Just 5 Guys

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Just 5 Guys
Logo of Just 5 Guys
Stable
MembersSee below
Name(s)Just 4 Guys
Just 5 Guys
DebutJanuary 5, 2023
Years active2023–present

Just 5 Guys (J5G) is a professional wrestling stable, consisting of leader Sanada, Douki, Taka Michinoku, Taichi, and Yuya Uemura. They are all currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

The stable formed in January 2023 as Just 4 Guys (J4G), consisting of Taichi, Taka Michinoku, Douki, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru following the disbandment of their previous stable Suzuki-gun. Two months later, the stable added Sanada and took their current name.

Background[edit]

Taichi and Michinoku first interacted in December in 2010 as part of Kojima-gun,[1] which morphed into Suzuki-gun after they turned on Satoshi Kojima and appointed Minoru Suzuki as their new leader.[2] Within Suzuki-gun, Michinoku and Taichi teamed up in NJPW's junior heavyweight tag team division in which they held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, before Taichi moved up to the heavyweight division in March 2018. Meanwhile, in Pro Wrestling NOAH, Kanemaru would join Suzuki-gun in February 2016, as part of the stable's invasion storyline, before moving to NJPW with them in January 2017. Douki joined Suzuki-gun in May 2019, having been introduced to the stable by Taichi. All four wrestlers remained members of Suzuki-gun until the stable disbanded in December 2022.[3][4]

History[edit]

On January 5, 2023, at New Year Dash, Michinoku, Taichi, Douki, and Kanemaru formed Just 4 Guys with the aim of reaching the top of New Japan.[5][6] On February 4, at The New Beginning in Sapporo, Taichi lost to Will Ospreay in a singles match. On the same event, Douki and Yoshinobu Kanemaru challenged for Catch 2/2 (Francesco Akira and TJP) for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, but lost.[7][8]

In March, Sanada, then a member of Los Ingobernables de Japon, entered the New Japan Cup. After he defeated LIJ stablemate and leader Tetsuya Naito in the quarter-finals, he left Los Ingobernables de Japón and joined the stable, changing the name to Just 5 Guys.[9][10] Sanada defeated David Finlay in the finals of the tournament and, one month later, defeated Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis.[11][12][13] Following Sanada winning the title, he was confronted by former stablemate Hiromu Takahashi, who sought a shot at the world title. Sanada accepted, however only on the basis that Kanemaru was granted a title shot at Takahashi's IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, which Takahashi accepted. On April 27, Kanemaru lost to Takahashi.[14] Two days later, at Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni, Taichi defeated Takagi to win the KOPW championship.[15]

Following Takahashi retaining the title against Kanemaru, he faced Sanada at Wrestling Dontaku, where Sanada retained the World title.[16] Following the match, Sanada and the remainder of Just 5 Guys were attacked by the returning and new member of LIJ Yota Tsuji, who challenged Sanada for his title.[17][18] The day after at the event, Sanada retained his title against Tsuji.[19] Through NJPW's partnership with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Douki made his AEW debut on the June 23 episode of AEW Rampage, losing to "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry.[20] Sanada made his third title defense two days later at Forbidden Door, defeating Perry.[21][22] On September 24, at Destruction in Kobe, Kanemaru betrayed the stable and joined House of Torture. On October 1, Sanada revealed that a new member will be added at Destruction in Ryogoku to maintain the stable’s current name instead reverting themselves back to Just 4 Guys. On October 9, Yuya Uemura was revealed as the newest member of Just 5 Guys, teaming with Taichi and Douki to beat Sho, Yujiro Takahashi and Kanemaru.[23]

Members[edit]

* Founding member

Current[edit]

Member Joined
Douki * January 5, 2023
Taichi *
Taka Michinoku *
Sanada March 17, 2023
Yuya Uemura October 9, 2023

Former[edit]

Member Joined Left
Yoshinobu Kanemaru * January 5, 2023 September 24, 2023

Timeline[edit]

Championships and accomplishments[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Road to Kingdom ～Battle X'mas!～". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  2. ^ レスリングどんたく 2011. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  3. ^ NJPW. "2022.12.23 Road to TOKYO DOME | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". NJPW. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  4. ^ "Suzuki-gun bids farewell on New Japan's final event of the year". December 23, 2022.
  5. ^ "「たまたまそれぞれ行く道が一緒だっただけ」元・鈴木軍のタイチ＆金丸義信＆DOUKI＆TAKAみちのくが新ユニットを結成しUNITED EMPIRE狩りを宣言！". バトル・ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  6. ^ "【新日本】元・鈴木軍のタイチ、金丸義信、DOUKI、TAKAみちのくが新チーム結成！「オレたちは2023年、新日本プロレスを大きく変える！」 | プロレスTODAY" (in Japanese). January 6, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  7. ^ "2023.02.04 THE NEW BEGINNING in SAPPORO | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". NJPW (in Japanese). Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  8. ^ "NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo live results: Naito vs. Umino". Wrestling Observer Online. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  9. ^ "SANADA Leaves LIJ, Joins Just 4 Guys". March 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "Four become Five Guys as SANADA leaves LIJ to join Taichi group | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING".
  11. ^ Fritts, Chick (March 21, 2023). "New Japan Cup finals live results: SANADA vs. David Finlay". Wrestling Observer.
  12. ^ Pollock, John (March 22, 2023). "NJPW releases card for Sakura Genesis on 4/8". Post Wrestling | Wwe Aew NXT NJPW Podcasts, News, Reviews.
  13. ^ Fritts, Chick (April 8, 2023). "NJPW Sakura Genesis live results: Okada vs. SANADA IWGP title match". Wrestling Observer.
  14. ^ "NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku 2023 Results: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship Match". April 27, 2023.
  15. ^ Vetter, Chris (April 29, 2023). "4/29 NJPW "Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni" results: Vetter's review of Shingo Takagi vs. Taichi for the KOPW Title, "Aussie Open" Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis vs. "TMDK" Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls for the IWGP Tag Team Titles, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, and Bushi vs. Sanada, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Douki". ProWrestlingDotNet.
  16. ^ "2023.05.03 Wrestling Dontaku 2023 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING".
  17. ^ "Yota Tsuji returns to NJPW at Wrestling Dontaku, takes out Just 5 Five Guys". May 3, 2023.
  18. ^ "Yota Tsuji Joins los Ingobernables de Japon Ahead of NJPW Dominion". June 3, 2023.
  19. ^ "NJPW Dominion live results: Seven title matches". June 4, 2023.
  20. ^ Pulido, Luis (June 23, 2023). "AEW Rampage (6/23/2023) Results: United Empire & Swerve vs CHAOS, MJF Appears, Owen Hart Cup Bout". Fightful.
  21. ^ Valdez, Nick (June 25, 2023). "AEW Forbidden Door: "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry Finally Turned Heel and AEW Fans Love It". ComicBook.com. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  22. ^ Tessier, Colin (June 25, 2023). "Jack Perry Turns On HOOK After Losing To SANADA At AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door". Fightful. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  23. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (October 1, 2023). "SANADA Says Just Five Guys Will Add A Fifth Guy At NJPW Destruction In Ryogoku". Fightful. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  24. ^ a b Ruth, Sondra (September 14, 2023). "Complete 2023 PWI 500 List Revealed, Top NJPW Star Absent". tjrwrestling.net. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
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