World Tag League night 7 (November 27) Preview
Midway point for A Block
The World Tag League hits half way on November 27 as Miyagi will see the fourth night of action for A Block. Two teams are already on the brink of elimination in this fiercely competitive group- who can hang on?
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Main event: Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) (2–1) vs TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa) (2–1)
Buoyed by two early wins, Bishamon headed into Korakuen Hall this past Sunday with the goal of going undefeated all the way through World Tag League. A hard fought loss thanks to a gutsy performance from Tomoaki Honma and Shota Umino put paid to those hopes, but the prospect of an unprecedented four-peat remains.
For Ryohei Oiwa and IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr., form remains high for both men heading into their respective Tokyo Dome seasons. Already with IWGP World Heavyweight, NJPW STRONG, and World TV Championship matches on the horizon, this duo could be setting themselves up for IWGP Tag Team Championship contention into the new year to boot.
7th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji) (2–1) vs BULLET CLUB (KENTA & Chase Owens) (0–3)
Owens & KENTA must win
After three straight losses, KENTA and Chase Owens are already on the bubble of elimination as they take on Yota Tsuji and Shingo Takagi. This past weekend at Korakuen Hall, the LIJ side’s stunning performance saw many convinced of their potential for IWGP Tag contention in the new year and a WTL win in this one. Yet with the BULLET CLUB competition sure to use every wily tactic at their considerable disposal, will the LIJ momentum stall tonight?
6th Match: United Empire (Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman) (3–0) vs War Dogs (Gabe Kidd & SANADA) (1–2)
Speaking of momentum, it’s certainly on the side of United Empire’s Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman. Surprising for sucha fresh tandem, the duo have managed to win all three of their matches to date, putting them alone at the top of A Block. Tonight, they face off against the 1–2 Gabe Kidd and SANADA, and while Kidd’s focus is divided between the league, Ryohei Oiwa at Strong Style Evolved December 15, and Kenny Omega in the Tokyo Dome on January 5, a vow of ‘no more losses’ from the Englishman is one to be taken seriously.
5th Match: Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma (2–1) vs Funky Sauce (Alex Zayne & Ryusuke Taguchi) (0–3)
Zayne & Taguchi must win
Not for want of trying, Alex Zayne and Ryusuke Taguchi have had a difficult start to this year’s tournament. 0–3, and knowing they need to win out for any chance of being in the final, tonight seres them face a team of Tomoaki Honma and Shota Umino who are in fine form.
Two wins in a row for the duo first saw Shota Umino get a pinfall victory over Zack Sabre Jr. in Yokohama, before Honma’s stunning support play was a key part of the pair’s win over threepeat trophy holders Bishamon in a Korakuen stunner. Umino’s dance card for January in the Tokyo Dome may be full, but the Roughneck is focusing entirely on the goals in front of him- two more points, and a step toward the trophies in Kumamoto December 8.
4th Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jado & Katsuya Murashima vs Just Four Guys (Taichi, TAKA Miichinoku & DOUKI)
Before Thursday’s Just Four Guys and Hontai battle in World Tag League action, a six man preview. Katsuya Murashima’s education at the side of Hiroshi Tanahashi continues tonight; what will he learn especially opposite the wily TAKA Michinoku?
3rd Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI) vs BULLET CLUB (Taiji Ishimori, Stevie Filip & Tome Filip)
Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi will have their work cut out for them Thursday as they take on the well oiled machine that is the Natural Classics in Ibaraki. Tonight, six man action will also see Taiji Ishimori and BUSHI in the ring for what should be a high paced and impactful preview.
2nd Match: TMDK (Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Ren Narita & Dick Togo)
HOUSE OF TORTURE look to continue their reign of terror in World Tag League Thursday night in Iabaraki, but TMDK have long been the ultimate heels’ Achilles heel. As Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls look to keep their World Tag League prospects looking bright, they’ll be working to set the pace against the House tonight.
1st Match: Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Tiger Mask vs United Empire (Great-O-Khan, HENARE & Jakob Austin Young)
IWGP Tag Team Champions HENARE and Great-O-Khan will collide with Boltin Oleg and O-Khan’s long held nemesis in Toru Yano Thursday in Iabaraki. O-Khan and Yano’s interactions will definitely be something to keep an eye on, as will HENARE and Boltin after a hard fought G1 collision earlier this summer.
Kickoff Match: Shoma Kato (3–0 this tour) vs Masatora Yasuda (0–1–2 this tour)
Singles record: 1–0 Kato
As Young Lion singles action contineus through the tour, Shoma Kato faces the man he scored his first ever singles win against in Masatora Yasuda. Since then, Kato has gone on to pick up two more wins over Daiki Nagai to ride high into this return bout, but will Yasuda do what Nagai couldn’t and pick up a result?
