After 190 days on top in New Japan’s IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Division, FTR finally met their match today.
Bishomon, the team of longtime upper midcard fan favorite Hirooki Goto and perenial underdog YOSHI-HASHI, are tag team champions once more. In a surprisingly quick 10-minute showdown, these two teams enjoyed a heated response from the audience. The crowd popped in particular for the Big Rig.
Despite playing babyface for much of 2022, FTR heeled it up here in service of NJPW’s home team. Goto and YOSHI-HASHI won the 2022 World Tag League tournament to get here. All in all, this is the second consecutive year of the well-liked CHAOS members winning the tag leagues before securing the titles in the Tokyo Dome.
The match came to an end when YOSHI-HASHI landed an upset pinfall on Dax Harwood.
FTR Lose Another Set Of Tag Titles
Last month, the former three promotion champions dropped their ROH Tag Titles to the Briscoe Brothers. It was the final chapter in the acclaimed trilogy of epic bouts between the two teams. After besting the Briscoes twice in 2022, FTR crumbled in a blood-soaked Dog Collar Match that garnered widespread acclaim.
FTR’s contracts with AEW reportedly come to an end in April. The popular duo suddenly losing all of the titles they’ve snatched up does appear to lend credence to the rumors they won’t be continuing with the land of the Elite past April.
The pair also lost their AAA World Tag Team Championships to Dragon Lee and Dralistico in December, essentially freeing them up for 2023.
If FTR decide against sticking with AEW, it’s very likely Triple H and co. will want them back in WWE for another run as The Revival.
