Tag: New Japan

New Japan 5/24/25 Results

New Japan continued the Best Of The Super Junior today in Hyogo.

Today’s event was held at Atelier Himeji in Hyogo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1136.

All matches were Best Of The Super Junior matches, 30 minute time limit.

Match 1: Block A: Clark Connors beat Ninja Mack.
Match 2: Block B: Sho beat Titan.
Match 3: Block A: Francesco Akira beat Robbie X.
Match 4: Block B: MAO beat Robbie Eagles.
Match 5: Block A: Kosei Fujita beat Dragon Dia.
Match 6: Block B: Taiji Ishimori beat Kevin Knight.
Match 7: Block A: Hiromu Takahashi beat Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
Match 8: Block B: Yoh beat Nick Wayne.
Match 9: Block A: Master Wato beat KUSHIDA.
Main Event: Block B: El Desperado beat Ryusuke Taguchi.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Wato, 5-2, 10 pts
2-Takahashi, 4-3, 8 pts
3-Fujita, 4-3, 8 pts
4-Akira, 4-3, 8 pts
5-Connors, 4-3, 8 pts
6-X, 3-4, 6 pts
7-Kanemaru, 3-4, 6 pts
8-Dia, 3-4, 6 pts
9-KUSHIDA, 3-4, 6 pts
10-Mack, 2-5, 4 pts (OUT)

Block B:
1-MAO, 4-3, 8 pts
2-Yoh, 4-3, 8 pts
3-Ishimori, 4-3, 8 pts
4-Desperado, 4-3, 8 pts
5-Wayne, 4-3, 8 pts
6-Taguchi, 3-4, 6 pts
7-Knight, 3-4, 6 pts
8-Eagles, 3-4, 6 pts
9-Titan, 3-4, 6 pts
10-Sho, 3-4, 6 pts

The top 2 in each block advance to the Semifinals. Mack is the first official elimination, out of Block A because of tiebreakers. Everyone else is still alive with only Wato not in a tie for first as he now leads Block A.

The next event is tomorrow at Port Messe Nagoya Exhibition Hall 2 in Nagoya. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET. This will also be broadcast on another channel/service I’m not familiar with in Japan.

News: A Clue To Future Destino?

He may no longer be with New Japan, but in a social media post in Japanese and Spanish today Tetsuya Naito possibly dropped a hint about his future plans. He mentioned an event with fellow ex-NJPW and LIJ member BUSHI on 6/22 somewhere in Tokyo, the title of which translates to “A Beginning”. This picture posted is the clue:

A separate Twitter account seemingly promoting the event and followed by Naito indicates it’s a talk show event at Tokyo Bay Washington Hotel Iris Hall in Tokyo, with tickets going on sale on 6/1 for 7110 Japanese yen (about $49 US). The account also posted a pic of Naito and a seemingly unmasked BUSHI that was taken outside Fukuoka International Center in Fukuoka, their backs to the camera, seemingly taken 2 weeks ago (where they made their last NJPW appearances at WRESTLING DONTAKU 2025). The account, on Twitter at Jun_22_2025, promises more announcements about this event so it may be worth watching for clues along with Naito’s account. It also follows BUSHI’s account, BUSHI posts regularly and noted he had vocal cord surgery after leaving New Japan. His profile says his DMs are open for bookings & inquiries. This also may be connected to the other acc it follows, a “secret” online shop that may be in on the project as well as having an association with Alex Zayne, who makes occasional appearances in NJPW.

More as it becomes available.

New Japan 5/22/25 Results

New Japan continued the Best Of The Super Junior today with Block B.

Today’s event was held at Osaka Prefectural Gym 2 in Osaka and can be watched on demand on New Japan World. This was a Samurai! TV broadcast in Japan.

The announced paid attendance was 967.

Match 1: Hartley Jackson & Kosei Fujita beat Shoma Kato & Dragon Dia. Jackson pinned Kato after Death Valley Bomb.

Match 2: Jacob Austin Young & Francesco Akira beat Gedo & Robbie X. Akira beat Gedo with a ground tarantula.

Match 3: Yota Tsuji & Hiromu Takagashi beat Yujiro Takahashi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Tsuji pinned Takahashi after Gene Blaster.

Match 4: Toru Yano, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato beat Katsuya Murashima, Yuya Uemura & KUSHIDA. Yano pinned Murashima after Demon Slayer.

Best Of The Super Junior Block B:
Match 5: MAO beat Ryusuke Taguchi.
Match 6: Kevin Knight beat Sho.
Match 7: Robbie Eagles beat Titan by submission.
Match 8: Taiji Ishimori beat Nick Wayne.
Main Event: Yoh beat El Desperado by submission.
Standings-wise, Wayne still leads the block at 4-2, 8 points, with everyone else at 3-3, 6 points except Sho who is 2-4, 6 points. The top 2 advance to the Semifinals.

The next event is Sunday at Atelier Himeji in Hypgo with both blocks and no non-tournament matches. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET

New Japan 5/21/25 Results

New Japan continued the Best Of The Super Junior Tournament today with the 6th day of Block A.

Today’s event was held at G Messe Gunma in Gunma and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 842.

Match 1: Daiki Nagai & Nick Wayne beat Gedo & Taiji Ishimori. Wayne pinned Gedo after a double stunner.

Match 2: Katsuya Murashima, Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Yoh beat Masatora Yasuda, Shoma Kato, MAO & El Desperado. Murahsima beat Yasuda with a Boston Crab.

Match 3: Yota Tsuji & Titan beat Hartley Jackson & Robbie Eagles. Tsuji pinned Jackson after Gene Blaster.

Match 4: Yujiro Takahashi, Sho & SANADA beat Toru Yano, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kevin Knight by DQ. Yano DQ’d.

Best Of The Super Junior Block A:
Match 5: Hiromu Takahashi beat Ninja Mack.
Match 6: Yoshinobu Kanemaru beat Kosei Fujita.
Match 7: Clark Connors beat KUSHIDA.
Match 8: Francesco Akira beat Dragon Dia.
Main Event: Master Wato beat Robbie X.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Wato, 4-2, 8 pts
2-KUSHIDA, 3-3, 6 pts
3-Dia, 3-3, 6 pts
4-Takhaashi, 3-3, 6 pts
5-Fujita, 3-3, 6 pts
6-Akira, 3-3, 6 pts
7-Connors, 3-3, 6 pts
8-X, 3-3, 6 pts
9-Kanemaru, 3-3, 6 pts
10-Mack, 2-4, 4 pts

Block B:
1-Wayne, 4-1, 8 pts
2-Desperado, 3-2, 6 pts
3-Taguchi, 3-2, 6 pts
4-Titan, 3-2, 4 pts
5-Yoh, 2-3, 4 pts
6-Knight, 2-3, 4 pts
7-Eagles, 2-3, 4 pts
8-Ishimori, 2-3, 4 pts
9-Sho, 2-3, 4 pts
10-MAO, 2–3, 4 pts

The top 2 in each block advance to the Semifinals. Everyone is still in it although Wato & Wayne lead.

The next event is Thursday at Osaka Prefectural Gym 2 in Osaka with Block B. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2 AM PT/5 AM ET.

New Japan 4/29/25 Results (Updated)

New Japan ran another special standalone event today, called “Wrestling Hizen Country”, like WRESTLING REDZONE it seems to replace the traditional Wrestling Satsuma No Kuni event normally held around this time of year.

Today’s event was held at Saga Arena in Saga and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1604.

Match 1: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Masatora Yasuda by submission.

Match 2: Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Katsuya Murashima, Boltin Oleg & Yoru Yano. Oiwa pinned Murashima after The Grip.

Matxh 3: TAKA Michinoku, Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura beat BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & Tetsuya Naito. Uemura pinned BUSHI with a kannuki suplex hold.

Match 4: Taiji Ishimori, Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney, Gabriel Kidd & David Finlay vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Ren Narita, SANADA & EVIL went to a no contest. Out of control. Afterwards, Finlay demanded a Dog Pound Cage Match where the losing side (War Dogs or House Of Torture) must leave Bullet Club. That match will happen on 5/3 at Day 1 of WRESTLING DONTAKU.

Match 5: Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Callum Newman beat Ryusuke Taguchi, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Newman pinned Taguchi after Firebolt.

Match 6: El Phantasmo beat NJPW WORLD TV Champion Great-O-Khan to win the title. Phantasmo becomes the 9th NJPW WORLD TV Champion. That didn’t take long. Next up: If Phantasmo gets his way, Konosuke Takeshita.

Match 7: Master Wato & Yoh beat IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Feam Champions Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles to win the titles. Wato & Yoh become the 78th IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Wato pinned Fujita after Falcon Blow. Reminder that TMDK also stands for The Mighty Don’t Kosei.

Main Event: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado beat Templario to retain the title. V5 for Desperado. In post-match comments Desperado put the soon-departing BUSHI & Naito over saying if they keep wrestling elsewhere he’ll keep watching them.

The next event is tomorrow at Grand Messe Kumamoto in Kumamoto for the first of the last 2 dates of the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU Tour. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET. The final event Thursday is non-televised.

UPDATE: As is always the case with these title matches, as of 7 PM PT/10 PM ET you also can now watch the NJPW WORLD TV Championship match FOR FREE on YouTube.

UPDATE: It’s now official. Phantasmo-Takeshita for the NJPW WORLD TV Championship has been added to Day 1 of WRESTLING DONTAKU 2025 on 5/3.

New Japan 4/27/25 Results

New Japan continued the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU Tour today in Yamaguchi.

Today’s event was held at KDDI Ishin Hall in Yamaguchi and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1129

Match 1: Masatora Yasuda & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Daiki Nagai & Katsuya Murashima. Taguchi beat Nagai with Oh My & Gar Ankle.

Match 2: Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan beat Jado & El Phantasmo. Akira pinned Jado after Fireball.

Match 3: TAKA Michinoku, Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura beat BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & Tetsuya Naito. Taichi pinned BUSHI after Holy Emperor’s Cross Mausoleum.

Match 4: Taiji Ishimori, Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd beat Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Ren Narita & SANADA in 63 seconds by DQ. Kanemaru DQ’d. EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi interference. Which led to…

Match 5: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Ren Narita, SANADA, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Taiji Ishimori, Clark Connors, Dilla Moloney, Gabriel Kidd, David Finlay & Gedo. Takahashi pinned Gedo. This was to have been Finlay & Gedo vs. Takahashi & EVIL but changed to a 12-man match after the prior match result.

Match 6: Master Wato, Yoh, Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles, Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. Oleg pinned Jackson after Kamikaze.

Main Event: El Desperado, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Jacob Austin Youn, Templario & Callum Newman. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Young after Shoto.

The next event is “Wrestling Hizen Country” Tuesday at Saga Arena in Saga. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.

New Japan 4/26/25 Results

Normally this is about the time of year New Japan holds their traditional Wrestling Satsuma No Kuni event. It’s not being held this year, instead today was the first of 2 special standalone events elsewhere, WRESTLING REDZONE in HIROSHIMA.

Today’s event was held at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall in Hiroshima and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 3018.

Match 1: Katsuya Murashima beat Daiki Nagai.

Match 2: Master Wato, Yoh, Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles, Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. Oleg pinned Jackson after Kamikaze.

Match 3: Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Sho beat Taiji Ishimori & Clark Connors. Kanemaru pinned Connors with Samson Clutch.

Match 4; Ryusuke Taguchi, El Phantasmo & El Desperado beat Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Templario. Phantasmo pinned Young after a spinning neckbreaker.

Match 5: Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji beat Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura. Takagi pinned Umino after Pumping Bomber.

Match 6: SANADA, Ren Narita & EVIL beat Drilla Moloney, Gabriel Kidd & David Finlay. EVIL pinned Finlay after EVIL.

Match 7: Taichi & Tomohiro Ishii beat Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito. Taichi pinned Naito after Black Mephisto.

Main Event: Callum Newman & Great-O-Khan beat Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI to win the vacant IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. Newman & Khan become the 109th IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Newman pinned YOSHI-HASHI after Prince’s Curse. Next up: Taichi & Ishii. That match may happen at WRESTLING DONTAKU Day 2 on 5/4 at Fukuoka International Center based on what Khan said. However, that almost certainly will not happen because Newman is already set to face Goto for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship that day. More likely on 5/3 which would still necessitate changing at least 2 matches. (Also a quick TV note for 5/3 & 5/4-both will be live & on demand on New Japan World, 5/4 will be OUTSIDE JAPAN ONLY due to being a live TV Asahi broadcast in Japan)

The next event is tomorrow at KDDI Ishin Hall in Yamaguchi to continue the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU Tour. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.

New Japan 4/25/25 Results

New Japan continued the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU Tour today in Kochi.

Today’s event was held at Kochi Prefectural Gym in Kochi. There is/was no live or on demand broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 853.

Match 1: Katsuya Murashima beat Masatora Yasuda.

Match 2: Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles beat Toru Yano, Master Wato & Yoh. Oiwa pinned Yano with Arc Clutch.

Match 2; Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Ren Narita & SANADA beat Gedo, Taiji ishimori, Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney. Sho pinned Gedo.

Match 4: Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan, Templario & Callum Newman beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Jado, El Phantasmo, El Desperado & Hirooki Goto. Khan beat Jado with Subaru Sheep Killer.

Match 5: Boltin Oleg & Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer) & Zack Sabre Jr. Oleg pinned Jackson after Kamikaze.

Main Event; BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuhji & Tetsuya Naito beat TAKA Michinoku, Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura. Naito pinned TAKA after Destino.

The next event is WRESTLING REDZONE in HIROSHIMA tomorrow at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall in Hiroshima. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.

New Japan 4/23/25 Results

New Japan continued the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU Tour today in Ehime. This appears to havebeen a Yuya Uemura hometown event.

Today’s event was held at Tex Port Imabari in Ehime. There is/was bo live or on demand broadcast.

The paid attendance has not yet been announced. Some details are missing from the results due to internet problems at the venue.

Match 1: Masatora Yasuda vs. Daiki Nagai went to a 10 minute time limit draw.

Match 2: Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan beat Jado & El Phantasmo. Akira pinned Jado after Fireball.

Match 3: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Ren Narita, Sho & SANADA beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori, Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney. Kanemaru pinned Gedo.

Match 4: Master Wato, Yoh, Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles, Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. Oleg pinned Jackson after Kamikaze.

Match 5: Ryusuke Taguchi, El Desperado & Hirooki Goto beat Jacob Austin Young, Templario & Callum Newman. Taguchi pinned Young.

Main Event: TAKA Michinoku, Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura beat BUSHI, Hiromu Takahasho, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & Tetsuya Naito. Uemura pinned BUSHI with a kannuki suplex hold.

The next event is Friday at Kochi Prefectural Gym in Kochi. There will be bo live or on demand broadcast.

Obituary: Former New Japan Executive Dies

New Japan has posted a brief obituary piece about Hisashi Shinma, a former executive with the promotion who died yesterday at 90. Nikkan Sports also reported on his passing. Shinma was with New Japan at the beginning in 1972 as senior managing director, among his accolades were making the Muhammad Ali-Antonio Inoki fight in 1976 happen and the creation of the International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP), the promotion’s sanctioning body for its championships. He also helped create the Tiger Mask character made famous by Satoru Sayama. He left NJPW in 1983 to start the original UWF, then worked elsewhere around the world and even as WWF President at one time. He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2019. He was still active working with Sayama in his Real Japan Pro Wrestling until the end.

I join in sending condolences to Shinma’s family and friends.