NJPW “Super Jr. Tag League 2023” results (11/4): Vetter’s review of Will Ospreay vs. Shota Umino for the IWGP US/UK Title, Hiromu Takahashi vs. Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Jr. Hvt. Title, tag tournament final – Pro Wrestling Dot Net

By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)

New Japan Pro Wrestling “Super Jr. Tag League 2023”
November 4, 2023 in Osaka, Japan at Edion Arena Osaka
Streamed live on New Japan World

The venue is a small arena and it appears the crowd is maybe 3,500-5,000. Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided commentary. This show features the finals of the Super Junior Tag League; nine of the 10 teams involved in the tournament are on the show (sorry Douki and Taka Mchinoku, who were left off.)

1. Ryusuke Taguchi and The DKC and Boltin Oleg defeated Yoshiki Kato and Mochizuki Jr. and Strong Machine Jr. at 6:39. The Dragon Gate trio are all new to me. Strong Machine wore a Bushi-style mask, and he opened against the massive Oleg. Kato entered at 2:30; Charlton said Kato has been wrestling just under a year and he has a Texas Longhorn logo on his trunks. DKC and Taguchi worked over Strong Machine Jr. SMJ hit a powerslam. Mochizuki Jr. entered at 4:30; he has bright blond hair, and he nailed a Mafia Kick on DKC. Taguchi hit a top-rope flying buttbump on Mochizuki Jr. Mochikzuki Jr. fired back with a German Suplex on Taguchi. Taguchi applied an anklelock, and Mochizuki Jr. tapped out. A fine showcase match.

2. “United Empire” Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman defeated Yuto Nakashima and Oskar Leube at 4:42. Callum and Yuto opened. Cobb hit a standing moonsault on Yuto. Charlton said the dojo is “as crowded as it’s ever been in our 51-year history.” Yuto hit a bodyslam on Cobb at 2:00. Leube dropped Cobb with a shoulder tackle. Cobb hit a double Olympic Slam at 4:00, popping the crowd. Cobb teased doing a dive but pulled up. Funny. Newman flipped over the top rope but he barely grazed either man. Cobb hit the Tour of the Islands swinging powerslam to pin Leube. Fun and the right length.

3. Master Wato and El Desperado defeated “Bullet Club War Dogs” Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors and Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita and Yoh and Musashi in a four-way tag at 5:42. No tags, so all eight men fought in the ring. Eagles got a rollup on Moloney, the same way he pinned him in under four minutes a couple days ago. BCWD hit a team suplex on Wato for a nearfall at 2:30. Yoh and Musashi hit stereo Falcon Arrows. Wato hit a flip dive onto four guys on the floor at 4:30. Desperado hit a back suplex on Musashi in the ring but several people made the save. Eagles applied the Ron Miller Special leglock on Musashi. However, Desperado got a rollup on Fujita out of nowhere for the pin. Fun but shockingly short. Desperado still clearly isn’t “all in” on this pairing with Wato.

4. Tama Tonga, Kevin Knight, and Kushida defeated “Los Ingobernobles de Japon” Shingo Takagi, Bushi, and Titan at 10:54. Knight and Titan opened with some fast lucha reversals. Kushida entered and he tied up Titan on the mat and worked the left arm. Titan dove onto Kushida on the floor at 3:30. Shingo entered and worked over Kushida. Kushida hit a Flatliner into the middle turnbuckle, and he tagged in Tama at 6:00. Tama hit a series of blows on Shingo and the commentators talked about their match a week earlier in Las Vegas, where Shingo won the NEVER Openweight title, and they traded forearm blows. They each hit an Exploder Suplex.

Bushi entered and hit a double huracanrana, then he dove to the floor on Tama at 9:00. In the ring, Tama nailed the Tongan Twist faceplant on Shingo. Knight hit his pretty dropkick on Titan. Knight hit his springboard dive onto LIJ, going quite a distance from the ring. In the ring, Tama dropped Bushi with a hard clothesline. Stewart said Tama wants a rematch for his title. Tama nailed the Gun Stun stunner on Bushi for the pin. Tama picked up the belt and handed it back to Shingo, asking for another match.

* Robbie Eagles joined commentary.

5. “Los Ingobernobles de Japon” Tetsuya Naito and Yota Tsuji defeated “Just 5 Guys” Sanada and Yuya Uemura at 11:10. Walker noted that because of recent time-limit draws, this match has been extended to a 30-minute time limit. Eagles raved about when Tsuji and Uemura left on excursion and how far they’ve come in a short period of time. Yota and Yuya opened with an intense lockup, and Uemura grounded Tsuji. Sanada entered at 2:30 and stomped on Tsuji. On the floor, Naito whipped Yuya into the guardrail. Naito entered the ring and hit a basement dropkick on Sanada, and LIJ worked over Sanada in their corner. Naito hit a huracanrana for a nearfall at 5:00.

Sanada placed Naito’s feet on the top rope and hit the Magic Screw swinging neckbreaker, and they were both down. Yuya entered and again faced Tsuji. Yuya hit a bulldog for a nearfall. Tsuji hit a modified Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 8:30; Eagles called a variaton of an Orange Crush. Yuya hit a German Suplex, then a second one, for a nearfall. Yuya hit a top-rope crossbody block at 10:30 on Tsuji. Tsuji nailed a spear out of nowhere on Yuya for the pin. Good match, and much better than some of the 20-minute draws of late.

6. David Finlay (w/Gedo) defeated Tanga Loa (w/Jado) at 13:05. Finlay attacked as Loa was trying to get into the ring, and they immediately brawled on the floor. Loa whipped Finlay into the guardrails. In the ring, Loa hit his jab strikes to the throat and chest. They brawled right back to the floor, and Finlay buried Loa under guardrails. Loa dove back into the ring at 5:00 before being counted out. Finlay hit a DDT for a nearfall and he was fully in control. Eagles pointed out that Loa was clutching at his damaged knee. They brawled back to the floor, with Loa whipping Finlay into the guardrail at 8:00.

In the ring, Loa hit a 619 and a top-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall at 9:30. They traded forearm strikes, and Loa hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Finlay nailed a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. Loa hit a swinging Boss Man Slam for a nearfall at 12:30. Finlay nailed Loa over the head with the shillelagh while the ref was out of position. Finlay nailed the Oblivion neckbreaker over his knee for the pin. Good brawl.

7. Jon Moxley vs. Great-O-Khan ended in a double count-out at 1:20. O-Khan snuck up behind Moxley and flipped him to the floor, and they immediately brawled at ringside. They brawled far from ringside as the ref was counting them out. The ref counted to 20, and we have a double count-out at 1:20. The crowd chanted, “let them fight!” Moxley got on the mic and said, “I’m not leaving Japan without a piece of your ass!” He challenged him to a falls-count-anywhere in Osaka match. O-Khan tossed a chair at Moxley, which apparently means accepting the offer. (I have cleared and restarted my stopwatch.)

7b. Jon Moxley defeated Great-O-Khan in a falls count anywhere match at 15:03. They brawled by a wall, far from ringside. GOK put Moxley on a cart and slammed it into rows of chairs at 2:00. “It’s a day ending in ‘Y’, Jon Moxley is bleeding,” Charlton said. O-Khan tossed guardrails onto Moxley and got a nearfall. Moxley tossed O-Khan into the rows of empty chairs as fans are scurrying around and giving them room to work. They got onto the entrance ramp at 5:00, and O-Khan hit a double-arm suplex on Moxley for a nearfall, and he applied his modified Anaconda Vice on the ramp.

Moxley shoved O-Khan off the ramp, with GOK landing on Yuto Nakashima on the floor; Charlton said Yuto might have just saved GOK’s life. Moxley pulled out a pair of scissors! Eagles wondered if Moxley would cut off O-Khan’s ponytail! Sure enough, Moxley cut the ponytail at 7:30!!! The crowd went nuts for this. O-Khan applied a Triangle Choke on the mat, but Moxley escaped and applied a Figure Four Leglock. Charlton laughed at them actually doing wrestling holds all of a sudden after all the brawling. O-Khan applied a crossarm breaker.

They switched to trading kicks and Moxley hit his elbow strikes to the side of the head for a nearfall at 10:30. They hit double clotheslines. O-Khan leapt off a chair and nailed a Superman Punch for a believable nearfall. O-Khan scooped him up and hit a modified Tombstone Piledriver for a nearfall at 12:30. They brawled up the staircase, and O-Khan tossed a chair at Moxley’s back. Moxley kicked O-Khan, who tumbled down the stairs to the bottom at 14:00. Moxley nailed the Death Rider double-arm DDT, and he applied a rear-naked choke on the floor, and the ref called for the bell; I didn’t see O-Khan tap out.

8. Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr. and Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls at 16:20. Ishii and Sabre opened with standing switches. Tanahashi and Nicholls entered at 2:00 and traded standing reversals. Haste hit Tanahashi from behind and he slammed Hiroshi onto the ring apron. TMDK began working over Tanahashi. Hiroshi hit a second-rope crossbody block on Sabre at 5:30. Haste and Nicholls accidentally clotheslined each other. Okada made the hot tag to enter for the first time, and he hit some bodyslams, then a DDT on Haste, then a plancha on Nicholls at 7:00.

In the ring, Okada hit a neckbreaker over his knee on Haste, and he applied the Money Clip sleeper hold. Haste hit a suplex, dropping Okada stomach-first to the mat. Nicholls hit a sliding clothesline on Tanahashi. Okada hit a double DDT at 9:00. Ishii and Sabre both tagged back in. Sabre hit a snap German Suplex. Ishii hit a hard clothesline. Sabre got an O’Connor Roll for a nearfall and some more creative rollups for nearfalls. They got up and traded slaps, and Ishii hit an enzuigiri, and they were both down at 11:30. Tanahashi re-entered and hit Dragonscrew Legwhips on each opponent, and he was fired up.

Tanahashi tied Sabre in a mid-ring Octopus. Okada hit a flapjack on Nicholls. Sabre got a backslide on Tanahashi for a believable nearfall, and he tied Hiroshi up on the mat, but Ishii made the save. Okada hit a dropkick on Haste. Tanahashi hit a Sling Blade on Nicholls. The champs slammed Sabre stomach-first for a nearfall at 14:30. Tanahashi went for High Fly Flow, but Sabre moved. Nicholls and Haste hit their team DDT. Sabre hit a running penalty kick on Tanahashi for a believable nearfall at 16:00. He picked up Tanahashi, but Hiroshi somehow got an inside cradle to pin Sabre out of nowhere.

9. “Catch 2/2” TJP and Francesco Akira defeated “House of Torture” Sho and Yoshinobu Kanemaru to win the Super Junior Tag League at 18:41. Sho and Kanemaru came down first; as C22 walked to ringside, EVIL, Dick Togo and Yujiro Takahashi attacked from behind on the floor. The commentators said the rest of United Empire is getting medical help and aren’t available to even the odds. The ref stopped C22 from diving to the floor, so Akira leapt over the ref and onto the HoT. The bell sounded at about 2:00 even. TJP got whipped into a guardrail, and TJP clutched at his sore, damaged neck that he’s been selling all tournament. Kanemaru hit a DDT onto the exposed floor! The ref nearly counted to 20, so Akira tossed TJP into the ring to avoid the countout. Nice.

Kanemaru immediately focused on TJP’s damaged neck. Sho applied a modified Triangle Choke at 8:30. Akira made the hot tag and hit a basement DDT as Kanemaru was tied in the Tree of Woe. Akira hit an Asai Moonsault onto both heels at 10:30. He hit a top-rope crossbody block onto Sho for a nearfall, then a German Suplex for a nearfall. Sho nailed the Shock Arrow cross-arm piledriver on TJP. Kanemaru hit a second-rope superplex and a lungblower on Akira, and he applied a deep Boston Crab, and he switched to a leglock. TJP hit a Mamba Splash frogsplash on Kanemaru at 14:00.

Kanemaru pushed TJP into the ref, knocking the ref down. The rest of the HoT ran back to ringside and were loudly booed, as they hopped in the ring and stomped on C22. Suddenly, Callum Newman and Jeff Cobb hit the ring at 16:00 and attacked EVIL, etc. Cobb threw Togo into Boltin Oleg’s arms and he ordered Oleg to carry him to the back. Cobb put EVIL on his shoulders and took him to the back, too. Kanemaru got his bottle of whiskey, but Akira hit a superkick and it sprayed alcohol everywhere. TJP sprayed alcohol in Kanemaru’s eyes and got a nearfall. TJP hit a tornado DDT. TJP and Akira hit running double knees to Kanemaru’s jaw for the pin. Good brawl but I never once thought HoT was winning here. Again, official time is likely 16:40. TJP and Akira were handed their cool trophies.

10. Hiromu Takahashi defeated Taiji Ishimori to retain the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title at 20:41. They immediately traded rollups. On the floor, Ishimori targeted the left shoulder. He got back into the ring and removed some corner pads. They got in the ring with Hiromu selling the shoulder injury. Ishimori hit a huracanrana at 5:00. Takahashi hit a shotgun dropkick from the ring apron to the floor, sending, Ishimori into the guardrail. In the ring, Hiromu hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Ishimori hit a shoulder breaker over his knee at 8:30 and remained in charge. Hiromu hit a rolling elbow. They traded German Suplexes, then hit double clotheslines and were both down at 10:00.

Ishimori set up for a Styles Clash but Hiromu escaped and hit a Dynamite Plunger sideslam. Ishimori hit a Lungblower move to the chest at 13:00. Ishimori applied the Bone Lock/modified crossface on the mat. Hiromu nailed the Time Bomb sideslam for a nearfall at 15:00. Ishimori hit a low blow kick with the ref out of position, then a Gedo Clutch for a believable nearfall at 16:30, and they were both down. Hiromu fired back with a decapitating clothesline. Taiji went back to the Bone Lock on the mat and Hiromu flailed on the mat and eventually reached the ropes at 19:30.  Hiromu hit a superkick; Ishimori hit a jumping knee to the chin. Hiromu rolled him up, leaned back for leverage, and scored the pin! That was really good and I didn’t sense we were about to wrap up. Walker said it was his seventh successful defense.

11. Will Ospreay defeats Shota Umino to retain the IWGP U.S. (UK) Title at 40:16. Charlton immediately pointed out that “Red Shoes” (Shota’s father) is the referee, and he wondered if he would call the bell early to protect his son. Walker said Ospreay is 3-0 lifetime in their matchups. Standing switches to open. Shota went for an STF but Ospreay immediately scrambled to the ropes at 4:00. Ospreay hit a huracanrana, then a plancha to the floor. He whipped Umino into the guardrail. He set up one of those unbreakable Japanese tables at ringside. Shota hit a back bodydrop onto the thin mat on the floor.

In the ring, Ospreay hit a Mafia Kick at 7:00 and some chops, then a backbreaker over his knee for a one-count. Ospreay applied a double armbar and leaned back on the arms. Umino fired back with a flying forearm at 9:30. Shota hit his Moxley-style elbowstrikes to the side of the head. Ospreay fired back with a handspring-back-spin kick, then a springboard flying forearm for a nearfall at 11:30. Eagles is great on commentary, really putting over Ospreay’s offense. Ospreay trapped Umino’s head in the corner and hit some kicks to the face, then he spit in his face! Umino was bleeding from the nose, so one of those kicks legit caught him. Umino hit a forearm strike that dropped Ospreay at 13:30.

Umino stomped on Ospreay in the ropes, and the ref had to pull him off Ospreay. Umino nailed a DDT onto the ring apron. (We saw a replay of this one, and it looks vicious.) They brawled on the floor, with Umino whipping Ospreay into the guardrails. He hit a shotgun dropkick that sent Ospreay flying over the guardrail and into the front row at 15:30. Shota whipped Ospreay into rows of empty red chairs at ringside. Umino slammed Ospreay’s head onto a table at 17:00, then he whipped the table at Ospreay’s head. Umino put that table side-by-side with the one he set up earlier in the match. He set up for a Death Rider on the ring apron, but Ospreay blocked it.

In the ring, Ospreay hit a top-rope flying forearm to the back of the neck at 18:30. Ospreay went for a running Shooting Star Press, but Umino got his knees up. Umino went for a dropkick but Ospreay caught him and hit a powerbomb. Awesome sequence. Ospreay went for the Oscutter but Umino caught him with a dropkick, and they were both down at 20:00. Umino hit a running neckbreaker and a slingshot stunner. Shota hit an Exploder Suplex, then he hit his own second-rope Oscutter for a nearfall at 21:30. Ospreay hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly and they were both down. Ospreay hit a Helluva Kick, then the Leap of Faith top-rope corkscrew press for a nearfall at 23:00.

They again fought on the ring apron, where Ospreay hit a Tiger Driver off the apron and through the two tables (which did break!), and they were both down on the floor at 24:30. Charlton said the rumors about Japanese tables are true and they are solid as a rock. Umino got into the ring before the 20-count, but Ospreay immediately hit a basement dropkick and an Oscutter for a nearfall. However, Shota ducked the Hidden Blade to the back. Ospreay hit a Hidden Blade to the jaw for a believable nearfall at 26:30. Umino got to his feet and they traded forearm strikes, but Umino’s were weaker.

Ospreay hit a half nelson suplex and a superkick. Shota swung wildly and collapsed. Ospreay caught him with the Hook Kick to the mouth and a Buzzsaw Kick and Shota looked dazed. Ospreay hit repeated forearms to the back of the head, then to the face. Jon Moxley suddenly appeared at ringside and he urged Moxley to get up. “Don’t f—en quit!” he shouted. Ospreay hit another Hook Kick. Shota nailed a clothesline right at 30:00, and he applied the STF, but Ospreay reached the ropes. Shota hit a twisting neckbreaker. Ospreay got him up for the Stormbreaker but Shota avoided it and Shota hit a faceplant for a nearfall at 32:00.

Umino hit a DDT and a swinging DDT for a nearfall. Umino nailed a top-rope Death Rider for a believable nearfall at 34:30. Shota hit his own Hidden Blade and another Death Rider, and they were both down at 36:30. They traded headbutts. They got up and traded forearm strikes while holding onto each other’s wrist. Umino hit a pop-up European Uppercut. Shota hit a Shotgun Dropkick. Ospreay hit a Hidden Blade, then his vertical Tiger Driver for a believable nearfall 40:00. Ospreay nailed the Hidden Blade to the back of the head, then the Stormbreaker for the pin. A superb match.

* Moxley got in the ring and confronted Ospreay. However, David Finlay jumped in the ring and attacked both men with his shillelagh! Finlay stood over Ospreay and said they have unfinished business. He got a giant mallet/sledgehammer and destroyed both the U.S. and UK titles, then left the ring, with Ospreay and Moxley still down.

Final Thoughts: Another superb Ospreay match. Again, I’ll leave it up to others to assign it a ‘star rating,’ but I won’t be surprised if it gets very high marks. I’ll go with Okada’s six-man tag for second best, ahead of Hiromu-Ishimori. A very good show wrapping up some storylines and moving forward with new ones. Bravo.