New Japan has announced that Jay White & Kazuchika Okada are the first confirmed names for Battle In The Valley, the first US event of 2023, on 2/18 in San Jose, CA, making it very likely the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion after Tokyo Dome will be there. It was also confirmed that the event will be a live PPV in English on FITE for $19.99. The event likely will be a PPV on New Japan World in Japanese for around the same cost.
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New Japan TakaTaichi 12/19/22 PPV Partial Results
New Japan held the last TAKA Michinoku & Taichi produced independent event of the year today, commemorating a combined 50 years in wresting between the two (most of which is TAKA with a good 30 years but This would also be the last such event because the Suzuki-gun faction will disband soon under orders from Minoru Suzuki. Taichi has at least 15-20 years himself). Although separate from New Japan, the promotion handled a lot of advertising and buildup for the event.
Today’s event was held at Yoyogi National Stadium Gym 2 in Tokyo and can be watched on demand as a standalone PPV on New Japan World. An additional purchase is requires to watch until it is removed from behind the paywall, which is expected to be in March 2023.
The announced paid attendance was 1258.
Matches 1-3 results are not yet available (not posted).
Match 4: In a No DQ match, DOUKI & Minoru Suzuki beat Jun Kasai (Freedoms) & Tomoaki Honma by ref stoppage. Suzuki beat Honma with a sleeper hold.
Match 5: Lance Archer & El Desperado beat MJ Pawl & Daisuke Sasaki (DDT) by DQ. Sasaki DQ’d. Chair use.
Match 6: In a 10 Million Yen Bounty 3 Falls Match, where countering/kicking out of Nameless Hiromu Roll or Michinoku Driver 2 would claim the bounty (or steal it away), Hiromu Takahashi beat TAKA Michinokiu 2-0. In the end, Takahashi kept the bounty after TAKA won it but Hiromu then won it back.
Main Event: In a Takagi-Style Lumberjack Last Man Standing Death Match, where the only way to win was a 10 count down after a pinfall, KOPW 2022 Trophy holder Shingo Takagi beat Taichi to retain the trophy. Unless something is added last-second to this week, and that’s incredibly unlikely because of how the matches and stip voting work, Takagi will end 2022 with the trophy and it will be done away with ahead of the 2023 trophy determination matches beginning at Tokyo Dome.
New Japan News: Tokyo Dome Full Card Announced
At their press conference earlier today, New Japan announces the full card for 1/4 at Tokyo Dome in addition to updated guidelines that will allow vocal cheering at full capacity to some extent (note Japanese fans aren’t cheering/singing types like US fans are, that wouldn’t be allowed), but for now those are in effect for 1/4 only.
The full card:
Pre-Show:
Boltin Oleg Debut Match: Boltin Oleg vs. Ryohei Oiwa. 3 Minute Exhibition Match
New Japan Ranbo Qualifier for the KOPW 2023 Trophy Determination Match. Battle royal where usually the last 4 left advance to the match at a later date
Antonio Inoki Memorial Match: Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima & Togi Makabe vs. Tatsumi Fujinami, Minoru Suzuki & Tiger Mask 4
Main Show:
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Francesco Akira & TJP vs. Lio Rush & Yoh for the titles
IWGP Women’s Champion KAIRI vs. Tam Nakano for the title
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions FTR vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI for the titles
Ren Narita vs. Zack Sabre Jr. for the inaugural NJPW World TV Championship
NEVER Openweight Champion Karl Anderson vs. Tama Tonga for the title
Keiji Muto, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Shota Umino vs. BUSHI, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori vs. Hiromu Takahashi, El Desperado & Master Wato in a 4-way for the title
IWGP US Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Onega for the title
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada for the title
The pre-show is scheduled to begin at 1:30 AM ET/10:30 PM PT ahead of the main show at 3 AM ET/midnight PT.
UPCOMING FREE VIDEO: Wrestle Kingdom 17 Press Conference
With their last major tour of the year in the books, New Japan has a 1/4 Tokyo Dome press conference scheduled for later today Japan time. You can watch below FOR FREE or on YouTube starting at 10 PM PT/1 AM ET or on demand after it begins (please note this will be in Japanese only):
New Japan 12/14/22 Results
New Japan wrapped up the Super Jr. Tag League & World Tag League today with their last major event of the year. Both tournament finals were held and likely would set up additional title matches for Tokyo Dome on 1/4.
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 2031.
Match 1: El Lindaman & Alex Zayne beat Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa. Lindaman pinned Fujita with a German suplex hold.
Match 2: Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls beat Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA. Haste pinned Knight after Tank Buster.
Match 3: Francesco Akira, TJP, Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan beat Gabriel Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Robbie Ragles & Tiger Mask. TJP pinned TM 4.
Match 4: DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Lance Archer & Minoru Suzuki beat Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Suzuki pinned Togo after a Gotch-style piledriver. Afterwards, Suzuki with microphone for a major announcement he promised…he shocked the crowd by announcing his Suzuki-gun faction will disband at the end of the year after over a decade.
Match 5: Titan. BUSHI, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat Clark Connors, Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Naito pinned Connors after Destino.
Match 6: Gedo, Taiji Ishimori & Jay White beat Master Wato, Tama Tonfga & Kazuchika Okada. Gedo pinned Wato.
Match 7: NEVER Openweight Champion Karl Anderson beat Hikuleo to retain the title. V2 for Anderson. Next up: Tonga. That match will happen at Tokyo Dome.
Match 8: Super Jr. Tag League Finals: Lio Rush & Yoh beat Ace Austin & Chris Bey to win the tournament. Yoh pinned Austin after Direct Drive. While not definite, this probably means Rush & Yoh will face IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Francesco Akira & TJP for the titles at Tokyo Dome.
Main Event: World Tag League Finals: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Aussie Open to win the tournament. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Kyle Fletcher after Abyss. It’s the second straight tournament victory for YOSHI-HASHI & Goto and means they will probably face IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions FTR for the titles at Tokyo Dome, assuming All Elite Wresting lets them miss that day’s AEW Dynamite (not guaranteed).
The next event is Road to TOKYO DOME, the year-ending doubleheader, on 12/22 and 12/23 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Live streaming of both events on New Japan World will begin each day at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET, and even better you can watch the 12/22 event FOR FREE!
RUMOR: WWE Superstar to New Japan
This is just a rumor for now, but it’s huge-Mercedes Varnado, best known as Sasha Banks on WWE, is reportedly headed to New Japan, at least temporarily. Varnado, who has been out of WWE since summer but is still reportedly under contract, has agreed to “multiple dates” with New Japan and may have a deal with them. But there is a chance she re-signs with WWE, and if that happens the potential New Japan deal is off. Her WWE deal is up at the end of the year but they could add time on based on how long she has been out, that could mean as much as 6-7 months.
If she does go to New Japan it likely would be for special attraction matches against talent from Stardom as both are owned by Bushiroad Corporation. Showing up in Stardom is also possible.What seems less clear now is All Elite Wrestling and if she might go there, or if they had a hand in this.
More as it becomes available. But for now this is all rumors.
New Japan 12/11/22 Results
New Japan ran the final day of the World Tag League today, with 5 teams still having a chance to make the Finals. Aussie Open was in the lead but not in league action today so they needed help to make it for sure because of tiebreakers.
Today’s event was held at Atelier Himeji in Hyogo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.
The announced paid attendance was 971, a legit advance sellout.
Match 1: Bad Luck Fale beat Kosei Fujita.
Match 2: Aussie Open beat Oskar Leube & Ryohei Oiwa. Kyle Fletcher pinned Leube after Grimstone.
Match 3: DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado beat Gedo, Ace Austin & Taiji Ishimori. DOUKI beat Gedo with Italian Stretch 32.
Match 4: Titan, BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi beat Clark Connors, Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tomoaki Honma. Takagi pinned Honma after Pumping Bomber.
World Tag League:
Match 5: Lance Archer & Minoru Suzuki beat Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin. Archer pinned Coughlin after Blackout.
Match 6: Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan beat Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Henare pinned Yano after Imperial Drop.
Match 7: Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat SANADA & Tetsuya Naito. Takahashi pinned SANADA after Big Juice. As a result, Aussie Open advances to the Finals (they would have lost tiebreaker to SANADA/Naito).
Main Event: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI beat Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls. Goto pinned Nicholls after Shoto. As a result, Goto & YOSHI-HASHI advance to the Finals.
The Final and the tour-ender is Wednesday at Sendai Sun Plaza in Sendai. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1:30 AM PT/4:30 AM ET.
New Japan 12/10/22 Results
New Japan ran the final day of the Super Jr. Tag League today, which would see the top 2 teams in the standings advance to the Finals. 5 teams still had a chance to make it so there were a lot of possibilities.
Today’s event was held at Uwajima City Overall Gym in Ehime and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.
The announced paid attendance was 1001.
Match 1: Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa beat Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima. Fujita pinned Nakashima. The Young Lion Fujita gets the victory in his hometown.
Match 2: Match 2: El Desperado, Lance Archer & Minoru Suzuki beat Master Wato, Tomoaki Honma 7 YOSHI-HASHI. Archer beat Honma with EBD Claw.
Match 3: Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito beat Gedo, Taiji ishimori & Bad Luck Fale. Naito pinned Gedo.
Super Jr. Tag League:
Match 4: Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA beat Robbie Eagles & Tiger Mask. Knight pinned TM 4 after a high-angle DDT.
Match 5: Dick Togo & Sho beat Clark Connors & Ryusuke Taguchi. Sho pinned Taguchi after Shock Arrow.
Match 6: DOUKI & Yoshinobu Kanemaru beat El Lindaman & Alex Zayne. DOUKI pinned Lindaman with Suplex De La Luna. As a result, the winners of the final 2 matches, if there were winners, would advance to the Finals.
Match 7: Lio Rush & Yoh beat Titan & BUSHI. Rush pinned BUSHI after Final Hour.
Main Event: Ace Austin & Chris Bey beat Francesco Akira & TJP. Bey pinned Akira after Rock-a-bye-Bey.
As a result, Rush/Yoh and Austin/Bey advance to the Finals.
The Final is Wednesday. The next event is tomorrow at Atelier Himeji in Hyogo with the final day of the World Tag League. The event is a legit advance sellout. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at midnight PT/3 AM ET.
New Japan 12/8/22 Results
New Japan ran the penultimate day of the World Tag League today, with 5 teams still with a chance to make the Finals and one team being able to lock up a spot.
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 942.
Match 1: Bad Luck Fale beat Yuto Nakashima.
Match 2: Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan beat Oskar Leube & Ryohei Oiwa. Henare pinned Leube after Rampage.
Match 3: Kevin Knight, KUSHIDA, Master Wato & Tomoaki Honma beat Gedo, Chris Bey, Ace Austin & Taiji Ishimori. Knight pinned Gedo after a high angle DDT.
Match 4: Titan, Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi beat DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado. Takagi beat DOUKI with STF.
World Tag League:
Match 5: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto beat Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Kidd after Shoto.
Match 6: Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi. EVIL pinned Tanahashi after EVIL.
Match 7: Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls beat Aussie Open. Nicholls pinned Kyle Fletcher after Tank Buster.
Main Event: SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat Lance Archer & Minoru Suzuki. Naito pinned Suzuki after Destino.
Aussie Open remains the leaders but their preliminary tournament is done as they were one of the teams to get a free win because of the Fale/Chase Owens withdrawal. The top 2 make the Finals and 4 teams still have a chance, but not all will qualify because two of the teams tied for 2nd, Haste/Nicholls and Goto/YOSHI-HASHI, meet on the final day. Naito/SANADA must beat Yujiro/EVIL to have a chance. If there is a 3-way tie, if head-to-head results determine the final then it gets very messy outside of Aussie Open needing Goto/YOSHI-HASHI to win. Best-case for them is Haste/Nicholls-Goto/YOSHI-HASHI going to a draw, if there is a winner either way it costs Aussie Open a potential tiebreaker (they lost to both).
The final day is Sunday. The next event is tomorrow at Uwajima City Overall Gym in Ehime with the final day of the Super Jr. Tag League. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 12:30 AM PT/3:30 AM ET.
New Japan News: TAMASHII Debut Streaming Soon
Good news for New Japan fans outside Australia & New Zealand-the debut events of the TAMASHII sub-label, originally not televised, are coming to New Japan World next week. You’ll be able to watch both events on demand starting Wednesday at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT. The events were held on 11/10 in Christchurch, New Zealand and 11/12 in Sydney, Australia.
Until then, be sure to check out LION’S ROAR on demand on New Japan World, spotlighting the NZ Dojo and head trainer Bad Luck Fale, that helped give birth to TAMASHII. No word yet on when the label’s next events will be.
