SEScoops

Category: NJPW

  • Tony Khan Reacts To NJPW President Stepping Down

    Tony Khan Reacts To NJPW President Stepping Down

    We could be getting a little closer to a partnership between All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

    Harold Meij recently announced that he is stepping down as the President of New Japan Pro Wrestling. The news has led to some AEW fans believing that Meij’s departure could perhaps open the door for some type of relationship between the two promotions.

    Tony Khan recently spoke to Dave Meltzer for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and said he thinks Meij’s departure could be a positive development towards a working relationship between the two organizations.

    “I’m not sure yet,” was Tony Khan’s reaction to the Wrestling Observer. “But my initial gut feeling is it could be good.”

    There were several references to NJPW made on last night’s edition of AEW Dynamite. The “Ace of New Japan” Hiroshi Tanahashi sent in a video congratulating Chris Jericho on his 30-years in wrestling. There were also references to NJPW matches involving Lance Archer and Jon Moxley on Dynamite.

    Moxley and Archer will meet for the AEW World title on next week’s “1-Year Anniversary” edition of Dynamite. They faced each other at this year’s Wrestle Kingdom as well.

    The references to NJPW on this week’s Dynamite led to much speculation from fans but Dave Meltzer noted they likely have nothing to do with a potential relationship between the two promotions.

  • Rumour Killer On Potential Partnership Between AEW And NJPW

    Rumour Killer On Potential Partnership Between AEW And NJPW

    Ever since AEW came into existence and even before they had produced their first show as a company, people have been talking about a potential relationship between them and NJPW.

    However, so far there has been no indication of the same and while officials have maintained the never say never attitude, there hasn’t really been any solid development that could suggest a future partnership between the two.

    The rumours picked up once again after the Japanese promotion was referenced a number of times during this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite including a cameo from Hiroshi Tanahashi.

    However, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer killed the rumours recently and replying to a tweet about the references, he revealed that the Tanahashi appearance was Chris Jericho’s doing:

    This week’s Dynamite saw Chris Jericho celebrating the 30-year anniversary of his pro wrestling debut. The episode included multiple video messages from various wrestlers congratulating Y2J, including one from the NJPW star.

    Though this wasn’t the only NJPW reference on the show. A video package hyping the match between Jon Moxley and Lance Archer featured footage from their previous encounter at the Japanese promotion and Excalibur name-dropped the company on commentary as well.

    While the two companies do not have a working relationship at the moment, the recent departure of NJPW CEO Harold Meij has given a new life to the rumours and it would be interesting to see if this change turns out to be a positive development for a future relationship between the two promotions.

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 12

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 12

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 10/8 2AM
    • Eastern: 10/8 5AM
    • UK: 10/8 10AM
    • Japan: 10/8 6PM
    • East Australia: 10/8 8PM

    NJPW World Video

    G1 Climax 30 Day 12 Results

    Gabriel Kidd def. Yuya Uemura (8:47)
    Over the course of this G1, which is past the halfway mark at this point, Gabriel Kidd has shown himself to be the most adaptable of the three young lions, in my view. He has the strength to strike with Tsuji and the technique to grapple with Uemura, while the two Japanese young lions are more specialized. Kidd and Uemura were both able to reach the ropes with their dueling Boston crabs early in the match, but, and Kidd had enough fight in him to stuff Uemura’s attempt at a double arm suplex. He hit a dropkick, a vertical suplex, followed by his own double underhook suplex for the win.

    B Block: Hirooki Goto def. YOSHI-HASHI (14:12)
    Goto’s last several matches have ended in very decisive fashion, lasting only several minutes combined. His right arm and shoulder are bandaged and it is a wonder whether that has made Goto fight with more urgency. YOSHI-HASHI focused on Goto’s hurt arm, applying a keylock that Goto needed a rope break to escape. Goto rallied with a spinning kick and a running bulldog, followed by the Ushigoroshi, but the pain in his arm stopped him from capitalizing. YOSHI-HASHI smartly countered with a lariat to the arm, followed by a Dragon suplex and the Butterfly Lock. He transitioned it into a sleeper hold and backstabber when Goto started moving towards the ropes, followed by the Kumagoroshi for a near fall. He tried to hit the Karma, but Goto stuffed it and lifted YOSHI-HASHI for the GTW. He tried to follow up, but YOSHI-HASHI hit a headbutt, only for Goto to return the favor. Finally, he hit the GTR for the pinfall win. Goto 6 points, YOSHI-HASHI 2 points

    B Block: Zack Sabre Jr. def. Toru Yano (12:20)
    Toru Yano claimed to want a clean fight with Zack Sabre Jr., and voluntarily removed many rolls of wrist tape from his trousers. He then proceeded to challenge Zack to grappling, followed by amateur wrestling, but Zack was not interested in engaging. Zack then adopted an amateur wrestling stance as well, but Yano instead ran to remove a turnbuckle pad. He left to retrieve a chair from outside the ring, along with a roll of tape, and he tied Zack’s arm to a chair outside the guardrail. Still, Zack was able to pull the chair through the bars of the guardrail to make it back in the ring before he could be counted out. The referee removed the chair and Yano apologized profusely to Zack, before hitting a belly-to-belly suplex. Yano pulled him out of the ring and tried to hit a German suplex on the floor, but Zack pulled him into an ankle lock and dragged him away from the ring. Yano was still able to limp back to the ring before the 20-count, though. The slowed Yano was a sitting duck for more leg attacks from Zack. Yano got to his feet and removed a turnbuckle pad, but then engaged Zack in a series of fighting for pinning combinations. Zack trapped him in an ankle lock yet again, then transitioned it into a heel hook, and Yano had nowhere to go. Zack 6 points, Yano 6 points

    B Block: SANADA def. KENTA (11:24)
    KENTA’s “IWGP US Heavyweight Championship #1 contender” briefcase had a big crack in it from when KENTA hit Tanahashi across the face with it two days ago. It had a note taped over the crack with Tanahashi’s name written. KENTA controlled the match early, grinding SANADA down with strikes and holds to the head. SANADA blocked a kick of KENTA’s and applied the Paradise Lock, which to this day amuses the audience very much. With a running dropkick followed by a diving double footstomp, KENTA brought the momentum of the match back in his favor. Hew went for the Go 2 Sleep, but this may have been premature, as SANADA avoided it easily. SANADA hit a pop-up TKO and applied the sleeper hold, but KENTA pushed him into the referee and left to pick up the briefcase again. He tried to hit SANADA in the face with it, but SANADA dodged it and dropkicked the briefcase into KENTA’s face. He then went for a moonsault, but KENTA blocked it with his knees. Seeing the opportunity, he tried for the Go 2 Sleep again, but SANADA avoided it and pulled KENTA into a Japanese leg roll clutch for the pinfall win. SANADA 6 points, KENTA 4 points

    B Block: Tetsuya Naito def. Juice Robinson (25:01)
    Juice has been one of the best at engaging a crowd that isn’t allowed to cheer, but Naito was the more popular man in the building. Naito dominated Juice in the early going, almost mocking him, and perhaps his Blues Brothers cosplay outfit, as he scraped his boot across Juice’s face. He mimicked Juice’s crowd-rallying pose while holding Juice in a headscissors hold, but Juice was finally able to get to his feet and grant himself some space with a spinebuster. This did not last long, though, as Naito pounced with a neckbreaker drop into the Pluma Blanca necklock. Naito condescendingly encouraged Juice to try harder, only for Juice to catch his flying forearm and hit a full nelson slam. He fired up the crowd as he lifted Naito to the top rope and landed a superplex into a jackhammer for a near fall on the double champion. Naito wriggled out of Juice’s Pulp Friction finish and awarded Juice a reverse Frankensteiner for his efforts. Naito went for the running Destino, but Juice caught him with a leg lariat as he yelled profanely. He caught Naito’s rope-assisted tornado DDT, but Naito modified it into a reverse Destino. Juice reversed Naito’s next Destino attempt into a falling powerbomb as the crowd applauded. Past the 20 minute mark, Juice hit a big lariat and tried once more for the Pulp Friction, but again Naito avoided it, but was knocked to the mat by the Left Hand of God. Juice tried yet again for his finish, but again Naito managed to hit another running Destino. The crowd came unglued as Juice kicked out! Naito was unfazed, though, and landed one last Destino to extend his lead on the rest of B Block. Naito 10 points, Juice 6 points

    B Block: EVIL def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (19:58)
    It didn’t take a long period of Tanahashi getting the better of EVIL for Dick Togo to interfere on EVIL’s behalf. EVIL whipped Tanahashi into the barricade, and while he was down, he pulled out a pile of chairs, suplexed Yota Tsuji onto them, and removed a turnbuckle pad. Togo would repeatedly be there when Tanahashi was starting to take control. EVIL tried to throw Tanahashi to the outside, but he skinned the cat to get back in the ring, only to get thrown halfway across with a German suplex. Tanahashi fought off EVIL’s Scorpion Deathlock attempt and tried to apply the Texas cloverleaf, but EVIL grabbed his hair to get Tanahashi off of him. Tanahashi hit a sliding dropkick to knock down Togo, followed by multiple Dragonscrews and another go at the cloverleaf. EVIL’s back was severely arched, but he managed to crawl to the bottom rope and free himself. EVIL returned to form with a big lariat, but Tanahashi reversed his Darkness Falls into a Sling Blade. Tanahashi climbed to the top rope for a High Fly Flow, and Togo tried to distract him, but Tsuji pulled him away. He hit the crossbody on a standing EVIL and transitioned into the Texas cloverleaf once more, but Togo came in and started choking Tanahashi with his wire. Tanahashi was able to lift it off of his neck and slap Togo in the face to send him reeling. From there, he hit a Sling Blade and a High Fly Flow to EVIL’s back, then went for another. However, Dick Togo pulled his leg, making his groin land on the turnbuckle, and giving EVIL the opening he needed. He superplexed Tanahashi off the top rope and landed Darkness Falls for a two-count. Finally, he landed his self-named STO for the three count. EVIL 8 points, Tanahashi 6 points

    G1 Climax 30 Standings

    A Block:
    8 points – Kota Ibushi, Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Jay White
    6 points – Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi
    4 points – Jeff Cobb
    0 points – Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    10 points – Tetsuya Naito
    8 points – EVIL
    6 points – Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Juice Robinson, Hirooki Goto, Zack Sabre Jr., SANADA
    4 points – KENTA
    2 points – YOSHI-HASHI

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 11

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 11

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 10/7 2:30AM
    • Eastern: 10/7 5:30AM
    • UK: 10/7 10:30AM
    • Japan: 10/7 6:30PM
    • East Australia: 10/7 8:30PM

    NJPW World Video

    G1 Climax 30 Day 11 Results

    Yota Tsuji def. Gabriel Kidd (6:43)
    Two of the last three opening singles matches between young lions have ended in time limit draws, including the last one between Tsuji and Kidd. Evidently, the two of them had taken that to heart and didn’t want it to happen again. They spared the audience the formality of grappling at all and went straight to brawling and trying for their finishing holds. After much striking and grunting, Tsuji hit a spear on Kidd and locked in the Boston crab. He leaned back to put even more tension on Kidd’s spine and Kidd had nowhere to go.

    A Block: Tomohiro Ishii def. Yujiro Takahashi (15:25)
    Yujiro attacked Ishii before the bell and spent the opening minutes controlling the match against the Stone Pitbull. After slowing Yujiro’s role with a vertical suplex, he took his shirt off and threw it at the laying Yujiro, which drew applause from the crowd. Ishii threw Yujiro with a German suplex into the turnbuckle pad, then lifted him to the top rope for a superplex and a near fall. Yujiro was hurt, but he managed to reverse Ishii’s powerbomb and hit an Olympic slam for a two-count and the Miami Shine for yet another. Yujiro tried for the Pimp Juice DDT, but Ishii blocked it. Yujiro blocked his multiple attempts at the vertical brainbuster, and managed to hit a brainbuster of his own. Desperate, Yujiro tried to roll Ishii up, but that didn’t work. With a headbutt, a sliding lariat, and the vertical drop brainbuster put Yujiro away. Credit to him for lasting as long as he did, though. Ishii 6 points, Yujiro 0 points

    A Block: Kazuchika Okada def. Jeff Cobb (11:03)
    Okada realized that he would be fighting an uphill battle against the powerhouse Cobb once the opening bell rang. As Cobb was coming off the ropes, Okada tried to jump over him, but Cobb caught him in midair and laid him out with a vertical suplex. Cobb missed a corner splash and Okada used this opportunity to use multiple swinging neckbreakers to ready Cobb for the Money Clip. This was not enough to slow Cobb, though. Okada, a deceptively large man in his own right, experienced being tossed multiple times like an infant. Cobb’s Athletic-Plex and standing moonsault both received close near-falls from the Rainmaker. However, Okada would block Cobb’s try at the Tour of the Islands and hit a standing dropkick and Tombstone piledriver to even the odds. Okada applied the Money Clip, but Cobb was able to get to his feet and hit a standing dropkick of his own! Okada dropeped multiple more attempts at the Tour of the Islands and applied a rana pin for the victory. Okada 8 points, Cobb 4 points

    A Block: Will Ospreay def. Minoru Suzuki (14:26)
    From jump, the wily Suzuki was frequently ready for Ospreay’s moves. On the outside of the ring, Ospreay tried to do a flying forearm off the barricade, but Suzuki caught him in an armbar. Suzuki kept attacking Ospreay’s right arm, and when Ospreay tried to pop up and hit an elbow strike, he recoiled in pain. Not the smartest tool in the shed. Suzuki laid in his chops and had Ospreay bleeding from the chest. A handspring kick and standing shooting star press helped Ospreay gain some breathing room, but another top rope attack led to him being trapped in an armbar yet again. He was able to put his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold, but Suzuki was still in control. He laughed at Ospreay’s feeble strikes, and when Ospreay tried to go to the top rope again, Suzuki caught him, only for an Ospreay headbutt to send him to the mat. Suzuki blocked Ospreay’s attempt at the Stormbreaker, but Ospreay hit a suplex to grant himself some slight reprieve. Suzuki dodged the Hidden Blade and applied a sleeper hold. He tried for the Gotch-style piledriver, but Ospreay got out of it and hit an enzuigiri, followed by the Stormbreaker for the win. Ospreay 8 points, Suzuki 6 points

    A Block: Jay White def. Taichi (15:16)
    Every time Jay tried to leave the ring to troll Taichi, Taichi left the ring too, like a never-ending battle of who could hold out for longer. Eventually, Jay got tired of this, and threw Taichi into the barricade. He brought Taichi back in and focused on attacking Taichi’s back until Taichi retaliated with his powerful kicks. When he missed a kick in the corner, Jay capitalized with a chop block, followed by the Bladebuster. After landing a uranage, Jay attempted the Blade Runner, but Taichi blocked it and hit a backdrop driver at the 10-minute mark. Jay couldn’t land the snap sleeper suplex and Taichi applied the Gedo Clutch, but Gedo himself came in to distract the referee so he couldn’t count the pin. Jay pushed Taichi into the referee, and Gedo tried to interfere, but Taichi kicked him in the crotch. Then he kicked Jay White there too, but he kicked out of the Gedo Clutch at 2. Taichi hit an elevated powerbomb for another near fall, then set up for a thrust kick. As he went for it, Jay caught his leg, then swiftly hit the Blade Runner. Jay 8 points, Taichi 6 points

    A Block: Shingo Takagi def. Kota Ibushi (21:56)
    Ibushi and Shingo have never wrestled in a singles match before, and this match was highly anticipated. These two men are both incredible athletes who can do most anything, but Ibushi has the advantage in speed, Shingo in strength. The winner of this match would be he who could press that advantage greater, and at first it was Shingo. He battered Ibushi with strikes that Ibushi couldn’t match, and Ibushi was confident enough to play Shingo’s game. Finally, Ibushi wised up, and took the advantage using his trademark aerial offense. Shingo would continually cut Ibushi off, though, as his left arm lariat made Ibushi land on the mat head-first, and then he landed the Noshigami for a near fall on last year’s G1 Climax winner. Shingo tried for a German suplex, but Ibushi backflipped out of it and kicked the sitting Shingo right in the back of the head. After Ibushi’s sitout powerbomb achieved a near fall, Shingo would grant himself some space with a death valley driver, then lift Ibushi for the Last of the Dragon. It did not work, but he avoided a kick from Ibushi to land the Made in Japan for a near fall once more. Shingo followed up with two Pumping Bombers, but Ibushi kicked out just in time! Shingo lifted Ibushi to his feet and went for the Last of the Dragon again, but Ibushi shifted his weight to avoid it. A big lariat from Ibushi put Shingo on his back, and a Boma Ye put Shingo down for a two-count. Ibushi tried to finish the match with the Kamigoye, but Shingo grabbed Ibushi’s knee, and lifted him by it into the Last of the Dragon! Shingo 6 points, Ibushi 8 points

    G1 Climax 30 Standings

    A Block:
    8 points – Kota Ibushi, Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Jay White
    6 points – Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi
    4 points – Jeff Cobb
    0 points – Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    8 points – Tetsuya Naito
    6 points – Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Juice Robinson, EVIL
    4 points – KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., Hirooki Goto, SANADA
    2 points – YOSHI-HASHI

  • NJPW Announces Best of the Super Juniors and World Tag League 2020

    NJPW Announces Best of the Super Juniors and World Tag League 2020

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling has announced that their last major tour of 2020 will host two tournaments concurrently. It will combine Best of the Super Juniors, their annual spring tournament for junior heavyweight wrestlers, and the World Tag League, a tag team tournament for heavyweights that usually takes place in the fall. Previously, Best of the Super Juniors had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic halting sporting events in Japan during the spring.

    The winners of BOSJ and WTL will challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Tag Team Championships, respectively, at the following year’s Wrestle Kingdom.

    The first day and last two days of the tour will be combined cards, featuring matches from both tournaments on the same event. All events in between will switch off between World Tag League and Best of the Super Juniors, as follows:

    November 15: World Tag League Day 1, Best of the Super Juniors Day 1
    November 16: World Tag League Day 2
    November 18: Best of the Super Juniors Day 2
    November 19: World Tag League Day 3
    November 20: Best of the Super Juniors Day 3
    November 22: World Tag League Day 4
    November 23: Best of the Super Juniors Day 4
    November 24: World Tag League Day 5
    November 25: Best of the Super Juniors Day 5
    November 28: World Tag League Day 6
    November 29: Best of the Super Juniors Day 6
    November 30: World Tag League Day 7
    December 2: Best of the Super Juniors Day 7
    December 4: World Tag League Day 8
    December 5: Best of the Super Juniors Day 8
    December 6: World Tag League Day 9, Best of the Super Juniors Day 9
    December 11: World Tag League Day 10, Best of the Super Juniors Day 10 (tournament finals)

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 10

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 10

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 10/6 2:30AM
    • Eastern: 10/6 5:30AM
    • UK: 10/6 10:30AM
    • Japan: 10/6 6:30PM
    • East Australia: 10/6 8:30PM

    NJPW World Video

    G1 Climax 30 Day 10 Results

    Yuya Uemura drew against Yota Tsuji (15:00)
    A lot of non-young lion wrestlers throughout the entire sport could learn from young lions about how to make working a hold compelling. Young lions don’t slap on a headlock to kill time because they don’t have time to kill; rather, this is how they learn to do more with less. The raucous applause Tsuji and Uemura would receive received for scratching, clawing, and eventually reaching the bottom rope to break each other’s Boston crabs was a testament to that. After the ring announcer announced that only one minute was left, they immediately scrambled for flash pinfall attempts, but neither could make one stick. The match ended in a 15:00 time limit draw.

    B Block: Hirooki Goto def. Toru Yano (0:18)
    Similar to how he did towards Juice Robinson, Toru Yano tried the trick of giving one of his t-shirts to Goto and asking him to put it on, so that he could get a flash pin while their shirt was over their head. Goto was not having it and threw the shirt to the mat. As Yano turned around to pick it up, Goto hit a lariat to Yano’s back, then applied the Goto Shiki pinning combination and got the three-count. This was the shortest match in the history of the G1 Climax, and likely one of the shortest in all of NJPW’s history. Goto 4 points, Yano 6 points

    B Block: SANADA def. Zack Sabre Jr. (14:31)
    Zack Sabre Jr. has a reputation for pulling SANADA’s more technical side whenever they wrestle, and that was more than evident in this match. However, most of SANADA’s attempts at matching Zack hold for hold ended in vain, as the lanky Brit rotated between SANADA’s arms, legs, and neck as targets for submission holds. He had SANADA scouted as well: he dodged SANADA’s plancha to the outside and applied an Octopus hold, but had to break it to avoid being counted out. Later, he blocked SANADA’s TKO and avoided multiple attempts at the his leg roll clutch. He even got a bit cocky, applying his own variation of the Skull End, but this may have been his undoing. SANADA reversed Zack’s dragon sleeper variation, then lifted Zack’s legs onto the top rope for a rope-assisted TKO. He followed up with the top rope moonsault for his second victory of the G1. SANADA 4 points, Zack 4 points

    B Block: EVIL def. Juice Robinson (15:35)
    Not long into the match, EVIL suplexed Juice into a pile of steel chairs that he pulled out from under the ring, then used the time while Juice was laying in agony to remove a turnbuckle pad. When he was finally able to get back into the ring, EVIL put him in a half Boston crab, but the anguished Juice would crawl to the bottom rope to break the hold. With a big leg lariat and a spinebuster, Juice would make his comeback, then hit a plancha on Dick Togo to temporarily take him out. The crowd clapped and stomped rhythmically for Juice as he hit a superplex followed by a Jackhammer for a near fall on the former IWGP double champion. However, EVIL would push Juice to the ropes so that the recovered Togo could slam a steel chair into Juice’s back. This gave EVIL the opportunity to hit Darkness Falls for a two count, but Juice would block the EVIL, only for EVIL to block the Pulp Friction as well. EVIL hit a low blow as Juice was going for the Left Hand of God, and from there he hit his eponymous STO for the tainted victory. EVIL 6 points, Juice 6 points

    B Block: Tetsuya Naito def. YOSHI-HASHI (24:43)
    Coming off of winning the first ever championship of his career, YOSHI-HASHI is in a stronger position than he has ever been. This provided him the fire he needed to hold the advantage against Naito, hitting a tope con hilo followed by a top rope Headhunter for a two-count. However, the double champion Naito would not go down without a fight. He reversed YOSHI-HASHI’s running powerbomb into a Frankensteiner, and followed it with a tornado DDT. He fought off the first attempt at the Butterfly Lock with relative ease as well. He hit the Gloria for a near fall, then followed up with a first Destino attempt, but a western lariat from YOSHI-HASHI thwarted it. YOSHI-HASHI fought back with a shoulderbuster followed by another try at the Butterfly Lock. He transitioned it into a backstabber when he saw Naito inching towards the ropes, and applied it again. For what seemed like an eternity, Naito was in the Butterfly Lock, but was finally able to get a rope break as it was announced 20 minutes of the match had elapsed. Still, as soon as Naito got to his feet, YOSHI-HASHi capitalized with a running lariat, but his attempt at the Kumagoroshi ended in Naito hitting a reverse Destino. YOSHI-HASHI’s counterplay was countering Naito’s next Destino attempt with the Kumagoroshi, and going for Karma. Naito stuffed the Karma and hit a rolling kick, followed by Valentia for a near fall. A final Destino finished off YOSHI-HASHI. Naito 8 points, YOSHI-HASHI 2 points

    B Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi def. KENTA (23:41)
    KENTA was able to take advantage early and execute his plan: neutralizing Tanahashi’s known bad legs to make him more averse to using the High Fly Flow. Also, he was feeling particularly smarmy today, playing the air bass guitar while Tanahashi was writhing in agony on the mat. Tanahashi was able to give himself breathing room with a Dragonscrew and a front flip senton, but soon enough KENTA was back to working the knees with a Figure Four Leglock. He took Tanahashi to the apron and gave him a Dragonscrew from the apron to the floor, leaving him to be nearly counted out. KENTA pounced with a diving double foot stomp when Tanahashi came in and went for the Go 2 Sleep, but Tanahashi managed to wriggle out of it. He came back with a Sling Blade and multiple Dragonscrews while the crowd were with him, but sustained some cracking backhand slaps from KENTA in the process. KENTA pushed Tanahashi into the referee, making them fall to the mat, and hit multiple splashes on the two of them. He grabbed his IWGP US Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender briefcase from ringside and hit Tanahashi square in the face with it. Tanahashi rose to his knees only for a Busaiku Knee Kick to greet him. KENTA lifted Tanahashi for the Go 2 Sleep, but Tanahashi got out of it again and hit multiple Twist and Shouts. After a High Fly Flow on a standing KENTA, Tanahashi applied a Texas cloverleaf for the submission victory! Tanahashi 6 points, KENTA 4 points

    G1 Climax 30 Standings

    A Block:
    8 points – Kota Ibushi
    6 points – Taichi, Jay White, Minoru Suzuki, Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada
    4 points – Shingo Takagi, Jeff Cobb, Tomohiro Ishii
    0 points – Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    8 points – Tetsuya Naito
    6 points – Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Juice Robinson, EVIL
    4 points – KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., Hirooki Goto, SANADA
    2 points – YOSHI-HASHI

  • Vince Russo Lambasts “Dance Routine” During G1 Climax Match

    Vince Russo Lambasts “Dance Routine” During G1 Climax Match

    Former WWE/WCW/TNA writer and outspoken pro wrestling personality Vince Russo recently commented on New Japan’s G1 Climax tournament. This year’s G1 recently began and it sees two blocks of NJPW’s top stars battle to determine next year’s Wrestle Kingdom main event.

    Russo has made it clear in the past that there are elements of New Japan’s style that he is not a fan of. On this week’s episode of the 8 Days a Week podcast, Vince Russo would lambast NJPW performers once again.

    ‘Ridiculous’

    “Someone put up this sequence from these two wrestlers, it must have been from the G1 in Japan” Vince Russo began on the podcast. “And like the person commented that ‘this is the most ridiculous [thing]’ and it was. It was like a minute of the most ridiculous dance routine that you never in a million years would believe could happen like in a wrestling match. I swear to God, bro.”

    Russo did not explicitly say which match the video highlighted; however a clip from the match between Will Ospreay and Shingo Takagi has been dividing fans on Twitter. Check it out for yourself below.

    “If ‘people’ just saw that? And they never watched wrestling? They would literally say like ‘what is this!?’” Russo would continue. “That’s what they would say like ‘what is this!?!?’ You had two guys that totally rehearsed this whole thing. ‘You go, I go, you duck, I duck, you roll, I roll, bro.’”

    Vince Russo would finish by suggesting that this style would not have a wide appeal. “I’m sitting there watching this and I’m like, how and why is this appealing to anybody? Like anyone, bro?”

    Have you been watching the G1 Climax? Have you been enjoying the tournament so far? Let us know in the comments

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 9

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 9

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 10/5 3AM
    • Eastern: 10/5 6AM
    • UK: 10/5 11AM
    • Japan: 10/5 7PM
    • East Australia: 10/5 9PM

    NJPW World Video (Japanese Commentary)

    G1 Climax 30 Day 9 Results

    Yuya Uemura def. Gabriel Kidd (7:35)
    The neck strength fostered at the NJPW Dojo, and likely most of the dojos in Japan, is truly otherworldly. It’s not even the first time they did this in this series of tournament matches, but watching Uemura bridge while an adult man is kneeling on his torso never fails to impress. What also never fails to please is when someone takes the most obvious move possible, to break the hold they’re trapped in, seen in this match when Kidd ended Uemura’s arm wringer with a loud elbow to the face. I enjoy the struggle that young lion matches embody and oftentimes non-young lions focus more on showcasing their repertoire than embodying that struggle. Yuya Uemura won by submission with a high-angle Boston crab.

    A Block: Shingo Takagi def. Yujiro Takahashi (13:38)
    Yujiro was sensible enough to understand that fighting dirty was the only hope he had against a powerhouse like Shingo. He bent the rules in every way possible, between hair pulling, biting, and slamming Shingo’s head into the corner post, and a reverse DDT on the apron for good measure. Eventually, Shingo got frustrated enough to bite Yujiro on the hand the way he did to Shingo earlier. It must hurt being bitten by a dragon. Yujiro pushed Shingo harder than I expected, hitting the Miami Shine and trying to set up for Pimp Juice, but Shingo stopped him. Eventually, Yujiro pushed the referee and tried to hit Shingo with his pimp cane, but Shingo lariated it away. A following Pumping Bomber and Last of the Dragon put Yujiro away in decisive fashion. Shingo 4 points, Yujiro 0 points

    A Block: Jeff Cobb def. Jay White (12:24)
    Taking a lesson from Bullet Club stablemate Yujiro in the previous match, Jay White used underhanded tactics to try and cut Mr. Athletic down to size. At one point, Gedo tried to interfere but Jeff Cobb caught both him and Jay, and delivered a double noggin knocker, something I’m surprised not to see more of in wrestling. Impressively, White was able to lift the rotund Cobb for the Bladebuster, but found himself thoroughly outmatched in a battle of strikes. Jay then transitioned into taking out the big man’s legs with a chop block and a dragonscrew. Cobb fired up and still had enough of a base that he could still try for the Tour of the Islands. Jay blocked it at first, but Gedo came in to distract Cobb and give Jay a moment of reprieve. However, this backfired spectacularly, when Cobb lifted Gedo up, press-slammed him into Jay White, and then hit the Tour of the Islands to pin Jay White. Cobb 4 points, White 6 points

    A Block: Kazuchika Okada def. Minoru Suzuki (14:10)
    Okada tried to grapple with Suzuki only to get summarily stretched, and then rocked when he tried to throw elbows with Suzuki. Okada has come back from behind to defeat Suzuki in the past, but it never seemed quite so one-sided. Okada tried to run off the ropes, but Suzuki caught him in a sleeper hold and went for an early Gotch-style piledriver. Okada blocked it and hit the Reverse Neckbreaker, which was the most relevant moment of offense he had achieved thus far. Still, Suzuki had the mettle to hold his hands behind his back and challenge Okada to hit him hard enough to hurt. Instead, Okada hit a standing dropkick followed by a Tombstone piledriver, then applied his cobra clutch, the Money Clip. Suzuki got to his feet and made it out of the hold. He put on a sleeper hold with bodyscissors, and when Okada managed to stand up out of it, he applied it again, but Okada grabbed Suzuki’s legs and pushed him down into a prawn hold for the pinfall victory. Likely the least earned win Okada has had in this tournament, and has ever had over Suzuki. Okada 6 points, Suzuki 6 points

    A Block: Tomohiro Ishii def. Taichi (18:48)
    Taichi truly has come along way over the last several years. In the early going of this match, Taichi was trading his kicks for Ishii’s forearm strikes and coming out the better man for it. Of course, Ishii did eventually find the werewithal to push through the pain and start laying the boots to Taichi. Perhaps his hubris got the better of him, as he went for an early attempt at the brainbuster, but Taichi blocked it and a cracking head kick put Ishii’s head flat on the mat. Ishii made it back to his feet but Taichi continued to punish him with heavy strikes. Ishii popped up yet again and hit a buckle bomb and a lariat, then endured a buzzsaw kick to the head and continued laying on his strikes. He went for the brainbuster yet again, but Taichi dropped out of it. In a moment of desperation, he pushed the referee at Ishii and kicked Ishii in the groin, but even this could not put Ishii away for a three-count. Ishii stood up and hit a lariat but Taichi kicked out at one, then stood up and dropped Ishii on his head with a backdrop driver! Down but not out, Ishii blocked Taichi’s attempt at Black Mephisto and hit a jumping high kick, followed by a sliding lariat. The vertical drop brainbuster finished Taichi off in emphatic fashion. Ishii 4 points, Taichi 6 points

    A Block: Kota Ibushi def. Will Ospreay (15:56)
    The way Ospreay behaved towards Ibushi as this match began was almost comically condescending. He ruffled Ibushi’s hair with his hand when they were locked up against the ropes, then again with his boot later when Ibushi was on the mat. Ibushi did not take this lightly. When Ospreay did his fakeout Sasuke Special and posed in the ring, Ibushi bolted in and grabbed his arms for a Kamigoye attempt. It did not land, but it’s the thought that counts. Similar to their encounter late last year, Ibushi tried for a top rope Frankensteiner, only for Ospreay to land on his feet out of it, albeit with a bit less balance than last time. He was also getting the better of Ibushi when it came to striking too. Ospreay tried for a Stombreaker early on but couldn’t make it stick, and hit a gnarly sitout powerbomb to put Ibushi down for a two-count. Ospreay set up in the corner for the Hidden Blade, but Ibushi stood up just in time to block it, and hit a powerbomb of his own for a near fall. Feeling the need to end the match quickly, Ospreay went for the Oscutter, but Ibushi hit a jumping knee to hit Ospreay in midair, and then the Kamigoye for an abrupt but utlimately satisfying victory. Ibushi 8 points, Ospreay 6 points

    G1 Climax 30 Standings

    A Block:
    8 points – Kota Ibushi
    6 points – Taichi, Jay White, Minoru Suzuki, Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada
    4 points – Shingo Takagi, Jeff Cobb, Tomohiro Ishii
    0 points – Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    6 points – Toru Yano, Tetsuya Naito, Juice Robinson
    4 points – KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., Hiroshi Tanahashi, EVIL
    2 points – Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, SANADA

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 8

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 8

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 10/1 2:30AM
    • Eastern: 10/1 5:30AM
    • UK: 10/1 10:30AM
    • Japan: 10/1 6:30PM
    • East Australia: 10/1 7:30PM

    NJPW World Video

    G1 Climax 30 Day 8 Results

    Yota Tsuji vs. Gabriel Kidd ended in a draw (15:00)
    Gabriel Kidd has come along a great deal since joining NJPW. He worked a headlock on Tsuji in the most interesting way I’ve ever seen someone do it, cranking on it and reversing all of Tsuji’s attempts to break it in creative ways. His creative holds and transitions enabled him to dominate the majority of the match against Tsuji. Tsuji retaliated with a body slam into a single-leg Boston crab, but it was enough to make Kidd’s crumble after he tried a body slam of his own. Kidd locked in a full Boston crab, but Tsuji was able to make it to the ropes to break the hold. Tsuji hit a back body drop and applied a Boston crab of his own. Kidd was able to get out of it and hit a dropkick as the ring announcer said there was less than 1 minute to go. They both attempted flash pins but the 15 minute time limit arrived before either man was finished Both men kept striking each other after the bell rang until they collapsed in a heap.

    B Block: Juice Robinson def. Toru Yano (6:42)
    Toru Yano threw one of his t-shirts at Juice and asked him to put it on. Juice was suspicious of Yano’s intentions, but he insisted, and then attempted to roll Juice up, but failed. He then left the ring and told Juice to come after him, but Juice ripped the Yano shirt off and rubbed it between his legs before running after Yano. Yano outsmarted him and taped Juice’s legs together, then bolted back into the ring for the countout victory, but Juice hopped on his taped-together legs back into the ring in time. Juice managed to rip the tape off and hit the Left Hand of God, but Yano blocked Juice’s Pulp Friction. He tried for another roll up but Juice reversed it into a prawn hold for the pinfall victory. Juice 6 points, Yano 6 points

    B Block: Zack Sabre Jr. def. Hirooki Goto (3:59)
    Following his loss at the hands of KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr. wasted no time trying to dismantle the bandaged right shoulder of Hirooki Goto. He brought Goto to his knees with an octopus hold, then hit a cheeky penalty kick for good measure. The angered Goto hit a lariat with his bad arm and paid the price, collapsing in pain. He managed to still perform the Ushigoroshi on Zack, but when he went for his finishing move, the GTR, Zack dropped out of his grip and flipped Goto into the bridging European Clutch for the three-count, in a very fast match.

    B Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi def. YOSHI-HASHI (18:41)
    YOSHI-HASHI, seemingly in defiance of one of the elder statesmen of NJPW, adapted part of Tanahashi’s trademark strategy for himself, going after Tanahashi’s legs early in the match, including a Dragonscrew. Irate, Tanahashi pushed YOSHI-HASHI into the corner with elbow strikes and then repaid him with a Dragonscrew of his own. Shockingly, YOSHI-HASHI overpowered Tanahashi in a chop battle and then put him down for a 2-count with a sitout powerbomb. Tanahashi hit a Sling Blade when YOSHI-HASHI ran off the ropes, and then went for the High Fly Flow, but YOSHI-HASHI blocked it with his knees! He then hit a big lariat and applied the Butterfly Lock as the crowd rallied behind Tanahashi. He could see Tanahashi inching toward the rope and transitioned into a backcracker. Tanahashi tried to come back with repeated Dragonscrews, but YOSHI-HASHI managed to hit the Kumagoroshi for a near fall. Tanahashi blocked YOSHI-HASHI’s attempt at the Karma and hit a fast Sling Blade, followed by two High Fly Flows to put YOSHI-HASHI away. 4 points Tanahashi, 2 points YOSHI-HASHI

    B Block: EVIL def. KENTA (15:40)
    I was interested in this match before the tournament began, with the potential interactions between two Bullet Club members who have not interacted recently, and how Dick Togo’s allegiance might factor in. KENTA offered a 2-Sweet at the start of the match, and EVIL and Dick Togo gave each other a 2-Sweet instead of KENTA. Seemingly perturbed by this, KENTA whispered something to Dick Togo and then went about beating EVIL from pillar to post. He asked Dick Togo to help him but Togo did not get involved. EVIL irish-whipped KENTA into the ropes and Togo grabbed his foot, making him trip, which made KENTA furious at how a Bullet Club member could cheat against another one. From here, EVIL controlled the pace, grinding KENTA down and wrenching on his bad left shoulder. KENTA retaliated with powerful kicks and a flying lariat for a near fall, but when he tried to follow up, Dick Togo jumped onto the apron to distract him and put EVIL back in control. KENTA pushed the referee into EVIL and went to grab his “IWGP US Heavyweight Champion #1 contender” briefcase. Dick Togo asked KENTA for it, and got hit in the face with it. KENTA then hit EVIL with it as well and followed up with the Busaiku Knee Kick, but EVIL kicked out. EVIL then came back with the Darkness Falls, but KENTA blocked the EVIL, and lifted the interfering Dick Togo into the Go 2 Sleep. This gave EVIL the opportunity to hit a low blow from behind and then the EVIL STO for the dirty win over KENTA. 4 points EVIL, 4 points KENTA

    B Block: SANADA def. Tetsuya Naito (27:08)
    Naito and SANADA have met in the G1 several times since SANADA joined LIJ, but no LIJ member has ever defeated Naito in the G1. However, the crowd today, being in the same prefecture that SANADA was born in, was on SANADA’s side. They clapped in bursts of three, as if chanting the syllables of his name. Naito took this personally, finding every opportunity possible to crank on SANADA’s neck while urging the crowd to chant for their hometown hero. Naito softened SANADA’s neck up with a top rope Frankensteiner and the Esperanza, but SANADA reversed his running Destino into the TKO cutter. From there, he landed the moonsault into the Skull End, reapplying the bodyscissors when Naito managed to get to his feet. He broke the hold to hit the top rope moonsault, but Naito rolled out of the way! As the ring announcer said that 25 minutes had passed, Naito hit a Destino only for SANADA to kick out. He wound up for another, but SANADA blocked it and hit a Destino of his own! He followed up with two top rope moonsaults and got the pin on Naito! SANADA 2 points, Naito 6 points

    G1 Climax Updated Standings

    A Block:
    6 points – Taichi, Jay White, Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi, Will Ospreay
    4 points – Kazuchika Okada
    2 points – Jeff Cobb, Shingo Takagi, Tomohiro Ishii
    0 points – Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    6 points – Toru Yano, Tetsuya Naito, Juice Robinson
    4 points – KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., Hiroshi Tanahashi, EVIL
    2 points – Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, SANADA

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 7

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 7

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 9/30 2:30AM
    • Eastern: 9/30 5:30AM
    • UK: 9/30 10:30AM
    • Japan: 9/30 6:30PM
    • East Australia: 9/30 7:30PM

    NJPW World Video

    G1 Climax 30 Day 7 Results

    Yota Tsuji def. Yuya Uemura
    Tsuji and Uemura have become very proficient at expressing the power versus technique dynamic. Watching Tsuji definitively overpower Uemura in a test of strength, forcing him into a bridge, but Uemura laying down to slip out of it and make it back onto his feet impressed me. It’s a level of making something simplistic yet satisfying and interesting that young lions usually become very good at before they graduate, thanks to their intentionally limited moveset. After Uemura nearly made it to the ropes to break the Boston crab, Tsuji busted out a giant swing, and reapplied the Boston crab for the victory. Also, it looks like he’s growing his beard back out too, which is nice.

    A Block: Minoru Suzuki def. Yujiro Takahashi (7:53)
    Yujiro showed an uncharacteristic energy, as if he had something to prove to the self-proclaimed King of Pro-Wrestling. The fact that Yujiro was putting up more of a fight than expected enraged Suzuki, and he mercilessly beat Yujiro with a chair, then demanded the audience to applaud for him. Suzuki cranked on Yujiro’s neck with a guillotine choke, but Yujiro was able to lift Suzuki into a Fisherman Buster. Yujiro fired up and yelled like a young lion trying to escape certain defeat as Suzuki pelted him with slaps and elbow strikes. Nevertheless, Suzuki hit the Gotch-style piledriver and it was all over. Suzuki 6 points, Yujiro 0 points

    A Block: Kota Ibushi def. Jeff Cobb (10:43)
    Jeff Cobb’s size and strength was sufficient to intimidate even Ibushi, who was hesitant to engage Cobb in close quarters at first. He tried to stay out of Cobb’s range, hitting sharp leg kicks. This was not enough to deter Cobb, whose surreal agility was on display as he landed a dropkick that Okada would be proud of. As Cobb delivered his arsenal of slams and suplexes, Ibushi needed a reprieve, and hung onto the ropes to catch his breath, but Cobb overpowered his grip and lifted him into the Athletic-Plex. Cobb tried for the Tour of the Islands, but Ibushi slipped out of it and hit a loud jumping knee strike, followed by the Kamigoye for the victory. Ibushi 6 points, Cobb 2 points

    A Block: Kazuchika Okada def. Taichi (17:03)
    El Desperado was a guest commentator for this match, and pulled out a chair when the match began. The referee left the ring to take the chair away from him, but this was merely a distraction, for Taichi had also gotten a chair and was pummeling Okada’s wrapped back with it. Taichi then rained down fast kicks on Okada, but Okada finally retaliated with elbows and uppercuts. He rose to the top rope, looking for a missile dropkick, but Taichi moved out of the way and Okada landed loudly on the mat. Like a shark smelling blood, Taichi hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and applied a half Boston crab while driving his knee into Okada’s back. As Taichi went for a thrust kick, Okada countered it with a dropkick, but Taichi quickly hit a backdrop driver that gave Okada a dazed facial expression. Desperate, Okada used a turning Tombstone piledriver, followed by a short-range lariat. Okada attempted a discus lariat, but Taichi dodged it and his wrist-clutch Axe Bomber achieved another near fall. Okada applied the Money Clip again and Taichi was visibly losing consciousness, so the referee called for the bell. Okada 4 points, Taichi 6 points

    A Block: Will Ospreay def. Jay White (18:46)
    Early on, Jay White was laying into Ospreay with backhand chops, but a single chop from Ospreay put White flat on his back, which was likely a wake-up call for Jay. He did his best to keep Ospreay on the mat, using holds like a half Boston crab to wear him down and stop him from taking advantage of his otherworldly speed. Unfortunately, Ospreay was able to get to his feet, but White intelligently bailed out of the ring and to the corner, avoiding Ospreay’s imminent Sasuke Special. Ospreay was visibly slowed by White’s earlier leg attacks. He could see Ospreay’s springboard forearm coming, and smootly reversed it into the Complete Shot. Ospreay was able to finally catch Jay off guard with a springboard shooting star press, but Jay hung onto his leg when he tried for the Oscutter. Ospreay tried for it again, but it was avoided, and he found himself on the receiving end of a Kiwi Crusher. Jay tried for the Blade Runner, but Ospreay reversed it into a sitout powerbomb, and finally managed to hit the Oscutter. Gedo tried to come in and help Jay, pulling the referee away and trying to hit Ospreay with a pair of brass knuckles, but Ospreay stopped him and dispatched Gedo with a rolling elbow. Jay went for a sleeper suplex while his opponent was occupied, but Ospreay backflipped out of it. He followed up with a rolling elbow, the Hidden Blade, and the Stormbreaker for the victory. Ospreay 6 points, Jay 6 points

    A Block: Tomohiro Ishii def. Shingo Takagi (26:01)
    When two wrestlers like Ishii and Shingo meet in the ring, you know what’s coming. You could probably count the number of moves that were not strikes in this match on two hands. Nevertheless, it always stays compelling, because of the way that they differ. Shingo wrestles Ishii the way he would wrestle an older, more weathered version of himself, peppering his strikes with a certain level of disdain and pity. How could he become weaker than he used to be? But when Ishii, with his flabby midsection and graying stubble starts fighting back, or kicking out, it’s all the more satisfying for it. Ishii kicked out of Shingo’s Made in Japan and Pumping Bomber, and put Shingo on his back with a running lariat of his own. He tried for the vertical drop brainbuster, but Shingo stuffed it and landed a pop-up death valley driver. He kicked out of Ishii’s lariat at a count of one before rising to his feet and collapsing on top of his opponent. Ishii landed a sliding lariat for a near fall and tried again for the brainbuster, but Shingo got out of it and delivered a sliding elbow that made Ishii crumple to the mat, followed by Pumping Bomber that Ishii kicked out of just a split second before 3. Shingo readied the Last of the Dragon, but Ishii dropped down out of it into a DDT! Finally, he hit an enzuigiri followed by the vertical drop brainbuster for the victory! Ishii 2 points, Shingo 2 points

    G1 Climax Updated Standings

    A Block:
    6 points – Taichi, Jay White, Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi, Will Ospreay
    4 points – Kazuchika Okada
    2 points – Jeff Cobb, Shingo Takagi, Tomohiro Ishii
    0 points – Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    6 points – Toru Yano, Tetsuya Naito
    4 points – Juice Robinson, KENTA
    2 points – Hirooki Goto, Zack Sabre Jr., EVIL, YOSHI-HASHI, Hiroshi Tanahashi
    0 points – SANADA

  • NJPW President Harold Meij Stepping Down

    NJPW President Harold Meij Stepping Down

    New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced that President/CEO Harold Meij will be stepping down from his position over the next month. Meij had been in the role since May of 2018.

    A statement at the NJPW website reads, “At a meeting of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s parent company Bushiroad’s board of directors today September 29, 2020, a change was announced in NJPW’s directorship. This change will take effect at the beginning of NJPW’s 50th year of trading on October 23rd.”

    Takami Ohbari will take over for Meij in the role. Ohbari is the current CEO of NJPW of America.

    Meij wrote a blog on the NJPW website talking about his experiences with the promotion.

    “Even though we have escaped from the difficult times when we couldn’t play at all due to the corona wreck, the impact still remains,” A Google Translation of Meij’s blog reads.

    “I wanted to continue this mission responsibly until the day when I could say ‘I’ve returned to the state before Corona’ and ‘New Japan Pro-Wrestling is completely okay’, but I have to say goodbye to everyone. It’s time to have to. Please forgive me for the announcement at this time during the ‘G1 CLIMAX 30’ due to the general meeting of shareholders.”

    Check out our ongoing coverage of the G1 Climax tournament:

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 6

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 6

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 9/29 2:30AM
    • Eastern: 9/29 5:30AM
    • UK: 9/29 10:30AM
    • Japan: 9/29 6:30PM
    • East Australia: 9/29 7:30PM

    NJPW World Video

    G1 Climax 30 Day 6 Results

    Yuya Uemura def. Gabriel Kidd
    At the start, Gabriel Kidd was laser-focused on Uemura’s arm, using a bridging arm lock to weaken him, so that he would be unable to break free of the double underhook suplex that Kidd has been using to finish matches lately. Uemura was able to reverse the hold into a leglock, but Kidd grabbed the bottom rope to break it. They engaged in a battle of strikes but Kidd was getting the upper hand, but Uemura hit a beautiful dropkick and locked in a high-angle Boston crab; Kidd had no choice but to tap out.

    B Block: YOSHI-HASHI def. SANADA (15:15)
    SANADA trained his offense on YOSHI-HASHI’s neck, likely a setup for the Skull End. YOSHI-HASHI hit a lariat to SANADA against the ropes, sending him tumbling to the outside, but when he went to the outside to follow up, SANADA lifted YOSHI-HASHI’s legs onto the barricade and gave him a body dragonscrew. SANADA looked to have YOSHI-HASHI’s number, rallying the Korakuen Hall crowd. YOSHI-HASHI finally hit a desparation lariat, followed by a sitout powerbomb for a near fall. He rose to the top rope, but SANADA blocked the Swanton Bomb with his legs. He then hit a moonsault on a standing YOSHI-HASHI into the Skull End. YOSHI briefly got his head free, but SANADA pulled him back into it. SANADA broke the hold to hit his finishing top rope moonsault, but YOSHI-HASHI blocked it with his knees, in an act of retribution. He rose to his feet and delivered a dragon suplex followed by the Kumagoroshi for a near fall as the crowd clapped for him. Finally, he hit the Karma for the three-count! YOSHI-HASHI 2 points, SANADA 0 points

    B Block: KENTA def. Zack Sabre Jr. (15:46)
    KENTA did not begin the match by retreating to the outside of the ring like he did against his prior opponents. Zack laid on the mat and challenged KENTA to grapple with him, but KENTA just kicked him in the chest. KENTA pelted the spindly ZSJ with strikes for quite a while. Zack even sat up and put his arms behind his back, challenging KENTA to kick him, but he soon regretted it. Zack finally realized he couldn’t sustain much more of this and brought the match onto his terms, attacking KENTA’s right arm. KENTA tried to hit a lariat, but was clutching his arm in pain after he did so. KENTA decided to use his other limbs to fight, landing multiple shotgun dropkicks and a diving foot stomp for a near fall. He tried to lift Zack for the Go 2 Sleep, but Zack started cranking on his arm and he had to stop. Zack hit a guillotine choke and transitioned into the Jim Breaks armbar, but KENTA forced the rope break. Zack hit the ropes, but ran into KENTA’s knee strike on the way back. KENTA lifted the dazed Zack for the Go 2 Sleep and the pinfall victory. KENTA 4 points, Zack 2 points

    B Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Juice Robinson (14:16)
    Tanahashi found himself outpowered by Juice in the early going, as Juice worked over the Ace’s lower back with punches, backbreakers, and a sidewalk slam. He placed Tanahashi in a seated full nelson while egging on Tanahashi to do better. He broke the hold to hit another lower back punch, but the freed Tanahashi put Juice on his back with a dropkick to the leg and a dragonscrew. Slowed, but not beaten, Juice continued to push Tanahashi, hitting a big lariat and the cannonball splash, as the crowd flared up with rhythmic applause. Juice hit a jackhammer for a near fall, but when he went for the Pulp Friction, Tanahashi blocked it and hit a Sling Blade. He went to the top rope for the High Fly Flow, but the standing Juice rolled through it into a pinning combination for a two-count. Juice hit his Left Hand of God punch on Tanahashi and went for the Pulp Friction again, but Tanahashi dropped to the mat to avoid it and pulled Juice into a victory roll for the pinfall victory, to finally make it on the board. Tanahashi 2 points, Juice 4 points

    B Block: Toru Yano def. EVIL (4:33)
    Yano immediately went after EVIL’s second, Dick Togo, so that he would not be present to give EVIL the advantage. He taped Togo’s arm to the outside barricade, but EVIL was able to break him free later on. As Togo distracted the referee, EVIL hit a low blow on Yano, but then Yano whipped him into the referee. EVIL stopped before hitting the referee, but it gave Yano the opening to hit a low blow of his own. Immediately, Dick Togo came in and hit a low blow on Yano, but Yano retaliated with a mule kick. He whipped Togo into EVIL and then hit a low blow on both of them at once, then pinned EVIL with a roll-up. Yano 6 points, EVIL 2 points

    B Block: Tetsuya Naito def. Hirooki Goto (21:58)
    Goto’s right shoulder was already taped up from his match with KENTA and Naito focused on it immediately, using arm wringers, strikes, and a Kimura lock to further damage Goto’s dominant arm. Naito had said in a recent interview that he viewed Goto as just a guy, whose presence did not mean much in the grand scheme. This was Goto’s chance to prove that statement wrong, but his early comebacks were all thwarted by Naito. When Naito lifted Goto to the middle rope for his super frankensteiner, Goto slid under and delivered a superplex, sending Naito reeling to the outside. He followed up with the first plancha I’ve ever seen him do. As the match reached 15 elapsed minutes, Naito was back on the offense again, catching Goto with a swinging DDT and repeated elbows to the back of the head, and then successfully performing the super Frankensteiner. Naito went for the running Destino, but Goto blocked hit and hit the reverse GTR! He followed up with a rope-hung GTR for a near fall, but when he went for the Ushigoroshi Naito countered it into a Destino. Naito went for the final Destino, but Goto caught it and hit the GTW! Goto attempted the GTR, but Naito blocked it, then finished Goto off with the Valentia and Destino! Naito 6 points, Goto 2 points

    G1 Climax Updated Standings

    A Block:
    6 points – Taichi, Jay White
    4 points – Will Ospreay, Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi
    2 points – Kazuchika Okada, Jeff Cobb, Shingo Takagi
    0 points – Tomohiro Ishii, Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    6 points – Toru Yano, Tetsuya Naito
    4 points – Juice Robinson, KENTA
    2 points – Hirooki Goto, Zack Sabre Jr., EVIL, YOSHI-HASHI, Hiroshi Tanahashi
    0 points – SANADA

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 5

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 5

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 9/27 12AM
    • Eastern: 9/27 3AM
    • UK: 9/27 8AM
    • Japan: 9/27 4PM
    • East Australia: 9/27 5PM

    NJPW World Video

    G1 Climax 30 Day 5 Results

    Gabriel Kidd def. Yota Tsuji (7:40)
    The match began with Gabriel Kidd taking the advantage over Yota Tsuji while mat wrestling, as the commentators speculated that Kidd’s training in Lancashire wrestling would grant him the edge when working on the ground. Yota Tsuji, whose new blown out hair style is reminiscent of Andre the Giant, gained control with his superior power landing a body slam into a running splash. He applied a single-leg Boston crab, but Kidd achieved a rope break. Kidd landed a dropkick and won the match with a double underhook suplex.

    A Block: Taichi def. Yujiro Takahashi (11:03)
    Unfortunately, Yujiro and Taichi’s valets, Pieter and Miho Abe, were absent for this match. As one would expect from a match between two of the dirtiest fighters in NJPW, this match was full of rule-bending. The first move of the match was Yujiro hitting Taichi with his cane, but Taichi would respond with choking Yujiro with a microphone cable and slamming his head into the ring post. Taichi seemed to have the advantage in physical prowess, and he wore Yujiro down with kicks. He yelled at Yujiro, mentioning Tetsuya Naito, likely alluding to how far above Yujiro Naito is now, when years ago they were a tag team. He then hit the Axe Bomber for a near fall. He stood in the corner waiting for Yujiro to rise to his feet, but as he went for the thrust kick, Yujiro caught him and hit the Miami Shine, for another two count. He went to follow up with the Pimp Juice DDT, but Taichi pushed him away, then hit a sneaky low blow and pinned him with the Taichi-style Gedo clutch. Taichi 6 points, Yujiro 0 points.

    A Block: Minoru Suzuki def. Jeff Cobb (9:24)
    Suzuki started by laying on his back and challenging Cobb to grapple with him, a tall order considering Cobb’s Olympic-level ability at freestyle wrestling. And yet, despite Cobb’s physical advantages, Suzuki seemed to be getting the better of him on the mat. Cobb moved to his feet, and from there he used his great strength to throw Suzuki with suplexes. Suzuki made it behind Cobb and applied the sleeper hold, but Cobb threw him off easily when he attempted the Gotch-style piledriver. Cobb continued his series of suplexes and slams, but when he went for the Tour of the Islands, Suzuki caught him in a guillotine choke and forced himself free. He then applied the sleeper hold again and lifted the bulky Cobb up for the Gotch-style piledriver. Suzuki 4 points, Cobb 2 points

    A Block: Kota Ibushi def. Tomohiro Ishii (15:41)
    Ibushi and Ishii went at each other with a great intensity from the getgo, throwing strikes and with Ishii blocking Ibushi’s loud kicks. Ishii backed Ibushi into the corner and egged him on, tanking Ibushi’s elbow strikes. He knocked Ibushi to the ground and landed kicks of his own, but Ibushi rose up and engaged Ishii in a strike battle: his kicks versus Ishii’s backhand chops. Ishii finally started showing pain, taking a knee, but he Isfired up and they traded German suplexes, but a dropkick from Ibushi put them both on their backs. They sat up and exchanged slaps but Ibushi dropped Ishii with a final slap to the chest. Ishii fired back up, but Ibushi just stared blankly at him and then kicked him in the head, then hit an elevated powerbomb for a near fall. Ibushi tried for a Frankensteiner, but Ishii countered it, then Ishii went for the vertical drop brainbuster, but Ibushi countered that too. In a desperation move, Ibushi went for the Kamigoye, but with a headbutt, Ishii had averted it. However, Ibushi hit the Boma Ye for a near fall, followed by another Boma Ye and the Kamigoye for the victory, in a match that was exhausting to watch and keep up with. Ibushi 4 points, Ishii 0 points

    A Block: Shingo Takagi def. Will Ospreay (22:03)
    These two men have only fought in one singles match before, and it was in the final of last year’s Best of the Super Juniors. Ospreay won that match and since then he has grown in mass, but so has his ego. He spoke recently about wanting to beat Shingo in Kobe City, where this event is taking place, because it’s where Dragon Gate, Shingo’s home promotion, is based. These two fought with great intensity, and Ospreay continues to demonstrate that his increased bulk has not come at the cost of his agility, getting the better of Shingo in the early going. Shingo tried to neutralize Ospreay’s speed by applying a Figure Four Leglock, but Ospreay stopped it before it was cinched in, and when Shingo tried for the Noshigami, Ospreay reversed it into a stunner. Ospreay lifted Shingo for the stormbreaker, but instead hung Shingo upside down over the turnbuckle and hit a corner-to-corner dropkick. Ospreay went for the Oscutter, but Shingo countered it into the Noshigami, then hit the Sol del Japon for a near fall. Shingo went to follow up with the Pumping Bomber, but Ospreay moved out of the way and hit a Liger Bomb for a near fall of his own, and then the Oscutter only for Shingo to kick out again! Ospreay went for the Stormbreaker, but Shingo blocked it and lifted Ospreay into the Made in Japan. Ospreay blocked the Last of the Dragon, when Shingo went for another Pumping Bomber Ospreay reversed it into a spanish fly. Ospreay landed a heavy rolling elbow and went for the top rope Oscutter, but Shingo got to him and hit the Stay Dream from the middle rope for the near fall. He hit one last Pumping Bomber and the Last of the Dragon for the victory! Shingo 2 points, Ospreay 4 points

    A Block: Jay White def. Kazuchika Okada (18:48)
    Like the villain he is, Jay White got on the microphone before the match began and chanted for Okada, encouraging the audience to do so as well, except they aren’t allowed to cheer out loud. Gedo was a continual thorn in Okada’s side throughout this match, making minor offences like pulling Okada’s leg from the outside, but running like a coward whenever Okada was perturbed enought to confront him. Jay White was dominating Okada, wearing him down with punches to the lower back, but when Okada went after Gedo again, Jay chased after him. It ended up with Okada planting both Gedo and Jay with a double DDT on the entrance ramp. Okada then put Gedo’s bucket hat on, which made the audience laugh. In the ring, Okada tried for the reverse neckbreaker, but his back was in too much pain, and he crumpled to his knees when he tried to lift Jay onto his back. Okada irish whipped Jay into the ropes and followed up with the dropkick, but Jay hung onto the ropes and Okada just landed on his back. Gedo yelled for Jay to do the Rainmaker, but Okada countered Jay’s Rainmaker into the tombstone Piledriver, then applied Money Clip. Jay was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold, however. Okada hit a rolling lariat and applied the Money Clip again, but Gedo distracted the referee and Jay broke the hold with a low blow. Jay went for the Blade Runner, but Okada blocked it applied the Money Clip again from a standing position. Still in the hold, Jay hit the SSS suplex and the Blade Runner for the victory, which made the crowd react in shock. Jay 6 points, Okada 2 points

    Jay White got on the microphone and thanked Okada for wrestling him when two years ago, almost on the same day of the year, Gedo turned on Okada and teamed up with Jay. He said that he is the present and the future, and that Okada is history.

    Standings

    A Block:
    6 points – Taichi, Jay White
    4 points – Will Ospreay, Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi
    2 points – Kazuchika Okada, Jeff Cobb, Shingo Takagi
    0 points – Tomohiro Ishii, Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    4 points – Tetsuya Naito, Juice Robinson, Toru Yano
    2 points – Hirooki Goto, KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., EVIL
    0 points – YOSHI-HASHI, SANADA, Hiroshi Tanahashi

  • Quick Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 4

    Quick Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 4

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling held their fourth day of the G1 Climax 30 tournament today.

    NJPW World Video (Japanese commentary)

    English commentary will be uploaded this week.

    NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 4 Results

    Yota Tsuji def. Yuya Uemura (8:13, Submission, Boston Crab)

    B Block: Hirooki Goto def. SANADA (11:03, Pinfall, GTR)

    B Block: Toru Yano def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (7:15, Pinfall, Leg Hook Cradle)

    B Block: Juice Robinson def. KENTA (17:01, Pinfall, Pulp Friction)

    B Block: EVIL def. YOSHI-HASHI (17:21, Pinfall, EVIL)

    B Block: Tetsuya Naito def. Zack Sabre Jr. (28:28, Pinfall, Destino)

    Standings

    A Block
    4 points – Will Ospreay, Taichi, Jay White
    2 points – Jeff Cobb, Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi
    0 points – Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi, Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block
    4 points – Juice Robinson, Toru Yano, Tetsuya Naito
    2 points – KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., Hirooki Goto, EVIL
    0 points – SANADA, Hiroshi Tanahashi, YOSHI-HASHI

  • Quick Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 3

    Quick Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 3

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling held their third day of the G1 Climax 30 tournament today.

    NJPW World Video (Japanese commentary)

    English commentary will be uploaded this week.

    NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 3 Results

    Gabriel Kidd def. Yuya Uemura (7:21, Pinfall, Double Underhook Suplex)

    A Block: Jeff Cobb def. Shingo Takagi (11:44, Pinfall, Tour of the Islands)

    A Block: Kazuchika Okada def. Yujiro Takahashi (12:01, Submission, Money Clip)

    A Block: Taichi def. Minoru Suzuki (12:11, Pinfall, Black Mephisto)

    A Block: Will Ospreay def. Tomohiro Ishii (18:20, Pinfall, Stormbreaker)

    A Block: Jay White def. Kota Ibushi (20:28, Pinfall, Blade Runner)

    Standings

    A Block
    4 points – Will Ospreay, Taichi, Jay White
    2 points – Jeff Cobb, Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi
    0 points – Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi, Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block
    2 points – Juice Robinson, Toru Yano, KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., Tetsuya Naito
    0 points – EVIL, Hirooki Goto, SANADA, Hiroshi Tanahashi, YOSHI-HASHI

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 2

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 2

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times:

    • Pacific: 9/19 10PM
    • Eastern: 9/20 1AM
    • UK: 9/20 6AM
    • Japan: 9/20 2PM
    • East Australia: 9/20 3PM

    NJPW World VOD (Japanese Commentary)

    G1 Climax 30 Day 2 Results

    Yota Tsuji def. Gabriel Kidd (9:15)
    I would recommend that everyone reading this go to NJPW’s English website and read Gabriel Kidd’s interview, in which he discusses Shibata grabbing his stomach fat and telling him to lose weight before he could join the LA Dojo. He certainly has, but it may have been Yota Tsuji’s weight may have helped him press the advantage, as he overpowered Gabriel Kid with strikes, and was too heavy for Kidd to lift when he attempted a suplex. Kidd hit a great standing dropkick to cut off Tsuji briefly, but in the end Tsuji caught him in the Boston Crab for the submission victory.

    B Block: Juice Robinson def. YOSHI-HASHI (15:57)
    Unlike Ishii yesterday, YOSHI-HASHI entered while proudly displaying his NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. Meanwhile, Juice Robinson entered in a white tank top and tight black pants and shoes, looking like a Blues Brother. These two hit some of the loudest chops I’ve heard recently, up there with the one sin yesterday’s match between Ishii and Suzuki. Juice made the crowd stomp and clap to the rhythm of “We Will Rock You” by Queen. His focus on the crowd let YOSHI-HASHI catch him in the Butterfly Lock, but the crowd resumed the rhythmic noise-making to support Juice. YOSHI-HASHI broke the hold to hit a swanton bomb, but Juice kicked out at two as the crowd. His chest red from chops, he went for the Karma, but Juice was able to sprawl to stop the hold and a heavy lariat. Finally, he hit two big punches and the Pulp Friction to put YOSHI-HASHI away. Juice 2 points, YOSHI-HASHI 0 points

    B Block: Toru Yano def. SANADA (6:16)
    SANADA also decided to bring new gear to the G1, wearing a black and silver outfit that looks like something a supervillain would wear, but a comically small skull mask. Toru Yano was carrying three rolls of tape in his trunks, which were removed by the referee early in the match. After being unceremoniously worked over, Yano retreated to the outside and told SANADA to come after him, but SANADA didn’t take the bait and Yano had to run back to the ring to stop from being counted out, and SANADA hit a plancha to the outside to press his advantage. From there, SANADA pulled Yano to the entrance walkway and put him in the Paradise Lock, then left him to trapped to be counted out. However, a young lion, thinking this was unfair, rolled Yano onto his back to set him free. This enabled Yano to tie SANADA and the young lion’s legs together with his last roll of tape, and win the match by countout. Also, the young lion wasn’t wearing his mask over his nose, shame on him. Yano 2 points, SANADA 0 points

    B Block: KENTA def. Hirooki Goto (17:15)
    Goto also didn’t bring out his NEVER 6-Man title, and it’s getting on my nerves that YOSHI-HASHI is the only one who did. KENTA had promised on Twitter that he would win this match using his Game Over submission, which he had used in this same building to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship when he was in Pro Wrestling NOAH. He put that plan into action, targeting Goto’s right arm with holds and kicks. As KENTA kicked Goto in the chest, Goto rose to his feet went for a lariat, but KENTA grabbed his arm, immobilizing Goto in pain. Goto fought back and started working on KENTA’s arm too. KENTA was able to get his foot on the rope to break Goto’s seated armbar, and got Goto back on the defensive again with a diving foot stomp. He lifted Goto for the Go 2 Sleep, but Goto grabbed KENTA’s knee to stop its impact. He applied his Shoryu Kekkai arm submission, but KENTA was able to reach the bottom rope to break it. Goto tried to finish the match with the GTR, but KENTA forced him into the Game Over and there was nowhere for Goto to go. KENTA wins by submission. KENTA 2 points, Goto 0 points

    B Block: Zack Sabre Jr. def. EVIL (15:54)
    With one of the briefest IWGP Heavyweight Championship reigns in recent history behind him, EVIL has a lot to prove in the G1. Credit to him, he was beating Zack from pillar to post in the early going, a little bit of help from Dick Togo notwithstanding. With his quickness, Zack was able to make his move and went to twisting EVIL’s neck and arms in a brutal fashion. EVIL was able to break Zack’s abdominal stretch by pulling on his ear, living up to his name. He went back to pummeling the wiry submission master with strikes and big suplexes. Zack countered EVIL’s lariat with an arm drag into a submission hold, but Dick Togo came onto the apron as a distraction. Zack casually kicked him away, but EVIL whipped him into the referee, and Dick Togo came in to lay boots to Zack. After being hit with one senton from each, Zack was able to fight back to take Togo out. EVIL went for a mule kick, but Zack caught EVIL’s leg in between his knees. EVIL hit the Darkness Falls for a near fall, and went for the EVIL STO, but Zack rolled him into the European Clutch for the pinfall victory. He was hurt and struggling to walk afterward, but the points go to him, overcoming a two on one disadvantage. Zack 2 points, EVIL 0 points

    B Block: Tetsuya Naito def. Hiroshi Tanahashi (27:16)
    Tanahashi’s plan, as it often is, was to attack Naito’s knees to neutralize his advantage of speed. However, early on, Naito was always one step ahead of Tanahashi, avoiding his front flip senton while laying on the mat in his tranquilo pose. Naito held control until Tanahashi hit a dragonscrew legwhip to send Naito retreating to the outside, and then hit the High Fly Flow to Naito standing outside. He said he was going to retire that move four years ago and yet here we are. He brought Naito back into the ring and landed more dragonscrews with Naito hung up in the ropes, then went for the Texas Cloverleaf, but Naito was able to stuff the hold. Tanahashi hit more Dragonscrews and was able to lock in the Texas Cloverleaf this time, which he used to tap out Naito in their last match and win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, three years ago. He locked it in at an even higher angle, but Naito grabbed the middle rope and saved himself. Tanahashi pushed his advantage with a bridging arm-trap suplex for a very close near fall. He went for the Sling Blade but Naito dodged it and landed a twirling DDT to put Tanahashi on his back. He hit repeated clubbing blows to the back of the neck, then hit Gloria only for Tanahashi to kick out at two. Naito went for the Destino, but Tanahashi countered it into the Sling Blade as the crowd applauded wildly and the ring announcer called that 25 minutes had passed. He hit a second Sling Blade and then the High Fly Flow, but then went for another High Fly Flow and Naito rolled out of the way. Naito capitalized with a gnarly running Destino that got a 2-count, then hit the Valentia and another Destino for the three-count! Naito 2 points, Tanahashi 0 points

    Standings

    A Block:
    2 points – Will Ospreay, Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Jay White, Kota Ibushi
    0 points – Jeff Cobb, Tomohiro Ishii, Kazuchika Okada, Shingo Takagi, Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    2 points – Juice Robinson, Toru Yano, KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr., Tetsuya Naito
    0 points – EVIL, Hirooki Goto, SANADA, Hiroshi Tanahashi, YOSHI-HASHI

  • Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 1

    Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 1

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling thirtieth annual G1 Climax tournament has arrived!

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Only live Japanese commentary available. English commentary will be uploaded within several days. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times (September 19, 2020): 1AM Pacific, 4AM Eastern, 9AM UK, 5PM Japan, 6PM East Australia

    G1 Climax 30 Day 1 Results

    Yuya Uemura def. Yota Tsuji (6:57)
    Yota Tsuji has shaved his goatee off since his last match, and I’m personally not a fan of the clean-shaven look. These two are going to be wrestling a lot over the course of the tournament. Every date, except perhaps the last, will start with a singles match involving a combination of Uemura, Tsuji, and Gabriel Kidd, so it will be enlightening to see if anyone gets an edge against each other. These two in the ring has demonstrated the dynamic between them after their years as young lions: Tsuji being the harder hitter while Uemura has more finesse and is more easy to root for. Uemura hit a beautiful dropkick and submitted Tsuji with a high-angle Boston crab for the victory.

    A Block: Will Ospreay def. Yujiro Takahashi (7:34)
    Will Ospreay is back in Japan, and he got a great reception from the crowd. He has gained significant muscle mass over the last half year, and his billed weight has increased to 105 kilograms. Nevertheless, he seems not to have been slowed down too much by the weight gain, still flying through the air with ease. Yujiro tried to slow him down whenever possible, but Ospreay had too much energy and power for him. Ospreay hit the Stormbreaker for the not that hard-fought pinfall victory. Afterwards, he got on the microphone and talked about how he has nothing to fear because he is Will Ospreay. Not just his body, his head has clearly gotten bigger as well. Ospreay 2 points, Yujiro 0 points

    A Block: Taichi def. Jeff Cobb (12:47)
    Jeff Cobb seems to have acquired the goatee that Yota Tsuji removed, and it looks good on him. Rumor has it that he is now a contracted NJPW full-time wrestler, so he has a lot to prove. Unfortunately, Miho Abe will be absent for all of Taichi’s matches in the G1. Taichi did not want to fight Cobb head-on, and Cobb had to chase him around the ring until Taichi hit him with the bell hammer, which he had stealthily stolen. Now in control, Taichi tried to immobilize Cobb through attacking his legs, but Cobb would rise to his feet and dominate Taichi with his powerful throws. Taichi retaliated with beautiful leg kicks and slowed Cobb’s pace to a crawl, flooring him with a jumping high kick. Cobb tried to pick Taichi up for the Tour of the Islands, but Taichi slipped out of it and delivered a backdrop driver as the crowd swelled with applause. He finally was able to lift Jeff Cobb for the Black Mephisto and make it on the G1 board. Taichi 2 points, Cobb 0 points

    A Block: Minoru Suzuki def. Tomohiro Ishii (13:00)
    Neither Ishii nor Suzuki brought the belts they possess to the ring, which is irrationally upsetting to me. Nevertheless, these two men started as we knew they would, at each other’s throats and just slapping, punching, and mouthing off to each other without a care in the world. They both made early attempts at their match-ending moves, but these were in vain. The really loud elbow strikes they threw resounded especially in the building where the crowds can only clap, not cheer loudly. Suzuki took the edge in the battle of strikes, and Ishii crumpled to the ground, but not for long. He rose up and continued taking the fight to Suzuki. They traded headbutts before Ishii lifted Suzuki and hit a reverse piledriver! In a last-ditch effort, Suzuki hit a fast Gotch-style piledriver for the win! Suzuki 2 points, Ishii 0 points

    A Block: Jay White def. Shingo Takagi (19:28)
    Since we’re talking about facial hair so far on this show, Jay White still has the disgusting-looking goatee, and it suits him. As the match began, Jay White continued to stall for time, but when he finally did get in the ring to fight, Gedo helped him intermittently, such as by holding Shingo’s leg to give Jay an opening. Shingo tried for the Noshigami, but Jay blocked it and dropped Shingo on his back with repeated suplexes. Shingo tried to run to the ropes for a lariat, but Jay hit the Complete Shot to slow his roll once again, which was the theme of this whole match: Jay continuing to cut Shingo off whenever he mounted a comeback. Jay attempted the Blade Runner, but Shingo reversed it and hit the Made in Japan for a near fall. Shingo lifted Jay for the Last of the Dragon, but Jay grabbed the referee so Shingo would lose his balance. Fed up, Shingo hit the Pumping Bomber and the Last of the Dragon again, but while Jay was on Shingo’s shoulders, he kicked the referee so there was no one to count the pinfall. With the referee down, Jay hit a low blow followed by the Blade Runner when the refeee made it back in the ring. Jay 2 points, Shingo 0 points

    A Block: Kota Ibushi def. Kazuchika Okada (21:35)
    Ibushi and Okada were tentative to confront each other, despite the fact that if they were to last as long against each other as they did in their Wrestle Kingdom match this year, this bout would end in a time limit draw. Okada’s victory eight months ago seemed to make him not take Ibushi too seriously, as even when he gained an advantage, he would clap and stomp to rile up the crowd instead of putting the pressure on Ibushi. Okada applied the Money Clip, which is the name for the cobra clutch that he’s been using ever NJPW resumed, but Ibushi got his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Okada pulled Ibushi outside the ring and tried to hit the tombstone piledriver on the floor, but Ibushi got out of it, and then hit an asai moonsault to Okada on the outside. Okada and Ibushi fought over another piledriver in the ring, but Okada was finally able to hit the tombstone. Okada let Ibushi get to his knees and challenged him to hit him, but Ibushi got to his feet and kicked the kneeling Okada in the head. Ibushi tried to follow up, but Okada caught him and hit a spinning tombstone piledriver, than applied the Money Clip again, but Ibushi was able to get Okada off him. Okada grabbed Ibushi’s hands like he was going for the Kamigoye himself, but Ibushi lifted him into a sitout powerbomb, and then hit the Kamigoye for the three count! Ibushi 2 points, Okada 0 points

    Standings

    A Block:
    2 points – Will Ospreay, Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Jay White, Kota Ibushi
    0 points – Jeff Cobb, Tomohiro Ishii, Kazuchika Okada, Shingo Takagi, Yujiro Takahashi

    B Block:
    0 points – EVIL, Hirooki Goto, KENTA, Tetsuya Naito, Juice Robinson, Zack Sabre Jr., SANADA, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI

  • Update On Jeff Cobb’s Future & Which Company He Signed With

    Update On Jeff Cobb’s Future & Which Company He Signed With

    Jeff Cobb’s future is coming into focus.

    The 38-year-old Olympian has been one of the top free agents in pro wrestling. He’s had notable runs with Lucha Underground, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor. He was briefly aligned with Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle earlier this year with a 2-week stint on AEW Dynamite.

    Cobb has teased in recent months that he signed with a major wrestling promotion, but did not reveal which company he committed to.

    On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said it’s all but certain that Cobb has signed with New Japan Pro Wrestling.

    Jeff Cobb will enter this year’s G1 Climax Tournament, one of several signs that NPW is his new home. The general feeling within the industry is that Cobb’s goal was to use Ring of Honor as a stepping stone to New Japan.

    With this news going public, keep an eye out for public comments from Cobb himself.

    Discussion: Do you think Jeff Cobb made the right call by joining NJPW?

  • NJPW Reveals 2020 G1 Climax Participants

    NJPW Reveals 2020 G1 Climax Participants

    The G1 Climax tournament this year will begin on September 19th, 2020 in Osaka. New Japan Pro Wrestling has just released the list of participants for the tournament this year. Fortunately, it appears many of the wrestlers who had to miss the New Japan Cup and other events, are now able to perform in the upcoming tournament.

    The list of participants is below:

    G1 Climax 30 A Block:

    • Kota Ibushi (2019 G1 Winner)
    • Jeff Cobb
    • Kazuchika Okada (2012, 2014 G1 Winner)
    • Tomohiro Ishii
    • Will Ospreay
    • Shingo Takagi
    • Minoru Suzuki
    • Taichi
    • Jay White
    • Yujiro Takahashi

    G1 Climax 30 B Block:

    • Hiroshi Tanahashi (2007, 2015, 2018 G1 Winner)
    • Juice Robinson
    • Hirooki Goto
    • Toru Yano
    • Yoshi-Hashi
    • Tetsuya Naito (2013, 2017 G1 Winner)
    • Sanada
    • Zack Sabre Jr.
    • KENTA
    • Evil

    Wrestlers entered into last year’s tournament that aren’t included this year include AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, Lance Archer, and Bad Luck Fale.

    The tournament will conclude with three straight nights at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Sumida, Tokyo from October 16-18.

    While the tournament normally takes place during the summer months, it was always meant to be pushed back to the fall this year. The schedule change this year was due to the 2020 Olympic Games that were ultimately postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • NJPW to Hold Tournament for IWGP Junior Tag Championships

    NJPW to Hold Tournament for IWGP Junior Tag Championships

    On a press conference that took place today, New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced that the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships will be vacated. The current champions, Roppongi 3K (SHO and YOH) will be unable to defend them for the foreseeable future, due to an ACL injury that YOH sustained during the New Japan Cup recently.

    To crown new champions, NJPW will hold a four-team round-robin tournament over the upcoming New Japan Road tour. Here are the four teams:

    • Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato
    • Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI)
    • Suzuki-gun (El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
    • Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori & Gedo)

    As stated by NJPW, the rules are, “Two points will be awarded to winners, zero to losers with one point each in the event of a draw; after the final league match in Sendai on September 9, the top two point scoring teams will then face off in a championship match on September 11 in Korakuen Hall.” The schedule for tournament matches is as follows (all these events will be live on NJPW World):

    September 5:

    • El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
    • Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI

    September 6:

    • Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
    • Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

    September 9:

    • Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Taiji Ishimori & Gedo
    • Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

    September 11:

    • Final match to determine new champions involving the two teams with the most points
  • Results: NJPW Summer Struggle in Jingu

    Results: NJPW Summer Struggle in Jingu

    New Japan Pro-Wrestling returns to Meiji Jingu Stadium for their first outdoor wrestling event in 21 years, as the Summer Struggle 2020 tour comes to a head.

    Watch on NJPW World with a paid subscription. Live English and Japanese commentary available. This event will have reduced attendance capacity to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

    Start Times (August 29, 2020): 1AM Pacific, 4AM Eastern, 9AM UK, 5PM Japan, 6PM East Australia

    NJPW Summer Struggle in Jingu Results

    Yoshinobu Kanemaru def. Master Wato (7:31)
    The atmosphere of an outdoor show in daylight, albeit the sun beginning to set, was enjoyable and novel for me. Kanemaru dominated the match early, using strikes and holds to wear down his more energetic opponent, for whom this is only his second match since returning in early July. Wato took control with a dropkick to the outside and a plancha. His ability was never in question, just this persona and look of his was the subject of criticism and some humor. Kanemaru pushed Wato into the referee and tried to spit whiskey in his face, but Wato kicked the bottle out of his hand before he could. Wato was on the verge of winning, about to set up his corkscrew senton, but Kanemaru grabbed his legs and rolled him into a flash pin for the three count.

    KOPW 2020 Final Four Way Match: Toru Yano def. Kazuchika Okada, SANADA, El Desperado (7:01)
    Toru Yano was visibly distraught by the smoke machines as he made his entrance. I’ve never seen a four way match involving heavyweights in my time watching NJPW, but this brought something novel and interesting. Wrestlers from different factions working together to break up other wrestlers’ pinfalls, and wrestlers from the same faction working together, and then turning on each other when one went for the pinfall. Okada and Yano engaged in the latter, and it was sufficiently amusing. SANADA caught Okada in the skull end, but El Desperado broke it up with a top rope splash. Okada caught Desperado with the cobra clutch, but Toru Yano snuck up on Okada from behind, hit him with a blow blow, then rolled him up for the victory! Toru Yano is the provisional KOPW 2020 Champion.

    The KOPW 2020 trophy is amusingly small.

    NEVER Openweight Championship: Minoru Suzuki def. Shingo Takagi (c) (14:56)
    People have been looking forward to seeing Shingo and Suzuki in a straight up fight, but it was not before long that Suzuki’s cunning was on display, as he bullied Shingo around the outside of the ring, slamming him into barricades. As the match returned to between the ropes, Shingo fired back up with his powerful strikes and throws. Perhaps Suzuki had the advantage in pain tolerance too, as he ate Suzuki’s strikes and came up laughing. From there, Suzuki fought back with headbutts, and put Shingo in the sleeper hold. He looked for the Gotch piledriver again, but Shingo slipped out of it, and came off the ropes looking for the Pumping Bomber, but Minoru Suzuki slowed his roll with a dropkick. The two of them continued to exchange strikes and headbutts, which resounded loudly even in the open air stadium. After a particularly blunt sounding elbow strike, Suzuki applied the sleeper hold again and hit the Gotch-style piledriver for the 3 count! Minoru Suzuki is now a two-time NEVER Openweight Champion!

    IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori def. Hiromu Takahashi (c) (13:30)
    This match had a thunderous start, as Hiromu and Ishimori came at each other with all the energy they had, moving fast enough that neither of them could catch each other. But something had to give, and Ishimori was able to throw himself into a La Mistica, putting pressure down on Hiromu’s left shoulder, which is in poor shape as a result of Ishimori’s attacks on it in recent weeks. Hiromu tried to fight back by hitting the sunset flip powerbomb with his opponent on the apron, but Ishimori backflipped out of it and continued to press the advantage. Frustrated, Hiromu ripped all the supportive tape all his shoulder. He tried to throw a running Ishimori into the turnbuckle pad, but Ishimori was able to catch himself, only to fail to do so after Hiromu tried it again. The two madmen traded German suplexes, and Hiromu floored him with a lariat and the Dynamite Plunger. Hiromu kept the pressure on, but Ishimori granted himself a few moments of rest when he hit the Cipher Uteki. He hit the La Mistica again into the Yes Lock, but Hiromu was able to get a free hand on the ropes to break the hold. Ishimori set up the Bloody Cross, but Hiromu got out of it, only for Ishimori to put him down again with a lariat. He tried the Bloody Cross again, but Hiromu stopped the lift, then brought Ishimori to his shoulders and hit a death valley bomb into the turnbuckle pad. He hit the Time Bomb, but Ishimori kicked out at two! He tried for the Time Bomb II, but Ishimori blocked it and hit a move I’ve never seen before, the reverse Bloody Cross. He applied the Yes Lock again and Hiromu submitted! Taiji Ishimori is now a two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

    IWGP Tag Team Championship: Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi) (c) def. Golden Ace (Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi) (16:01)
    As the sky turned dark, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi entered to new mashup entrance music.These two teams, some of the most high-profile to fight for the IWGP Tag Team Championships in recent memory, have been at each other’s throats ever since NJPW began having shows again in June. As such, they know what to expect of each other more than ever. Furthermore, the dynamic between Golden Ace has been brought into question; Ibushi questioned his faith in Tanahashi as a partner after he took the losing fall at Dominion, but they have since reassured the public that they are fine. As Ibushi and Taichi were about to begin, Tanahashi called out that Zack was sneaking up behind Ibushi. Dangerous Tekkers focused their double team offense on Tanahashi, meaning perhaps they thought he was the weak link of the team as well. Ibushi ran wild after getting tagged in, hitting a running shooting star press on a prone Taichi. Ibushi and Taichi engaged each other in a battle of kicks under the lights. After Ibushi hit a brutal high kick, he tagged in Tanahashi, who delivered repeated dragonscrew leg whips to Zack Sabre Jr, and then to Taichi, with the aid of Ibushi. Zack slowed Tanahashi’s roll with the Jim Breaks Armbar, but was interrputed by Taichi, who had pulled out the Iron Finger from Hell. Ibushi kicked him in the face nonchalantly and continued on. Tanahashi hit the High Fly Flow on Zack Sabre Jr., and climbed to the top rope for another, but Zack moved out of the way. From that point, Taichi ran in, and they together hit the Zack Mephisto on Tanahashi for the pinfall victory. Dangerous Tekkers retain the IWGP Tag Team Championships. Kota Ibushi looked absolutely distraught, and perhaps disappointed yet again.

    IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental Championship: EVIL (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito (26:20)
    EVIL had a very cool entrance, emerging from the dugout in pitch-blackness, with the stadium lights turned off, as if entering from “The Darkness World” if you will. EVIL controlled the match early on, as well-timed help from Dick Togo enabled him to take advantage of the leader of the unit he used to be a part of. Naito came back multiple times, but Dick Togo was continually a thorn in his side. It’s unknown whether Naito, like Hiromu, has insisted to the rest of LIJ that he fight his own battle regardless of the circumstances, but he could really use their help in these circumstances. Naito’s comebacks continued to garner thunderous applause, and he looked to be making the most progress yet before EVIL pushed the referee into an exposed turnbuckle, and Dick Togo came in again to attack Naito. He and EVIL hit the Magic Killer on Naito, prompting heavy boos. BUSHI ran in and fought off the two of them, but Gedo was also there to take out BUSHI. EVIL brandished a chair as Naito rose to his feet, but Naito kicked it away before Dick Togo came in and choked him with a wire. SANADA ran in and he and BUSHI fought off everyone, hitting simultaneous planchas on Togo and Gedo. EVIL and Naito rose to their feet, and Naito hit the running Destino for a near fall. Naito hit the Destino again, but EVIL blocked it and hitting a mule kick. EVIL went for his self-named finish, but Naito managed to block it. EVIL tried to hit Naito in the groin again, but Naito blocked his hand and slapped him in the face before hitting the Valentia. Finally, he hit the Destino for the three count. Tetsuya Naito is IWGP Heavyweight Champion and IWGP Intercontinental Champion again!

    As he always does after winning in a main event, Tetsuya Naito performed the roll call of Los Ingobernables de Japon, emphasizing not mentioning EVIL. A firework display began, and Naito posed under the dazzling night sky.

    https://twitter.com/SirLARIATO/status/1299654313015496705
  • David Finlay On Not Wanting His Father To Get Him Into WWE

    David Finlay On Not Wanting His Father To Get Him Into WWE

    David Finlay is scheduled to face KENTA in the finals of the New Japan Cup USA 2020. He defeated Chase Owens in the quarter-finals and pulled off the upset over Tama Tonga in the semi-finals.

    The 27-year-old spoke with Fightful Select recently about his career thus far. Finlay said that he knows he could have gotten his father, Fit Finlay, to get him into WWE when he first started training but he didn’t want to go that route. Instead, Finlay wanted to earn things on his own merit. Finlay began training at the New Japan Dojo in 2015 as a 22-year-old.

    Finlay also said that he believes his father could still wrestle. According to David, Fit Finlay still trains daily and is in good enough shape to go.

    Finlay vs KENTA will take place on August 21st, 2020.

    David Finlay On Explaining Relationship To Hornswoggle

    When David Finlay was in middle school, WWE ran an angle where Hornswoggle was revealed as Fit’s son. Evidently, this led to David having to go along with the angle at school. He spoke to the WINCLY podcast about the experience.

    “I was in middle school about 7th or 8th grade. (His mother) sat me down, and she was like, ‘David, this is what they’re gonna do on TV tonight, which means tomorrow when you go to school, all of your friends are going to be asking if this is your brother? You have to tell them yes.’”

    “But then of course, that’s not good enough for my friends, so they’re asking all these follow-up questions like, ‘how come he doesn’t live with you?’ So I’m having to like BS on my friend on the spot because my mom told me I have to tell them that that’s my brother. Wrestling family man.”

  • Tama Tonga Reveals What Bullet Club Was Almost Named

    Tama Tonga recently took part in an interview with Chris Van Vliet. During the discussion, he revealed the name that was originally proposed for the faction before it was ultimately decided to call the group Bullet Club.

    “I didn’t have no say in the name, I was just like ‘alright, tell me what to do and I’ll do it,’” Tonga said on the show. “Prince Devitt was thinking of calling it the ‘Bullet Brigade’ and Fale was like ‘brigade sounds…what if you called it club?’”

    “Fale is from New Zealand and played professional rugby and ‘club’ is a thing. So, that’s where Bullet Club came from. So, took that and ran with it.”

    Bullet Club is a faction in New Japan Pro Wrestling that has produced multiple IWGP Heavyweight Champions. AJ Styles, Kenny Omega, Jay White, and now EVIL have held that title while a member of the faction.

    Tonga was also asked his opinion of WWE’s version of the club.

    “It’s just like anything else, just like Mexico’s LIJ that became LIJ of Japan. Just like the Hurt Business or the Mob whatever. When you are doing something so good, everybody wants to copy it. That’s a nod to us, I’m okay with that but you aren’t going to do it like us,” Tonga said.

    Tonga’s comments can be heard in the player below:

  • YOSHI-HASHI, Ishii, Goto Win NEVER 6-Man Championships

    YOSHI-HASHI, Ishii, Goto Win NEVER 6-Man Championships

    Today, NJPW held one event of their ongoing Summer Struggle tour, at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan. Today’s event was main-evented by the conclusion of the tournament to crown the new NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions. This was held as a result of EVIL defecting from the Los Ingobernables de Japon unit to Bullet Club, breaking up the trio that were then-champions.

    The eight-team, three-day tournament ended with a match involving two trios from the same faction CHAOS: Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano and SHO against Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI. After 24 minutes and 18 seconds, Tomohiro Ishii pinned SHO after a vertical brainbuster to win the match for his team. At the time, YOSHI-HASHI was holding Okada back from being able to break up the pin.

    Following the match, Goto, Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI were presented their new Championships. Kazuchika Okada made it a point to present YOSHI-HASHI his Championship belt, since this is the first Championship YOSHI-HASHI has won in his 12-year career.

    This event can be watched on NJPW World.

  • Enzo Amore Trashes ROH For Poor Handling of MSG Hype from 2019

    Enzo Amore Trashes ROH For Poor Handling of MSG Hype from 2019

    Former WWE Superstar and 205 Live Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore/nZo recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio to discuss a number of topics from his recent career in and out of a pro wrestling ring.

    One of the topics discussed was the now infamous Madison Square Garden incident from WrestleMania weekend in 2019. Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling were hosting the co-brand G1 Supercard event from MSG when Enzo and Big Cass jumped the rail and attacked Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and The Briscoes.

    Co-host of Busted Open Bully Ray was also part of the ‘angle,’ although Enzo would claim that it was a “real fight.” Only a select number of people within ROH knew about the angle, with the company trying to ‘work the boys’ and create some buzz for the promotion.

    Enzo Amore on Canned Angle

    “No one got on the phone after and said ‘that was a great job’” Enzo would reveal on Busted Open. Enzo would then also discuss how a small minority of fans ‘scared’ ROH online, leading the angle to be ixnayed. “They [ROH] just said, ‘oh sh*t, we f*cked up. No, you didn’t you idiots.”

    Enzo would then launch straight into ROH management, saying how they completely ruined what could’ve been a hugely lucrative angle for the promotion. “This was the biggest f*cking…you (ROH) have never in your entire wrestling existence as a promotion been spoken about more! You just dropped the ball like, I had never seen anything like it in my life. I have never seen such sh*t. I could have talked Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and the f*cking Briscoes…TWO PROMOTIONS INTO MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. AGAIN!”

    “When you do that? And you don’t follow through with it? You leave such a sour taste in my mouth” Enzo would finish. “And when I walk away? I go, ‘this is what the f*cking indie promotions are like? This is what wrestling IS outside of WWE? People can’t take a joke, you know!? I hope you take d*ck better than you take a joke.”

    Do you think that ROH missed out on a major angle here? Let us know in the comments

    Also Check Out:

    Big Cass Enzo Amore
    CaZXL and nZo (formerly Big Cass & Enzo Amore)