By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “World Tag League – Night 8”
November 30, 2025, in Akita, Japan, at Akita Terrsa
Streamed live on New Japan World
The venue is a rather small gym with nearly all seating on the floor; there is upper deck/tiered seating on one side that has maybe six rows of seats that were full. It was packed and may have been a sellout of perhaps 800. The lights were on, and it was easy to see. Walker Stewart provided commentary.
* This year’s tournament features 16 teams, divided into two Blocks of eight squads. It’s a round-robin tournament, so each team has seven matches. Today, just the B Block is in tournament action. I’ll reiterate that the B Block is far and away better.
1. Katsuya Murashima, Boltin Oleg, and Toru Yano “House of Torture” Yujiro Takahashi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Chase Owens. Chase is really stepping up his 1800s blacksmith look, carrying a branding iron to the ring. The HoT came out first, and they attacked from behind, and we’re underway. Oleg and Chase brawled on the floor and into a hallway outside the gym! In the ring, Yujiro whipped Yano into an exposed corner. Kanemaru got in and stomped on Yano. Oleg and Chase got back into the ring, with Boltin hitting a splash to the mat for a nearfall at 3:00. Oleg hit a gutwrench suplex on Kanemaru. Murashima got a hot tag and hit some flipping sentons on Yujiro. Murashima hit a Bulldog Powerslam, and he put Yujiro in a Boston Crab, but Kanemaru made the save. Yujiro hit an inverted DDT for a nearfall, then the Pimp Juice implant DDT for the pin.
Yujiro Takahashi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Chase Owens defeated Katsuya Murashima, Boltin Oleg, and Toru Yano at 6:41.
2. Tatsuya Matsumoto and “Bishamon” Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi vs. “House of Torture” EVIL, Don Fale, and Sho. This is the first time we’ve seen Sho on this tour! He got on the mic and spoke, then the HoT attacked. Stewart wondered where Dick Togo was. We got a bell at 00:56 to officially begin. Sho and Matsumoto opened, and Sho crotched him around the ring post. EVIL jabbed a chair into Matsumoto’s gut and threw him back into the ring, where Sho got a nearfall.
Fale stood on Matsumoto’s back. Yoshi-Hashi got a hot tag at 4:00, and he hit a running Headhunter (Blockbuster) on EVIL for a nearfall. Ren and Matsumoto entered at 6:30 and battled, with Matsumoto hitting some bodyslams. He dropkicked Sho and applied a Boston Crab, but Fale made the save. Sho got his wrench and clocked Matsumoto with it, getting the cheap pin. We never did see Togo.
EVIL, Don Fale, and Sho defeated Tatsuya Matsumoto, Hirooki Goto, and Yoshi-Hashi at 8:08/official time of 7:12.
3. Shuji Ishikawa, El Desperado, and Shoma Kato vs. “Unaffiliated Bullet Club” Yota Tsuji, Gabe Kidd, and Gedo. El Desperado and Kidd opened, and they immediately traded chops, and Kidd bit his forehead. All six fought to the floor, where Despe whipped him into the guardrail, so Kidd also whipped Desperado into the guardrail. In the ring, Yota hit a bodyslam and got a nearfall on Despe. Gedo tagged in at 3:00 and kept Desperado grounded. Shuji tagged in and knocked Yota down with a shoulder tackle, then a second-rope doublestomp to the gut for a nearfall.
Kidd and Yota hit a team suplex on Shuji for a nearfall at 6:00. Shuji hit a running double crossbody block. Shoma finally tagged in and battled Yota, hitting a flying forearm in the corner and a deep armdrag, and a suplex for a nearfall. Yota hit a vicious headbutt on Shoma, then slammed him to the mat for the pin. Decent action.
Yota Tsuji, Gabe Kidd, and Gedo defeated Shuji Ishikawa, El Desperado, and Shoma Kato at 8:12.
4. Taichi, Zane Jay, and Masatora Yasuda vs. “Unaffiliated Bullet Club” Shingo Takagi, Drilla Moloney, and Daiki Nagai. No sign of Satoshi Kojima! Walker noted it, but didn’t indicate if Kojima suffered any sort of injury to keep him out. (He’s 55; he really shouldn’t be working these preview tags to give his body a rest. I didn’t look at the lineup closely, so I don’t know if this was a planned day off for him.) Taichi and Shingo opened, with Taichi hitting his spin kicks to the thigh while Shingo hit some chops. Taichi dropped him with a Mafia Kick. Yasuda entered at 2:00 and battled Daiki, hitting a huracanrana for a nearfall.
Moloney entered and traded forearm strikes with Yasuda, and Yasuda hit a dropkick. Jay entered at 4:30 and traded forearm strikes with Moloney. Zane tied him in a hammerlock. Shingo made the save, but Jay dropkicked Shingo. Moloney cut Zane in half with a Gore at 6:30. He applied a vertical Boston Crab and put his knee across the back of Jay’s neck, and Zane tapped out. Good preview tag.
Shingo Takagi, Drilla Moloney, and Daiki Nagai defeated Zane Jay, Masatora Yasuda, and Taichi at 6:43.
5. “Monster Sauce” Alex Zayne and Lance Archer (4) vs. Shota Umino and Yuya Uemura (2) in a B Block tournament match. This could be the main event. Archer and Umino opened, and Lance easily shoved Shota to the mat. Yuya entered at 1:30, so Zayne also tagged in, and they locked up and traded standing switches. Yuya hit some deep armdrags and tied up the left arm. Alex hit a huracanrana on Lance to whip him onto Yuya in the corner at 4:00. Nice! Lance hit a delayed vertical suplex on Uemura. Lance slammed Alex onto Yuya at 5:30.
Zayne again flipped Archer into the corner, but there was no one there, and Lance crashed. Shota got a hot tag and dropped Alex with a shoulder tackle. He traded chops and forearm strikes with Archer. Archer went for Blackout at 8:30, but Shota escaped. Shota launched off the ropes and hit a tornado DDT. Yuya got the hot tag, and he dropkicked Zayne. Alex hit a running corkscrew senton on Uemura, then his flipping axe kick to the back of the neck for a nearfall at 10:30. Zayne hit his jump-up huracanrana in the corner.
Archer hit a Blackout on Zayne, dropping him on Yuya for a nearfall, but Shota made the save. Archer hit a spinebuster on Shota. Yuya applied a hammerlock on the mat on Zayne; Archer finally made the save. Umino hit a bodyslam on Archer and clotheslined him to the floor at 13:30. Umino clotheslined Zayne while Yuya hit a Dragon Suplex. Yuya then hit his Deadbolt Suplex to pin Zayne. A sharp match. Umino and Yuya remain alive with the win.
Shota Umino and Yuya Uemura (4) defeated Lance Archer and Alex Zayne (4) at 14:11.
6. “United Empire” Callum Newman and Great-O-Khan (4) vs. “Bullet Club” Yuto-Ice and Oskar (2). They immediately brawled on the floor, past the guardrail, and into the crowd. They got back into the ring at 2:00, with Callum whipping Yuto-Ice into the corner and hitting a stiff kick to the spine. Callum mockingly made Yuto-Ice’s hand gestures. O-Khan beat up Yuto-Ice and kept him grounded, and hit his Mongolian Chops. Yuto-Ice hit a suplex at 5:00, and they were both down. Oskar got the hot tag, and he knocked O-Khan down with a shoulder tackle. Oskar hit a double noggin’ knocker, and he was fired up.
Oskar hit a bodyslam on O-Khan for a nearfall. O-Khan grounded Oskar in a headlock. Oskar hit a back suplex, and they were both down. Newman and Yuto-Ice began trading roundhouse kicks to the chest at 8:30, and this was a fiery exchange. Yuto-Ice hit a running knee into the corner for a nearfall on Newman. Callum hit a spin kick to the head; Yuto-Ice hit a clothesline and a running Penalty Kick for a nearfall at 11:00.
Oskar hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. O-Khan snapped Oskar’s leg across the top rope. The UE hit some quick team moves on Oskar. O-Khan bent Oskar backwards around his back, spun him to the mat, and got a nearfall at 13:00. Newman hit some superkicks on Oskar; Oskar dropped him with a Mafia Kick. He hit a leaping Tombstone Piledriver and pinned O-Khan. Like the prior match, Oskar and Yuto-Ice needed the win to stay alive.
Yuto-Ice and Oskar (4) defeated Great-O-Khan and Callum Newman (4) at 14:05.
7. “House of Torture” Sanada and Ren Narita (4) vs. “Unaffiliated Bullet Club” David Finlay and Hiromu Takahashi (4). Whoever wins this match will move into first place. The HoT came out first. The UBC rolled into the ring and attacked, and we’re underway! Finlay scooped up Hiromu and slammed him against each opponent, then he forced Hiromu to hit rolling cannonballs in opposite corners. Hiromu suplexed Finlay onto Ren! They fought to the floor, where Ren whipped Finlay into the guardrail. Ren handcuffed Finlay to the guardrail! In the ring, Ren worked over Hiromu. Sanada choked Hiromu with tape.
Hiromu hit a huracanrana on Ren. He went to his corner at 4:30 but realized Finlay was handcuffed to the guardrail! Sanada removed a corner pad and whipped Hiromu with it. He stomped on Hiromu’s left leg. Ren hit a suplex for a nearfall at 6:30, and he tied up Hiromu’s legs. Gedo came out of the back, stole the handcuff key from Sho, and freed Finlay. (What took him so long???) Finlay got a hot tag at 8:00 and hit a shoulder block that knocked down Sanada. David hit clotheslines in the corner on both opponents, then a plancha to the floor on Ren. Finlay hit an Irish Curse backbreaker over his knee on Sanada. Sanada went for a Skull End, but Finlay escaped.
Sanada kicked the ropes to crotch Finlay. Narita went for a cross-armbreaker on Finlay, but David reached the ropes at 10:30. Finlay hit a Russian Leg Sweep. Hiromu got a hot tag and hit several crossbody blocks on each opponent. HIromu hit a Falcon Arrow on Narita for a nearfall at 12:30. Finlay did a Castagnoli-style Giant Swing on Narita, and he got a nearfall. Finlay slammed Hiromu on Narita for a nearfall. Hiromu was pushed into the ref, knocking the ref down. Kanemaru jumped in the ring and attacked. Sanada swung his guitar and missed. Kanemaru accidentally sprayed alcohol in Sanada’s eyes. Ren hit the Hell’s Guillotine (top-rope flying knee to the throat) and pinned Hiromu. Decent match.
Sanada and Ren Narita (6) defeated David Finlay and Hiromu Takahashi (4) at 14:33.
8. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa (4) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi and El Phantasmo (0). Phantasmo and Sabre opened and traded reversals on the mat, and they had a standoff at 2:30. Oiwa and Hiroshi entered, and they got in a knuckle lock. Tanahashi hit his second-rope twisting crossbody block at 4:00, and he traded forearm strikes with Oiwa. Ryohei hit a dropkick. Sabre entered and tied up Hiromu’s ankle on the mat. ELP tagged back in at 7:00 and hit a missile dropkick on Oiwa, then a huracanrana and a dropkick. Phantasmo hit a bodyslam and a second-rope elbow drop at 8:30.
Oiwa hit a back suplex on Phantasmo and a big back-body drop for a nearfall at 10:00. ELP hit an enzuigiri on Sabre, and he made the hot tag. Hiroshi got in and hit basement dropkicks, then a Dragonscrew Legwhip on Sabre, then his second-rope somersault senton for a nearfall at 11:30. Sabre got a backslide for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes, with Sabre hitting European Uppercuts. Sabre applied a Fujiwara Armbar and cranked back on the right arm, but Tanahashi got a foot on the ropes. Tanahashi hit a Twist-and-Shout swinging neckbreaker at 14:30.
ELP got in and hit a springboard Swanton Bomb and a Lionsault on Sabre. ELP and Sabre traded pump kicks to the sternum, and Zack hit a tornado DDT, and everyone was down. ELP set up for the CR2, but Sabre escaped and hit the Zack Driver at 17:00. Oiwa entered and went for a Doctor Bomb, but ELP turned it into a huracanrana. Phantasmo then hit a superkick, and they were both down. Tanahashi entered and hit a running splash in the corner, then a Dragonscrew Legwhip on Oiwa. He applied a vertical Texas Cloverleaf on Oiwa.
ELP put a similar hold on Sabre! Oiwa hit a German Suplex; Sabre floated over and got a nearfall on Tanahashi. Oiwa hit a frog splash on Tanahashi for a nearfall at 20:30. Oiwa hit a hard clothesline on Tanahashi for a nearfall, but Sabre made the save. ELP superkicked Sabre, then one on Oiwa. Tanahashi hit a Sling Blade on Oiwa for a nearfall. ELP hit the CR2 on Oiwa and dove to the floor on Sabre. It allowed Tanahashi to hit the High Fly Flow (frog splash) to pin Oiwa. That was really, really good.
Hiroshi Tanahashi and El Phantasmo (2) defeated Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa (4) at 22:07.
Final Thoughts: What a great main event. Sabre and Tanahashi have always clicked. ELP and Sabre had some great exchanges. It feels like Oiwa has taken a step backwards this year and faded into the background, but he had a really good showing, too. They kept that match at a high pace for the entire second half, as they just kept going and going. I really liked Zayne/Archer vs. Yuya/Umino, and that earns second place. I said it Saturday, but… It’s not my imagination, right? All four B Block matches earned a ‘good’ rating; on Saturday, only one of the four A Block matches earned that.
Sanada and Narita are alone in first place at 3-1 (six points), with six teams at 2-2, while ELP and Tanahashi (even with the win!) are 1-3. A rare off-day on Monday. So, the A Block is back in action on Tuesday with Taichi and Kojima vs. Shingo Takagi and Moloney.
Is there ever been a crowd this guy didn’t think was 800?