Tag: world tag league 2021

NJPW reveals participants for World Tag League 2021

Posted on by Bryan Rose

NJPW has announced the teams for this year’s World Tag League.

12 teams will compete in a round robin tournament, with the top two teams with the most points meeting in the finals December 15 in Sumo Hall along with the finals of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament. The winners of the World Tag League tournament will meet IWGP Tag Team Champions Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. at Wrestle Kingdom 16.

Taka Michinoku, who has not been seen in New Japan since the end of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in 2019, will return as part of this year’s World Tag League. He will be teaming with Minoru Suzuki, who will make his return to the company after spending most of the last two months in the United States.

Tetsuya Naito confirmed in a press conference Monday morning that he would be part of the tournament as well, returning from a knee injury that he suffered back in September during his first match in the G1 Climax 31 tournament. He will be teaming with SANADA.

The full list of teams is as follows:

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toru Yano
  • Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma)
  • Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima)
  • Yuji Nagata & Tiger Mask
  • Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI
  • Tetsuya Naito & SANADA
  • Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.)
  • Minoru Suzuki & Taka Michinoku
  • Great-O-Khan & Aaron Henare
  • Guerillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa)
  • EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi
  • Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens

The first World Tag League card will take place on November 14. The show will be headlined by Naito & SANADA taking on Goto & YOSHI-HASHI. Other tournament matches include Tanahashi & Yano vs. EVIL & Yujiro, Henare & Great-O-Khan vs. Fale and Owens, Honma & Makabe vs. Guerrillas of Destiny, Tencozy vs. Nagata & Tiger Mask, and Dangerous Tekkers vs. Suzuki & Michinoku

Tetsuya Naito returning from injury for NJPW World Tag League

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Tetsuya Naito is returning to action on November 14.

Naito appeared at a press conference held this morning and confirmed that he would be returning for the World Tag League that will start on the 14th. He announced that he would be teaming with SANADA. 

During the press conference, Naito said that he injured his knee during his first match in the G1 against Zack Sabre Jr. back in September. This caused him to miss the rest of the tournament, officially scoring a 0-9 record. Naito said that while he was mentally preparing for torn ligaments in his knees that would have required surgery, instead there was in fact no ligament damage and would be able to return to the ring quickly. He also assured people that he was not rushing back to the ring.

It was also confirmed during this morning’s press conference that Kazuchika Okada would challenge Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight title at Wrestle Kingdom 16 on January 4.