A Look at the 2019 All Japan World's Strongest Tag Determination League Tournament and the Participants

A Look at the 2019 All Japan World's Strongest Tag Determination League Tournament and the Participants
November 2, 2019 
By Ryan Porzl

 In Japanese Wrestling, there are many traditions and one of them is big tag team tournaments held in the fall and end of the year. Among those is All Japan's World's Strongest Tag Determination League which has been a fall tradition since it's debut all the way back in 1977. In the decades since it's debut, the winners have been among some of the all time great teams including Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta, Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen, Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu, Stan Hansen and Ted Dibiase, The Miracle Violence Connection of Steve Williams and Terry Gordy, Mitsuharu Misawa and Kenta Kobashi, The Holy Demon Army of Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue, and The Dudley Boyz/Team 3D to name some. With the yearly tradition coming up, I figure I take a look at every team and give the pluses and minuses they have going for them along with why I think they could win or not.



Joe Doering and Dylan James (Bomber)
Pluses: Last year's winners and the top two foreigners
Minuses: Doering hasn't competed much this year and this team hasn't teamed up much recently

Thoughts: Doering and James seem to have everything going for them as they are last year's winners, they are the top two foreigners in All Japan, and have held the World Tag Team Championship with different partners. In theory, these guys should be a favorite. However, there's more to look at. While Doering and James have had several title shots this year, they haven't teamed much since the summer so who knows where All Japan plans to do with them. On top of that, Doering hasn't been touring full time since July as his only tour since then was the September tour where he competed in the Royal Road tournament which he was bounced in the first round against Miyahara. Since then, he toured Germany and did an indy show in the States. Maybe Doering was taking time away from All Japan as they would bring in other foreigners like Joel Redman in but I do wonder if All Japan is getting ready to move on from Doering. Still, Bomber have a shot given their past success so they should do well like upper half of the block but I don't think they're a shoo-in.

Chances of Winning: Decent but not as much as you think

Zeus and Ryoji Sai
Pluses: Current World Tag Team Champions
Minuses: The tournament will likely be used to establish fresh challengers

Thoughts: Zeus and Sai are a new team as they recently came together and won the World Tag Team Championship back on September 3rd. Since they are the champions, I expect them to do well but I don't see them winning mainly since the winners get the next title shot so I feel the winners will be the next challengers. Not to mention, I only would see Zeus and Sai winning if All Japan had plans to make them the next big team but I doubt that and could see them breaking up after a few months.

Chances of Winning: Slim to no chance

Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi
Pluses: Miyahara is the ace and it gives Aoyagi a boost
Minuses: Miyahara is already Triple Crown Champion and Aoyagi doesn't have momentum

Thoughts: Despite Miyahara having teamed with Yoshitatsu, this team is a no-brainer since Miyahara and Aoyagi are the remnants of Miyahara's NEXTREAM with Lee and Nomura having moved on. Miyahara and Aoyagi are the dark horse team as they can realistically win or lose. Miyahara is the ace of All Japan and the Triple Crown Champion so you can't underestimate a team with him. Meanwhile, Aoyagi is a promising prospect but doesn't have much right now since he and Nomura broke up in February so they could give them the win to give Aoyagi a bone to boost him. However, Miyahara is the Triple Crown Champion so I feel All Japan will want him to focus on that for now and while Aoyagi could use momentum they probably won't have him win the tournament out of nowhere. Regardless of whether they win or lose, I wouldn't be surprised either way. I see Miyahara and Aoyagi doing well but I wouldn't be surprised if they struggle with Aoyagi taking pins.

Chances of Winning: Possible Dark Horse

Suwama and Shuji Ishikawa (Violent Giants)
Pluses: Former champions, former tournament winners, and sets up rematch
Minuses: Just lost the titles and it could be too soon for a rematch

Thoughts: The Violent Giants have a lot going for them as they just came off their third reign as World Tag Team Champions and previous won the 2017 WSTL so they could realistically win again. Also, Violent Giants have settled into All Japan's top team over the past year and a half especially with Suwama having settled into the upper midcard and passed the torch to Miyahara. This would also lead to a possible rematch if All Japan wants it. The only issue with VG is they lost the titles back in September so it could be possible that All Japan may think it's too soon to go back to VG since Zeus and Sai only defended the titles once. Then again, VG don't have to win the titles and this would be a good reason to do a rematch regardless of whether Zeus and Sai win again. All in all, VG are definitely a team that could win it all but in the least, they should place high.

Chances of Winning: Pretty good

Jake Lee and Naoya Nomura
Pluses: Former champions, recent title contenders, both receiving strong pushes, and can boost both
Minuses: Just had a failed title shot in the summer

Thoughts: After being great prospects for years, 2019 has been a great year for both Lee and Nomura as they've both taken steps up in their respective careers as both received shots at the Triple Crown while Lee has racked up many honors including the yearly January 2nd Korakuen Hall battle royal, two All Asia Tag Titles, and the 2019 Royal Road Tournament while being runner up in the Champion Carnival. All Japan clearly has big plans for both guys and it wouldn't be surprising if one were to even win the Triple Crown in 2020. Meanwhile, Lee and Nomura are no strangers to each other as they were members of Miyahara's NEXTREAM stable and have had a run with the World Tag Team Championship. The only thing going against them is they did get a title shot and lost back in July but even then, there have been title matches since then and the belts have changed hands from Violent Giants to Zeus and Sai. All in all, Lee and Nomura have everything going for them as All Japan clearly have big plans for them, they've already enjoyed success this year and are former World Tag Team Champions, and best of all, a WSTL win is another boost to elevate them as they continue to climb the mountain. I see Lee and Nomura taking it all but if by some chance they don't, they'll probably be runners up.

Chances of Winning: The Favorites

TAJIRI and KAI
Pluses: Former All Asia Tag Team Championship contenders
Minuses: Neither are full time with All Japan and haven't competed much lately

Thoughts: TAJIRI and KAI are an interesting tag team and former contenders for the All Asia Tag Team Championship while KAI has held the World Tag Team Championship. Unfortunately, that's where the good news ends for them. TAJIRI and KAI aren't a regular tag team for All Japan so I seriously doubt All Japan will give them the WSTL especially when they have Miyahara and Aoyagi if they want a team that doesn't team much. Worst of all, neither have competed much for All Japan this year as KAI has been focused on Dragon Gate and barely done anything for All Japan this year while TAJIRI has bounced around including appearing for Big Japan and in Germany for EWA. I can't see All Japan going with them especially with KAI being MIA this year and TAJIRI has found most of his success as a junior heavyweight. Given all this, I see TAJIRI and KAI placing low on the block, maybe even last place or second to last.

Chances of Winning: No Chance

Daisuke Sekimoto and The Bodyguard
Pluses: Both mult-time World Tag Team Champions with other partners and current BJW Tag Team Champions
Minuses: Neither have competed much for All Japan this year and the team will likely break up when they lose the BJW Tag Championships.

Thoughts: Zeus isn't the only Big Guns team mate participating with a different partner as The Bodyguard is also entering the tournament with a different partner. Sekimoto and Bodyguard are both good and should do well given the past success in their careers as well as being Big Japan's Tag Team Champions. That said, Sekimoto and Bodyguard don't look to be a long term team and will likely break up when they lose the titles. The only way I see them winning is if All Japan wants to do a Zeus/Bodyguard match but I feel if they wanted to do that, they will do it in the future as Sekimoto and Bodyguard don't come off as a team that will win the tag tournament. Zeus vs. Bodyguard on opposite teams is interesting but not a huge money match. Since both have been successful in All Japan, both are the Big Japan Tag Champs, and Sekimoto is a top star in Big Japan, I see the team placing no higher than 4th but will probably be in the middle.

Chances of Winning: Slim

Yoshitatsu and Joel Redman (One World)
Pluses: Former challengers for the World Tag Team Championship and Yoshitatsu is a former World Tag Team Champion
Minuses: New team and just came up short in a World Tag Team Championship shot

Thoughts: One World is a new team as Yoshitatsu had been spending much of his career in All Japan teaming with Miyahara. Though new, the team has potential as Redman is a great talent while Yoshitatsu has seen a career rebirth in All Japan and currently holds the TV Title. The team has also recently challenged for the World Tag Team Championship so they're no scrubs. Unfortunately, that latter part will work against them as they challenged Zeus and Sai for the titles back on October 24th so I can't see All Japan booking a rematch in January 2020 as it's way too soon. If Yoshitatsu and Redman were to win the tournament then they would've saved the title shot for January. The team is also new as it's less than two months old so I seriously doubt All Japan will give the tag tournament to a two month old team unless that team had huge potential and while One World is great, they're not going to be the next top team or anything. I don't know where they'll place. I would guess pretty low since the team is new and Redman can be a fall guy but Yoshitatsu is TV Champion, a former World Tag Team Champion, and a Triple Crown challenger so I don't think it'll be too low. Maybe 7th or 8th place.

Chances of Winning: No Chance

Takashi Yoshida and Gianni Villetta
Pluses: Fresh Challengers
Minuses: Not a full time tag team and Villetta is not a big name

Thoughts: Yoshida is a successful tag wrestler in Dragon Gate and Villetta is a good talent but these two probably have the lowest chance of succeeding for a bunch a reasons. Yoshida and Villetta aren't a full time team so I doubt All Japan is going to give the tournament to a thrown together team unless they were main eventers but Yoshida isn't the ace of Dragon Gate and Villetta is at best the #3 foreigner. The only good thing Yoshida and Villetta have going for them is their fresh challengers but there are bigger teams that can be fresh challengers such as Miyahara/Aoyagi and Sekimoto/Bodyguard. I wouldn't be surprised if Yoshida and Villetta land in last place or at least low on the block.

Chances of Winning: No Chance

Parrow and Odinson (The End)
Pluses: Former challengers for the World Tag Team Championship
Minuses: Not full time with All Japan and already got a title shot in the summer

Thoughts: The End debuted at last year's league and did extremely well tying second place with 12 points. Since then, they haven't appeared much but they did challenge for the World Tag Team Championship back in June. I actually can see big things for them in the future as All Japan seems very high on them. That being said, they've only had six matches this year and since last year's tournament. Unless All Japan has some big plans for them in 2020, I can't see The End winning this year. If they compete more in the future, I definitely can see them win a tag league just not this year. I can't see The End winning this after a six month absence especially when you already got Doering and James as the big bad ass foreigners. Not sure where to place them but I don't think they'll tie in second place this year. They may end up more in the middle.

Chances of Winning: No Chance