Earlier today, New Japan Pro Wrestling would run a big show with New Japan Road. Headlined by Team Six Or Nine defending the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships against TJP & Francesco Akira of United Empire, NJPW would broadcast this show for free – meaning anyone can go back and watch the replay. Also on this card, we’d see two big singles matches, as the qualifying matches for Forbidden Doors All-Atlantic Championship would take place.
Tomohiro Ishii & Clark Connors Push Forward Towards All-Atlantic Championship Qualifying Match
First up, we had two special singles matches. Both would dictate who moves forward for a chance to get to AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. LA Dojo graduate Clark Connors would face the veteran Tomoaki Honma, with Connors coming out on top. Honma gave a very spirited performance and had some close falls, but Connors would not be denied.
It was an alright match, but not something that falls under essential viewing, unlike the second singles match. Tomohiro Ishii & Yoshinobu Kanemaru would put on an absolute clinic, with Kanemaru reminding many why he was often considered to be one of the best in the world during his time in Pro Wrestling NOAH. He’d push Ishii to his limits, and Ishii fought back twice as hard to advance. Watch this match if you have the chance, again – this show is free to watch the replay of.
Tomohiro Ishii will now face Clark Connors tomorrow morning – with the winner joining PAC, Miro, and either Malakai Black OR Penta Oscuro at Forbidden Door.
Francesco Akira Becomes First Italian Born Wrestler To Carry IWGP Gold At New Japan Road
However, while those two matches would have been enough to send any fans home happy, there was also a title match. TJP earned United Empire a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, when he schooled Master Wato during Best of the Super Juniors tournament. Alongside Francesco Akira, they’d claim a tag team win over the champions, cementing the fate of the champions.
Tonight, with the belts on the line – Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi gave the best performance of their title reign, busting out plenty of old favorites and new tricks. However, they were unable to claim the win – with TJP & Francesco Akira becoming the 70th team to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. Add in Akira being the first Italian-born champion, and it was a moment to remember.
Tomorrows New Japan Road event will have live coverage here on TheOvertimer, with the main event seeing Best of the Super Juniors winner Hiromu Takahashi challenge Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Will we see another title change? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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