NJPW “New Japan Road” results (11/8): Vetter’s review of the reveal of Hiroshi Tanahashi’s final opponent for Wrestle Kingdom 20, a Never Openweight Six-Man Tag Title match

By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)

New Japan Pro Wrestling “New Japan Road in Anjo”
November 8, 2025, in Aichi, Japan, at Anjo City Gymnasium
Streamed live on New Japan World

This is a large gym with a lot of seating in a second tier. The lights were on, and it was easy to see. The attendance was perhaps 1,200. This show had Japanese-only commentary.

1. Katsuya Murashima vs. Tatsuya Matsumoto. Katsuya is the bigger, thicker, more polished wrestler of these two Young Lions. Matsumoto grapevined the leg; Murashima reached the ropes at 4:00. Matsumoto hit some bodyslams. Murashima hit a bodyslam and was fired up. He applied a Boston Crab, and Matsumoto tapped out. What you’d expect.

Katsuya Murashima defeated Tatsuya Matsumoto at 7:16.

2. Taichi and Masatora Yasuda vs. Shoma Kato and Zane Jay. We haven’t seen much of Taichi this fall. Yasuda and Zane opened. Zane hit some chops on Taichi. Taichi hit a stiff kick to the spine and put Zane in a half crab and stomped on his head! Zane hit a shoulder tackle on Yasuda. Shoma tagged in at 3:00 and hit some forearm strikes on Yasuda. Yasuda hit a headscissors takedown and a dropkick on Shoma. Shoma hit a dropkick on Taichi. Zane got back in and chopped Taichi, then a dropkick for a nearfall at 6:00. Zane applied a hammerlock and kept Taichi grounded, but Taichi got a foot on the ropes. Zane and Shoma hit stereo dropkicks on Taichi. Taichi hit a hard clothesline on Jay, then a stiff back suplex for the pin. Good action.

Taichi and Masatora Yasuda defeated Shoma Kato and Zane Jay at 9:07.

3. “United Empire” Great-O-Khan, Jakob Austin Young, and Callum Newman vs. Boltin Oleg, Tomoaki Honma, and Tiger Mask. Oleg and O-Khan opened and traded reversals on the mat. They hit shoulder tackles with neither man going down. Oleg hit his gutwrench suplex at 2:30, then he tagged in Tiger Mask. Young, while on the apron, kicked Tiger Mask in the back, allowing the UE to take control. O-Khan hit his Mongolian Chops on Honma at 4:30. Young hit a standing neckbreaker on Tiger Mask.

TM fired back with a Tiger Driver (butterfly powerbomb) on Young. Honma and Newman tagged in at 6:30, and Honma hit a DDT. Callum hit a running penalty kick to the chest. Honma hit a flying headbutt. Callum hit a spin kick to Honma’s head, then a running knee to the chest and a fisherman’s suplex for the pin. Decent action. Newman hit Honma a few more times after the bell, showing off that newer, more aggressive attitude he’s had of late.

Great-O-Khan, Jakob Austin Young, and Callum Newman defeated Boltin Oleg Tomoaki Honma, and Tiger Mask at 9:00 even.

4. “House of Torture” Sho, Douki, and Yujiro Takahashi vs. “Unaffiliated Bullet Club” Shingo Takagi, Gedo, and Taiji Ishimori. The HoT attacked, and we’re underway! Douki shoved Gedo’s head into the ring post. The HoT ‘wish-boned’ Gedo’s legs in the ring and kept him in their corner. Shingo got a hot tag at 5:30 and cleared the ring. He hit a double DDT. Sho repeatedly stomped on Shingo. Sho speared Ishimori at 8:30. Yujiro hit a low blow, falling headbutt to Ishimori’s groin. Ishimori hit some low blows on the heels, then the Bloody Cross double knees to Sho’s chest for the pin! That wrapped up suddenly.

Shingo Takagi, Gedo, and Taiji Ishimori defeated Sho, Douki, and Yujiro Takahashi at 9:40.

* El Desperado came out of the back and spoke on the mic, talking to Douki. Not sure what this is about, but I’m sure we’ll get an English translation soon, particularly if it’s something important.

5. “Unaffiliated Bullet Club” Yota Tsuji, Oskar, and Daiki Nagai vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Shota Umino, and Yuya Uemura. Taguchi was eager to start… until he turned around and saw the 6’8″ Oskar across the ring from him. He looked to tag out, but Yuya and Shota assured him he has this! Taguchi ran around in the ring, mimicking Yuto-Ice. Yuto beat up Taguchi in a corner. He hit a Mafia Kick for a nearfall. He stood on Taguchi’s chest and got a nearfall at 3:30.

Shota got a hot tag at 5:00 and hit some dropkicks, then a fisherman’s suplex on Yota for a nearfall. Shota hit a tornado DDT, and they were both down. Daiki hit a dropkick on Yuya and went for a Boston Crab, but Ueumura broke free. Oskar hit a hard bodyslam on Yuya for a nearfall at 9:00. Daiki put Yuya in a Boston Crab, but Uemura got to the ropes. Yuya hit a back suplex on Nagai for a nearfall, and he applied a hammerlock on the mat and cranked on the arm until Nagai tapped out. Solid. Oskar chased Taguchi around the building.

Ryusuke Taguchi, Shota Umino, and Yuya Uemura defeated Yota Tsuji, Oskar, and Daiki Nagai at 10:48.

6. Hirooki Goto, Yoshi-Hashi, and El Desperado vs. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa, and Zack Sabre Jr. Goto and Sabre opened, and they avoided each other’s offense. Sabre hit a European Uppercut. All six started to brawl. TMDK began working over Despe in their corner. Yoshi-Hashi tagged in at 5:30 and battled Oiwa, hitting a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall. Oiwa hit a back suplex, and they were both down.

Goto and Hartley got in and traded forearm strikes. Sabre snapped Goto’s neck between his ankles, and Hartley hit a senton. Despe hit a Spinebuster on Sabre at 8:00. Hartley set up for a Jagged Edge, but Goto escaped. Yoshi-Hashi hit his Headhunter (running Blockbuster) on Hartley. Goto and Yoshi-Hashi hit the Shoto (team slam) and pinned Hartley. Decent, but not really that ambitious, either.

Hirooki Goto, Yoshi-Hashi, and El Desperado defeated Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa, and Zack Sabre Jr. at 8:51.

7. Toru Yano, Yoh, and Master Wato (w/Aaron Wolf) vs. “House of Torture” EVIL, Dick Togo, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru (w/Yujiro Takahashi) for the NEVER Six-Man Tag Team Titles. All six brawled at the bell, and it immediately went to the floor. In the ring, Wato hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over his knee. On the floor, EVIL whipped Wato into the guardrail. In the ring, Kanemaru hit a suplex on Wato for a nearfall, and the HoT kept him in their corner. EVIL hit a suplex for a nearfall at 3:00. Wato hit a leg lariat on Kanemaru at 6:00. Yoh finally got a hot tag and hit a top-rope cannonball press, then he bodyslammed Kanemaru.

Yoh hit a basement dropkick on EVIL’s knee at 7:30. Yano jumped in and removed the turnbuckle pads. EVIL choked Yano on the mat. Togo hit his knife-edge chop to Yano’s groin and EVIL got a nearfall. Wato and Togo got back in at 9:30. Togo went for a low blow but Yoh blocked it. Wato applied the Vendeval submission hold on Togo, but the ref was pulled to the floor! Aaron Wolf jumped in the ring to protect Wato, but EVIL hit Wolf across the back with a chair. Wato reapplied the Vendeval submission hold, and this time, Togo submitted. Meh; this was more about building to the EVIL-Wolf match at Wrestle Kingdom.

Toru Yano, Yoh, and Master Wato defeated EVIL, Dick Togo, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru to retain the NEVER Six-Man Tag Team Titles at 12:00 even. 

8. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yuto-Ice. They immediately traded forearm strikes. Tanahashi hit a second-rope twisting crossbody block. They fought to the floor at 1:30. In the ring, Yuto-Ice hit a series of roundhouse kicks. Tanahashi hit some forearm strikes and punches to the gut, then his second-rope somersault senton for a nearfall at 6:30. Tanahashi remained in charge and kept Yuto-Ice grounded. He hit some headbutts at 9:00 that dropped Yuto-Ice, then a Dragonscrew Legwhip.

Tanahashi applied a Texas Cloverleaf in the center of the ring. He went for a High Fly Flow at 12:30, but Yuto-Ice got his knees up to block it. Yuto-Ice hit a kick to the back. They traded forearm strikes, and Yuto-Ice got a nearfall at 14:30. Tanahashi hit a Sling Blade clothesline for a nearfall. He hit the High Fly Flow frogsplash for the pin! Decent action.

Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yuto-Ice at 16:28. 

* Tanahashi played air guitar, and it went on for a bit before he spoke on the mic. I assumed the show was over. HOWEVER, out of the back came Kazuchika Okada!!!!!!!!!! The crowd popped for the sound of the coin, knowing exactly who it was! He wore a black button-down shirt and pants; he was not dressed to wrestle. Gedo walked to the ring behind Okada. While they spoke in Japanese, Okada challenged Tanahashi to be his final opponent at Wrestle Kingdom. No punches were thrown. For details on what was said, check out this story at NJPW1972.com.

Final Thoughts: A solid night of action. Good to see Sabre Jr. and Taichi back in NJPW action after being absent on recent tours. The main event was fine; it’s what you’d expect from Tanahashi. I continue to be in awe of how hard he’s working on this retirement tour, lining up one singles match after another on this farewell tour. The buzz out of this show will be for the appearance of Okada.