News, results & more from Japanese Pro Wrestling & Sumo
Breaking news via New Japan’s Japanese website: IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions FTR are headed to Japan “urgently” for the first time. They have been added to 11/5 at Osaka Prefectural Gym, while no potential opponent has been announced it sounds like it’s going to be for the titles. FTR first will try to earn a shot at the AEW Tag Team Championship tomorrow on AEW Dynamite.
More as it becomes available.
Based on what happened in Stardom this past weekend, we now know who will be in the finals of a tournament to crown the inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion…Mayu Iwatani & KAIRI (Kairi Hojo, formerly Kairi Sane in WWE). Iwatani won the Stardom side of the bracket by beating Utami Hayashishita. KAIRI won the International side by beating Jazzy Gabert (Alpha Female). They will meet for the title on 11/20 and the winner will first defend at Tokyo Dome on 1/4.
Just an early heads-up for those who want to watch the New Japan/Stardom crossover event live on 11/20: IT IS A PPV. Not included with New Japan World subscription so you first have to subscribe then you can buy the PPV. Start time is listed as 3 AM ET/midnight PT however these will be moved up an hour due to the time change on 11/6 in the US. So it likely will be 2 AM ET/11 PM PT.
New Japan continued the BATTLE AUTUMN ’22 Tour today with a return to TV, headlined by a NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Title match.
Today’s event was held at New Aomori Sports Park Maeda Arena in Aomori and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.
The announced paid attendance was 1530.
Match 1: DOUKI beat Kosei Fujita by submission.
Match 2: Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Yuto Nakashima & Alex Zayne. Kanemaru beat Nakashima with a figure 4.
Match 3: Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb beat Ryohei Oiwa, Toru Yano & Togi Makabe. Henare pinned Oiwa after Rampage.
Match 4: YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto beat Ren Narita, Tiger Mask & David Finlay. YOSHI-HASHI pinned TM 4 after Karma.
Match 5: TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado & Taichi beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori & KENTA. Taichi pinned Gedo after a Yokozuna-type raised elbow.
Match 6: Hiromu Takahashi & SANADA beat Master Wato & Tomoaki Honma. SANADA beat Honma with Skull End.
Match 7: Titan, BUSHI & Tetsuya Naito beat Gideon Gray, Francesco Akira & TJP. BUSHI pinned Gray after Angel Immortal.
Main Event: NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & RVIL beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Hikuleo & Hiroshi Tanahashi to retain the titles. Sho pinned Taguchi after Shock Arrow. V1 for the champs.
The next event is Wednesday at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET. Both Wednesday’s & Thursday’s events will be Samurai! TV broadcasts in Japan.
UPDATE: Several hours after the event, the Twitter fan vote closed for the stip for Friday’s KOPW 2022 Trophy match between Shingo Takagi & El Phantasmo in New York City. With 17,000 votes cast, roughly 13,500 on the Japanese poll and 3500 on the English poll, Phantasmo won 55.1% to 44.9% for Takagi, so it will be a Street Fight (No DQ, Falls Count Anywhere). Takagi proposed a Last Daddy Standing (Last Man Standing) match.
New Japan continued the BATTLE AUTUMN ’22 Tour today with the last event of a week of non-televised house shows.
Today’s event was held at Akita Terrsa in Akita. There was no live broadcast and no on demand video will be available.
The announced paid attendance was 1060. From the couple of pictures on New Japan’s Japanese website it looked close to a sellout.
Match 1: Ryohei Oiwa beat Kosei Fujita.
Match 2: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Yuto Nakashima & Tomoaki Honma. YOSHI-HASHI beat Nakashima with Butterfly Lock.
Match 3: Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Tiger Mask & David Finlay. Sabre beat TM 4 with Clarky Cat.
Match 4: Taiji Ishimori & KENTA beat DOUKI & Taichi. Ishimori beat DOUKI with Bone Lock.
Match 5: Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii beat Ren Narita & Togi Makabe. Yano pinned Makabe.
Match 6: Alex Zayne & Master Wato beat TAKA Michinoku & El Desperado. Zayne pinned TAKA after Cinnamon Twist.
Match 7: Jado, Hikuleo, Ryusuke Taguchi & Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Tanahashi pinned Togo after High Fly Flow. Afterwards, even though it wasn’t the end of the event, Tanahashi busted out the epic air guitar to send the crowd home happy when it was.
Main Event: Titan, BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat Francesco Akira, TJP, Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb. Naito pinned Henare after Destino.
The next event is tomorrow at Aomori Sports Park Maeda Arena Main Arena in Aomori. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.
In other news, New Japan’s English website posted backstage comments from Hikuleo after yesterday’s event in the first update on the status of the NEVER Openweight Championship match between Hikuleo & Karl Anderson scheduled for 11/5. As of now the match is still on even though Anderson and Doc Gallows have apparently returned to WWE and are scheduled to be at the WWE event in Saudi Arabia on 11/5, likely meaning they can’t be at the tour-ender in Osaka. The video version may soon be available on YouTube if it’s not already.
New Japan continued the BATTLE AUTUMN ’22 Tour today with the 3rd of 4 straight non-televised house shows.
Today’s event was held at Iwate Prefectural Gym in Iwate. There was no live broadcast and no on demand video will be available.
The announced paid attendance was 1240.
Match 1: DOUKI beat Yuto Nakashima by submission.
Match 2: Yoshinobu Kanemaru beat Ryohei Oiwa.
Match 3: El Desperado & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Tiger Mask & Togi Makabe. Desperado pinned TM 4 after El Es Claro.
Match 4: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat TAKA Michinoku & Taichi. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Taichi.
Match 5: Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii beat Ren Narita & Tomoaki Honma. Yano pinned Honma.
Match 6: Alex Zayne, Master Wato & David Finlay beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori & KENTA. Finlay pinned Gedo after Trash Panda.
Match 7: Jado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Hikuleo & Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Tanahashi pinned Togo after High Fly Flow.
Main Event: Titan, BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat Francesco Akira, TJP, Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb. Naito pinned Henare after Destino.
The next event is tomorrow at Akita Terrsa in Akita. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.
New Japan announced the final events of the year today on their Japanese website. Traditionally the Road to TOKYO DOME tour that represents the final build to their biggest event of the year on January 4 (also Japan’s biggest pro wresting event and the start of their annual schedule), this year’s version will be just two events on 12/22 & 12/23, both at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. There could be more announced later but this seems unlikely.
New Japan’s official fan club members can get tickets next week, everyone else has to wait until late November.
This is currently unconfirmed but if you remember when Juice Robinson was stripped of the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship earlier this year, New Japan may have similar again with the NEVER Openweight Championship. Karl Anderson is scheduled to defend the title against Hikuleo on 11/5. Except The Good Brothers dropped a video today saying they’ll be in WWE that day-WWE is in Saudi Arabia for one of their big events there the Saudis are paying huge for. In response to this, fellow New Japan wrestler (and sort of international liaison) Rocky Romero demanded the belt be returned. No response yet from New Japan.
Original source: https://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2022/10/19/23413067/karl-anderson-wwe-crown-jewel-new-japan-title-defense-double-booked-statement
New Japan continued the BATTLE AUTUMN ’22 Tour today with the second in a stretch of 4 non-televised house shows.
Today’s event was held at Aimesse Yamanashi in Yamanashi. There was no live broadcast and no on demand video will be available.
The announced paid attendance was 610.
Match 1: DOUKI beat Kosei Fujita by submission.
Match 2: Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Yuto Nakashima & Togi Makabe. Sabre beat Nakashima with a reverse armbar.
Match 3: YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto beat Ryohei Oiwa, Ren Narita & David Finlay. YOSHI-HASHI beat Oiwa with Butterfly Lock.
Match 4: Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb beat Alex Zayne, Tomoaki Honma & Toru Yano. Henare pinned Honma after Streets Of Rage.
Match 5: Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Jado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Hikuleo & Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Takahashi pinned Jado after Pimp Juice.
Match 6: Titan, BUSHI & Tetsuya Naito beat Gideon Gray, Francesco Akira & TJP. BUSHI pinned Gray after Angel Immortal.
Match 7: Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado beat Master Wato & Tiger Mask. Kanemaru pinned TM 4 after Touch Out.
Main Event: Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA & Shingo Takagi beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori & KENTA. Takagi pinned Gedo after Last of the Dragon.
The next event is Friday at Iwate Prefectural Gym in Iwate. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.
New Japan continues the BURNING AUTUMN Tour today, pausing the NJPW WORLD TV Title Tournament for a week of non-televised house shows.
Today’s event was held at Big Palette Fukushima in Fukushima, Japan. There was no live broadcast and no on demand video will be available.
The announced paid attendance was 510.
Match 1: Yuto Nakashima beat Ryohei Oiwa.
Match 2: YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano beat Gideon Gray & Great-O-Khan. YOSHI-HASHI beat Gray with Butterfly Lock.
Match 3: Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto beat Ren Narita & Togi Makabe. Goto pinned Makabe after GTR.
Match 4: Alex Zayne, Tiger Mask & David Finlay beat TAKA Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Zack Sabre Jr. Zayne pinned TAKA after Cinnamon Twist.
Match 5: Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Jado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Hikuleo & Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Takahashi pinned Jado after Pimp Juice.
Match 6: DOUKI, El Desperado & Taichi beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori & KENTA. DOUKI pinned Gedo after Italian Stretch 32.
Match 7: Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi beat Master Wato & Tomoaki Honma. Takagi pinned Honma after Pumping Bomber.
Main Event: Titan, BUSHI, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat Francesco Akira, TJP, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb. Naito pinned Henare after Destino.
The next event is Wednesday at Aimesse Yamanashi in Yamanashi. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.
In other news, the latest round of NJPW STRONG wrapped up this weekend with 2 title matches: First up, STRONG Openweight Champion Fred Rosser defended against Chris Dickinson. Ultimately the match ended in a Double Countout. As a result, Rosser retains the title. V4 for Rosser. After that, STRONG Tag Team Champions Aussie Open beat JR Kratos & Danny Limelight to retain the titles. V3 for the champs.
Back on the Japan side, IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions TJP & Francesco Akira vs. BUSHI & Titan for the titles has been added to 11/5 at Osaka Prefectural Gym. Finally, tonight will see fan voting open for the stip for the next KOPW 2022 Trophy match on 10/28 in New York City, a rematch between Shingo Takagi & E Phantasmo. The choices are a Street Fight (Phantasmo) or Last Daddy Standing aka Last Man Standing match (Takagi). Voting on Twitter begins at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.
New Japan continued the BURNING AUTUMN Tour today with the 3rd day of the NJPW WORLD TV Title Tournament. Today’s matches would set the 3rd of the 4 Quarterfinals pairings.
Today’s event was held at Aore Nagaoka in Niigata and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese.
The announced paid attendance was 1545, a legit advance sellout.
Before the matches began, Hiromu Takahashi appeared and gave cheering instructions to the crowd.
Match 1: Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe beat Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa. Makabe pinned Oiwa.
Match 2: YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii beat Gideon Gray, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Gray after Butterfly Lock.
Match 3: Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Jado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Hikuleo & Hiroyoshi Tenzan, EVIL pinned Tenzan after EVIL.
Match 4: Ren Narita, Alex Zayne, Master Wato, Tiger Mask & David Finlay beat TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado & Zack Sabre Jr. Zayne pinned TAKA after Cinnamon Twist.
Match 5: Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi beat Gedo & Taiji Ishimori. Takagi pinned Gedo after Pumping Bomber.
Toshiaki Kawada, one of the greatest wrestlers in Japan of the last 30+ years, joined commentary as a special guest here.
Match 6: Titan, BUSHI & Tetsuya Naito beat Francesco Akira, TJP & Aaron Henare, Titan pinned THP after Angel Immortal.
Match 7: NJPW WORLD TV Title Tournament: KENTA beat Hirooki Goto.
Main Event: NJPW WORLD TV Title Tournament: SANADA beat Taichi. It was close though-the win came with just 3 seconds left before the time limit. As a result, SANADA will face KENTA in the Quarterfinals. That match will happen on 10/30.
The next event is tomorrow at Big Palette Fukushima in Fukushima. There will be no live or on demand broadcast. None of the next 4 events will have video available. The next broadcast event will be next Sunday.
