New Japan kicked off the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour today, marking the official start to their year, the start of the road to Tokyo Dome 2027, and a true new beginning after 25+ years of Hiroshi Tanahashi as the face of the promotion…although he’s still around as President. The Young Lions Cup also returned today after several years giving the rookies & trainees a prize to compete for.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World. You can also watch the first 2 matches FOR FREE on YouTube.
The announced paid attendance was 1006.
Match 1: Young Lions Cup: Masatora Yasuda beat Takuya Matsumoto. As a result, Yasuda advances to the Semifinals and will face Shoma Kato.
Match 2: Young Lions Cup: Daiki Nagai beat Zane Jay. As a result, Nagai advances to the Semifinals and will face Katsuya Murashima. (Both Kato & Murashima got free passes to the Semifinals)
Match 3: Master Wato, Yoh, Toru Yano, El Desperado & Aaron Wolf beat Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi, EVIL, DOUKI & Ren Narita. Wato beat Togo with Vendeval.
Match 4: Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan, Callum Newman & Jake Lee beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji. Akira pinned Gedo after Unmanned Emerald Flowsion.
Match 5: Sho beat Kosei Fujita by DQ.
Match 6: Yoshinobu Kanemaru beat Robbie Eagles.
Match 7: Boltin Oleg, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. to win the titles. Oleg, YOSHI-HASHI & Goto become the 33rd NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions. Goto pinned Oiwa after GTR.
Main Event: Yuya Uemura & Shota Umino beat Tomohiro Ishii & Taichi. Umino pinned Taichi after Second Chapter. As a result, Uemura & Umino get the next IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship shot. That match will happen at THE NEW BEGINNING on 2/11 at Osaka Prefectural Gym in Osaka.
The next event is tomorrow. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.