Welcome to the Squared Circle Podcast with your host Marie Shadows!

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In this episode of the Square Circle Podcast, I break down that chaotic ten-man tag from Wrestle Kingdom 20: Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, Drilla Moloney) teaming with the unaffiliated LIJ pieces (Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi) against a rebuilt United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, HENARE, Andrade El Idolo, Jake Lee).

HENARE is completely exempt—he’s a warrior, loyal as hell, and the only one I still fully believe in. The match had wild energy—twisting corkscrews from Andrade, DDTs and suplexes from Shingo, Drilla Killer, stunners, spinebusters, Finlay & Hiromu using each other as human weapons (their classic circumstantial teammate dynamic). But the finish? Jake Lee hits a big boot on Hiromu for the clean pin—abrupt, flat, and one of the weakest endings I’ve seen for a match with this much built-in heat.

The story was Callum vs. Finlay—why not let one of them get the decisive fall? That layup was right there. Post-match, Francesco Akira returns in a hoodie, superkicks Hiromu, unmasks… and gets zero pop. It just fell flat.

The bigger issue: lost identities. United Empire used to have class, structure, and purpose—Ospreay & Fletcher leaving wrecked it, no real handover, now random additions like Andrade funding and Jake Lee jumping over.

What does it even stand for anymore? Callum’s whiny brat heel push has emotion but no control. Bullet Club War Dogs + Unaffiliated are floating too—fractured after Naito/Bushi, Tsuji didn’t seize his moment. Both sides drifting, no direction, no convictions.

New Japan needs urgency in storytelling again. If Callum had swung a chair at Ospreay during New Year’s Dash instead of hugging it out? Real teacher-vs-student arc. That’s the fire we’re missing.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro & Why These 5-on-5 Matches Feel Off

01:20 - HENARE Exempt – Warrior Forever

02:45 - United Empire in Shambles: Ospreay/Fletcher Exit, Drama, Lost Identity

07:10 - Callum Newman’s Heel Turn – Growth or Just Whiny Brat?

11:30 - Bullet Club War Dogs + Unaffiliated LIJ: Floating & Directionless

14:50 - Match Highlights – Chaos, Double Teams, Human Weapons

19:00 - Commentary Rant: Stop Acting Shocked at Finlay/Hiromu

22:40 - The Abrupt Finish: Jake Lee Pins Hiromu – Weakest Ever?

26:15 - Francesco Akira Return Falls Completely Flat

29:00 - Lost Identities: Factions Need Meaning & Convictions

32:30 - Final Thoughts – Faith in HENARE, Frustration with the Rest

35:00 - Call to Action: Comment, Like, Subscribe, Join Patreon

What did you think of the finish? Should Callum have pinned Finlay? Drop your thoughts below—keep it civil!