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It's tournament time in New Japan once again, their last of the year, and one of the last stops before Wrestle Kingdom and Wrestle Dynasty in January - that's right, it's time for World Tag League. It keeps the two block format from last year, but this time there are no semi-finals, only the top scoring team in each block will advance. The scoring, for those unfamiliar: two points for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss. Sixteen teams will be taking part across the two blocks, and the prize is a pair of trophies and a tag title shot at... well, that remains to be seen. In 2017 they introduced a change to the format, where those with matches already booked for the Tokyo Dome were left out. That's no longer the case this year, and several teams feature talents already booked for one or both nights. If those teams win, they may have to wait a bit longer to make their challenge.

Block action kicks off on Tuesday 19th November, and runs through to the 6th December with the finals taking part on the 8th. All shows will be available on NJPWWorld, as per usual. But who's taking part? Well, read on:

A Block

Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) 6th entry, 5th consecutive. 2021, 22, 23 winners

The team that has dominated New Japan's tag scene the last few years. Record three-time winners – in consecutive years no less – the pair have also held the IWGP tag titles four times, the STRONG belts once, and the trios titles twice (once with Ishii, once with YOH). Goto also has extensive success away from Bishamon, including the jr tag titles, a further tag title win, two further tag league wins (tying a record with Antonio Inoki and Keiji Mutoh – illustrious company) and a whole bunch of singles titles. Not a team anyone can afford to look past.

Bullet Club (Chase Owens & KENTA) 2nd entry, 2nd consecutive

A duo that has two tag title reigns together – both this year, and both ill-gotten. Chase also has another tag title reign, with Bad Luck Fale, as well as various reigns from various indie promotions. KENTA, in addition to considerable singles success, has three jr and one heavyweight tag title reign from his old home promotion of NOAH, all with different partners, and won their Global Tag League with yet another partner. Plus a few more tag team tournaments. The two also currently hold the Texas Wrestling Cartel tag team titles. Their ability to combine their wrestling skill with corner cutting means even the best will need to be on their toes.

Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma Debut entry

A third entrance in the league for Shota – first in 2018 as a Young Lion, second just last year with Ren Narita which ended... poorly. Umino has yet to win any titles or tournaments despite some spirited efforts in big matches, and given he's set to face World Champion Zack Sabre Jr at Wrestle Kingdom this one might not have his full attention either. He's teaming with Honma, a guy I don't often write about because it's been a long time since he's really done anything of note in New Japan – he's usually an extra body in undercard tag matches on Road to shows if he's about at all. But he's a two time WTL winner (2015 & 16), and a former IWGP tag champ – all with long time partner Togi Makabe. He also has two tag reigns in Big Japan Pro-Wrestling. These two should definitely be considered a long shot.

United Empire (Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman) Debut entry

Newman is making his first appearance in the League. The 22 year old has been trying to make an impact in New Japan this year, securing entry to the G1 via qualifying tournament, but his four points ensured a finish at the bottom. Grinding your way up the ladder is tough, and Newman has a long way to go, but he has heaps of potential. Cobb was a regular in WTL from 2017-20 but hasn't appeared since. He has two previous tag title reigns with Great-O-Khan, but the bulk of his success has come in singles action – most recently, a TV title reign that was ended by Ren Narita. Cobb will be challenging for that title at Wrestle Kingdom. Between Cobb's focus on singles and Newman's inexperience these two are unlikely winners, but a strong showing here might mean this team has legs.

Alex Zayne & X Debut entry

Alex Zayne makes his return to New Japan, the first time since last year's Tag League, where he teamed with lance Archer as Monstersauce. Their 8 points saw them finish third in their block, just missing the cut for the semi-finals. He previously competed in the 2022 Super Jr Tag league with El Lindaman as SAUCEHEARTS, where a 12 point finish again saw them fall short of the finals. He's accompanied by a mystery partner here, who will help him "take a bite out of the competition" per New Japan's site. Unlikely winners, but if New Japan has plans for Zayne and X, a good showing might be in order.

Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji) Debut entry

The NEVER Champion and the guy challenging for the Global Championship – this duo will certainly not be challenging on the 4th January if they win. Takagi has appeared twice before, in 2019 and 20, with El Terrible and SANADA. He won a few tag tournaments during his time in Dragongate, as well as their tag title five times and their trios title seven. He's also won tag gold in ROH, NOAH (as a junior) and New Japan (also as a junior). Since moving up to heavyweight he only has a trios title reign, although he also has several singles title reigns to his credit. Tsuji made his WTL debut last year, alongside Zandokan Jr. His only title reign is a brief trios title reign earlier this year, but given the quickness of his rise he'll probably have a fair bit more gold this time next year. He won the 2024 New Japan Cup and was a finalist in the G1 Climax – we can expect big things from Tsuji as a singles star, but as tag wrestling is unlikely to be a priority this pair are unlikely winners, despite their obvious talents.

TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr & Ryohei Oiwa) Debut entry

Zack Sabre Jr has enjoyed a significant amount of tournament success, and a great many title wins. Most recently, the 2024 G1 Climax and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, which he currently holds. He has won tag gold in IPW: UK, NOAH (as a junior), Germany's wXw (with WWE's GUNTHER), RevPro, and New Japan itself – his former partner, Taichi, is in B block. While predominantly a singles star, he is nonetheless formidable as part of a team too. His protege Oiwa is recently returned from an excursion to NOAH, where he and Kaito Kiyomiya won the Victory Challenge Tag League in March of this year. Oiwa and Kiyomiya also competed in WTL last year, to rather less success. Both men have matches booked for the Tokyo Dome – Sabre for both the 4th and 5th – so they can be forgiven for not making this their top priority, but this will no doubt be vital experience for Oiwa in his attempts to climb the ladder in NJPW.

Bullet Club War Dogs (Gabe Kidd & SANADA) Debut entry

SANADA didn't compete in the League last year, because he was the reigning world champ, but he was a regular from 2016-22, winning twice (2017 and 18). He's also a three time IWGP tag champ, and three time trios champ, and a three time tag champ in All Japan. Gabe Kidd is making his third consecutive appearance, his previous two alongside his sadly retired partner Alex Coughlin, with whom he also won the STRONG tag titles. The Mad Man struck up a new partnership with Jake Lee earlier this year, but Lee is currently out injured. Kidd's partners do seem to have some bad luck. The hot-headed Kidd and the stoic SANADA are certainly an odd couple, and their lack of experience together might count against them.

B Block

United Empire (Great-O-Khan & HENARE) 4th entry, 4th consecutive. IWGP Tag Team Champions

The newly crowned tag team champions, having won the gold at Power Struggle, and their first reign together (although O-Khan has two previous runs with Jeff Cobb). Last year they managed to finish third in their block, just missing the cut for the semi-finals, but 2024 has been a good year for both men. Aside from their tag title win HENARE won the NEVER Openweight Championship for the first time, and O-Khan has dominated the KOPW title scene all year. With no semis this year, making the finals will be harder, but given how good a year it's been for them we can't rule it out.

Just 4 Guys (Taichi & TAKA Michinoku) Debut entry

Just Four Five Four Five Four Guys are not doing great right now. Uemura is out injured, and while Taichi might have hoped to partner SANADA in this tournament – ideally with the Global title around his waist – Cold Skull's betrayal left him without the title, down a partner, and forced to once again rename his faction. Taichi himself first appeared in the league back in 2008, back when it was called the G1 Tag League and he was called Taichi Ishikari, but he didn't appear again until 2018, and since then only missed 2022. He has yet to win, but he has won three tag titles (alongside Zack Sabre Jr), and two jr tag titles (one with his partner here, TAKA).

TAKA has enjoyed significant success over the course of his 32 year career, including the World's Most Evil Tag Tournament in 2003, for IWA Kokusai. Perhaps not the most prestigious, but one that's very apt indeed. Alas, being evil is not enough to stop the passing of time, and the 51-year old is not at his peak. He previously competed in WTL in 2021, going winless. Expect a determined effort, but little success.

TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste) 3rd entry, 3rd consecutive

It was not that long ago that TMDK were riding high as double champions, holding both IWGP and STRONG tag gold from June to November, losing both in the span of a week (this is probably not a November to remember). The two are long-time tag team partners, first winning gold together in 2009 in their native Australia, before winning two GHC tag titles in NOAH and an additional reign with the STRONG gold before their double reign. Despite recent setbacks they remain a formidable team, capable of taking on all comers, and have to be considered one of the favourites. Plus, it's been a good year for TMDK in general, with Sabre winning the G1 and Ichiban Sweet Boys winning Super Jr Tag League – Nicholls and Haste delivering a trifecta of TMDK tournament wins would feel like a fitting way to end the group's 2024.

Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi) Debut entry

This is an intriguing team. Long time stablemates, Naito and Hiromu have risen to be the top stars of their respective divisions, and now they're taking on WTL together. This is Hiromu's first time entering the tournament, after a return to tag tourney action with his run in SJTL alongside BUSHI. Because of his success in singles action, he's often had little time to focus on tags and so his success as part of a team amounts to a brief trios run earlier this year. Naito is no stranger to World Tag League, appearing regularly between 2008-16, before the format change that saw those with matches already booked for the Tokyo Dome left out, although he did have runs in 2021-22. He also has two runs with the tag titles (although his tag success pales in comparison to what he's had in singles). Given that these are the two biggest stars in the company to not have matches set for Wrestle Kingdom, their winning seems very plausible – certainly they will not be left off the card. Will World Tag League be what gets them there?

Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jado Debut entry

Hiroshi Tanahashi is called the Ace for a reason – a prolific winner of titles and tournaments, he's a record eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and three-time G1 Climax winner, and that's barely scratching the surface. His tag team success is more limited, but still includes three IWGP runs, a run with NOAH's GHC tag titles, tag and trios runs in CMLL, and six runs with the NEVER trios titles, including being one of the current champs. His partner, Jado, is another guy I seldom get to write about, but he's enjoyed significant tag team success, mostly with long-time partner Gedo. Jado has won tag and trios gold in Big Japan, Dragongate, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, NOAH, Toryumon X, Universal Wrestling Federation, Wrestle Assosciation "R", and New Japan itself, winning four junior tag titles and the 2010 Super J Tag League. Alas, much of that success is long in the past, in recent years Jado has focused on managing rather than competing, and Tanahashi has little more than a year left before his retirement from active competition. If they can wind back the clock they might have one last great run, but the odds are against them here.

Natural Classics (Tome & Stevie Fillip) Debut entry

The Filip brothers are regulars in New Japan's Australian offshoot, Tamashii, where they're part of Bad Luck Fale's Rogue Army. They've accrued various title reigns across the Aussie indie scene, in SLAM!, BCW, MCW and PCW. Tome has had further tag success alongside other partners.

In a remarkable coincidence, the Tamashii YouTube channel will be uploading this match between the Natural Classics and Super Jr Tag League's Velocities, which might be of interest to those who wish to check them out before the tournament. Alternatively, there's this event, headlined by the Natural Classics and Bishamon.

Toru Yano & Boltin Oleg Debut entry

After making his debut in the New Japan Cup and G1 Climax earlier this year, it's now Oleg's turn to debut in World Tag League. Given how young his pro wrestling career is, Bars has limited success to his credit, but he is a two-time and current trios champion. His partner is his fellow champion, Toru Yano. The Sublime Master Thief is on his sixth trios title reign, and is a three-time IWGP tag champ and two-time GCH tag champ, as well as the winner of the 2016 Global Tag League in NOAH. True to his nickname, Yano is proficient at stealing unlikely wins, and while he hasn't won WTL he did once steal the trophies, which got him a title shot at Wrestle Kingdom – close enough, I guess. The combination of proficient thief and powerhouse rising star could prove an effective one, especially given their experience tagging together this year.

House of Torture (EVIL & Ren Narita) Debut entry

EVIL is a two-time WTL winner, taking the trophies in 2017 and 18, both times alongside SANADA – the two also won two tag titles together. If only both men had stayed in the tag ranks. EVIL is also a six-time trios champ. Ren Narita is the current TV Champion, and a former trios champ (although not alongside EVIL, this was prior to joining the House). He made his debut in WTL last year, where he met with limited success and ended by betraying his partner (alas, history is unlikely to repeat). Since his G1 loss to Great-O-Khan EVIL has been in a bit of a slump, losing the rest of his G1 matches before entering a feud with Tanahashi which has seen him lose more often than not and twice fail to recapture the trios titles. Given this recent form, and his focus on Tanahashi (who he will be facing at Wrestle Kingdom), a win for HoT feels unlikely, but a good enough run could position them for a strong start to 2025.

And that's the field. Definitely some intriguing pairings here, and a lot of debuting teams - it makes for a very fresh field. Bishamon and Chase & KENTA look like the most likely winners from A block - although the former winning four times on the trot would be a bit much. Nicholls & Haste and Hiromu & Naito are both very likely winners from B block. Some of the other teams look unlikely, especially those that are already booked for the Tokyo Dome, but New Japan is not above a curve ball.

The lack of teams from partners like CMLL and AEW is a little disappointing, but makes sense if the company is trying to keep costs down by limiting the number of talents they need to fly in from North America, and if it's making way for teams like Takagi and Tsuji one can't complain too much. Some of the pairings also show signs of injuries and the like changing plans - were Jake Lee healthy, we'd like see him teaming with Gabe Kidd, and Jado is likely a substitute for El Phantasmo. Unfortunately, injuries requiring changes of plans is just a fact of life for the wrestling business. But what does everyone else think? Are you excited for the tournament? Which team are you backing? Who is the mysterious X?

Pics via njpw1972.com