November 29 sees World Tag League enter critical final third.
Main Event: Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI (7-1) vs EVIL & SANADA (7-1)
EVIL and SANADA in the World Tag League meets tough opposition on November 29, as they look to right the ship from Wednesday’s loss to Yano and Cabana against a team in Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI that is tied on points. Both teams have only lost once so far in their respective campaigns, and that will make this a crucial potential tie breaker come December 8. Must win? Not quite, but to stay in control of their own destiny, it will be a turning point for all four men.
7th Match: Great Bash Heel (Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe) (3-6) vs Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) (6-2)
The seventh match of the night sees a rematch from the 2016 league finals, with GBH taking on GoD. Makabe and Honma secured their second back to back World Tag League victory three years ago in a wild and violent brawl. We can likely expect similar chaotic violence in Korakuen tonight; the question is which team has progressed and evolved more in the intervening years? GoD are likely heavy favourites, but don’t discount the heart of Honma and Makabe.
6th Match: CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, SHO & YOH) vs Kota Ibushi, Yuya Uemura & Yota Tsuji
Following up on Thursday’s six man clash, round two of this tour’s Tokyo Dome previews sees the same teams meet in Korakuen Hall. Will game plans change from night to night? What moves will be made as Okada and Ibushi jockey for position going into the January 4 main event?
5th Match: HenarACE (Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toa Henare) (2-7) vs KENTA & Yujiro Takahashi (4-4)
In a key match for HenarACE as they seek forward momentum, Tanahashi will be seeking to avenge his G1 loss against KENTA. Henare meanwhile has often fallen afoul of Takahashi and Pimp Juice; he could see himself make a big step upward on the card if he can score a pinfall victory.
4th Match: FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) (7-1) vs Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens (3-5)
With current league form, and commanding victories for Jucie over both BULLET CLUB members in the record books this year, FinJuie appear to be the favourites for this one. Don’t forget though, that Chase eliminated Robinson from the New Japan Cup way back in March, and it only takes a second, plus some effective offense to do the same again.
3rd Match: TenCozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima) (4-6) vs Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Junior & Taichi)(3-6)
The third match of the evening sees veterans of countless tag team wars in Tenzan and Kojima face a team in only their second WTL in Taichi and Zackl Sabre Junior. Dangerous Tekkers have had some disappointing results in week two of the tag league and have struggled to match early form. That will give them extra impetus to tie their experienced opposition in knots, while TenCozy will have to match technique with power, and a lot of it.
2nd Match: Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi (1-9) vs Colt Cabana & Toru Yano (6-3)
Ever since they first shared a ring as opposition, it seemed as if Colt Cabana and Toru Yano would gel well as a team, and the World Tag League has thus far borne that out. A combination of devious tactics and classical mat ability has seen them to success, but nobody can beat Nakanishi and Nagata in mat work; expect them to work smarter rather than harder in Korakuen.
1st Match: Hirooki Goto & Karl Fredericks (2-6)vs Jeff Cobb & Mikey Nicholls (5-5)
Hirooki Goto and Jeff Cobb pick up longstanding issues in the opening match of the evening. A rivalry between the two started in the States in 2018 at g1 Special in San Francisco. All this was at a time when Goto’s partner Karl Fredericks was starting to make waves in the Dojo before emerging into the spotlight. Since then, Goto and Cobb have traded singles wins, and gained new partners. With Cobb and Nicholls in strong shape of late, they’ll be looking to blow through Goto and Fredericks while Cobb sends a message to his on again off again rival.
