Summary

New Japan Pro-Wrestling has confirmed three more names for Best of the Super Juniors 33. KUSHIDA, Ryusuke Taguchi, and Hyo will all participate in the upcoming tournament, which runs from May 14 through June 7. As always, the winner earns a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title.

KUSHIDA enters for the 13th time overall, his fourth consecutive appearance, and arrives as a two-time winner of the tournament (2015, 2017). Taguchi is making his 22nd entry and second in a row, having previously won the whole thing back in 2012. Hyo, meanwhile, makes her debut in the tournament.

The trio join a field that has been steadily filling out, with earlier announcements confirming the first wave of entrants including El Desperado, Kosei Fujita, and DOUKI, followed by additions including YOH, Master Wato and Valiente Jr., and Robbie Eagles, Francesco Akira and Jakob Austin Young.

Full Tournament Lineup

The confirmed field for Best of the Super Juniors 33 now stands at 18 entrants. Past winners in the mix include KUSHIDA (2015, 2017), Ryusuke Taguchi (2012), Master Wato (2023), Kosei Fujita (2025), and El Desperado (2024). DOUKI enters as the reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, while IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Taiji Ishimori and Robbie X are also confirmed.

Debutants this year are Hyo, Jakob Austin Young, and Valiente Jr. Returning veterans include SHO (9th consecutive entry), Robbie Eagles (8th consecutive), and Yoshinobu Kanemaru (6th consecutive). Daisuke Sasaki makes his first appearance in 14 years. The full field: KUSHIDA, Ryusuke Taguchi, Hyo, Taiji Ishimori, Robbie X, Titan, Robbie Eagles, Francesco Akira, Jakob Austin Young, Master Wato, YOH, Valiente Jr., SHO, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Daisuke Sasaki, Kosei Fujita, DOUKI, and El Desperado.

KUSHIDA and Taguchi Bring Tournament Pedigree

Between them, KUSHIDA and Taguchi account for three BOSJ championships and over three decades of combined tournament appearances. KUSHIDA's back-to-back title reigns in 2015 and 2017 established him as one of the defining Junior Heavyweight performers of that era, and his continued involvement in the tournament speaks to his standing in the division. Taguchi, now in his 22nd entry, is competing in territory few wrestlers ever reach in a single annual tournament.

With DOUKI heading in as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and past winners like El Desperado (2024), Kosei Fujita (2025), and Master Wato (2023) also in the field, KUSHIDA represents one of the more credible threats to convert a tournament win into a title run.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.