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00:00New Japan Pro Wrestling
00:23Well Chris a true need for stability within truly every single unit in New
00:28Japan Pro Wrestling by this point in 2025 TMDK losing the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team
00:35titles back a number of nights ago now puts even more pressure on the front man
00:40it's Zack Sabre Jr. going one-on-one for what could be the final time against
00:45Hiroshi Tanahashi in singles competition
00:58now
01:05it's a
01:10Yo, folks!
01:40Well, it's singles match number 624 for Hiroshi Tanahashi, 13 of them being with Zack Sabre Jr., and that's quite the percentage, New Japan Cups, G1 Climaxes, the British Championship, the World TV Championship on and on, and just to give an example of how they've gone all over the world, spoke about it on the pre-show Madison Square Garden and the Tokyo
02:09Dome, that's the level of card that this is, joins the likes of Jay White versus Kazuchika Okada, Kodobushi versus Tetsuya Naito, and Alun-Jabrase versus Bull Mackinac, as the only match is to have been in both arenas.
02:24So, who has been in both arenas and are Janine Katamani?
02:31Balocheng Saint Thanahashi!
02:33Stand is 972 we are 0 to 143 feet long from last.
02:41ouhu It's 973 is 993 feet long from last and six units arenas.
02:47list people are the greatest to have ever done it still says I learned so
02:55much over the course of a decade wrestling Zack Sabre Jr it is a seven
03:14six record over the past 13 encounters and it is a record that will favor the
03:19ace and a record which may be tied and to stand as so forever by Zack Sabre Jr
03:27should he find success today right or on the other hand for Tanahashi to say for
03:33the rest of all time I was always better than Zack Sabre Jr I mean that's
03:38something when you're as deep down as competitive as Zack Sabre Jr is he
03:43cannot let that slide
03:57it's not the first final road matchup that we've seen on this series so far
04:01Hiroshi Tanahashi to battle against young lion at Masato to Yasuda back in Saga
04:06you know of course a victory for Tanahashi in that encounter would be
04:10another stepping stone to Zack Sabre Jr tonight
04:13yeah of course before that not long before that
04:15Konosuke Togeshi we just saw in Chicago before that
04:20Shoto Umino and then Yusuke Toguchi before that
04:25right Shingo Takagi before that what an unbelievable schedule
04:28that Hiroshi Tanahashi has in every single singles match
04:31that he has on this final road tour we said
04:34this is probably the last one you'll have against this
04:36opponent so well it's another name you cross over the list right and you kind
04:40of go who's it going to be in the turn
04:51Roshi Tanahashi has already surpassed number of singles matches in 2025 which he
04:56had in the year of 2024 and Chris we're not even halfway through the year yet
05:03and it always seems with each passing match
05:05Tanahashi gets better you know from those fine wines
05:11you know and as he's getting his getting into his flow
05:15and that flow he wrestled in for so so long right at the top of his game as IWGP Heavyweight Champion
05:22through those G1s and Champion Cardinals and on and on
05:25and Zack Sabre Jr you know much the same someone that's never shied away from taking
05:30an incredible number of matches all over the globe did so just last month during
05:36WrestleMania weekend you know before that was down in South America for a
05:41protracted person there as well
05:43okay
05:45there's cravat being applied there
05:47Tanahashi said
05:49there were things I might use in this match little tricks that I learned way way back when
05:55in the Nogue Dojo
05:57these are the tricks out of Roshi Tanahashi here tonight
06:04the little things that you might see just in the way he laces his fingers not the typical butchers grip that you see a lot of wrestlers go to more of a modified version of the Lavelle grip
06:18it's the late great judo Jean Lavelle
06:23had passed down and it worked its way into the Nogue Dojo roots
06:30and Tanahashi was still sort of part of that phase where they would do cement training in the dojo
06:37where it would just be okay you you and it would be like Young Lion Fight Club effectively
06:42go for it you know
06:45you have to learn those little tricks for survival but Zack Sabre Jr. knows a ton
06:52of course we know the schedule coming up for Hiroshi Tanahashi will take him against a
07:00longtime friend and partner of Zack Sabre Jr. on May 7th that being Takumi Shinoku
07:05which we might have humored a little bit earlier on in the evening but of course that match set for NJPW world pay-per-view
07:12I think with Taku and his ties to Zack Sabre Jr. that first New Japan Cup win for Zack 2018 with Taku in his corner
07:24of course he beat Tanahashi in the final
07:27Max Sabre Jr.'s first ever G1 Climax his first match and his first win was against
07:33Zack Sabre Jr. was against Hiroshi Tanahashi his first IWGP championship the IWGP tag title
07:42Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi beat Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi and for all of those big steps in his career
07:48Tanahashi has been there
07:55Oh my goodness
08:00Stretch ten ways to Sunday right now is Hiroshi Tanahashi by ZSJ
08:06Oh my goodness
08:08Oh my goodness
08:10Okay shoulders down and it's going to be two here for Zack
08:12Chanahashi has been put in the hospital before by Zack Sabre Jr.
08:24I don't think anybody wants to see that we want to see Tanahashi continue this schedule for the rest of his final year
08:32the rest of his final year but zach saber jr is not going to pull any punches kicks either
08:41i've always known zach saber jr to be an aggressive athlete an aggressive fighter
08:47that aggression really being turned up in tmdk following the loss of those junior
08:51tag team titles knowing that zach saber jr no longer reigns as world heavyweight champion chris
08:56set the ship on the right path the front man must do what the front man must do and that is
09:05represent and representing on the canvas right now suffice to say for zach saber jr
09:26as tanahashi it's a place he's had zach saber before
09:31there's a hard slam and this is going to be an even harder sense on here it comes
09:40and the cover here for tanahashi will not find three on the former world heavyweight champion
09:46they might have found an opening just barely those body blows as well you see zach saber jr
09:51going down to the ribs the intercostals
10:05oh and that is zach saber jr in spades
10:15no cheeky smile on the face of zach saber right now what read do you make off that chris yeah i mean
10:20you're right there was a little bit of a cheeky action in using the dragon screw but
10:25no knowing wink and nod all business all business on that euro as well
10:36takes it back of zach saber jr the times present times that he's met tanahashi in singles action
10:43for that rev pro undisputed british heavyweight title in g1 after g1 new japan cup after cup
10:49oh
11:03hard time testing tanahashi's jaw he's definitely going to check your knees
11:08and now grounding out that dragon screw it is hiroshi tanahashi
11:20and we call it as we see it a wonderful grappler indeed is hiroshi tanahashi
11:25has shown out many a time in grappling situation but you're stepping in the ring
11:29with the best technical wrestler in the world bar none in zach saber jr
11:33have to stay on top of the game here as tanah no no no you don't turn your back on zach saber jr
11:44backslide denied though he's gonna get control
11:48no no no no no no twist and shout
12:18yes saber jr attended that element of surprise with the zach driver
12:30yeah let it impact be both twisted by the ace
12:39and the knee
12:40Then Ewalker gave out midway through that move, and he can't make the cover.
12:46No, no control on the release, and Saber Jr.
12:50is going to have to try and make a pin that isn't coming.
12:53Tanahashi's rolling to the outside.
13:10Tanahashi's rolling to the outside.
13:38Wait, wait, wait.
13:40Danger for Zack Saber Jr.
13:44Tanahashi's switching sides now from the left to the right.
13:48Oh, Saber's not got a leg to stand on Walker.
13:52Both taken away by those dragon screws.
14:02And off the ropes for Tanahashi, a sling blade to Zack Saber.
14:07The cover again.
14:09No.
14:15Oh, he couldn't be thinking this.
14:17He took away the base so Zack Saber Jr. can't get to his feet.
14:21He does, but slowly.
14:23He's going to do his damnedest.
14:24Here we go.
14:25High fly attack.
14:27Wall of the rate crashing down, and one more will do it.
14:32And it will be Tanahashi forever better than Zack Saber Jr.
14:37Could it be?
14:41High, no!
14:43Oh, it's straight into the triangle.
14:45Saber Jr. has Tanahashi trapped right here, Chris.
14:49Ten is going to fade and fade quickly.
14:55He's got to try and get his feet underneath him.
14:57Try and scooch over to the ropes if he can.
14:59Get some blood flowing to his brain.
15:03Get some blood flowing through.
15:05Uh-oh.
15:07Uh-oh.
15:08Uh-oh.
15:09Uh-oh.
15:10Uh-oh.
15:11Uh-oh.
15:12Uh-oh.
15:13Uh-oh.
15:14Uh-oh.
15:15Uh-oh.
15:16Uh-oh.
15:17Uh-oh.
15:18Oh, and loosen the pressure,
15:20the grip into this,
15:21uh-oh.
15:22Gloverly thinned down, courtesy of Tadahashi.
15:25Zack desperately, managed to avoid being turned over to his front.
15:33Instead now, sinking that in all the tights.
15:39Cover, cover, cover, no.
15:41Oh, counters to counters, and back the other way, wait, wait, wait, wait, oh, no.
15:56Almost a replay of how Tana beat Zack for the TV title in the dome.
16:01Could be here, could be here, and quick cover on quick cover is not enough tonight.
16:09This could be though, O'Connor threw it.
16:12Nice, O'Connor, bridge, that's it.
16:15Wait.
16:18And now, Cotton the clutches, Saber's chewing it, still in it.
16:28Zack Saber Jr.'s like trying to cram a snake into a bag that's constantly wriggling out of each other's grasp.
16:35And now, Tadahashi's finally faded.
16:45And now, Zack Driver.
16:52Saber Jr. with the win.
16:54I'll talk about the first step forward in putting TMDK back on track here, Chris.
17:18A victory here tonight.
17:20There you see the replay.
17:21Zack Driver for the victory.
17:24One, two, three in the center.
17:26And it is going to be ending up even Steven.
17:30Seven and seven, 14 matches through.
17:32Well, Zack Saber Jr. versus Hiroshi Tanahashi.
17:35The pool's result.
17:37A score draw.
17:38One, two, three in the center.
17:41And the final round of Enish is 13 minutes.
17:45Zack Saber Jr.'s勝利.
17:49Eternal respect.
17:54He might not be officially the Prime Minister of Professional Wrestling Walker like he wanted to be,
18:00but Zack Saber Jr. has nothing but respect for our president.
18:14Ten and five till we hit the streets.
18:16Walked around with your body to the ground.
18:20And now it's time to roar.
18:22Ten in thought city falls at Melodos.
18:26Trains of thoughts.
18:27Inspirational left-ass doubles.
18:30The line of fire can just watch yard.
18:33Eight, nine seconds heard justlang boucher that came very short.
18:38But now it's Statom rule.
18:41Oh, to be a fly on the shoulder of those two men.
18:48And to hear the conversation that just went down.
18:50Business has picked up for Zack Sabre Jr. as DNDK with
18:57at least one win on the board here tonight.
19:00Meanwhile, it is Hiroshi Tanahashi who continues every step forward.
19:06A little over 200 plus days left on the calendar for
19:10Tanahashi in professional wrestling.
19:19And we are going to cherish every single step of the ride that is to come.
19:24What is left for the Ace of the Universe in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
19:32Chris, can you believe that we're already here?
19:34Our semi-main event of the evening set to get underway.
19:38And there has been no blood spilled so far for these top two matches of the evening.
19:42You're going to see it one way or another.
19:44Shota Umino taking on Shingo Takagi.
19:47And it is one on one coming up next.
19:50We'll see you one time.
19:51Thanks.
19:54Want to keep the heat on the roof?
19:56Haha.
19:57Oh, nevermind.
19:59Oh, nevermind.
20:02If you wilderness.
20:04So coming back to the family tree.
20:08Um.