There is now a four-way tie at the top of A Block in NJPW’s World Tag League Tournament. At the end of night nine of competition Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi, Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji, Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman and Gabe Kidd and Sanada all have four points to lead the block.
The big upset came when the last minute team of Alex Zayne and Ryusuke Taguchi beat Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) who have made the finals three years in a row.
Zayne gets held in the ropes by Goto as Hashi clotheslines him in the back of the head. Hashi drops Zayne with a German Suplex. Taguchi fights them off with punches, chops and a few Funky Weapons. He tries to deliver one off the ropes on Hashi. Hashi ducks. Taguchi lands butt backwards on Goto’s bent knee. Ouch! Hashi climbs to the top rope as Goto has Taguchi up. Zayne stops Goto from jumping off the top rope. Taguchi rolls up Goto for the upset victory.
Updated Standings
Block A
World Tag League: Night Nine Results
Alex Zayne and Ryusuke Taguchi versus Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi – A Block
Winners: Alex Zayne and Ryusuke Taguchi
Bullet Club War Dogs (Gabe Kidd and Sanada) – A Block versus Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma
On guest commentary, Henare jokes that he is going to take a ten minute break while Umino makes his way to the ring. Umino spikes Kidd with Death Rider. Sanada clobbers Umino with a Shining Wizard. Honma knocks Sanada down with a Flying Kokeshi and a Ripcord Kokeshi for a two count. Sanada distracts the official. Low-blow on Honma. Honma turns a Skull End into a roll-up for two. Sanada hits the Shining Wizard and another Skull End for the win.
Winners: Bullet Club War Dogs (Gabe Kidd and Sanada)
TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa) versus Bullet Club (Kenta and Chase Owens) – A Block
Oiwa puts Kenta in a sleeper hold. Zack puts Owens in a sleeper hold. Owens distracts the official so that Kenta can kick Oiwa in the “lower abdomen”. Owens escapes Zack’s sleeper. Kenta nails him with a running kick to the head. Kenta hits Go To Sleep on Oiwa.
Winners: Bullet Club (Kenta and Chase Owens) – A Block
United Empire (Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman) versus LIJ (Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji) – A Block
Neman and Takagi trade blows in the middle of the ring. Newman rolls up Takagi after a Pumping Bomber to almost pin him. Cobb takes care of Takagi with a German Suplex while Newman nails him with a running knee strike for two as Tsuji pushes Cobb into Newman. Tsuji avoids a Tour of the Islands with a running knee strike. LIJ gives Newman a pop-up super kick, a Pumping Bomber and Made In Japan. Newman still kicks out. Newman is finally pinned by Pumping Bomber and a Gene Blaster.
Winners: LIJ (Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji)