Golden☆Ace, is a professional wrestling tag team made up of Japanese wrestlers Kota Ibushi and Hiroshi Tanahashi. The team name consists of the first part of Ibushi's nickname Golden☆Star and the first part of Tanahashi's nickname Ace of the Universe. Both began their team on January 6, 2020, working in the Japanese New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. The following month, the two won the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
History
Background
Both Kota Ibushi and Hiroshi Tanahashi had a rivalry in 2017, during the 2017 G1 Climax, where Ibushi defeated Tanahashi on August 1 with his new finishing maneuver, the Kamigoye. Following the conclusion of the tournament, Tanahashi set out to avenge losses he had suffered during the tournament. After successfully defending his IWGP Intercontinental Championship on September 16 at Destruction in Hiroshima against Zack Sabre Jr., another wrestler who had defeated him, Tanahashi called out Kota Ibushi, offering him the next title opportunity. On November 5 at Power Struggle, Ibushi unsuccessfully challenged Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. Despite losing to Tanahashi, Ibushi always admired him, nicknaming as a God (神 Kami), leading Ibushi to be caught in the middle of a feud between Tanahashi and his Golden☆Lovers tag team partner Kenny Omega, until Omega left the promotion in January 2019.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2020–Present)
On January 6, 2020, at New Years Dash, Tanahashi and Ibushi teamed with FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) in a winning effort against Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa). Afterwards, Tanahashi and Ibushi expressed their intentions of challenging Finlay and Robinson to a match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Tanahashi and Ibushi were supposed to face FinJuice on February 1 at The New Beginning in USA, but Ibushi was forced to miss the tour, due to contracting a Type-A Influenza, leading FinJuice to lose the IWGP Tag Team Championship to the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Roa) during the tour. Tanahashi and Ibushi received their championship match on February 21, defeating the Guerrillas of Destiny to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Shortly after, Tanahashi and Ibushi named their team "Golden☆Ace", consisting of the first part of Ibushi's nickname Golden☆Star and the first part of Tanahashi's nickname Ace of the Universe.
Championships and accomplishments
- New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- IWGP Tag Team Championship (1 time, current)
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