World Tag League A Block update: night 5

LIJ stays strong against War dogs in a violent main event

The World Tag League returned to the legendary Korakuen Hall on November 24, featuring intense A-Block matchups as teams fought to climb the rankings.

**Watch the replay!**

The main event brought a clash of history and animosity between the teams. Shingo Takagi and SANADA’s past as former LIJ comrades and the rivalry between Gabe Kidd and Yota Tsuji set the stage for a heated battle.

Gabe Kidd and Tsuji opened the match with fierce strikes, displaying their familiarity from past confrontations. The stalemate between them led to SANADA and Shingo tagging in. SANADA avoided a direct confrontation, choosing instead to work with Kidd to ambush his former ally. However, Shingo anticipated SANADA’s tactics, countering their double-team offense and tagging in Tsuji.

The action spilled into the crowd, with chaos reigning until referee Red Shoes Unno began a count-out. Both teams narrowly returned to the ring at 18. Tsuji took SANADA down, but Kidd isolated Shingo on the outside. Shingo turned the tables literally and figuratively, sending Kidd through a table he had introduced. Back in the ring, Shingo unleashed his fury on SANADA, but SANADA retaliated with a Paradise Lock, much to the shock of the crowd.

The closing moments saw Tsuji and Kidd back in the ring, trading heavy blows. Tsuji gained the upper hand, but Kidd surprised him with a brainbuster. Although the first half of the match between them was a wild brawl, it gradually transformed into a technical grappling contest. SANADA managed to bring himself back into the ring against the Gene Blast. Just as SANADA attempted a low blow to incapacitate Tsuji, the Gene Blast countered with a hurricanrana into a pin, securing LIJ the victory and two points.

Bishamon and the team of Umino and Honma entered with momentum from wins in Yokohama, but only one could maintain their streak. Shota challenged Goto early on, with the veteran initially on the receiving end. However, a quick tag to Honma turned out to be a mistake, as Bishamon isolated him, keeping him in their corner with strikes and team attacks — a strategy that paid off, as the outnumbered Honma struggled in the first quarter of the match to find his footing.

Tomoaki Honma has built his entire career on toughness though, refusing to back down and eventually bringing in his partner, the roughneck. An explosive Umino caught YOSHI-HASHI off guard, sending him flying with a shoulder throw before both competitors tagged in their respective partners. With Honma and Goto in the ring, it became another battle of resilience, where Honma initially had a slight edge. However, he soon found himself facing both members of Bishamon at the same time.

An Ushigoroshi from Aramusha was only enough for a close two-count, but the barely-standing Honma managed to tag in a fired-up Shota, trying to prove himself ahead of his Wrestle Kingdom match. As Goto staggered in the corner, he brought YOSHI-HASHI back in for assistance, once again outnumbering the young roughneck. Honma, now on the outside, anticipated their combined attack and interfered at just the right moment. A high-impact tornado DDT on YOSHI-HASHI left him vulnerable, but Goto quickly stepped in. Even so, it wasn’t enough to keep the Roughneck down.

With perfect timing, HYnma entered ther ring for a Kokeshi assist on Goto that served up the Death Rider for Uminoto secure the pair an additional two points.

After a rather unsuccessful start, Funky Sauce, with their two losses, sought redemption against TMDK’s Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa. The match began with Oiwa and Zayne squaring off. Zayne, being the more experienced competitor, used his skills and cunning to outmaneuver the Grip. Right from the start, it was clear that while Funky Sauce couldn’t match the TMDK members in terms of power. Oiwa, targeting Zayne’s limb and successfully tagging in ZSJ, who continued the assault on Alex’s ligaments.

With his arm severely damaged, Zayne struggled to extend it far enough to tag in his partner, Ryusuke. Even with one arm out of commission, a well-placed kick allowed him to turn the tide. A fired-up Ryusuke Taguchi brought his trademark versatility, switching seamlessly between upper- and lower-body attacks, which proved difficult for the young TMDK member to handle. But Oiwa countered the hip attacks with reversed atomic drops, softening Taguchi up for Zack Sabre Jr.’s submissions.

The Funky Weapon Ryusuke refused to back down, entering into a submission counter battle with ZSJ and barely escaping before tagging in a recovered Alex Zayne. Zayne managed to keep both TMDK members at bay with help from Ryusuke, and it seemed like Funky Sauce was finally on the verge of earning their first two points. Ryusuke’s hip attacks created an opening, and Alex nearly scored a two-count. However, a double sleeper hold from the TMDK duo, followed by a Zack Driver and a discus clothesline, sealed the deal, leaving Funky Sauce with zero points.

United Empire’s Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman faced BULLET CLUB’s KENTA and Chase Owens in the opening bout. Newman’s speed gave UE an early advantage, but BULLET CLUB’s ringside tactics isolated Newman. Quick tags kept the Prince of Pace at bay until he outmaneuvered his opponents and tagged in Cobb.

Cobb turned the tide with a powerful offensive surge. KENTA’s striking and grappling briefly slowed Cobb, but miscommunication between KENTA and Owens allowed Cobb to hit the Tour of the Islands on Owens for the win.

After Night 5, Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman lead the A Block with a perfect 6 points (3–0). Four other teams remain tightly packed in pursuit at 4 points. The War Dogs are in 3rd place with 2 points, while Funky Sauce and BULLET CLUB remain winless at 0 points, tied at the bottom of the standings.