[7.0] "A good show without any really weak matches that significantly grew up in quality with every match. The main event was good (not 5-star good, more like 4.25 stars good, but that's still a mark of quality) so you might want to check it out."

[7.0] "Really strong show. I honestly don't feel like there were any terrible matches. Overall high standard of quality in ring and some interesting stories being pushed forward. Highlights had to be Masatora Yasuda vs Tatsuya Matsumoto and the main event. Both great showings for the future and the present of New Japan"

[9.0] "In what's probably gonna be my most out of pocket take of the year, I liked this show better than Wrestle Kindom. This show. The first night of a Road To Tour. Every match aside from the main event flew by. Every bout on the undercard had at least one great moment of characterization and got me hyped to see what was gonna happen next. This was the most fun I've had watching a full pro-wrestling card in years. I'm just as surprised as you are."

[8.0] "Awesome Korakuen Hall show. Two banger main matches, good showing for young lions in first YLC in 7 years and pretty fun undercard. Hope next day delivers too, so far I'm very into 2026 New Japan."

[6.0] "Two really good matches, one good match and a few decent but not mind blowing matches. A fairly solid show all in all the you lions opening up did a stellar job and I look forward to seeing more of them."

[7.0] "[7.0] NJPW's Road to New Beginning Night 1 was a good show and continues that momentum that came from Wrestle Kingdom. While this show has the same beats as the underwhelming Blue Justice show. It gets good near the end of the show with the hot feud with Unbound Co and United Empire and the last two matches of this show really hammering down the tag and trios division as the best in wrestling. Overall, I am excited for what's to come for tommorows show."

[7.0] "Last two matches are worth watching, the undercard was fine, a decent enough Road To New Beginning show. Masatora Yasuda vs Tatsuya Matsumoto: Some technical work in this match, it was a solid opening match, good to see Yasuda win in this Young Lion's Cup opening round match, Matsumoto was okay [**3/4]. Daiki Nagai vs Zane Jay: The weaker of the Young Lion's Cup opening round matches with Callum Newman coming out and handing a chair to Jay who proceeded to use it for the DQ finish, before that it was fine [**]. Aaron Wolf, El Desperado, Master Wato, Toru Yano & YOH vs Dick Togo, DOUKI, EVIL, Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi: Wolf got some time in the ring, Desperado and DOUKI had an okay preview of their match tomorrow, HoT tactics used which was not surprising [**1/4]. Callum Newman, Francesco Akira, Great O-Khan, Jake Lee & Jakob Austin Young vs Gedo, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, Taiji Ishimori & Yota Tsuji: A fine undercard tag match, Lee and Tsuji continue to preview a potential title match down the road, Akira got the win which was fine [**1/2]. SHO vs Kosei Fujita: The DQ finish was weak as was the match, luckily it was only short timed [*3/4]. Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs Robbie Eagles: Did not care for this under 5 minute match, Kanemaru winning was not good [*1/4]. Boltin Oleg, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr: A well structured, hard-hitting and high paced match, ZSJ and Oiwa targeted the limbs of Goto and Co, Oleg picking up Jackson was insane, the crowd reaction was fire for all 18 minutes, the title change did surprise me as thought TMDK would have a decent length run [****1/4]. Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura vs Taichi & Tomohiro Ishii: Taichi and Ishii gave Umino and Uemura their best match especially as a team, 30 minutes of physical war in Korakuen, Ishii's nose looked a mess at the end, definitely recommend watching, what a match to end a Road To tour [****3/4]"

[7.0] "A very standard 'road to' show. Then comes the last two matches. We've got new six man tag champs in a killer match, just furious action. Somehow, the main event one ups that. Ishii & Taichi give Shota & Yuya the best match either of them has ever had. Just a relentless half hour. Fuck yeah. You can give the rest of this a skip but the last two matches are must watch. ***3/4."

[7.0] "An interesting show overall which I enjoyed. The Young Lion Cup is going well, with the opener being a good technical exchange and the second bout being a good bit of character development for Zane Jay albeit at the expense of the match quality. The semi-main and main event were the bits worth seeking out, such a fun duo of matches and proof that when they want to, NJPW can do multi-man and tag wrestling at the highest level. The last two matches are worth going out of your way for, the rest of the card is just fine largely, skippable but watchable too."