NEVER 6 Man titles headline in Korakuen
The second of two nights in Korakuen Hall will see the last televised statements delivered ahead of Ryogoku and Sakura Genesis.
Watch Road to Sakura Genesis LIVE, or in English on demand on NJPW World!
Main event: NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Championships- Strong Style (Ren Narita, Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado) vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
Trios record: 1-0 Strong Style
Tonight’s main event sees NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Championship gold on the line with HOUSE OF TORTURE challenging Strong Style. When Ren Narita, El Desperado and Minoru Suzuki were pursuing EVIL’s gang of ne’er do wells, the NEVER 6 man titles were mysteriously not to be found by their nefarious holders; now that the Strong Style combination have the gold, H.O.T suddenly want it back.
The first step to this campaign involved EVIL defeating Ren Narita in the New Japan Cup with a cavalcade of illegal tactics, and continued with post match assaults in tag battles. Most recently in Nagaoka on March 21, SHO demasked El Desperado, while EVIL spray painted Ren Narita with the letter H.O.T. With Minoru Suzuki back in the fold and the championships on the line, there can be no excuses for HOUSE OF TORTURE in defeat; can they finally be put in the rear view mirror, or might a reign of terror begin anew?
6th Match: Dream Tag Team (Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi) vs Just two Guys (Taichi & SANADA)
In the last televised bout between SANADA and Kazuchika Okada before they meet over the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship April 8 at Sakura Genesis, an incredible tag team battle is in store. In one corner, the dream tag team of Okada and Tanahashi present a combination of the best singles wrestlers of the last two decades, yet as the Ace and the Rainmaker showed against Bishamon at 51st Anniversary, two of the best singles wrestlers cannot overcome a perfectly funcioning well oiled team. For Taichi and SANADA, tagging as a duo for the first time though they might be, bonds forged in a combative rivalry will make them more cohesive perhaps than two men for whom egos rightfully dwarf those of most mortal competitors. Who can make a final statement before Sumo Hall?
5th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) vs TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita)
Six man action will see a high stakes preview of Robbie Eagles IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match against Hiromu Takahashi at Sakura Genesis. With less than a week before their championship collision, can Eagles show just how mighty he is as part of TMDK opposite the Time Bomb?
4th Match: Tomoaki Honma, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto vs United Empire (Jeff Cobb, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)
As they count down to face Bishamon for the IWGP Tag team Championships April 8 at Sakura Genesis, Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis face the champions in six man action with Jeff Cobb rounding out an impressive trio. Aussie Open were impressive indeed when they faced Bishamon and Kazuchika Okada at the New Japan Cup finals; with tag title matches in IMPACT and NJPW in quick succession, can they keep their momentum going?
3rd Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano & Shota Umino vs BULLET CLUB (Gedo, El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori)
As David Finlay inserted himself at the forefront of BULLET CLUB during the New Japan Cup tour, tensions within the group seemed to center around Finlay’s relationship, or lack thereof with El Phantasmo. As Finlay proved ever more effective in his ruthless efficient role, he had no time for the antics that have earned Phantasmo favour among the fans, causing sparks to fly; in the end, ELP would concede that he would follow Finlay7s example if and only if the Rebel won the New Japan Cup.
That didn’t happen, and now ELP has to form some awkward combinations with Gedo tonight, and Finlay himself in Ryogoku April 8. Will Bloody Hands Gedo play peacemaker tonight? And what role will Taiji Ishimori find himself in?
2nd Match: Master Wato, YOH & Tiger Mask vs Just three Guys (TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
The focus of Just Five Guys this tour is in the main event of Sakura Genesis, and SANADA’s quest to claim IWGP World Heavyweight gold against Kazuchika Okada. Not long after the Ryogoku spring spectacular though will be Best of the Super Jr. 30. Six junior heavyweights will be in action in this trios tag match, including men in YOH, Master Wato and DOUKI who have to be high on the list for finals contention, if not the overall trophy. The battle for junior heavyweight supremacy gets started early in Korakuen tonight.
1st Match: Oskar Leube & Tomohiro Ishii vs United Empire (Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan)
Opening match action will see Aaron Henare and Great-O-Khan of the United Empire take on Oskar Leube and Tomohiro Ishii. With a New Zealand Dojo connection to share between them, Henare and Leube have had multiple interesting interactions, while Ishii will always be eager to pick any fight available to him.
