Who will be #WarReady?

World Tag League is almost over, and it will either be the Knock Out Brothers or the rivals, Gabe Kidd & Yota Tsuji, that face TMDK in the finals?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Six Man Tag: Bishamon & Tatsuya Matsumoto VS Shingo Takagi, “Drilla” Dan Moloney & Daiki Nagai; Takagi, Drilla & Daiki win.
• Boltin Oleg & Zane Jay VS Lance Archer & Alex Zayne; Archer & Zayne win.
• Six Man Tag: El Desperado, Shuji Ishikawa & Shoma Kato VS SANADA, Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru; Sanada, Narita & Kanemaru win.
• 10 Man Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura & Katsuya Murashima VS The House of Torture; The House of Torture wins.
• Six Man Tag: David Finlay, Hiromu Takahashi & Gedo VS The United Empire; The Empire wins.
• Six Man Tag: El Phantasmo, Taichi & Satoshi Kojima VS TMDK; TMDK wins.
• 2025 World Tag League Semifinals: Gabe Kidd & Yota Tsuji VS OSKAR & Yuto-Ice; Gabe & Yota win and advance to the finals.

PLAY BY PLAY

After 10 Man Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura & Katsuya Murashima VS The House of Torture…

As usual, The House of Torture cheats! Sho, still posing as “Dick Togo Jr,” uses the SPOILER CHOKER on the Young Lion, Katsuya, to drag him off of Evil. Then he feeds Katsuya to Don Fale’s GRENADE, and Evil tops it off with a SCORPION DEATHLOCK! But bullying the Young Lion isn’t enough! Sho sits Katsuya up, and Evil has one of the NEVER Six Man belts! But Toru Yano snatches it back! Evil wants mercy, but here come reinforcements! Sanada & Narita attack Yano from behind! The fans boo as the full House is here! Evil talks trash while the fans boo, and Evil again picks up the Six Man title.

Evil gets a mic to tell everyone to shut up! And he tells Yano, “Too bad, HAHAHA!” But since they wanna defend these NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag titles so badly, Evil, Sanada & Narita accept! The fans boo and tell The House to go home! Evil says to shut up, bunch of dummies. And at the Tokyo Dome, Hontai will lose these titles! Got it? Remember it! The King of Darkness wants to be the King of NEVER, but will the Cold-Blooded, Souled Out Snakes help him seal the fate of Yano, Wato & Yoh?

Six Man Tag: David Finlay, Hiromu Takahashi & Gedo VS The United Empire!

It was the other day that The War Dogs and Unaffiliated were minding their own business with their 10 Man Tag, and then Great-O-Khan, Callum Newman & Jakob Austin Young decided to attack! Reasons why aside, will the Rebel, Timebomb & Blacksmith get their revenge? Or will they be conquered by the United Empire?

Well now the Empire attacks Finlay, Hiromu & Gedo during their entrance! But they’re ready, and Hiromu CROSSBODIES Callum! Finlay ROCKS Jakob, Khan kicks Gedo but Gedo CLAWS Khan’s eyes! The fans fire up as Hiromu stomps Callum, and Finlay CLAWS Jakob’s eyes! They move towards ringside, but then end up in the crowd! Finlay HEADBUTTS Callum, and SHOVES him down into the chairs! Finlay stomps Callum, then uses a fan’s SHOE to beat him down!? Khan ROCKS Hiromu while against the railing! The ref reprimands, he wants someone in the ring. Finlay whips Callum into the wall!

The brawling continues as Callum turns things around and he sends Finlay into the wall! Hiromu BOWLS Khan into chairs! Not quite a strike, but he drags Khan up by his beard. Finlay CLAWS Callum’s face then ROCKS him with a forearm! Callum kicks back and ROCKS Finlay! But Finlay SMACKS Callum off a table! And then THROWS him over the merch tables! Finlay even CHUCKS shirts and things at Callum! And SMACKS him with a box! Finlay stands Callum up, Callum ROCKS Finlay! Khan CLOBBERS Hiromu, then CHOKES him with a chair! Then he clamps on the IRON CLAW! Khan drags Hiromu up and brings him around, but Hiromu BOWLS him into chairs!

Finlay keeps after Callum and ROCKS him with a forearm! They go to the back end of the crowd, but Finlay whips Callum into another wall! The ref continues to say get this in the ring, but Hiromu CHOKES Khan with a chair in return for earlier! Hiromu stomps Khan, Callum ROCKS Finlay, and where are Gedo and Jakob in all this? Callum has more fans clear out, Hiromu dodges Khan to kick him, and then Hiromu BOWLS Khan into more chairs! Still not a strike. Finlay BOWLS Callum into chairs, there’s the strike! Finlay CLAWS Callum’s eyes, Khan Mongolian Chops Hiromu! And Mongolian Chops again! Hiromu blocks the third, to Mongolian Chop in return!

The fans cheer, but then Khan IRON BODY BLOWS in return! Finlay and Callum still brawl, and Finlay CLOBBERS Callum with a fan’s bag! But then Callum SMOTHERS Finlay with a fan’s jacket! Callum KNEES Finlay away, then stalks him. Khan drags Hiromu through the crowd and right behind commentary! Khan SMACKS Hiromu off the desk! Finlay HEADBUTTS Callum! Callum flops onto chairs, so Finlay ELBOW DROPS onto him! Finlay rains down fists, then kicks him down. Khan drags Hiromu up and whips him hard into railing, and the front row has to watch out! Callum and Finlay brawl again, and Callum KICKS Finlay down!

Khan has a chair! He winds up and JAMS Hiromu up! The fans cheer as he takes aim, and he SMACKS Hiromu on the back! We finally see Gedo firing body shots on Jakob while Khan IRON CLAWS Hiromu again! Finlay and Callum have also made it to ringside, and Callum puts Gedo in. The bell finally rings, and Callum fires off on Gedo in the corner! Callum goes corner to corner to BOOT Gedo! Feed to Jakob for an ANARCHY PLEX! Then PENALTY KICK! Callum covers, but Callum sits Gedo up! Callum hits the EXCALIBUR STOMPS! Cover, Empire wins!

Winners: The United Empires, by pinfall

The actual match only lasted seconds rather than minutes, but even then Callum wants to beat down Gedo! He rains down forearms, he HEADBUTTS a Young Lion away, and Khan sends a chair in! Callum puts the chair around Gedo’s neck! The fans freak out, but Finlay & Hiromu get in the ring! The Empire retreats, and Callum SPITS at Finlay! Finlay demands a mic! “Hey, where they hell do you boys think you’re going, huh? Here’s the thing, Callum, I know for a fact you’ve been running your mouth, talking some s*it, that you and that homeless looking man you call a partner want a rematch against me and Hiromu!

“Well, you got my attention now. You want a rematch? You got it! We’ll see you b*tches in Kumamoto!” The fans cheer that! But will that battle end up as unruly as this one did? Or will the Savage King & Timebomb demolish the Dominator & Prince of Pace once and for all?

2025 World Tag League Semifinals: Gabe Kidd & Yota Tsuji VS OSKAR & Yuto-Ice!

The Mad Man & Gene Blaster haven’t always seen eye to eye, but they agreed to team together, and they’ve made it to the semifinals! But they didn’t come this far just to come this far, will they also make it to the finals? Or will the Knock Out Brothers knock them out?

The teams sort out and Gabe calls out Ice. Ice steps up, the bell rings, and the fans rally up already. Gabe and Yuto stare down, step up, and they shoulder bump each other. Then Gabe fires a forearm! Yuto fires back, so Gabe fires another! Yuto fires another, Gabe fires another, and the shots keep going. Gabe taunts Yuto, saying it’s “kawaii <cute>” how he’s trying. The forearms go harder and harder, faster and faster, and the fans fire up! Yuto fires a flurry, then he runs, but Gabe drops down, springs up, and CLOBBERS Yuto! Yota tags in, BLASTS Oskar, but Oskar stays up! So Yota kicks Oskar’s legs out!

The fans cheer while Oskar hobbles away. Gabe & Yota then drag Yuto up to double whip, DOUBLE SHOULDER TACKLE, and then Gabe SENTONS! Yota SPLASHES DOWN! Cover, TWO! The fans cheer and Yota smiles as he brings Yuto up. Yota cravats for the neck wrench but Yuto endures. Yota snapmares, then he clamps onto the arms and turns Yota over, CAMEL CLUTCH! Yuto endures but Oskar coaches him. Yota lets go, mocks Yuto going gangsta, but Yuto gets up in a huff. They get forehead to forehead, then Yuto ROCKS Yota with a forearm! Yuto fires shots in the corner, Red Shoes counts, and Yuto whips corner to corner.

Yuto runs in, blocks Yota’s boot, but Yota reels him in for the DOUBLE STOMP! The fans cheer, Yota tags Gabe, and then Yota DROPKICKS Oskar back down! Gabe kicks and scuffs Yuto, brings him around, and CHOPS! The fans applaud and Gabe mocks Yuto going gangsta. Gabe CHOPS Yuto, CHOPS him again then whips. Yuto reverses to KNEE low, run and BOOT Gabe down! Gabe tumbles out, Yuto follows, and Yuto goes after Yota while Oskar attacks Gabe! Then Oskar CHOKES Yota while Yuto fires shots on Gabe. Gabe fires back, they fire back and forth, and now they go into the crowd! The fans rally as the shots keep going, and Oskar whips Yota hard into railing!

Gabe storms into the crowd, Yuto follows, and fans again have to clear out! The forearms fly again as Gabe and Yuto are in the middle of the crowd! Oskar BOWLS Yota into chairs! STRIKE! Yuto BOWLS Gabe into chairs, STRIKE! The fans rally as Yuto stands Gabe up and ROCKS him with a forearm! Gabe staggers through the crowd, Yuto CHOKES him on the railing, but Red Shoes reprimands. Yuto SMACKS Gabe off the apron, then whips him into railing! Gabe slumps down but Yuto drags him up to put in the ring. Yuto swaggers around, then brings Gabe up to KICK! And KICK! And KICK in the corner again and again!

Yuto mule kicks Gabe, then goes gangtsa. “BOMBACLAT!” DOUBLE KNEES! The fans cheer, Yuto snapmares Gabe for a cocky cover, TWO! The fans cheer but Yuto kicks Gabe around. Yuto sits Gabe up, runs, but Gabe blocks a kick! Gabe spins Yuto to clinch and EXPLODER! The fans rally while both men crawl, hot tag to Yota! Yuto is in a corner, Yota runs up to SPLASH! Yota reels Yuto in, but Yuto suplexes first! Both men are down, the fans rally up, and Yuto crawls to hot tag Oskar! Oskar runs up and CLOBBERS Yota! Then he runs corner to corner to ELBOW Yota! Oskar shoves Yuto down, runs up, and misses the leg drop! Yota basement BOOTS in return!

The fans fire up and Yota encourages them to get louder. The fans rally up and Yota snapmares Oskar to then get the legs! Oskar BOOTS free, runs up, but Yota ducks ‘n’ dodges! RANA! Oskar tumbles out and the fans fire up! Yota builds speed to DIVE! Direct hit and Oskar hits railing! The fans fire up and they cheer on Yota. Yota puts Oskar in the ring, takes aim, but Oskar ROCKS him first! Oskar suplexes Yota up and in, but Yota slips free! Yota clinches, but Oskar CLUBS free! But Yota BODY SHOTS! Yota fires up, but Oskar reels him in! Oskar SLAMS Yota, then drops the leg, brother! Cover, TWO! Yota survives and the fans fire up!

Oskar hurries to tag Yuto in, and Yuto hurries to BLAST Gabe down! Oskar whips Yota, scoops him, and BACKBREAKER KNEE COMBO! Cover, Gabe breaks it! The fans cheer, but Oskar stomps and TOSSES Gabe out! Oskar drags Yota up, but Yota BOOTS Yuto! Yota fires elbows on Oskar, but Oskar CLUBS him on the back! Yuto returns, and they lift Yota up, but Yota RANA SNAPMARE COMBOS! Yota then scoops Yuto to BACKBREAKER! The fans rally up while both men are down again! Gabe storms in and stands Yuto up to whip to the corner. Gabe LARIATS, then feeds to Yota’s BOOT! Gabe SAIDO! Yota covers, TWO!

The fans bark with Gabe, he and Yota coordinate and they stand Yuto up. But Oskar kicks Gabe! Yota kicks Oskar! Yota runs but Oskar scoops for a SLAM! But Gabe LARIATS Oskar down! Yuto DECKS Gabe, but also falls over! All four men are down and the fans fire up! Gabe and Oskar slump out of the ring while Yota and Yuto go to opposite ends. They both drag themselves up with the ropes, and they both turn around to stare down. Yota and Yuto step up, and Yota fires a forearm! Yuto snarls and fires back! Yota shakes it off to fire another forearm! Yuto fires back! The fans rally, and Yota grins before he fires a flurry! Yuto ROCKS Yota back!

Yota still smiles, even as he sways! Yota stands up tall, Yuto laughs, and says okay then! But Yota catches him to the BACKBREAKER! FLATLINER! CURB- NO, Yuto avoids the stomp! And the Gene Trigger! But Yota blocks a kick to ROCK Yuto, HEADBUTT him, and roar, only for Yuto to ROUNDHOUSE him down! Both men fall and the fans fire up again! Yuto and Yota crawl, hot tags to Gabe and Oskar! Gabe avoids the boot and waistlocks, but Oskar fights with elbows. Gabe CHOPS Oskar on the back! Oskar snarls, swings, but Gabe ducks to CHOP, CHOP, CHOP! Gabe CHOPS away in the corner and the fans fire up!

Oskar SHOVES Gabe away, but Gabe comes back! Oskar dodges to CHOP! Gabe sputters against the ropes as we hit 15 minute, and the fans rally up. Oskar stands Gabe up to CHOP again! Oskar then DOUBLE CHOPS Gabe on the back! Gabe sits down and the fans rally more. Oskar drags Gabe up but Gabe fires forearm after forearm! Oskar still whips Gabe hard to the corner, and BOOTS him down! Cover, TWO! Gabe survives and the fans fire up! Gabe sputters and Oskar looms over him. Oskar drags Gabe up and clamps on with both hands! NECK HANGING- NO, Gabe fights free with a flurry of fists!

Gabe HEADBUTTS Oskar, HEADBUTTS again, then ducks a lariat to HEADBUTT again! Gabe brings down the kneepad, O-KNEE!! Cover, TWO!! Oskar survives and the fans fire up again! Gabe barks, the fans join in, and Gabe brings Oskar up. Gabe reels Oskar in, but Yuto BOOTS him! Gabe pushes Oskar aside so he and Yuto can get forehead to forehead. Yuto SLAPS, Gabe SLAPS back! Yuto SPITS at Gabe, then eggs Gabe on! Gabe SLAPS, Yuto SLAPS again, and the SLAP fight is on! The fans fire up as the SLAPS go faster and faster, from all sides, and Gabe gets the edge! Gabe SPITS on Yuto, then swings, but Yuto cross counters!

Yuto SMACKS Gabe down, but Gabe rolls to his feet and he ROCKS Yuto! Yuto DECKS Gabe with AMBITION! But Yota gets in! GENE TRIGGER! SUPERKICK! Yota then locks ‘n’ loads, runs up and- NIGHTMARE SLEEPER from Oskar! And SLEEPER BUSTER! Then ICE HIGH!! Oskar drags Gabe up now, he and Yuto coordinate, DOUBLE POWERBOMB!! Cover, TWO!?! Gabe survives and the fans are thunderous! Yuto and Oskar vow to finish this! Yuto sends Gabe to Oskar for the scoop, but Gabe slips free! Gabe SHOVES Oskar into Yuto, then SMACKS Oskar! Oskar grabs Gabe, Gabe slips free, and “IKU ZO!” GERMAN SUPLEX!!

The fans are thunderous and Gabe fires up! COMEBACK- NO, Oskar gut wrenches! But GENE BLASTER hits Ice!! Gabe is free, he ROCKS Oskar, then STUFF PILEDRIVERS!! Cover, TWO!! Oskar survives and the fans are thunderous again! Gabe calls to Yota, Yota stands Oskar up! Gabe runs up, DOUBLE KNEE SANDWICH!! But they’re not done! WAR- NO, Oskar is still down! We pass 20 minutes as Gabe SLAPS Oskar! Gabe runs, and WAR- NO, Oskar guzels them first! But Yota & Gabe break free! SMACK! GENE TRIGGER! DOUBLE HEADBUTTS! Oskar roars, runs up, but they dodge! WAR BLASTER!!!! Cover, GABE & YOTA WIN!!!

Winner: Gabe Kidd & Yota Tsuji, by pinfall (advance to the finals)

Divided they fall, but united they stand! Gabe & Yota stayed on the same page, and they overcame the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions! Yuto & Oskar got this far in their first World Tag League, will they only become more powerful as time goes by?

As for the rivals, Gabe stares down Oiwa on commentary, but Zack Sabre Jr. struts his way back out here. With that, Oiwa hops off commentary to step into the ring with Gabe & Yota. They stare down, Gabe in Oiwa’s face while Yota and ZSJ give each other room. Gabe then gets in ZSJ’s face, too, talking trash. The fans applaud, and TMDK backs down for now. Yota takes the mic first, and he tells Gabe, “I said all along, if we are able to combine our efforts, nothing can stop us. Let’s go, one more time!” The fans applaud that, and Gabe takes his turn. “The talking’s done. You’ve seen who the finals are: Gabe & Tsuji, Oiwa & Zack.”

Gabe then adds in Japanese, “OI, TSUJI! World Tag League 2025, ARE YOU READY!?” The fans fire up as Gabe throws down the mic and Gabe shakes hands with Yota. They are War Ready, but can they make The Mighty kneel?

My Thoughts:

Another very good night for World Tag League, but again, not sure why they didn’t just do both semifinals on the same day. Now obviously in those filler matches, those were actually used to book some things down the line, such as the House of Torture wanting those NEVER Six Man titles. Evil, Sanada & Narita is certainly a combination that even without cheating could take the titles from Yano, Yoh & Wato, but they’re definitely gonna cheat as much as they can to take those titles. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn’t, but it’ll be a good match.

The Empire brawling all over the place with Finlay and Hiromu was really good stuff, but I didn’t think what goes on record as “the match” would be so quick. Finlay & Hiromu VS Callum & Khan for Sunday will be great stuff, and could go either way depending on tag title plans in the New Year. It also depends on if the War Dogs & Unaffiliated stick together, what with Finlay’s contract up that first week of January and perhaps needing to renegotiate. Would be really weird if Finlay goes the way of Jay White and is “kicked out” of Bullet Club for a new leader, and then he ends up in either AEW or WWE here in the states.

And of course, great main event, and I’m a touch surprised it is Gabe & Yota going to the finals. I suppose it would be too much if Oskar & Yuto went right to the finals in their first try, cuz then it’d be like they go downhill from there. They still have something to strive for as a young team, even while they’re still the champions. Though with this, I’ve been saying Yota has to focus on Konosuke Takeshita for WrestleKingdom, so maybe he and Gabe lose in the finals. I would hope it is a straight up awesome match where both teams are firing on all cylinders. It is more a WWE move if Gabe and Yota suddenly disagree again and that’s why they lose, NJPW is more for fighting spirit, so that’s how they should do this.

My Score: 8.8/10