Tag: njpw

Obituary: New Japan Original Member Passes Away

New Japan is saddened to report the passing of former wrestler Osamu Kido, who died Monday. He was 72.

Kido made his debut in the Japan Wrestling Association (JWA) in early 1969 before competing on New Japan’s first event in March 1972 before an excursion to the US. He moved to the original UWF in 1984 before returning to NJPW in 1985, and became IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion with Akira Maeda on August 5, 1986.

That title match is one of 3 Kido matches New Japan World is making available for viewing for free, along with a 10-man elimination tag match from 3/26/1986 and his 30th Anniversary Match from 2/5/1999.

I join New Japan in expressing my condolences to the family, friends and fans of Osamu Kido.

BREAKING: New Japan Star Back To US

In a social media post moments ago, Impact/TNA Wrestling announced New Japan Jr. Heavyweight KUSHIDA has signed with TNA. He has been a semi-regular in Impact over the last few years.

More as it becomes available.

DEVELOPING: Tokyo Sports Awards Winners Announced

The Japanese newspaper/website Tokyo Sports announced the winners of their annual Year-End Awards, which are a very big deal in Japanese pro wrestling. The promotions have begun congratulating their winners, for convenience here is a full list of the major winners courtesy of Samurai! TV and New Japan World personality:commentator Miki Motoi:

The award winners:
MVP-Tetsuya Naito (New Japan)
Match Of The Year-The Great Muta vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (NOAH, 1/1)
Tag Team-Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (New Japan)
Outstanding Performance: Hiromu Takahashi (New Japan)
Fighting Spirit-Kenoh (NOAH)
Technique-Yuma Aoyagi (All-Japan)
Rookie Of The Year-Jun & Rei Saito (All-Japan)
Women’s MVP-Tam Nakano (Stardom)

New Japan News: Post-WTL Press Conference Notes

New Japan held their traditional post-major event/tournament press conference today in Tokyo, which cowered post-World Tag League and more news for Tokyo Dome:

First up, it’s now official-IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions & World Tag League winners YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto vs. STRONG Tag Team Champions El Phantasmo & Hikuleo for both titles is set for 1/4.

Second, following reports it was going to happen, the IWGP Global Championship was unveiled today, which will replace the IWGP US/UK Championship. This essentially combines and replaces the titles and puts to rest any rumors of reviving the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, surely to the dismay of one Tetsuya Naito, and os meant to be a truly international title. What had been a 3-way between IWGP US Champion Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley & David Finlay on 1/4 for the title will now be to crown the inaugural Global Champion.

The cards for Road To Tokyo Dome on 12/21 & 12/22 at Korakuen Hall were also announced, and 12/22 will be the monthly FREE EVENT on New Japan World. 12/21 has 2 title matches: KOPW 2023 Champion Taichi vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru for the title in the final KOPW match of the year, with stips TBA, and NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii & Kazuchika Okada vs. HENARE, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb for the titles. 12/22 is the final event of the year and the last build to Tokyo Dome.

New Japan 12/10/23 Results

New Japan wrapped up the World Tag League today with the Finals. This will almost certainly set up an IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match for Tokyo Dome on 1/4.

Today’s event was held at Grand Messe Kumamoto in Kumamoto and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese. They planned for English as well but due to ongoing technical issues with the relaunched service it will be on demand at a later date. This event aired in Japan as part of WORLD PRO WRESTLING LIVE 2023 on TV Asahi.

The announced paid attendance was 2658.

Pre-show Match: Boltin Oleg & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Asosan & Kodai Nozaki. Taguchi pinned Asosan with Kid Clutch. The losers were local wrestlers from regional independent promotions and this was billed as a Frontier Zone match.

Hiromu Takahashi made a special appearance to open the event.

Match 1: Master Wato, Soberano Jr. & Atlantis Jr. beat Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls. Wato pinned Fujita with a Tsutenkaku German suplex hold.

Match 2: Alex Zayne, Lance Archer, Minoru Suzuki & Yuji Nagata beat Gabriel Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Jack Bonza & bad Luck Fale. Zayne pinned Bonza after Blackout Sauce.

Match 3: Callum Newman, HENARE, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb beat Oakar Leube, Yuto Nakashima, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii. Cobb pinned Leube after Tour of the Islands.

Match 4: Sho & Ren Narita beat Tiger Mask & Shota Umino. Sho pinned TM 4.

Match 5: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Tomoaki Honma, Ryohei Oiwa & Kaito Kiyomiya (Pro Wrestling NOAH). EVIL pinned Honma after EVIL.

Match 6; Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada beat Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun. Okada pinned Liona after Rainmaker.

Matchb7: BUSHI, Yota Tsuji, Zandokan Jr., Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Kaito beat TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI, Yuya Uemura, Taichi & SANADA. BUSHI pinned TAKA after MX. Afterwards, Kanemaru attacked Taichi and made a KOPW 2023 Title challenge.

Main Event: World Tag League Finals: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI beat El Phantasmo & Hikuleo to win the tournament. Goto pinned Phantasmo after Naraku. They went 40 1/2 minutes. Bishamon 3-peat after it seemed dead earlier on. Based on post-match happenings, this likely means a Double Title rematch at Tokyo Done for the IWGP Heavyweight and STRONG Tag Team Championships.

The next event is Road To TOKYO DOME, which this year will be a year-ending doubleheader on 12/21 & 12/22 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET both days. This will end their 2023 schedule.

New Japan 12/8/23 Results

New Japan ran the penultimate day of the World Tag League today with the Semifinals.

Today’s event was held at Kirishima City Makizono Arena in Kagoshima and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1104.

Pre-show Match: Boltin Oleg beat Katsuya Murashima.

Match 1: Taiji Ishimori, Jack Bonza & Bad Luck Fale beat Oskar Leube, Yuto Nakashima & Master Wato. Bonza pinned Nakashima after Napalm Thunder Bomb.

Match 2: Alex Zayne, Lance Archer & Minoru Suzuki beat Callum Newman, HENARE & Great-O-Khan. Zayne pinned Newman after Taco Driver.

Match 3: Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho & EVIL beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Ryohei Oiwa & Kaito Kiyomiya. Kanemaru pinned Taguchi.

Match 4: Yujiro Takahashi & Ren Narita beat Tomoaki Honma & Shota Umino. Narita pinned Honma after a modified face buster. This went just 43 seconds. Another Narita/H.O.T. beatdown on Umino followed.

Match 5: Soberano Jr., Atlantis Jr., Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun beat Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada. Liona pinned Yano after Fall From Heaven.

Match 6: DOUKI, Yuya Uemura, Taichi & SANADA beat BUSHI, Zandokan Jr., Yota Tsuji & Shingo Takagi. Uemura pinned BUSHI with a Kannuki suplex hold.

World Tag League Srmifinals:
Match 7: El Phantasmo & Hikuleo beat Dhane Haste & Mikey Nicholls. Hikuleo pinned Haste after Godsend.
Main Event: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI beat Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Coughlin.

As a result, the Finals will be G.o.D. vs. Bishamon.

The Finals are Sunday at Grand Messe Kumamoto in Kumamoto. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin Saturday at 10 PM PT/1 AM ET. There may be live results posted. The live stream may only be available outside Japan as TV Asahi will also have a live broadcast.

BREAKING: Rainmaker Returns To TNA In January

In a social media post minutes ago, Impact Wrestling announced New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Kazuchika Okada will return to the promotion in January for their TV tapings on 1/14 in Las Vegas:

New Japan 12/8/23 Results

New Japan ran Day 14 of the World Tag League today, wrapping up Block B and filling out the Semifinals.

Today’s event was held at Hayamizu Park Sports & Cultural Center in Miyazaki and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1288.

Pre-show Match: DOUKI beat Shoma Kato.

Match 1: Callum Newman, HENARE & Great-O-Khan beat Yuto Nakashima, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun. HENARE pinned Nakashima after Rampage.

Match 2: Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & RVIL beat Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Shota Umino. Sho pinned TM 4. Ren Narita laid out Umino post-match.

Match 3: Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada beat Boltin Oleg, Tomoaki Honma, Ryohei Oiwa & Kaito Kiyomiya. Yano pinned Honma.

Match 4: Taiji Ishimori, Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin beat Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls. Coughlin pinned Fujita after a jackhammer.

World Tag League:
Match 5: Minoru Suzuki & Yuji Nagata beat Jack Bonza & Bad Luck Fale. Suzuki pinned Bonza after a Gotch-style piledriver.
Match 6: Soberano Jr. & Atlantis Jr. beat Zandokan Je. & Yota Tsuji. Soberano pinned Zandokan after Soberano Driver. Zandokan/Tsuji now OUT. Afterwards, Tetsuya Naito suggested Zandokan joining LIJ may not happen.
Match 7: El Phantasmo & Hikuleo beat Alex Zayne & Lance Archer. Phantasmo pinned Zayne after Super Thunder Kiss 86. As a result, Phantasmo/Hikuleo win Block B and advance to the Semifinals.
Main Event: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Yuya Uenura & Taichi. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Uenura after Shoto. As a result, Bishamon finish 2nd in Block B and advance to the Semifinals.

The Semifinals will be Kidd/Coughlin vs. Goto/YOSHI-HASHI and Phantasmo/Hikukeo vs. Haste/Nicholls.

The Semifinals are tomorrow at Kirishima City Makizono Arena in Kagoshima. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.

New Japan 12/6/23 Results

New Japan ran Day 13 of the World Tag League today, the final day of Block A which would determine the first 2 teams making the Semifinals.

Today’s event was held at Karatsu City Cultural Gym in Saga and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 907.

Pre-show Match: Oskar Leube beat Shoma Kato.

Match 1: Taiji Ishimori, Jack Bonza & Bad Luck Fale beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Minoru Suzuki & Yuji Nagata. Bonza pinned Taguchi after Napalm Thunder Driver.

Match 2: BUSHI, Zandokan Jr., Yota Tsuji & Shingo Takagi beat Tomoaki Honma, Tiger Mask, Soberano Jr. & Atlantis Jr. Takagi pinned TM 4 after Pumping Bomber. Afterwards, Tsuji & Zandokan apparently unnasked-or tried to-the Mexicans.

Match 3: Master Wato, Alex Zayne & Lance Archer beat Jado, El Phantasmo & Hikuleo. Wato beat Jado with Vendeval.

Match 4: YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada beat DOUKI, Yuya Uemura, Taichi & SANADA. Tanahashi pinned DOUKI after High Fly Flow.

World Tag League:
Match 5: Toa Liona & Bisbop Kaun beat Ryohei Oiwa & Kaito Kiyomiya. Kaun pinned Oiwa after Fall From Heaven.
Match 6: Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Ren Narita & Shota Umino. EVIL pinned Umino after EVIL. During & after the match, Narita turned on Umino and joined House Of Torture.
Match 7: KENARE & Great-O-Khan beat Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii. HENARE pinned Ishii after Streets Of Rage.
Main Event: Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin beat Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls. Kidd pinned Nicholls after a hijack piledriver. As a result, Kidd/Coughlin win Block A and Haste/Nicholls finish 2nd. Both advance to the Semifinals.

The next event is tomorrow at Hayamizu Park Sports & Culture Center in Miyazaki for the final day of Block B. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2 AM PT/5 AM ET.

New Japan 12/4/23 Results

New Japan ran Day 12 of the World Tag League today, the penultimate day of Block B.

Today’s event was held at Kochi Prefectural Gym in Kochi and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 801.

Pre-show Match: Master Wato beat Katsuya Murashima.

Match 1: Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Sho beat BUSHI & Shingo Takagi. Kanemaru pinned BUSHI with Samson Clutch.

Match 2: Boltin Oleg, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun beat Oskar Leube, Ryohei Oiwa & Kaito Kiyomiya. Liona pinned Leube after Fall From Heaven.

Match 3: Callum Newman, HENARE & Great-O-Khan beat Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii. HENARE beat Honma with Ultima.

Match 4: Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Ryusuke Taguchi, Ren Narita & Shota Umoni. EVIL beat Taguchi with a scorpion deathlock.

Match 5: Taiji Ishimori, Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin beat Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls. Ishimori beat Fujita with Bone Lock.

World Tag League:
Match 6: Jack Bonza & Bad Luck Fale beat Yuya Uemura & Taichi. Fale pinned Uemura after Bad Luck Fall.
Match 7: El Phantasmo & Hikuleo beat Soberano Jr. & Atlantis Jr. Phantasmo pinned Soberano after Super Thunder Kiss 86.
Match 8: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Minoru Suzuki & Yuji Nagata. Goto pinned Nagata.
Main Event: Zandokan Jr. & Yota Tsuji beat Alex Zayne & Lance Archer. Tsuji pinned Zayne after Gene Blaster. Tetsuya Naito was a guest on commentary for the main event.

Standings:
1-Hikuleo/Phantasmo, 4-2, 8 pts
2-Taichi/Uemura, 4-2, 8 pts
3-Archer/Zayne, 4-2, 8 pts
4-YOSHI-HASHI/Goto, 3-3-1, 7 pts
5-Zandokan/Tsuji, 3-4, 6 pts
6-Soberano/Atlantis, 2-4-1, 5 pts (OUT)
7-Bonza/Fale, 2-5, 4 pts (OUT)
8-Suzuki/Nagata, 1-6, 2 pts (OUT)
The Top 2 advance to the Finals. It’s a little more open here than in Block A but not too complicated. It’s actually simple-the Hikuleo/Phantasmo-Zayne/Archer winner next time out advances. Same for the Taichi/Uemura-YOSHI-HASHI/Goto winner…BUT…if Hikuleo/Phantasmo-Archer/Zayne is a time limit draw and Bishamon win, YOSHI-HASHI/Goto would lose the tiebreaker as they lost to both other teams. Also, Zandokan/Tsuji still have a chance thanks to tiebreakers. They must win their final match (Atlantis/Soberano) AND Hikuleo/Phantasmo-Archer-Zayne MUST END IN A NO CONTEST/DOUBLE DQ. Something that means no points for both…AND Bishamon must win. If all that happens, Tsuji/Zandokan have a chance. They do lose tiebreakers right now to Archer/Zayne though.

The next event is Wednesday at Karatsu Athletic Stadium in Saga for the final day of Block A. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.

The promotion has also announced that, due to ongoing bug fixes/improvements since the New Japan World update/relaunch, Sunday’s Finals live broadcast will be in Japanese only with English on demand as soon as possible after the event. The plan was Japanese and English live but that won’t happen now.

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