Super Junior Tag League is back and it’s smaller than ever!
The annual Junior Heavyweight tag tournament from New Japan will see 12 teams in two blocks. Over ten days starting on October 24th, these teams will compete in round robin format, with the top team in both blocks facing off for the crown of 2024 Super Junior Tag League Champions at Power Struggle on November 4th.
The A Block has a lineup of mostly familiar faces in NJPW.
Clark Connors/Drilla Maloney: Bullet Club’s entry. Connors and Maloney just lost the IWGP Jr Tag Titles to Knight and Kushida at the King of Pro Wrestling event last week, so they’re positioned to be angry and potential front runners to win.
Robbie Eagles/Kosei Fujita: The TMDK entry for the tournament. Some could consider this team the favorite, and others pundits have considered it a Dark Horse candidate to win it all.
Hiromu Takahashi/Bushi: Los Ingernobles de Japon’s team has Hiromu and Bushi which is a downgrade from Titan. Takahashi may be focused on matters in New Japan outside of the Jr. division right now.
Sho/Yoshinobu Kanemaru: House of Torture’s entry. Sho and Kanemaru last both lost to Douki in subsequent IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship matches just after the G1 Climax tournament this year.
Ryusuke Taguchi/Dragon Die: A team up of the veteran Taguchi and the man who replaced him in the Best of Super Juniors earlier this year, Dragon Dia, when Taguchi was injured in a bicycle accident.
Tiger Mask/Capitan Suicida: The fourth Tiger Mask, who has been in action since 1995, teams with Capitan Suicida, a CMLL wrestler last seen in New Japan at Fantasticamania 2023.
The B Block is comprised of a different variety, with only two returning teams from last year.
Kevin Knight/Kushida: The current IWGP Jr Heavyweight Champions, the “Intergalactic Jet Setters” are looking to maintain dominance and win their block and at Power Struggle so they can name their challengers at Wrestle Kingdom.
TJP/Francesco Akira: Last year’s winners, Akira and TJP are representing United Empire, and after a rough year for the faction, are looking to regroup with a big win heading towards Wrestle Kingdom this year
YOH/Rocky Romero: A veteran tag team under the Rappongi 3000 banner, this is the most accomplished team in the SJTL, with 13 (!) tag championships and five Jr. Heavyweight tournament wins between the Romero and YOH.
DKC/Ninja Mack: DKC makes his return in SJTL after teaming with Taguchi last year, and this year he teams with Ninja Mack, a former NOAH wrestler currently freelance.
Taiji Ishimori/Robbie X: Veteran Ishimori has drafted Robbie X, best known from his time in RevPro, to be his partner after the pair debuted at Royal Quest this past weekend. This is the Bullet Club entry for this block.
The Velocities: They are Paris De Silva and Jude London from the Tamashii events held by New Japan in Australia. Those who’ve seen the pair have credited them with a high flying style that works well in NJPW.
