Nick Wayne (3-3): 6 points
  • Ryusuke Taguchi (3-3): 6 points
  • Robbie X (3-3): 6 points
  • Kosei Fujita (3-3): 6 points
  • Francesco Akira (3-3): 6 points
  • Valiente Jr. (2-4): 4 points
  • Daiki Nagai (0-6): 0 points
NJPW BOSJ 33 B Block standings graphic
NJPW BOSJ 33 B Block standings graphic (Image credit: NJPW)

B Block:

  • Daisuke Sasaki (3-2): 6 points
  • El Desperado (3-2): 6 points
  • SHO (3-2): 6 points
  • YOH (3-2): 6 points
  • Taiji Ishimori (3-2): 6 points
  • Robbie Eagles (2-3): 4 points
  • Jakob Austin Young (2-3): 4 points
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2-3): 4 points
  • Hyo (2-3): 4 points
  • KUSHIDA (1-4): 2 points

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors night six results, updated standings

Posted on by Ian Carey

NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors 33 continued in Himeji on Saturday.

Only one match took place in A Block on the show, with Valiente Jr. pulling out the win over Kasai in a match that favored Kasai’s hardcore style. At one point during the bout, Kasai created a structure out of chairs outside the ring that he dubbed Himeji Castle, and Valiente Jr. later used Kasai’s skewers against him.

Meanwhile, five B Block matches took place, and there is now a five-way tie atop the group, with El Desperado, YOH, Taiji Ishimori, SHO, and Daisuke Sasaki all sitting at six points. Robbie Eagles, Jakob Austin Young, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Hyo are all tied just below at four points, while KUSHIDA sits at the bottom of the group with two points.

Here are the quick results:

  • B Block: Robbie Eagles defeated YOH
  • B Block: El Desperado defeated SHO
  • B Block: Taiji Ishimori defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • B Block: Jakob Austin Young defeated Daisuke Sasaki
  • B Block: Hyo defeated KUSHIDA
  • A Block: Valiente Jr. defeated Jun Kasai
  • Titán & Robbie X defeated Tiger Mask & Nick Wayne
  • Tatsuya Matsumoto, Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa & Kosei Fujita
  • Gedo & Daiki Nagai defeated Zane Jay & Francesco Akira

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 standings —

A Block:

  • Titan (5-0): 10 points
  • Jun Kasai (3-2): 6 points
  • Nick Wayne (3-2): 6 points
  • Ryusuke Taguchi (3-2): 6 points
  • Master Wato (3-2): 6 points
  • Valiente Jr. (2-3): 4 points
  • Robbie X (2-3): 4 points
  • Kosei Fujita (2-3): 4 points
  • Francesco Akira (2-3): 4 points
  • Daiki Nagai (0-5): 0 points

B Block:

  • Daisuke Sasaki (3-2): 6 points
  • El Desperado (3-2): 6 points
  • SHO (3-2): 6 points
  • YOH (3-2): 6 points
  • Taiji Ishimori (3-2): 6 points
  • Robbie Eagles (2-3): 4 points
  • Jakob Austin Young (2-3): 4 points
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2-3): 4 points
  • Hyo (2-3): 4 points
  • KUSHIDA (1-4): 2 points

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors night five results, updated standings

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Titan remains unbeaten in NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 following another victory on Friday.

Osaka played host to night five of the tournament, which only included matches from A Block. Titan, the lone competitor in either block who has not lost yet, improved his record to 5-0 with a win over Ryusuke Taguchi. The night also saw victories for Master Wato, Jun Kasai, Francesco Akira, and Nick Wayne.

Here are the quick results:

  • A Block: Master Wato defeated Kosei Fujita
  • A Block: Jun Kasai defeated Robbie X
  • A Block: Francesco Akira defeated Valiente Jr.
  • A Block: Titan defeated Ryusuke Taguchi
  • A Block: Nick Wayne defeated Daiki Nagai
  • El Desperado, KUSHIDA & Hyo defeated SHO, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Dick Togo
  • Robbie Eagles, Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson defeated YOH, Toru Yano & Tiger Mask
  • Jakob Austin Young & Zane Jay defeated Daisuke Sasaki & Masatora Yasuda
  • Taiji Ishimori & Gedo defeated Tatsuya Matsumoto & Taisei Nakahara

BOSJ action continues this weekend with shows on both Saturday and Sunday. At the May 23 event, there will be five B Block matches and one from A Block. The next day is an A Block-focused card.

The updated standings for the tournament are listed below:

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 standings —

A Block:

  • Titan (5-0): 10 points
  • Jun Kasai (3-1): 6 points
  • Ryusuke Taguchi (3-2): 6 points
  • Master Wato (3-2): 6 points
  • Nick Wayne (3-2): 6 points
  • Robbie X (2-3): 4 points
  • Kosei Fujita (2-3): 4 points
  • Francesco Akira (2-3): 4 points
  • Valiente Jr. (1-3): 2 points
  • Daiki Nagai (0-5): 0 points

B Block:

  • Daisuke Sasaki (3-1): 6 points
  • YOH (3-1): 6 points
  • SHO (3-1): 6 points
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2-1): 4 points
  • El Desperado (2-2): 4 points
  • Taiji Ishimori (2-2): 4 points
  • Hyo (1-2): 2 points
  • Jakob Austin Young (1-3): 2 points
  • KUSHIDA (1-3): 2 points
  • Robbie Eagles (1-3): 2 points

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors night four results, updated standings

Posted on by Joseph Currier

After a couple of days off, NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 was back in action with a show from Korakuen Hall on Wednesday.

Titan stayed unbeaten with a win over Valiente Jr., improving his record to 4-0 and maintaining an early lead atop A Block. Ryusuke Taguchi also entered today unbeaten but was defeated by Nick Wayne.

In B Block, no one is unbeaten anymore after Daisuke Sasaki and SHO lost their matches. Sasaki fell to Hyo, while SHO was bested by his former tag team partner YOH. The B Block lead is now a three-way tie with Sasaki, SHO, and YOH at 3-1.

Here are the quick results from night four’s card:

  • A Block: Robbie X defeated Kosei Fujita
  • B Block: YOH defeated SHO
  • A Block: Master Wato defeated Francesco Akira
  • B Block: El Desperado defeated Hyo
  • A Block: Titan defeated Valiente Jr.
  • B Block: Taiji Ishimori defeated Daisuke Sasaki
  • A Block: Nick Wayne defeated Ryusuke Taguchi
  • B Block: Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Robbie Eagles
  • A Block: Jun Kasai defeated Daiki Nagai
  • B Block: Jakob Austin Young defeated KUSHIDA

BOSJ is off again tomorrow before picking up on Friday with only A Block matches. Master Wato vs. Kosei Fujita, Robbie X vs. Jun Kasai, Valiente Jr. vs. Francesco Akira, Titan vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, and Nick Wayne vs. Daiki Nagai are the matches scheduled.

The updated standings for both blocks are listed below. BOSJ runs through June 7, with the winner earning a title shot against IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion DOUKI.

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 standings —

A Block:

  • Titan (4-0): 8 points
  • Ryusuke Taguchi (3-1): 6 points
  • Jun Kasai (2-1): 4 points
  • Robbie X (2-2): 4 points
  • Nick Wayne (2-2): 4 points
  • Master Wato (2-2): 4 points
  • Kosei Fujita (2-2): 4 points
  • Valiente Jr. (1-2): 2 points
  • Francesco Akira (1-3): 2 points
  • Daiki Nagai (0-4): 0 points

B Block:

  • Daisuke Sasaki (3-1): 6 points
  • YOH (3-1): 6 points
  • SHO (3-1): 6 points
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2-1): 4 points
  • El Desperado (2-2): 4 points
  • Taiji Ishimori (2-2): 4 points
  • Hyo (1-2): 2 points
  • Jakob Austin Young (1-3): 2 points
  • KUSHIDA (1-3): 2 points
  • Robbie Eagles (1-3): 2 points

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 night three results, updated standings

Posted on by F4W Staff

The NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 continued on Sunday in Tokyo.

After three nights of the tournament, two wrestlers in each block remain undefeated atop the group.

In A Block, Titan and Ryusuke Taguchi both sit with 3-0 records and six points. Meanwhile, in B Block, Daisuke Sasaki and SHO are both undefeated with six points each.

The results and updated standings are below.

Results from NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 night three on Sunday, May 17, 2026:

  • A Block: Titan defeated Daiki Nagai
  • B Block: Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Jakob Austin Young
  • A Block: Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Valiente Jr.
  • B Block: SHO defeated KUSHIDA
  • A Block: Francesco Akira defeated Nick Wayne
  • B Block: Daisuke Sasaki defeated Hyo
  • A Block: Master Wato defeated Robbie X
  • B Block: YOH defeated Taiji Ishimori
  • A Block: Jun Kasai defeated Kosei Fujita
  • B Block: Robbie Eagles defeated El Desperado

NJPW Best of the Super Juniors 33 standings —

A Block:

  • Titan (3-0): 6 points
  • Ryusuke Taguchi (3-0): 6 points
  • Kosei Fujita (2-1): 4 points
  • Valiente Jr. (1-1): 2 points
  • Nick Wayne (1-2): 2 points
  • Robbie X (1-2): 2 points
  • Jun Kasai (1-1): 2 points
  • Francesco Akira (1-2): 2 points
  • Master Wato (1-2): 2 points
  • Daiki Nagai (0-3): 0 points

B Block:

  • Daisuke Sasaki (3-0): 6 points
  • SHO (3-0): 6 points
  • YOH (2-1): 4 points
  • Hyo (1-1): 2 points
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru (1-1): 2 points
  • KUSHIDA (1-2): 2 points
  • El Desperado (1-2): 2 points
  • Taiji Ishimori (1-2): 2 points
  • Robbie Eagles (1-2): 2 points
  • Jakob Austin Young (0-3): 0 points

The next NJPW BOSJ event is set for tomorrow. 

WOL: WWE needs to stop with the bait & switch tactics

Posted on by Jim Valley

It’s the Saturday Wrestling Observer Live with Jim Valley.

Friday’s ROH SuperCard of Honor saw some great performances, a few surprises, returns and sneak attacks which included Swerve Strickland blindsiding Bandito ahead of their Owen Hart tournament match next weekend at AEW Double or Nothing.

Friday’s WWE SmackDown set up Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther at Clash in Italy. Wasn’t Gunther’s deal with Paul Heyman supposed to do that? WWE needs to stop with the bait and switch. I explain why.

Plus, the latest on the NJPW Best of the Super Juniors, Ronda Rousey returning to fighting, and more. Check it out.

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