During the first night of the combined 2020 World Tag League and Super Juniors tournaments NJPW welcomed back a number of wrestlers who haven’t been able to work for the promotion since the start of the pandemic.
Bad Luck Fale, David Finlay, The Guerrillas of Destiny and Robbie Eagles all returned to an appreciative crowd at the Aichi Arena. The big news of the night though was the newly-formed Empire faction may have found a new member as it was revealed that Jeff Cobb was The Great-O-Khan’s mystery partner for the tournament.
The Great-O-Khan wails on Tanahashi. Courtesy: NJPW.
Khan and Cobb were up to no good once they defeated Toa Henare and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Great-O-Khan threw Tanahashi back into the ring to put The Ace in a leg lock as Cobb took care of the Young Lions who came to Tanahashi’s aid. Great-O-Khan bashed Tanahashi’s knee with a steel chair seemingly injuring it for the thousandth time. Poor Tanahashi.
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano | 2 |
| Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb | 2 |
| Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr. | 2 |
| Evil and Yujiro Takahashi | 2 |
| Juice Robinson and David Finlay | 2 |
| Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa | 0 |
| Shingo Takagi and Sanada | 0 |
| Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi | 0 |
| Hiroshi Tanahashi and Toa Henare | 0 |
| Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens | 0 |
| Wrestler | Points |
|---|---|
| Hiromu Takahashi | 2 |
| Sho | 2 |
| Ryusuke Taguchi | 2 |
| Robbie Eagles | 2 |
| Master Wato | 2 |
| Taiji Ishimori | 0 |
| Bushi | 0 |
| El Desperado | 0 |
| Douki | 0 |
| Yuya Uemura | 0 |
World Tag League, Best of the Super Juniors Results – Night One
Chaos (Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii) versus Bullet Club (Chase Owens and Bad Luck Fale) – World Tag League Tournament Match
So awesome to see the big man, Bad Luck Fale, back in action. He chases off the announcer as soon as he steps into the ring. Yano attempts to slam Fale. We know how that ends. How come Yano doesn’t? Owens splashes Fale by mistake. Yano pins them both. Fale goes mental on Yano slamming and choking him over and over.
Winners: Chaos (Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii)
Master Wato versus Yuya Uemura – Best of the Super Juniors Tournament Match
Wato makes short work of the Young Lion with his driver finisher.
Winner: Master Wato
Toa Henare and Hiroshi Tanahashi versus Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb – World Tag League Tournament Match
Great-O-Khan kicks Henare in the head. Cobb gives him a Tour of the Islands. The End. It is an impressive and decisive win from the new tag team.
Winners: Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb
Robbie Eagles versus Douki – Best of the Super Juniors Tournament Match
The best match Douki has had in NJPW. Welcome back, Eagles. He is truly one of the best of his generation. Douki attacks before the bell rings. Eagles turns things around though with his incredible speed and agility. Eagles is so excited to be back he almost flies into the first row during a dive outside the ring. As Eagles tries a springboard maneuver, Douki shoves the official into the ropes. Eagles crashes to the floor. Douki gives Eagles a neckbreaker using his steel staff. Eagles makes Douki tap out.
Winner: Robbie Eagles
Chaos (Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto) versus Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi) – World Tag League Tournament Match
Sabre Jr. rolls up Yoshi as Taichi chokes out Goto in a corner.
Winners: Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi)
Sho versus Bushi – Best of the Super Juniors Tournament Match
Sho pins Bushi with a Shock Arrow.
Winner: Sho
Los Ingobernables de Japón (Sanada and Shingo Takagi) versus Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi and Evil) – World Tag League Tournament Match
Dick Togo plays spoiler again choking out Sanada with the garrote. Sanada gets his hands underneath to fight it off as the crowd cheers him on. Low blow from Evil, Everything is Evil for the pin.
Winners: Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi and Evil)
Ryushuke Taguchi versus El Desperado – Best of the Super Juniors Tournament Match
Taguchi reverses a roll-up to put Desperado away.
Winner: Ryushuke Taguchi
David Finlay and Juice Robinson versus Guerrilas of Destiny (Taga Loa and Tama Tonga) – World Tag League Tournament Match
FinnJuice thwarts the Super Powerbomb. Finlay superplexes Tanga Loa. Juice lands on frog splash from the top rope on Loa. Tonga is pinned by the Doomsday Machine.
Winners: David Finlay and Juice Robinson
Hiromu Takahashi versus Taiji Ishimori – Best of the Super Juniors Tournament Match
A little shorter than one would expect but Hiromu gets the win with a Time Bomb.
Winner: Hiromu Takahashi