Tag: New Japan

New Japan 2/4/25 Results

New Japan continued the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour today with the second half of another Tokyo doubleheader.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1287.

Match 1: Daiki Nagai & Togi Makabe beat Katsuya Murashima & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Makabe pinned Murashima after a King Kong kneedrop.

Match 2: Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb beat Jado, Master Wato, Shota Umino & El Phantasmo. Akira pinned Jado after Fireball. Afterwarda, Khan cut off some of Umino’s hair.

Match 3: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Tomoaki Honma & Boltin Oleg. Naito pinned Honma after Pluma Blanca.

Match 4: Taiji Ishimori & SANADA beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi by DQ. Taichi DQ’d. Low blow.

Match 5: BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji vs. Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd went to a double countout.

Match 6: Tomohiro Ishii, Yoh, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Ryohei Oiwa, Robbie Eagles & Zack Sabre Jr. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Jackson after Shoto.

Main Event: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado beat Kosei Fujita to retain the title. V2 for Desperado. Next up: Akira. That match will happen at the annual Anniversary Event on 3/6 at Ota City General Gym.

The next event is Thursday at Kashima Sports Center in Ibaraki. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

New Japan 2/3/25 Results

New Japan continued the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour today with the first half of another Tokyo doubleheader.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World. This was also a live ABEMA broadcast in Japan.

The announced paid attendance was 928. Continuing an unusual trend down for Korakuen attendance for them.

Pre-show match: Katsuya Murashima beat Masatora Yasuda.

Match 1: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Daiki Nagai by submission.

Match 2: Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi & Shota Umino beat Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan. Wato beat Young with Vendeval. Afterwards, Khan grabbed an Umino shirt from a fan and tore it up.

Match 3: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe. Takahashi pinned Honma after Time Bomb 1.5.

Match 4: Clark Connors & SANADA beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi by DQ. Taichi DQ’d. Low blow fake by SANADA.

Match 5: Taiji Ishimori, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd beat BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji. Ishimori beat BUSHI with Gedo Clutch.

Match 6: Tomohiro Ishii, Yoh, El Desperado, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Robbie Eagles, Kosei Fujita, Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. Ishii pinned Jackson after a vertical drop brainbuster.

Main Event: NJPW WORLD TV Champion El Phantasmo beat Jeff Cobb to retain the title. V2 for Phantasmo.

The next event is tomorrow with IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado vs. Kosei Fujita for the title in the main event. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET. This is the last televised event of the tour (no live or on demand for the last 3 events).

New Japan 2/1/25 Results

New Japan continued the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour today in Aomori.

Today’s event was held at Aomori City General Gym in Aomori. There is/was no live or on demand broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 1508.

Match 1: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita beat Masatora Yasuda, Katsuya Murashima, Boltin Oleg & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Kanemaru beat Yasuda with a figure 4.

Match 2: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Daiki Nagai & Tomohiro Ishii. Naito pinned Nagai.

Match 3: Togi Makabe & Shota Umino beat Jacob Austin Young & Great-O-Khan. Makabe pinned Young after a King Kong kneedrop.

Match 4: Francesco Akira & Jeff Cobb beat Jado & El Phantasmo. Akira pinned Jado after Fireball.

Match 5: Taiji Ishimori & SANADA beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi. Ishimori beat TAKA with Bone Lock.

Match 6: Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd beat BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji. Moloney pinned BUSHI after Drilla Killer.

Main Event: In an elimination match, Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Robbie Eagles, Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Tomoaki Honma, Yoh, El Desperado, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Oiwa was the only winner left, last eliminating Honma.

The next event is Monday at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo to start a doubleheader there with a NJPW WORLD TV Championship match as the scheduld main event. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET. This will also be a live ABEMA broadcast in Japan.

New Japan 1/31/25 Results

New Japan continued the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour today with an event in Iwate.

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

The announced paid attendance was 1020.

Match 1: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita beat Daiki Nagai, Masatora Yasuda, Bolein Oleg & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Kanemaru pinned Nagai.

Match 2: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Katsuya Murashima & Tomohiro Ishii. Takahashi pinned Murashima.

Match 3: Togi Makabe & Shota Umino beat Jacob Austin Young & Great-O-Khan. Makabe pinned Young after a King Kong kneedrop.

Match 4: Francesco Akira & Jeff Cobb beat Jado & El Phantasmo. Akira pinned Jado after Fireball.

Match 5: Clark Connors & SANADA beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi. Connors pinned TAKA after No Cultivation.

Match 6: Taiji Ishimori, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd beat BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji. Moloney pinned BUSHI after Drilla Killer.

Main Event: Tomoaki Honma, Yoh, El Desperado, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Robbie Eagles, Kosei Fujita, Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. Goto pinned Jackson after Shoto.

The next event is tomorrow at Aomori City General Gym in Aomori. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

New Japan 1/30/25 Results

New Japan resumed the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour today in Sendai.

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

The announced paid attendance was 1077.

Pre-show Match: Masatora Yasuda vs. Daiki Nagai went to a 10 minute time limit draw. This was Yasuda’s return after 2 months due to injury and cones as he replaced Shoma Kato, who is now out due to injury.

Match 1: Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa beat Katsuya Murashima & YOSHI-HASHI. Oiwa beat Murashima with an arc clutch.

Match 2: Jado, Togi Makabe, Shota Umino & El Phantasmo beat Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira, Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan. Phantasmo pinned Young after CR 2.

Match 3: Taiji Ishimori & SANADA beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi. Ishimori beat TAKA with Gedo Clutch.

Match 4: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Tomoaki Honma & Tomohiro Ishii. Naito pinned Honma after Pluma Blanca.

Match 5: Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd beat BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji. Connors pinned BUSHI after No Cultivation.

Match 6: Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita beat NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi to win the titles. Sho, Takahashi & Narita become the 30th NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions. Sho pinned Yano after a low blow.

Main Event: Robbie Eagles, Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Yoh, El Desperado & Hirooki Goto. Sabre pinned Goto with a European Clutch.

The next event is tomorrow at Iwate Prefectural Gym in Iwate. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

Injury Report: No New Beginning For Young Lion

New Japan has announced an injury change for upcoming events: Shoma Kato was injured during a pair of special mini-events this past weekend and is now out of action. Fractured right ankle. Out indefinitely but off at least the entire rest of the current tour. Masatora Yasuda, a fellow Young Lion who was also injured several weeks ago, will return as the replacement in various matches. It’s not yet known how long Kato will be out.

More as it becomes available.

New Japan 1/23/25 Results

New Japan continued the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour today in Tokyo.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1005. That’s kinda low for them at Korakuen based on the past year or so, maybe in part due to sumo.

Match 1: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Katsuya Murashima by submission.

Match 2: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita beat Shoma Kato, Master Wato, Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano. Takahashi pinned Kato after Pimp Juice.

Match 3: Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomohiro Ishii & Shota Umino beat Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan. Taguchi beat Young with Oh My & Gar Ankle.

Match 4: Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer) & Kosei Fujita beat Tonoaki Honma & El Desperado. Jackson pinned Honma after Death Valley Bomb.

Match 5: BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji beat Gedo, Taiji Ishinori, Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd. BUSHI pinned Gedo after Fable.

Match 6: Robbie Eagles & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Yoh & Hirooki Goto. Eagles pinned Yoh.

Main Event: Ryohei Oiwa beat YOSHI-HASHI.

The next event is 1/30 at Sendai Sun Plaza in Sendai with a NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championship match. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.

New Japan 1/22/25 Results

New Japan officially kicked off their 2025 campaign today with the start of the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour. The Road To Tokyo Dome 2026 starts now.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1019.

Match 1: Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Shoma Kato by submission.

Match 2: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita beat Daiki Nagai, Katsuya Murashima, Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano. Kanemaru pinned Nagai.

Match 3: Clark Connors & SANADA beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi. Connors pinned TAKA after No Chaser.

Match 4: Master Wato, Tomohiro Ishii & Shota Umino beat Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan. Wato pinned Young with a Tsutenkaku Getman suplex hold.

Match 5: Hartley Jackson (Independent/Freelancer), Robbie Eagles & Ryohei Oiwa beat Tomoaki Honma, Yoh & YOSHI-HASHI. Oiwa pinned Honma after The Grip.

Match 6: Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd. Takahashi pinned Gedo with Maximum The Holding 3rd Form.

Main Event: El Desperado & Hirooki Goto beat Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr. Goto pinned Sabre. This is standard NJPW major title match build where the challenger beats the champion in a tag match the first time they face off, but doesn’t guarantee that’s how the title match-or subsequent such tag matches-will turn out.

The next event is tomorrow. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.

New Japan 1/19/25 Results

New Japan made its first trip of the year to Chiba Prefecture today, and of course that means a Yuji Nagata Produced event as the self-proclaimed oldest 56-year-old would do his best today to make his latest event, BLUE JUSTICE 15, a success.

Today’s event was held at Sakura Municipal Gym in Chiba and can be watched on demand on New Japan World. This was also a Samurai! TV broadcast in Japan.

The announced paid attendance was 1105.

Match 1: Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan beat Katsuya Murashima, Shoma Kato & Shota Umino. Akira pinned Murashima after Fireball.

Match 2: Ryohei Oiwa, Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita beat Tomoaki Honma, Yoh & El Desperado. Oiwa pinned Honma after The Grip.

Match 3: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Takahashi pinned Kojima with Nameless Hiromu Roll Part 2.

Match 4: Taiji Ishimori & SANADA beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi. SANADA beat TAKA with Skull End.

Match 5: Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gabriel Kidd beat BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Yota tsuji. Moloney pinned BUSHI after Drilla Killer.

Match 6: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Hartley Jackson & Zack Sabre Jr. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Jackson after Shoto.

Main Event: Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Yuji Nagata beat Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita. Oleg pinned Kanemaru after Kamikaze.

The next event is the Road To THE NEW BEGINNING Tour, which officially starts the full year campaign and the road to Tokyo Dome 2026, starting Wednesday at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.

New Japan 1/11/25 Results (Updated)

New Japan’s first US event of the year, Battle in the Valley, is now in the books.

Today’s event was held at San Jose Civic in San Jose, CA and can be watched on demand on New Japan World. It is also available as a PPV on Triller/FITE for $19.99.

The paid attendance has not yet been announced. I’m thinking it’ll be 1500-1700 (setup was for about 2300 and it was not a sellout). That includes me of course! (UPDATE: The announced paid attendance was 1814)

Pre-show:
Match 1: Zane Jay beat Viento.
Match 2: Bad Dude Tito & Shane Haste beat Matt Vandagriff & Fred Rosser. Tito pinned Rosser after Ride The Lightning. Vandagriff turned on/abandoned Rosser late in the match.

Main show:

Match 1: STRONG Openweight Champion Gabriel Kidd vs. Tomohiro Ishii went to a 30 minute time limit draw. As a result, Kidd retains the title. V6 for Kidd. Afterwards, Kidd demanded a rematch on 4/11 in Chicago, IL as an Iron Man match.

Match 2: STRONG Tag Team Champions Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs beat Rocky Romero & Yoh to retain the titles. Nelson pinned Romero. V1 for the champs.

Match 3: In an elimination match, Maika, HANAKO, Mina Shirakawa & Viva Can beat Anna Jay, Trish Adora, AZM & Johnnie Robbie. Eliminations by pinfall, submission & over the top rope. Maika was the only winner, last eliminating Jay.

Match 4: NJPW WORLD TV Champion El Phantasmo vs. Jeff Cobb went to a double countout. As a result, Phantasmo retains the title. V1 for Phantasmo.

Match 5: Sumie Sakai Retirement Match: Hiromu Takahashi, Mayu Iwatani & Yuka Sakazaki beat Sumie Sakai, Sho & EVIL. Takahashi pinned Sakai after Time Bomb. A retirement ceremony for Sakai followed.

Match 6: NEVER Openweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita beat KUSHIDA to retain the title. V2 for Takeshita. Afterwards, Takeshita challenged Hiroshi Tanahashi for 4/11, which is being billed as Tanahashi’s final US match in his career.

Match 7: Zack Sabre Jr. beat Hechicero.

Main Event: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado beat Taiji Ishimori to retain the title. V1 for Desperado.

It was a long event at 4 1/4 hours including the pre-show and the crowd got tired late, especially after the retirement match, but it was a great event from start to finish with a white-hot opener between Kidd & Ishii. That match alone is worth the $20 as is the Sakai retirement match & ceremony. If I have my way, my first NJPW event in the US won’t be my last. I can see myself coming back in 2026 if they do.

The next US event is Windy City Riot on 4/11 in Chicago with the final Hiroshi Tanahashi US match in his career then they return to Long Beach, CA in May for Resurgence.

The next event is BLUE JUSTICE 15, the next Yuji Nagata Produced hometown event, on 1/19 at Sakura Municipal Gym in Chiba. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin on 1/18 at 11 PM PT/2 AM ET. This will also be a Samurai! TV broadcast in Japan.

UPDATE: In post-match backstage comments, EVIL claimed he was not returning to Japan. We’ll see what happens there.