It’s time for night two of World Tag League, their first solo night after yesterday’s joint event. The field is still finding their rhythm, but early wins add up. We already have Tanahashi & Henare looking for redemption, The Empire looking to keep their dominance going, and more. Let’s break down all the action from tonight!
World Tag League 2020 Match: Guerillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) vs. Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens
Both of these steady Bullet Club units failed to get a win on the first night, with them opening and closing the WTL portion of the show with losses. Now, they both have a chance to get moving, and history has shown that these types of Bullet Club rodeos between long time members are always interesting if nothing else.
As expected, Bullet Club won this one. Guerillas of Destiny would isolate and destroy Chase Owens, and do their best to avoid Bad Luck Fale. Fale did get in and we got some nice heavyweight action between him and Loa. In the end, Owens would fall to a scorpion deathlock from Tama Tonga, after nearly getting a rollup pin helped by the ropes, but Jado stopped this from ringside.
This gave Guerillas of Destiny their first two points of this tournament, and I doubt it will be their last. They showed they’re as good as ever, they just had an off night with FinJuice.
Match Raing: 3/5 (***)
World Tag League 2020 Match: YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto vs. The Empire (Jeff Cobb & The Great-O-Khan)
When Jeff Cobb came out as the partner of Great-O-Khan, and blitzed through Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toa Henare in mere minutes, there was a bit of a shudder in the arena. This team is all power, and it might be hard to stop them. That won’t stop YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto from trying, but it might be hopeless at this point.
With the shock value of Cobb being O-Khan’s partner gone, YOSHI-HASHI & Goto were able to gameplan this match. They took Cobb out early, focused on O-Khan, and hit him with everything they had. Cobb still found his way back into the ring to make a save, but O-Khan remained legal, Goto remained persistent, and in the end was able to roll him up for the win.
This is the first two points for Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI in this tournament, and showed that Cobb & O-Khan just got lucky in their first match due to shock value.
Match Raing: 3.25/5 (*** ¼)
World Tag League 2020 Match: FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson) vs. EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi
Just one night after taking out the best tag team in Bullet Club’s history, it’s time for FinJuice to take on the newest team from the faction. EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi with Dick Togo at ringside are a big ask for anyone, but if anyone can stop them early, it’s the defending winners of the World Tag League.
After giving a gutsy performance and doing all they could do to neutralize Dick Togo at ringside, beat down EVIL & Takahashi, and work a nearly perfect match, it all crumbled for FinJuice. Finlay had hit everyone with Stunners and went for the finish, got shoved into the referee, hit low, EVIL STO, two more points.
Nothing matters but the last moments of a match with this team, as proven twice now. EVIL & Takahashi hit four points, taking an early lead.
Match Raing: 2.75/5 (***)
World Tag League 2020 Match: Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. SANADA & Shingo Takahagi
After clashes in the G1 Climax went the way of CHAOS, L.I.J has a chance to get revenge in the World Tag League. Ishii & Yano are as odd as a well oiled machine gets, while SANADA & Shingo are still trying to find their speed as a tag team. SANADA & Shingo almost had their first match won until a low blow, which could repeat itself in this one.
Yano would control the early bits of this match, wrapping SANADA up in the ring apron, pulling off turnbuckle covers and more. Ishii would come in to smash everything and show why he’s one of the best in the world, the sections with him and SANADA being a highlight. SANADA & Yano would finally take the ring over at the end, and trade pinfall attempts until SANADA got the european clutch for the win.
This win gives SANADA & Shingo their first two points of the tournament, Ishii & Yano remain at two points as well.
Match Raing: 4/5 (****)
World Tag League 2020 Match: Hiroshi Tanahshi & Toa Henare vs. Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi)
This tournament did not start well for Hiroshi Tanahshi. While his usual tag team partner Kota Ibushi is prepping for the Tokyo Dome, he’s teamed with Henare for a last chance path to the event. Then they lost to The Empire in under two minutes, a complete squash. To make matters worse, they have Dangerous Tekkers to face, who know that Tanahashi has a bum leg this year, because they’re the root cause, The Empire just reignited that injury. Can Tanahashi & Henare make the comeback, or will they slip further behind?
As expected, Tekkers went right for Tanahashi and his leg in this match. They’d hit that deadly rope assisted Dragon Screw and tag him out of the picture. Henare tried his best in essentially a handicap match with the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, but in the end fell to Zack Mephisto. It was a great showing for Henare, who might have his breakout year in 2021, but not at the expense of Dangerous Tekkers.
Dangerous Tekkers move to four points, and are keen to win every single match, and be in the main event the whole way through. If they win every match, and prove they’re the undisputed best tag team in NJPW, they might just petition to retire the titles.
Match Raing: 3.75/5 (*** ¾)
What was your favorite match from Night Two of World Tag League? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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