New Japan Pro-Wrestling continued the build to The New Beginning in Nagoya on Saturday with one of the more eventful Road To shows in recent memory.
Hiroyoshi Tenzan returned to action for the first time since New Year Dash, where a post-match attack from The Empire saw him leave the arena on a stretcher. Tenzan reunited with longtime partner Satoshi Kojima but was unable to score a tag team win over his attacks. He faces Great O-Khan on January 30 in Nagoya.
2020 Super J-Cup winner El Phantasmo and his Bullet Club partner Taiji Ishimori recaptured the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships in the main event.
El Desperado and Kanemaru won the titles last September at the end of a tournament. Prior to that, the belts were left vacant when YOH of Roppongi 3K, one half of the champions at the time, suffered a torn ACL.
NJPW Road to the New Beginning Results
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Ota City Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan
— DOUKI & Minoru Suzuki def. Gedo & Jado
— 6-Man Tag Team Match: CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) def. Bullet Club (Dick Togo & EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi)
— Great O-Khan & Will Ospreay def. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima
— 10-Man Elimination Tag Team Match: Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato & SHO & Tomoaki Honma def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi & SANADA & Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito)
— IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match: El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori def. El Desperado (c) & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) | NEW CHAMPIONS!