Tag: New Japan

New Japan has announced the full cards for this weekend’s ROYAL QUEST 2 events in London, marking their return to England for the first time since 2019. There will be no live broadcast for both events, but they will be available on demand on New Japan World. Day 1 on Saturday is sold out but tickets for Day 2 on Sunday are still available.

Day 1 card (Saturday at 5:30 PM BST/12:30 PM ET/9:30 AM PT):
Gabriel Kidd Return Match: Gabriel Kidd vs. Dan Moloney
Kanji & Jazzy Gilbert (Alpha Female) vs. Alex Windsor & Ava White
Gideon Gray & Great-O-Khan vs. Ricky Knight Jr. & Michael Oku
Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito vs. DOUKI, El Desperado & Zack Sabre Jr.
Tomohiro Ishii & Kazuchika Okada vs. Jonah & Bad Dude Tito
Hikuleo, Jado, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tama Tonga vs. Gedo, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson & Jay White
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions FTR vs. Aussie Open for the titles
Will Ospreay vs. Shota Umino (Main Event)

Day 2 (Sunday at 4:30 PM BST/11:30 AM ET/8:30 AM PT):
DOUKI & El Desperado vs. Michael Oku & Robbie X
Hiromu Takahashi & SANADA vs. Young Guns (Ethan Allen & Luke Jacobs)
IWGP Women’s Championship Tournament: Jazzy Gilbert vs. Ava White
Gabriel Kidd, Shota Umino, Ricky Knight Jr. & FTR vs. Gideon Gray, Great-O-Khan, Will Ospreay & Aussie Open
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jonah
Kazuchika Okada vs. Bad Dude Tito
HIkuleo, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tama Tonga vs. Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson & Jay White
Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (Main Event)

In other news, additional matches for the next Japan event, DECLARATION OF POWER, on 10/10 at Ryogoku Kokugikan, have been announced:
KOPW 2022 Holder Shingo Takagi vs. El Phantasmo in a Who’s Your Daddy Match for the title. No fan vote for stips this time, and it’s a normal match except the loser must take the microphone after the match and tell the winner “you are my daddy”
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori vs. KUSHIDA in a NON-TITLE match. But if KUSHIDA wins, he could get a rematch for the title
Ren Narita Return Home Match: Ren Narita vs. TBA. Narita’s traditional overseas Young Lion training excursion is now over after 3 years and he is returning to resume his full-time NJPW career
Kazuchika Okada vs. Jonah
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White vs. Tama Tonga for the title

New Japan wrapped up the BURNING SPIRIT Tour with a major event today headlined by multiple title matches, with the feature being an IWGP US Heavyweight Championship match following a heated press conference yesterday that saw chairs being thrown.

Today’s event was held at Kobe World Hall in Kobe and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English. This event aired as part of WORLD PRO WRESTLING LIVE 2022 on TV Asahi. All the matches are available to watch individually on New Japan World rather than the usual uninterrupted broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 3150.

Match 1: BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi beat Hikuleo, KENTA & El Phantasmo. Takagi beat Phantasmo with a ground cobra twist.

Match 2: Toru Yano vs. Doc Gallows went to a double countout.

Match 3: Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb beat Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale. Khan pinned Owens after Imperial Drop.

Match 4: Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. beat SANADA & Tetsuya Naito. Taichi beat SANADA with Taichi Gedo Clutch.

Match 5: Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Jonah beat Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe & Kazuchika Okada. Jonah pinned Honma after Torpedo.

Match 6: Taiji Ishimori & Jay White beat Jado & Tama Tonga. Ishimori beat Jado with Bone Lock. Jado was a replacement for the absent KUSHIDA (hand, foot & mouth disease).

Match 7: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Francesco Akira & TJP beat Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi to retain the titles. Akira pinned Taguchi after The Leaning Tower. V1 for the champs.

Match 8: NEVER Openweight Champion Karl Anderson beat Hiroshi Tanahashi to retain the title. V1 for Anderson. Afterwards, Bullet Club beat down Tanahashi and Toru Yano, who tried to make the save. This brought out Tama Tonga and the trap was triggered…until Hikuleo defected from Bullet Club to align with his brothers Tonga and Tanga Loa in G.o.D. This may represent a NEVER title challenge from Hikuleo as well.

Main Event: IWGP US Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay beat David Finlay to retain the title.V2 for Ospreay. Next up: Naito…or Sabre…who knows?

The next event is ROYAL QUEST 2 Saturday and next Sunday in London, England. Both events will be available ON DEMAND ONLY on New Japan World. So far the only match announced for Saturday is IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions FTR vs. Aussie Open for the titles (but not for the STRONG Tag Team Championship held by Aussie Open), and the only match announced for Sunday is Alpha Female vs. Ava White as part of the IWGP Women’s Championship Tournament.

New Japan ran the penultimate event of the BURNING SPIRIT Tour today, featuring a postponed title match from last weekend continuing the never-ending NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championship feud between Chaos & House Of Torture. Never NEVER.

Today’s event was held at Takamatsu City General Gym 1 in Kagawa and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese.

The announced paid attendance was 915.

Match 1: Kosei Fujita beat Ryohei Oiwa.

Match 2: Hikuleo, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale beat Gideon Gray, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb. Hikuleo pinned Gray after a chokeslam.

Match 3: KENTA & El Phantasmo beat BUSHI & Shingo Takagi. KENTA beat BUSHI with Game Over.

Match 4: Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat TAKA Michinoku, Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. Takahashi pinned TAKA with Namelsss Hiromu Roll (countering jackpot now up to 1 million yen-about $7500 US).

Match 5: Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Jonah beat Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe & Kazuchika Okada. Jonah pinned Honma after Torpedo.

Match 6: Jado, Toru Yano, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tama Tonga beat Taiji Ishimori, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson & Jay White. Tanahashi pinned Gallows.

Match 7: In a Dog Cage Survival Match, where wrestlers could be temporarily eliminated by being locked up in dog cages located in each corner, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions Yoh, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto to win the titles. Sho, Takahashi & EVIL become the 24th NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions. EVIL pinned Yoh after EVIL.

Main Event: In an Elimination Match, The DKC, Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi & David Finlay beat Aaron Henare, Francesco Akira, TJP & Will Ospreay. Order of elimination: Wato, Akira, TJP, Taguchi, DKC, Ospreay, Henare. Finlay wins as last man left.

The tour-ender is Sunday at Kobe World Hall in Kobe. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at midnight PT/3 AM ET. The status of KUSHIDA for the event is uncertain after he missed today (hand, foot & mouth disease). While the condition isn’t serious, it can be contagious for up to 10 days so consider him questionable for now.
Also, while no official announcement was made, it appears the broadcast plans for next week’s events in England are ON DEMAND ONLY on New Japan World, no live broadcast. Next Saturday’s event is scheduled to begin at Noon ET/9 AM PT, with next Sunday’s event at 11 AM ET/8 AM PT. Additionally, for the 10/28 event in New York City, New Japan World will have the event in Japanese as a PPV for about $21 US plus monthly subscription fees if you are not a subscriber. The event will be available in English on FITE. At this time the 10/27 event will only be on FITE.

UPDATE: KUSHIDA is now off Sunday. He was to have teamed with Tama Tonga to face Jay White & Taiji Ishimori. Jado is the replacement.

After two cancelled events earlier this week and some potential uncertainty about today’s event due to severe weather in Japan from hurricanes (they call them typhoons), New Japan held today’s scheduled BURNING SPIRIT Tour event as planned.

Today’s event was held at Grand Messe Kumamoto in Kumamoto. There was no live on demand broadcast and on demand video will not be available.

The announced paid attendance was 1182. One match was changed because KUSHIDA was announced as off earlier in the week. Potential undiagnosed skin disease discovered during coronavirus testing earlier this week as he was to have missed Sunday’s event with a fever. He tested negative for the virus.

Match 1: Ryohei Oiwa beat Yuto Nakashima.

Match 2: KENTA, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale beat Gideon Gray, Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan. Owens pinned Gray after C Trigger.

Match 3: Hikuleo & El Phantasmo beat BUSHI & Shingo Takagi. Hikuleo pinned BUSHI after a chokeslam.

Match 4: Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat TAKA Michinoku, Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. Takahashi pinned TAKA with Nameless Hiromu Rull. And the jackpot if TAKA can counter was up to 400,000 yen (around $3150 US).

Match 5: Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Jonah beat Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe & Kazuchika Okada. Tito pinned Honma after a spinning facebuster.

Match 6: Taiji Ishimori, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson & Jay White beat Jado, Toru Yano, Tama Tonga & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Anderson pinned Yano after Magic Killer.

Main Event: Aaron Henare, Francisco Akira, TJP & Will Ospreay beat The DKC, Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato & David FInlay. Henare pinned DKC after Rampage.

The next event is Friday at Takamatsu City General Gym in Kagawa, which will include the NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championship Dog Cage Survival Match scheduled for this past Sunday. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET. Both remaining events of the tour (this and then Sunday) will be back on the service live and on demand.

UPDATE: KUSHIDA is now off Friday. Hand, foot and mouth disease. Status for Sunday’s tour-ender is unknown at this time.

New Japan has just announced (as of 10 PM ET on 9/17) that today’s (9/18 Japan time) event at Beppu B-Con Plaza in Oita has been CANCELLED. The decision was made based on public transportation in parts of southwest Japan being suspended due to weather, specifically an approaching Super Typhoon (major hurricane, likely at least the equivalent of a Category 4 by US standards). Refunds will be provided to ticketholders.
At this time the Monday events in Fukuoka & Wednesday events in Kumamoto are on as scheduled but plans are subject to change. Monday’s event is a legit advance sellout if it goes on.
More as it becomes available.

UPDATE: Monday’s event has also been CANCELLED. Wednesday’s event in Kumamoto is on at this time.

UPDATE 2: The NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championship Dog Cage Survival match scheduled for today will now happen on Friday in Kagawa.

New Japan continued the BURNING SPIRIT Tour today by finishing their current stretch of non-televised house shows

Today’s event was held at Ichiki Kushikino City General Gym in Kagoshima. There was no live broadcast and no on demand video will be available.

Just before the event, the promotion announced KUSHIDA was a last-minute removal from the event. Fever. Preliminarily tested negative for coronavirus but was kept off as a precaution. He was to have teamed with Hiroshi Tanahashi & The DKC to face Taiji Ishimori, KENTA & Hikuleo in Match 5. Yuto Nakashima was the replacement.

The announced paid attendance was 1696.

Match 1: Ryohei Oiwa beat Kosei Fujita.

Match 2: Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Tomoaki Honma, Yoh, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. EVIL pinned Honma after EVIL.

Match 3: Aaron Henare, Francesco Akira & TJP beat Jado, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato. Henare beat Jado with Ultima.

Match 4: Gideon Gray, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb beat Gedo, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale. Khan beat Gedo with Subaru Sheep Killer Hold.

Match 5: Hikuleo, KENTA & Taiji Ishimori beat Yuto Nakashima, The DKC & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Hikukeo pinned Nakashima after a chokeslam.

Match 6: BUSHI, Hiromu Takahshi, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI, Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. SANADA pinned TAKA after Paradise Rock.

Main Event: Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Jonah beat Toru Yano, Togi Makabe & Kazuchika Okada. Jonah pinned Makabe after Torpedo.

The next event is tomorrow at Beppu B-Con Plaza in Oita. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.

New Japan continued the BURNING SPIRIT Tour with another non-televised house show today.

Today’s event was held at Kirin Beverage Shunan Sports Center in Yamaguchi. There was no live broadcast and no on demand video will be available.

The announced paid attendance was 789.

Match 1: Yuto Nakashima beat Ryohei Oiwa.

Match 2: Togi Makabe, Yoh, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Yoh pinned Togo after Direct Drive.

Match 3: The DKC, Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Gideon Gray, Francesco Akira & TJP. Wato pinned Gray after No. 9.

Match 4; Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb beat Gedo, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale. Henare beat Gedo with Ultima.

Match 5: Hikuleo, KENTA & Taiji Ishimori beat Jado, Hiroshi Tanahashi & KUSHIDA. KENTA pinned Jado.

Match 6: BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA & Tetsuya naito beat TAKA Michinoku, SOUKI, Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. Takahashi pinned TAKA with Nameless Hiromu Roll. Apparently there’s some kind of bet/gimmick going where if TAKA can escape or counter it, he’ll win a growing jackpot from Takahashi, now at around $1500 US.

Main Event: Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano & Kazuchika Okada beat Bad Dude Tito, Shane Haste & Jonah. Okada pinned Tito after Rainmaker.

The next event is Saturday at Ichiki Kushikino City General Gym in Kagoshima. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

New Japan has just announced a second October event for New York City-because their 10/28 return sold out almost instantly (only a few tickets left), they have just added a special Halloween event on 10/27. That event will be held at Piccadilly Times Square in NYC. Tickets go on sale Friday but mailing list subscribers can get tickets early beginning tomorrow at 10 AM ET/7 AM PT.
The 10/27 event, and likely 10/28 also, will be available as a PPV on FITE as part of a special bundle pack. Details TBA.