New Japan Pro Wrestling 6/29/2025 Tanahashi Jam

New Japan Pro Wrestling 6/29/2025 Tanahashi Jam

Katsuya Murashima vs. Daiki Odashima

They grapple on the mat and do amateur wrestling. KM backs him up on the ropes. They trade chops then they shoulder battle. KM shoulders him over then stomps on him. KM hits forearms and boots in the corner. Dai headscissors him then dropkicks him in the knee. Dai hits elbow drops to the leg then yanks his arm.

Dai bangs KM's knee off the mat. He ties his legs up and pulls. KM ropebreaks. Dai stomps the leg and slaps him around. KM hits forearms. KM shoulders him over. KM hits a flying forearm then hits a high hiptoss for 2. 

KM misses a corner forearm. Dai top rope crossbodies him for 2. Dai does a head and arm hold on him. KM avoids a dropkick and crabs Dai. Dai dropkicks him. KM hits a powerslam. They trade forearms and the time limit runs out. They then keep fighting after the bell rings.

Thoughts: I liked this. They did a good job with the amateur wrestling portions, they showed a lot of spirit and they were stiff with each other here.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Shota Umino vs. Hiromu Takahashi, LEONA & Tatsumi Fujinami

TF = Tatsumi Fujinami

TF side headlock takeovers Tana. Tana side headlocks him. Tana shoulders him over. TF slaps him but falls over. Shot boots TF then TF sleepers him. RT breaks up the dragon sleeper attempt. RT misses a hiptoss and Hiromu gets in.

RT makes Hiromu run the ropes then he hip attacks him. RT hip attacks him on the ropes. Hiromu atomic drops him on a hip attack attempt and basement dropkicks him. Leona gets in and hiptosses RT. He then elbow drops him.

Leona dropkicks RT. TF dragon screws RT and Tana. RT takes a double shoulderblock. Hiromu blovks a hip attack with an atomic drop. RT then hip attacks him. Shota drops Leon on his cheat and basement dropkicks him. Shota fisherman suplexes Hiromu for 2. Hiromu flying headscissors Shota then dragon screws him.

Leona and Tana trade. Leona facebusters him then dropkicks him for 2. Leona hits kicks to the leg then he dragon screws Tana. Leona figure fours Tana. TF then dragon sleepers Tana on top of it then Hiromu kimura's Tana at the same time.

Tana hits a twist and shout on Leona then slingblades him for 2. Tana's team does triple submissions and Tana gets the win with a cloverleaf on Leona.

Thoughts: It was mostly based around dragon screws. Tatsumi had a rough start here as he fell over once or twice when he wasn't supposed to. Taguchi brought the comedy as usual and everyone else was along for the ride. It wasn't that great.

Leona slaps Shota after. 

Taichi, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Yuya Uemura vs. House Of Torture (Chase Owens, EVIL, Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi)

Everyone fights to start. Chase boots and foot chokes Yoshi in the corner. Yoshi elbows Chase over then neckbreakers him. Tai enzugiri's Yujiro then clubs on him.

Evil and Ishii shoulder battle. Evil eye rakes him then Ishii shoulders him over. Yujiro takes chops and a facekick. Ishii then suplexes Evil. Yujiro bangs Tai's head off the exposed buckle then foot chokes him.

Ren boots Tai in the knee. Tai side kicks Ren. Yuya comes in and hits double chops. Yuya dropkicks Ren. Yuya corner splashes Ren then backdrops him. Ren facekicks Yuya then sleepers him. Chase trips Yuya then Yuya flying forearms Ren.

Yoshi hits chops on Chase then headhunters him. Chase spinning forearms Yoshi. Yoshi takes corner attacks then a Chase lariat for 2. Ishii germans Chase. Yoshi superkicks Chase and hits a running lariat for 2. Ren ends up hitting Yoshi with a push-up board from behind and Chase package piledrivers Yoshi to win.

Thoughts: It was your usual average tag with these guys. Atleast they didn't do anything too unbelieveable but it wasn't much of note.

NEVER Openweight Title Match - Oleg Boltin (c) vs. Yuji Nagata

Yuji wristlocks him. Oleg reverses it and Yuji up kicks him away. Oleg clubs on him and side headlocks him. Yuji facekicks him then Oleg shoulders him over.

Oleg hits corner spears on Yuji. Yuji dropkicks him in the knee then hits leg kicks. Yuji leglocks Oleg. Yuji boots Oleg then Oleg dropkicks him. Oleg hits a corner splash and slams him. Oleg then splashes him for 2.

Oleg karelin's lifts Yuji. Oleg backdrops him. Oleg misses a vader bomb. Yuji does a nagata lock. Yuji backdrops him for 2. Oleg powerbombs him for 2. They trade forearms. Yuji facekicks him then exploders him. Yuji step up knees him in the corner then 2nd rope exploders him for 2. Oleg belly to belly suplexes him. Oleg forearms him over for 2. Oleg hits an AA for 2. Oleg then finlay rolls him and wins.

Thoughts: It was a decent match as expected with Yuji doing his typical moveset and Oleg using his power and size against him. Oleg won here which wasn't a shock. 

Aaron Wolf, who is a Japanese judo star, is introduced as a new wrestler and he talks on the mic.

Dragon Kid, El Desperado, Master Wato & YOH vs. House Of Torture (DOUKI, SANADA, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

Sho talks on the mic before the match and the faces get attacked. Yoh brought a sack out with him. Kid and Douki go at it. Kid 2nd rope diving headscissors him. Kid knee drops him then does a handstand knee drop. Kid boots Sanada out of the corner. Sanada is tripped into the ropes and takes a Kid 619. Douki takes corner attacks then a spinning backdrop. Kanemaru is spinebustered and takes a stretch muffler while Kid christo's Douki.

Despy is tripped and pulled out by Sanada then sent into the rails. Sanada bangs Kid's head off the commentary table and gets rammed into Milano Collection AT at commentary. Kanemaru sends Despy into the rails. Douki hits Despy in the gut with a stick and Ren stomps Despy. Despy gets his legs split. Kanemaru dropkicks Douki in the knee then figure fours him.

Sanada sends Kid into Milano again outside and both of Despy's knees are banged off the mat. Sho rakes Despy's back and Despy forearms him. Sho eye rakes him then Despy backdrops him. Yoh comes off the top and swantons Sho. He hits dragon screws on Sho's partners. Yoh then paradise locks Sanada. Yoh dropkicks Sanada in the butt.

Sho hits kicks on Yoh and eye rakes him. Sho pulls the ref in front of Yoh and spears Yoh. Yoh falcon arrows Sho. Wato bulldogs Kanemaru then zigzags's him for 2. Sanada knee breakers Wato then Kanemaru figure fours Wato. 

Yoh superkicks Kanemaru and blocks a Douki stick attack. Sanada brings a guitar in but doesn't get to use it. Kid asai moonsaults Sho and Douki outside. Kanemaru takes a double superkick. Kanemaru takes a body kick + oblivion and is pinned by Wato.

Thoughts: It was the usual face vs heel tag. There was nothing too notable about it but it was acceptable. It was nice to see Milano and Kid interact again.

Kid throws Sanada into Milano after. 

El Phantasmo talks before his match. He said he had hurt his knee but is cleared for tonight and the G1. ELP asks if we are ready for an open challenge. Gedo translates then Taiji Ishimori comes out.

NJPW World Television Title Match - El Phantasmo (c) vs. Taiji Ishimori

ELP hits mounted shots to start then chop flurries him in the corner. ELP then pounds on him from behind and TI low blows him. ELP knocks TI off the apron then plancha's him outside. ELP is sent into the rails.

ELP throws TI over the rails. They fight in the aisle and trade forearms. TI ddt's ELP on the ramp. ELP struggles to get back in to beat the count. TI stomps ELP's leg. ELP is sent into the exposed buckle shoulder first. TI shoulder breakers ELP then kimura's him. ELP ropebreaks.

ELP and TI trade shots. TI armbreakers the arm then handspring corkscrew kicks him. ELP superkicks TI then piledrivers him. ELP hits a springboard swanton then an asai moonsault for 2. TI drops ELP's chest onto TI's knees from the tombstone position. TI is lifted for a high ddt then dropped onto ELP's knees. ELP facekicks TI. TI pump kicks him and jumping knees him.

TI spinning torture rack drops him. TI does a border city stretch variation and ELP ropebreaks. TI slams ELP then misses a 450. ELP runs at him but his knee gives out. They try pin attempts and ELP traps his arms and gordbusters him for 2.

TI gets for a handshake then cradles him. TI rolls him and ELP rolls him up to win.

Thoughts: I didn't like it too much. ELP wanted to sell the knee and TI wanted to do anything but work it, opting to work the arm instead.

TI offers a handshake after and ELP punches him in the nuts. ELP then kisses his head and pats him on the head.

Shingo Takagi, Shun Skywalker & Yota Tsuji vs. United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan & Jakob Austin Young)

Yota and Khan go at it. Khan side headlocks him and Yota hammerlocks him. Yota hooks the leg and they get back up. Khan side headlocks him then Yota side headlocks him. Yota takes a slam and a running forearm while he is held for the slam.

Khan mongolian chops Yota. Khan sits on Yota's neck in the corner and poses. Khan is dragon screwed while seated on the top rope. Jake comes in and eye rakes Yota with his feet. Newman kicks Yota in the back. Yota hits forearms on Newman then he dragon screws him. Shingo comes in and hits a shoulderblock and a slam.

Newman runs the ropes fast and facekicks Shingo. Shingo shoulders him over then Newman enzugiri's him. Shingo sliding lariats him for 2. Shingo ddt's Newman but Newman headflips out and PK's him. Shingo tornado ddt's Newman.

Newman pushes Shingo into Shun. Shun and Shingo push each other. Newman takes a double hiptoss then a double team double chop. Shun and Newman trade. Newman corkscrew kicks Shun. Jake neckbreakers Shun then pumping knees him. Jake 2nd rope dropkicks him. Shun takes corner attacks and a sliding knee from Jake for 2. Khan slingblades Yota. Shingo lariats Khan. Jake rebound kicks Shingo off the ropes then Shun facekicks Jake off the apron. Shingo pop-up death valley drivers Jake. Shun tiger drivers Jake for 2. Shun spinning blue thunders Jake and wins.

Thoughts: It was acceptable but not much more. They didn't get a ton of time and no one did anything too wild here. I popped for Khan busting out the slingblade and they treated Shun like a big deal here.

Shun attacks someone outside after. 

IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match - Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

They lock up. Zack hits a headbut to the gut and side headlocks him. Goto side headlocks him then shoulders him over. Zack side headlock takeovers him and does an upkick. Zack then ducks a spinning lariat.

Zack side headlocks him. Goto shoulders him over then back elbows him. Goto elbow drops him then chinlocks him. Zack triangles him over the top rope. Zack stomps Goto's arm. Zack hits euros outside. Zack boots Goto's arm into the rail. Zack hits chest kicks inside. Goto fights back with forearms then Zack hooks Goto's legs and arm. Zack top wristlocks him then ties up the arm with his legs.

Zack boots him out of the corner then Goto lariats him. Goto hits forearms then spinning heel kicks him. Goto backdrops him for 2. Zack goes for the armbar. Goto turns it into a pin attempt. Goto ushigoroshi's him. They trade shots. Zack hits a michinoku driver. Zack pump kicks him. Zack is sat on top and Goto bridging neckbreakers him. Goto hits forearms on Zack then basement dropkicks him. Goto hits a GTW for 2.

Zack slaps him multiple times. Goto hits a big forearm then sleepers him. Goto misses a PK. Zack backrolls him into a bridge. Zack goes for another bridge and Goto tries to pin him off of it. Goto backrolls him and Zack catches him with an armbar. Zack ties up both arms and pulls backwards. Zack stomps the arm. Zack hits kicks to the chest then pele kicks the arm. Zack PK's him and Goto flips him with a lariat. Goto elbow slices him on the knee.

Zack pump kicks and lariats him. Zack hits a spinning michinoku driver. Zack then hits a leg hook michinoku driver. Zack armbars Goto then pulls back on both arms. Zack then hooks the legs as well and wins.

Thoughts: It was a longer match but it was solid. Goto sold a lot and Zack did his usual offense and was a bit more focused on the arm than usual. There was nothing wrong with this one. I was really surprised to see Goto lose here and with him "officially" being out due to injury soon after, I have a feeling this was a way to get the title off of him.

Hiroshi Tanahashi & Naomichi Marufuji vs. Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa

Tana and KK go at it. Tana side headlocks him. KK wristlocks him and armdrags him. Tana armlocks him and KK headscissors him. KK hammerlocks him and stomps the arm.

They trade full nelsons and stand off. Oiwa comes in and shoulders over Maru. Maru side headlock takeovers him. Oiwa armdrags him and Maru headscissors him. They then stand off.

Oiwa keylocks him then Maru pulls his arms back. Oiwa takes forearms from Tana. Tana side headlocks him. Tana takes a double armdrag. Oiwa then stomps Tana and armlocks him. KK yanks on Tana's arm then Oiwa hits shoulders on Tana's arm. Oiwa stomps Tana's arm and KK knee drops it. KK does a cattle mutilation to Tana's arms.

Tana takes a double shoulderblock to the arm then Oiwa splashes him for 2. Oiwa flying back elbows him and yanks on the arm. Tana hits forearms then 2nd rope twisting crossbodies Oiwa.

Maru hits a kick combo on Oiwa. They trade chops for forearms. Oiwa backdrops him. KK comes in and dropkicks Maru. KK 2nd rope twisting forearms Maru for 2. Maru russian legsweeps KK. Tana flying forearms KK then bangs his head off the buckles. Tana 2nd rope flipping swantons him for 2.

Tana and KK trade euros. Tana slaps him and KK just smiles at him. KK then hits a slingblade. KK misses a top rope elbow drop then he flying knees Tana. Oiwa slams and sentons Tana for 2. Tana and Maru both take double dropkicks. Tana is put in the electric chair and KK top rope crossbodies him. Oiwa sits on Tana's back with an armlock while KK figure fours Maru.

Oiwa germans Tana twice. KK flying shining wizards Tana and Oiwa germans Tana. Oiwa doctor bombs Tana for 2. Oiwa takes a pumping knee from Maru then a Tana sling blade. Tana top rope crossbodies Oiwa. Tana then hits a top rope high fly flow while Maru hits a shiranui. Tana then pins Oiwa.

Thoughts: It was a fun tag as expected with the younger guys going for the upset and doing fun double teams while Tana sold for most of the match and tried to hang on. We didn't see much of Maru here as it was the Tanahashi show.

Tana talks on the mic and poses with Maru to end this.

Overall thoughts: I liked the opener but the midcard was a waste of time here. ELP/Taiji wasn't good. We had a surprise title change with Goto/Zack and the two had a good match with Zack working the arm and doing his usual offense. The main was fun with Tana being in the spotlight for most of it and Maru just kind of being there. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 overall and thought it was above average, mostly because the main and semi-main delivered.