NJPW 51st Anniversary Show Results

Did Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeat Bishamon at NJPW's 51st Anniversary Show?

Matt jeff hardy

Mar 6, 2023

NJPW 51st anniversary show graphic.jpg

New Japan Pro-Wrestling celebrated their 51st anniversary today with an event from Ota City General Gymnasium. The show featured a major main event as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada teamed with his longtime rival Hiroshi Tanahashi to challenge YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto of Bishamon for the IWGP Tag Team Championships.

While Okada and Tanahashi might be two of New Japan's top singles competitors, they were not a fluid team and that ultimately proved to be their downfall as the well-oiled unit of Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI fended off the disjointed attacks from their opponents before they decked Tanahashi with their tag team finisher to retain the titles.

Okada and Tanahashi decided to team together after The Rainmaker defeated his former rival to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Battle in the Valley on February 18. If they will remain a part of the tag team division going forward is unknown.

In other newsworthy moments at the 51st Anniversary Show, David Finlay was unveiled as the newest member of Bullet Club by Gedo ahead of his New Japan Cup first-round match against Tomohiro Ishii. Now known as The Rebel, Finlay ultimately defeated Ishii and he will face Great-O-Khan in the next round.

Shota Umino also advanced to the next round of the New Japan Cup with a first-round win over Yujiro Takahashi, during which he fought off interference from SHO.

Elsewhere, the 51st Anniversary Show featured the typical multi-man matches featured in New Japan. Check out the full results below:

  • KENTA & El Phantasmo def. Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita
  • Will Ospreay & Aussie Open def. Tama Tonga, Toru Yano, & Satoshi Kojima
  • Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, & Ren Narita def. EVIL, SHO, & Dick Togo
  • Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan, & Aaron Henare def. Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, & SANADA
  • Lio Rush & YOH def. Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
  • Shota Umino def. Yujiro Takahashi - New Japan Cup First Round
  • David Finlay def. Tomohiro Ishii - New Japan Cup First Round
  • Bishamon (c) def. Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi - IWGP Tag Team Championships

Recommended


Latest posts