Night one of a NJPW tournament to crown new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions is in the books.
The team of Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI is tied atop the four-team block with Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato after the first day of tournament action on Saturday’s New Japan Road show in Makuhari.
Takahashi and BUSHI defeated Taiji Ishimori and Gedo in the main event of Saturday’s show to earn 2 points. BUSHI pinned Gedo after an LAT for the victory.
In the other tournament match, Master Wato and Taguchi defeated El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru after Wato hit Kanemaru with an RPP. Kanemaru and Wato had last faced off at Jingu Stadium, where Kanemaru beat Wato in the opener with a sunset flip.
The next tournament action is Sunday at 2 a.m. Eastern time, live on NJPW World. Takahashi and BUSHI will face Taguchi and Wato, while Desperado and Kanemaru will square off with Ishimori and Gedo.
The final night of block action takes place on Wednesday, September 9 with Wato and Taguchi vs. Ishimori and Gedo, plus Takahashi and BUSHI vs. Desperado and Kanemaru.
The top two teams will meet in the tournament final on Friday, September 11 at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World to determine the new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag champs.
Friday’s show will also feature a NEVER Openweight Six-Man title match as Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI defend against Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano and SHO.
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Here are the current tournament standings:
Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI 1-0 (2 points)
Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi 1-0 (2 points)
El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru 0-1 (0 points)
Taiji Ishimori & Gedo 0-1 (0 points)