World Tag League finals (December 8) Full card, Preview
Kumamoto sees tournament culmination
December 8 will see the World Tag League reach its climax, as Gran Messe in Kumamoto sees the Tag League finals for the second year in a row.
Watch live in English on NJPW World!
Main Event: War Dogs (Gabe Kidd and SANADA) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japón (Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi)
The War Dogs’ journey has been anything but smooth, with early tensions between Gabe Kidd and SANADA, as Kidd criticized his partner for a lack of aggression. But despite their rocky start, the duo’s relentless tenacity and ruthless tactics carried them to victory. Now, they are set to face the formidable B Block winners, Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi, in the highly anticipated finals.
Meanwhile, the Heavyweight/Jr. Heavyweight combination of Naito and Takahashi triumphed after an injury sidelined HENARE during his match against LIJ. It was an unprecedented path to the top for the debut pairing, who came out on top of a three way match in Kagoshima to break an unbreakable tie. There are no ties tonight, as a winner must be determined; who will come away with the trophies?
7th Match: Funky Sauce (Ryusuke Taguchi & Alex Zayne) & Shota Umino vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa & Kosei Fujita)
With Wrestle Kingdom on the horizon, this match serves as a crucial preview. Shota Umino, despite battling through a minor ankle injury, showcased incredible resilience in the final day of the A Block, securing a win and eliminating LIJ from contention. However, Zack Sabre Jr. may be eyeing Umino’s damaged ankle, aiming to exploit it with his signature submission expertise ahead of their impending showdown. On the other side, Funky Sauce is looking for redemption after being defeated twice by TMDK two weeks ago. Will they be able to even the score?
6th Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Boltin Oleg, Jado & Tomoaki Honma vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Ren Narita, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
The always-dangerous HOUSE OF TORTURE faces off with members of Hontai in what promises to be a chaotic contest. HOT narrowly missed out on a spot in the finals and recently defeated Boltin Oleg and Toru Yano, adding fuel to the fire. EVIL, determined to prematurely end Hiroshi Tanahashi’s career before his impending retirement, will bring his usual underhanded tactics to the match. With five members of HOT in the ring, the referee will have their hands full trying to manage the chaos. Can Hontai keep the match under control, or will EVIL’s team once again dominate with their tricks?
5th Match: Los Ingobernables de Japón (Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI) vs. BULLET CLUB (KENTA, Chase Owens & Gedo)
As their teammates Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi battle in the main event, the rest of LIJ will square off against BULLET CLUB in what promises to be an explosive contest. After Kenoh’s challenge to KENTA on Friday, KENTA is eager to send a strong message to both LIJ and Pro Wrestling NOAH. For Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji, this match presents an opportunity for redemption after suffering a controversial loss to KENTA and Chase Owens in this year’s A Block.
4th Match: Just 4 Guys (Taichi, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku) vs. United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Jakob Austin Young)
It’s been a rough week for the United Empire, as injuries to two of their members ended their World Tag League hopes, despite being at the top of the B Block. Now, the remaining members of the United Empire are determined to show that they’re still a force to be reckoned with, even in the face of adversity. Across the ring, three of Just 4 Guys look to regroup after a tough showing in this year’s B Block, with hopes of picking up a much-needed victory.
3rd Match: Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. Natural Classics (Stevie Filip & Tome Filip)
Direct tag record: 1–0 Bishamon
For the first time since 2020, Bishamon won’t be competing in the World Tag League finals. Instead, they face the Natural Classics, who have introduced the NJPW Tamashii brand to the Japanese crowd. These teams faced each other earlier this year in Australia, with Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI winning on enemy turf. Can the Filip brothers return the favor and upset the triple World Tag League winners on their home soil?
2nd Match: Katsuya Murashima & Shoma Kato vs. TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste)
Young lions Katsuya Murashima and Shoma Kato are set to face the experienced former IWGP Tag Team Champions Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste. While TMDK’s performance in the World Tag League didn’t go as planned, they’re eager to show the crowd that they still have plenty of fight left in them, while teaching the next generation a thing or two about tag team wrestling.
1st Match: Tiger Mask vs. Daiki Nagai
The opening match of the night sees young lion Daiki Nagai stepping into the ring against his senpai, Tiger Mask. After several losses to fellow Young Lion Shoma Kato, Nagai is determined to prove to his senior and the audience that he’s made significant progress during the World Tag League. This will be an important test for the rising star as he looks to earn respect in the NJPW ranks.
