By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “World Tag League”
November 24, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan at Korakuen Hall
Streamed live on New Japan World
This is night five of the 15-show, month-long tournament. This year’s field features 16 teams in two eight-team Blocks. It is a round-robin tournament, so each team has seven matches in the Block round. Tonight, just the A Block is in tournament action. We have two teams at 2-0, four at 1-1, and two already on the verge of elimination at 0-2.
We are back at Korakuen Hall and it’s a sold-out crowd. There is something about being in this building, that everyone seems to step up, so hopefully that is the case today, especially after an unusually sluggish round of B Block matches on Saturday. Chris Charlton is again starting the show solo, as Walker Stewart is once again sick. Chris seemed to indicate he has someone lined up to join him for the tournament matches later.
1. Nagai Daiki vs. Shoma Kato. Daiki got Kato in a Boston Crab at 6:30 and this crowd is really into this Young Lions bout, but Kato reached the ropes. Kato applied his own Boston Crab, and Daiki tapped out.
Shoma Kato defeated Nagai Daiki at 8:39.
2. “Bullet Club Rogue Army” Taiji Ishimori, Tome Filip, and Stevie Filip vs. Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano, and Tiger Mask. The heels attacked at the bell and they immediately went to the floor. Tiger Mask and Ishimori opened in the ring. The heels choked Yano and kept him in their corner. Stevie’s tan is noticeably not as dark as his brother; seriously, that is the easiest way to tell them apart. Oleg entered at 3:00; he caught Ishimori and tossed him around in his arms, then the gut-wrench suplex. Oleg hit a double suplex on the brothers. The brothers hit a team slam out of nowhere on Tiger Mask and pinned him. Okay.
Taiji Ishimori, Tome Filip, and Stevie Filip defeated Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano, and Tiger Mask at 5:25.
3. “United Empire” Great-O-Khan, Henare, and Jakob Austin Young vs. “House of Torture” EVIL, Ren Narita, and Dick Togo. The HoT attacked before the bell. O-Khan hit his Mongolian Chops on Togo. Togo put O-Khan in a Camel Clutch, and the HoT worked O-Khan over. Henare entered and hit a senton on EVIL at 5:30. Young entered for the first time at 7:00 and he hit some European Uppercuts on Narita. Dick hit his knife-edge chop to Young’s groin as the heels worked Jakob over. Togo choked Young with his wire. Narita hit Young with his push-up bar, then he nailed the Double Cross (X-Factor) faceplant for the cheap pin. Solid match.
EVIL, Ren Narita, and Dick Togo defeated Jakob Austin Young, Henare, and Great-O-Khan at 10:13.
4. “Los Ingobernables de Japon” Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi and Bushi vs. “Just 4 Guys” Taichi and Taka Michinoku and Douki. Hiromu hit a dropkick on Taka for a nearfall just seconds into the match. Taichi hit a Helluva Kick on Naito at 3:00, then a spinning kick to the jaw for a nearfall. Bushi dove through the ropes and barreled onto Douki at 5:30. Douki applied a Douki Chokey triangle choke, and Bushi tapped out. Taichi kept Naito in a submission hold after the bell; Charlton said they have a years-long vendetta.
Taichi, Taka Michinoku, and Douki defeated Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, and Bushi at 6:39.
5. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste, and Mikey Nicholls vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jado, and Katsuya Murashima. Tanahashi and Haste locked up to open. Team Tanahashi cleared the ring and all played air guitar; funny as Katsuya got so into it that Hiroshi had to calm him down. TMDK began working over Jado. Tanahashi hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip in the ropes on Nicholls at 5:30, then the second-rope somersault senton for a nearfall. Mikey hit a sliding clothesline. HIroshi hit some more Dragonscrew Legwhips. Kosei and Murashima locked up, and Katsuya hit a dropkick at 7:30, then a powerslam for a nearfall. Kosei hit a springboard dropkick for a nearfall. Haste hit a dropkick on Tanahashi. Kosei tied him in what appears to be Jack Perry’s Snare Trap, and Murashima submitted. That was good.
Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste, and Mikey Nicholls defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jado, and Katsuya Murashima at 10:19.
* Henare is back to help Charlton on commentary.
6. “United Empire” Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman (4) vs. “Bullet Club” Kenta and Chase Owens (0) in an A Block tournament match. The BC attacked before the bell. Callum hit a double dropkick. Henare said this team is the “perfect blend of speed and power.” Kenta hit some roundhouse kicks in the corner. The commentators pointed out that Cobb was down on the ground from that pre-bell attack but he’s now back on the apron. Callum hit an enzuigiri on Chase at 5:30 and finally tagged in Cobb. Jeff hit a flying shoulder tackle on Chase, then a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Cobb hit a dropkick on Kenta that got a big pop. “It’s just not fair!” Charlton said of Jeff’s athleticism. Chase hit a handspring-back-elbow! “Even Kenta’s surprised!” Chris said.
Kenta couldn’t pick up Cobb, but then he hit a powerslam for a nearfall at 8:00. Kenta hit his running basement dropkick on Cobb. Charlton said this is the best the BC have looked on the tour so far and I agree. Kenta hit a top-rope doublestomp on Cobb’s chest for a nearfall. The BC hit some spinning back elbows and got a nearfall on Cobb, but Callum made the save. Cobb set up for the Tour of the Islands, but Kenta escaped. Chase accidentally kicked Kenta! Moments later, Cobb hit the Tour of the Islands and pinned Kenta! Chase pointed out that at 0-3, Kenta/Owens are on the verge of elimination. Good match that topped expectations. We could see Chase apologize to Kenta for that accidental kick in the closing seconds.
Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman (6) defeated Kenta and Chase Owens (0) at 10:39.
7. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa (2) vs. Alex Zayne and Ryusuke Taguchi (0) in an A Block tournament match. Zayne and Oiwa opened. Zayne hit a corkscrew senton. Zayne flipped Taguchi into a corner on Oiwa. Ryohei hit repeated kneedrops on Zayne’s left arm. Sabre entered for the first time at 3:30 and he also targeted Alex’s left arm and tied him up. Taguchi finally got a hot tag at 6:30 and he hit a flying buttbump on Sabre, then some rolling suplexes on Oiwa. Sabre got back in and he tied up Taguchi on the mat, and of course Taguchi made exaggerated facial reactions to the pain.
Sabre hit some kicks to the back. Taguchi stood up and hit a series of chops, then another flying buttbump at 9:30. Sabre applied an ankle lock; Taguchi applied his own ankle lock, but Sabre escaped and Zack snapped Ryusuke’s neck between his ankles. Zack hit the Pele Kick to the shoulder and a series of kicks to the damaged arm. Zayne tagged in and hit a corkscrew senton on Sabre. Alex hit a double axe kick at 12:00. Zayne flipped Sabre into Taguchi’s butt and they got a nearfall on Zack! Oiwa hit a gut-wrench suplex on Zayne, then an Angle Slam on Alex. Taguchi hit a double DDT at 14:30. This has been really good.
Zayne hit his jump-up Frankensteiner, but Sabre held on and applied a Triangle Choke! He switched to a cross-armbreaker, then a Fujiwara Armbar, but Taguchi made the save. Taguchi hit a dropkick on Oiwa, and he hit a series of running buttbumps. Zayne hit the Baja Blast swinging faceplant on Sabre for a believable nearfall. This crowd is fully into this. TMDK applied stereo sleepers. Sabre hit a Zack Driver on Zayne for the pin. That was seriously really entertaining. When Taguchi puts aside his juvenile comedy, he can really go. Like Owens/Kenta, the Zayne/Taguchi team is now 0-3 and on the verge of elimination.
Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa (4) defeated Ryusuke Taguchi and Alex Zayne (0) at 17:44.
8. “Bishamon” Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi (4) vs. Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma (2) in an A Block tournament match. Goto and Shota opened. Goto hit a brainbuster on Honma at 3:00. Honma and Yoshi-Hashi traded chops and this was a long exchange. Shota entered and hit a dropkick on Goto at 7:00, then a fisherman’s suplex on Yoshi-Hashi, then an Exploder Suplex on Y-H, and they were both down. Goto and Honma tagged back in and traded shoulder tackles. Goto hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 9:00. Honma missed a Kokeshi falling headbutt. Yoshi-Hashi hit a Headhunter overhead flipping neckbreaker. They set up for Shoto, but Umino ran in to make the save. Goto hit a neckbreaker over his knee on Shota, then one on Honma for a nearfall at 11:00.
Honma hit a double Flatliner move. Shota got the hot tag at 12:30, and he hit a tornado DDT on Goto, then a running swinging neckbreaker. Shota and Yoshi-Hashi traded forearm strikes. Goto hit another neckbreaker over his knee on Shota. They set up for Shoto, but Umino escaped. Shota hit a diving forearm to Goto’s back at 15:30. He set up for a Death Rider DDT but Yoshi-Hashi made the save. Goto hit a decapitating clothesline on Shota. Goto hit the GTR slam for a believable nearfall. Honma hit a flying headbutt on Goto! Shota immediately hit a Death Rider double-arm DDT and pinned Goto. The last few minutes were really good here. Bishamon takes its first loss, meaning Callum and Cobb are alone in first place.
Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma (4) defeated Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi (4) at 17:05.
* The room went dark and a video aired! Claudio Castognoli taunted Shota Umino. He said he forgot the lessons that Jon Moxley taught him. Claudio said he will be there on January 5 to teach Shota a lesson. (We already knew that Moxley was sending an ’emissary’ but now we officially know it’s Claudio.) Shota got on the mic and said he has no complaints with Castagnoli as the opponent. Shota said he’s focused on both World Tag League, then winning the title from Sabre.
9. “Bullet Club War Dogs” Sanada and Gabe Kidd (2) vs. “Los Ingobernables de Japon” Yota Tsuji and Shingo Takagi (2) in an A Block tournament match. Of course, Sanada abandoned LIJ not even two years ago, so there is still a lot of resentment between these teams. Kidd and Tsuji opened and they traded quick reversals; it was almost lucha in how quick they went, and certainly not the opening I expected. Sanada and Shingo tagged in at 2:00, but Kid jumped back in and attacked Shingo. Shingo hit a Flatliner-and-DDT combo. Sanada hit Shingo from behind; they rolled to the floor, where Sanada whipped him into the guardrail. In the ring, Shingo hit a double clothesline at 4:30. Sanada clotheslined Tsuji over the top rope to the floor. Shingo and Sanada fought up the stairs. Kidd and Tsuji fought up onto the platform half-way up the seating area in Korakuen Hall. All four fought on that platform. Kidd turned to the camera and bashed AEW, and Max Caster in particular.
They finally returned to ringside as the ref was counting. Sanada and Tsuji got back into the ring at 8:30 to stop the count. Tsuji hit a basement dropkick on Sanada’s knee, but Yota couldn’t tag out, as Kidd grabbed Shingo and slammed him on the ring apron. Kidd and Yota traded forearm strikes. On the floor, Shingo whipped Kidd into a table leaning against the guardrails at 12:00. In the ring, Yota finally made the hot tag. Shingo hit a senton on Sanada and he was fired up. Sanada kicked the ropes to crotch Shingo. Sanada tied Shingo in the Paradise Lock at 14:30 and the crowd booed him, so Sanada gave the crowd a middle finger. Shingo hit a sliding clothesline on Sanada and they were both down.
Tsuji and Kidd got back in and they traded loud overhand chops, and this was another lengthy exchange. Kidd hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 17:30. Tsuji hit a headbutt that dropped Kidd. Kidd fired back with a suplex and they were both down. Sanada got in; Yota blocked a Skull End attempt. LIJ hit a team back suplex on Sanada for a nearfall at 20:00. Shingo and Kidd hit stereo clotheslines. Sanada hit a Shining Wizard, but he missed a moonsault. Yota immediately nailed a jumping knee on Sanada. Yota leapt off the top rope, but Sanada hit a low blow! He claimed it was an accident. However, seconds later, he hit a clearly intentional low blow mule kick. But, Yota hit a huracanrana out of nowhere and pinned Sanada! That was great, great action.
Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji (4) defeated Gabe Kidd and Sanada (2) at 21:42.
* Yota got on the mic and told Kidd they have the same goals of supporting NJPW. He vowed he would beat David Finlay in January … but he also wants Kidd to beat Kenny Omega!
Final Thoughts: The divide between the red-hot A Block and ice-cold B Block loomed large here. Maybe it was just being in the sold-out Korakuen Hall, but the action really stood out. That was a very good main event. Clearly, the Shingo/Tsuji team will be one to watch every night. A really good TMDK-Zayne/Taguchi match takes second and shouldn’t be overlooked. Bishamon-Umino/Honma stayed in second gear the first half, but really turned it on in the closing minutes.
The tournament takes a day off, with the B Block back in action on Tuesday, with Henare and Great-O-Khan vs. EVIL and Ren Narita as the headliner.
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