__NOTOC__ The , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually, run on the first weeks of December. The first tournament was actually called the Open Tag League, but it was renamed to its present name the following year.
The tournament is held under round-robin rules, with 2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, and 0 for a loss; in earlier tournaments, only a time limit draw would provide the one point, with other methods (such as a Double Disqualification and Double Countouts) providing nothing for either team.
The name "Real World Tag League" was a mistranslation by AJPW promoter Giant Baba; "saikyō" in Japanese means "strongest," not "real", but Baba used Engrish for promotional material.
Between 1988 and 1994, the World Tag Team Championship was annually vacated in time for the tournament, which would be used to determine the new champions. The rule was reinstated for the 2012 tournament, but was again ignored the following year, but was reinstated in 2014. In 2000 and 2015 the vacancy was determined by separate post-tournament playoffs between the 2nd and 3rd places.
Ten-Koji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima) are the only team to win both the World's Strongest Tag Determination League and its counterpart in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the World Tag League, as well as the only team to win both tournaments in the same year (2008).
Results List of winners +YearWinners1977Dory Funk Jr.Terry Funk1978Giant BabaJumbo Tsuruta1979Dory Funk Jr.Terry Funk1980Giant BabaJumbo Tsuruta1981Bruiser BrodyJimmy Snuka1982Dory Funk Jr.Terry Funk1983Bruiser BrodyStan Hansen1984Genichiro TenryuJumbo Tsuruta1985Ted DiBiaseStan Hansen1986Genichiro TenryuJumbo Tsuruta1987Yoshiaki YatsuJumbo Tsuruta1988Terry GordyStan Hansen1989Stan HansenGenichiro Tenryu1990Steve WilliamsTerry Gordy1991Steve WilliamsTerry Gordy1992Toshiaki KawadaMitsuharu Misawa1993Kenta KobashiMitsuharu Misawa1994Kenta KobashiMitsuharu Misawa1995Kenta KobashiMitsuharu Misawa1996Akira TaueToshiaki Kawada1997Akira TaueToshiaki Kawada1998Jun AkiyamaKenta Kobashi1999Jun AkiyamaKenta Kobashi2000Mike RotundoSteve Williams2001Keiji MutoTaiyō Kea2002Satoshi KojimaTaiyō Kea2003Kaz HayashiSatoshi Kojima2004JamalTaiyō Kea2005Bubba RayD-Von2006Hiroyoshi TenzanSatoshi Kojima2007Joe DoeringKeiji Muto2008Hiroyoshi TenzanSatoshi Kojima2009Keiji MutoMasakatsu Funaki2010KensoMasayuki Kono2011KaiSeiya Sanada2012Manabu SoyaTakao Omori2013Joe DoeringSuwama2014Jun AkiyamaTakao Omori2015Kento Miyahara Suwama2016Manabu SoyaTakao Omori2017Shuji IshikawaSuwama2018Dylan JamesJoe Doering2019Shuji IshikawaSuwama2020Kento Miyahara Yuma Aoyagi2021Kento Miyahara Yuma Aoyagi2022Kento Miyahara Takuya Nomura2023Katsuhiko Nakajima Hokuto Omori2024Jun SaitoRei Saito2025Ren AyabeTalos
1977 The 1977 Tag League, featuring 9 teams, was held from December 2 to December 15.
+Final standings Wrestlers Score Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk 14 Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta 13 Abdullah the Butcher and The Sheik 12 Rusher Kimura and The Great Kusatsu 8 Kim Duk and Kintarō Ōki 8 Horst Hoffman and Billy Robinson 7 The Destroyer and Texas Red 4 Rocky Hata and Genichiro Tenryu 1 Mighty Inoue and Akihisa Takachiho 1 Results AbdullahSheik BabaTsuruta DestroyerRed DoryTerry DukŌki HataTenryu HoffmanRobinson InoueTakachiho KimuraKusatsu AbdullahSheik AbdullahSheik(11:36) AbdullahSheik(7:27) DoryTerry(14:40) AbdullahSheik(6:38) AbdullahSheik(6:18) AbdullahSheik(11:02) AbdullahSheik(10:04) DCO(7:38) BabaTsuruta AbdullahSheik(11:36) BabaTsuruta(17:34) Draw(45:00) BabaTsuruta(9:39) BabaTsuruta(16:37) BabaTsuruta(19:09) BabaTsuruta(12:19) BabaTsuruta(16:20) DestroyerRed AbdullahSheik(7:27) BabaTsuruta(17:34) DoryTerry(20:15) DukŌki(20:38) DestroyerRed(18:29) HoffmanRobinson(15:54) DestroyerRed(14:16) KimuraKusatsu(15:21) DoryTerry DoryTerry(14:40) Draw(45:00) DoryTerry(20:15) DoryTerry(20:59) DoryTerry(17:55) Draw(45:00) DoryTerry(Forf) DoryTerry(18:51) DukŌki AbdullahSheik(6:38) BabaTsuruta(9:39) DukŌki(20:38) DoryTerry(20:59) DukŌki(16:06) DukŌki(13:35) DukŌki(13:38) DCO(10:20) HataTenryu AbdullahSheik(6:18) BabaTsuruta(16:37) DestroyerRed(18:29) DoryTerry(17:55) DukŌki(16:06) HoffmanRobinson(25:26) Draw(45:00) KimuraKusatsu(15:51) HoffmanRobinson AbdullahSheik(11:02) BabaTsuruta(19:09) HoffmanRobinson(15:54) Draw(45:00) DukŌki(13:35) HoffmanRobinson(25:26) HoffmanRobinson(17:28) KimuraKusatsu(14:54) InoueTakachiho AbdullahSheik(10:04) BabaTsuruta(12:19) DestroyerRed(14:16) DoryTerry(Forf) DukŌki(13:38) Draw(45:00) HoffmanRobinson(17:28) KimuraKusatsu(11:05) KimuraKusatsu DCO(7:38) BabaTsuruta(16:20) KimuraKusatsu(15:21) DoryTerry(18:51) DCO(10:20) KimuraKusatsu(15:51) KimuraKusatsu(14:54) KimuraKusatsu(11:05)
1978 The 1978 Tag League, featuring 6 teams, was held from December 1 to December 15. Abdullah the Butcher used both The Sheik and Tor Kamata as partners.
+Final standings Wrestlers Score Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta 7 Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk 6 Abdullah the Butcher and Tor Kamata/The Sheik 4 Nick Bockwinkel and Blackjack Lanza 4 Billy Robinson and Wild Angus 3 Kim Duk and Kintarō Ōki 0 Results AbdullahSheik/Kamata BabaTsuruta BockwinkelLanza DoryTerry DukŌki RobinsonAngus AbdullahSheik/Kamata DCO(11:08) DCO(11:25) AbdullahSheik(12:29) AbdullahKamata(08:07) DCO(19:22) BabaTsuruta DCO(11:08) BabaTsuruta(14:35) Draw(45:00) BabaTsuruta(12:50) BabaTsuruta(13:01) BockwinkelLanza DCO(11:25) BabaTsuruta(14:35) DoryTerry(28:08) BockwinkelLanza(14:59) BockwinkelLanza(17:07) DoryTerry AbdullahSheik(12:29) Draw(45:00) DoryTerry(28:08) DoryTerry(18:12) Draw(45:00) DukŌki AbdullahKamata(08:07) BabaTsuruta(12:50) BockwinkelLanza(14:59) DoryTerry(18:12) RobinsonAngus(17:14) RobinsonAngus DCO(19:22) BabaTsuruta(13:01) BockwinkelLanza(17:07) Draw(45:00) RobinsonAngus(17:14)
1979 The 1979 Tag League, featuring 7 teams, was held from November 30 to December 13.
+Final standings Wrestlers Score Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk 11 Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta 9 Abdullah the Butcher and The Sheik 8 Dos Caras and Mil Máscaras 6 Tor Kamata and Kintarō Ōki 4 The Masked Strangler and Mr. Wrestling 2 Frank Hill and Wahoo McDaniel 0 Results AbdullahSheik BabaTsuruta DoryTerry CarasMáscaras HillMcDaniel KamataŌki StranglerMr. Wrestling AbdullahSheik DCO(10:52) DoryTerry(17:15) AbdullahSheik(7:55) AbdullahSheik(6:30) AbdullahSheik(Forfeit) AbdullahSheik(5:42) BabaTsuruta DCO(10:52) Draw(45:00) BabaTsuruta(12:43) BabaTsuruta(13:21) BabaTsuruta(12:40) BabaTsuruta(13:52) DoryTerry DoryTerry(17:15) Draw(45:00) DoryTerry(18:16) DoryTerry(15:05) DoryTerry(20:26) DoryTerry(16:47) CarasMáscaras AbdullahSheik(7:55) BabaTsuruta(12:43) DoryTerry(18:16) CarasMáscaras(7:17) CarasMáscaras(3:50) CarasMáscaras(11:58) HillMcDaniel AbdullahSheik(6:30) BabaTsuruta(13:21) DoryTerry(15:05) CarasMáscaras(7:17) KamataŌki(10:59) StranglerMr. Wrestling(9:38) KamataŌki AbdullahSheik(Forfeit) BabaTsuruta(12:40) DoryTerry(20:26) CarasMáscaras(3:50) KamataŌki(10:59) KamataŌki(9:18) StranglerMr. Wrestling AbdullahSheik(5:42) BabaTsuruta(13:52) DoryTerry(16:47) CarasMáscaras(11:58) StranglerMr. Wrestling(9:38) KamataŌki(9:18)
1980 The 1980 Tag League, featuring 7 teams, was held from November 28 to December 11.
+Final standings Wrestlers Score Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta 9 Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk 8 Abdullah the Butcher and Tor Kamata 8 Nick Bockwinkel and Jim Brunzell 4 Dick Slater and Ricky Steamboat 4 Billy Robinson and Les Thornton 3 The Great Mephisto and The Sheik 0 Results AbdullahKamata BabaTsuruta BockwinkelBrunzell DoryTerry MephistoSheik RobinsonThornton SlaterSteamboat AbdullahKamata AbdullahKamata(16:07) AbdullahKamata(7:03) DCO(15:58) DCO(7:45) AbdullahKamata(10:56) AbdullahKamata(9:45) BabaTsuruta AbdullahKamata(16:07) BabaTsuruta(20:35) BabaTsuruta(43:50) BabaTsuruta(6:55) BabaTsuruta(11:31) Draw(45:00) BockwinkelBrunzell AbdullahKamata(7:03) BabaTsuruta(20:35) DoryTerry(14:55) BockwinkelBrunzell(4:15) Draw(45:00) Draw(45:00) DoryTerry DCO(15:58) BabaTsuruta(43:50) DoryTerry(14:55) DoryTerry(11:05) DoryTerry(19:30) DoryTerry(37:06) MephistoSheik DCO(7:45) BabaTsuruta(6:55) BockwinkelBrunzell(4:15) DoryTerry(11:05) RobinsonThornton(5:15) SlaterSteamboat(3:30) RobinsonThornton AbdullahKamata(10:56) BabaTsuruta(11:31) Draw(45:00) DoryTerry(19:30) RobinsonThornton(5:15) DCO(28:50) SlaterSteamboat AbdullahKamata(9:45) Draw(45:00) Draw(45:00) DoryTerry(37:06) SlaterSteamboat(3:30) DCO(28:50)
1981 The 1981 Tag League, featuring 9 teams, was held from November 27 to December 13. Winners Bruiser Brody and Jimmy Snuka were the first winners to never win the World Tag Team Championship or its predecessors the International or PWF titles, as Stan Hansen, who had recently jumped from New Japan Pro-Wrestling and helped Brody and Snuka win the final, became Brody's new regular tag team partner beginning the following year.
+Final standings Wrestlers Score Bruiser Brody and Jimmy Snuka 12 Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta 11 Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk 11 Tiger Jeet Singh and Umanosuke Ueda 10 Larry Hennig and Harley Race 8 Mark Lewin and The Sheik 4 Karl Krupp and Baron von Raschke 2 The Great Kojika and Motoshi Okuma 2 Ashura Hara and Genichiro Tenryu 2 Results BabaTsuruta BrodySnuka DoryTerry HaraTenryu HennigRace KojikaOkuma KruppRaschke LewinSheik SinghUeda BabaTsuruta DCO(16:51) Draw(45:00) BabaTsuruta(15:54) BabaTsuruta(12:30) BabaTsuruta(16:42) BabaTsuruta(11:23) BabaTsuruta(3:41) DCO(9:59) BrodySnuka DCO(16:51) BrodySnuka(21:41) BrodySnuka(10:06) BrodySnuka(9:10) BrodySnuka(6:15) BrodySnuka(9:15) BrodySnuka(8:31) DDQ(2:26) DoryTerry Draw(45:00) BrodySnuka(21:41) DoryTerry(22:32) DoryTerry(21:16) DoryTerry(13:46) DoryTerry(17:41) DoryTerry(12:53) SinghUeda(10:37) HaraTenryu BabaTsuruta(15:54) BrodySnuka(10:06) DoryTerry(22:32) HennigRace(8:25) KojikaOkuma(22:14) HaraTenryu(14:28) LewinSheik(3:53) SinghUeda(6:59) HennigRace BabaTsuruta(12:30) BrodySnuka(9:10) DoryTerry(21:16) HennigRace(8:25) HennigRace(11:14) HennigRace(10:22) HennigRace(1:54) SinghUeda(7:49) KojikaOkuma BabaTsuruta(16:42) BrodySnuka(6:15) DoryTerry(13:46) KojikaOkuma(22:14) HennigRace(11:14) KruppRaschke(10:26) LewinSheik(5:21) SinghUeda(7:57) KruppRaschke BabaTsuruta(11:23) BrodySnuka(9:15) DoryTerry(17:41) HaraTenryu(14:28) HennigRace(10:22) KruppRaschke(10:26) DCO(7:01) SinghUeda(6:20) LewinSheik BabaTsuruta(3:41) BrodySnuka(8:31) DoryTerry(12:53) LewinSheik(3:53) HennigRace(1:54) LewinSheik(5:21) DCO(7:01) DDQ(2:06) SinghUeda DCO(9:59) DDQ(2:26) SinghUeda(10:37) SinghUeda(6:59) SinghUeda(7:49) SinghUeda(7:57) SinghUeda(6:20) DDQ(2:06)
1982 The 1982 Tag League, featuring 7 teams, was held from November 26 to December 13.
+Final standings Wrestlers Score Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk 9 Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen 8 Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta 8 Harley Race and Dick Slater 7 Ashura Hara and Genichiro Tenryu 5 Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood 3 Super Destroyer and Umanosuke Ueda 0 Results BabaTsuruta BrodyHansen DoryTerry HaraTenryu RaceSlater SteamboatYoungblood DestroyerUeda BabaTsuruta BrodyHansen(12:24) BabaTsuruta(26:57) BabaTsuruta(10:54) BabaTsuruta(17:47) BabaTsuruta(15:13) DCO(7:13) BrodyHansen BrodyHansen(12:24) DoryTerry(12:30) HaraTenryu(9:29) BrodyHansen(12:58) BrodyHansen(10:41) BrodyHansen(8:23) DoryTerry BabaTsuruta(26:57) DoryTerry(12:30) DoryTerry(20:45) Draw(45:00) DoryTerry(18:57) DoryTerry(11:38) HaraTenryu BabaTsuruta(10:54) HaraTenryu(9:29) DoryTerry(20:45) RaceSlater(10:59) Draw(45:00) HaraTenryu(7:19) RaceSlater BabaTsuruta(17:47) BrodyHansen(12:58) Draw(45:00) RaceSlater(10:59) RaceSlater(10:49) RaceSlater(8:14) SteamboatYoungblood BabaTsuruta(15:13) BrodyHansen(10:41) DoryTerry(18:57) Draw(45:00) RaceSlater(10:49) SteamboatYoungblood(7:41) DestroyerUeda DCO(7:13) BrodyHansen(8:23) DoryTerry(11:38) HaraTenryu(7:19) RaceSlater(8:14) SteamboatYoungblood(7:41)
1983