New Japan Soul live results: Gabe Kidd vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi title match
NJPW’s New Japan Soul tour continues today with two title bouts, plus two G1 Climax 35 play-in matches.
In the main event, Gabe Kidd defends the IWGP Global Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi as the countdown to Tana’s January 2026 retirement continues with perhaps his last chance to capture singles gold.
The NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles are on the line in the semi-main event with Ren Narita, SHO, and Yujiro Takahashi of House of Torture defending against Toru Yano, YOH, and Master Wato.
In a G1 play-in bout for B Block, YOSHI-HASHI will take on Chase Owens. In the A Block play-in, Satoshi Kojima faces Ryohei Oiwa.
El Desperado, Boltin Oleg, and Yuya Uemura take on Zack Sabre Jr., Kosei Fujita, and Hartley Jackson in a six-man tag. Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi, and Yota Tsuji face Great-O-Khan, Callum Newman, and Jakob Austin Young in another trios bout.
The main card kicks off at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time with a 10-man tag — Taichi, Shota Umino, Tomohiro Ishii, Yuji Nagata, and Tiger Mask vs. EVIL, SANADA, DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Dick Togo.
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Pre-show
Zane Jay versus Tatsuya Matsumoto ended in a Time-Limit Draw
Matsumoto controlled much of the match with his grappling expertise; he mostly worked Jay’s leg throughout. Jay gained reprieve after catching Matumoto’s leg. He continued this comeback with a dropkick and followed with a Boston Crab. Time ran out for both men during this hold, leaving there no winner.
A nice opener that told a story of Jay appearing a little in over his head in his Japanese excursion. Fighting from underneath, clawing out of the ground that was Matsumoto, he proved to have great selling. Matsumoto has potential, and he drove the early goings compellingly like an accomplished and prodigal student.
Daiki Nagai & Katsuya Murashima defeated Masatora Yasuda & Shoma Kato
Nagai disposed of Yasuda on the outside while Murashima chipped away at Kato. Yasuda fired back, with a dropkick punctuated by a Boston Crab. A flying forearm returned Yasuda to the mat while Murashima sought Nagai’s help. Nagai wore down Yasuda as Kato regained his bearings. Murashima returned, coordinating a comeback with Nagai which resulted in the latter landing a Spinebuster. Kato tapped to Nagai’s Boston Crab.
Nagai and Murashima have top star potential. In the past several months, they’ve grown as Young Lions. Once they have everything needed as a wrestler and performer, they’ll fit the molds of what I’d look forward to in a pro wrestling act. Don’t get me wrong, Yasuda and Kato have a lot of promise as well and they’ll work to it. It’s just more apparent right now with the winning team.
Main show
Shota Umino, Taichi, Tiger Mask, Tomohiro Ishii & Yuji Nagata defeated House Of Torture (Dick Togo, DOUKI, EVIL, SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
House of Torture spared no time in attacking their opponents the second they crossed the black ropes into the ring. Ishii fired back with a vertical suplex on EVIL, with Taichi softening DOUKI for Tiger Mask. Kanemaru and Togo nearly removed the mask off of the veteran Tiger Mask. EVIL drove him into the barricade.
Nagata swung the match in his team’s favor, quickly dispatching much of House of Torture with kicks and suplexes. Togo removed a turnbuckle pad while EVIL Irish whipped Nagata to its very corner. House of Torture broke an STF hold Umino held on Togo, suffering a train of charging bodies in the corner as punishment. Backed by a watchful Taichi and Ishii, Umino tapped Togo out with one more STF.
The best House of Torture matches are ones where they get their comeuppance and this one didn’t overstay its welcome. Umino was surprisingly a highlight of the match, yet there’s still not much to his identity aside from being a wholesome babyface (exemplified by his holding of a child in the crowd). Decent opener to start the show, has its strengths, but nothing to write home about.
Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji defeated United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan & Jakob Austin Young)
Actor and voice actor Mafia Kajita accompanied Khan to the ring; he’s starred in media such as Shin Godzilla and Netflix’s live-action City Hunter adaptation.
Newman started off strong against the evenly matched Tsuji, to the point Takahashi was called to favor his team. Young chipped away at Takahashi, giving Khan an opening with Kajita’s hammer fist prop. Takagi tenderized Khan, and cleared the intrusive pair of Newman and Young. Takagi, worn by the tandem offense of the pair, returned fire with a pop-up DDT to Young, followed by a Pumping Bomber and a Made in Japan for the win.
It’s heartwarming to see the LIJ alum sticking together. Young and Newman were very solid, and Khan was great as always.
El Desperado, Oleg Boltin & Yuya Uemura vs. TMDK (Hartley Jackson, Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr.)
Desperado swiftly overwhelmed Fujita, leading to TMDK to charge the scene. Boltin, unfazed by the technical prowess of Sabre, thundered over him with his might. flinging the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion from his back with a toss. Sabre swung a comeback with a Penalty Kick. Jackson matched Boltin’s strength, seesawing a suplex that narrowly teetered in Boltin’s favor.
Uemura, though dynamic and explosive, struggled against Jackson. This gave TMDK the edge it needed, with Jackson surmounting an invading Boltin and pummeling Uemura. The beastly Jackson got the better of Uemura, tackling him. A flash of an opening saw Uemura sneak a win over Jackson with a surprise hurricanrana.
Post-match: Fujita showed off his BOSJ trophy to the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Desperado. Meanwhile, Uemura and Boltin got in Sabre’s face, talking smack. Jackson simply lay in a corner.
Boltin, Uemura, and Jackson were the stars of this match. This match was simply a good time.
Ryohei Oiwa defeated Satoshi Kojima in a G1 Climax Play-In Match for Block A
Kojima ruled in the early half, but immediately saw himself flipped to the mat. Oiwa continued his revenge by twisting the veteran on the barricade. Though classically trained to always target a man’s left arm, Oiwa focused his sights on Kojima’s weak right. Kojima struck back with an elbow drop, resulting in a DDT.
Senton by Oiwa gives the TMDK member an edge, but doesn’t get the pin. Resorting to work Kojima’s arm, Oiwa instead ate a lariat. Doctor Bomb dazed Kojima, but once more suffered a lariat. Matching this, Oiwa countered Kojima with The Grip, earning his spot in Block A.
A small passing of the torch moment for Oiwa. This match had beef and it delivered. Congratulations to Oiwa! A must-watch ahead of the G1.
YOSHI-HASHI defeated Chase Owens in a G1 Climax Play-In Match for Block B
Referee Marty Asami removed the spurs off Owens’s cowboy gear. As he did so, YOSHI-HASHI charged at him, dragging him to the outside. Owens tried a brief assault towards the barricade, but YOSHI-HASHI met him at every turn. Calling back to the infamous Jake Roberts/Ricky Steamboat spot, Owens slammed YOSHI-HASHI’s throat on the barricade.
YOSHI-HASHI lay crumpled after a bump to the turnbuckle and a slam to the mat. He countered Owens’s High Noon with a suplex. Owens finally landed a High Noon. YOSHI-HASHI reversed a piledriver into a Sunset Flip. A mad frenzy by YOSHI-HASHI drove Owens down with a lariat and a Karma to finish the match.
If you’re looking to see how a wrestler will fare heading into the G1, this may be for you, but otherwise nothing too thrilling. YOSHI-HASHI will make for an exciting entrant, however.
Master Wato, Toru Yano & YOH defeated House Of Torture (Ren Narita, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi) (c) for the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship
Within a minute of Yano’s music hitting, House of Torture came out to brutalize them. Undeterred, YOH struck back on the bullying SHO with quick-paced maneuveres. Yano and Wato provided backup against the House of Torture. Narita sent YOH through the chairs in the crowd and pressed him into the barricade. A Brainbuster and armbar furthere weakened YOH thanks to Narita, but Takahashi and SHO further stretched his now hurt arm on the turnbuckle.
Miraculously, YOH sprung back, sending Takahashi and Narita to the outside before dispatching SHO. Vendeval by Wato disposed of SHO. DOUKI interfered, stacking the odds against the opposite team. Yano had Takahashi ready for a slam, but Yoshinobu Kanemaru halted it. YOH put a bag over Takahashi’s head, giving Yano ample opportunity to roll him up for the pinfall—which he did. YOH, Toru Yano, and Master Wato are the new NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions.
House of Torture’s antics supplanted by Toru Yano-type shenanigans somehow cancel out my usual distaste. This comedic flavoring made the match a surprisingly fun watch. A lot of attention was given to YOH and SHO here.
Main Event
Gabe Kidd (c) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
Grappling started this ultimate bout, which Kidd gained the early advantage on as he held Tanahashi in submission. The Ace almost transitioned it into a Texas Cloverleaf, but Kidd crawled to the ropes for the save. On the mat, the pair met a stalemate, with Kidd using his weight on the challenger for the upper hand. Backdrop Suplex helped him all the more.
Kidd maintained his dominance, eventually crashing Tanahashi into the barricade—he mocked the veteran with the classic air guitar pose. A series of headbutts inflicted damage to Tanahashi’s skull. Kidd held his opponent in a neck hold, imploring him to give up so he could carry the compnay when he’s gone; Tanahashi snuck his leg to the rope to break the hold.
An irate Tanahashi came back with a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Kidd hoped to drop the Ace to the outside with a vertical suplex, but instead incurred the wrath of a High Fly Flow. On the barricade, Tanahashi tweaked Kidd’s leg with another Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Kidd responded with a Brainbuster and stole Tanahashi’s Slingblade and High Fly Flow, the latter of which missed. Basement Dropkick and a grounded Dragon Screw Leg Whip granted him control again. Tanahashi landed a Straightjacket Suplex and followed with a High Fly Flow; attempting another one, he met Kidd’s same fate earlier with the failed attempt.
Two knees and a Powerdriver by Kidd couldn’t quell Tanahashi’s spirit. Enduring slap after slap, the veteran raged on with a German Suplex. The crowd was loud for this. He failed another High Fly Flow. Kidd evaded this and ended the match with a Drilla Killa-earned pinfall. He clutched Tanahashi’s head in his arms in thanks after the bell.
Post-match: Kidd emotionally professed how much Tanahashi helped him in his toughest and lowest times. The pair were visibly tearful during this.
Must-watch, must-watch, must-watch. Tokyo Budokan came unglued, especially at Tanahashi’s defiant last stand. This was an emotional bout that I will rank among the best if not the de-facto best in Tanahashi’s final year. Kidd receiving a passing of the torch was an added benefit.
Final Thoughts
The G1, NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team, and Global Heavyweight Championship matches are the matches to catch up on. The non-title trios matches were a blast if you’re looking for a bit of fun in-ring. But that main event was something else. There are few things in wrestling that match the feeling of a Hiroshi Tanahashi comeback. His defiant last stand had me on the edge of my seat and I was as emotional as he and Kidd were. This show may fly under the radar, but there’s a lot to enjoy here.