NJPW New Japan Soul 2025 Day 1 6/18/25 – June 18 2025
NJPW New Japan Soul 2025 Day 1 June 18 2025
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Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM JST
Venue: Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Full Match Card:
- Shota Umino & Yuto Nakashima vs. House of Torture (EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi)
- Master Wato vs. Francesco Akira
- Hiroshi Tanahashi & El Desperado vs. Ren Narita & SHO
- Catch 2/2 (TJP & Akira) vs. DOUKI & Taichi
- YOH & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)
- Main Event: SANADA vs. Gabe Kidd
Match-by-Match Recap:
The show opened with Shota Umino and Yuto Nakashima taking on the notorious House of Torture. Umino displayed confident offense and great pacing, but outside interference and classic rule-bending tactics from EVIL and Yujiro handed the victory to the heels. A tough loss, but a solid outing for the rising Umino.
Master Wato and Francesco Akira brought a burst of speed and fluidity to the night. Both men impressed with precision counters and athleticism, but Wato managed to land the Recientemente to secure a clean and competitive win.
Tanahashi and Desperado, an unexpected yet effective pairing, worked surprisingly well together. Ren Narita and SHO offered stiff resistance, but the experience and timing of Tanahashi proved too much as he closed the match with a classic High Fly Flow to pop the Tokyo crowd.
In one of the night’s standout matches, Catch 2/2 clashed with DOUKI and Taichi in a highly technical tag bout. The chemistry between all four competitors was evident, with Taichi ultimately hitting Black Mephisto to earn the win for Just 5 Guys.
The Bullet Club War Dogs once again showed why they’re feared in the tag division. Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney overwhelmed YOH and Taguchi with brute force and nonstop aggression. Connors ended things with a brutal No Chaser spear, keeping their momentum intact.
The main event featured a physical battle between SANADA and Gabe Kidd. Kidd went straight for SANADA’s ribs and brought raw intensity throughout. Despite the punishment, SANADA absorbed the blows, reversed the tide with calm precision, and dropped Kidd with Deadfall to close the show on a triumphant note.
Event Summary:
Night 1 of the New Japan Soul 2025 tour set the tone in Korakuen Hall with a mix of energy, storytelling, and high-level wrestling. SANADA’s composed victory reminded fans of his elite status, while the undercard matches planted seeds for tag team rivalries and potential breakout performances. With the summer tour just beginning, NJPW has plenty more drama to deliver.