NJPW has added a few more matches to Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement tour.
We’re just a few weeks away from Tanahashi ending his legendary career against Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 20. Fans will get to see Tanahashi compete in a few more singles matches before then, though, with NJPW announcing that he will headline Road to Tokyo Dome shows on December 19, 21, and 22. Here are the bouts he’ll be competing in:
Friday, December 19: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hiromu Takahashi
Sunday, December 21: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. El Desperado
Monday, December 22: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kosei Fujita
The December 22 event — the last stop before Wrestle Kingdom — is taking place from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and will air live for free on NJPW World with English commentary available. Among the other matchups on the card is El Phantasmo defending his NJPW World TV title in an open challenge.
These are the last three NJPW events of 2025. The December 19 and December 21 shows will be broadcast in Japanese and then uploaded with English commentary on demand.
2026 will then begin with Tanahashi’s retirement match main eventing Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4. Though he’s stepping away from the ring, Tanahashi will remain with NJPW as the company’s president.
A fan vote has determined the stipulation for NJPW’s last KOPW Championship match of 2024.
The official KOPW Champion for this year will be decided when Great-O-Khan defends against Taichi at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome show on Sunday, December 22. After champion and challenger each proposed a stipulation option, fans have voted for it to be a “Best of Taichi KOPW Two out of Three Falls Match.”
Fall one: No ropes sumo match (wrestler who throws their opponent out of the ring wins)
Fall two: Yoshinobu Kanemaru special referee match
Fall three: Last Man Standing lumberjack match
Win or lose, Taichi has said this will be the last time he ever competes for the KOPW (King of Pro Wrestling) title. He was the official champion for 2023, while O-Khan has held the championship for most of 2024. The title resets at the end of every year with a new provisional champion set to be crowned at the start of 2025.
In storyline, Taichi randomly drew from his past KOPW title matches to create the rules for this two-out-of-three falls bout. A complicating factor for the second fall is that he and Kanemaru are no longer aligned after Kanemaru betrayed Taichi and joined House of Torture in September 2023.
The December 22 Road to Tokyo Dome event is taking place from Korakuen Hall and will air live on NJPW World. O-Khan vs. Taichi will be the main event.
The stipulation has been set for NJPW’s final KOPW Championship match of 2023.
Taichi will defend the KOPW title against Yoshinobu Kanemaru in a Whiskey Bottle Ladder Match at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome show this Thursday (December 21). The show is being held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and will air live on NJPW World.
The Whiskey Bottle Ladder Match stipulation was proposed by Taichi and won a fan vote over Kanemaru’s proposed stipulation (low blows and removing corner pads would be legal but only for Kanemaru). Taichi’s stipulation won with 70 percent of the vote.
In the Whiskey Bottle Ladder Match, a whiskey bottle will be suspended from the ceiling and can be used as a weapon by the wrestler who retrieves it.
The winner of Taichi vs. Kanemaru will become the official KOPW Champion for 2023. A new provisional champion for 2024 will be crowned in the new year.
Taichi won the KOPW title from SHO last month, regaining the championship after having lost it to SHO at Destruction in Kobe in September. Kanemaru betrayed Taichi at Destruction in Kobe, leaving Just Five Guys and joining House of Torture.
Thursday’s Road to Tokyo Dome event is also set to include a NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match with Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii defending against Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan & Henare.
Twitter polls will determine which alcoholic beverage will be used in the Year End Party KOPW 2021 match to be held at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome event on December 24.
Toru Yano will defend the provisional KOPW 2021 trophy against Yoshinobu Kanemaru on the show. Year End Party rules are explained as a normal match, but wrestlers will be forced to drink alcohol at two minute intervals. The referee will then administer a 20 count. Should either competitor not be able to respond to the 20 count, they will lose, but pinfall, submission and disqualification rules still apply.
Polls on the @njpwglobal and @NJPW1972 Twitter accounts will decide whether Kanemaru’s beverage choice or Yano’s will be the alcohol served during the match. Yano has proposed sake, while Kanemaru has proposed whiskey.
Kanemaru attacked Yano with a whiskey bottle on yesterday’s show, then issued a challenge for the KOPW title. The winner of the Christmas Eve bout will be crowned the 2021 KOPW winner. Yano won the trophy in 2020.
NJPW has confirmed the stipulation options and opened voting for Toru Yano and Bad Luck Fale’s upcoming KOPW 2020 match.
Yano is defending the KOPW 2020 title against Fale at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome show at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on Wednesday, December 23. This is the last NJPW show of the year, meaning that the winner of Yano vs. Fale will be crowned the KOPW 2020 Champion ahead of the title being reset at the start of the new year.
Fale’s chosen stipulation is a body slam match. The first person to body slam their opponent will win. Yano’s chosen stipulation is a body slam or last corner pad removed match. The first person to either body slam their opponent or remove the final corner pad once all others have been removed will get the win. Voting to determine the stipulation is now underway.
NJPW’s full announcement is available below:
On December 11, Toru Yano and CHAOS stood opposite BULLET CLUB in tag team action, in a match that saw Yano try repeatedly to slam Fale to little or no avail. Post match, Fale showed Yano how the move was applied, before destroying Yano’s KOPW 2020 trophy. That led to an official challenge being set for December 23!
Fale will challenge Yano for the KOPW 2020 status in Korakuen Hall on December 23. With the event being the last on the NJPW calendar this year, its winner will officially be the King of Pro-Wrestling for 2020 before the title starts afresh next year. So who will win, and more importantly, under what rules?
Fale has proposed a Bodyslam Match. Quite simply, this means that the first to slam their opponent will be the victor, a stipulation that certainly favors the big man.
For Yano, the proposal is Bodyslam or Last Corner Pad Removed match. Under Yano’s rules, the first to slam their opponent will win, but you can also win by removing the four cornerpads on the ring; the person to remove the last pad will be the winner. Here, Yano’s speed could well counteract Fale’s size.
Voting is underway NOW on Twitter, and runs until noon JST on December 22! Whose rules will count in Korakuen?
Yano became the inaugural KOPW title holder when the championship was introduced at Summer Struggle in Jingu this August.
The December 23 Road to Tokyo Dome show will air live on New Japan World starting at 4:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Jushin Thunder Liger’s final Korakuen Hall match takes place this morning.
He will team with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi in the main event, taking on the CHAOS team of Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI and Rocky Romero. While Liger’s last match may be the focus, it will also continue the build between Kazuchika Okada and Kota Ibushi as they are set to face off on January 4 for the IWGP Heavyweight title.
The co-main event will be a tag team match, pitting Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi against Chase Owens and Jay White. Naito and White will be the other blockbuster title match to take place on January 4.
The rest of the undercard will feature tag team matches that will continue the build to Wrestle Kingdom. Hiromu Takahashi and Will Ospreay will be on opposite sides of a tag team match that will continue their story.
Join us for live coverage starting at 4:30 a.m. EST.
This was just your basic opener, but it had exceptional heat from the sellout crowd.
Tiger and Taguchi had a brief, crisp exchange at the outset. Tsuji and Makabe came in and Tsuji again went after Makabe with intensity. Tsuji got a knockdown off a shoulder tackle. Honma tagged in and got cut off after missing a kokeshi.
Uemura and Tsuji renewed their rivalry and traded spots. Taguchi tagged in and had a nice back-and-forth with Uemura.
Taguchi tried a Dodon, but Uemura turned it into a victory roll for a two count. Uemura then used a single-leg crab. Taguchi rolled through into an ankle lock. Taguchi then gave up the hold and hit Dodon for the pin.
SHO, YOH & ROBBIE EAGLES DEFEATED EL PHANTASMO, TAIJI ISHIMORI & GEDO BY DQ
This was more of an angle to further the Roppongi 3K vs. ELP and Ishimori bout at Wrestle Kingdom than an actual match.
SHO attacked ELP as Bullet Club posed in the ring before the opening bell. They brawled all around the arena. SHO, YOH and Eagles hit dives from the ring and Bullet CLub teased walking out on the match.
SHO, YOH and Eagles went after Bullet Club and they brawled near the entrance Gedo used an eye rake and that allowed Bullet Club to get the heat on SHO. SHO made a hot tag to YOH and 3K hit stereo knees.
Eagles tagged in and hit a 450 to Ishimori’s leg. He put him in the Ron Miller Special. Ishimori was about to tap when ELP pulled the referee out of the ring. ELP hit Eagles with a belt shot for the DQ.
After the match, SHO and YOH laid out ELP with a 3K, then reclaimed the Super Jr. Tag League trophies that Ishimori and ELP stole weeks ago.
BUSHI DEFEATED ZACK SABRE JR.
Sabre was accompanied by Taichi, who was cosplaying as Masked Black Horse. Sabre took the ref and Taichi stomped on BUSHI on the floor. BUSHI tried a headscissors but Sabre tied up his legs on the mat.
BUSHI tried a dropkick, but Sabre blocked. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick, then hit a suicide dive on Taichi. BUSHI then hit a sick DDT on the apron. The finish came out of nowhere. They traded a couple of cradles, then BUSHI used a BUSHI roll for the flash pin.
After the match, Taichi beat up the referee. Sabre sold the upset big, kicking the turnbuckle pads.
KENTA, TAMA TONGA, TANGA LOA & BAD LUCK FALE DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO, JUICE ROBINSON, DAVID FINLAY & TOA HENARE
The babyfaces were ready for a Bullet Club attack before the bell and ran wild at the outset. Their fortunes changed when Finlay missed a plancha. Loa ducked a Left Hand of God from Juice and G.O.D. spent a couple of minutes working Juice over.
Juice managed a tag to Goto. KENTA tagged in as well. Goto hit a suplex. Fale tripped Goto from the floor, allowing KENTA to hit a draping DDT for a two count. KENTA hit a Shibata dropkick. Goto countered with an ushigoroshi.
Henare tagged in and peppered KENTA with strikes. Henare hit a Samoan drop for a near fall. KENTA used a distraction from Jado on the floor to hit a lariat on Henare. Goto jumped in and KENTA nailed him with a knee strike. KENTA then hit the G2S on Henare and pinned him.
After the bell, KENTA hit Goto with a G2S. Tonga hit a gun stun on Finlay. Loa hit Apeshit on Juice. Bullet Club stands tall heading into Wrestle Kingdom.
WILL OSPREAY & TOMOHIRO ISHII DEFEATED HIROMU TAKAHASHI & EVIL
You need to watch this match.
This was the best tag match I’ve seen this month. All of these guys are beyond great. Ishii and Ospreay are a super fun team. Ishii is all banged up, limping around, has his left knee wrapped, and is still incredible.
I’m not sure which was more impressive in the first minute of the match, Ospreay and Hiromu’s opening sequence or Kevin Kelly’s call of the sequence. They did about three dozen moves and Kelly called all of them.
EVIL and Ishii tagged in and started brawling in the corner. Ishii hit a series of chops and forearm strikes to the throat. EVIL came back with hard slaps and Ishii went down. Hiromu and EVIL went after Ospreay and Ishii on the floor.
Ospreay got sent into the barricade, then thrown on top of the English announce desk. EVIL and Ishii took the fight back to the ring. Hiromu tagged in and hit some chops on Ishii. Ishii hit a powerslam and tagged Ospreay.
Hiromu teased a sunset bomb to the floor. Ospreay teased an apron bomb, then hit a flying headscissors on the floor. Ospreay hit Pip Pip Cheerio off the barricade. This was an excellent sequence, but terrifying.
Back in the ring, Hiromu hit a clothesline. Ospreay missed a handspring kick, but landed on his feet out of a German. Hiromu hit a pop-up powerbomb. Both tagged out.
EVIL and Ishii traded strikes. Ishii had a bloody lip. They traded suplexes. EVIL hit a fisherman buster for a two count. Ospreay hit a kick from the apron. Ishii hit a German. Ospreay used Ishii as a springboard for a standing shooting star, then as a base for Pip Pip Cheerio. Ishii got a near fall.
Hiromu jumped in for a double team. EVIL and Hiromu hit superkicks. EVIL hit Darkness Falls for a near fall as Ospreay saved. Hiromu and Ospreay traded. Hiromu suplexed Ospreay into the buckle. EVIL hit Ishii with a lariat for a two count.
Ishii blocked Everything is EVIL. EVIL blocked a lariat. Ospreay hit a Sasuke Special on Hiromu. Ishii hit a sliding lariat on EVIL for a two count. Ishii then hit the Vertical Drop Brainbuster and pinned EVIL.
TETSUYA NAITO & SHINGO TAKAGI DEFEATED JAY WHITE & CHASE OWENS
Naito and White went after each other at the opening bell. White still had his ring jacket on. Gedo grabbed Naito’s ankle allowing White to take over. White choked Naito with his ring jacket and threw him into the barricade.
Owens tagged in and missed a fist drop and an elbow drop. Naito hit a low dropkick and tagged out. Shingo hit a big vertical suplex. Owens used a hair pull and teased a package piledriver. Shingo teased a sliding lariat. Owens connected with a shining wizard, but not the shiniest wizard. Both tagged out.
Naito hit combinacion cabron in the corner on White. White hit a back elbow, then spiked Naito with a DDT. White hit a Blade Buster for a two count. Naito made his own comeback with a series of hard elbows, working on White’s arm, setting up Destino. Naito shoved the referee. White hit a snap suplex into a double down.
Owens tagged in and hit a dropkick. Naito hit a neckbreaker, then tagged Shingo. Shingo and Owens traded strikes. Shingo ended the exchange with a lariat.
White and Naito jumped in. Naito hit a swinging DDT on White, then an enziguri on Owens. Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber on Owens, then hit Last of the Dragon for the pin.
After the match, White and Naito continued to fight on the floor. Naito sent White into the barricade, then threw him into the audience. Naito taunted White ahead of their Wrestle Kingdom bout.
Liger winning would have been the feel-good moment of the year, but there are bigger masters to serve with Wrestle Kingdom on the horizon. Knowing how NJPW tends to book retiring legends as well, this had to be the expected finish.
Ibushi and Okada began. They milked the crowd. Red Shoes did the bit where he judges the dueling chants.
Okada and Ibushi traded strikes. Ibushi hit a big mid kick. Okada missed a dropkick. Ibushi ducked a Rainmaker. Okada ducked a high kick. This was a good tease for January 4. Both tagged out.
Liger and Romero tagged in. They shook hands, then locked up. Liger hit a shoulder tackle. Romero missed a baseball slide. Liger hit a baseball slide, then used the Romero Special. Tana and YH got tags.
Tana and YH traded chops. YH hit his dropkick to the ack with Tana draped over the ropes. All six men brawled around ringside. YH sent Tana into the barricade. Okada rammed Ibushi’s head into the Wrestle Kingdom briefcase.
Back inside, YH worked over Tana in the corner. Okada tagged in for a slingshot senton. Romero tagged in and hit chops and forever clotheslines, then used a jumping knee strike for a near fall.
YH tagged back in. YH and Tana exchanged chops and forearms. Tana hit a slap, then a dragon screw, then tagged Ibushi. Ibushi hit a running mid kick, a series of slaps, then a standing corkscrew moonsault for a near fall.
YH came back with a low dropkick, then tagged Okada. Okada hit a back elbow. Ibushi hit some punches. Okada countered with a flapjack. He tried a tombstone, but Ibushi blocked, then hit a powerslam and a second rope moonsault for a near fall.
Ibushi hit a high kick. He teased Kamigoye, but Okada blocked and hit an armdag. Ibushi answered with a dropkick. Liger tagged in and hit YH with a shotei, Romero with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, a shotei to Okada, then hit a top rope brainbuster on Okada for a two count as YH saved.
Liger teased a Liger Bomb. Okada blocked. Liger used a sunset flip for a near fall. Liger ducked a Rainmaker, then hit a spinning shotei. Liger hit a Liger Bomb. He covered, but YH ran in for the save.
Ibsuhi and Tana hit stereo planchas. Liger blocked a Rainmaker and hit a slap to the face. Liger tried a brainbuster. Okada blocked, then hit a spinning tombstone. Okada then hit the Rainmaker and pinned Liger.
After the bell, Okada whispered something to Liger.
Liger was helped to the back. Tana went to the back along with Romero and YH, leaving Okada and Ibushi in the ring.
Okada and Ibushi went nose-to-nose and bumped chests. Okada posed on the buckle with his belt as indoor snow began to fall.
White ran in and attacked Ibushi and Okada. Naito ran in and attacked White. Gedo hit Naito with a chair. White laid out Naito with a suplex.
White hit a snap suplex on Ibushi. Gedo hit Okada from behind. White then laid out Okada with a snap suplex. Okada slipped out of a Blade Runner, then hit a dropkick.
Okada cut a promo. He said he’s the best there is. He said Ibushi better give him his all on January 4. Okada posed with his belt, with snow falling.
Okada then told the crowd he had three things to tell them. He thanked Liger, thanked everyone that came to see NJPW in 2019, and said he’ll see everyone at the sold-out Tokyo Dome on January 4 and January 5.
A big eight man tag team match will headline this morning’s Road to Tokyo Dome card at Korakuen Hall.
Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Robbie Eagles and YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS will battle Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI of Los Ingobernables de Japon in tonight’s main event. The match will likely continue the storyline from last night where Hiromu was pinned by Robbie Eagles in Hiromu’s return match after being gone for well over a year due to a neck injury.
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi will team in the co-main event, taking on the team of Jay White and Chase Owens. This could be a preview for January 5 if both Ibushi and White win their matches on January 4.
Hirooki Goto and KENTA will each captain an eight man tag team match in the undercard, while SANADA will team with Shingo Takagi to take on Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr.. Jushin Thunder Liger’s second to last match at Korakuen Hall will also take place, as he will be teaming with SHO and YOH to take on Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi and Rocky Romero.
Join us for live coverage starting at 4:30 a.m EST. You can watch for free tonight at this link.
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TOA HENARE DEFEATED YOTA TSUJI
They opened with a striking battle. After trading, Tsuji hit a dropkick. Henare cut him off with some chops and used a vertical suplex for a two count.
Henare continued to use chops. Tsuji fired up and hit a scoop slam out of the corner, then used another dropkick for a two count. Henare hit a Samoan drop for a two count. They traded strikes again. Tsuji hit a spear, then applied a full crab. Henare forced a rope break.
After another striking exchange, Henare hit a lariat for a two count. Tsuji used an inside cradle for a two count. Henare hit a tackle for a two count, then used Toa Bottom for the pin. A fundamentally sound opener.
EL PHANTASMO, TAIJI ISHIMORI & BAD LUCK FALE DEFEATED TOGI MAKABE, TOMOAKI HONMA & YUYA UEMURA
This was a nice showcase for Uemura, even in defeat.
Uemura and ELP started out with a nice mat wrestling sequence. Uemura hit a big tackle and tagged Honma. Honma missed a kokeshi and got cut off. Bullet Club used their comedy series of back rakes.
Honma managed a tag to Makabe. Makabe dropped Fale with a lariat. Fale hit a shoulder tackle and both tagged out. Uemura and Ishimori entered. Ishimori hit a backflip kick. Bullet Club tripled up on Uemura.
Uemura sent Fale over the top, then made his own comeback against Ishimori and ELP. Uemura blocked a Bloody Cross and used a cradle for a two count. Uemura hit a double underhook suplex and covered for another near fall. The crowd was super into this.
Ishimori recovered, hit the Bloody Cross and got the pin.
Tiger and Liger opened up with a great series. Tiger hit some kicks and a tope suicida. Liger hit a shotei on the floor. Tiger hit a Tiger bomb but could not make a cover. SHO and Romero tagged in.
Romero and Taguchi both missed with hip attacks on their first try. The NJPW coaches finally hit a stereo hip attack on SHO and cut him off. SHO is absolutely ripped to shreds. Taguchi hit two of three amigos on SHO. SHO hit a deadlift German and tagged Liger.
Liger ran wild on all three opponents with shoteis. He connected on a top rope rana on Taguchi for a two count. Liger blocked one hip attack but Taguchi hit one on his next attempt.
YOH got a tag and got cut off with a hip attack. The match broke down and everyone jumped in for a move. SHO and YOH hit stereo knees on Tiger, then a backstabber into a one-legged dropkick.
The finish saw YOH pin Tiger with a dragon suplex. Both teams celebrated together after the match. Liger and Tiger embraced and Tiger was in tears. This was a great moment.
ELP and Ishimori ran out after the match and posted both members of 3K ahead of their Wrestle Kingdom bout. ELP hit both YOH with a belt shot, then hit a low blow on SHO. Romero entered and Ishimori and ELP hit him with a 3K.
SANADA & SHINGO TAKAGI DEFEATED ZACK SABRE JR. & TAICHI
You can see SANADA and Sabre working out their Wrestle Kingdom match in these preview tags.
SANADA and Sabre started off. They did some grappling. Sabre used an armbar, then transitioned to a triangle. SANADA used the threat of a powerbomb to force a break. They rolled outside and Suzuki-gun turned this into a crowd brawl.
Back inside, Sabre and Taichi worked on SANADA”s left arm. SANADA managed a tag to Shingo. Shingo and Taichi exchanged some strikes. Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber but could not follow up, then it was back to the real focus of the match with Sabre and SANADA.
SANADA and Sabre traded some strikes, then used a series of cradles almost exactly like te oe they used last night. This time, though, SANADA used a European clutch to pin Sabre.
Sabre sold this big, like he couldn’t believe he was beaten with one of his own holds. Good match.
HIROOKI GOTO, TOMOHIRO ISHII, DAVID FINLAY & JUICE ROBINSON DEFEATED KENTA, YUJIRO TAKAHASHI, TAMA TONGA & TANGA LOA
Bullet Club isolated Finlay and worked him over in their corner for a long time. Juice got a hot tag and hit Tonga with a cannonball. He set up the Left Hand of God, but Loa jumped in to save Tonga.
Finlay entered to even the odds and Juice and Finlay hit stereo clotheslines before tagging out. Goto and KENTA tagged in. KENTA hit some hard strikes and used a draping DDT for a near fall. They traded corner clotheslines. Goto hit a bulldog for a near fall.
Goto tried for an ushigoroshi but KENTA blocked. Jado used a kendo stick shot from the floor. Everyone brawled on the floor. Yujiro and G.O.D. tripled up on Goto in the ring. Yujiro hit a basement dropkick and made a cover, but Ishii saved.
Yujiro teased Pimp Juice. Finlay saved. The match broke down and everyone jumped in. Goto hit Yuiro with an ushigoroshi. Ishii followed up with a sliding lariat on Yujiro. Goto then used the GTR to earn the pin.
KOTA IBUSHI & HIROSHI TANAHASHI DEFEATED JAY WHITE & CHASE OWENS
White and Owens gave Ibushi a half-hearted offer to join Bullet Club before the match. Ibushi declined and got jumped before the bell.
Ibushi did fine for himself in the early going. He hit a series of kicks and a dropkick. Tana tagged in and hit a second rope crossbody on Owens. Owens and Tana both used hair pulls. White joined in from the apron, pulling Tanahashi’s hair. This allowed Bullet Club to take over.
On the outside, Ibushi got whipped up and over the barricade. Tana got sent into the barricade. Back in the ring, White used a dragon screw on Tana. White and Owens continued to work on the left leg. Tana came back with a dragon screw on Owens, then tagged out.
Ibushi was the proverbial house of fire. He hit a springboard dropkick to Owens, then a pescado to White. Gedo held Ibsuhi’s ankles from the floor which allowed White to hit a DDT, then a DVD. White teased a sleeper suplex but Ibushi blocked. Ibushi hit a snap rana. White answered with an immediate snap suplex.
White tagged Owens. Ibushi came back with a backflip kick and made a hot tag to Tanahashi. Tana hit a flying forearm, a slam, a second rope somersault senton, and picked up a two count.
Owens blocked a slingblade attempt. White jumped in for a Blade Buster. Owens hit a shining wizard for a two count, then used the Jewel Heist for another.
Owens hit a jumping knee strike. Tana blocked a package piledriver and hit Twist and Shout. Tana hit slingblade. White jumped in and teased a Blade Runner but Ibushi saved.
Ibushi sent White outside, then hit a Bomaye on Owens. Tana followed with a High Fly Flow to Owens for the pin.
Okada broke cleanly after the opening lockup. Okada went for an early Rainmaker but Naito ducked it, then used a headlock takeover. BUSHI got a tag and Okada hit an elbow drop before tagging Ospreay. Hiromu then tagged in.
Ospreay and Hiromu had a crazy exchange of counters and reversals, similar to last night. Hiromu hit a flying headscissors. Ospreay hit a flip kick. Ospreay and Eagles doubled up on Hiromu. Ospreay hit some kicks near the neck to play on Hiromu’s injury.
YOSHI-HASHI entered to continue the CHAOS beatdown on Hiromu. I barely recognized YH without his shoulder tape. Okada tagged in and baited Hiromu into throwing some chops. Okada hit a neckbreaker.
Ospreay tried an Oscutter but Hiromu pulled him out of the air with a German suplex. hiromu finally managed a tag to EVIL, who used a fisherman buster on YH for a near fall. EVIL tried Everything is EVIL, but YH blocked.
EVIL and YH had a chop battle. EVIL tried a misdirection spot out of the corner, but YH hit a lariat. Okada tagged in and peppered EVIL with punches. Okada hit a running back elbow strike in the center, then another in the corner. EVIL hit a ref-assisted thrust kick and tagged out.
Naito hit a low dropkick and a neckbreaker on Okada, then stomped on his neck. They traded strikes. Okada hit a shotgun dropkick. He teased a tombstone, but Naito blocked and hit a flying forearm. Naito tried Destino, Okada blocked. Naito ducked a Rainmaker. Okada hit a flapjack.
BUSHI and Eagles got tags after a double down. BUSHI hit a neckbreaker for a two count. Eagles used a 619 to BUSHI’s legs. Ospreay blind-tagged in and Ospreya and Eagles hit tandem kicks on BUSHI.
BUSHI avoided Pip Pip Cheerio. EVIL hit Ospreay with a lariat. Naito hit a basement dropkick. BUSHI covered, but YH saved. BUSHI teased an MX. Everyone jumped in for their big move at the end, with Okada’s dropkick on Naito the highlight.
Ospreay hit Pip Pip Cheerio on BUSHI. He tried a Storm Breaker, but BUSHI reversed into a cradle for a two count. BUSHI hit a rewind kick. Ospreay hit a tiger wall flip kick, then a hook kick. Hiromu tried to save for BUSHI, but Eagles saved.
Ospreay hit Hidden Blade on BUSHI, then used Storm Breaker. While Eagles held Hiromu at bay, Ospreay pinned BUSHI.
This was a fun main event. Ospreay and Hiromu had a staredown after the closing bell, as did Naito and Okada.
Ospreay closed the show with a promo. He spoke some Japanese. As he did last night, he used some heel verbiage and mannerisms. He called himself unbeatable and said Hiromu did better tonight but will need to try harder to beat him at Wrestle Kingdom.
NJPW begins their Road to Tokyo Dome today with the first of three straight nights of action in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
Hiromu Takahashi’s comeback match headlines today’s show, as the returning star will team with BUSHI against the Birds of Prey, Will Ospreay and Robbie Eagles.
On the undercard, Kazuchika Okada will team with YOSHI-HASHI against Jay White and Chase Owens. Third from the top will be Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi tagging against Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi.
The other notable undercard bout is the opener, which will see Jushin Liger wrestle the first of three final Korakuen Hall matches. Today he teams with Tiger Mask, Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji as they face Rocky Romero, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe.
The NJPW World broadcast will have English commentary. Our live coverage begins at 4:30 a.m. Eastern.
Tsuji and Honma began. Honma missed a kokeshi. Taguchi and Tiger tagged in. Tiger hit some kicks. Taguchi hit a hip attack, then Tiger began attacking his posterior. Liger tagged in and continued the comedy, slapping Taguchi’s ass.
Liger used a Romero special. Taguchi tried a hip attack but Liger simply stepped out of the way. Taguchi hit a hip attack, then tagged in Makabe. Tsuji tried to make the save for Liger, but Makabe hit him with a powerslam.
Makabe hit ten punches in the corner and a lariat on Liger for a two count. Liger came back with a shotei. Uemura and Romero tagged in. Uemura hit a double underhook suplex. Honma saved Romero.
Everyone jumped in for a big move. Honma hit Liger with a kokeshi. Romero hit Uemura with a knee. Makabe hit a double lariat on Tiger and Liger.
Romero used a cradle on Uemura for a two count, then hit a swing DDT for another near fall. Romero then hit a falcon arrow into a cross armbreaker for the submission win over Uemura.
Tsuji went after Makabe after the match. Makabe dropped him with a forearm. All eight guys then had a pull-apart. A solid opener, but nothing special.
The announcers said that there was an earthquake during this match. That seems notable.
BAD LUCK FALE, TAMA TONGA & TANGA LOA DEFEATED JUICE ROBINSON, DAVID FINLAY & TOA HENARE
Bullet Club used a jumpstart attack and went after Henare. The commentators said that Henare is working with a broken rib. Jado used a kendo stick and Bullet Club worked over Henare, seemingly forever.
Henare finally managed a tag to Juice. Juice and Finaly hit stereo bulldogs. Juice hit a Left Hand of God. Henare and Fale tagged in. Henare went for a Samoan drop on Fale, but couldn’t get it. Fale took the ref in an effort to allow Jado to interfere, but Henare took him out with a dropkick.
Fale hit a pounce and a big splash for a two count, then hit a Grenade on Henare for the pin. This wasn’t good.
Somewhere in here Finlay took a spear on the floor taking him out of the match. G.O.D. taunted him after the match as Juice tended to his shoulder with an ice pack.
The announcers called attention to another earthquake aftershock here.
ZACK SABRE JR. & TAICHI DEFEATED EVIL & SANADA
SANADA and Sabre traded waistlocks and holds. SANADA used a headlock takeover and hit a dropkick. Sabre rolled outside, frustrated. SANADA tried for the paradise lock on Sabre. Taichi made the save and SANADA tried to put him in the lock as well. Sabre used the distraction to attack.
Sabre and Taichi went to work on SANADA. Taichi choked EVIL with a cable while Sabre sent SANADA into the crowd. After a countout tease, Sabre went to work on SANADA’s left arm. Taichi tagged in and continued the attack on the left arm.
SANADA managed a hip toss and tagged EVIL. EVIL hit a seated senton in the corner for a two count. Taichi blocked Darkness Falls and hit a kick. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick. EVIL used the referee as a base for a Magic Killer on Taichi, into a double down.
Sabre and SANADA got tags. SANADA hit a dragon screw. He tried a figure four, but Sabre turned it into a cradle for a pinfall attempt. SANADA escaped, but Sabre nailed him with a PK. Sabre sold the damage from the kick and the earlier dragon screw.
SANADA and Sabre traded strikes. Sabre went for the Zack Driver. SANADA blocked. Sabre used a cobra twist but SANADA reversed into Skull End. SANADA used a spinning Skull End. He tried a moonsault but missed.
Taichi hit an interfering EVIL with an axe bomber. Sabre and SANADA traded a series of quick cradles, ending with Sabre rolling through for the pinfall victory.
This ended up being a heck of a match by the end after a slow start.
Not much to this one, just a chance for a hurting Ishii to get his hand raised.
YOH and Ishimori started off as the legal men. Bullet Club turned it into a ringside brawl. Ishimori, KENTA, Yujiro and ELP worked over YOH. YOH’s selling here was cartoonish, as was Bullet Club’s offense.
Goto finally got a tag but KENTA quickly cut him off. Goto came back with a lariat. Yujiro tagged in and also ate a lariat. Goto tagged Ishii. Ishii was quickly cut off as well. Yujiro used a fisherman buster for a two count.
The match broke down and all eight jumped in. Goto and Ishii hit stereo ushigoroshis on KENTA and Yujiro. Ishii then used the Vertical Drop Brainbuster for the pin on Yujiro.
Naito and Ibushi began. I am absolutely terrified that someone is going to die when they are in the ring together. Naito and Shingo tried to double up on Ibushi, but Ibushi hit both with dropkicks before tagging out.
Tana tagged in and hit a scoop slam on Naito, but missed the follow-up somersault senton. They traded strikes. Shingo attacked Tana from the apron. All four brawled around ringside and Tana and Ibushi got sent into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Shingo and Naito used quick tags in working Tanahashi over. Shingo hit a vertical suplex and a double sledge to the chest. Tana came back with a dragon screw. Both tagged out.
Ibushi ran wild on Naito with dropkicks. Naito hit a tijeras, then used a crucifix with his legs on Ibushi. Ibushi reached the bottom rope, but Naito was slow to break the hold. Ibushi hit a snap German. Naito came back with a one-legged dropkick, then tagged out.
Ibushi hit an insane snap rana on Shingo, then tagged out. Tanahashi hit a flying forearm and a somersault senton on Shingo for a near fall. They traded strikes. Tana hit Twist and Shout, then used a slingblade for a two count. Naito made the save for Shingo, then brawled outside with Ibushi.
Tana tried a High Fly Flow, but Shingo got his knees up. Tana ducked a Pumping Bomber but fell victim to a double team. Shingo hit Noshigami for a near fall as Ibushi made the save.
Ibushi hit a superkick on Naito. Shingo hit a German on Ibushi. Shingo and Tana traded strikes. Shingo hit a big lariat for a two count.
Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber. He went for Last of the Dragon, but Tana slipped to a victory roll and got the flash pin.
Immediately after the three count Shingo jumped on Tana with a lateral press to get his heat back. Tanahashi sold all of this big, doing his best to make Shingo look good in defeat.
It’s not surprising given the level of talent of all four of these guys, but this was awesome.
JAY WHITE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA & YOSHI-HASHI
White and Okada started off. White teased locking up but tagged out right away. Okada used some strikes to take over on Owens. YH got a tag and hit some chops. YH hit a baseball slide on both Owens and White, then sent Owens into the barricade.
As YH tried to climb back inside, White cut him off. This allowed Owens to get the upper hand on YH, while White then sent Okada into the barricade.
White and Owens worked over YH. YH went for a tag but White knocked Okada off the apron. YH managed a headhunter on Owens, then tagged Okada. Okada hit Owens with a back elbow and a DDT. Okada teased an air raid crash, but Owens blocked and suplexed Okada into the buckle.
White got a tag and hit a Blade Buster on Okada for a two count. Okada came back with a dropkick to the back. He tried another but White avoided it. They teased finishers. Okada pulled out of a Blade Runner and connected on another dropkick.
YH got a tag and hit a headhunter on White, then used a sit-out powerbomb and a jackknife cover for a two count.
YH went for Kharma, but White blocked. YH used the Butterfly Lock, but Owens saved for White. Okada and Owens brawled outside. YH hit a lariat. He went for Kharma again. White grabbed the referee. Gedo jumped in with brass knuckles. YH ducked the knuckles but fell victim to a Blade Runner. White got the pin.
YH had a good night and Okada was his usual spectacular self in this match.
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We got an awesome wacky Hiromu video package before the main event. Hiromu was hanging out in a laundromat. Hiromu was naked in a hot tub. I can’t do this justice.
WILL OSPREAY & ROBBIE EAGLES DEFEATED HIROMU TAKAHASHI & BUSHI
Hiromu looked good but only did some moderately insane things instead of his typical extremely insane things.
Hiromu and Ospreay started with a crazy exchange of flips, counters, drop-downs, misdirection spots, headscissors, you name it. This got a great crowd response. Both tagged out.
Eagles and BUSHI were the legal men inside, but the focus was on Ospreay and Hiromu on the floor. Ospreay sent Hiromu into the barricade repeatedly, and Hiromu threw himself around with reckless abandon.
Ospreay got a tag. Eagles and Ospreay hit stereo kicks on BUSHI. Ospreay got a two count as the pace slowed for the first time. Ospreay hit some methodical chops. Eagles tagged back in.
Hiromu tripped Eagles from the floor. He teased a sunset bomb on Ospreay, but ultimately settled for a regular apron bomb. Hiromu hit a shotgun dropkick and Ospreay flew over the barricade.
They fought into the crowd. BUSHI sent Eagles into the East sign, while Hiromu sent Ospreay into the West sign in Korakuen.
Back in the ring, Hiromu tagged in and hit Eagles with chops. BUSHI and Hiromu used quick tags and worked Eagles over. BUSHI used an STF, but Eagles reached the ropes. Hiromu and BUSHI both hit chops. Hiromu used a basement dropkick for a two count.
Ospreay tried a Pip Pip Cheerio but Hiromu hit him with a shotgun dropkick, and the Eagles beatdown continued. Eagles hit a leg lariat on Hiromu, then tagged Ospreay.
Ospreay hit Hiromu with a flying forearm. Hiromu again ducked Pip Pip Cheeri, but Ospreay connected on a backflip kick. Ospreay then hit Pip Pip Cheerio.
Ospreay teased Storm Breaker. Hiromu blocked, but Ospreay hit a kick that might have caught Hiromu in the face, as he ended up with a bloody nose. Hiromu suplexed Ospreay into the buckle. BUSHI got a tag and Ospreay hit both with a backflip kick, then tagged out.
Eagles missed a charge into the corner. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick. Eagles hit a dropkick to the leg. Ospreay entered for some tandem offense, then hit a Sasuke Special to Hiromu on the floor. Eagles hit a running knee for a two count.
Eagles missed a 450 attempt, but rolled through. Ospreay and Hiromu jumped in. Hiromu blocked a tiger wall flip kick and sent Ospreay outside. Eagles hit a kick on Hiromu, then hit BUSHI with Turbo Backpack.
Eagles climbed to the top but BUSHI cut him off. Eagles sent BUSHI back to the mat with a headbutt, then hit a 450 to the legs. Eagles then used the Ron Miller Special. Hiromu tried to save but Ospreay intercepted him with a cobra twist. Hiromu hit a pop-up powerbomb on Ospreay, sendng him into Eagles, breaking the submission.
BUSHI managed a tag. Hiromu hit a corner clothesline. Eagles and Ospreay cut him off with a double Cheeky Nandos kick.
Eagles and Ospreay went for Red Wing. Hiromu flipped over into a double powerbomb off the second rope. Hiromu and BUSHI hit a tandem fireman’s carry slam on Eagles but Ospreay saved.
Ospreay tried Hidden Blade on Hiromu, but Hiromu ducked it, then press slammed Ospreay over the top to the floor. BUSHI followed with a dive over the top to Ospreay.
Hiromu hit a DVD into the buckle on Eagles. He tried Dynamite Plunger, but Eagles rolled through into a cradle for the surprise pinfall win.
After the bell, Ospreay taunted Hiromu with the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight belt. Hiromu and BUSHI walked to the back, leaving Ospreay to cut the show-closing promo.
Ospreay cut a heelish promo. He said maybe Hiromu isn’t ready, but he is, and he’ll see everyone tomorrow.
Hiromu Takahashi is returning to action prior to his matches at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
NJPW has revealed the full cards for their three-show Road to Tokyo Dome tour. Takahashi will be in action on all three nights, with him in the main events of nights one and two.
In his return match, Takahashi will team with BUSHI against Will Ospreay & Robbie Eagles on Road to Tokyo Dome night one on December 19. On night two, Takahashi, BUSHI, Tetsuya Naito, & EVIL will face Ospreay, Eagles, Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI.
Takahashi & EVIL will face Ospreay & Tomohiro Ishii on night three.
Ospreay defending his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Takahashi is set for Wrestle Kingdom 14 night one. Takahashi will be part of Jushin Thunder Liger’s retirement match on night two. It will be Liger & Naoki Sano (w/ Yoshiaki Fujiwara) vs. Takahashi & Ryu Lee (Dragon Lee’s new name in NJPW).
For the first time since breaking his neck against Lee in July 2018, Takahashi returned at Power Struggle last month and challenged Ospreay for Wrestle Kingdom 14.
The three Road to Tokyo Dome shows are taking place at Korakuen Hall and will air live on New Japan World. Here are the full lineups for the tour:
Night one (Thursday, December 19) —
Will Ospreay & Robbie Eagles vs. Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jay White & Chase Owens
Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi
Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, SHO & YOH vs. KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
SANADA & EVIL vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi
Juice Robinson, David Finlay & Toa Henare vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Bad Luck Fale
NJPW has revealed the cards for this year’s Road to Tokyo Dome events.
The shows will take place at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo this Friday (December 14) and Saturday (December 15). The cards largely feature tag team matches that will serve as the final build to Wrestle Kingdom 13.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay, Togi Makabe & Toru Yano vs. Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens will be the main event of Friday’s show. The lineup for Friday also includes two singles matches: Kazuchika Okada vs. Gedo and Shingo Takagi vs. Shota Umino.
Tanahashi & Ospreay vs. Omega & Ibushi is set to headline Saturday’s show. Tanahashi will challenge for Omega’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13 at the Tokyo Dome on January 4, and Ospreay is challenging for Ibushi’s NEVER Openweight Championship at the Tokyo Dome show.
Teruaki Kanemitsu is returning to action on Saturday after suffering a cervical spine injury in 2016.
Both Road to Tokyo Dome events will air live on New Japan World. There will be English commentary available.
Here are the full Road to Tokyo Dome cards:
December 14 —
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay, Togi Makabe & Toru Yano vs. Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens
Kazuchika Okada vs. Gedo
Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Taiji Ishimori
Tomohiro Ishii, SHO & YOH vs. Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado
The expected hair vs. hair match between Minoru Suzuki and Hirooki Goto for the NEVER Openweight Championship is now just about official for the January 4th Wrestle Kingdom show at the Tokyo Dome.
It is expected that the entire card will be announced within the next 48 hours since New Japan’s final show of the year on Monday at Korakuen Hall just ended.
After Goto & YOSHI-HASHI beat Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka via DQ due to outside interference on today’s show, Suzuki and Goto did post-match mic work. Suzuki accepted the challenge and said that he would finish Goto, not just humiliate him by taking his hair. He also indicated his own hair would be on the line as he said it was all or nothing, the winner gets the clippers (to cut their opponent’s hair off) as well as the NEVER title belt.
Also at today’s show, Hiroshi Tanahashi appeared and assured everyone that his knee is improving and he would be defending his IWGP Intercontinental title against Jay White at the Dome. White, who was not advertised for the show and didn’t wrestle, then attacked Tanahashi and worked over his bad knee.
There was also an end-of-the-show brawl with Tetsuya Naito and Kazuchika Okada in their final confrontation before the Tokyo Dome. This time Naito was able to escape Okada’s new Cobra Clutch and finish him with the Destino, to show that even with Okada’s new counter developed, he’s studied and can still win the title.
New Japan Pro Wrestling has one more title match scheduled before Wrestle Kingdom 12 at the Tokyo Dome.
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI will defend their titles against Bad Luck Fale & Guerrillas of Destiny at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome show on December 17th. With SANADA & EVIL challenging Killer Elite Squad at Wrestle Kingdom, a title change would clear the way for the NEVER tag belts to be featured on the card.
SANADA & EVIL defeated Guerrillas of Destiny in this year’s World Tag League finals, with BUSHI getting disqualified against Fale earlier in the show after using the black mist.
The NEVER Six-Man titles were featured in a gauntlet match at Wrestle Kingdom 11. Whether Los Ingobernables de Japon retain or not, the full card for January’s Dome show likely won’t be announced until after Sunday’s six-man title match happens.
SANADA & EVIL vs. KES for the IWGP Tag Team Championship was added to the Wrestle Kingdom 12 lineup at a press conference overnight. Minoru Suzuki vs. Hirooki Goto in a match where Suzuki’s NEVER Openweight title and Goto’s hair are both on the line has been set up as well, though NJPW has yet to officially announce it.
Korakuen Hall will host Road to Tokyo Dome shows on December 17th and 18th as the final build to Wrestle Kingdom takes place. Hiroshi Tanahashi isn’t listed on the card for either night at Korakuen, which means that his first match back from his knee injury is scheduled to be when he faces Jay White at the Dome.
Kazuchika Okada facing off against Tetsuya Naito in tag team matches ahead of their IWGP Heavyweight Championship bout is the main event for both Road to Tokyo Dome shows. Okada & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Naito & Hiromu Takahashi will headline night one, with Okada, Sho & Yoh vs. Naito, Takahashi & BUSHI set for night two.
