Tag: Tomohiro Ishii

Wrestling Dontaku 2023 results: Sanada holds off Hiromu, faces new threat to end the show

The final five matches on the Wrestling Dontaku 2023 card are title bouts.

Sanada finally ascended to the top of the mountain in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship for the first time last month. Now one of his former mates from his LIJ days wants to make his reign a short one.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi will be the first challenger for Sanada when the two meet tonight in the main event of Wrestling Dontaku 2023 in Fukuoka. The always colorful Hiromu will be attempting to also win the top prize in NJPW for the first time, making hima  double champ if he pulls it off.

That’s not the only title on the line. In fact the last five matches on this card are championship bouts, with the Strong Openweight Championship and NJPW World Television Championship among those being defended. Two others stand out, however; one pits former longtime Bullet Club member Tama Tonga against the group’s latest leader, David Finlay, looking to claim Tonga’s NEVER Openweight Championship and validate his status as BC’s top dog.

The other is a titanic battle for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. Reigning champs Strong Style (Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Ren Narita) will try to turn back a challenge from a star-studded trio composed of Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi.

The opening matches on the card are a mix of six-man and eight-man tag matches that ensure as many different members of the NJPW roster as possible are in the show. It should be an exciting night of wrestling from the Fukuoka Kokusai Center, and it kicks off at 5 a.m. ET/2 a.m. PT.

Wrestling Dontaku 2023 results:

(click on any match with a link for more details)

  • Chaos (Toru Yano, Yoh and Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi)) def. House of Torture (Evil, Yujiro Takahashi, Sho and Dick Togo) by pinfall, after which Aussie Open came out to repossess their tag team title belts and propose a three-way match with Bishamon and House of Torture
  • United Empire (Aussie Open (Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher) and Great-O-Khan) def. TMDK (Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste and Kosei Fujita) by submission as Great-O-Khan taps out Fujita; afterward Great-O-Khan cuts a promo saying neither Bishamon or House of Torture stand a chance against Aussie Open and that Jeff Cobb would defeat Zack Sabre Jr. later tonight
  • Shota Umino and The Jet Setters (Kushida and Kevin Knight) def. United Empire (Aaron Henare and Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira and TJP)) by pinfall when Kushida catches TJP with an inside cradle
  •  Just 5 Guys (Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Douki) def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi and Bushi) by submission as Taichi gets Bushi to submit
  • A video plays to promote Best of the Super Juniors and show off the cards for May 12-24
  • Hikuleo def. KENTA by pinfall to become the new Strong Openweight Champion
  • Jeff Cobb vs. Zack Sabre Jr. ends in a 15-minute time limit draw; Sabre retains the NJPW World Television Championship
  • Chaos (Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii) and Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Strong Style (Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Ren Narita) by pinfall to become the new NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions
  • Shota Umino reveals that Jon Moxley is returning at Dominion in June
  • David Finlay def. Tama Tonga by pinfall to become the new NEVER Openweight Champion …
  • .. but gets attacked by El Phantasmo after the match, and the two men need to eventually be pulled apart
  • Sanada def. Hiromu Takahashi by pinfall to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
  • The Godzilla-esque video promo that’s been running for weeks pays off with a reveal of a returning Yota Tsuji, who clears the ring, spears Sanada and holds up the IWGP title before laying it back across Sanada’s chest

Opening Bell: Survivor Series WarGames beckons, AEW finds a contender for MJF

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, November 21, MVP Arena, Albany, NY

Before you dig into your turkey and stuffing or other foods of choice this week, there’s business to take care of on Raw. The women’s WarGames teams are set for Survivor Series, but which side will have the advantage is up for grabs on Monday in Albany.

To settle that important question, Asuka will take on Rhea Ripley. The winner will get a numerical advantage every few minutes during WarGames, so both Team Bianca Belair and Team Damage CTRL will be watching anxiously (and perhaps even intervening) to see who comes out on top.

And that’s all WWE has officially revealed for this week’s show so far. Considering Survivor Series WarGames only has four matches announced and the women’s match still has one participant yet to be revealed, smart money suggests we’ll get some answers on Monday night.

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, November 23, Wintrust Arena, Chicago

AEW is headed back to one of its homes away from home, the Windy City, for the pre-Thanksgiving episode of Dynamite. The biggest thing on the card is determining a No. 1 contender for MJF, who you may have heard is now the AEW World Champion following Full Gear. Ethan Page and Ricky Starks will wrestle for that honor in the final of a tournament that’s been going for a few weeks.

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But the show is pretty loaded beyond that. The Elite and Death Triangle tore it down at Full Gear, where it was revealed they’re going to do it again … and again and again, in a best-of-7 series for the AEW World Trios Championship. Match two takes place Wednesday on Dynamite.

Chris Jericho is still The Ocho, but he’ll get a formidable challenge for his ROH World Championship from Tomohiro Ishii of NJPW. And Orange Cassidy, who’s been putting his All-Atlantic Championship on the line regularly, will face perhaps his physically biggest test as champ in the form of Jake Hager (and his purple bucket hat).

A good night of wrestling before turkey? It sounds like it.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, November 25, Wintrust Arena, Chicago (recorded on November 23)

We still don’t know much about what AEW has planned for Rampage this holiday week, but we do know one thing: It’s not going to be on at 10 p.m. ET like usual.

Nope, Rampage is moving earlier, much earlier, for this pre-taped show from the Chi. It will air at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on TNT. So … just be thankful for some afternoon wrestling, we suppose.

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, November 25, Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, RI

We’re bummed this venue is no longer the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, even though we’re sure the folks at Amica Mutual are lovely. It’s unusual to know much more about the SmackDown card than the Raw card on a Monday, but that’s exactly the case here for this big show on the night before Survivor Series.

The men’s WarGames advantage will be up for grabs in a tag team match between the undisputed champs, The Usos, and the brothers from another mother, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre. It would certainly help the Brawling Brutes and company if they can gain an edge over the Bloodline.

Speaking of the Brutes, another one of their own, Butch, is still alive in the SmackDown World Cup, and will take on Santos Escobar Friday in one semifinal. The other semifinal will also take place in Providence, when Ricochet goes up against Braun Strowman.

Last but certainly not least, Shotzi and Ronda Rousey continue to circle each other ahead of their title match at Survivor Series WarGames. They’ll meet in a tag team match Friday, with Shotzi teaming with Raquel Rodriguez while Rousey calls upon her BFF, Shayna Baszler.

You’ll be all shopped out by Black Friday night anyway, so this is the best possible way to end Thanksgiving week.

All Out 2022 Zero Hour pre-show results: Kingston, Ishii battle again

The pre-show for AEW All Out, Zero Hour, has four matches. Get results for all of them here, including Tomohiro Ishii vs. Eddie Kingston 2.

When the card for an event like AEW All Out gets as big as it has, not everything can fit on the main card. So instead of the Buy-In, like AEW PPVs often have, this one has Zero Hour, which is almost like a mini show of its own.

Four matches total will take place this year on Zero Hour. Eddie Kingston and Tomohiro Ishii will battle again, which should be amazing for fans of hard-hitting wrestling action (and aren’t we all). And a total of three titles will be on the line, including the All-Atlantic Championship as Pac defends against Kip Sabian.

We’ll have running updates of all the Zero Hour results here, so bookmark this page and check back later for more.

G1 Climax 32 Night 15 results: Goto in must-win meeting with Tanahashi

Get complete NJPW G1 Climax results from Night 15 in Hiroshima, featuring a main event between Hirooki Goto and Hiroshi Tanahashi.

With each passing night of G1 Climax 32, the stakes get higher for the stars of NJPW, and even wrestlers who got off to good starts are finding it’s do or die.

That’s the situation in Night 15, the second of two cards from Hiroshima, with Hirooki Goto, sitting at 2-2 in C Block, facing an elimination bout. His tournament is over unless he finds a way to get past the Ace, Hiroshi Tanahashi, who enters the night with a 3-1 record.

Filthy Tom Lawlor has been a fan favorite and has handled himself admirably in the monster-filled A Block, but he too must win on this Wednesday evening, and his task is unenviable: He has to beat the Rainmaker, Kazuchika Okada, who comes in off his loss to Jonah and will be doing everything possible to avoid a second straight defeat.

Somewhat surprisingly, Evil is in the same boat thanks to a slow start in the tourney. He’ll go up against Zack Sabre Jr., and you can bet he’ll have the full assistance of the House of Torture to ensure he is still alive at night’s end.

Can’t watch live as these important matches play out? Just bookmark this page and we’ll update it with the latest G1 Climax 32 results from Night 15 as they happen.

G1 Climax 32 Night 15 quick results:

  • Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb and Aaron Henare def. Yoshi-Hashi, Yuto Nakashima and Ryohei Oawa by submission
  • Jonah and Bad Dude Tito vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano

Scroll down for more detailed results for every match.

Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb and Aaron Henare def. Yoshi-Hashi, Yuto Nakashima and Ryohei Oawa by submission

This seems somewhat unfair for Yoshi-Hashi, getting teamed with two Young Lions against the United Empire trio. Kevin Kelly notes that Jeff Cobb has two winnable matches left in his block, though also needs some help if he were to win it.

Every member of United Empire look in full control as they show off their new t-shirts, but Yoshi-Hashi tags in to unleash dropkicks all around and nail Ospreay with a Head Hunter for a near fall. Ospreay’s handspring kick is the response, forcing tags for both teams.

The typically fired up Nakashima wants to suplex Henare, who nearly pins the Young Lion before turning to the Ultima, his full nelson finisher. Nakashima taps fairly quickly.

Jonah and Bad Dude Tito vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano

G1 Climax 32 Night 14 results: Naito, Kenta in crucial C Block contest

Check out full NJPW G1 Climax results from Night 14 in Hiroshima, with Testsuya Naito and Kenta squaring off in the main event.

If Tetsuya Naito is going to use G1 Climax 32 to springboard himself to a Wrestle Kingdom main event, the main event of Night 14 in Hiroshima is one of the matches he absolutely can’t afford to lose.

Though he set himself back with a few early losses, the LIJ leader is still alive in C Block. But every bout is now the bottom of the ninth situation he always talks about, and that includes his showdown with Kenta.

He’s not the only wrestler on Night 14 in a must-win situation. Lance Archer needs to find a way to slow down arguably the hottest wrestler in the tournament, Jonah, fresh off the biggest victory of his career over Kazuchika Okada. Plus Tama Tonga and Taichi need to either win or draw against each other to keep their hopes of winning B Block alive.

We’re tracking all the action from Hiroshima live, so bookmark this page and check back as needed for the latest G1 Climax 32 Night 14 results.

G1 Climax 32 Night 14 quick results:

  • Shingo Takagi and Bushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Kosei Fujita

Scroll down for complete results for every match.

NJPW G1 Climax 32 Night 2 live results: Kenta and ZSJ collide

Check out NJPW G1 Climax 32 Night 2 live results on July 17, 2022 from Sapporo.

G1 Climax 32 got underway on July 16, with the first four tournament matches (one in each block) providing some close, hard fought bouts and one surprise as well. Eight more competitors start their tournament journeys tonight, or more precisely, this afternoon in Sapporo.

Several of the matches were previewed thanks to the tag matches on the first night’s card. Among them were Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Kenta, who couldn’t help but thrown down whether they were the legal men or not and kept up their war of words well after the three count.

Another pairing who got acquainted during Night 1 was Toru Yano and Jonah, though in their case it was less fighting and more running … on Yano’s part, naturally. Also on the slate for Night 2 are Tomohiro Ishii vs. Taichi, and in the main event, Shingo Takagi vs. Juice Robinson.

Thanks to an earlier start time, it’s not quite as late for U.S. fans who want to watch live on NJPW World, but if you aren’t able to catch the action yourself, please bookmark this page, as we’ll be updating it with the latest G1 Climax 32 Night 2 results as they happen.

G1 Climax 32 Night 2 quick results:

  • Tom Lawlor and Royce Isaacs vs. David Finlay and Yoshi-Hashi

Please scroll down for more detailed results after each match finishes.

AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door — Everything you need to know

Get ready for AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door with our preview, including predictions for each match, start time, how to watch and more.

Considering AEW is only three years old, the company still enjoys a fair amount of firsts. Not many, however, are as significant as AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door, a pay-per-view being held in conjunction with Japan’s top pro wrestling promotion. Once only a dream in the minds of most wrestling fans, it’s about to become a reality in Chicago’s United Center.

That’s not to say the road to get here has been easy. The logistical hurdles in building a show between companies half a world apart have been apparent at times, with a good chunk of the card coming together only in the final week. Injuries haven’t been kind; in a perfect world, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega would all be on this show.

Despite that, there are some tantalizing matchups of the kind many probably never dared imagine prior to this year. They begin with the interim AEW World Championship being contested between Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi. With Punk out, one of them will carry the banner for AEW for the next few months, and even the possibility that it will be NJPW’s Ace is enough to be intriguing.

NJPW’s top title will be up for grabs as well. Jay White, who only recently secured the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from Kazuchika Okada, now needs to defend it against not only the Rainmaker, but his friend Adam Cole and former AEW world champ Hangman Adam Page. Four-way matches are definitely not every fan’s cup of tea, but four performers of this caliber figure to make it compelling.

As the match count has made it to double digits, including a pre-show bout, the card figures to be close to final now. Keep reading for everything you need to know about AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door.

AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door

  • When: Sunday, June 26
  • Where: United Center, Chicago
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On PPV through Bleacher Report, or InDemand through cable or satellite providers, as well as in select movie theaters in the U.S. On Sky Deutschland in Germany, and on FITE TV internationally. In Japan, Forbidden Door will be available exclusively via NJPW World, with Japanese commentary.
  • Matches announced: 10 (including one on pre-show)