SEScoops

Category: NJPW

  • Will Ospreay Makes New Japan Pro Wrestling History

    Will Ospreay Makes New Japan Pro Wrestling History

    UK sensation Will Ospreay made history during Monday’s King of Pro Wrestling event for NJPW.

    Ospreay defeated IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA to become the first ever British born holder of the prestigious championship. After the match ‘The Villain’ Marty Scurll appeared and challenged Ospreay, refuelling their longtime rivalry from several British Independent promotions.

    The event is available to watch in full over on NJPWworld.com and also features the following matches:

    • Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi & Leo Tonga vs SANADA, BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi
    • Hirooki Goto & Toru Yano vs Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr.
    • IWGP Junior Tag Championship Match: Ryusuke Taguchi & Ricochet vs Sho & Yoh
    • IWGP Tag Championship Tornado Elimination Match: Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs Raymond Rowe & Hanson vs Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
    • YOSHI-HASHI, Barreta & Jado vs Kenny Omega, Cody & Marty Scurll
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Togi Makabe vs Kota Ibushi & Juice Robinson
    • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: KUSHIDA vs Will Ospreay
    • Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Challenge Rights Match: etsuya Naito vs Tomohiro Ishii
    • IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match: Kazuchika Okada vs EVIL

  • Update On Cody Rhodes Signing With Ring Of Honor

    Update On Cody Rhodes Signing With Ring Of Honor

    Ring of Honor announced over the weekend that ROH World Champion Cody Rhodes is signing an ‘exclusive’ contract with the promotion. The official contract signing took place at Saturday’s television tapings from Las Vegas.

    According to Dave Meltzer,  Cody will continue working for New Japan Pro Wrestling and will be working far fewer dates overall than his current schedule. The belief is that Cody will now be wrestling approximately 100 dates per year, with 65 for Ring of Honor and around 35 for New Japan.

    While working for various independent promotions across the world, Cody had been working four shows per week and the travel schedule was becoming difficult for him.

    Following Cody’s successful title defense against Minoru Suzuki at Friday’s Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view, Dalton Castle is rumored to be his challenger.

  • Lineup For NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling Event Revealed

    Lineup For NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling Event Revealed

    New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced several big matches for their upcoming King of Pro Wrestling event that takes place on October 9th at Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan. Four title matches are slated to take place at the show.

    Kazuchika Okada will defend the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against EVIL in the main event. The other three title matches are IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA vs. Will Ospreay, IWGP Tag Team Champions Killer Elite Squad vs. War Machine vs. Guerillas of Destiny, and IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champions Ryusuke Taguchi and Ricochet vs. Roppongi 3K.

    Here is the full lineup:

    — IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL

    — Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the WrestleKingdom 12 briefcase

    — IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA vs. Will Ospreay

    — Hiroshi Tanahashi and Togi Makabe vs. Kota Ibushi and Juice Robinson

    — YOSHI-HASHI, Baretta and Jado vs. Kenny Omega, Cody and Marty Scurll

    — IWGP Tag Team Champions Killer Elite Squad vs. War Machine vs. Guerillas of Destiny

    — IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champions Ryusuke Taguchi and Ricochet vs. Roppongi 3K

    — Toru Yano and Hirooki Goto vs. Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.

    — Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi and Leo Tonga vs. SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI

  • Kenny Omega Talks to NJPWWorld.com

    Kenny Omega Talks to NJPWWorld.com

    2017 has been the biggest year in Kenny Omega’s already illustrious career. His historic trilogy against Kazuchika Okada is already being described by many as the greatest in pro wrestling history, and his match against Tetsuya Naito is also being touted as the greatest final in G1 Climax history.

    Omega recently spoke to Kevin Kelly and NJPWWorld.com on his upcoming match against Juice Robinson for the IWGP United States title and much, much more. Check out the tweet below to view the video for free now.

  • Kazuchika Okada Talks His Best in The World Status – ‘For this era, there can be nobody but me.’

    Kazuchika Okada Talks His Best in The World Status – ‘For this era, there can be nobody but me.’

    IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada recently spoke to Yahoo Japan on a variety of topics. Japanese wrestling pundit Chris Charlton (@reasonjp) translated some of what New Japan’s ‘Ace’ had to say and it makes for some interesting reading:

    Do you agree with Okada? Is he the best professional wrestler in the world today? His resume certainly speaks for itself…let you know your thoughts in the comments

  • Kenny Omega ‘100%’ for Destruction in Kobe this Sunday

    Kenny Omega ‘100%’ for Destruction in Kobe this Sunday

    Tokyo Sports has announced that NJPW star Kenny Omega is ‘100%’ for New Japan’s Destruction in Kobe event this Sunday.

    Omega recently suffered from an injury to his left meniscus, his time frame for return was tentatively scheduled to be Kobe on Sunday however with this report it looks to be official. Omega is scheduled to defend his IWGP United States Championship at the show against Juice Robinson.

  • The Young Bucks Want Hulk Hogan In NJPW

    The Young Bucks Want Hulk Hogan In NJPW

    The Young Bucks spoke to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated this week to promote Ring of Honor’s upcoming Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view. Topics discussed include Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly in WWE NXT, wanting to wrestle The New Day, their feeling that WWE is ‘going to war’ with them and the Motor City Machine Guns being their greatest rivalry ever.

    In talking about next year’s Wrestle Kingdom 12 event from the Tokyo Dome (1/4/18), the Bucks said they want Hulk Hogan to walk them to the ring.

    “I’d love to welcome Hulk in,” said Matt. “He’s honestly my favorite wrestler of all time, so working with him in any capacity would be fun.”

    Nick added, “I’d love to have him walk us down the aisle at the Tokyo Dome while the three of us play air guitar. That would be a dream come true.”

    You can check out the full interview at SI.com.

    Of course, Hulk Hogan is no stranger to New Japan Pro Wrestling. Hogan wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling from 1980-1985 during the initial rise of Hulkamania. He won the first International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP) tournament back in 1983 and defended the WWF Championship in Japan several times before WWF & NJPW’s working relationship fizzled out in 1985. Hogan later returned to New Japan in 1993 after leaving the World Wrestling Federation prior to joining WCW.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf78v6Fa9vI

  • Kenny Omega Undergoes Knee Surgery

    Kenny Omega Undergoes Knee Surgery

    New Japan Pro Wrestling announced this week that Kenny Omega has been puled from his advertised appearances on 9/7 and 9/22 due to an injury sustained to his left knee’s lateral meniscus. Omega addressed the injury on Wednesday:

    According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Omega underwent surgery last night. He reportedly knew he’d need surgery going back to the G1 Climax Tournament and had been working injured for months.

    NJPW says Omega’s next scheduled match is currently 9/24 in Kobe, which would be a very short recovery period and a sign that he only had a partial menisectomy.

    During Omega’s absence, Bullet Club’s G.O.D. (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) will be joined by their younger brother, Leo Tonga. Also the son of former WWE/NJPW legend Haku, Leo Tonga trained at the Team 3D Academy and Fale Dojo.

    For more information on Leo Tonga, visit NJPW1972.com.

  • Kota Ibushi Talks G1, his NJPW Return and More

    Kota Ibushi Talks G1, his NJPW Return and More

    New Japan Pro Wrestling star Kota Ibushi recently spoke to the New Japan English language site NJPW1972.com on a variety of topics including the G1 Climax tournament, his long awaited return to the company and his brutal Kamigoye! move, here are some of the highlights:

    –OK, first let’s talk about you being back in a New Japan ring, and being such a focal part of the G1. It’s been a couple of weeks now, looking back, how was the G1 for you?

    Ibushi: Ultimately I wrestled more in that one month than in the two years before. I was a little wary of that beforehand, doing two years worth of matches in such a short time, but it actually turned out OK.

    –Before the G1 started, you mentioned that New Japan today is a different place from when you were last here. How do you feel about that now?

    Ibushi: I think New Japan started, in about 2014, 2015 advancing to a new level. 2016 I wasn’t around, so coming back in 2017 it really feels like they’ve kicked into this higher gear… although a part of that is a little dangerous, a little frightening.

    –You said about the 2015 G1 that the only word that sprang to mind was ‘tough’. How did this year compare?

    Ibushi: This year was just so much fun. Some of the most pure, genuine fun I’ve had in wrestling. I haven’t felt anything like that recently.

    –Not in WWE?

    Ibushi: Right, not in WWE.

    –Why do you think this time was so enjoyable?

    Ibushi: This time it was about wrestling the way I wanted to wrestle. I always want to make the fans happy when I wrestle, but this time, more than that, I did what I wanted.

    –When we talked to you at your public workout, you said you wanted to debut a new move, but that became you saying you couldn’t do it. Was debuting Kamigoe up in the air for you?

    Ibushi: I actually had the move in mind for a while, so it wasn’t quite a matter of ‘this is the new move’, more that I wanted to see just how much power I could get behind that knee, and I couldn’t know for sure without trying it in a match

    –To a lot of long term New Japan fans, the move and its name will have them thinking of a certain wrestler.

    Ibushi: To tell the truth, I’ve wanted to use a Boma-Ye like move for a long time. I’ve given a lot of thought to using the Boma-Ye.

    –That being the finish for Shinsuke Nakamura, in WWE now.

    Ibushi: With that connection to Nakamura, I’d have liked to have pulled it off soon after he left for America, but I was away at that point..

    –You missed your chance then, and decided to use it on your comeback instead.

    Ibushi: Ever since we first faced each other in 2013, I’d felt I wanted to add something of Shinsuke’s to my moveset. Actually before he went to WWE, I met with Shinsuke. I don’t know whether he was kidding or not, but he told me ‘go ahead, you should totally use the Boma-Ye’. Those word stuck with me. I think it was a test, in a way.

  • NJPW September Event Listings

    NJPW September Event Listings

    New Japan Pro Wrestling’s September schedule is usually jam packed heading into the ‘Destruction’ shows, and this year is no different.

    NJPW has released the full schedule for their NJPWWorld.com streaming service and it includes 5 live events this month:

    • September 7th: Road to Destruction
    • September 9th: Road to Destruction
    • September 10th: Destruction in Fukushima
    • September 16th: Destruction in Hiroshima
    • September 24th: Destruction in Kobe

  • Okada Talks WWE, Working With Finn, AJ & Nakamura Again

    Okada Talks WWE, Working With Finn, AJ & Nakamura Again

    Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s #1 ranked wrestler of 2017 Kazuchika Okada spoke with the magazine about topping this year’s list, the possibility of joining WWE and more.

    Several of WWE’s top Superstars, including AJ Styles, Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling before signing with the company. Okada has worked with them all and would love to compete against them again, but he’s not sold that WWE is a good fit for him.

    When asked if he’d consider working for WWE, he said, “It’s not something I think about. New Japan is far superior to WWE when it comes to the quality of the roster and the quality of the matches.”

    Okada follows the WWE product and has been backstage for several WWE events over the past year. He attended last year’s NXT Takeover: Brooklyn and SummerSlam shows (photo) was backstage at RAW and SmackDown in July (video) when NJPW was in town for the G1 Special tournament in California. He keeps an eye on what Balor, AJ and Nakamura are doing in WWE and says they look like they’re having fun.

    “One thing I will say is that I do pay attention to what Finn Balor, AJ, and Nakamura are doing, and they look like they’re having fun. I might want to wrestle them again someday, but I might want to do that in New Japan.”

    With so many big name wrestlers crossing over into other fields like movies and even UFC, Okada teased that he might follow in the footsteps of guys like The Rock and Batista.

    “Hell, I might want to be like some other people and become a movie star or join the UFC. You never know.”

  • Zack Sabre Jr. Talks G1 Climax Tournament, Possibly Joining WWE

    Zack Sabre Jr. Talks G1 Climax Tournament, Possibly Joining WWE

    Zack Sabre Jr. recently spoke with NJPW’s official website about various topics including not signing with WWE, competing in the G1 Climax, his travel schedule and more. Here are some of the highlights:

    Competing in the G1 Climax tournament:

    “When it comes to the G1, you’re talking about probably the highest quality tournament that I’ve been in. But for four or five years now, I’ve not had any time off. There have been some weeks where I’d wrestle in three countries, in that same week! I’ll have three international flights coming up next week, all within four days. So being in Japan for one month has almost been like a rest for me!”

    Not signing with WWE:

    “It would be like asking a musician, ‘Why didn’t you sign with the biggest record label?’ I’m just concerned with being the best professional wrestler I can be. …It was really just a personal choice. This is my path.”

    You can read the entire interview here.

  • Naito Comments On If He Thinks NJPW Is Superior To WWE

    Naito Comments On If He Thinks NJPW Is Superior To WWE

    New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star Tetsuya Naito recently spoke to Sports Illustrated to discuss a variety of professional wrestling topics, including beating Kenny Omega at the G1 Climax 27 finals, the G1 tournament being grueling and if NJPW is superior to WWE or Ring Of Honor (ROH), and his thoughts on Hiroshi Tanahashi. Here are the highlights:

    Defeating Kenny Omega at the G1 Climax 27 final:

    “There’s no doubt that Kenny Omega is a phenomenal wrestler. Every time I’m in the ring with him, my heart beats out my chest. I can’t wait to wrestle him again. He’s world class. But Bullet Club? What happened to them? What happened to the energy they used to have? There are a lot of great individual wrestlers in there, but look at them as a unit, and I don’t see any appeal whatsoever.”

    The grueling nature of the G1 tournament and if NJPW is superior to WWE or ROH:

    “The G1 Climax is a huge springboard for a wrestler’s career. Everyone who enters has a chance to launch themselves into the stratosphere. Right now, I’ve launched myself off that springboard. I’m on my way up. How far I’ll go, what I’ll be able to see at the peak, I don’t know, but I’m really excited to find out. I don’t know whether New Japan thinks the tournament makes them superior, but they’re establishing the name worldwide and they’re doing it with confidence. I think the words you used before, most elite in the world? They’re an appropriate description.”

    His thoughts on Hiroshi Tanahashi:

    “Of course Tanahashi was a great wrestler. He was someone I used to aspire to be. But that’s all in the past now. The shining star that was Hiroshi Tanahashi is long gone. As far as the final block match is concerned, it was just another block match that led me to the finals. No secret tactics needed. The result was a matter of course.”

    You can check out Naito’s full interview with Sports Illustrated here.

  • Lineup For NJPW Destruction Events Revealed

    Lineup For NJPW Destruction Events Revealed

    New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced several big matches for the two Destruction shows that will take place in September. Also, a big match has been revealed for the King of Pro Wrestling event in October. Here is a list of matches along with dates and times that they will air live on NJPW’s official streaming service, New Japan World:

    Destruction in Fukushima – September 10th

    —- Tomohiro Ishii and Will Ospreay vs. Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi

    —- Tomoyuki Oka and Katsuya Kitamura vs. Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI

    —- Juice Robinson and David Finlay vs. Kenny Omega and Bad Luck Fale

    —- Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, KUSHIDA, Ryusuke Taguchi and Ricochet vs. Takashi Iizuka, Taka Michinoku, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Taichi

    —- Baretta and Jado vs. Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens

    —- Yuji Nagata and Hirai Kawato vs. Manabu Nakanishi and Shota Umino

    —- Minoru Suzuki vs. Michael Elgin for the NEVER Openweight title

    —- War Machine vs. Guerillas of Destiny vs. Killer Elite Squad in a triple threat match for the IWGP tag team titles

    —- EVIL, SANADA and BUSHI vs. Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano and Rocky Romero for the NEVER Six Man titles

    —- Destruction in Hiroshima (September 16th, 5:00 a.m. EDT)

    —- Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Will Ospreay and Gedo vs. Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI and Hiromu Takahashi

    —- Juice Robinson and David Finlay vs. Kenny Omega and Bad Luck Fale

    —- Kota Ibushi, Michael Elgin and Togi Makabe vs. Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka and Taka Michinoku

    —- Roppongi Vice vs. Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens

    —- Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask vs. Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI and Jado

    —- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP Intercontinental title

    —- KUSHIDA vs. El Desperado for the IWGP Jr. title

    —- War Machine vs. Guerillas of Destiny and Killer Elite Squad in a triple threat match for the IWGP tag team titles

    —- Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Taichi for the IWGP Jr. tag team titles

    Destruction in Kobe – September 24th

    —- Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi and Ricochet vs. Takashi Iizuka, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Taichi

    —- Hirooki Goto, Baretta and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens

    —- Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask vs. Taka Michinoku and El Desperado

    —- Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Hirai Kawato vs. Tomoyuki Oka and Shota Umino

    —- Togi Makabe and David Finlay vs. Michael Elgin and Katsuya Kitamura

    —- Kenny Omega vs. Juice Robinson for the IWGP United States title

    —- Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay vs. EVIL and Hiromu Takahashi

    —- Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano and Rocky Romero vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI

    —- War Machine vs. Guerillas of Destiny and Killer Elite Squad in a triple threat match for the IWGP tag team titles

    King of Pro Wrestling – October 9th

    —- Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii

    —- Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL for the IWGP Heavyweight title

  • Tetsuya Naito Proposes Changes to G1 Climax Format

    Tetsuya Naito Proposes Changes to G1 Climax Format

    G1 Climax winner Tetsuya Naito took part in a press conference for New Japan recently and he made some ‘proposals’ on the format of the G1 and how he feels that the tournament could be changed for the better. The following comes from New Japan’s English language site NJPW1972.com:

    ‘I said as much in the ring last night, but I’m honestly grateful for all the fans for the atmosphere they all created in Ryogoku. But that’s not limited to the last match yesterday. This G1 I was able to put on amazing matches in front of amazing audiences every night. I think this was the best G1 Climax of all time.

    But I have one… proposal? Or maybe a problem as winner. Something I want to happen if possible, as it relates to next year.

    I want there to be a more sound selection criteria for anyone who enters the G1.

    On August 11 and 12, the final group matches. There were five group matches on each night, but on the 11th, Tanahashi v Naito was the only match that decided the block. On the 12th, only Kenny and Okada. So out of 10 matches, 8 were meaningless.

    That’s an issue with league matches, it can’t be helped to an extent. But it’s on the company to ensure that the fans are excited, kept on the edge of their seats until the very end, is it not? You have to raise questions over whether the choices made were the right ones, or whether 20 wrestlers was really the right number.

    Recently the G1 Climax has been made up of 19 cards. Wrestlers in two blocks of ten. Nine group matches each and a final. That’s the framework that’s been laid out. It’s only after that that the company decides who goes in. “Ah, he sucks but we need to fill the blocks up so he gets in.” That’s how I felt it was this year. It should be a case of finding the absolute best of the best and only then deciding how many shows there needs to be.

    Anyway, that’s just an idea, as this year’s winner to make the tournament better for all concerned. I know the company never really listens to me. If you just bear in mind that ol’ Naito had that suggestion for ya, I’d appreciate it.

    So then.. this contract. This appears every year, doesn’t it? I knew I’d be getting one of these, but I didn’t know until right now that you’d go as far as to lay it out in front of me. A part of me suspected that they’d say “Naito won, so let’s nix it this year.” I gotta say, it’s kinda surprising to have this actually in front of my eyes. If I can have it, I’ll take it. But what I do with it? I think you know the answer. Of course- tranquilo- asssen na yo. That’s about it.”

     

  • NJPW – Hiromu Takahashi Calls out Will Ospreay, Ospreay Responds

    NJPW – Hiromu Takahashi Calls out Will Ospreay, Ospreay Responds

    Former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi has issued a challenge to UK star Will Ospreay, he made the following comments after the G1 Climax finals this week:

    “Ahhhh, I’m hyped up! Excited for some pain! You know who I mean! That son of a b*tch who ruined my fairytale story! Will Ospreay! Let’s do it again! Every time I think of you at night, I can’t get any sleep! Where are you Ospreay? You’re in my damn head! Get out of my mind and in the ring! So when you do, we can have more, more, more! More!!! MORE!!!! Fun together.”

    Credit to @NewJapanProNewsFeed for the translation

    The current plans call for Ospreay and Takahashi to meet at the Destruction shows in September, with the winner of the bout becoming the number 1 contender to KUSHIDA’s IWGP Junior title.

  • New Japan Post Cryptic Video Hinting at an Upcoming Debut

    New Japan Post Cryptic Video Hinting at an Upcoming Debut

    New Japan has released a video which may be hinting at an upcoming debut, possibly as early as the ‘Destruction’ shows in September.

    You may remember the TIME BOMB vignettes that New Japan aired before the return of Hiromu Takahashi, fans at the time believed the promo packages were hyping the debut of former WWE superstar Ryback…

    Well this time fans have reason to believe that the ‘switchblade’ video is referring to none other than former NXT star Sami Callihan. Callihan tweeted a few hours after the video was posted and it strongly hints at a possible debut in the near future.

    Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments.

    https://twitter.com/TheSamiCallihan/status/898034753198333952

  • NJPW G1 Climax Tournament Airing On AXS TV Starting Friday

    NJPW G1 Climax Tournament Airing On AXS TV Starting Friday

    NJPW’s G1 CLIMAX tournament takes over AXS TV’s Friday nights for the next three months as the network presents 12 all-new, hour-long episodes showcasing top matches from the tournament on the award-winning series New Japan Pro Wrestling beginning this Friday, Aug. 18 at 8pm.

    The 12 hours of tournament action are the most coverage of the annual G1 CLIMAX in AXS TV’s history and will be presented by legendary wrestling broadcaster Jim Ross and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and NJPW veteran Josh Barnett.

    AXS TV PRESENTS MORE G1 CLIMAX COVERAGE THAN EVER BEFORE WITH 12 NEW EPISODES OF ‘NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’ SHOWCASING THE TOURNAMENT FRIDAYS AT 8pE BEGINNING AUG. 18

    LOS ANGELES – Aug. 16, 2017 – NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’s biggest tournament—the G1 CLIMAX—takes over AXS TV’s Friday nights for the next three months as the network presents 12 all-new, hour-long episodes showcasing top matches from the tournament on the award-winning series NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING beginning this Friday, Aug. 18 at 8pE. The 12 hours of tournament action are the most coverage of the annual G1 CLIMAX in AXS TV’s history and will be presented by legendary wrestling broadcaster Jim Ross and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and NJPW veteran Josh Barnett.

    Now in its 27th year, the G1 CLIMAX tournament is like no other televised event in wrestling, pitting 20 of NJPW’s top competitors against each other in a grueling, month-long series of matches spread across 19 separate events. For the round-robin tournament, the wrestlers are separated into two blocks (A & B), where they compete for the highest score (2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw). The winners of each block then face off in the finals for the tournament championship and a right to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Title on NJPW’s biggest stage, Wrestle Kingdom in the Tokyo Dome Jan. 4.

    Each of AXS TV’s first eight episodes will feature two of the best matches from an A or B Block event, along with highlights from other matches at the event, kicking off Aug. 18 with Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. and Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito.

    The line-ups for the first eight episodes of AXS TV’s G1 Climax 27 coverage are as follows (subject to change):

    • Aug. 18 – A Block – Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
    • Aug. 25 – B Block – Minoru Suzuki vs. Kenny Omega, SANADA vs. EVIL
    • Sept. 1 – A Block – YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale
    • Sept. 8 – B Block – Michael Elgin vs. Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega vs. Tama Tonga
    • Sept. 15 – A Block – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi, Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito
    • Sept. 22 – B Block – Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL, Juice Robinson vs. Kenny Omega
    • Sept. 29 – A Block – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Togi Makabe vs. Tetsuya Naito
    • Oct. 6 – B Block – Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki, Michael Elgin vs. EVIL

    The line-ups for the final four episodes of AXS TV’s coverage will be announced at a later date.

  • New Japan Post Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi Reunion Video, Will They be Feuding?

    New Japan Post Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi Reunion Video, Will They be Feuding?

    New Japan recently released a video featuring the ‘reunion’ of longtime rivals Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi.

    Omega and The Young Bucks ran into Ibushi following Kenny’s G1 Final loss to Tetsuya Naito, Omega and Ibushi appear to speak briefly before Omega stumbles showing the effects of his match with Naito.

    The current rumored plans call for Omega and Ibushi to feud heading into next year’s Wrestle Kingdom show, likely for the Intercontinental or IWGP United States title. Would you like to see an eventual match between these two? Let us know in the comments.

  • Tetsuya Naito Wins the G1 Climax Tournament

    Tetsuya Naito Wins the G1 Climax Tournament

    Tetsuya Naito has won the 2017 G1 Climax Tournament! The leader of Los Ingobernables defeated Kenny Omega in an absolutely incredible match to earn himself a spot in the main event of next year’s Wrestle Kingdom (providing he retains the briefcase over the next few months…).

    If you have never checked out New Japan and you are looking for a true ‘alternative’ to WWE then check out njpwworld.com now, with the recent inclusion of an English language site and the ability to use PayPal the company has never been easier to access.

    Did you catch the G1 Final? Let us know what you thought in the comments.

  • Katsuyori Shibata Makes Emotional Appearance at New Japan’s G1 Climax Finals

    Katsuyori Shibata Makes Emotional Appearance at New Japan’s G1 Climax Finals

    ‘The Wrestler’ Katsuyori Shibata made his emotional return to NJPW at today’s G1 Climax finals. He appeared halfway through the show to greet the crowd and stated “I’m alive! That’s all!” Shibata suffered from a subdural hematoma during his last bout with Kazuchika Okada earlier this year and it was reported that we would likely never enter the squared circle to compete again.

    Shibata was visibly moved by the crowd’s response to his return, check the video below and let us know what you think in the comments.

  • WWE Superstars Appear In The Latest ‘Being The Elite’ (Video)

    WWE Superstars Appear In The Latest ‘Being The Elite’ (Video)

    NJPW stars The Young Bucks produce a popular YouTube series alongside Bullet Club/Elite member Kenny Omega called ‘Being The Elite.’

    The Bucks took the show to Montreal over the weekend and managed to get some of their old friends from WWE on camera, including AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.

    Matt and Nick Jackson were both appearing in Canada for an International Wrestling Syndicate event, you can check out the latest episode of ‘Being The Elite’ below.

  • Cody Rhodes Reacts To Kenny Omega Being Considered The Best In The World

    Cody Rhodes Reacts To Kenny Omega Being Considered The Best In The World

    Former WWE Superstar and current Ring Of Honor (ROH) World Champion Cody Rhodes recently did an interview with the International Business Times to talk about a number of professional wrestling topics, such as his amazing amount of success since leaving WWE, losing at the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) G1 Special, and people considering NJPW star Kenny Omega to be the best wrestler in the world. Here are the highlights:

    His amazing amount of success since leaving WWE:

    “There’s that saying, ‘Act like you’ve been in the end zone before,’ but I hadn’t been in the end zone before. So it’s very surprising. It’s been one hell of a ride, and I’m aware that it’s kind of an abnormal amount of success outside of WWE. Winning the Ring of Honor World Title in less than a year and to headline those G1 Specials.

    “I know my business, so I know that could fall out at any minute. There could be no one wanting to interview me. But right now, I’m trying to make it so that every day we get something special, and as ROH World Champion, I have the responsibility of captaining an entire ship. I’m looking forward to the possibilities there.”

    Losing at the NJPW G1 Special:

    “Today you gotta be a much better player than just a bad guy or a good guy. You gotta be a star. Those are the things my dad really harped on. Heel, babyface. He didn’t believe in it anymore. He just believed you’re a star or you’re on your way to being a star. And I had his voice in my head because I remember that fan rattled me a bit, and I tripped on my damn cape and I was like ‘Shake it off. Shake it off. You’re world champion. He’s the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Just go for it.’ And it was a real fun night.”

    Kenny Omega being considered the best wrestling in the world:

    “Kenny currently has the distinction of being the best wrestler in the world, and his run is proving tons of evidence to support that. For a singles wrestler like myself, who’s the world champion, it pisses you off a little bit. But you can be pissed off and go about it the wrong way, or you can go about it the right way. And I try to go about this the right way. Kenny and I are Bullet Club, and I want to outperform him, which is a tall, tall order.

    “But if I never go out there to give it a shot, then I’m not Bullet Club material in the first place. I think it’s the same with the Bucks. I think they love Kenny to death, but the concept of The Elite is not just a concept, it’s very real. Those three guys have each other’s backs, but if the Bucks go on last, they want to blow Kenny out of the water. They want to blow me out of the water. It’s not a negative at all. It’s a positive. It’s just a really fun, competitive environment in Bullet Club.”

    You can check out Rhodes full interview with the International Business Times at this link.

  • New Japan to post Free Match every Monday on njpwworld.com

    New Japan to post Free Match every Monday on njpwworld.com

    New Japan has announced that the njpwworld.com site will post a free match from their archives every Monday.

    NJPW has been posting several high profile bouts for free over the past couple of months although sporadically, this move appears to be another step in their goal for expansion into the Western territories of North America, the UK and Europe.

    The following matches are currently available to view:

    • Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi G1 CLIMAX 26 (2016)
    • Hirooki Goto vs Kenny Omega G1 CLIMAX 26 (2016)

  • G1 Climax 27 Night 6 Results and Updated Standings

    G1 Climax 27 Night 6 Results and Updated Standings

    The 6th night of NJPW’s G1 Climax tournament concluded earlier this morning in Fukushima, Japan. The show’s matches involved competitors in the B-Block. Results and updated standings below.

    G1 Climax 27 Night 6 Tournament Results

    • Michael Elgin (2pts) defeated Satoshi Kojima (0pts)
    • Evil (4pts) defeated Tama Tonga (2pts)
    • Minoru Suzuki (4pts) defeated Juice Robinson (2pts)
    • Kenny Omega (6pts) defeated Toru Yano (2pts)
    • Kazuchika Okada (6pts) defeated Sanada (2pts)

    Current Standings

    A Block

    • Hirooki Goto 4pts
    • Tetsuya Naito 4pts
    • Zack Sabre Jr. 4pts
    • Hiroshi Tanahashi 4pts
    • Bad Luck Fale 4pts
    • Tomohiro Ishii 2pts
    • Kota Ibushi 2pts
    • Yoshi-Hashi 2pts
    • Togi Makabe 2pts
    • Yuji Nagata 0pts

    B Block

    • Kazuchika Okada 6pts
    • Kenny Omega 6pts
    • EVIL 4pts
    • Minoru Suzuki 4pts
    • Juice Robinson 2pts
    • Tama Tonga 2pts
    • Sanada 2pts
    • Toru Yano 2pts
    • Michael Elgin 2pts
    • Satoshi Kojima 0pts