Tag: New Japan

The stunning exodus from New Japan continues…word just broke within the past hour that Hiromu Takahashi will be the latest to unexpectedly depart the promotion. No specific reason given beyond “After careful consideration and discussions with NJPW management, Hiromu Takahashi, who has been a long standing member of the NJPW roster, has decided to leave the promotion”. His final event will be THE NEW BEGINNING on 2/11. No word yet on future plans although he did make several appearances in Pro Wrestling NOAH the last few months and obviously this could open the door to a now-Los Tranquilos De Japon reunion with Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI. We shall see but this is another huge blow to the early days of the new Hiroshi Tanahashi regime.

More as it becomes available.

UPDATE: Some more details are emerging from various social media outlets, some offering rumors & speculation as to why he’s leaving: First, the seemingly official reason-contract expiring and not being renewed. Takahashi reportedly says he is leaving on good terms and it’s not due to dissatisfaction with the promotion and even calls it a “super positive departure”. Also claims it has nothing to do with the departures of Tetsuya Naito & EVIL. The emergence of “a new dream” was a deciding factor, and speculation that, given his age (36) with 15 years in the promotion and also being active in TV and other media that it was time to make a move.

A translation of the below post is the primary source for a lot of this, however I do note this account does not appear to be affiliated with New Japan despite the handle suggesting it, so treat it as unofficial:

新日本プロレス
高橋ヒロム 退団の核心

内藤哲也、EVILに続き――
生え抜きスターがまた去る。

だが高橋ヒロムの決断は「不満」ではなく、“新しい夢”だった。

■ 退団の事実
・2月11日大阪大会がラストマッチ
・契約満了に伴い更新せず退団
・2010年デビュー、約15年在籍

■ 実績… pic.twitter.com/wkielLLJ0I

— パンディータ/ 格闘技界隈生息 (@njpwclimax) February 3, 2026

Additionally, Takahashi will remain part of/involved with independent promotion SUGAMO Pro Wrestling, which is a comedy-themed promotion based in Tokyo. The promotion confirmed this in their own statement. I was not aware of this until seeing a Twitter post just now.

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

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 TouTube.

The announced paid attendance was 1073.

Match 1: Masatora Yasuda, Yuya Uenura & Shota Umino beat Daiki Nagai, OSKAR (The Grouch) & Yuto Ice (Ice Baby). Uemura pinned Nagai after a dragon lariat.

Match 2: Master Wato, Yoh, Toru Yano & Aaron Wolf beat Dick Togo, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, DOUKI & Ren Narita. Wato beat Togo with Vendeval.

Match 3: Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Callum Newman beat Gedo, Hiromu Takahashi & David Finlay. Akira pinned Takahashi after Crown Fall.

Match 4: Robbie X, Taiji Ishmori, Drilla Moloney & Yota Tsuji beat Zane Jay, Great-O-Khan, HENARE & Jake Lee. Moloney pinned Jay after Drilla Killer.

Match 5: Boltin Oleg beat Hartley Jackson.

Match 6: Zack Sabre Jr. beat YOSHI-HASHI.

Main Event: Hirooki Goto beat Ryohei Oiwa.

The next event is tomorrow at Iwaki City General Gym in Fukushima. There will be no live or on demand broadcast. Unless plans change (maybe for Sunday at Osaka Prefectural Gym 2) the rest of the tour is non-televised events.

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

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 1234.

Match 1: Young Lions Cup Final: Katsuya Murashima beat Shoma Kato to win the tournament. The trophy was presented by President Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Match 2: Gedo, OSKAR (The Grouch) & Yuto Ice (Ice Baby) beat Tiger Mask, Yuya Uemura & Shota Umino. Ice pinned TM 4 after KOB.

Match 3: Kosei Fujita, Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Boltin Oleg, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Oiwa beat Taguchi with TM Clutch.

Match 4: Zane Jay, Great-O-Khan & HENARE beat Daiki Nagai, Robbie X & Drilla Moloney. HENARE pinned Jay after a sitdown jumping powerbomb.

Match 5: Master Wato, Yoh, Toru Yano & Aaron Wolf beat Dick Togo, DOUKI, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita. Wato pinned DOUKI with a Tsutentaku German suplex hold.

Match 6: Hiromu Takahashi & David Finlay beat Jacob Austin Young & Callum Newman. Finlay pinned Young after Overkill.

Main Event: Francesco Akira & Jake Lee beat Taiji Ishimori & Yota Tsuji. Akira pinned Ishimori after Crownfall.

The next event is tomorrow. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET. This may be the last televised/streamed event of the tour.

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

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

The announced paid attendance was 1040.

Match 1; Master Wato & Yoh beat Dhoma Kato & Tiger Mask. Wato pinned Kato after a diving elbow smash.

Match 2: Great-O-Khan & HENARE beat Katsuya Murashima & Masatora Yasuda by ref stoppage. Khan beat Yasuda.

Match 3: Kosei Fujita, Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Tatsuya Matsunoto, Boltin Oleg, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Fujita pinned Matsunoto.

Match 4: Ryusuke Tagucbi, Toru Yano & Aaron Wolf beat Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita. Wolf pinned Togo after a powerslam.

Match 5: Tomoaki Honma, Yuya Uemura & Shota Umino beat Gedo, OSKAR (The Grouch) & Yuto Ice (Ice Baby). Umino pinned Gedo after a lariat.

Main Event: Daiki Nagai, Robbie X, Hiromu Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Yota Tsuji beat Zane Jay, Jacob Austin Young, Callum Newman, Francesco Akira & Jake Lee. Tsuji pinned Jay after Gene Blaster. And although the IWGP Intercontinental Championship is retired, Tsuji showed up with the belt along with the recently-reactivated IWGP Heavyweight Championship (the iconic V4 design).

The next event is Sunday at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo for a two-day doubleheader. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.

New Japan resumed the Road To THE BEW BEGINNING Tour today in Aomori with the start of a handful of non-televised events. It was also the first event since it was announced that EVIL is leaving the promotion (expiring contract) and some wrestlers-namely Taichi-are having a lot of fun with commenting on it.

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

The announced paid attendance was 987.

A Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura talk show event was held before the matches began The event’s start time was also pushed back due to some wrestlers arriving late due to road/weather conditions (a lot of snow in the area). After this was posted, President Hiroshi Tanahashi apologized for the delays on social media.

Match 1: Kosei Fujita beat Masatora Yasuda.

Match 2: Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita beat Gedo, OSKAR (The Grouch) & Yuto Ice (Ice Baby). Narita beat Gedo with a kneebar.

Match 3: Yuya Henura & Shota Umino beat Zane Jay & Callum Newman. Uemura pinned Jay with a Kannuki suplex hold. (For what it’s worth, Jay has reportedly joined United Empire)

Match 4: In an alienation match, Daiki Nagai, Robbie X, Taiji Ishimori, Hiromu Takahashi & Yota Tsuji beat Jacob Austin Young, Francesco Akira, HENARE, Great-O-Khan & Jake Lee. Tsuji was the only winner left, last eliminating Lee.

Match 5: Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Tatsuya Matsunoto, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Oiwa pinned Matsunoto after The Grip.

Main Event: Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask, Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano & Aaron Wolf beat Katsuya Murashima, Shoma Kato, Master Wato, Yoh & Boltin Oleg. Wolf beat Murashima with a modified bull docking headlock.

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

In other news, it has been revealed on the socials that the 2/27 US event will be a PPV on New Japan World in Japanese and English. It will cost 2990 Japanese yen in Japan and $19.99 in the US and includes on demand replays until April 27. Scheduled start time is 5 PM PT/8 PM ET and 2/28 at 10 AM Japan time. It can be pre-ordered now, a New Japan World subscription is not required.

Updating a prior rumor about EVIL possibly leaving New Japan, the promotion just broke the news…it’s now official. Contract expiring at the end of the month but it’s his decision. No word on if indeed he will go to WWE or elsewhere but if it’s the E, I hope they have former wrestler Sho Funaki on speed dial still…INDEEEEEEEEEED!.

More as it becomes available.

New Japan ran the second half of their Boat Race Miyajima mini-event doubleheader today in Hiroshima.

Today’s event was held at Boat Race Miyajima Event Hall in Hiroshima. There is/was no live or on demand broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 900.

Match 1: Masatora Yasuda & Shoma Kato beat Tatsuya Matsumoto & Katsuya Murashima. Kato pinned Matsumoto.

Match 2: Ryusuke Taguchi, Yuya Uemura & Shota Umino beat Daiki Nagai, Hiromu Takahashi & Yota Tsuji. Uemura pinned Nagai with a Kanniuki suplex hold.

Main Event: OSKAR (The Grouch_ Yuto Ice (Ice Baby) & Yota Tsuji beat Jacob Austin Young, Callum Newman & Jake Lee. Ice pinned Young after KOB.

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

New Japan ran the first half of an annual boat race doubleheader today in Hiroshima, a mini-event held in collaboration with the races.

Today’s event was held at Boat Race Miyajima Event Hall in Hiroshima. There is/was no live or on demand broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 800.

Match 1: Takuya Matsumoto & Katsuya Murashima beat Masatora Yasuda & Shoma Kato. Murashima pinned Yasuda.

Match 2: Taiji Ishimori, OSKAR (The Grouch) & Yuto Ice (Ice Baby) beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Yuya Uemura & Shota Umino by ref stoppage. OSKAR beat Taguchi.

Main Event: Jacob Austin Young, Callum Newman & Jake Lee beat Daiki Nagai, Hiromu Takahashi & Yota Tsuji. Young pinned Nagai after Jacobs Ladder.

The next event is tomorrow. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

This is just a RUMOR right now so apply the proverbial salt and don’t take it as official yet…but there is word going around the US wrestling net/dirt sheets that New Japan wrestler EVIL could be done with the promotion soon. While also not official, the House Of Torture leader supposedly has given notice to the promotion and could be headed to WWE. While big by Japan standards as a Heavyweight, he’d be a small one in WWE at 5″10, 235 pounds. He’s also 38 so this may be his last best chance for an international run like this. Given New Japan has typically renewed/redone contracts in January after Tokyo Dome and the year-opening events-or not-we may know more by the end of the month, or perhaps after THE NEW BEGINNING-the first blowout event of the year-on 2/11, but dropping the NEVER Openweight Championship to Aaron Wolf on 1/4 may or may not be a clue.

More as it becomes available.

UPDATE: A wrestling podcast I’ve never heard of suggests Hiromu Takahashi may be leaving too. Same for perhaps David Finlay & Gabriel Kidd..

Maybe Natsupoi can help here, or not…she may not like news that her new hubby, Shingo Takagi, has been announced as sidelined by New Japan for now. Left side abdominal injury. Out about 3 weeks. Currently scheduled to return on 2/11.