New Japan announces teams for the World Tag League tournament

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Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2018/11/08/new-japan-announces-teams-for-the-world-tag-league-tournament/

New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced the field of teams for the annual World Tag League, which begins November 17th and runs through December 9th. The winning team will receive an IWGP tag title match at Wrestle Kingdom at the Tokyo Dome.

Below are the teams:
*EVIL & Sanada
*Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi
*Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka
*Killer Elite Squad
*Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano
*Michael Elgin & Jeff Cobb
*Togi Makabe & Toa Henare
*Guerrillas of Destiny
*Hangman Page & Yujiro
*Chuckie T. & Beretta
*Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
*Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi
*Juice Robinson & David Finlay
*Shota Umino & Ayato Yoshida

The first night of the tour is in Kanagawa and will feature the following card:
*Michael Elgin & Jeff Cobb vs. Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura
*Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi vs. Tomoaki Honma & Ren Narita
*Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & El Desperado vs. Killer Elite Squad & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
*Juice Robinson & David Finlay vs. Shota Umino & Ayato Yoshida in a tournament match
*Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi in a tournament match
*Hangman Page & Yujiro vs. Best Friends in a tournament match
*Guerrillas of Destiny vs. Togi Makabe & Toa Henare in a tournament match
*Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Roppongi 3K & Toru Yano vs. Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, Sanada, Bushi & Shingo Takagi

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This looks identical to last year.
Disappointed no Golden Lovers, no Okada-Tanahashi, no White-Gedo, no Young Bucks.

Curious to see if they do a Golden Lovers v Tanahashi/Okada match OR Tanahashi/Okada v White/Gedo as a non tournament match as it set up so well for the build to WK for both programs. Either of those would overshadow any pairing possible above.

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I love how none of the guys in the graphic are participating in the tag league. You so crazy, NJPW.

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I have to assume that we didn’t get the Lovers, Okada/Tanahashi or White/Gedo because they are already booked for Wrestle Kingdom. I know you could have got away with saying they would have a title shot later but this league is to decide the challengers for that show so it makes sense they aren’t on it. Plus a one off tag match with Okada/Tanahashi would draw big, it might be over done in the league. Saying all that, don’t know why they don’t have the Bucks in there.

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My assumption is probably because of booking conflicts. I’d rather have Hangman team with “ The Villan” or Ibushi, instead of Yujiro.

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No Ibushi and Chase is a miss. Put both of Kenny’s partners together and call them the GoldenJewels

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This NJPW end-of-year tournament is always the most disappointing of NJPW programs to me. I do not feel drawn to watch any of the shows.

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Not the Crown Jewels? :wink:

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I sure do love me an NJPW tournament, but after a pretty dry World Tag League last year and just coming off a Super Junior Tag Tournament which wasn’t much better, I’m not holding out much hope here. Also, a tournament which includes Taichi, Iizuka, and Yujiro is putting itself somewhat behind the 8-ball to start.