Just 5 Guys

Just 5 Guys (ジャスト・ファイブ・ガイズ, Jasuto Faibu Gaizu) (J5G), is a professional wrestling stable, performing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

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

The stable formed in January 2023 as Just 4 Guys (ジャスト・フォー・ガイズ, Jasuto Fō Gaizu) (J4G) by 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

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 joined 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 being introduced to the stable by Taichi. All four wrestlers remained members of Suzuki-gun until the stable disbanded in December 2022.[3][4]

History

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. They adopted the name Just 4 Guys as a simple four-person group.[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, defeating Taichi and Kenta in the first two rounds.[9][10] In the quarterfinal round, Sanada defeated LIJ stablemate and leader, Tetsuya Naito. After the match, Sanada was joined in the ring by Taichi, Kanemaru, Michinoku and Douki, where they all shook hands. This led to LIJ members, Hiromu Takahashi, Bushi, and Shingo Takagi coming to ringside. Sanada then stated that he could not achieve further success in LIJ. Michinoku and Taichi, then confirmed Sanada was the newest member of the Just 4 Guys stable, thus making it Just 5 Guys. Sanada then told the LIJ members to leave, confirming his departure from the faction.[9][11] In the semi-final round, Sanada, now sporting jet-black, shorter hair and a clean shave, defeated Mark Davis.[12] In the tournament final, Sanada defeated David Finlay, winning the New Japan Cup, his first singles tournament, and setting himself up to face Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis.[13][14] On April 8 at the event, Sanada defeated Okada for the title, winning his first world championship in his career.[15] On April 29, at Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni, Taichi defeated Takagi to win the KOPW championship.[16]

Members
* Founding member

Current
Member Joined
Douki * January 5, 2023
Taichi *
Taka Michinoku *
Yoshinobu Kanemaru *
Sanada March 17, 2023

Sub-groups
Affiliate Members Tenure Type
Just Two GuysSanada and Taichi2023–presentTag team

Championships and accomplishments

References
  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 2022-12-15.
  4. "Suzuki-gun bids farewell on New Japan's final event of the year". 23 December 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 2023-03-18.
  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). 2023-01-06. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  7. "2023.02.04 THE NEW BEGINNING in SAPPORO | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". NJPW (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  8. "NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo live results: Naito vs. Umino". Wrestling Observer Online. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
  9. "SANADA Leaves LIJ, Joins Just 4 Guys". 17 March 2023.
  10. "2023.03.10 New Japan Cup 2023 | New Japan Pro-Wrestling".
  11. "Four become Five Guys as SANADA leaves LIJ to join Taichi group | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING".
  12. "2023.03.19 New Japan Cup 2023 | New Japan Pro-Wrestling".
  13. Fritts, Chick (March 21, 2023). "New Japan Cup finals live results: SANADA vs. David Finlay". Wrestling Observer.
  14. Pollock, John (22 March 2023). "NJPW releases card for Sakura Genesis on 4/8". Post Wrestling | Wwe Aew NXT NJPW Podcasts, News, Reviews.
  15. Fritts, Chick (April 8, 2023). "NJPW Sakura Genesis live results: Okada vs. SANADA IWGP title match". Wrestling Observer.
  16. 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.
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