By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “Road to Destruction”
September 27, 2026, in Hyogo, Japan, at Kobe World Memorial Hall
Streamed live on New Japan World
Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided English commentary. This venue is a small arena; the NJPW Website lists attendance at 4,800.
* Yuya Uemura is sick and Kosei Fujita is dealing with an injury, so both are off the show. Notably, Zack Sabre Jr. is back after an extensive tour in Mexico.
1. “House of Torture” Sanada, Douki, Sho, Ren Narita, and Dick Togo vs. Shota Umino, El Desperado, Mistico, Toru Yano, and Boltin Oleg. Sho spoke on the mic, then the HoT attacked. Boltin scooped up Douki and used him as a battering ram. Boltin flipped Douki around in his arms and hit a gutwrench suplex. Desperado entered and hit a backbreaker over his knee on Douki at 1:30. All 10 began brawling. Sho stomped on Mistico on the floor. Togo whipped Desperado with the long corner pad.
In the ring, Desperado hit a side slam on Sho at 4:00. Mistico tagged in and hit a crossbody blocki. He hit a huracanrana on Douki. Sho hit a back suplex on Shota at 6:00. Togo hit his knife-edge chop to the groin, and the heels worked over Yano. Shota hit a dropkick on Togo at 7:30. Mistico and Desperado hit stereo dives through the ropes. In the ring, Togo hit some punches on Shota, but Umino hit the “Second Chapter” (Snow Plow Driver) on Togo for the pin. Decent opener.
Shota Umino, El Desperado, Mistico, Toru Yano, and Boltin Oleg defeated “House of Torture” Sanada, Douki, Sho, Ren Narita, and Dick Togo at 8:29.
2. Yoh, Master Wato, and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. “The Unbound Co.” Robbie X, Taiji Ishimori, and Gedo. Yoh and Robbie X opened and traded quick reversals. Robbie hit a Pele Kick at 1:30, but Yoh blocked a Lethal Injection. Ishimori and Wato entered. Taguchi tried a flying buttbump but Ishimori sidestepped it at 3:00. Wato hit a backbreaker over his knee on Ishimori. Wato hit a top-rope flying European Uppercut on Gedo and got the pin! Everyone was surprised that was the finish! I don’t mind a short one there. Robbie X jawed at Yoh; they will have a title match Oct. 7.
Yoh, Master Wato, and Ryusuke Taguchi defeated “The Unbound Co.” Robbie X, Taiji Ishimori, and Gedo at 3:36.
3. “The Unbound Co.” Daiki Nagai, Oskar, and Yuto-Ice vs. Henare, Great-O-Khan, and Zane Jay. The Unbound Co. came out first, and they attacked the UE as they entered the ring, and we’re underway! Henare and Yuto-Ice fought past the guardrail and into the crowd. Oskar and O-Khan battled in the ring, and O-Khan hit a chop block at 1:30. Zane twisted Oskar’s damaged leg in the ropes. Nagai entered and hit his flying dropkick in the corner.
Henare entered and unloaded some chops on Daiki at 6:30. Nagai hit a basement dropkick on Henare’s knee. Yuto-Ice set up for his running knee, but Henare knocked him down with a shoulder tackle, and those two traded forearm strikes until Yuto-Ice finally dropped him. Henare hit a Samoan Drop. Zane tagged in and dropped Yuto-Ice with a hard back elbow, then a fallaway slam for a nearfall. Nagai hit a plancha to the floor. Yuto-Ice nailed a running “Cruella” (Claymore Kick) on Zane for the pin. Good action.
“The Unbound Co.” Daiki Nagai, Oskar, and Yuto-Ice defeated Henare, Great-O-Khan, and Zane Jay at 9:42.
4. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa (w/Hartley Jackson) vs. Taichi and Aaron Wolf. Charlton said Kosei’s injury isn’t too serious and won’t require surgery; that’s certainly good to hear. Charlton added that Yuya will be fine, and it’s wise not to fight through an illness and risk getting others sick. Taichi got a flash rollup on Oiwa for a nearfall just a minute in! Sabre entered and tied up with his former teammate Taichi at 2:00 and hit a European Uppercut. Taichi hit a Mafia Kick. Sabre tied Wolf in an abdominal stretch.
Wolf went for an elbow drop, but Sabre caught the limb and applied a cross-armbreaker. He tied Wolf in a pretzel on the mat! Wolf hit a belly-to-belly suplex on Oiwa at 5:00. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick on Oiwa for a nearfall. Oiwa hit a back suplex. Sabre hit a Zack Driver on Wolf at 7:00. Taichi hit a Saito Suplex on Oiwa for a nearfall. Oiwa applied a headlock on the mat on Taichi at 9:00 and cranked it tight! Taichi escaped, and he hit an enzuigiri. However, Oiwa immediately hit a hard clothesline for the pin. Good action.
“The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa defeated Taichi and Aaron Wolf at 10:08.
5. Callum Newman vs. Jeff Cobb. These former teammates have been at each other’s throats since Cobb returned to NJPW. They charged at each other at the bell, and Jeff knocked him down with a shoulder tackle, then a dropkick. He whipped Callum into a corner and was in control early on. Callum hit an enzuigiri. They brawled to the floor at 3:00, and Cobb whipped him into the guardrail. Callum hit a Mafia Kick, and they went past the guardrail and into the crowd. Cobb picked up Young Lion Tatsuya Matsumoto and threw him at Callum! Cobb slammed Callum on the ring apron at 6:30.
In the ring, Callum hit some shoulder thrusts to the ribs and was in charge. Jeff hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Callum started selling a knee injury. He hit some kicks, but his legs buckled, and he fell at 8:30. Cobb hit a Spin Cycle suplex and a German Suplex. Callum hit his own German Suplex. Callum hit a double stomp to the back at 11:00, then a top-rope double stomp to the back, then a “Kiss the Crown” clothesline. Cobb hit a release F5 for a nearfall at 12:30. Cobb hit a decapitating clothesline. Callum rolled him up for a nearfall. Callum hit a low blow, then a swinging sideslam for the tainted pin.
Callum Newman defeated Jeff Cobb at 13:56.
6. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Shun Skywalker for the NJPW World TV Title. Shun got a rollup at the bell. He kicked Takeshita off the apron to the floor. Takeshita whipped Shun into the guardrail. In the ring, Takeshita went for a top-rope senton splash at 2:00, but Shun got his knees up to block it. Shun applied a Boston Crab. They got to their feet and Shun playfully slapped Takeshita. Konosuke hit a flying clothesline at 4:00, then a flip dive to the floor. In the ring, Takeshita charged, but Shun landed a big boot to the face.
They traded some forearm strikes. Shun hit a sidewinder slam at 6:30. Takeshita hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Shun threw powder in Takeshita’s eyes, then hit a standing moonsault knee drop. Takeshita hit a Poison Rana and a running knee for a nearfall at 9:00. Shun hit his “Skyfall” swinging slam, and they were both down. Shun hit his own version of a Blue Thunder Bomb, then a second Skyfall for the pin! A big upset.
Shun Skywalker defeated Konosuke Takeshita to win the NJPW World TV Title at 10:14.
* The House of Torture jumped in the ring and beat up Takeshita some more. Toru Yano ran down to chase them off.
7. Shingo Takagi vs. Claudio Castagnoli. Claudio attacked him during the ring introductions; we got a bell to make this official at 00:12. Shingo tried a dive to the floor, but Claudio caught him and slammed him onto the ring apron. They brawled past the guardrail and to the entrance ramp. They got into the ring and traded forearm strikes. Claudio hit a suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. He applied a crossface and kept Shingo grounded. They got up and traded more forearm strikes. Claudio threw him into a corner and hit a series of European Uppercuts at 6:00.
Takagi hit a tornado DDT, then a suplex for a nearfall. They got up and traded more forearm strikes and European Uppercuts. Claudio hit an awesome second-rope gutwrench suplex at 9:30; Walker and Charlton marveled at Claudio’s strength. Castagnoli set up for a dive, but Takagi cut him off with a forearm strike. Shingo nailed a top-rope superplex! He nailed the Made In Japan pumphandle powerbomb for a nearfall at 12:00. Claudio executed a Giant Swing with several rotations, and that got a huge pop!
Claudio nailed a hard clothesline for a nearfall. He hit a cross-armed Ricola Powerbomb for a nearfall at 14:30. Shingo hit a headscissors takedown and a stiff Pumping Bomber clothesline, then a Burning Dragon slam for a nearfall. He hit a sliding forearm strike, then the Last of the Dragon (modified DVD) for the pin. A sharp, sharp match. Walker said, “It’s a bad day to be a Death Rider” (referencing Moxley’s loss six or so hours earlier).
Shingo Takagi defeated Claudio Castagnoli at 15:55/official time of 15:43.
8. Gabe Kidd vs. Drilla Moloney for the IWGP Global Title. These two met in their first match of this year’s G1. They immediately brawled, and Gabe unloaded a series of chops. On the floor, Kidd slammed Drilla through a table at ringside at 3:30. In the ring, Kidd hit some blows to the kidneys and was in charge. They traded more forearm strikes. Drilla hit a DVD at 7:00, and they were both down. Moloney hit a spinebuster, and he was fired up! Kidd hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall.
Moloney hit a Sling Blade clothesline, then a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 10:00. Gabe hit a brainbuster for a nearfall. They got up, and Gabe hit some slaps to the face and spit on him. Drilla returned the slaps and hit a Gore! Moloney hit a pop-up powerbomb and a second Gore! Moloney hit the Drilla Killa swinging piledriver, but as he was executing it, Kidd kicked the ref! So, Moloney got a visual pin, but we didn’t have a ref! “It was a clear pinfall, dead to rights,” Charlton said.
On the floor, Drilla struck Moloney with the title belt! In the ring, Gabe hit a clothesline. Moloney hit a second Drilla Killa at 15:00; the ref started counting, but he stopped, as Gabe’s hand was under the ropes. Kidd hit a clothesline and his own piledriver for a nearfall at 17:00. Kidd hit a Tombstone Piledriver for a nearfall, then another one for another nearfall! Gabe finally hit a fisherman’s buster for the pin. Good match.
Gabe Kidd defeated Drilla Moloney to retain the IWGP Global Title at 19:37.
* Gabe got on the mic and declared no one can beat him for the belt. Shota Umino came out of the back and glared at Shota. Gabe made fun of Shota and asked him, “How is your head? (Because Shota had to forfeit his final eight G1 matches due to a concussion). They traded punches.
* Hiroshi Tanahashi, dressed in a suit, presented the title for the main event. (NJPW sure knows how to make title matches feel important!)
9. Yota Tsuji vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP World Title. A tentative feeling-out process early on. Walker and Charlton talked about their prior matches. They went to the floor and traded forearm strikes at 4:00, and Tsuji whipped Goto into the guardrail. Goto whipped Yota into the guardrail, and they traded more forearm strikes. Yota dove onto him. In the ring, Yota hit a bodyslam, but he missed a flying splash to the mat at 6:30.
Yota hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall, then two more, and he applied a Boston Crab. Goto hit a Saito Suplex at 12:00, and they were both down. Goto hit a faceplant over his knee. They hit stereo clotheslines and were both down again at 14:00. Goto hit a German Suplex and a top-rope double stomp to the ribs for a nearfall! Goto hit a top-rope Sunset Flip Bomb for a believable nearfall at 17:00. Goto hit a Gene Blaster (spear) for a nearfall at 19:30.
Tsuji hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 21:00. Tsuji hit a second-rope reverse suplex, dropping Goto stomach-first for a nearfall. Tsuji set up for another Gene Blaster, but Goto caught him with a spinning heel kick to the jaw, and they were both down. Goto hit a swinging sideslam for a believable nearfall at 23:00. He hit a flying headbutt! However, Tsuji hit a Fire Blaster (twisting Gene Blaster) for the pin. Good match; most people will like this more than I did.
Yota Tsuji defeated Hirooki Goto to retain the IWGP World Title at 24:01.
* Ryohei Oiwa was watching from ringside. Tsuji got on the mic and called Oiwa into the ring. Oiwa was showing off his G1 trophy. They jawed at each other, and Oiwa left with no punches thrown.
Final Thoughts: An entertaining show. Claudio-Shingo was easily my favorite match of the show; if I was putting this card together, I would have placed it second-to-last. Shingo’s matches always work for me, and Claudio is awesome. No surprise that match clicked so well. Kidd-Moloney was another good war between them, and I’ll rank that in second place. Takeshita-Shun earned third. Even though it was half as long as the main event, the action was far better, and it kept me engaged. Callum-Cobb entertained and earned honorable mention.
The main event was a typical Goto match — a slow build, with a stretch in the middle where I suddenly realized I hadn’t written anything down for about four minutes, because literally nothing notable took place. Also, there was never a sense that Goto was a threat to win here, even though he was champion a year ago — this match was just filler building to the Tsuji-Oiwa match. Again, nearly everyone is a bigger fan of Goto’s in-ring work and style than I am, but I think everyone can agree that the match lacked any suspense over who was winning. So yes, I had four matches that I ranked higher here.
The undercard was all fine; it’s good to have Sabre back. Hopefully Fujita is back in action soon. I didn’t miss Jake Lee. NJPW has also done a good job of building up that Henare and O-Khan vs. Oskar and Yuto-Ice rematch.
