#njpwtogether

The first New Japan Pro Wrestling card in 110 days took place earlier this morning. This is branded under the “Together Project,” which has been the original talk-show style programming NJPWWorld did during the quarantine period. As an empty arena show, it is only available on NJPWWorld. The show started with a message from Hiroshi Tanahashi before the matches began, welcoming the fans back to active NJPW events. This was announced as a mystery card, only revealed at the show start.

NJPW Together Project Special - 6/15/2020, NJPW Dojo (Empty Arena)

Yota Tsuji d. Gabriel Kidd (Boston Crab, 8:43)

El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru [SZKG] d. Tomohiro Ishii [CHAOS] & Yuya Uemura (Desperado > Uemura, Numero Dos, 12:57)

Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori, Gedo & Jado [Bullet Club] d. Hirooki Goto [CHAOS], Toru Yano [CHAOS], YOSHI-HASHI [CHAOS] & Tomoaki Honma (Yujiro > Honma, Pimp Juice, 13:20)

Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Ryusuke Taguchi d. SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI [Los Ingobernables] (Taguchi > BUSHI, Oh My & Garankle, 13:33)

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Yuji Nagata & Togi Makabe d. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., Minoru Suzuki & DOUKI [SZKG] (Makabe > DOUKI, King Kong Knee Drop, 13;04)

Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi [Los Ingobernables] d. Kazuchika Okada, SHO & YOH [CHAOS] (Naito > YOH, Destino, 14:17)

Naito said post-main he waits for the day when there can be a big chorus for the LIJ Roll Call once more. Hiromu claimed he was going to win the New Japan Cup. Tana, Ibushi, Taichi & Sabre all brawled after their match.

I expected a shorter show than the usual. I didn’t expect quite so many people being in the ring together, given the still very much active COVID-19 concerns. I am also surprised DOUKI was part of today’s show, given that everyone else gathered are all active New Japan Cup participants, so DOUKI’s being there may not have been quite so “essential.” But maybe they were short a guy for a tag match otherwise. 

Tomorrow begins the revised New Japan Cup 2020. The next four shows will feature four 1st Round Cup matches, as well as a special tag match afterwards, to be revealed later. These will all be on NJPWWorld as well.

New Japan Cup 2020 - 6/16/2020, NJPW Dojo (Empty Arena)

Togi Makabe v. Yota Tsuji

Tomohiro Ishii [CHAOS] v. El Desperado [SZKG]

Toru Yano [CHAOS] v. Jado [Bullet Club]

Tomoaki Honma v. Hiromu Takahashi [Los Ingobernables]

More TBA

For better or for worse, New Japan Pro Wrestling is back in business.