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NJPW: 5 Takeaways From Sengoku Lord

By Corey Collins

TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 08: Kota Ibushi gestures prior to the 3 Way match between Kenny Omega, Cody and Kota Ibushi during the King of Pro-Wresting at Ryogoku Kokugikan on October 8, 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 08: Kota Ibushi gestures prior to the 3 Way match between Kenny Omega, Cody and Kota Ibushi during the King of Pro-Wresting at Ryogoku Kokugikan on October 8, 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /
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Toru Yano Could Sneak His Way to Tag Team Title Glory

There’s no question in anybody’s mind that the Guerrillas of Destiny are the better team when compared to Toru Yano and Togi Makabe. Technically, there’s no real comparison. GOD is younger, faster, and have proven that they’re more dominant than basically every other team in New Japan’s Heavyweight division.

There are some intangibles, though, which could leave GOD scrambling to pick up the pieces when April 29 rolls around. The biggest intangible? Famed DVD and curry salesman Toru Yano.

Yano may be just a comedy guy in the eyes of most fans, but he’s also shown that he has the chops to hang with, and defeat, wrestlers who most would have bet their life savings on to win. Most recently, YTR surprised Davey Boy Smith Jr with a victory in the New Japan Cup leading to DBS running down New Japan on Twitter.

In last year’s G1, Yano picked up shock victories over Kenny Omega (not without some unsolicited BC OG help) and Kota Ibushi. Despite his best efforts, Yano was surpassed by SANADA in a match where Cold Skull turned Yano’s own tricks against him by securing him to the guard rail via Paradise Lock.

Thus far, aside from wrestlers like Colt Cabana who are cut from a similar cloth, SANADA has been one of the few men to match wits with Yano. Can the Guerrillas follow the same path as one half of the former IWGP Tag Team Champions, or will their frustration in trying to teach Yano and Makabe a lesson be their undoing?

Yano has shown his uncanny ability to get under the skin of GOD starting at G1 Supercard. After winning a fatal four way to retain their titles and win the ROH Tag Team Titles, Yano absconded with the IWGP gold much to the chagrin of Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa.

Since then, Tonga has been able to retrieve the belts while also playing Yano’s own game by stealing the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Titles. Tonga can be a bad guy (in fact, he’s very good at being the bad guy) and one-up Yano after the match is over. Can he and Loa, though, do the same thing when it truly matters and leave Kumamoto still double champions?

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