New Japan ran the penultimate event of the Road To TOKYO DOME Tour, and the year, today in Tokyo.
Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World. This was also a free live simulcast on ABEMA in Japan.
The announced paid attendance was 1420, a full house/near sellout.
Pre-show match: Hiromu Takahashi beat Shoma Kato.
Match 1: Satoshi Kojima beat Boltin Oleg. This was to have been Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Oleg & Toru Yano, but Tenzan was a last-minute removal from the event due to a fever. Yano was also removed as a result.
Match 2; Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita beat Jacob Austin Young & Jeff Cobb and Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa in a 3-way when Narita pinned Young. After the match, El Phantasmo, who has been away from the promotion due to treatment for cancer, appeared and announced he will return tomorrow, and also issued a NJPW WORLD TV Championship challenge. As a result, the 3-way for the title on 1/4 at the Tokyo Dome is now a 4-way.
Match 3: Master Wato & El Desperado beat TAKA Michinoku & DOUKI. Desperado beat TAKA with Numero Dos.
Match 4: Robbie Eagles beat Kevin Knight, Francesco Akira & Drilla Moloney in a 4-way by pinning Moloney.
Match 5: BUSHI, SHingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji beat Gedo, SANADA & David FInlay. Tsuji pinned Gedo after Gene Blaster.
Match 6; Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Hiroshi Tanahashi & Shota Umino. Sabre pinned Tanahashi after Zack Driver.
Main Event: In a 3 Falls 3 Years Of KOPW Culmination Match, KOPW 2024 Champion Great-O-Khan vs. Taichi ended in a DRAW. 1-1-1. As a result, Khan retains the title. Fall 1, a No Ropes Push Out Match, was won by Taichi. Fall 2, with Yoshinobu Kanemaru as special referee, was won by Khan. Fall 3, a Last Man Standing Anywhere Match )originally a Last Man Standing Lumberjack Death Match), ended in a Double KO. Khan will be the final KOPW 2024 Champion as it will reset and start over for 2025.
The next event, and the final event of the year, is tomorrow. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.
