Preview: NJPW Blue Justice XV (1/19/25)

NJPW Blue Justice XV is finally upon us. Taking place on Sunday, January 19 live from the Sakura Civic Gymnasium in Chiba, Japan, this event sees Yuji Nagata don the promoter’s cap. This is the 15th Blue Justice event, and Nagata once more produces an exciting event. This card finds itself right in the middle of the Wrestle Kingdom festivities and the upcoming Road to New Beginning events.

NJPW Blue Justice XV is set to start at 4 pm JST/2 am ET. There are seven matches confirmed for the show. The event is available to watch on NJPW World.

Full NJPW Blue Justice XV Card:

• Eight-Man Tag Team Match: Yuji Nagata, Hiroshi Tanahashi,Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO, Ren Narita, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi)
• Tag Team Match: Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson)
• Six-Man Tag Team Match: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI) vs. BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Gabe Kidd, Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors)
• Tag Team Match: TAKATaichi (Taichi & TAKA Michinoku) vs. BULLET CLUB (SANADA & Taiji Ishimori)
• Tag Team Match: TenCozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito)
• Six-Man Tag Team Match: Tomoaki Honma, YOH & El Desperado vs. TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa, Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita)
• Six-Man Tag Team Match: Katsuya Murashima, Shoma Kato & Shota Umino vs. United Empire (Jakob Austin Young, Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan)

Eight-Man Tag Team Match for the NJPW Blue Justice XV Main Event

Yuji Nagata joins forces with Hiroshi Tanahashi, Boltin Oleg, and Toru Yano in the main event, taking on HOUSE OF TORTURE’s SHO, Ren Narita, Yujiro Takahashi, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. This match ultimately serves as a preview for the NEVER 6-Man Openweight Championship match at the January 30 Road to New Beginning event, where the champions will defend against their challengers. With EVIL absent, following his declaration to leave New Japan after Wrestle Kingdom 19, the remaining HOT members are left to prove their strength and solidarity as a unit.

Tensions within HOT could add a volatile edge, as there seems to be a power struggle of sorts. For Nagata and his team, the goal is clear: maintain dominance and send a statement of unity ahead of their title defense. In Chiba, will the champions stand tall, or can HOT spark chaos and shift the momentum?

Hirooki Goto and Zack Sabre Jr. Get To Size Each Other Up

Hirooki Goto and Zack Sabre Jr. collide in tag team action as Bishamon faces TMDK in the Blue Justice XV semi main event. With less than a month until their IWGP World Heavyweight Championship clash in Osaka, Goto has a chance to scout the champion up close while bolstering his confidence alongside YOSHI-HASHI. Though Goto enters New Beginning in Osaka as the underdog, his chemistry with YOSHI-HASHI as a seasoned tag team might give Bishamon the edge against the unfamiliar pairing of Sabre and Hartley Jackson.

However, Jackson’s raw power could test the veteran team, while ZSJ will be looking to assert his dominance ahead of his fifth title defense. This match isn’t just about tag team pride – it’s about making a statement on the road to Osaka. Will Goto and YOSHI-HASHI pull off a decisive win, or will Sabre and Jackson pull an upset?

Major Clash of LIJ and War Dogs at NJPW Blue Justice XV

Los Ingobernables de Japon’s Yota Tsuji, BUSHI, and Shingo Takagi take on BULLET CLUB’s War Dogs (Gabe Kidd, Drilla Moloney, and Clark Connors) in a heated six-man tag that previews two major singles bouts set for Osaka. Tsuji defends the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship against Kidd on February 11, while Takagi faces Moloney in a special singles match the same night. This clash offers an early taste of the intense battles to come, as both Kidd and Moloney look to gain a psychological edge over their LIJ opponents.

Meanwhile, Connors and BUSHI play pivotal supporting roles, each aiming to tip the scales for their respective sides. Adding intrigue to the encounter, former champion David Finlay will surely be watching closely, assessing his stable’s strategy. Will LIJ send a message of dominance, or can the War Dogs assert their presence on the road to Osaka?