Umino gets long awaited singles match with Narita
January 24 sees the second night of a Korakuen double header. It’s a grudge match main event for Shota Umino and Ren Narita on top of a loaded card!
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Main event: Ren Narita vs Shota Umino
Singles record: 5-0-3 Umino
Over a month removed from Ren Narita’s betrayal of Shota Umino, and after constant frustration on the part of the Roughneck as he’s tried to finally get redemption on his former friend, Narita and Umino finally go one on one in the main event on January 24. The presence of HOUSE OF TORTURE has to be lingering on the mind of Umino, as does a surprise attack in San Jose from Jack Perry, whose intentions remain unknown.
More pressingly was Ren Narita’s first pinfall victory over Umino, ‘earned’ via his steel plate enforced pushup bar to start Shota’s 2024. Now, the Shooter had a different look on his usually positive face. Promising that he’ll show Narita ‘what hell really looks like’, a rage filled switch seems to have finally flipped for Umino, but can he find success in Korakuen?
7th Match: NEVER Openweight 6 Man tag team Championships- Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs TMDK (Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita)
In Kazuchika Okada’s final NJPW Korakuen appearance, he, Tomohiro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi defend NEVER Openweight 6 man gold against TMDK’s Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls and Kosei Fujita. After a victory over Tomohiro Ishii for TMDK at New Year Dash, it was Fujita leading the charge to challenge for the NEVER 6 man belts, and Fujita calling out Okada in particular. The Rainmaker looked past the precocious youngster, but the title match was nonetheless made, initially for February 11, and now in the wake of Okada’s departure, January 24.
Haste and Nicholls came heartbreakingly close, along with Zack Sabre Jr., to winning the NEVER 6 man gold last November in Osaka, and the group was already eager to get their hands on championship gold. Fujita has been equally eager to get his first championship in the process, and seeks the biggest dog in the fight, a target in Okada that’s all the more attractive if he can stop the Rainmaker going out with gold around his waist. In fact, Fujita’s quest to make just such a statement could be the challenger’s undoing tonight- just what happens when an era ends in Korakuen Hall?
6th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi) vs Just Five Guys (SANADA & DOUKI)
As February 24’s Sapporo series of singles battles between LIJ and Just Five Guys approaches, a tag team preview will see IWGP World Heavyweight title opponents Tetsuya Naito and SANADA clash, as well as DOUKI and Hiromu Takahashi. DOUKI and Hiromu in Korakuen is in itself a volatile combination, and this is sure to be an explosive semi main in the Hall.
5th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI) vs Just Five Guys (Taichi, Yuya Uemura & TAKA Michinoku)
Continuing the LIJ vs J5G theme, trios action sees previews of Shingo Takagi and Taichi, Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji and TAKA Michinoku and BUSHI. It was TAKA’s shock Michinoku Driver II to pin BUSHI in Sumida on January 5 that provided the impetus for the two factions to bring a war to Sapporo at the end of February, and there’ll be a lot of attention paid to their exchanges tonight.
4th match: United Empire (Callum Newman, Francesco Akira, TJP, Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan) vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)
Faction warfare for United Empire and the War Dogs continues tonight in Korakuen. With a singles series between the two teams set to kick off February before the steel cage showdown February 11 in Osaka, what will the latest chapter for these two teams bring?
3rd Match: Tomoaki Honma, Master Wato, El Desperado & Tama Tonga vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
Eight man action sees the forces of Hontai and HOUSE OF TORTURE collide in eight man action. With Ren Narita and Shota Umino meeting later in the night, the Hontai side will be doing what they can to ensure a somewhat clean main event, but can the enforcers for good fend off the allies of EVIL?
2nd Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, El Phantasmo & Hikuleo vs BULLET CLUB (Taiji Ishimori, Chase Owens & KENTA)
Hikuleo and ELP’s issues with Chase Owens and KENTA continue into Korakuen Hall. The strange sight of Ryusuke Taguchi with the GoD side could be just what Phantasmo and Hikuleo need, especially in the face of Taiji Ishimori on the other end.
1st match: Zack Sabre Jr. vs Tiger Mask
For the first time ever in singles action, Zack Sabre Jr. takes on Tiger Mask one on one to start tonight’s main card action. ZSJ is preparing to face Bryan Danielson in a special singles rematch from AEW’s WrestleDream card on February 11 in Osaka. With Sabre determined to submit Danielson and prove himself as the greatest technical wrestler of all time, the chance to tap out a protege of the original Tiger Mask Satoru Sayama would send a message to a one time Tiger Mask opponent int he American Dragon.
Kickoff Match: Katsuya Murashima & Toru Yano vs Shoma Kato & Boltin Oleg
As Shoma Kato and Katsuya Muraashima continue to fight for Young Lion superiority, the addition of Toru Yano and Boltin Oleg should make for an interesting twist to this tag team encounter. Will their amateur wrestling excellence be the difference for their team?
