Just 5 Guys to add New Member in Battle with HoT

By: Thom Fain

The House of Torture vs. Just Five Guys faction feud heated up last week when “Heel Master” Yoshinobu Kanemaru betrayed the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA and his former friends, leaving them as… well, Four Guys. It was announced over the weekend reinforcements are on the way in the form of a new member for Just Five Guys.

Whether or not someone entirely new comes aboard or someone jumps ship from elsewhere (our money is on a potential return by Yuya Uemura from IMPACT wrestling), it all remains to be seen. New Japan has a hot unit on their hands and TAKA Michinoku’s autumnal rise in the promotion has been second only to SANADA’s incredible run to become the guy. Although the Internet seems ready to anoint wayward martial artist Master Wato as the Fifth Guy – and the tour poster indicates it will most likely be a Jr. Heavyweight – we will find out just exactly who the new Just 5 Guys member is on Oct. 9 in the recently announced six-man tag match in Ryogoku between HoT and J5G.

.@taichi0319 🆚 @kmaru0923 "🔥🔥🔥"

Watch Free⏩ https://t.co/CcdQ1XamUA#NJPW #njpwworld #njdest pic.twitter.com/Q6hHx1UQ1l

— njpwworld (@njpwworld) October 1, 2023

Whoever the fifth member may be, fans hope they can knock HoT down a peg or two – the multiple run-ins, consistent interference and gloating about their cheating has taken its toll over the past two years. HoT continues to dishonor Antonio Inoki and the fighting spirit emblematic of the King of Sports, even while the members of J5G have endeared themselves to fans both domestic and abroad – even earning a shampoo commercial in the process.

⚫🟡⚪⚫🟡⚪⚫
メリット×DOUKI
feat.Just 5 Guys
SPECIAL MOVIE
⚫🟡⚪⚫🟡⚪⚫#新日本プロレス のDOUKI選手、そしてJust 5 Guysの皆さまに、メリットのCMにご出演いただきました⚡
日頃からご愛用いただき本当にありがとうございます。@DoukiPerros pic.twitter.com/Zwb7yQwBma

— 花王メリット 公式 Kao Merit Shampoo (@merit_jp) July 15, 2023

Things come to a head on the 9th of October for the New Japan Destruction Final, and MP will be on the scene to bring readers news and photos of all the action. In the main event former Los Ingobernales de Japon stablemates and IWGP tag-team champs SANADA and EVIL square off to see who became the better man, leader, and will be crowned the IWGP World Heavyweight champion as a reward.

READ: The Story of Just 5 Guys