Master Wato & KUUKAI topped the opening night of NJPW’s Super Junior Tag League with a victory over Místico & Masatora Yasuda.
The 2026 tournament began Saturday at Kumagaya Civic Gymnasium in Saitama, drawing an announced crowd of 1,112. All 12 teams were in action across the two blocks.
Yasuda was a late addition to the field after El Desperado withdrew from the tournament because of spinal canal stenosis and a lumbar disc herniation. Desperado personally recommended the Young Lion as his replacement alongside Místico.
Yasuda received a main-event opportunity immediately and came close to an upset with a Boston Crab on Wato. However, KUUKAI assisted his partner in setting up a super Tsutenkaku German suplex, with Wato pinning Yasuda after 13:32.
AEW’s Blake Christian & Lee Johnson also made a winning start. Competing as The Swirl, they defeated IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion YOH & Dragongate’s Hyo when Christian pinned Hyo following Brainrot.
Nick Wayne had less success in his tournament debut alongside KUSHIDA. House of Torture’s Yoshinobu Kanemaru sprayed Wayne with whisky as KUSHIDA was preparing to attack DOUKI, allowing DOUKI to catch KUSHIDA with a victory roll for the three-count.
United Empire’s Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young defeated SHO & Dick Togo, although the finish created tension between the partners. Young made a blind tag before covering Togo immediately after Akira had hit the Fireball, with NJPW noting that Akira was unhappy with his partner afterward.
Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita, Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X and DOUKI & Kanemaru were the other tournament winners, leaving three teams in each block tied on two points.
Opening-night results
- Tatsuya Matsumoto def. Taisei Nakahara
- B Block: Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young (2) def. SHO & Dick Togo (0)
- A Block: DOUKI & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (2) def. KUSHIDA & Nick Wayne (0)
- B Block: Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita (2) def. Titán & Daiki Nagai (0)
- A Block: Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X (2) def. Ryusuke Taguchi & Kazuma Sumi (0)
- B Block: Blake Christian & Lee Johnson (2) def. YOH & Hyo (0)
- A Block: Master Wato & KUUKAI (2) def. Místico & Masatora Yasuda (0)
The tournament, whose 12 original teams were announced earlier this month, continues on Sunday at Korakuen Hall.
The second night is headlined by the two B Block winners Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita and The Swirl. KUSHIDA & Wayne will attempt to get their first points against Místico & Yasuda, while Ishimori & Robbie X meet DOUKI & Kanemaru in another match between opening-night winners.
The block winners will advance to the tournament final at Power Struggle in Hiroshima on November 3.
