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BREAKING DOWN ALL JAPAN PRO WRESTLING'S 2020 REAL WORLD TAG LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

All Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual Real World Tag League tournament will begin on November 18 in Tokyo.

The company announced the full field for this year’s tournament on its YouTube channel today, including some new faces, old favourites and fresh combinations.

Tournament history

The Real World Tag League was founded in 1977. The original tournament was named the Open Tag League, but it adopted its current name from 1978 onwards.

Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk won the first tournament. The only teams to win the tournament with a perfect record are Genichiro Tenryu and Stan Hansen in 1989, Bubba Ray and D-Von in 2005 and Manabu Soya and Takao Omori in 2016.

The tournament is held under round-robin rules. Two points are awarded for a win, one point is awarded for a draw and zero points are awarded for a loss.

Teams announced

“violent giant” – Shuji Ishikawa and SUWAMA
Shuji Ishikawa – 5th appearance
SUWAMA – 17th appearance
As a team – 4th appearance

Shuji Ishikawa and SUWAMA enter this year’s tournament with 20 combined appearances, the most of the entire field.

This is largely part to SUWAMA’s streak of entering every tournament since 2004. Unsurprisingly, it is the highest individual number of entries in this year’s tournament.

Ishikawa and SUWAMA currently holds the World Tag Team Championships. They will defend them against Kuma Arashi and Shotaro Ashino on October 24 in Korakuen Hall.

“PURPLE HAZE” – Shigehiro Irie and Zeus
Shigehiro Irie – 2nd appearance
Zeus – 7th appearance
As a team – 1st appearance

Shigehiro Irie and Zeus will enter this year’s tournament as a team for the first year representing Purple Haze.

Zeus currently holds the All Asia Tag Team Championships with Izanagi. He will also challenge SUWAMA for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship on October 17 in EDION Arena Osaka.

Zeus’ regular tag team partner, The Bodyguard, is not scheduled to compete in the tournament.

“JIN” – Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto
Jake Lee – 4th appearance
Koji Iwamoto – 1st appearance
As a team – 1st appearance

While this is Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto’s first entry in the Real World Tag League together, the duo have held the All Asia Tag Team Championships twice in the past.

Iwamoto currently holds the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. He will defend it against Atsuki Aoyagi, who is not scheduled to compete in the tournament, on October 24 in Korakuen Hall.

Iwamoto is one of two junior heavyweight wrestlers in the tournament alongside TAJIRI.

“Enfants Terribles” Kuma Arashi and Shotaro Ashino
Kuma Arashi – 2nd appearance
Shotaro Ashino – 1st appearance
As a team – 1st appearance

Kuma Arashi competed in 2016’s Real World Tag League under his former Kumagoro gimmick. This year, he enters alongside Enfants Terribles leader Shotaro Ashino.

Arashi and Ashino previously held the Wrestle-1 Tag Team Championships in 2018. The duo are 4-0 in tag team matches in All Japan.

As mentioned above, Arashi and Ashino will challenge Ishikawa and SUWAMA for the World Tag Team Championships on October 24 in Korakuen Hall.

“YOSHITATSU KINGDOM & LAND’S END” – Ryoji Sai and Yoshitatsu
Ryoji Sai – 5th appearance
Yoshitatsu – 4th appearance
As a team – 1st appearance

Ryoji Sai will enter his fifth Real World Tag League with a fifth different partner.

Yoshitatsu currently holds the GAORA TV Championship. He is scheduled to defend it in a six-man tag team match on October 17 in EDION Arena Osaka.

Yoshitatsu will defend his championship teaming with Chikara and Yusuke Okada against Black Menso~re, Katsumi Oribe and Takao Omori.

“former ECW hardcore tagteam” – Masato Tanaka and TAJIRI
Masato Tanaka – 2nd appearance
TAJIRI – 4th appearance
As a team – 1st appearance

Masato Tanaka’s last Real World Tag League entry was in 2002 teaming with Shinjiro Otani. It is the longest gap between entries in this year’s tournament.

Tanaka advanced to the final of that year’s tournament but lost to Satoshi Kojima and Taiyo Kea.

As referenced prior, TAJIRI is the second junior heavyweight wrestler in the tournament.

“BJW” – Abdullah Kobayashi and Daisuke Sekimoto
Abdullah Kobayashi – 1st appearance
Daisuke Sekimoto – 5th appearance
As a team – 1st appearance

Abdullah Kobayashi is one of three wrestlers making their Real World Tag League debut in this year’s tournament.

Kobayashi’s most recent appearance in All Japan was teaming with Frank Atsushi and Great Kojika against Masanobu Fuchi, TAJIRI and The Great Sasuke on January 2. His only appearance was in 2017.

Daisuke Sekimoto is scheduled to challenge for the BJW World Strong Heavyweight Championship on November 23. Subsequently, he and Kobayashi are not scheduled to compete on that day’s Real World Tag League show.

“They’re back together again!” – Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi
Kento Miyahara – 8th appearance
Yuma Aoyagi – 6th appearance
As a team – 2nd appearance

Yuma Aoyagi betrayed Kento Miyahara in January leading to a Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship match in February.

However, Aoyagi and Miyahara have seemingly rekindled their friendship recently. Aoyagi aided Miyahara to the back after Miyahara lost the Champion Carnival final to Zeus.

Alongside Ishikawa and SUWAMA, Aoyagi and Miyahara are the only team who have entered the tournament together before.

Full schedule

November 18 in Tokyo at 6:30pm JST, 10:30am BST, 5:30am ET
• Abdullah Kobayashi and Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi
• Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto vs. Shigehiro Irie and Zeus
• Masato Tanaka and TAJIRI vs. Ryoji Sai and Yoshitatsu

November 21 in Niigata at 6pm JST, 10am BST, 5am ET
• Shigehiro Irie and Zeus vs. Shuji Ishikawa and SUWAMA
• Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto vs. Ryoji Sai and Yoshitatsu
• Abdullah Kobayashi and Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Kuma Arashi and Shotaro Ashino

November 22 in Saitama at 6pm JST, 10am BST, 5am ET
• Ryoji Sai and Yoshitatsu vs. Shuji Ishikawa and SUWAMA
• Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi vs. Kuma Arashi and Shotaro Ashino
• Abdullah Kobayashi and Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Masato Tanaka and TAJIRI

November 23 in Tokyo at 11:30am JST, 3:30am BST, 10:30pm ET
• Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto vs. Shuji Ishikawa and SUWAMA
• Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi vs. Masato Tanaka and TAJIRI
• Kuma Arashi and Shotaro Ashino vs. Shigehiro Irie and Zeus

November 29 in Gunma at 5pm JST, 9am BST, 4am ET
• Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi vs. Ryoji Sai and Yoshitatsu
• Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto vs. Masato Tanaka and TAJIRI
• Abdullah Kobayashi and Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Shigehiro Irie and Zeus

December 4 in Aichi at 6:30pm JST, 10:30am BST, 5:30am ET
• Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi vs. Shuji Ishikawa and SUWAMA
• Abdullah Kobayashi and Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto
• Ryoji Sai and Yoshitatsu vs. Shigehiro Irie and Zeus
• Kuma Arashi and Shotaro Ashino vs. Masato Tanaka and TAJIRI

December 5 in Niigata at 6pm JST, 10am BST, 5am ET
• Masato Tanaka and TAJIRI vs. Shuji Ishikawa and SUWAMA
• Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi vs. Shigehiro Irie and Zeus
• Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto vs. Kuma Arashi and Shotaro Ashino
• Abdullah Kobayashi and Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Ryoji Sai and Yoshitatsu

December 7 in Tokyo at 6:30pm JST, 10:30am BST, 5:30am ET
• Abdullah Kobayashi and Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Shuji Ishikawa and SUWAMA
• Jake Lee and Koji Iwamoto vs. Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi
• Masato Tanaka and TAJIRI vs. Shigehiro Irie and Zeus
• Kuma Arashi and Shotaro Ashino vs. Ryoji Sai and Yoshitatsu

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