6. Catch 2/2 (TJP and Francesco Akira) (c) vs. LiYoh (Lio Rush & Yoh)
NJPW
Super Junior Tag League winners Lio Rush and Yoh only met each other in October and were rank outsiders to win the tournament itself late last year, but getting the privilege of opening Wrestle Kingdom proper against IWGP Junior Tag Team Champions TJP and Francesco Akira made their short union feel like an epic heroes journey.
Rush being violently bludgeoned on the ramp in the first seconds of the contest continued this story magnificently. It was a thriller from there, with the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion gutting his way back into a quality spotfest that twisted and turned with the flexibilities of its competitors before Rush’s sustained damage ultimately cost the underdogs.
TJP getting the win with an inside cradle, parked LiYoh’s Championship aspirations for now, but the commentators were at pains to say that their run may not be over, even if this first shot was.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
