New Japan Pro-Wrestling held a press conference today to unveil plans for their upcoming tour, kicking off on Sunday, January 17 at Korakuen Hall.

There are three major dates on the 2021 New Beginning tour: The New Beginning in Nagoya on Saturday, January 30 at Dolphin’s Arena, and The New Beginning in Hiroshima on Wednesday, February 10 and Thursday, February 11 at Sun Plaza Hall.

Kevin Kelly is in Japan for several weeks, so there will be live English commentary for every single event on the tour, including the eight house show events leading up to Nagoya, and the four additional shows leading up to Hiroshima.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic worsening in Japan, the events on this tour will start slightly earlier than originally announced, and will be limited to just five or six matches per show. While the action is spread out, there are nevertheless some major marquee matches to look forward to.

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The New Beginning in Nagoya
January 30, 2021
Dolphin’s Arena, Aichi, Japan

The first leg of The New Beginning tour will see Shingo Takagi defend the NEVER Openweight Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi. Takagi successfully retained the belt against Jeff Cobb at Wrestle Kingdom 15 in one of the best matches of the entire two-day event. While these two have met in several tag team matches, including two World Tag Leagues, this collision between the “Last Dragon” and “The Ace” is one of the most exciting first-time-ever bouts in recent memory.

New Year Dash saw The Empire recoup some of their momentum after a trio of Wrestle Kingdom losses. Will Ospreay led his monster the Great O-Khan to a six-man tag team victory, before setting him loose on Hiroyoshi Tenzan and his longtime tag partner Satoshi Kojima. Tenzan had to be taken out on a stretcher, setting up two singles matches pitting New Japan’s third generation against its future.

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Toru Yano & Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi

8-Man Tag Team Match
Kota Ibushi & Master Wato & SHO & Tomoaki Honma vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi & SANADA & Tetsuya Naito)

Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Great O-Khan

Satoshi Kojima vs. Will Ospreay

NEVER Openweight Championship Match
Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

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The New Beginning in Hiroshima
February 10, 2021
Sun Plaza Hall, Hiroshima, Japan

The ticking time bomb of Los Ingobernables de Japon defeated Taiji Ishimori to recapture the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 15. SHO defeated Hiromu in the 2020 Best of the Super Jr. tournament. So… here we are! We also have a rematch between the new IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions and the former champions they beat at the Tokyo Dome.

6-Man Tag Team Match
Gabriel Kidd & Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

Master Wato vs. BUSHI

10-Man Tag Team Match
CHAOS (Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. Bullet Club (Dick Togo & EVIL & El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori & Yujiro Takahashi)

Kota Ibushi & Tomoaki Honma vs. SANADA & Tetsuya Naito

IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match
Guerrillas of Destiny (c) vs. Dangerous Tekkers (Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.)

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title Match
Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. SHO

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The New Beginning in Hiroshima
February 11, 2021
Sun Plaza Hall, Hiroshima, Japan

The final night of the 2021 New Beginning tour will see Kota Ibushi make his first defense of the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships. He takes on the perpetual up-and-comer SANADA, who has been on the losing end of more “must-win” situations than almost anyone save Hirooki Goto. SANADA defeated turncoat EVIL at Wrestle Kingdom 15 and made his intentions for the titles clear.

6-Man Tag Team Match
CHAOS (Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. Gabriel Kidd & Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura

6-Man Tag Team Match
Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) vs. Bullet Club (El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori & Yujiro Takahashi)

6-Man Tag Team Match
Master Wato & SHO & Tomoaki Honma vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito)

Toru Yano & Kazuchika Okada vs. Dick Togo & EVIL

6-Man Tag Team Match
Suzuki-Gun (DOUKI & Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.) vs. Bullet Club (Jado & Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa)

IWGP Double Title Match
Kota Ibushi (c) vs. SANADA

Welcome once again to another episode of STF Underground!

In this episode Dan Ryno returns to discuss:

• New Japan Pro Wrestling Wrestling Kingdom 15
• Where does the Dark Order go from here?
• Which Wednesday Night Show Had The Better Main Event?
• Who Should Get Called Up To The Main Roster in 2021?
• Is Kyle O’Reilly Championship Material?
• AND MUCH MORE!

 

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NJPW New Year Dash
January 6, 2021
Tokyo Dome City Hall

1. Yuji Nagata def. Gabriel Kidd.

2. DOUKI & Minoru Suzuki def. Tiger Mask & Yuya Uemura

3. Great O-Khan & Jeff Cobb & Will Ospreay def. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima & Yota Tsuji

— The Empire brutally attacked the babyfaces after the match. O-Khan gave Tenzan a Tombstone Piledriver and Ospreay hit Kojima with the Hidden Blade. They did an injury angle taking a motionless Tenzan out on a stretcher.

4. Bullet Club (El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori & Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) def. Suzuki-Gun (El Desperado & Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Zack Sabre Jr.)

— ELP and Ishimori attacked Despy and Kanemaru and posed with the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championships after the match, so that looks to be an upcoming title match. Still clearly some unfinished business between new IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions G.o.D. and the Dangerous Tekkers as well.

5. CHAOS (Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) def. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens & EVIL & Jay White & Yujiro Takahashi)

6. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi & SANADA & Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) def. Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato & Rocky Romero & SHO)

— The show ended with a stare down between a whole bunch of people. SANADA and Ibushi, which was the clear direction after night two, SHO and Hiromu for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight title was also teased, as was an incredibly intriguing Shingo vs. Tanahashi match for the NEVER title.