NJPW World Tag League Finals: FinJuice win, Jericho and Moxley deliver Wrestle Kingdom messages

FinJuice is fighting for the gold at Wrestle Kingdom. Juice Robinson and David Finlay have won NJPW World Tag League 2019 by beating the two-time former IWGP Tag Team Champions, Sanada and Evil.

In their main event bout, Finlay made it to the ropes breaking Evil’s Scorpion Death Lock while Sanada had Robinson in Skull End. Sanada and Evil obliterated Robinson with a Magic Killer who rolled out of the ring leaving Finlay alone to face the former champions.

Finlay would not see his World Tag League dreams end kicking out of a Darkness Falls. Robinson though had to dive back in the ring to stop Finlay from being put away with a Magic Killer.

Finlay reversed Everything Is Evil to deliver one of his own to Evil. Finlay whacked Evil with a Stunner and Robinson followed up with a Left Hand of God. Sanada crept back in the ring to get a Left Hand of God and Pulp Friction from Robinson. Finlay got the three count with an Acid Drop on Evil to win the tournament for his team.

FinJuice will now face the IWGP Tag Team Champions, The Guerrillas of Destiny, for the titles at Wrestle Kingdom.

Okada ticks Ibushi off. Photo: NJPW.

Kota Ibushi, the challenger to Kazuchika Okada’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom, blew his top after being pushed one step too far by Okada. As they stood face-to-face after their tag team match, Okada shoved the belt into Ibushi’s face pushing him backwards. Ibushi responded by bashing Okada in the head with the briefcase which contains the Wrestle Kingdom contract.

Ibushi didn’t stop there though. As a group of Young Lions tried to hold him back, Ibushi began to choke Okada out, chased him to the back hitting him with haymaker after haymaker.

Ibushi has had enough of Okada’s nonsense. Photo: NJPW.

AEW World Champion Chris Jericho sent a video message to his opponent at Wrestle Kingdom once The Ace and Toa Henare defeated Hirooki Goto and Karl Fredericks.

“Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Time is running out, Tanahashi. January 5th is only weeks away, only weeks away from the Painmaker versus The Ace at the Tokyo Dome. It is going to be one of the greatest matches of your career. It is also going to be the last match of your career. Sayonara!” said Jericho surrounded by other sad clowns in the video.

Jericho taunts Tanahashi. Photo: NJPW.

“I thought you would be here but you are not. The biggest stage that there is, the Tokyo Dome, is waiting for us. One more thing, there is no way you are going to put that term “last match” on this match because I have no plans of quitting but this very well might be your last match,” Tanahashi fired back from the ring.

AEW’s Jon Moxley also made an appearance challenging current IWGP United States Champion, Lance Archer. Moxley never lost the title. He was stripped of it for not being able to appear for a title match against Juice Robinson at the King of Pro Wrestling. Archer won the belt from Robinson that night.

Moxley is back in NJPW. Photo: NJPW.

Moxley walked to the ring alone, got into Archer’s face and put him and Minoru Suzuki out with Death Riders.

“I want my belt back. I will take my belt back. Tokyo Dome. Wrestle Kingdom. Texas Death Match!” Moxley shouted at Archer as he set up a table outside the ring. Moxley and Archer threw barricades at one another fighting all the way back to the locker room.

Moxley challenges Archer to a Wrestle Kingdom match. Photo: NJPW.

In one other note, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi defeated Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa in their match eliminating them from the tournament. One has to wonder if Ishii and Yoshi will be added to the FinJuice, The Guerrillas of Destiny match at Wrestle Kingdom?

Final Standings:

.demo { border:1px solid #C0C0C0; border-collapse:collapse; padding:5px; } .demo th { border:1px solid #C0C0C0; padding:5px; background:#F0F0F0; } .demo td { border:1px solid #C0C0C0; padding:5px; }

In other tournament matches:

Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima versus Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi

Nagata makes Tenzan tap to the Nagata Lock II.

Winners: Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi.

Toru Yano and Colt Cabana versus Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens

Fantastic comedy match from everyone involved. Yano and Cabana need to tag team forever. Before the match Chase Owens says to Kevin Kelly: “This is New Japan Pro Wrestling. This is serious. Tonight, there will be no jokes.” Owens keeps reminding Yano that this is a serious match. Yano punches Owens in the “lower abdomen”. Cabana covers Owens with the Superman Pin.

Winners: Toru Yano and Colt Cabana.

Jeff Cobb and Mikey Nicholls versus Shingo Takagi and Terrible

Nicholls puts away Terrible with the Mikey Bomb. Hoping that Nicholls and Cobb get a bigger push in NJPW. They deserve it for all their hard work during the tournament.

Winners: Jeff Cobb and Mikey Nicholls.

Hiroshi Tanahashi and Toa Henare versus Hirooki Goto and Karl Fredericks

Henare pins Fredericks with a uranage.

Winners: Hiroshi Tanahashi and Toa Henare.

Minoru Suzuki and Lance Archer versus Kenta and Yujiro Takahashi

Archer delivers Black Out and then the EVD Claw on Takahashi for the victory.

Winners: Minoru Suzuki and Lance Archer.

Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi versus Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa

Hashi escapes the Super Powerbomb to roll up Loa with an inside cradle after he and Ishii super kick him in the head.

Winners: Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi.

In other matches:

Kazuchika Okada, Sho and Yoh versus Kota Ibushi, Jyushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask

Ibushi gets the victory for his team with a Kamigoye on Sho.

Winners: Minoru Suzuki and Lance Archer.