World Tag League Update night 1
World Tag League kicked off on Monday November 20 with Shota Umino and Ren Narita standing tall at the end of the tournament’s first main event, coming out on top of Great-O-Khan and HENARE.
Ren Narita started with hard and heavy strikes on HENARE who gave back ample punishment in return. Staying in and surviving tandem offense from his foes, HENARE blasted Umino with a kick out the corner, and the United Empire took firm control. After a long period of control, Umino got a tag to Narita after a neck breaker, but a rough gut wrench swing from O-Khan would put the Son of Strong Style on the back foot; from there Narita landed a stunning German Suplex, but a lariat crunched him to the mat.
It was a spinning heel kick that brought Umino back in to unleash a sickening DDT on the apron. After two hot tags for the Hontai side earlier in the match though, Bishamon had the advantage after a Berzerker Bomb. A double team version and Umino was nearly done, but as United Empire set for Imperial Drop, Narita came in for the assist. A double enzuigiri on O-Khan set up Blaze Blade from Umino and then Death Rider for the win.
The semi main event saw a wild brawl between Pro-Wrestling NOAH representatives Kaito Kiyomiya and Ryohei Oiwa and the BULLET CLUB War Dogs Gabe Kidd and Alex Coughlin. Wanting to pick up where they left off in the G1 Climax, Kiyomiya hawed with Gabe and started the fight on the floor before the bell even sounded, leading to a chaotic scene from the first seconds. In ring, Coughlin powered Oiwa to the mat, but wasn’t imminent to being pitched by the graduates Young Lion, who unleashed a gut wrench suplex.
Kiyomiya was able to put his hatred in Kidd in check long enough to wrestle his foe, getting a Tiger Suplex for two and trying for a Shining Wizard but being cut off in mid flight by Coughlin. Now in control, the War Dogs wanted to spike Kiyomiya with a Tombstone on the exposed Korakuen floor, but the NOAH side turned it away. As all four men brawled on the floor, Kidd swung a chair at Kiyomiya, only finding the ring post; Kaito took advantage of the stunned Kidd and slid in the ring at 19, earning the count out victory and more of Kidd’s ire.
EVIL and Yujiro Takahashi got their first two points on the board at the expense of Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano. As expected, HOUSE OF TORTURE tactics were in play from the get-go but even as Dick Togo was heavily involved, Yano’s sneakiness and Ishii’s aggression seemed to bring them near victory. H.O.T’s juniors certainly knew as much, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru and SHO quickly came in to ruin CHAOS’ night, EVIL and Takahashi getting two from EVIL on Yano.
The first match of the tournament saw TMDK gets a hard fought win over the Gates of Agony. Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona showed just how much of a threat they will come to be as they worked over their Australian foes, Haste beating the brunt and tasting a huge superplex from Kaun. Deep in the match though, Nicholls was able to escape the clutches of Liona on the outside, just long enough to support Haste and get clear to land Tankbuster for the three.
World Tag League continues on Tuesday November 21 in Korakuen. Bishamon face El Phantasmo and Hikuleo, Yota Tsuji and Zandokan Jr take on Yuya Uemura and Taichi, Monstersauce face Bad Luck Fale and Jack Bonza, and Soberano Jr. and Atlantis Jr. meet Yuji Nagata and Minoru Suzuki.
