Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano extended their win streak in New Japan’s World Tag League as they sit on top of their block.
Monday’s card in Machida attracted an audience of 1,195 for a set of A Block matches for New Japan’s year-end tournament.
RESULTS:
- A BLOCK: Yota Tsuji & Gabe Kidd (2) over EVIL & Don Fale (2) in 13:58
- A BLOCK: Shuji Ishikawa & El Desperado (2) over Shingo Takagi & Drilla Moloney (2) in 14:52
- A BLOCK: Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano (4) over Satoshi Kojima & Taichi (2) in 11:01
- A BLOCK: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (2) over Chase Owens & Yujiro (0) in 10:29
- Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson over Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura & Shoma Kato in 7:36
- Ren Narita, SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru over OSKAR, Yuto-Ice & Daiki Nagai in 7:33
- Hiroshi Tanahashi, El Phantasmo & Jado over David Finlay, Hiromu Takahashi & Gedo in 6:55
- Great O-Khan, Callum Newman & Jakob Austin Young over Lance Archer, Alex Zayne & Zane Jay in 7:01
The show featured Yota Tsuji & Gabe Kidd in the main event and earned their first two points, defeating House of Torture’s EVIL & Don Fale. After brawling through the arena, the match finally started, albeit with interference by Dick Togo throughout. Kidd survived the Grenade by Fale and avoided the Bad Luck Fall when Tsuji saved. Kidd & Takagi returned fire and hit their dual lariat and Gene Blaster, “War Blaster” on Fale for the victory.
Kidd gave a speech, stating that he and Tsuji have a passion for New Japan and taking the company to a whole new level of popularity while blaming House of Torture for the state of NJPW.
El Desperado & Shuji Ishikawa picked up their first points, defeating Shingo Takagi & Drilla Moloney. Takagi and Drilla hit their dual elbow drops off opposite turnbuckles and double-teamed Ishikawa. Ishikawa avoided the Drilla Killa and landed the Giant Driver when Takagi saved. After a double powerbomb to Takagi, he was deposited outside of the ring, and multiple knees to the body of Drilla were the prelude to Ishikawa’s Giant Slam and pinfall victory.
Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano moved to 2-0 in the World Tag League and sole possession of the top spot in their block. They were victorious against Taichi & Satoshi Kojima. Kojima and Boltin had a battle of lariats, with the younger Boltin dropping to the mat. Kojima missed with a Cozy Lariat and struck Taichi, which led to the former IWGP champion being thrust into the air for the Kamikaze and being pinned.
In the match involving two teams with zero points at the start, Bishamon’s Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI prevailed over Chase Owens & Yujiro. The audience chanted for Goto as he avoided Owens’ Last Testament. On the second try, YOSHI-HASHI prevented the maneuver with a running blockbuster. The three-time Tag League winners used a Violent Flash and Shoto on Owens for the win.
Following Monday’s show, Boltin & Yano are the lone team undefeated in the A Block and are alone in first place. The rest of the field is 1-1, except Owens & Yujiro, who are winless at 0-2.
The Tag League continues Tuesday with B Block matches in Fukushima:
Block A:
- B BLOCK: Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura (2) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa (2)
- B BLOCK: OSKAR & Yuto-Ice (0) vs. SANADA & Ren Narita (0)
- B BLOCK: Hiroshi Tanahashi & El Phantasmo (0) vs. David Finlay & Hiromu Takahashi (2)
- B BLOCK: Lance Archer & Alex Zayne (2) vs. Great O-Khan & Callum Newman (0)
- Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Tatsuya Matsumoto vs. Oleg Boltin, Toru Yano & Katsuya Murashima
- EVIL, Don Fale & Dick Togo vs. Shingo Takagi, Drilla Moloney & Daiki Nagai
- Shuji Ishikawa, El Desperado & Shoma Kato vs. Taichi, Satoshi Kojima & Masatora Yasuda
- Yota Tsuji, Gabe Kidd & Gedo vs. Chase Owens, Yujiro & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
