New Japan Pro Wrestling
World Tag League 2019 – Night 11
November 29, 2019
Korakuen Hall
Tokyo, Japan
Watch: NJPW World
WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2019
JEFF COBB & MIKEY NICHOLSÂ (12) DEF. HIROOKI GOTO & KARL FREDERICKS (4)
A totally acceptable wrestling match to open up night 11. The Goto/Fredericks matches are becoming very formulaic but we could all see this coming because of the Fredericks Young Lion factor. Speaking of Fredericks he brought back his very beautiful dropkick which I appreciated greatly. I initially buried Nichols at the start of the tournament but I think he’s found his niche in New Japan as a tag guy. **1/2
WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2019
TORU YANO & COLT CABANA (14) DEF. YUJI NAGATA & MANABU NAKANISHI (2)
I’m sorry, this is the exact same Yano/Colt match and the exact same Nagata/Nakanishi match that’s been happening all tournament. Yano and Colt remain in touching distance of the top of the table. That’s about all. **
WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2019
ZACK SABRE JR. & TAICHI (8) DEF. SATOSHI KOJIMA & HIROYOSHI TENZAN (8)
This was a good match but compared to the first two matches this felt like a G1 main event. Zack and Taichi are great together and this is not new news. I love the Zack Mephisto – Fantastic finishing move and a fantastic name. Tenkoji has been stuck on 8 points for quite some time and looks like any hope of a miracle run is over. ***
WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2019
JUICE ROBINSON & DAVID FINLAY (16) DEF. BAD LUCK FALE & CHASE OWENS (6)
From an in-ring storytelling perspective, this was great. Chase and Fale cutting Finlay off from juice for almost the entire match with little hope spots here and there before Finlay gets Chase with a role up. No comeback, no hot tag, just Finlay outsmarting the opposition. For that, I can see this was good, cannot go any higher, however. If I have to sit through Nakanishi matches etc I’m going to see some more action from the teams that can give me more action. ***
WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2019
KENTA & YUJIRO TAKAHASHI (10) DEF. HIROSHI TANAHASHI & TOA HENARE (4)
I say it every review and I’ll keep saying it for as long as it is true. Toa Henare fucking rocks! Every HenarACE match this tournament has just made me want to see a Henare v *insert guy* singles match and now I really want to see a Henare v KENTA match. Those two had a great closing stretch and Henare sold the G2S like death. ***1/4
WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2019
TAMA TONGA & TANGA LOA (14) DEF. TOGI MAKABE & TOMOAKI HONMA (6)
I buried G.O.D in my last review and I haven’t been too favorable of Makabe and Honma in recent reviews as well so I’ll keep this one short and sweet. Boring and heatless. **
WORLD TAG LEAGUE 2019
EVIL & SANADA (16) DEF. TOMOHIRO ISHII & YOSHI-HASHI (14)
Second show saving main event in a row for the LIJ duo. Seriously, another great main event. This wasn’t all EVIL and SANADA though Ishii was fantastic as always and this might be the best YOSHI-HASHI has looked all year, where has this guy been? I just checked how ling this went for – 18 minutes, Honestly felt like it went 10 minutes. The closing stretch between SANADA and YH was great, great I tell you and EVIL and Ishii’s interaction made me want them wrestling at the Tokyo Dome more than ever. The LIJ team are now equal top with Finjuice – who they don’t wrestle to the final night. ****
FINAL THOUGHTS
Another very disappointing show with a great main event. This tour has gone on too long and there still another week to go. Just watch the main event.
