By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “New Year Dash”
January 5, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan, at Ota-City General Gymnasium
Streamed live on New Japan World
The lineup was revealed midday Sunday, so it is not a mystery show after all. Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided commentary, and Chris said it was a “packed house.” It’s hard to gauge the size of this venue, but it’s definitely packed.
1. Yuya Uemura, Shota Umino, and Katsuya Murashima vs. Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, and Satoshi Kojima. Charlton said that Taichi’s team was unhappy with their performance in the Ranbo match on Sunday; he’s already planting seeds for that Taichi-Kojima split. Yuya and Taichi opened, and they immediately traded chops. Ishii and Murashima traded forearm strikes, and Ishii dropped him. Kojima hit his rapid-fire chops on Yuya at 4:00. Yuya hit a dropkick.
Shota hit a dropkick on Taichi. Satoshi hit a Koji Cutter on Shota at 6:00. Ishii got back in and clotheslined Shota in the corner. Charlton said that Ishii was advised to get surgery on his shoulder, but he refused. Shota and Ishii traded forearm strikes. This has been a top-notch undercard match. “Everyone wants to set the table,” Charlton said, agreeing with my point. Murashima and Ishii traded more forearm strikes, and Katsuya sent him flying on a shoulder tackle at 8:30!
(This match is a better use of everyone’s time than that Ranbo on Sunday.) Murashima hit a Bulldog Powerslam on Ishii for a believable nearfall! Murashima dropped Kojima on a shoulder tackle. Ishii and Murashima traded more stiff blows, and Ishii clubbed him with a headbutt and got a nearfall. Ishii has a bloody nose. He put Katsuya in a Boston Crab, and Murashima eventually tapped out. That was a sharp, sharp opener. Chris and Walker talked extensively during that match about Murashima being about to go on excursion, and where he is headed.
Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, and Satoshi Kojima defeated Yuya Uemura, Shota Umino, and Katsuya Murashima at 10:23.
2. Konosuke Takeshita and Rocky Romero vs. El Phantasmo (w/Jado) and Shoma Kato. Romero was on commentary during the main event on Sunday. The commentators discussed the recent history between Takeshita and ELP, as those two opened and traded standing switches. They began trading forearm strikes at 2:00. Shoma demanded a tag, so ELP relented. Rocky got into face Kato, with Romero twisting Kato’s left arm. On the floor, Shoma whipped Takeshita into the guardrail at 4:00!
In the ring, Takeshita dropped Shoma with a stiff headbutt. Shoma hit a bodyslam on Takeshita at 6:30. Takeshita hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on ELP. He hit a Brainbuster on Shoma, then put him in a Boston Crab, with Shoma immediately tapping out. Of course, Chris and Walker pointed out that the Boston Crab is how Takeshita lost his title a day ago. Another really good undercard match.
Konosuke Takeshita and Rocky Romero defeated El Phantasmo and Shoma Kato at 8:44.
3. “House of Torture” Sanada, Yujiro Takahashi, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Boltin Oleg and “Bishamon” Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto. The HoT attacked, and we’re underway; the bell rang nine seconds later. All six brawled early on. Kanemaru hit an enzuigiri on Goto and whipped Hirooki into the HoT corner. The heels took turns working over Goto. Sanada hit a basement dropkick on Goto’s knee at 3:30. Yoshi-Hashi got in and hit some shoulder tackles.
Sanada hit an ‘accidental’ low blow on Yoshi-Hashi at 5:30 and was booed. Boltin entered and hit some chops on Yujiro, then a bodyslam, flipped Takahashi around in his arms, and hit his gutwrench suplex. He nailed the Vader Bomb for a nearfall at 7:30. Yujiro got his cane; Goto grabbed it and the ref confiscated it. Goto hit a double clothesline. Oleg suplexed Yujiro. Bishamon set up for the Shoto team slam, and Oleg splashed onto Yujiro and pinned him. Okay match; it didn’t have the energy of the first two.
Boltin Oleg, Yoshi-Hashi, and Hirooki Goto defeated Sanada, Yujiro Takahashi, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru at 9:32.
* Rocky Romero again joined commentary, and he immediately boasted about his win.
4. “Unaffiliated Bullet Club” Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors, and Hiromu Takahashi vs. “United Empire” Jakob Austin Young, Francesco Akira, and Andrade El Idolo. Charlton stressed that Andrade is the new “power broker” of the UE. All six brawled at the bell, and it spilled to the floor. Akira brawled with Hiromu at ringside. Those two got in the ring and traded chops. Young tagged in at 2:30, and the UE worked over Hiromu in their corner. Hiromu hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip on Akira at 6:00.
Kidd got in and clotheslined Andrade while swearing at him. Andrade hit a suplex; Kidd hit a suplex, and they were both down at 8:30. Clark entered and powerslammed Andrade, then he nailed a Gore for a nearfall. Andrade hit his stiff back elbow. He hit a double-underhook twisting slam and scored the pin. Good action. Kidd and Andrade continued to fight after the bell and needed to be separated by security. Kidd challenged him to a match on Feb. 11.
Jakob Austin Young, Francesco Akira, and Andrade El Idolo defeated Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors, and Hiromu Takahashi at 10:38.
5. “House of Torture” EVIL, Don Fale, Ren Narita, and Dick Togo vs. Yoh, Master Wato, Aaron Wolf, and Toru Yano. The HoT came out first; they attacked the babyfaces during the intros, and they all stomped on Wolf. Wolf hit a judo throw on Togo, then on Narita. Wato hit a bulldog on Togo for a nearfall at 1:30. Don bodyslammed Wato and stood on his back; he made a cocky one-footed cover for a nearfall. EVIL entered and hit a fisherman’s suplex on Wato for a nearfall; the bell rang, but of course it was a HoT ruse.
Wato hit a leg lariat on Narita at 4:00. Yoh tagged in and hit a top-rope flying somersault. The heels began working over Sho. Sho hit a Sling Blade clothesline on Togo, and he tied him in a Texas Cloverleaf, and Togo tapped out. The finishing sequence was right out of the Hiroshi Tanahashi playbook. “He hasn’t even been retired 24 hours!” Charlton shouted, laughing.
Yoh, Master Wato, Aaron Wolf, and Toru Yano defeated EVIL, Don Fale, Ren Narita, and Dick Togo at 5:53.
* Narita picked up his push-up bar and clocked Wolf with it, and the heels left. Looks like Wolf has his next opponent!
6. “Unaffiliated Bullet Club” Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi, Drilla Moloney, and David Finlay (w/Gedo) vs. “United Empire” Henare, Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, and Jake Lee. Tsuji got in Jake’s face and got on the mic and told him that he can’t take a year off and just come back and demand a title shot. “You have to state a case, so convince me,” Yota said, per Charlton’s translation. Of course, Jake kicked Yota in the gut, and we’re underway! Those two immediately traded forearm strikes while everyone else was on the floor.
Jake hit a running knee to the lower stomach, and they were both down at 2:00. Callum and Finlay got in and traded forearm strikes. Henare entered at 3:30 and hit a senton on Finlay. Finlay hit the Northern Irish Curse (backbreaker over his knee). Shingo entered and clotheslined Newman over the top rope to the floor. Shingo tried a double clothesline on Jake and O-Khan, but they no-sold it, so he hit a double DDT instead. Drilla entered at 6:00 and did some team moves with Shingo as they worked over O-Khan.
Shingo and Drilla hit stereo top-rope elbow drops. Henare hit a Samoan Drop on Moloney. Drilla hit a spinebuster on O-Khan at 8:00. Henare hit a clothesline to the back of the neck for a nearfall on Drilla. Henare and O-Khan hit a team Claw Slam/powerbomb move on Drilla and pinned him! Good action. O-Khan hit a post-match Tombstone Piledriver on Shingo! Jake Lee picked up the title belt and played with it, but he eventually gave it back to Tsuji.
Henare, Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, and Jake Lee defeated Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi, Drilla Moloney, and David Finlay at 9:11.
* Callum got on the mic and said this is a brand new United Empire. Out of the back came Will Ospreay! The crowd went nuts for his music. (He was in street clothes; he’s not wrestling yet.) Ospreay got in the ring and hugged Henare, then he shook O-Khan’s hand and bowed to him. “I didn’t realize me leaving was going to crumble everything,” Ospreay said. He said he’s still recovering, but he’s getting better and better and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. He said he’ll handle some business in AEW but will come back to NJPW. Callum looked annoyed. Will referred to Newman as “my little brother.” Callum and Ospreay hugged. Callum took a step behind Ospreay and picked up a chair to swing it at him, but the other UE guys stopped him! Callum stormed to the back alone, leaving the other four guys in the ring. Intriguing.
7. “House of Torture” Sho and Douki vs. El Desperado and Kuukai vs. “Bullet Club” Robbie X and Taiji Ishimori vs. “Ichiban Sweet Boys” Kosei Fujita and Robbie Eagles in a four-way for the IWGP Jr. Hvt. Tag Team Titles. I seriously forgot these belts exist. The commentators said this is tornado rules (no tags needed). The HoT rolled to the floor, so Kuukai dove on them, and we got the bell! Eagles and Fujita hit stereo moonsaults off the apron to the floor. In the ring, Desperado and Kuukai brawled with the Bullet Club.
We suddenly had Robbie vs. Robbie in the ring, and the crowd, of course, chanted, “Robbie!” Sho hit a spear on Eagles at 3:00. Kuukai and Fujita traded forearm strikes. Ishimori hit a backbreaker over his knee. Eagles hit a mid-ring Sliced Bread on Ishimori. Ishimori hit a Tower of Doom out of the corner. Robbie X went for a cover, but the ref was pulled to the floor. Fujita got the thin sheet of metal, and he clocked the HoT with it. Ishimori hit a TKO stunner on Douki. Fujita hit a wheelbarrow German Suplex on Kuukai.
Robbie X hit a flip dive through the ropes; he landed over the guardrail and on his feet in the crowd! In the ring, Robbie X hit a forward Finlay Roll on Fujita, but he missed the X Express (top-rope corkscrews splash). Robbie X hit a Pele Ki. Robbie and Fujita caught Robbie X and hit a team Death Valley Driver move and pinned him! New champions! That was an absolute sprint.
Kosei Fujita and Robbie Eagles defeated Sho and Douki, El Desperado and Kuukai, and Robbie X and Taiji Ishimori in a four-way to win the IWGP Jr. Hvt. Tag Team Titles at 7:30.
* Francesco Akira returned to the ring and beat up Ishimori! Hiromu Takahashi ran to the ring to make the save.
8. “The Knockout Brothers” Oskar and Yuto-Ice vs. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa for the IWGP Tag Team Titles. TMDK won the World Tag League to earn this title shot, and they also won the six-man tag titles on Sunday at Wrestle Kingdom. Oiwa and Yuto-Ice opened. Sabre entered and hit some European Uppercuts and forearm strikes on Yuto-Ice. Oskar got in and traded blows with Zack. Yuto hit his running knees to Zack’s jaw in the corner at 4:30. Oiwa hit a big senton on Yuto-Ice for a nearfall.
Oiwa hit a basement dropkick on Oskar’s knee at 7:30. Sabre tagged back in, but he was selling pain in his ribs. Oskar hit a big bodyslam on Sabre and some loud chops. Sabre went for a running Penalty Kick, but Oskar caught the leg. The KO Brothers hit stereo Mafia Kicks on Oiwa, then Yuto hit a powerbomb on Sabre, with Oskar making the cover for a nearfall at 11:30. Sabre tied up Oskar’s arms behind the back, and Oskar howled in pain, but he eventually got a foot on the ropes.
Oskar hit a leaping guillotine leg drop on Sabre for a nearfall at 14:00. Sabre hit the Zack Driver on Oskar, and they were both down. Yuto-Ice and Oiwa tagged back in and traded forearm strikes. Yuto-Ice hit a Mafia Kick, but Oiwa kicked out at one at 15:30. Oiwa hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Oiwa dropped Yuto-Ice with a hard clothesline, and he repeatedly punched Yuto; he pushed the ref down! Oskar jumped in, but Oiwa suplexed him at 18:30. Oiwa hit a German Suplex for a nearfall on Yuto-Ice.
Yuto-Ice bit Oiwa’s thigh! Sabre and Yuto-Ice traded slaps to the face. Oiwa hit a Chaos Theory, and Sabre got a floatover cover — they won several matches that way in World Tag League, but only got a nearfall here. Oiwa hit a frog splash for a nearfall at 21:30. Oiwa clotheslined Oskar over the top rope to the floor, and Sabre hit a Penalty Kick on Oskar. Yuto-Ice caught Oiwa with a hard knee to the sternum, then a running penalty kick for a believable nearfall!
Those two traded more stiff forearm strikes. Yuto-Ice hit a Buzzsaw Kick to the side of the head. Sabre jumped in and put Yuto-Ice in an ankle lock, but Oskar came up behind Sabre and put him in a sleeper. Oskar hit a Choke Bomb on Sabre as the 25:00 clock was a few seconds late. Oiwa hit a German Suplex on Oscar. He hit a discus clothesline on Yuto-Ice for a believable nearfall. The KO Brothers hit their spin kick-and-Tombstone Piledriver combo on Oiwa and pinned him. That was really good, but also the outcome I expected.
“The Knockout Brothers” Oskar and Yuto-Ice defeated Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles at 26:21.
* Shota Umino and Yuya Uemura came to the ring and demanded another title shot. Suddenly, Taichi and Tomohiro Ishii came to the ring, and it’s clear they also want a title shot. Yuto-Ice got on the mic and told those two teams to fight each other and find out who deserves a title shot. Those teams agreed and left. Yuto spoke on the mic to close out the show, putting over not only their team, but how great NJPW is and the place to be. He went a bit long here, but gave a full-throated defense of NJPW and Japanese wrestling.
Final Thoughts: A really strong main event and a good follow-up to a lackluster Wrestle Kingdom. A really good main event, of course, but I was shocked and disappointed that TMDK won the Never Openweight Six-Man Tag Titles in the Ranbo Match on Sunday. It telegraphed to me that they were not winning the tag titles on this show when they already won the six-man belts.
As clunky as that Ranbo turned out, they should have just canceled it entirely, left TMDK and the Knockout Brothers off the card, and saved them for this show. (You could have easily put the first and third matches of this show in place of the Ranbo, and it would have been a better show.)
Besides the main event, the most notable storyline development here was Ospreay vowing to return to NJPW, and Newman nearly attacking him. I’ve noted several times that Callum came back from his knee injury with a ‘chip on his shoulder’ and has been showing heelish mannerisms for months. I’m not a fan of Jake Lee, and it was nice for NJPW to actually flat out say, “Sorry, you’ve been out of action for a year — you don’t get to just waltz back in here and declare yourself a No. 1 contender.” (Because that is a common problem here in NJPW.) So, we’ll see what Lee does to convince Yota to give him a title shot.
Be the first to comment