NJPW 51st Anniversary Show - March 6, 2023

[Chris]

Full card set for Anniversary March 6!​

IWGP Tag Team Championship main event

The full card has been set for NJPW’s 51st Anniversary Event on March 6. NJPW returns to the place where it all began in Ota-ku all the way back in 1972. The IWGP Tag Team Championships will be on the line in the main event of a stacked card that will also see two first round matches in the New Japan Cup.
Watch Anniversary LIVE in English on NJPW World!

The night’s headline bout will see Bishamon defend the IWGP Tag Team Championships against the Dream Team of Hiroshi Tanahashi and IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada. After Battle in the Valley, Okada showed his appreciation and respect for his main event opponent in the Ace, and invited Tanahashi to team with him in pursuing the IWGP Tag titles. Though it would be a different potential dream partner in Mercedes Moné who answered the call for an incredible night closing celebration, it seems talks for Tanahashi and Okada carried on into the night, and now a challenge has been made official. The current tag team champions position in CHAOS make this a friendly encounter on March 6, but competition is set to be intense, with YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto attempting to rubber stamp their second IWGP reign with a victory over two iconic talents, while Okada, never a tag team champion, will look to be the first to hold the tag belts and IWGP World Heavyweight gold simultaneously.

Already announced for Ota are two New Japan Cup first round matchups. David Finlay and Tomohiro Ishii’s clash was already one to watch out for, but further intrigue has been added since Battle in the Valley. After Jay White was exiled from NJPW, his former Dojo mate and rival Finlay blasted the Switchblade from behind with a shillelagh before he could make a farewell address. Declaring that now was his time to seize everything in NJPW, Finlay’s edge seems to stand him apart from everyone on the Hontai side. Yet if anyone can put a new attitude to the test it’s Tomohiro Ishii. Is it all talk from Finlay, is it time to expect the world from him?

The other New Japan Cup first round matchup on March 6 sees Shota Umino go head to head with Yujiro Takahashi. As a power vacuum forms within BULLET CLUB in the wake of Jay White’s exile, every member of the faction has an added air of danger, and HOUSE OF TORTURE will be looking to make a land grab within the New Japan Cup. With sights set on the skies, Shota Umino will be building back big in the wake of New Beginning defeat to Tetsuya Naito; will he be in store for a big run in the tournament?

An anniversary junior special tag will see Lio Rush and YOH face Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI. At the end of the tour in Nagaoka on March 21, it’ll be Rush challenging Hiromu for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Yet the Bad Child and YOH still have unfinished business with the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Catch 2/2, not to mention the fact that junior tag gold has been something that has always eluded Hiromu. Might this be a de facto number one contender’s bout for duos gold as well?

The New Japan Cup will kick off in Korakuen on March 5 with SANADA facing Taichi in the main event in Korakuen Hall. The next night, he will either be a relieved Cold Skull looking to continue his resurgence, or a SANADA still slumping with his LIJ partners. Tetsuya Naito too will either be in celebratory or commiseratory mode after facing El Phantasmo in cup action the night before, while Shingo Takagi will be getting a preview of a long awaited rematch with Aaron Henare in Yamagata on March 1o.

New NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions Strong Style will be united again in Ota, as Ren Narita, Minoru Suzuki and El Desperado will face Dick Togo, EVIL and SHO. Narita and EVIL will collide in the first round of the New Japan Cup on March 8 in Fukushima, and the King of Darkness wants to make a statement ahead of their cup clash, and with H.O.T’s recent title loss frontmost in mind.

Aussie Open are back in Japan, and teaming with Will Ospreay to form a United Empire trio against Tama Tonga, Toru Yano and another returnee after his NOAH sojourn in Satoshi Kojima. How will the UE trio fare ahead of their New Japan Cup matches?

Starting the night, NJPW World TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. teams with Kosei Fujita to face El Phantasmo and the brand new STRONG Openweight Champion, KENTA. More New Japan Cup implications abound in this meeting, while Fujita’s on the job training in TMDK sees him take on a big test in our opening bout.​

 

[Chris]

Spoiler: New Bullet Club member

David Finlay did join after all lol

 

[Comrade Khan]

Spoiler: New Bullet Club member

David Finlay did join after all lol

Spoiler

and apparently the leader

 

[Smart Marx]

NJPW killing me…

 

[Comrade Khan]

I will let it play out, by my initial reaction is not the most optimistic

 

[Chris]

Spoiler

and apparently the leader

Yeah I don't think it's gonna be great at first, or at least perceived that well. Jay White had a uphill battle at first too and people still base their entire opinion on his first 3 or so months as leader and I think this might be even worse. Interesting to see if him and Juice have any interactions tho, Juice still repping Bullet Club in AEW/ROH

 

[Comrade Khan]

Yeah I don't think it's gonna be great at first, or at least perceived that well. Jay White had a uphill battle at first too and people still base their entire opinion on his first 3 or so months as leader and I think this might be even worse. Interesting to see if him and Juice have any interactions tho, Juice still repping Bullet Club in AEW/ROH

it does not help that he physically looks a bit like a drawing Jay White from memory. But like I said, we will see, I will still give it time to breathe. And like you said, where the faction goes. I just...don't think he is that charismatic or built up enough. White was built for months/years in chaos and betrayal etc before

 

[Chris]

I think the best move would be to minimize Bullet Club being a big deal until we see how it goes at least, he might be the leader that goes for the midcard titles for now and that would be better than forcing him in the main event.

 

[Comrade Khan]

I think the best move would be to minimize Bullet Club being a big deal until we see how it goes at least, he might be the leader that goes for the midcard titles for now and that would be better than forcing him in the main event.

honestly not a terrible idea when you have United Empire available as the top tweener/heel faction

 

[Kairi HoHo]

What did Fujita say to ELP and KENTA did he say suck my Dick

Fujita is growing before our eyes thank you Zack.

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Jesus Ospreay grabbing Sponspored Corner Pads and grabbing his nuts dude is out of control.

 

[Brandon Blaze]

Wait did I miss this already lol oh well

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Not even during the 50th Anniversary is Abe safe from House of Torture.

 

[Kairi HoHo]

So good to see Jeff Cobb back in New Japan for the NJ Cup tourney. Ospeay vs Cobb in the NJ Cup yeah that could happen for sure.

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Lol the way the introduced The New Bullet Club Member. The guy wasn't cutting it as a Face, making him a Heel means nothing because he ain't reaching World Title status. He's just another guy within the group like Chase or Juice I feel.

You could see greatness in Jay White he has that It Factor people love to say. I've seen enough of Finlay to realize he's just another guy to hold the Tag Titles and maybe a Singles Title once in a blue moon but leader and impact within New Japan highly doube it.