Korakuen Hall sees LIJ streak end as two teams sit at ten.

November 30 saw World Tag League pass its midway point in Korakuen Hall, with a two teams ending the night at ten points, and two teams mathematically eliminated. 

The main event of the evening saw Tetsuya Naito and SANADA look to extend their undefeated streak against two men that they have shared a lot of previous with in 2021, in Great-O-Khan and Aaron Henare. Naito would make O-Khan wait on his entrance, and the fans had plenty of time for photos as neither side was willing to blink first. First contact would finally come in the form of a pull of O-Khan’s braid from Naito, and though the Dominator would make El Ingobernable quickly pay for the transgression, a momentary mistake in ring positioning would see SANADA involved from the floor. 

Naito and SANADA would take over and focus on the ceremonial braid of O-Khan, before a quick Iron Claw saw the match change in an instant. On cue, Henare was in effect with body blows and a sharp right to put SANADA to the floor, as Naito was brought to the United Empire’s domain. O-Khan would stretch and humiliate the LIJ founder as Henare would deal brutally effective strikes until a swinging neckbreaker saw a much needed tag out to SANADA. 

Cold Skull would enter to the delight of the Korakuen crowd, and with a Paradise Lock to Henare, who responded with a roundhouse right boot. O-Khan would get the tag, but a basement dropkick from SANADA would create a sustained opening for LIJ for the first time in the match. A Figure Four had Naito in charge until an O-Khan facebuster, but a barrage of strikes would be stopped by the supporting SANADA as Naito set for Destino. 

O-Khan escaped the move and rocked Naito with a massive boot. SANADA saw to it that there was no tag, but after another face plant Henare would be back inside, and as the match broke down, took down Naito with a Rampage Tackle. The Dominator would connect with henare for the Sheep Killer, turned Fubuki and Marine by Henare, and though Naito prevented the Imperial Drop, O-Khan would land the Eliminator to gain victory and end LIJ’s undefeated streak.   

Dangerous Tekkers would do battle with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Toru Yano as both teams fought to get to ten points. In a repeat from their G1 encounter, Yano would try and get the flash win over Zack within the first minute to no avail, but the Be-Bop tag team still took control on the floor instead, Tanahashi and Yano both taking ZSJ and Taichi backstage. From there they would try to barricade the entrance back to the ring for a countout victory, but the tag champions were one step ahead and Taichi held both his opponents back for some devastating Sabre Dragon Screws. 

Yano would be isolated, knee tortured, until an innovative use of Taichi’s pantaloons would see the Holy Emperor stunned. Tanahashi would be a house of fire off the hot tag until a hook kick brought Sabre back inside and an old rival with the Ace rekindled. Tanahashi would get a brief advantage, but tagging in Yano seemed to be ill advised; the master producer would be sandwiched in the corner and Dangerous Tekkers would set up for Holy Zack Driver, but Tanahashi would pull Taichi to the floor, and Yano took innovative advantage. 

Toru would take Sabre to the entrance gate while Hiroshi did the same to Taichi; as both men got taped to the gate the twenty count would be applied, but Yoshinobu Kanemaru on guest commentary came to his Suzuki-Gun allies’ aid. Using a pair of scissors to free Taichi and ZSJ, Kanemaru would then tape Hiroshi to Toru, and Be-Bop Tag League lost the ensuing three legged race, giving victory to the champions. 

The two most decorated tag teams in IWGP history would face off when seven time champions Guerrillas of Destiny met six time champs TenCozy. The bout started in violent, brawling fashion, but as Satoshi Kojima fought out from the G.o.D corner, he and Hiroyoshi Tenzan flowed effortlessly between double team moves, putting Tama Tonga in trouble until a Tanga Loa blind tag gave the 2020 winners control. 

When Tama wanted a cheap shot on Kojima on the apron, he was quickly rebuffed, and a Tenzan Mountain Bomb was the result, Kojima tagging in and following up with a full Machine Gun clip. The Machine Gun influence was evident when Tonga looked for the Gunstun in return, countering Kojima’s Koji Cutter, but it would be Kojima striking with the move on Loa that brought Tenzan back inside. The Wild Bull would score with a suplex, but was taken over by double teams; Kojima’s save would be defused by a Gunstun and an OJK from Loa moments later saw the decision rendered.  

Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe entered their match with Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI still winless, and on the bubble of elimination. Honma would be worked over by the CHAOS duo until a suplex opened the door to a Makabe tag. A wild lariat to YOSHI-HASHI would see Honma back inside, and though a missed Kokeshi had him in trouble, Makabe would have his friend’s back, with a double lariat giving Honma hope. 

Honma couldn’t follow up with the Kokeshi Otoshi, but a pair of Rocket Kokeshi got him two on the Headhunter. The CHAOS team turned the match on a dime, and opened the door to the Violent Flash, only to see Honma score with a DDT and faceplant, a third Rocket Kokeshi from the lethal middle rope scored two. Honma followed with a clunking headbutt, but Goto would provide perfect support to YOSHI-HASHI, and after creating the chance for a string of strikes, the Shoto sealed the deal. 

Yuji Nagata and Tiger Mask headed into their bout with EVIL and Yujiro Takahashi with a win on the board after Sunday’s Togane main event, and a desire to serve justice to two men who badly needed it. Yet plans would quickly go awry as Tiger Mask was worked over by the HOUSE OF TORTURE duo until Blue Justice finally got into the fray. As Nagata cut off EVIL’s interference, a Tiger Driver scored on Yujiro, and dual submissions seemed to have team Justice on the brink of victory, before Dick Togo got involved. A low blow connected to Tiger Mask in the confusion, and Big Juice gave Yujiro the win. 

Minoru Suzuki and TAKA Michinoku stood on the verge of mathematical elimination in the opening league match of the night, with no points at all to their names. With evident hunger, Suzuki led the charge in a brawl around ringside, and clobbered Bad Luck Fale with a chair as Chase Owens was worked over by Michinoku. In ring, Chase would steadily fight his way back into the match; after getting caught in the Just Facelock though, Owens would escape and rally to a Package Piledriver against the run of the match to eliminate the Suzuki-Gun side.