Meiyu Tag

Meiyu Tag in January 2015

**Meiyu Tag** (盟友タッグ, *Meiyū taggu*, English for the *Allied Friends Tag*) was a professional wrestling tag team made up of Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata. They are best known for their work in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) in the United States for Ring of Honor (ROH).

Goto and Shibata, originally best frieds, and high-school classmates, Goto and Shibata had a very bitter rivalry throught the year of 2013. They were first put together in 2014, after both Goto and Shibata made peaces with each other and started working as a tag team. At the end of the year, the two won the 2014 World Tag League and later won the IWGP Tag Team Championship three times for both men's first time. They lost the titles a month later to the former champions The Good Brothers.

Over the year of 2015 to 2016, both Goto and Shibata began foccusing more on their respective singles careers, with Goto winning the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in May of the same year, while Shibata began feuding with Kazushi Sakuraba. Despite, very good performances by both men in the G1 Climax, Goto lost the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in September and began feuding with Tetsuya Naito, while Shibata began pursuing the NEVER Openweight Championship. This led Goto and Shibata drifting apart with each other, with their disbanding being cemented after Goto joined CHAOS in April 2016.

## History

### Background

In February 2013, Goto made a challenge towards former high school classmate Katsuyori Shibata, which led to a tag team match on February 10, where he and Wataru Inoue were defeated by Shibata and Kazushi Sakuraba. Afterwards, Goto and Shibata had a heated confrontation, building to a future singles match between the two. Since then Goto and Shibata began feuding, with both men trading victories with each other. In August, Goto had suffered a fractured jaw, this led to their feud being on-hold until the rest of the year.

Goto returned on December 8, challenging Shibata to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome. On January 4, 2014, Goto defeated Shibata in his return match. The match ended the rivalry between Goto and Shibata, with both men embracing and forming a tag team.

### Championship pursuits (2014-2016)

Afterwards, Goto and Shibata entered the IWGP Tag Team Championship picture, defeating the reigning champions, Bullet Club (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson), in a non-title match at New Japan's 42nd anniversary event on March 6. They received their title shot on April 6 at Invasion Attack 2014, but were defeated by Gallows and Anderson. From July 21 to August 8, Goto and Shibata took part in the 2014 G1 Climax, where Goto finished with a record of four wins and six losses and finished fourth in his block with a record of six wins and four losses. During the tournament final event on August 10, Shibata and Goto faced off in another singles match, where Shibata was victorious. Goto then entered a storyline, where he started leading a counterattack against the Bullet Club and CHAOS stables, with the goal of revitalizing the New Japan Seikigun ("regular army"), which he represented alongside the likes of Shibata and Hiroshi Tanahashi.After entering a rivalry with Shinsuke Nakamura and becoming the number one contender to his IWGP Intercontinental Championship, it was announced that Shibata would be working the full October to November "Road to Power Struggle" tour, his first full tour with New Japan since his return. Shibata received his title shot on November 8 at Power Struggle, but was defeated by Nakamura and Goto received his first shot at the NEVER Openweight Championship, but was defeated by the defending champion, Tomohiro Ishii. Later in the month, Goto and Shibata entered the 2014 World Tag League, where they opened with a three match losing streak, only to come back and win their four remaining matches, winning their block and advancing to the finals. On December 7, Goto and Shibata defeated Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson in the finals to win the 2014 World Tag League. This led to a rematch between the two teams on January 4, 2015, at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome, where Goto and Shibata defeated Anderson and Gallows to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions. Goto and Shibata's reign ended in their first defense on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka, where they were defeated by Anderson and Gallows.

On March 8, Goto and Shibata once again faced off in the second round of the 2015 New Japan Cup in a match, where Goto was victorious. Goto eventually made it to the finals of the tournament on March 15, where he was defeated by Kota Ibushi.On April 5, a rivalry ignited between Shibata and Kazushi Sakuraba, after Sakuraba submitted Shibata in a tag team match at Invasion Attack 2015. On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku 2015, Goto defeated Shinsuke Nakamura to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship for the second time. Shibata and Sakuraba faced off on July 5 at Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall in a match, where Shibata was victorious also later that night Goto made his first title defense defeating Nakamura in a rematch. From July 20 to August 14, Goto and Shibata took part in the 2015 G1 Climax, where Shibata finished in the middle of his block with a record of four wins and five losses and Goto After six victories, one of which came over reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Goto entered the final day with a chance to advance from his block, but was eliminated after suffering his third loss of the tournament against Yuji Nagata. Through NJPW's working relationship with the Ring of Honor (ROH) promotion, Goto returned to the United States on August 21, teaming with Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe in a six-man tag team match, where they defeated Okada, Beretta and Rocky Romero. Goto's Intercontinental Championship reign ended on September 27 at Destruction in Kobe, when he was defeated by Nakamura in another title rematch. Goto and Shibata participated at the 2016 World Tag league and they finished tournament with 8 points and with 4 wins and 2 losses and the lost was against Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL and Tetsuya Naito) and they lost due to a low blow by Naito on Goto.

### Disbanding (2016)

On January 4, 2016 at Wrestle Kingdom 10, Shibata won his first singles title in NJPW, when he defeated Tomohiro Ishii for the NEVER Openweight Championship and Goto defeated Tetsuya Naito at the event. Shibata made his first successful title defense on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka in a rematch against Ishii whule Goto received his eighth shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but yet again failed to win the title, being defeated by the defending champion, Okada and Goto went into the match with new attire, painting his body white and covering himself with script. Following the match, Okada offered Goto a spot in the CHAOS stable. On March 3, NJPW announced that Shibata had signed a one-year deal with the promotion, ending his 11-year run as a freelancer.Over the next several events, Okada tried to shake hands with Goto and get him to join CHAOS on multiple occasions, but was turned down each time, and Shibata made his next title defenses against NJPW veterans, defeating Satoshi Kojima on March 19 and Hiroyoshi Tenzan on April 10 and Goto made it to the finals of the 2016 New Japan Cup, but was defeated there by Tetsuya Naito. After the final match, Goto finally agreed to shake hands with Okada, after he saved him from a post-match assault by Naito and his *Los Ingobernables de Japón* stable, and joined CHAOS, thus disbanding the team.

## In wrestling

* **Goto's Finishing moves**
	+ *Shouten Kai* (Vertical suplex sitout side slam)
	+ *Shoryu Kekkai* (Modified seated armbar)
* **Shibata's Finishing moves**
	+ *G2PK* (*Go 2 Sleep* followed into a soccer kick to the opponent's chest)
	+ Octopus hold
	+ *PK – Penalty Kick* (Soccer kick to the chest of a seated opponent, usually preceded by a sleeper hold)
* **Double-team finishing moves**
	+ *Gattai Reverse Ushigoroshi* (Inverted front powerslam (Goto) / Facebreaker knee smash (Shibata) combination)
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Aramusha" (Japanese for "Fierce Warrior") (Goto)
	+ "The Wrestler" (Shibata)
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **"Hadou"** by Kazsin

## Championships and Accomplishments

* **New Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Intercontinental Championship (1 time) - Goto
	+ NEVER Openweight Championship (1 time) - Shibata
	+ IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time)
	+ World Tag League (2014)
* ***Pro Wrestling Illustrated***
	+ PWI ranked him #**76** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2015 - Goto
	+ PWI ranked him #**123** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2015 - Shibata

## References

1. ↑ Road to The New Beginning  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2013-02-11.
2. ↑ The New Beginning  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2013-02-11.
3. ↑ *ja:レスリングどんたく 2013* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2013-05-03.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dominion 6.22  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2013-06-22.
5. ↑ 吉野家Presents Kizuna Road 2013  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2013-07-20.
6. ↑ 【お知らせ】後藤洋央紀選手、天山広吉選手が怪我のため『G1』を欠場  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling* (2013-08-08). Retrieved on 2013-08-08.
7. ↑ World Tag League 2013  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2013-12-08.
8. ↑ バディファイトPresents Wrestle Kingdom 8 in 東京ドーム  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-01-04.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 *ja:洋央紀＆柴田「合体リバース牛殺し」完成* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-01-30). Retrieved on 2014-02-10.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 The New Beginning in Hiroshima  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-02-10.
11. ↑ *ja:旗揚げ記念日* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-03-06.
12. ↑ Invasion Attack 2014  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-04-06.
13. ↑ Caldwell, James 2014-04-06. Caldwell's NJPW PPV results 4/6: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of "Invasion Attack 2014" - Nakamura regains IC Title, A.J. Styles big angle, new NWA tag champions, more . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2014-04-06.
14. ↑ バディファイトPresents G1 Climax 24  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved on 2014-08-08.
15. ↑ Namako, Jason 2014-08-08. 8/8 NJPW G-1 Climax Day 11 recap (Okada/Suzuki) . *Wrestleview*. Retrieved on 2014-08-08.
16. ↑ バディファイトPresents G1 Climax 24  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved on 2014-08-10.
17. ↑ Caldwell, James 2014-08-10. Caldwell's New Japan G1 Climax finals results 8/10: Ongoing "virtual-time" coverage of 2014's top tournament . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2014-08-10.
18. ↑ バディファイトPresents G1 Climax 24  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved on 2014-08-08.
19. ↑ Road to Power Struggle  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-10-25.
20. ↑ 【次期S主要カード決定!】 "全戦参加"の 柴田勝頼が棚橋、真壁らと各地でタッグ結成! 『Super Jr. Tag』にROHの"ReDragon"参戦!!  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling* (2014-10-16). Retrieved on 2014-10-16.
21. ↑ Power Struggle  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-11-08.
22. ↑ Power Struggle  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-11-08.
23. ↑ World Tag League 2014  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-12-05.
24. ↑ World Tag League 2014  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-12-05.
25. ↑ World Tag League 2014  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2014-12-07.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 >Wrestle Kingdom 9 in 東京ドーム  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2015-01-04. Retrieved on 2015-01-04.
27. ↑ Caldwell, James 2015-01-04. Caldwell's NJPW Tokyo Dome show results 1/4: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Wrestle Kingdom PPV - Tanahashi vs. Okada, Bullet Club, Nakamura, Jim Ross, more . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2015-01-04.
28. ↑ The New Beginning in Osaka  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-02-11.
29. ↑ Caldwell, James 2015-02-11. NJPW news: Bullet Club takes top titles at "New Beginning" - Styles new IWGP World Champ, other title changes . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2015-02-11.
30. ↑ New Japan Cup 2015  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-03-08.
31. ↑ New Japan Cup 2015  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-03-15.
32. ↑ 柴田が師匠・桜庭に宣戦布告  (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2015-04-14). Retrieved on 2015-04-14.
33. ↑ 桜庭がかつての盟友・柴田から"一本"  (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2015-04-06). Retrieved on 2015-04-07.
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 レスリングどんたく 2015  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Archived from the original on 2015-05-04. Retrieved on 2015-05-03.
35. ↑ Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-07-05.
36. ↑ Meltzer, Dave 2015-07-04. New Japan Dominion live coverage from Osaka Jo Hall - Styles vs. Okada for IWGP title, Nakamura vs. Goto for IC title and notes on biggest event since the Tokyo Dome, plus all G-1 main events . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2015-07-05.
37. ↑ Sempervive, Mike 2015-07-18. The Big Audio Nightmare's Guide to the annual New Japan G1 Climax . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2015-08-14.
38. ↑ Radican, Sean 2015-08-02. Radican's NJPW "G1 Climax Night 8" PPV Blog 8/1: Elgin continues to impress, Okada-Goto main event, full results & analysis of G1 matches . *Pro Wrestling Torch*. Retrieved on 2015-08-15.
39. ↑ *ja:バディファイトPresents G1 Climax 25* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-08-15.
40. ↑ TV taping results - 8/21 ROH in Philadelphia, Pa.: ROH and New Japan stars meet, plus ROH Title match, Tag Title match, more . *Pro Wrestling Torch* (2015-08-21). Retrieved on 2015-08-22.
41. ↑ Destruction in Kobe  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-09-27.
42. ↑ Show results - 9/27 NJPW "Destruction in Kobe" Event: Major title change in the main event, ReDragon vs. Time Splitters, A.J. Styles's Bullet Club in action, more big matches . *Pro Wrestling Torch* (2015-09-27). Retrieved on 2015-09-27.
43. ↑ *ja:洋央紀 ２・１１大阪でＩＷＧＰ挑戦正式表明* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2016-01-06). Retrieved on 2016-02-11.
44. ↑ Meltzer, Dave 2016-01-03. Wrestle Kingdom 10 live results: Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2016-01-04.
45. ↑ The New Beginning in Osaka  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-02-11.
46. ↑ *ja:柴田勝頼　１１年ぶり「新日」再入団　リングで契約書にサイン* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2016-03-03). Retrieved on 2016-03-03.
47. ↑ Rose, Bryan 2016-03-03. NJPW New Japan Cup results: Big announcements, first round of matches . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2016-03-03.
48. ↑ *ja:洋央紀 オカダからの「Chaos」勧誘を一刀両断New Japan Cup 2016* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2016-03-10). Retrieved on 2016-03-12.
49. ↑ Rose, Bryan 2016-03-12. New Japan Cup Finals results: Cup winner crowned; build to Invasion Attack . *Wrestling Observer Newsletter*. Retrieved on 2016-03-12.
50. ↑ *ja:【新日ＮＪＣ】２年連続準Ｖの後藤　失意の中「Chaos」入り決断* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2016-03-13). Retrieved on 2016-03-12.
51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 柴田 勝頼  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2015-01-20.
52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 Hirooki Goto . *Puroresu Central*. Retrieved on 2010-08-22.
53. ↑ Purolove profile . *Purolove*. Retrieved on 2010-08-22.
54. ↑ *ja:バディファイトPresents G1 Climax 24* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-01-22.
55. ↑ *ja:バディファイトPresents G1 Climax 24* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-01-22.
56. ↑ New Japan Cup 2015  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-01-22.
57. ↑ *ja:柴田がＮＪＣで解禁「腕決め卍固め」* (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-03-01). Retrieved on 2014-03-15.
58. ↑ NJC開幕　柴田「腕極め卍固め」解禁で優勝へ好発進  (in Japanese). *Tokyo Sports* (2014-03-16). Retrieved on 2014-03-16.
59. ↑ NJPW 40th anniversary King of Pro-Wrestling  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2012-10-21.
60. ↑ Katsuyori Shibata . *Puroresu Central*. Retrieved on 2013-06-26.
61. ↑ 『G1 Climax 23』出場メンバー発表!! 飯伏幸太、石井智宏が初出場!! 柴田勝頼が9年ぶりエントリー!!  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling* (2013-07-05). Archived from the original on 2013-07-06. Retrieved on 2013-07-05.
62. ↑ 永田、KentaとGHC戦で壮絶打撃戦も奪取ならず!!　ライガー＆タイガーはまさかの逆転負けで王座陥落!!（ノア有明大会結果）  (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling* (2013-12-07). Retrieved on 2015-01-20.
63. ↑ ja:新日本・携帯サイトの"着うた"で、アンダーソンの新入場曲! ベンジャミンの入場曲を8月3日(金)配信!!　真壁独占インタビューも掲載!! (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling* (2012-07-31). Archived from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved on 2012-07-31.
64. ↑ *ja:Wrestle Kingdom 10 in 東京ドーム* (in Japanese). *New Japan Pro-Wrestling*. Retrieved on 2016-01-04.
65. ↑ 65.0 65.1 Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2015 . *The Internet Wrestling Database*. Retrieved on 2015-10-05.

## External links

* Goto New Japan Pro Wrestling profile
* Shibata New Japan Pro Wrestling profile
* Cagematch profile