Night 15 of the G1 Climax took place earlier this morning in Shizuoka. Kazuchika Okada and EVIL continued their rivalry from last year in the main event.
Prelim results:
– Minoru Suzuki, Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Toru Yano, Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura
Kanemaru submitted Uemura with a Boston crab.
– Hirooki Goto YOSHI-HASHI and defeated Jon Moxley and Shota Umino
YH submitted Umino with the Butterfly lock.
– Jay White, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens defeated Juice Robinson, Tomoaki Honma and Toa Henare
Owens defeated Henare with the package piledriver.
– Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Jeff Cobb and Ren Narita
BUSHI pinned Narita with the MX.
A Block: SANADA defeated Lance Archer
Real good. Archer’s streak of great matches continues and was in fine company with SANADA, who looked real good as well.
Archer jumped SANADA as he was coming down the aisle and threw him around the outside of the ring, including taking SANADA down with a running spear off the apron. After Archer worked on him back in the ring, SANADA mounted a comeback by dropkicking Archer in his knee, then launched off with a pescado to the floor.
SANADA backflipped out of a chokeslam attempt but Archer laid out SANADA with a DDT for a nearfall. Big time chokeslam followed. Archer went for a moonsault, but missed. SANADA countered with one of his own, but Archer got up the knees and rolled up him for a 2.99 count.
Archer went for Blackout but SANADA escaped twice and after some back and forth rolled up Archer and bridged him for the flash pin.
A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Bad Luck Fale.
It was a match, not much to say. Not really bad, but short and had a flat finish.
Tanahashi immediately began working on Fale’s leg. Jado immediately used the kendo stick to get heat. Chase Owens beat him up as Fale came in and started working on Tanahashi’s own leg. Tanahashi eventually cut him off and tried to work on Fale’s leg, taking him down with a dragon screw.
Tanahashi locked Fale down with a figure four leglock, but Fale reversed it. Fale grabbed Tanahashi once they were back up for the grenade, but Tanahashi escaped. After Fale sat on him for a nearfall, Tanahashi mounted a comeback, hit a high fly flow, but Jado broke up another attempt. Fale splashed him in the corner, hit the grenade, but Tanahashi kicked out.
Fale went for the Bad Luck Fall, but Tanahashi fought back. Fale instead took him down for a backslide and got the win.
A Block: Will Ospreay defeated KENTA
This was real good, to the point where this would have been excellent if it had gone for a few more minutes. Real nice match either way with some great heat.
They exchanged blows right at the bell. It’s KENTA who gets the advantage and whips him around the barricades. He works on Ospreay back in the ring, pelting him with kicks. Ospreay reverses into a stunner.
KENTA was taken to the outside as Ospreay went for a springboard but KENTA grabbed him and landed a Falcon Arrow on the apron After some nearfalls, both fight one another as they get up. KENTA went for a discus lariat, but the two transition counters until KENTA latches on to a sleeper. KENTA went for a penalty kick, but Ospreay dodged and hit a powerbomb.
Ospreay went for a shooting star press, but KENTA got his knees up and transitioned into the Game Over. KENTA hit the running knee next, then motioned for the GTS. Ospreay countered with a cradle then hit the Oscutter.
Ospreay hit the elbow to the back of the head, then went for stormbreaker and connected for the win.
A Block: Kota Ibushi defeated Zack Sabre Jr.
This wasn’t as good as their previous encounters, but like other matches on this show ended up being a good little match.
Things started off tepidly, with the two exchanging some mat wrestling. Sabre had the better of it until Ibushi cut him off with a hurricanrana. Sabre grabbed one of the legs he was working on earlier, however, and wraps it around the ropes.
Sabre grounded Ibushi and worked him over with various submissions, including a crossface and a leglock. Ibushi got up on his feet and rocked Sabre with a giant lariat, then soon followed that with a half full nelson suplex.
After a last ride powerbomb, Ibushi went for the kamigoye but Sabre took him down with another submission attempt. Ibushi quickly escaped. Ibushi took him down with a palm strike, but missed a boma ye. Sabre countered with a number of rollups, all of which failed. Ibushi connected with the boma ye then hit the kamigoye for the win.
A Block: Kazuchika Okada defeated EVIL
A classic, awesome main event. EVIL is really good when against a really good opponent and Kazuchika Okada is one of the best wrestlers on the planet right now. This was the only match on the card that felt like a genuinely excellent match (though mostly everything was really good), capping off the night on a strong note.
After a feeling out process, Okada took EVIL out of the ring and sure enough, a barricade spot. EVIL blocked it, however, and threw Okada over the barricade and to the outside. EVIL took Okada back into the ring
Eventually, Okada started to mount his comeback and took EVIL out with a pescado to the outside. Back in the ring, Okada went for an elbow, but EVIL ducked, stomped him on the ground through the middle rope. He managed to cut off EVIL but EVIL kept blocking it until Okada finally connected.
Okada took EVIL to the top rope and dropkicked him to the floor. Okada goes after him, but EVIL threw a chair that connected right into Okada’s face. EVIL followed with his neck/chair spot. EVIL took him back to the ring and landed a big superplex.
The two started to exchange forearms as the twenty minute mark approached. EVIL got the better of it and went for Darkness Falls. Okada escaped and after some wrangling nailed the tombstone. EVIL dodged the rainmaker as both teased hitting each others finishers. EVIL nailed a big lariat instead.
EVIL landed the Darkness Falls, but only gets a two count. Okada fires back and connects with the rainmaker. He goes for another but EVIL counters with two German suplexes. Okada cut him off and went for the rainmaker, but EVIL countered back with the Everything is EVIL. Okada countered and went for a rainmaker but EVIL headbutted Okada and gave him a big lariat.
EVIL grabbed Okada as he got up but Okada fired back with a short arm lariat and a shotgun dropkick. Okada hit a discus clothesline then connected with the rainmaker for the win.
This makes the A block crystal clear: the winner of the Kota Ibushi vs. Kazuchika Okada match on 8/10 will win the block and advance to the finals.
A Block action headed to Kagawa this morning as we are now at night eleven of the 29th G1 Climax, with Kazuchika Okada facing EVIL in the main event.
Prelim matches:
– YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto and Yota Tsuji defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Tomoaki Honma and Yuya Uemura
YOSHI-HASHI submitted Uemura with the butterfly lock.
– Toru Yano and Ren Narita defeated Jon Moxley and Shota Umino
Yano pinned Umino after he shoved Umino into Moxley, low blowed then pinned him.
– Jay White, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens defeated Taichi, Minoru Suzuki and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Owens pinned Kanemaru following the package piledriver.
– Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI defeated Juice Robinson, Jeff Cobb and Toa Henare
Takagi pinned Henare with the pumping bomber.
A Block: Kota Ibushi defeated Bad Luck Fale
This was perfectly fine. It lasted exactly as long as it needed to and aside from when Fale was on offense, it didn’t drag. Easily one of Fale’s better matches thus far.
Fale jumped Ibushi before the bell rang and took him outside. They set up a spot where they try and keep Ibushi from entering the ring, but he dodges a Jado kendo stick attack and makes it in on time. Fale splashes him and wears him down.
The ref, per usual, is easily distracted by Fale as Owens attacks Ibushi with a right. He misses a charge in the corner, which allows Ibushi to wear him down with kicks. He went to the top rope, but Chase Owens got on the apron, allowing Fale to strike with a running charge and splash.
Ibushi cut him off and went for the kamigoye but Fale escaped. Jado struck Ibushi with a kendo stick shot and Fale hit the grenade, but Ibushi kicked out. Fale went for the bad luck fall, but Ibushi escaped and went for a crucifix. After the ref kicked away Jado, Ibushi was able to land it for a nearfall. He followed that with the boma ye and kamigoye and that was it.
A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Will Ospreay
This was real good, loved the transitions and counters by both men. This was a total Sabre match, so it was cool to see Ospreay adapt to his style. This got some great heat towards the end and built up wonderfully.
The two exchange some mat wrestling before Sabre is sent to the outside by Ospreay. The two battled near the ring as Ospreay chopped Sabre. The two exchanged holds, with Sabre using his feet to crank Ospreay’s injured neck. Sabre takes him down with a stranglehold, but Ospreay reverses, escapes, and takes out Sabre with a handspring kick.
Ospreay connects with the Robinson special, but Sabre immediately gets up and focuses on Ospreay’s arm. Ospreay escapes and goes for the stormbreaker but the two exchange nearfalls until Ospreay launches off with the Oscutter. Sabre grabs him and goes for a sleeper, but Ospreay pushes himself over Sabre and connects with the Oscutter for a nearfall.
Sabre took down Ospreay after an elbow strike attempt that caused Ospreay to hit the ropes. Ospreay blocked the Zack Driver but Sabre managed to latch on to a guillotine. Ospreay powered out of it and landed a brainbuster. Ospreay tried for stormbreaker again, but Sabre transitioned into a European clutch, then nailed Ospreay with the PK.
Sabre catches Ospreay with a triangle as he launched off the top rope with a shooting star press. Ospreay countered with a deadlift powerbomb and the SSP. Ospreay went for the stormbreaker but Sabre countered with an Octopus hold. It didn’t take long for Ospreay to submit once it was applied.
A Block: Kazuchika Okada defeated Lance Archer
This was great, the textbook definition of what a top guy vs. giant match should be. Archer played his role perfectly here and continues his streak of great matches while Okada did an excellent job making the comeback. It doesn’t reach the better matches of this tournament but it was perfect for what it was supposed to be.
Action quickly spilled to the outside as Archer threw Okada into the barricades. He continued in the ring, doing a ropewalk into a moonsault. Okada went for a moonsault, but Archer swatted him away.
Okada managed to build momentum after cutting off Archer, connecting with the elbow off the top. But as he went for the rainmaker pose, Archer hit the EBD claw then followed that with the pounce. Okada tried to hit some short arm clotheslines, but Archer hit a big lariat and a chokeslam.
Archer laid out Okada with blackout, but Okada got his foot on the ropes at the last second. Okada took him down with a dropkick after a charge. A big missile dropkick follows. Archer reverses a tombstone into a blackout, but Okada escapes and hits a clothesline. Archer went for the EBD claw, but Okada instead hit the rainmaker and pinned Archer.
A Block: SANADA defeated KENTA
This was good, not great. A nice back and forth battle between two athletic guys that eventually went to a finish. It will likely not be remembered in the long term.
I guess this is a recurring theme on this show as this quickly spilled out onto the outside. KENTA tripped SANADA into the barricade He then took him back to the ring where he took him down with a headlock, then attacked SANADA with a penalty kick.
After some more offense, SANADA leapfrogged over KENTA and took him outside, planting a pescado. SANADA was on offense until KENTA landed a double foot stomp and signaled for the GTS. SANADA blocked the attempt and rolled up KENTA, but KENTA instead applied the Game Over crossface. SANADA fought it off, getting to the ropes.
SANADA hit a TKO and went for the moonsault, but KENTA got the knees up. The two exchanged strikes. SANADA blocked a penalty kick attempt, then laid out KENTA with the cold skull. He went for the moonsault, and this time he connected for the win.
A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated EVIL
This was your classic really great NJPW main event. This easily got the most heat of the night and the last few minutes had the crowd going wild for the nearfalls.
Good bak and forth wrestling to get things started, with Tanahashi getting the better of things following a crossbody off the middle rope. EVIL cuts him off, grounds him and sinks in a figure four. Tanahashi reverses it, but EVIL counters back.
Tanahashi and EVIL strike as they get back on their feet. Tanahashi went for the slingblade but EVIL threw him to the outside. Tanahashi held on skinned the cat, but walked right into a German suplex.. Tanahashi cut off EVIL as he went to the outside, then hit a giant high fly flow to the floor.
EVIL cut off Tanahashi by using Umino as a base to plant Tanahashi with the magic killer. Both men laid on the floor and didn’t make it back to the ring until 19. Tanahashi grabs EVIL and goes for the cloverleaf, but EVIL kept escaping. The two wind up going back down after a big clothesline by EVIL.
EVIL took Tanahashi to the top rope and hit a giant superplex, then followed with darkness falls. EVIL went for the Everything is EVIL but Tanahashi hit two twist and shout neckbreakers and hit the slingblade. He went for the high fly flow, but EVIL got the knees up and rolled up Tanahashi for a close nearfall.
The two start exchanging strikes from here, with EVIL getting the better of things. He hit another big lariat. He attempted the Everything is Evil again, but when Tanahashi blocked it EVIL retaliated with a big headbutt. He went for it again, but Tanahashi hit a big dragon suplex and hit the high fly flow twice for the win.
Hiroshi Tanahashi closed out the show with his usual sweet air guitar moves, all well selling his knee from the match.
Ian Riccaboni and NWA National Champion Colt Cabana called the action from the Odeum in Villa Park, Illinois
– Allure (Mandy Leon, Velvet Sky & Angelina Love) came to the ring to speak. Velvet Sky said Allure were the most credible women to enter Ring of Honor. Angelina Love said the fans needed to get familiar with Allure. Mandy Leon called the fans Twitter trolls, and she called Kelly Klein an embarrassment.
This brought out Jenny Rose with Klein. They slid in the ring and went after Allure. A brawl with all five women ensued until security got in the ring to break it up. Love used hairspray in the eyes of Rose. Allure then bailed and Klein got on the microphone. She said that she and Rose would take them on anytime, anywhere.
The Bouncers (Beer City Bruiser & Brawler Milonas) defeated The Kingdom (Vinny Marseglia & TK O’Ryan), Coast 2 Coast (LSG & Shaheem Ali), and Alex Coughlin & Clark Connors in a four corner survival match
Milonas and LSG started it off. Milonas bounced LSG off his shoulder and LSG tagged Marseglia. Milonas crushed him with a crossbody and tagged in the Bruiser. Marseglia tagged in O’Ryan, then Coughlin tagged himself in and then quickly tagged in Connors. Chaos ensued as the show went to break.
After the break, The Kingdom were working over Connors. Marseglia hit a suplex and tagged in O’Ryan, but Ali blind tagged himself in off of O’Ryan. Ali tagged his partner LSG in, and they hit a double-team hip toss slam on Connors.
Eventually, Connors fought to the corner and tagged in his partner Coughlin. He beat up Coast 2 Coast until Bruiser tagged himself in to continue the pummeling. O’Ryan tagged himself in off of LSG and came off the top rope, but Milonas caught him and hit a side slam. He landed another spinning side slam on Marseglia.
Coast-to-Coast double-teamed Bruiser, who was tagged out by Connors. The NJPW Young Lions (Coughlin and Connors) came in and took out Coast 2 Coast. This brought in The Kingdom, who used the House of 1000 Horses double team slam on Connors. Ali tagged himself in and went for the cover, but Bruiser broke up the pin at two.
Milonas tagged in — as did Coughlin. Milonas smooshed him in the corner and then nailed the Closing Time leg drop to get the win.
– Backstage, Mark Haskins and Tracy Williams said they were fed up with Bully Ray. PJ Black walked up and said that if they needed some assistance, he was there to help.
– A recap of Colt Cabana’s NWA National Championship victory over Willie Mack aired, including Cowboy James Storm coming out and challenging Cabana. That match will air next week.
– Another recap of Silas Young’s wrestling clinic from last week aired.
– Also from last week, they recapped Kenny King defeating Jay Lethal in the first match of their best-of-three series.
– They showed the first of a two-part video package highlighting Jeff Cobb’s amateur wrestling background, including his representation of Guam at the 2004 Olympics. Cobb will challenge ROH World Champion Matt Taven at the Best in the World pay-per-view on June 28.
Josh Woods defeated Maverick Boone
Woods shoved Boone to the mat and followed it up with a gutwrench powerbomb. Woods got the pin on Boone after a Seismic Toss.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA & EVIL) defeated Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata
Nagata and SANADA started it off. Kojima kicked SANADA in the back, which allowed Nagata to start kicking as well. He tagged Kojima in as SANADA kipped up. It didn’t take long for this one to break down into a crazy brawl. In the ring, SANADA applied the Paradise Lock on Kojima and gave him a dropkick to the rear as the show went to commercial.
After the break, Kojima nailed SANADA with a DDT. He tagged in Nagata, who went back to the kicks, a big boot, and an exploder suplex. A forearm exchange ensued. Nagata got the better of it until SANADA caught his leg and went for the Paradise Lock — but Nagata fought free.
Nagata applied a Nagata Lock armbar on SANADA. Kojima prevented EVIL from breaking it up. SANADA fought free and landed a dropkick and tagged in EVIL.
EVIL chopped Nagata hard, but Nagata hit a low dropkick and tagged in Kojima. Kojima chopped EVIL a million times. SANADA came in and took a million chops as well. SANADA hit the mat and Kojima went up top and connected with an elbow, but SANADA kicked out at two.
EVIL tagged in and LIJ beat down Kojima. They went for the Magic Killer on him, but Nagata cut them off and Kojima hit a Koji Cutter on EVIL. SANADA broke the pin up at two. Kojima hit a brainbuster on EVIL, but he kicked out at two. Kojima went for the clothesline, but EVIL ducked.
SANADA came in and hit a dropkick, and that allowed LIJ to hit the Magic Killer on Kojima to pick up the win.
– Dalton Castle entered and got in the ring. He challenged Rush’s brother Dragon Lee to a match at Best in the World. Just then, The Boys came out and looked to attack Castle, but they got caught on the outside of the ring and took a beating from their former master.
Castle put both Boys on a table and then kicked it over as the show went off the air.
EVIL and SANADA have won the World Tag League for the second year in a row.
The duo managed to defeat Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa, the Guerrillas of Destiny, after EVIL landed the Darkness Falls on Tama Tonga, with SANADA finishing things off with the moonsault. This likely means that they will face the Guerrillas of Destiny, the IWGP tag team champions, at Wrestle Kingdom 13 for the titles.
But right after they won, The Young Bucks then came out in a surprise. They said that EVIL and SANADA are the best tag team in the tournament, but they are the best in the world. Matt mentioned they never got the rematch from when the Guerrillas of Destiny defeated them back at Fighting Spirit Unleashed. He suggested that they get the next title shot.
After everyone had left, EVIL mentioned that they are willing to take on both at the same time, leaving the door open for a possible triple threat match at Wrestle Kingdom.
Iwate is home to this year’s World Tag League Finals.
Guerrillas of Destiny and the team of EVIL and SANADA will battle tonight in the main event, both getting to 20 points and advancing to the finals. If EVIL and SANADA manage to defeat Guerrillas of Destiny, they’re practically a lock to challenge the champions at Wrestle Kingdom 13. If the champions themselves win, which doesn’t happen often, they will be able to name their future challengers.
Meanwhile, Hirooki Goto and Kota Ibushi will battle for the NEVER title. Goto threw the challenge to Kota Ibushi and after initially refusing the match, eventually accepted.
But what is more interesting is that there will be a number one contender’s match that will take place tonight, with the winner getting a title shot likely at Wrestle Kingdom 13. The former champion, Taichi, will challenge Will Ospreay, who has been out of action since October 14 after injuring his ribs in a match.
The Young Bucks also return to New Japan tonight, They will team up with Marty Scurll and Kenny Omega to take on Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, David Finlay and Ryusuke Taguchi.
Join us for live coverage starting at 1 a.m. Eastern time. Kevin Kelly and Excalibur will be on commentary.
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SATOSHI KOJIMA, HIROYOSHI TENZAN, YUJI NAGATA & MANABU NAKANISHI DEFEATED TOGI MAKABE, TOA HENARE, AYATO YOSHIDA & SHOTA UMNO (8:27)
Standard opener, with all the veterans hitting their trademark stuff. Double lariat from Makabe. Mongolian chops from Tenzan. Diving tackle from Henare.
Kojima hit Yoshida with a DDT, machine gun chops, and a Koji cutter. Yoshida got a nearfall off a backslide, but Kojima nailed him with a lariat for the pin.
MINORU SUZUKI, TAKASHI IIZUKA, LANCE ARCHER & DAVEY BOY SMITH JR. DEFEATED BERETTA, CHUCKIE T, MICHAEL ELGIN & JEFF COBB BY DQ (10:12)
Suzuki-gun jumped before the bout. While six guys brawled outside, Smith and Elgin had a really nice exchange in the ring. Smith hit a knee strike and a kip-up. Smith hit a top rope superplex.
Cobb and Archer tagged in and exchanged blows. Cobb hit an Angle Slam into a double down, then Chuckie and Suzuki tagged in.
Chuckie traded strikes with Suzuki. Well, he tried to. Suzuki laid him out, then tagged Iizuka, and removed his muzzle. Chuckie hit soul food, then tagged Beretta.
Suzuki-gun cleared the apron, then assaulted Beretta 4-on-1. Elgin jumped in to break up a pinfall. Iizuka grabbed the iron glove, but Chuckie jumped in with a chair, went nuts, and attacked everyone, including his own teammates.
SHO, YOH & TOMOHIRO ISHII DEFEATED EL DESPERADO, YOSHINOBU KANEMARU & ZACK SABRE JR. (11:12)
Good match. This was a tease for Sabre and Ishii at the Tokyo Dome for the Rev Pro title.
Ishii and Sabre kicked thinigs off. Ishii trapped Sabre’s left arm, then tagged SHO. Sabre didn’t deal with Ishii’s grappling, but quickly reversed SHO’s attack, and tagged Desperado.
SHO and YOH hit some tandem offense on Desperado. SHO hit the ropes, but Kanemaru grabbed his legs from the outside and pulled him to the floor. Kanemaru hit a legdrop on SHO over the barricade. Suzuki-gun left all three members of CHAOS laying on the floor.
Back inside, Kanemaru worked over SHO with stomps. Kanemaru hit a DDT for a nearfall, then tagged Desperado. SHO hit a suplex, but Kanemaru jumped in for the double team. SHO hit a spear, but Sabre jumped in to cut him off.
SHO finally made a tag to YOH. YOH hit a back elbow on Desperado, and a dragon screw on Kanemaru. YOH hit a neckbreaker, then a low dropkick on Desperado for a nearfall.
Desperado hit a spinebuster into a double down, and Sabre and Ishii got tags. Ishii had a counter for all of Sabre’s offense, and hit him with a brainbuster. Sabre hit a northern lights suplex, sent him into the corner, then tagged out.
Suzuki-gun tripled up on Ishii. Kanemaru hit deep impact, but SHO made the save. SHO hit a lariat on Desperado. Sabre jumped in and beat up SHO, then went after Ishii.
Kanemaru tried to spit whiskey at Ishii, but Ishii ducked it. SHO and YOH hit stereo planchas to take out Sabre and Desperado. Ishii hit Kanemaru with a brainbuster, and got the pin.
Owens and BUSHI began, with Owens getting the best of the exchange. Owens hit a backbreaker. Yujiro and Naito got tags. BUSHI jumped in for an assist, and Naito hit a dropkick on Yujiro.
Shingo got a tag, and hit a shoulder block. LIJ tripled up on Yujiro. BUSHI choked him with his t-shirt. Shingo used a front facelock. Yujiro fired back with strikes, and hit an inverted DDT.
Page tagged in. He hit a springboard lariat on BUSHI, a pescado to Naito. He missed a buckshot lariat on Shingo, but hit a regular lariat. Shingo went for a release german, but Page landed on his feet. Page blocked one pumping bomber, but Shingo hit him with a second.
Owens and BUSHI tagged in. Naito jumped in for a double team, but Owens slammed BUSHI onto Naito with a uranage. Shingo broke up a package piledriver attempt. Naito hit a swinging DDT.
Owens blocked a destino, but Naito hit a flying forearm, then hit destino for the pin.
SWITCHBLADE JAY WHITE, BAD LUCK FALE & TAIJI ISHIMORI DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA, TORU YANO & KUSHIDA (11:01)
Good match, similar to all of the Okada tags on this tour, like a house show main event. The post-match was interesting, with Makabe making the save for CHAOS.
Okada and KUSHIDA cleared the ring of the Bullet Club at the opening bell. KUSHIDA hit a cartwheel dropkick. When the dust settled, KUSHIDA and Ishimori ended up the legal men. KUSHIDA worked over Ishimori’s left arm.
Ishimori came back with a seated senton on KUSHIDA, while White and Okada fought on the ramp. White applied a single-leg crab, leaving Okada on the ramp.
Back in the ring, the Bullet Club worked over KUSHIDA. They cut the ring in half and went to work in their corner. KUSHIDA made a comeback, and Ishimori and KUSHIDA tagged out to White and Okada.
White hit a suplex on Okada, right into the corner pad. White hit a Saito suplex, then tagged Fale. Okada hit Fale with a dragon screw, then tagged Yano. Yano untied a corner pad, and used it as a weapon on Fale. Fale whipped Yano into the exposed buckle.
Fale cleared the apron, then the Bullet Club went three on one against Yano. Fale hit a splash, but KUSHIDA broke up the pinfall.
The match broke down. Okada missed a dropkick, escaped a blade runner, then hit an air raid crash on White. Yano used a backslide for a nearfall, but Fale recovered, and hit Yano with a grenade for the pin.
After the match, Okada hit White with a dropkick, but White laid him out with a suplex, dropping him right on his head. Ishimori hit a bloody cross on KUSHIDA. Makabe ran in to make the save with a chain, and cleared the ring.
KENNY OMEGA, THE YOUNG BUCKS & MARTY SCURLL DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI, JUICE ROBINSON, DAVID FINLAY & RYUSUKE TAGUCHI (13:12)
A really good match. A nice mix of comedy and serious stuff with Tana and Omega teasing their title match.
Taguchi and Scurll started off with some comedy. Nick Jackson and Finlay tagged in. Juice jumped in for a double team, and they hit a double bulldog. Matt Jackson came in, but ate a double hip toss.
Taguchi’s team hit their clothesline train spot in the corner on Nick. They teased a quadruple dropkick, but Nick hung on to the top rope. Taguchi’s team went for stereo planchas, but they all missed, and The Elite took over the match.
Omega hit a kotaro krusher. The Bucks worked over Finlay with tandem offense. Scurll stomped on Finlay’s left arm. The Elite cut the ring in half and worked Finlay over in their corner. Finlay came back with a backbreaker over the knee on Omega, then tagged Tana.
Tana hit a dropkick to Omega, then a dragon screw. The Bucks hit Tana with stereo superkicks. Tana escaped a double enziguri, and The Bucks hit Omega. Tana blocked a v-trigger, but Omega hit a snap dragon suplex into a double down.
Juice hit everyone with a series of jabs. Scurll cut him off, but Taguchi jumped in and hit everyone with hip attacks. Juice hit a cannonball on Matt. Omega hit a rana on Taguchi. Tana hit Omega with slingblade, then hit a plancha. Scurll ran into a double flapjack. The Bucks hit a double dropkick. The Elite hit a four-way superkick on Taguchi, but Tana broke up the pinfall.
Tana ran into a v-trigger, and Taguchi ran into an indytaker for the pin.
NUMBER ONE CONTENDER MATCH FOR THE NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: WILL OSPREAY DEFEATED TAICHI (17:03)
The story here was Ospreay making his comeback after the rib injury. It was a slower match focused on Ospreay’s selling. His selling was excellent, but the people didn’t seem to be into the match until the last couple of minutes.
Taichi jumped Ospreay with his mic stand before the bell. Taichi stomped on Ospreay’s taped ribs. Ospreay hit a monkey flip, and Taichi rolled to the floor. Ospreay hit a springboard elbow off the barricade.
Ospreay hit a suicide dive, and the action spilled to the ramp. Back inside, Ospreay went for a springboard attack, but Taichi whipped the referee into the ropes, knocking Ospreay off. Taichi dropped Ospreay over the barricade.
Taichi ripped off Ospreay’s tape and used an abdominal stretch. Ospreay came back with a handspring kick, an enziguri, a 619, and a springboard forearm for a two count.
Ospreay teased a storm breaker, but his ribs gave way, and he couldn’t lift Taichi. Taichi hit a pair of kicks, dropping Ospreay. They exchanged strikes, and Taichi dropped Ospreay with a mid kick. Ospreay caught another kick, but Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick for a nearfall.
Taichi took his pants off. Ospreay hit a side suplex, then went to the top. Opsreay went for a shooting star, but Taichi got his knees up, then used a Gedo clutch for a nearfall.
Taichi hit an axe bomber for a nearfall. Taichi went for a last ride, but Ospreay escaped. He went for an Oscutter, but Taichi blocked. Ospreay hit the Robinson special, then went for another Oscutter, but Taichi turned it into a high angle suplex. Taichi hit a last ride for a nearfall, as the crowd started getting into the match.
Ospreay hit a Canadian destroyer for a nearfall. He went for the storm breaker, but Taichi blocked it. Ospreay went for it again, but Taichi slipped out. Ospreay hit a standing spanish fly. Ospreay hit a kick, then hit the storm breaker for the pin.
NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: KOTA IBUSHI DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO TO WIN THE NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (16:54)
Excellent match.
They shook hands at the opening bell. Goto used the handshake to go for an ushigoroshi, but Ibushi blocked it. Ibushi hit a mid kick and Goto went down. Ibushi hit a snap rana, and Goto rolled to the floor.
Goto jumped back inside and hit a lariat, and Ibushi dropped on the apron on his head and neck.
Goto went after the neck, hitting a hanging neckbreaker off the top. Ibushi used a rope break to stop a pinfall. Goto used another neckbreaker. Goto applied a headscissors, but Ibushi forced a rope break.
Goto used a leg sweep, then applied an octopus on the mat. Ibushi reached the ropes, forcing a break.
Ibushi hit a dropkick, and Goto rolled to the floor. Ibushi hit a golden triangle. Back inside, Ibushi hit a standing moonsault for a close two count. Goto hit a high kick, then used a suplex for a nearfall.
Goto hit a leg lariat, then went to the top rope. Ibushi cut him off, and they traded shots on the ropes. Goto went for a code red off the top, but Ibushi flipped out of it. Ibushi hit a big lariat, into a double down.
Ibushi was first up. Goto blocked a last ride, but Ibushi hit a high kick. Goto blocked a kamigoye, and hit an ushigoroshi. Goto used a sleeper. They traded cradles for nearfalls. After a series of GTR attempts and reversals, Ibushi hit a headbutt.
Goto blocked a straight jacket suplex attempt, but Ibushi hit a knee strike, a headbutt, and hit the kamigoye for the win.
Ospreay came out after the match and cut a promo. He challenged Ibushi to face him in a dream match for the title at Wrestle Kingdom. They shook hands.
2018 WORLD TAG LEAGUE FINAL: EVIL & SANADA DEFEATED TAMA TONGA & TANGA LOA TO WIN THE 2018 WORLD TAG LEAGUE (27:01)
A really good tag team main event.
Jado hit EVIL with a kendo stick before the opening bell. They fought into the crowd. Tonga sent SANADA into the arena wall. Loa stomped on EVIL, and slammed him on the floor. Tonga and SANADA beat the count back inside at 19.
SANADA missed a standing moonsault, and Tonga hit a back elbow. Tonga and Loa worked SANADA over in their corner, while EVIL was still out on the floor. Loa hit a running powerslam for a two count.
SANADA missed with a dropkick, and Loa hit an elbow drop for two. SANADA hit a dropkick off the second on Tonga, but Tonga was able to tag Loa, and keep the pressure on SANADA.
SANADA finally got a tag to EVIL, and EVIL ran wild. He hit a bulldog and a senton on Loa for a nearfall. EVIL went for a fisherman buster, but Loa countered into a suplex. Loa hit a superplex. SANADA jumped in to help out, and dropkicked Tonga off the apron.
Tonga broke up a magic killer with a spear. Tonga hit a gun stun and Loa covered EVIL for a nearfall. Loa sent EVIL outside, and Jado nailed him with the kendo stick. Loa whipped SANADA into the barricade.
Back inside, Tonga hit a jumping elbow drop for a two count. Tonga worked EVIL over with right hands. Tonga hit a standing frog splash for a nearfall on EVIL.
Loa got a tag. EVIL backdropped out of a powerbomb attempt. He went for a tag, but Tonga jumped in and knocked SANADA off the apron. Tonga and Loa hit guerrilla warfare. Tonga and Loa went to the top rope. SANADA cut off Tonga, and Loa missed a diving headbutt.
They did a stacked up superplex spot, and all four men ended up down in the ring. Loa covered EVIL for a two count. EVIL blocked one lariat. Both hit simultaneous lariats. They did a misdirection spot, and EVIL hit a lariat, enabling both men to tag out.
SANADA took out Jado with a plancha, then hit planchas on both Tonga and Loa. SANADA and Tonga botched a moonsault spot. SANADA used skull end, but Tonga used a standing switch. SANADA hit the ropes, and Loa tripped him.
Loa and Tonga hit SANADA with an assisted neckbreaker, but SANADA kicked out. SANADA escaped a magic killer, but ran into a kendo stick shot for a nearfall. Tonga and Loa hit a magic killer, and EVIL jumped in to break up the pinfall.
EVIL ran into a spear from Loa. Tonga hit a splash in the corner. They went for a super powerbomb, but SANADA countered with a rana. EVIL jumped in, and they went for the magic killer. Tonga kicked SANADA off into the ref, who took a bump.
Jado jumped in with the kendo stick, but got hit with a magic killer. SANADA reversed a Tongan twist into skull end. Loa broke up the submission attempt.
EVIL hit Loa with everything is EVIL. Tonga went for a gun stun, but EVIL blocked it. They hit Tonga with a magic killer, but Tonga kicked out.
EVIL hit darkness falls on Tonga, and SANADA hit a moonsault, then covered Tonga for the pin.
The Young Bucks came to the ring after the match. Matt Jackson said EVIL and SANADA were the best team in the tournament, but that The Bucks are the best team in the world. Matt said they never got their rematch after losing the titles, and that they should be the next challengers.
EVIL said how about a three way at Wrestle Kingdom? The Bucks left without official word, but that certainly appears to be the match at the Tokyo Dome.
More World Tag League action continues tonight inside Korakuen Hall.
A World Tag League match main events, as the team of Jeff Cobb and Michael Elgin take on the team on SANADA and EVIL. Other tournament matches tonight include Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. Zack Sabre & Taichi and Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka vs. Killer Elite Squad in a Suzuki-gun battle.
The undercard will feature a CHAOS vs. LIJ six man tag team match, with Kazuchika Okada and Roppongi 3K taking on Tetusya Naito, BUSHI and Shingo Takagi. There will also be a CHAOS vs. Elite six man match with Hirooki Goto, Beretta and Chuckie T vs. Hangman Page, Yujiro Takahashi and Kota Ibushi.
More matches in the undercard include WTL teams that aren’t competiting in tournament matches tonight, which include David Finlay and Juice Robinson, Guerillas of Destiny and more.
Join us for live action starting at 4:30 a.m. ET. There will be English commentary.
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JUICE ROBINSON & DAVID FINLAY DEFEATED YUYA UEMURA & YOTA TSUJI (5:58)
A quick match with a couple of cool spots. Tsuji and Uemura got a lot of offense.
The Young Lions scored some early offense on Juice. Juice reversed an irish whip, and Finlay and Juice took Tsuji down with a double dropkick. Each hit Tsuji with a senton. Tsuji missed a dropkick, but hit one on his second attempt, and was able to tag Uemura.
Uemura used a back elbow and a scoop slam on Finlay. Tsuji knocked Juice off the apron, and Tsuji and Uemura each took one of Finlay’s legs, applying a double crab. Juice broke it up with a dropkick.
Juice and Finlay hit a double flapjack on Uemura, and Finlay used a brainbuster on his knee to pin Uemura.
THE GUERILLAS OF DESTINY DEFEATED TOMOAKI HONMA & REN NARITA (8:23)
The crowd was into Honma. The match itself was just kind of there. Honma tried to do a little bit more than he has since his comeback, but there isn’t a lot he can do aside from selling.
Guerillas of Destiny went on the attack a few seconds before the bell. Jado accompanied them and used an air horn to signal them to attack. While Narita was sent to the floor, Honma made a comeback. He went for a kokeshi on Tonga, but Jado hit him with a kendo stick from the floor, cutting him off.
The Guerillas worked over Honma. Tonga hit a splash in the corner. Loa used a knee drop. Honma sold as though he was knocked out and unable to run the ropes. Tonga went for a kokeshi, but Honma moved. Honma went for a kokeshi, but Tonga moved. Honma hit a slow-motion DDT, then tagged Narita.
Narita hit a dropkick out of the corner, and followed with two more shotgun dropkicks. Honma hit a diving kokeshi on Loa, and Narita used a slam for a nearfall. Narita used a crab. Kado jumped on the apron. Tonga jumped in, but ate a kokeshi.
Narita used an O’Connor roll into a bridging cradle for a two count. Loa recovered and hit a lariat for a nearfall, then hit apeshit for the pin.
SATOSHI KOJIMA, HIROYOSHI TENZAN, TOA HENARE & TOGI MAKABE DEFEATED MANABU NAKANISHI, YUJI NAGATA, SHOTA UMINO & AYATO YOSHIDA (10:11)
Of the veterans in the match, Kojima, Makabe and Nagata can still go. Nakanishi and Tenzan, not so much. The match picked up in the last couple of minutes, but it was tough when the slower guys were in.
Henare and Nakanishi started off. Henare went for a backbreaker, but Nakanishi blocked it, forcing a tag.
Kojima and Yoshida tagged in. Yoshida dropped Kojima with a forearm, then hit a big PK. Yoshida missed a charge into the corner, allowing Kojima to hit his series of chops. Kojima hit a DDT, then tagged Tenzan. They hit some tandem offense. Tenzan used a vertical suplex for a two count.
Makabe tagged in and continued to work over Yoshida. Yoshida hit a kick to the stomach and tagged Nagata. Nagata hit Makabe with a series of kicks, then a boot in the corner. Nagata hit an exploder, but Makabe popped right up and hit a lariat, into a double down.
Umino and Henare got tags. Umino ran wild, then triple-teamed Henare with help from Nakanishi and Yoshida. Kojima broke up a pinfall attempt. Umino hit a dropkick. Henare hit a rugby tackle, then Yoshida broke up a pinfall attempt on Umino.
Everyone jumped in and hit a big move, then cleared the ring, leaving Henare and Umino the legal men. They traded strikes. Umino hit the ropes, right into a Samoan drop for a two count. Henare then used a uranage for the pin.
KOTA IBUSHI, HANGMAN PAGE & YUJIRO TAKAHASHI DEFEATED BERETTA, CHUCKIE T & HIROOKI GOTO (9:58)
Goto challenged Ibushi to start the match with him, but Ibushi declined, teasing that Ibushi doesn’t think Goto is a worthy opponent. This would play into the post-match.
Good match. It would have been even better with about five more minutes, as it felt like they crammed a lot into their allotted time.
Yujiro hit Beretta with a boot to the face. Beretta came back with a sunset flip off the second.
Page tagged in and went crazy, hitting a springboard lariat, a pescado, and a suicide dive. Beretta quickly cut him off, then the CHAOS team went to work on Page.
Page went for a springboard move, but Beretta caught him and hit a bridging suplex for a two count. Chuckie worked Page over with a chinlock, hit a dropkick, then went back to the chinlock. Beretta got a tag, took his flip into the corner, then ran into a lariat.
Goto and Ibushi got tags. Ibushi hit a standing moonsault, a snap rana, then a slingshot splash for a two count. Goto hit an ushigoroshi, then tagged Chuckie. Chuckie hit a corner clothesline and a pop-up powerbomb for a two count.
Ibushi was able to tag Yujiro. Chuckie and Beretta hit stereo pescados. Yujiro hit a dropkick. Ibushi hit Goto with a missile dropkick. Page hit a buckshot lariat on Chuckie, and Yujiro followed with pimp juice for the pin.
After the match, Goto asked Ibushi if he wants the next shot. Ibushi was non-committal. Goto said fine, no shot for you. Then Ibushi changed his mind, and accepted the challenge for the NEVER title.
They had a really good six-man. There was a palpable buzz every time Okada and Naito faced off.
Okada and Naito started off. They traded quick cradles, then Naito hit his tranquilo pose. Shingo and YOH tagged in, locked up, then traded strikes. SHO jumped in and they doubled up on Shingo. BUSHI and Naito jumped in to even the odds, and the match broke down into a ringside brawl.
SHO got whipped hard into the security fence, which nearly impaled him. Back in the ring, Naito and Shingo worked over YOH. Naito used a weird-looking single-leg crab thing on YOH. Shingo used a brainbuster. He tried to use a dragon screw, but YOH reversed and hit one himself.
SHO got a tag and ran wild on Shingo. He hit a low dropkick and took BUSHI off the apron. SHO used a knee lift. SHO and Shingo traded strikes. Shingo went for the pumping bomber, but SHO ducked and hit a spear.
Shingo hit a haymaker and a lariat, then tagged BUSHI. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick and a DDT. BUSHI hit an enziguri and a backstabber, forcing Okada to break up a pinfall. Okada then sent Naito into the barricade on the floor.
SHO and YOH hit a suplex on Shingo, then tagged Okada. Okada hit a neckbreaker on BUSHI for a nearfall. Naito jumped in and traded shots with Okada. SHO and YOH hit stereo knees on Naito and Shingo, then stereo pescados to both.
Okada hit BUSHI with a dropkick, then hit the rainmaker for the pin.
WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: DAVEY BOY SMITH JR. & LANCE ARCHER DEFEATED MINORU SUZUKI & TAKASHI IIZUKA (11:25)
They had the crazy brawl that you would expect from two Suzuki-gun teams.
Suzuki and Iizuka tried to get the jump on Smith and Archer before the bell. Suzuki fared better, as he applied a heel hook over the barricade on Archer. In the ring, Smith used a delayed vertical suplex on Iizuka. All four men went to the floor, and Suzuki and Iizuka used chairs.
Back inside, Suzuki and Smith were declared the legal men. Suzuki went for the Gotch on Smith, but Smith backdropped him over the top to the floor. Smith sent Iizuka into the railing, then Smith and Archer double-teamed Suzuki. They brawled into the crowd, and Smith used a chair on Suzuki.
Archer and Iizuka continued to brawl outside. Suzuki hit Smith with a boot in the corner, then a series of PKs. Smith demanded more. Suzuki hit three, then picked up a nearfall. Suzuki hit a knee to the chest, then used a rear naked choke.
Suzuki went for the Gotch again, but Smith blocked it. Suzuki used a guillotine, but Smith suplexed out of it, then tagged Archer. Archer taunted Suzuki, then traded palm strikes with him. Suzuki slipped out of a chokeslam, then tagged Iizuka.
Suzuki took Iizuka’s muzzle off, and he bit Smith and Archer. Suzuki took the ref, allowing Iizuka to use a rope to choke Archer. Iizuka grabbed the iron glove. Smith and Archer took Suzuki out. Iizuka bit Smith and Archer again.
Archer hit Iizuka with a pounce, then Smith and Archer hit Iizuka with the killer bomb, and Archer pinned Iizuka.
WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: ZACK SABRE JR. & TAICHI DEFEATED TOMOHIRO ISHII & TORU YANO (16:29)
This was excellent when Sabre and Ishii were in. The Taichi and Yano comedy worked pretty well, but Taichi’s regular offense doesn’t look very good.
Taichi and Yano started off, but neither wanted to lock up. They stalled for almost two minutes. Sabre tagged in, Yano escaped a chain wrestling sequence with his life, then immediately tagged Ishii.
Ishii and Sabre exchanged strikes, and Ishii dropped Sabre with a forearm. Sabre and Ishii had a nice sequence of moves and reversals, ending when Sabre cranked on Ishii’s neck with his feet. Sabre continued to work over the neck and the right arm of Ishii, while Taichi took Yano to the floor, then brawled into the crowd with him.
Taichi and Sabre continued to work over the right arm. Sabre then attacked the left arm. Taichi got a tag and stomped away at the right arm. Ishii threw chops with the right arm, but sold them. Ishii hit a powerslam, then tagged Yano.
Yano untied a corner pad, then another. Taichi used a pad as a weapon, knocking Yano down. Taichi raked the eyes, but Yano sent him into the exposed buckle. Yano took Taichi’s pants off, shoved him into an exposed buckle, then used a roll-up for a nearfall.
Ishii tagged in, and chopped away at Taichi. Ishii missed a charge into the exposed buckle. Taichi used a series of kicks on Ishii’s left leg. Ishii hit a headbutt, but ran into a lariat, allowing Taichi to tag Sabre.
Sabre cranked on the right arm of Ishii, then stomped on it. Ishii blocked a PK, then dropped Sabre with a forearm. Ishii got sent into the buckle. Sabre applied an octopus, while Taichi kicked at Ishii’s head. Ishii fought for the ropes, then finally made it.
Yano jumped in and hit a fireman’s carry on Taichi, then one on Sabre. He used an inverted atomic drop on Sabre. Ishii went for the sliding lariat, but Sabre caught him and applied a double wristlock. Yano broke up the hold.
Sabre hit a PK, teased a Zack driver, but Ishii slid out and hit a standing lariat, then a sliding lariat for a great nearfall. Ishii went for the brainbuster, but Sabre turned it into a triangle. Ishii tried to power out, but he kept the hold.
Yano jumped in to break the hold, but Taichi cut him off, nailing him with the mic stand. Ishii refused to tap out, but the referee called for a stoppage, giving Taichi and Sabre the win.
WORLD TAG LEAGUE MATCH: EVIL & SANADA DEFEATED MICHAEL ELGIN & JEFF COBB (17:40)
A really good main event with some great nearfalls.
Cobb and SANADA started out with some mat work. Cobb hit a huge throw on SANADA, then tagged Elgin, and they hit a double backbreaker, picking up a quick two count.
SANADA hit Elgin with a low dropkick to the knees, then tagged EVIL. Elgin used a delayed vertical on EVIL, then tagged Cobb, who took hold of EVIL and continued it. Cobb tagged Elgin, who then finally delivered the suplex.
Elgin used an O’Connor roll, but EVIL kicked him off, right into a dropkick from SANADA from the apron. The match spilled to the floor. EVIL placed a chair around Elgin’s neck, then sent him into the post.
Back inside, SANADA hit a snap suplex on Elgin for a two count. EVIL and SANADA hit a double back elbow, then EVIL hit a senton for a nearfall. Elgin hit a couple of short elbows, but EVIL raked his eyes. SANADA jumped in. Elgin made his own comeback, including using EVIL as a springboard while he hit SANADA with a DDT.
Elgin hit a dropkick on EVIL, then tagged Cobb. Cobb hit an overhead belly to belly, then a side suplex. He went for a standing moonsault, but EVIL got his knees up, then tagged SANADA.
SANADA hit his leapfrog dropkick on Cobb. SANADA took the Flair corner flip, missed a springboard dropkick, then Cobb hit a throw. Elgin tagged in and hit discus forearms on SANADA, then a tope to EVIL.
They nearly botched it, but Elgin is a stong dude, and he eventually hit a gutwrench backbreaker on SANADA, who sold it as though he was broken in half. EVIL broke up a buckle bomb attempt. SANADA flipped out of a brainbuster attempt and used skull end on Elgin. EVIL used a choke on Cobb, who then threw EVIL into SANADA, breaking the hold.
Cobb lifted SANADA as if he was going to hit a last ride, but instead, Elgin jumped up and hit SANADA with a backstabber. EVIL broke up the pinfall. SANADA hit a dropkick, then used skull end. EVIL and SANADA used a magic killer, but Cobb broke up the pinfall attempt on Elgin.
SANADA missed a moonsault, and both Elgin and SANADA made tags. EVIL and Cobb exchanged strikes, and Cobb dropped EVIL with a lariat. Cobb hit a modified bossman slam for a nearfall. Cobb and Elgin hit EVIL with forearms in the corner. Elgin used a superplex into a standing moonsault from Cobb, who picked up a nearfall on EVIL.
SANADA nailed Elgin with a missile dropkick. Cobb went for tour of the islands on EVIL, but SANADA broke it up. EVIL and SANADA hit a second magic killer on Cobb, then EVIL hit everything is EVIL, and got the pin.
Ring of Honor’s Global Wars tour began in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday night.
The Big Takeaway —
This was a low-stakes house show. The gymnasium was clearly half-empty on camera, but the crowd was enthusiastic throughout the night. Only the Matt Taven-Dalton Castle angle was furthered to build Final Battle.
Two of the matches (The Briscoes vs. Cody & Hangman Page and Silas Young & Bully Ray vs. The Young Bucks) were interrupted by streaming issues and/or power outage issues in the town of Lewiston, according to Ian Riccaboni. Viewers were not able to see the finish of the Young & Ray vs. Young Bucks match
Show Recap —
A small but excited crowd were on their feet at the start of this show. Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana were on commentary tonight. They introduced the card.
Flip Gordon defeated Eli Isom
Rookie Eli Isom came out with Cheeseburger and Ryan Nova. Gordon got a noticeable pop from this Wednesday night crowd. Cabana brought up the “bird incident” from the Jericho Cruise last week.
Gordon and Isom began the match with a smooth set of chain wrestling and rope-running sequences. Gordon hit a great looking dropkick to Isom in the corner. He followed up with his nip-up Pele kick spots, finishing the sequence with a tope con giro.
Back in the ring, the two traded chops. Gordon’s one-foot dropkick is real pretty. Isom was pushed on commentary as a promising rookie. He didn’t look bad here. Isom hit a nice backdrop suplex onto Gordon. They did a wild spot that consisted of Gordon nipping up off the apron, a jump enzuigiri kick, and them rolling back into the ring for another kicking sequence. It was all at lightning speed, and the crowd was on their feet after this.
Isom’s suplexes are solid; he used a nice wheelbarrow German suplex for two at one point. Gordon responded with a Falcon Arrow, and later a springboard spear, before finally hitting a Flip 5 for the win. The two shook hands and posed afterwards.
A quick but satisfying opening match. These guys had great chemistry together, but Gordon was the obvious star meant to shine here.
ROH Tag Team Champions SoCal Uncensored (Scorpio Sky & Frankie Kazarian) defeated The Bouncers (Beer City Bruiser & Brian Milonas) in a non-title match
The New Age Out–I mean SoCal Uncensored came out and did their pre-match promo work in the ring. They were very over with the crowd. The gymnasium looked empty on some camera shots but the fans down in front were enthusiastic, mitigating any embarrassing camera work.
The match itself was mostly fun old school-styled tag team wrestling. The Bouncers played big bully heels, and Beer City Bruiser did a few high spots to the outside.
There was a mildly funny moment where the ref accused Bruiser of biting. The camera zoomed in just as he said “I don’t have no teeth!”
Cabana said “Oh, mylanta” at one point during this match.
The Bouncers abused Kazarian for a long while. Sky broke up a number of near falls. The pace was slowed toward the end of this match because the Bouncers aren’t athletic. It weighed the match down. Milonas is impressive to a point but is very slow.
Sky and Kazarian powerbombed Milonas off the top rope to win the match. The teams shared beers afterwards.
ROH TV Champion Jeff Cobb defeated Cheeseburger in a non-title match
Cheeseburger came out with Ryan Nova and Eli Isom. The two shook hands before the bell.
The story was clear from the start of this bout: Cobb is massive and strong, Cheeseburger is wily, scrawny, and tenacious. Cobb rag-dolled Cheeseburger around the ring and it felt more like an exhibition than a contest for a lot of it.
A big, long bear hug spot, a bigger dropkick, and an insane dangling vertical superplex from Cobb to Cheeseburger all got just two.
Cheeseburger countered a few of Cobb’s moves and was able to use a Shotei in the corner, then a springboard cannonball senton for a pity two-count.
Cobb used a tremendous spinning backdrop suplex, then hit Tour of the Islands for the win.
A fine match that was more like an enhancement match for Cobb. The crowd seemed to enjoy it.
ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Kingdom (Matt Taven, Vinny Marseglia & TK O’Ryan) defeated Dalton Castle & The Boys to retain their titles
Rhett Titus came out before the match. He posed, then joined Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana on commentary.
It sounded like it was a surprise to the announce team that this had been scheduled to be for the Six-Man titles. Bobby Cruise announced it as such, though.
The crowd was into Castle and chanted for him before the match started. Marseglia attacked one of the Boys before the bell. While Castle screamed about the Boys’ bags to the referee, Taven and O’Ryan attacked. The bell finally rang.
This was chaotic from the start. Taven and company pounded on Castle with flurries of punches and kicks in the corner. O’Ryan worked over Castle’s injured back. Castle is still taped up around his left thigh, has a weight belt, and has some other serious looking knee compression gear.
O’Ryan did a cool running spot with the Boys. He carried one Boy in powerslam position and swung one Boy at the other.
The Boys did a flashy double stomp spot, then a wild nonstop sequence of “topes” that were basically just Castle taking the guys by the hair and repeatedly tossing them over the ropes onto The Kingdom.
Three red balloons flew up in the air at this point in the match.
Castle used a Bang-a-Rang on Marseglia for a near fall. Later, Taven countered out of another Bang-a-Rang attempt and booted Castle hard in the face.
One of the Boys came back into the ring wearing a rugby sweater. He was acting like Freddy Krueger and started back-raking Marseglia with his “claw.” He did a number of cool spots, like a standing Sliced Bread, and then Castle screamed “What have you become?” at the Boy, who then snapped out of it.
Taven and Castle squared off and did a Frye-Takayama punching spot all the way to the floor. The two other Kingdom members did a special tag team finisher — a modified double powerslam thing — on one of the Boys for the win here.
Taven cut a good promo on Castle. He claimed he owns this Kingdom of New England, and that he’ll get to him at Final Battle soon. The crowd booed without fire.
This match did its job. It built Taven and Castle for Final Battle, which could be better than people may expect.
The Briscoes defeated Hangman Page & IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Cody (w/ Brandi Rhodes)
The camera got an excellent shot of a very excited Briscoes fan, someone’s mother, I imagine, hopping up and down before the match.
Mark Briscoe tossed a chair into the ring for no apparent reason. The crowd woke up for this.
Mark and Page started off the match. There was a presence that all four wrestlers carry with them into this match that is very different from the wrestlers I watched in the matches before. Their body shape and size stood out, along with the conviction in the way they got into each other’s faces and locked heads.
The way Cody would rile the crowd up was something worth mentioning. His ring instincts are so attuned to the crowd regardless of what the plan is.
The ROH feed cut out in the middle of this match. The ROH logo spun around for a few minutes until it came back to the match. Riccaboni explained that the power in the building went out and that’s why the stream went out.
The match stayed on track in the building, with the crowd fiercely behind the newly-anointed Elite members (Elitists?). When the stream came back, Cody was in the middle of a hot high spot sequence inside the ring. It was eventually slowed to a halt, with both Jay and Mark Briscoe showcasing their unsung talent as vicious heels who are mostly always exciting to watch.
Page got a hot tag into the match later on. He and Jay traded a lot of punches and elbows and they really laid them into each other.
Page used a Shooting Star shoulder block off the apron, essentially out of nowhere, onto Mark on the floor. He hopped back into the ring and German suplexed Jay for only two.
Jay and Page brawled on the outside, and Cody and Mark got into the mix. Back in the ring, the Briscoes used the Redneck Boogie powerbomb/neckbreaker combination on Cody for a two count.
They exchanged uppercuts and straight right punches. Brandi Rhodes stood on the apron and was quickly knocked off it by Mark. There was some chaos outside the ring, which was capped off by a huge moonsault from the top turnbuckle to the outside.
This turned into a wild, fast-paced brawl in and outside the ring. Jay used the Jay Driller and then Mark smashed Page with a Froggy Bow for the win.
Despite the technical difficulties in the middle of this match, this was very much worth the watch. The Briscoes are having an under-the-radar type year of very good to excellent matches in various promotions. They are a great heel matchup with any of the Elite members, and this was all without a real storyline.
If there was a just a hair of narrative between these two teams, aside from the lightly touched upon history Riccaboni mentioned over the broadcast, it could make for a very hot two to three month program in either the United States or in Japan. Keep an eye out for matches featuring any combination of these four.
Juice Robinson defeated Christopher Daniels
Riccaboni put Robinson over as an international star. The wrestlers shook hands before the match started. The crowd seemed split over Daniels and Juice. I’d say 60/40 in Robinson’s favor.
This was a well-paced match, organic and smooth in every exchange. Daniels slowed things down for a while for a chinlock, but not to the levels of stagnancy often seen in some WWE matches. Daniels later used an Arabian press on Robinson for two.
People sounded to have sided more strongly with Robinson as the match went on. They did more back and forth, with one sequence of Robinson firing up. They fought to a double knockdown spot until Robinson headed to the top turnbuckle and Daniels crotched him onto the ropes.
After a long-ish lull in the match, Robinson started doing the Terry Funk/Dusty Rhodes cowboy punches. He tried Pulp Friction a few times and eventually landed it for the win.
This was good but not great, everything the sixth match on a Wednesday night card should probably be.
Silas Young & Bully Ray defeated The Young Bucks
Bully Ray came out to only boos. He screamed at ring announcer Bobby Cruise to shut up and was generally bully-ish. As he should be. He and Matt Taven were the most loudly booed wrestlers of the night so far.
People threw ribbons in the ring for the Bucks before the match. Bully Ray was very, very loud. He did a lot of crowd work here; he screamed “Your heroes SUCK!” at someone in the crowd. It was all very house show-ish, charming in its aesthetic.
The Bucks finally were able to tope their way onto the offense. Young was the pawn in the match, the way to let the Bucks shine without devaluing Ray as a heel.
As the match slowed, the heels took over. The crowd began chanting “Yankees suck!”
Matt Jackson used a spear on Bully Ray. Young put Matt into a Boston crab, working his storyline-injured back. Nick came into the ring with energy and made a few attempts to connect with the crowd after doing some of his signature moves to Young.
Young used a handful of power moves on Nick Jackson, including an Anarchy suplex. Nick was able to turn things around quickly with a couple of superkicks and a moonsault from the apron onto Bully Ray outside of the ring.
More superkicks inside the ring, and just as things were getting exciting, the stream went out again. The ROH logo spun around Windows 98 screensaver style for a couple of minutes until the feed came back and, apparently, Silas Young pinned one of the Bucks to win the match for his team.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI) defeated Jonathan Gresham, Chris Sabin, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA & ROH World Heavyweight Champion Jay Lethal
Between the matches, Riccaboni explained that there may have been a power outage issue in Lewiston tonight and apologized for the other stream outage.
LIJ were introduced one by one, each of them in full character garb. The crowd roared for Naito. They looked like absolute superstars tonight, with a visual charisma that carries across the screen in an almost jarring way.
His name is “Constellation” Chris Sabin now. Colt Cabana was as surprised as you and I were about this because he found out when we did. “Constellation’s” hair is in currently at AJ Styles soccer-mom length.
Gresham and Naito started the match. Naito looked gigantic compared to Gresham. He quickly tagged out, rudo style, allowing for SANADA to enter.
The crowd started chanting “Sa-Na-Da!” He had a fun but forgettable exchange with Gresham. EVIL and Sabin had it out for a bit in the ring. EVIL was popular with the crowd and received loud chants.
Sabin and KUSHIDA did some good tag work to EVIL. Lethal and Gresham double-teamed EVIL for a while and showed off some of the offense they’re using together these days as a semi-regular tag team. Gresham worked over EVIL’s arm and elbow.
Naito stepped in by tripping KUSHIDA, allowing for SANADA to dropkick KUSHIDA in the face. LIJ dominated from here, using a strategy of two wrestlers standing on the apron and two seemingly guarding the area around the ring, something we see much more in Japan than in the States.
Naito and later BUSHI finally showed up in the ring. A BUSHIroonie happened. Fans rallied behind KUSHIDA minutes later, but he wasn’t able to escape SANADA’s Paradise Lock and shotgun dropkick to the posterior.
KUSHIDA fired up and used a handspring back elbow. He was able to tag Lethal back into the ring. Lethal cleaned house and soaked in some of the louder crowd reactions of the night.
The ROH/NJPW team did a triple plancha spot. SANADA did a slingshot swinging neckbreaker suplex to Lethal.
BUSHI and Gresham worked well together. I found it fresh since BUSHI was the big guy. He’s usually a few kilos lighter than whomever he’s in the match with in NJPW matches, so this matchup felt like it could lead to something new or interesting.
The finishing sequence consisted of Lethal hitting a Lethal Injection on BUSHI, then EVIL using Darkness Falls on Lethal, and finally Naito using Destino on Gresham for the win.
This was a good match but, again, not a great one. It felt like a warm-up match, a match where some of the guys who haven’t worked with each other much before (BUSHI and Gresham, for example) can feel each other out and plan a tighter set for the bigger shows this weekend.
The Intercontinental championship is thrust back into the spotlight at this morning’s Power Struggle event in Osaka.
Chris Jericho will defend the Intercontinental championship for the first time as he faces EVIL. It was EVIL who saved Tetsuya Naito at Dominion after Jericho jumped him after their match. Jericho then resurfaced at King of Pro Wrestling, attacking EVIL in disguise.
The finals of this year’s Power Struggle tournament will also be decided. In a surprise, the tournament ended in a three way tie between champions El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Roppongi 3K and Shingo Takagi & BUSHI. It was ruled that the finals would be competed in a three way match.
Other title matches tonight include a RPW British Heavyweight title match with champion Tomohiro Ishii taking on Minoru Suzuki. Taichi will also defend the NEVER Openweight championship against Hirooki Goto, who is subbing for an injured Will Ospreay.
We’ll also see the continuation of the feud between Kazuchika Okada and Jay White, as they will square off in tag team action in the undercard. Same goes for the Wrestle Kingdom 13 main event as the Golden Lovers will face Hiroshi Tanahashi and David Finlay.
Join us for live coverage starting at 4:00 a.m. EDT. There will be English commentary, with Kevin Kelly and Chuckie T calling the action.
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RYUSUKE TAGUCHI, ACH, CHRIS SABIN & TOA HENARE DEFEATED JUSHIN LIGER, TIGER MASK, VOLADOR JR. & SOBERANO JR. (6:08)
Not much to this. A little bit of comedy, and not a lot of time to do much else.
Taguchi’s team came out wearing their rugby gear, and ACH and Tiger did some comedy spots with a rugby ball early. Liger hit a senton off the apron and used a Romero special on Sabin.
Volador and Sabin had a nice sequence, capped off by Sabin hitting a missile dropkick. Volador hit a superkick, forcing Sabin to tag Henare. Henare hit a vertical suplex for a two count. Volador went for a frankensteiner, but Henare blocked, then hit a clothesline.
Taguchi and Soberano tagged in. Soberano slipped going for a springboard, but hit a nice tornillo. Taguchi hit a hip attack on Tiger and Liger. They did a four corners hip attack spot involving all eight guys. Taguchi used a wheelbarrow on Soberano, ACH hit him with an x-factor, and Taguchi got the quick pin.
This was more storyline than match. The deal is that Taiji Ishimori isn’t really hurt, and will be challenging KUSHIDA for the Jr. Heavyweight title.
The OGs attacked before the bell. Jado used a kendo stick on Honma from the outside, cutting him off before he could hit Eagles with a kokeshi. Eagles and Loa worked over Honma with some basic offense. KUSHIDA broke up a pin attempt. Eagles hit double knees in the corner and KUSHIDA broke up another pin.
Tonga tagged in. Honma made a brief comeback, but missed a kokeshi. Honma hit a backdrop and tagged Makabe. Makabe hit corner lariats on Tonga and Loa, and hit a powerslam on Eagles. Makabe’s team all hit ten punches in the corner. KUSHIDA got a tag and hit a cartwheel dropkick.
The match broke down and all six guys jumped in. Makabe hit a double lariat on Tonga and Loa. Honma hit a kokeshi on Loa, another on eagles, and a diving one to Tonga. Tonga went for a gun stun on KUSHIDA, but KUSHIDA turned it into a hoverboard lock. Jado jumped on the apron for a distraction.
Jado hit KUSHIDA with a kendo stick. Taiji Ishimori jumped in from the floor with a crutch, and hit KUSHIDA with it while Jado took the referee. Tonga hit a gun stun, and picked up the pinfall.
KAZUCHIKA OKADA & BERETTA DEFEATED SWITCHBLADE JAY WHITE & BAD LUCK FALE (4:33)
This also was more storyline than match, building for the inevitable White vs. Okada showdown.
Okada hit a pescado on Switchblade before the bell, and they brawled into the crowd. Okada posted White’s left arm, and Beretta and Fale started off as the legal men in the ring. That lasted a few seconds, before White jumped in and went after Okada.
All four guys brawled around ringside. Okada hit a draping DDT on White from the security fence to the floor. Beretta hit a suicide dive to Fale, but Fale popped right up and posted him. Fale hit an avalanche and a big splash for a two count.
Okada was still busy on the floor.
Fale hit a grenade. Gedo grabbed Okada’s ankle, and he was unable to make a save. Fale went for the bad luck fall, but Beretta turned it into a victory roll and got the upset win.
After the bell, Fale beat down Beretta, while White and Okada brawled all around ringside. The crowd was hot for this.
White grabbed a mic and challenged Okada to a one-on-one match without any seconds, anytime, anywhere. Okada said how about now, but White begged off.
KENNY OMEGA AND KOTA IBUSHI DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI & DAVID FINLAY (9:48)
This was exactly what it should have been. They did a slight tease for the Tokyo Dome with Tana and Omega. After the match, they continued to tease that Ibushi is slightly conflicted in hihs loyalties between Omega and Tana.
Tana and Omega started off, trading blows. Tana sidestepped a v-trigger, while Omega ducked two lariat attempts. This was a perfect tease.
Ibushi and Finlay tagged in. Ibushi and Omega used a series of quick tags, working over Finlay. Omega hit a kotaro krusher. Ibushi took a series of forearms from Finlay, then dropped him with one of his own. Omega dropped Finlay with a back elbow. Tana jumped in for a save, but Omega took him to the floor and whipped him into the security fence. Omega continued to work on Finlay, then hit a plancha on Tana.
Finlay was finally able to make a tag. Tana ran wild. He dropkicked Ibushi off the apron and hit a dragon screw on Omega. Omega hit you can’t escape, but tweaked his right knee. Tana hit a dragon screw to the bad leg. Omega hit a snap dragon suplex, but continued selling the leg.
Omega went for a one-winged angel, but Tana countered it into a twist and shout. Both tagged out. Ibushi hit Finlay with a mid kick, then hit a standing moonsault. Finlay and Ibushi traded shots, and Finlay dropped Ibushi on his head with an uranage.
Ibushi hit a straight jacket german. Tana jumped in and hit him with a slingblade. Omega jumped in and blasted Tana with a v-trigger. Ibushi and Omega hit the golden trigger on Finlay, and pinned him.
SUPER JR. TAG LEAGUE 2018 FINAL: ROPPONGI 3K DEFEATED SHINGO TAKAGI & BUSHI, YOSHINOBU KANEMARU & EL DESPERADO TO WIN THE 2018 SUPER JR. TAG LEAGUE (15:56)
A good match with a crazy last couple of minutes, but not a blow away classic or anything. The rules here were interesting. Only two men were legal at any time. Anyone could tag anyone.
Suzuki-gun attacked before the bell, but Roppongi 3K quickly recovered and hit a series of dropkicks. SHO and Desperado ended up the legal men.
Shingo got a tag and hit SHO with a double sledge to the chest, a running knee, and a vertical suplex. Shingo hit a senton while BUSHI hit a legdrop. SHO was able to tag YOH, who ran wild with dropkicks and dragon screws. Kanemaru tagged in and hit YOH with a knee lift.
The pace slowed as Desperado tagged in and worked over YOH. Desperado hit a flip dive through the middle rope onto both members of LIJ, while Kanemaru continued working over YOH. Kanemaru hit a sloppy tornado DDT, and YOH countered with a falcon arrow, into a double down.
YOH made a tag to Shingo, and Shingo ran wild on Kanemaru. Shingo hit a pop-up death valley driver for two. Shingo held Kanemaru while BUSHI hit a backstabber, and Shingo got a two count. Kanemaru used a rollup for two. BUSHI hit a frankensteiner to the floor. SHO tagged himself in, leaving Shingo and SHO legal.
SHO hit a dropkick. He went for a deadlift german, but Shingo blocked. SHO and YOH hit stereo knees. They teased a 3K on Shingo, but BUSHI made the save. Desperado jumped in and hit a spear. Shingo hit the yoshigami and a pumping bomber, but SHO kicked out.
SHO and YOH hit the 3K on Shingo, but Desperado pulled the ref out of the ring. Desperado got a nearfall. He went for the pinche loco, but BUSHI jumped in and sprayed him with black mist. SHO ducked whiskey mist. Desperado kicked out of a lungblower from SHO, then SHO hit the shock arrow and got the pin.
SHO cut a promo after the match, and said that Roppongi 3K will challenge for the Jr. Heavyweight tag titles.
NEVER OPENWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: HIROOKI GOTO DEFEATED TAICHI TO WIN THE NEVER OPENWEIGHT TITLE (15:03)
I think they intended to have a boring match as a change of pace or a buffer before the top matches on the card. At least I hope that was the plan. Goto’s selling was excellent, but the match was slow, plodding, dull, and didn’t have any heat.
Taichi jumped Goto before the match, and hit him with a suplex. Goto sold it as though he had been killed. Taichi made a cover, but pulled Goto up at two so he could beat him up some more. Taichi sent Goto outside and hit him with chairs, leaving him for dead. There were light pro and anti-Taichi chants.
Goto beat the count back in at 19, then kicked out at two. Goto threw a couple of weak palm strikes. Goto ducked a charge in the corner and hit a mid kick. Goto hit a leg lariat and a Saito suplex for a two count.
Goto went for an ushigoroshi, but Taichi raked the eyes. Taichi hit some kicks and stomps. Taichi got a nearfall off a buzzsaw kick, then took his pants off. Goto blocked a kick and hit an ushigoroshi.
They hit simultaneous lariats, then Taichi hit a thumb to the eye and dropped Goto with a lariat. Goto hit a backdrop. Goto hit a spinning facebuster for a two count. Taichi threw the ref down and hit a low blow, then used a gedo clutch for a two count.
Taichi hit a lariat to the back of the neck, a last ride, then used a jackknife cover for a two count. Goto hit a reverse GTR, but couldn’t follow up. Taichi grabbed the title. Goto recovered, ducked a belt shot, and hit a headbutt. He hit an ushigoroshi and a mid kick for a nearfall.
Goto teased a GTR, then hit shoten kai. He followed with a GTR for the pin.
RPW BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: TOMOHIRO ISHII DEFEATED MINORU SUZUKI TO RETAIN THE RPW BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (19:22)
This was exactly what you would expect from these two. They hit each other hard. It was intense.
They charged at each other like two rams as the opening bell sounded. Ishii hit a ton of forearms in the corner, but Suzuki no-sold them. Suzuki went for a PK but Ishii ducked it. They stood in the center of the ring and blasted each other with short forearms.
Suzuki baited Ishii over to the ropes and went for a rope-assisted armbar, but Ishii pulled away. Suzuki rolled to the floor, but Ishii tossed him right back inside. Ishii hit a series of chops, but Suzuki demanded more. Suzuki hit three mid kicks and Ishii sold them big, rolling to the floor to collect himself.
Ishii came back in, but ate more kicks. Suzuki hit a series of knee strikes, then dropped Ishii with a kick. Suzuki hit some knees to the ribs on the mat. Ishii got to his knees and hit some right hands to Suzuki’s mid section, but Suzuki came back with shhort forearm shots.
Suzuki taunted Ishii with short kicks to the head, and Ishii fired back with chops to the chest and throat, then hit some taunting kicks of his own. They exchanged hard forearm shots for a long time. Ishii finally dropped against the ropes.
Suzuki attempted to irish whip Ishii, but Ishii fell to the mat. Suzuki hit a series of kicks, and a running boot to the face for a two count. Suzuki hit a yakuza kick and a follow up series of PKs, but Ishii no-sold them and stood up. Suzuki hit some short strikes, but Ishii no-sold and hit a lariat in the corner.
Ishii placed Suzuki on the top rope, lifted him off, and hit a powerbomb. Suzuki ducked a lariat. He teased a rear naked choke, but Ishii slipped out and hit a vertical suplex, dropping Suzuki. They exchanged palm strikes to the face, and Suzuki hit another running boot.
They had a slap fight. Ishii hit a lariat. Suzuki went for a RNC, but Ishii slipped out. Ishii hit the ropes, and Suzuki hit a dropkick. Suzuki was bleeding from the mouth. Suzuki finally got the rear naked, and went for the Gotch. Ishii escaped and hit a lariat, but Suzuki no-sold it and dropped Ishii with a lariat.
Suzuki hit four short forearms, then went for the Gtoch, but Ishii dropped him on his head with an inverted spike piledriver. Ishii hit a lariat, then a headbutt. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for a nearfall. Suzuki got another RNC, went for the Gotch, but Ishii slid out, and dropped Suzuki with a clothesline.
Ishii hit a lariat, then hit a vertical drop brainbuster for the pin.
TETSUYA NAITO DEFEATED ZACK SABRE JR. (20:13)
A really good match. Naito is excellent at working the other guy’s style, while fitting his trademark spots around whatever his opponent wants to do.
They started with some mat work and grappled to a stalemate. Naito rolled to the floor, stalling. Back inside, Sabre used a headlock takeover. Naito hit a pair of armdrags and dropkick to the back. While Naito posed, Sabre jumped in and applied a triangle, but Naito reached the ropes, then rolled to the floor.
Sabre worked Naito’s left arm over the bottom rope as he rolled back inside, and continued to torque on it. Naito again escaped to the outside, but this time Sabre followed, and applied an ankle lock on the ramp. Naito was selling all of his limbs. Both knees were heavily taped, and Sabre worked over the arms. Back inside, Sabre used a single leg crab, then tied up the right arm as well, before Naito reached the ropes.
Sabre hit some uppercuts, then attacked the right leg with a kick, and Naito went down. Naito hit an inverted atomic drop, then a step-up frankensteiner. Naito hit an inverted DDT and a dropkick to the back of a seated Sabre.
Naito went for the swinging dropkick, but Sabre countered. Naito hit an inverted DDT for a nearfall. Naito hit a top rope reverse frankensteiner, but Sabre rolled through and turned it into a rings of saturn. He sold as though his neck was hurt from some back elbows earlier from Naito, and he didn’t have enough feeling in his hands to lock it in tightly. Naito reached the ropes.
Sabre hit an uppercut, but Naito countered with a palm strike to the chest. Naito hit a series of forearms to the side of the neck in the corner, and followed with a sliding dropkick to the neck. Naito hit a tornado DDT, then hit gloria for two at the fifteen minute mark.
Sabre ducked the flying forearm and applied an octopus. Sabre rolled into a calf killer, then a kneebar. He went for napalm death, but couldn’t lock it in because of the lost feeling in his hands. Sabre pulled off his wrist tape to try to increase blood flow to his hands.
Sabre hit a series of uppercuts, then hit a PK and got a nearfall. Sabre caught an enziguri and turned it into an ankle lock, but Naito slid out. He popped up and hit destino, but Sabre kicked out at two. They traded cradles for two close nearfalls.
Naito caught a kick and hit an enziguri. Naito countered a Zack driver and dropped Sabre on his head with a modified brainbuster. Naito followed with a second destino and got the pin.
IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: CHRIS JERICHO DEFEATED EVIL TO RETAIN THE IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP (21:40)
A really good brawl. Not at the level of Jericho’s Wrestle Kingdom match, but similar in style to Jericho’s match with Naito.
Jericho entered wearing facepaint, a hat, a scarf, a jacket, leather pants, and two masks. As he went to remove the second mask, EVIL attacked. He dragged Jericho into the crowd, and posted him. EVIL hit a suplex on the floor. EVIL teased a powerbomb through a table, but Jericho backdropped him on the floor.
Jericho choked EVIL with his t-shirt, then sent EVIL over the first security fence. Jericho hit a DDT on an announce table. Jericho grabbed a New Japan banner off the table and used it to blow his nose. In the ring, Jericho hit a high cross off the top for a two count.
Jericho hit an enziguri for a two count. EVIL fired back with chops and kicks. EVIL hit the ropes, but ran into a superkick. Jericho hit a lionsault for another nearfall. Jericho went up top, but EVIL cut him off. Jericho headbutted him off the top, then hit a back elbow off the top for another two count. There were some light EVIL chants, but louder Y2J chants, so Jericho flipped off the crowd.
EVIL hit a kick to the gut, then clotheslined Jericho over the top to the floor. EVIL sent Jericho into the security fence, then grabbed a chair from under the ring. He hit Jericho with a chair, then Pillmanized Jericho’s neck with a chair, sending him into the post. EVIL then swung a second chair and hit the chair around Jericho’s neck.
Back inside, EVIL hit a lariat and a fisherman buster for a two count. EVIL went for a dropkick in the corner, but Jericho turned it into a lion tamer attempt. EVIL flipped out of it. Jericho low-bridged EVIL, who went to the apron. They fought on the apron, teasing a bump through the table on the floor. EVIL finally hit an STO off the apron, and they crashed through the table. There was a light “this is awesome” chant. EVIL tossed Jericho back inside, breaking the count at 16.
EVIL went for a senton off the top. He overshot it, but everyone sold it like he hit it. EVIL went for everything is EVIL, but Jericho slid off and grabbed the legs. Jericho applied the walls of Jericho, but EVIL reached the ropes. Jericho thought EVIL tapped out. The referee said no, he reached the ropes. Jericho shoved the ref. EVIL hit a lariat for two.
Jericho went for a second lionsault, but EVIL escaped and hit darkness falls. Jericho kicked out at two. Jericho used a cradle for two. EVIL blocked a codebreaker, then both hit lariats at the same time for a double down.
They did a misdirection spot, and Jericho hit a codebreaker off of it, but only got a two count. Jericho went for a double sledge off the top, but EVIL caught him, and hit an STO for a two count. EVIL hit a big lariat.
They teased everything is EVIL, then a low blow, then darkness falls, but Jericho rolled through into the walls. EVIL reached for the ropes, but Jericho switched to a lion tamer, trapping the arm, and EVIL tapped out.
Jericho applied the walls after the match, and Naito ran in for the save. He hit Jericho with a couple of shots, but Jericho bailed. Naito held the ropes open, but Jericho walked off with the title.
Naito cut a promo after the match and announced himself as Jericho’s next challenger.
At the post-match press conference, Jericho said he already beat Naito, and there won’t be a rematch at Wrestle Kingdom, at Madison Square Garden, or anywhere.
Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, and BJ Whitmer called the action from Las Vegas.
A recap aired of the finish of the ROH World Championship match between Jay Lethal and Will Ospreay from Death Before Dishonor, which ended with Lethal retaining. Lethal’s celebration was cut short as The Kingdom, featuring Matt Taven’s new haircut, laid him out.
The Kingdom came to the ring with what they were claiming to be the real ROH World Championship belt. Taven stood stoically, sporting an amazing sparkly purple robe and a crown.
TK O’Ryan screamed at Bobby Cruise and Todd Sinclair to stand still while he spoke. O’Ryan made Cruise read a list of all of Taven’s accomplishments, including a declaration that Taven was the real ROH World Champion.
Before the first match, a video package of Jeff Cobb’s reign of terror so far in ROH aired to hype up him challenging Punishment Martinez for the ROH Television Championship on next week’s show.
Kenny King defeated Chase Owens
The announcers reminded us that King has been on a winning streak, but lately has chosen to use nefarious means to get his wins. King greeted Owens with some technical offense — ending with a fancy Japanese arm drag and a few kip ups.
After the break, Owens was in control and was working over the neck of King. That didn’t last long as King managed to get the advantage by landing a spinning dive onto Owens. He followed that up with a high crossbody block off the top turnbuckle.
Owens regained the upper hand with a Shining Wizard knee. A unique neckbreaker earned Owens a two count. He then went for a package piledriver, but King fought out. Owens went for a slingshot belly-to-back suplex, but King landed on his feet and appeared to have injured his knee. However, it was a ploy to get Owens to lower his guard, which allowed King to roll him up for the win.
Backstage, Coast 2 Coast were talking about being undefeated in 2018. They looked forward to their ROH Tag Team Championship match against The Briscoes next week.
They replayed the angle with Riccaboni getting involved to assist Colt Cabana in an attempt to silence Bully Ray.
Shane Taylor vs. Flip Gordon didn’t happen
Before this could get started, Gordon grabbed a microphone and addressed Bully Ray putting Cabana through a table at Death Before Dishonor. Gordon explained that Ray cheated during their match and that he should have been declared the winner.
Ray came out to trash talk, and during the exchange, Silas Young slid into the ring and delivered a low blow to Gordon. Taylor then blasted Gordon with a chair. For good measure, Young landed Misery on Gordon.
The Young Bucks defeated Los Ingobernobles de Japon (EVIL & SANADA), Best Friends (Beretta & Chuckie T), and SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) in a four corners tag match
This started off as a melee. The match had not yet even begun and The Young Bucks were already hitting dives. Nearly everyone hit a crazy dive in a sequence that ended with Nick Jackson wiping everyone out from the top rope to the floor. After that, Best Friends recovered and finally had time to hug each other before they hit stereo cannonball dives. Then, the bell finally rang.
SANADA and Daniels officially started the match. SANADA used the Paradise Lock on both members of SoCal Uncensored and tagged in EVIL. He went to work on the rear end of Daniels, which included EVIL catching a boot from Daniels and handing it off to the referee. That allowed EVIL to superkick Daniels in the bum. Daniels eventually fought out of it and returned the favor — doing the same thing back to EVIL.
Best Friends decided that they needed to strut around while wearing their sunglasses. They both got in and found themselves on the wrong end of a Nick Jackson lucha head scissors maneuver and a reverse Code Red.
After the break, EVIL continued to use the referee to assist him with the Magic Killer as SANADA had been indisposed at the moment. A parade of kicks and strikes left the Best Friends standing alone again. They landed a spike Dudebuster on Matt Jackson, but Nick broke it up with a Swanton.
An exchange of finishers created total chaos until the Bucks hosted a superkick party that laid waste to everyone. They isolated Beretta and landed the Five Star Meltzer Driver on him for the win.
ROH has announced the next three wrestlers for this year’s Global Wars tour.
After announcing Tetsuya Naito for the tour yesterday, ROH has confirmed that Los Ingobernables de Japon members EVIL and SANADA will be in action on the Global Wars shows. Former IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Juice Robinson is also set for the tour.
EVIL and SANADA wrestled for ROH at their post-Death Before Dishonor television tapings last month. They took part in a four-way tag match that included The Young Bucks, Beretta & Chuckie T, and Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian.
Robinson hasn’t appeared for ROH in the United States since facing Marty Scurll at a set of TV tapings in January 2017.
The Global Wars tour will begin in Lewiston, Maine on November 7. There are also stops in Lowell, Massachusetts on November 8, Buffalo, New York on November 9, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada on November 11.
A Intercontinental title match will headline this year’s Power Struggle.
Chris Jericho will defend the Intercontinental title against EVIL. The two have had staredowns with one another before, but Jericho took it to a new level at King of Pro Wrestling when he jumped EVIL as he went to face Zack Sabre Jr. in a singles match. Jericho, who was wearing a druid outfit, attacked EVIL as he was entering the ring and left him laying bad enough that the match was ruled a forfeit.
A NEVER Openweight title match has also been announced, with new champion Taichi defending against Will Ospreay, who scored a big win over Taichi at King of Pro Wrestling, and intends on capitalizing on his momentum by taking Taichi’s title.
Other matches announced include Tetsuya Naito facing Zack Sabre Jr. in a special singles match, Kazuchika Okada and Jay White facing off in a tag team match, and another tag team match pitting Hiroshi Tanahashi and David Finlay against The Golden Lovers. The finals of the Super Jr. Tag League 2018 will also be determined.
Power Struggle will take place on November 3 at the Osaka Prefectural Gym. Here is the card announced thus far:
Chris Jericho vs. EVIL for the IWGP Intercontinental title
Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Taichi vs. Will Ospreay for the NEVER Openweight title
Hiroshi Tanahashi and David Finlay vs. The Golden Lovers
Kazuchika Okada and Beretta vs. Jay White and Bad Luck Fale
Chris Jericho returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling this morning and appeared to set up his first IWGP Intercontinental Championship defense.
Jericho made a surprise appearance at King of Pro Wrestling, taking part in an angle where he attacked EVIL while EVIL was making his entrance. EVIL was accompanied by druids for his match against Zack Sabre Jr., and one of them was revealed to be Jericho. He pulled EVIL off the apron, attacked him, and gave him a codebreaker in the ring.
Jericho then laid out EVIL by hitting him with the Intercontinental title.
EVIL vs. Sabre was ruled a no contest as part of the angle. Sabre put EVIL in a submission after the match was called off, then Tetsuya Naito came out to make the save.
This was the first NJPW show Jericho has appeared at since winning the Intercontinental title from Naito at Dominion in June. Jericho did show up at All In last month, attacking Kenny Omega to build up Jericho & The Young Bucks facing Omega, Cody Rhodes & Marty Scurll on Jericho’s cruise.
The full card has been released for next week’s King of Pro Wrestling.
As expected, the main event will feature Kenny Omega defending the IWGP title in a triple threat match against Cody and Kota Ibushi, which was set up this past Sunday at Fighting Spirit Unleashed. In the co-main event, Hiroshi Tanahashi will defend his WrestleKingdom 13 briefcase against Jay White.
The finals of the Jr. heavyweight title tournament will have KUSHIDA taking on Marty Scurll for the vacant IWGP Jr. title. The Jr. tag team titles will be on the line, as champions Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru will defend against Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask in the opening contest.
Meanwhile, a new member of Los Ingobernables de Japon will make their debut at the show, after a YouTube video featuring LIJ indicated that they would be bringing in a new pareja. The mystery partner will team with Naito, SANADA and BUSHI in an eight man tag against CHAOS.
A special singles match between EVIL and Zack Sabre Jr. has been set after Sabre has repeatedly gotten the better of EVIL on a number of occasions during recent tours. Another eight man tag will also go down, pitting members of the Bullet Club against the Bullet Club OG’s.
Here is the full card for King of Pro Wrestling, which will take place next Monday at Sumo Hall:
Kenny Omega vs. Cody vs. Kota Ibushi for the IWGP title
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White for Tanahashi’s WrestleKingdom 13 title shot briefcase
KUSHIDA vs. Marty Scurll for the IWGP Jr. title
EVIL vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano and Roppongi 3K vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, BUSHI and a mystery partner
Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto and Will Ospreay vs. Minoru Suzuki, Taichi and Takashi Iizuka
The Young Bucks, Hangman Page and Chase Owens vs. Guerillas of Destiny, Bad Luck Fale and Taiji Ishimori
Togi Makabe and Tomoak Honma vs. Juice Robinson and Toa Henare
Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask for the IWGP Jr. tag team titles
The appearance of Los Ingobernables de Japón in Arena Mexico has been altered a bit due to an injury.
The original match was slated to be Tetsuya Naito, EVIL and BUSHI vs. L.A. Park, Volador Jr. and Diamate Azul. However, the card for the 8/31 show was posted today on the Arena Mexico Twitter account, with Rush taking EVIL’s spot in the main event. The poster noted that EVIL would be a valet for the Ingobernables instead.
Dave Meltzer mentioned on Twitter that EVIL is currently suffering from a knee injury, which may be why he’s off the card in an active capacity. It isn’t known how serious the injury is, but he was recently announced for the Destruction events that will be taking place next month.
The co-main event of the 8/31 card will have a singles match between two of the participants in the 85th Aniversario main event, as Matt Taven will take on Barbaro Cavernario. Ultimo Guerrero, Euforia and Gran Guerrero will also team up to take on Ciber the Main Man, The Chris and Scharly Rock Star.
Potential finalists are winding down as the penultimate A Block card for this year’s G1 finals takes place tonight in Osaka.
Kazuchika Okada looks to continue his momentum by facing EVIL in a must win match in tonight’s main event. EVIL beat him during last year’s tournament, though ultimately was unable to take the IWGP title off of him. Can lightning strike twice this morning?
Meanwhile, Jay White will battle Togi Makabe, while Hiroshi Tanahashi will battle Michael Elgin. Both White and Tanahashi still alive in the tournament, though for White his win is absolutely necessary. Will he be able to pick up the win? And will Tanahashi be riding a wave of momentum to Budokan Hall by beating Elgin?
Other bouts on the card include YOSHI-HASHI taking on Bad Luck Fale and friends while Minoru Suzuki will battle Hangman Page.
Join us for live coverage starting this morning at 2:00 a.m. EDT. Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero will be calling the action.
This was a good action opener, slightly above the level of a typical G1 show tag match.
Juice and Ishii traded a series of shoulder tackles, and Juice finally got Ishii off his feet. Both tagged out. SHO nailed Umino with kicks, and tagged in Ishii. Ishii hit a series of chops, and pounded on Umino with kicks to the lower back.
Ishii ate an elbow on a charge into the corner, and Umino hit a dropkick off the second rope, before tagging Juice. Juice hit Ishii with a cannonball and a leg lariat, before landing a series of jabs. Ishii came back with a powerslam, and hit a vertical suplex, then tagged SHO.
SHO went for a deadlift german, but Juice countered with an uranage, and tagged in Umino. Umino nailed Ishii on the apron, baiting him into the ring, and delivered a spinebuster. Juice hit a spinebuster on SHO, and tagged Umino, who hit a missile dropkick.
Umino applied a crab, but Ishii jumped in for the save. Umino sent Ishii to the floor with a dropkick, but then ran into a knee lift from SHO. Umino used an inside cradle for a nearfall, a la magistral for another, but then ate a lariat, as SHO picked up a nearfall.
SHO hit a bridging german, and got the pin.
TETSUYA NAITO & SANADA DEFEATED DAVID FINLAY & TOA HENARE (6:38)
This was kind of clunky in spots.
Finlay and Henare survived a cheap shot attack before the opening bell, and briefly got some offense on Naito, but SANADA nailed Henare form the apron, and the LIJ team took over.
Naito went for a flying forearm on Henare, but Henare ducked it in an awkward spot, and tagged Finlay. Finlay hit Naito with a series of back elbows in the corner, and Naito countered with an enziguri, a neckbreaker, and a dropkick, then tagged SANADA.
SANADA ate a belly-to-back, and Finlay tagged in Henare. Henare hit SANADA with a flying tackle and a Samoan drop, earning a two count. Henare hit a spinebuster for a nearfall, but SANADA and Naito countered with a stereo dropkicks.
SANADA applied skull end on Henare, and Henare tapped out.
Naito offered a fist bump to SANADA after the match. SANADA accepted, but Naito pounced, sending SANADA into the corner. SANADA took the Flair flip over the ropes, and neither man landed any significant blows in advance of their G1 match on Wednesday.
HIROOKI GOTO & YOH DEFEATED TAKA MICHINOKU & ZACK SABRE JR. (5:45)
This was quick, and there wasn’t a lot to the match.
YOH ran wild on TAKA early, until Sabre tagged in and twisted YOH up like a pretzel. TAKA tagged back in and hit a series of knee strikes, but YOH countered with a dragon screw. Goto and Sabre tagged in.
Goto ran wild, until Sabre tied him up on the mat, then landed some kicks. Goto caught another kick, and countered with a clothesline. YOH got a tag, and Sabre went to work on his left arm. TAKA tagged in and continued to work the left arm, until YOH hit a superkick and a falcon arrow, picking up a nearfall.
Sabre and TAKA applied stereo submission holds, but YOH reached the ropes, and as the legal man, forced a break. YOH slipped out of a facelock, and rolled TAKA up for the pin.
TAMA TONGA & TANGA LOA DEFEATED YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & KOTA IBUSHI (3:32)
A quick win here for the Bullet Club OGs.
Tama Tonga asked Yujiro to join the Bullet Club OG before the match, offering a handshake. Yujiro turned his back, and Tonga and Loa attacked as the bell rang. Tonga took Ibushi to the floor, while Loa beat down Yujiro in the ring.
Loa hit a delayed back suplex, and Tonga hit a splash in the corner, before Ibushi jumped in to make the save. Ibushi hit a kick, a standing moonsault, a missile dropkick, and hit a pescado to Tonga on the floor.
Yujiro went for a DDT, but Loa countered with apeshit, and got the pin.
Owens and Gedo started out, and did some comedy. They poked each other in the eyes. Omega and Owens did a series of quick tags, and did a rowboat spot with both of Gedo and Yano’s legs. Gedo sent Omega into Owens, and tagged in Yano.
Yano went right for the turnbuckle pads, but Owens and Omega got there first. They each swung at Yano, but Yano ducked, and they hit each other. Yano and Omega did some comedy spots, before tagging their partners.
Owens hit a series of jabs, but ate a right hand from Gedo. Owens accidentally got hit with a superkick from Omega, but recovered and hit Gedo with one. Owens hit a package piledriver on Gedo, and got the pin.
A BLOCK MATCH: YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED BAD LUCK FALE (8:41)
Tanga Loa was at ringside with Fale, and tripped YH. He suplexed him on the floor while Fale took the ref, and Fale followed by sending him into the security fence. Back inside, Fale stepped on YOSHI-HASHI’s head, and stomped on his heavily taped right arm.
YOSHI-HASHI made a brief comeback, hitting a low dropkick, followed by a headhunter. Fale missed a charge into the corner, allowing YOSHI-HASHI to hit a headhunter off the top for a two count. Fale blocked a fisherman buster, and hit a shoulder tackle and a splash for a two count.
YOSHI-HASHI hit a lariat for a nearfall, and went up top. Loa grabbed YOSHI-HASHI’s leg, giving Fale a moment to recover. YOSHI-HASHI used a roll-up for a nearfall. He ducked a sit-out splash, and sent Loa to the floor with a lariat. YOSHI-HASHI hit double knees for a nearfall.
YOSHI-HASHI went for an armbar. As Fale fought to keep his hands together, Tama Tonga ran in and used a chair on YOSHI-HASHI for the DQ.
A BLOCK MATCH: HANGMAN PAGE DEFEATED MINORU SUZUKI (12:05)
The last few minutes here were very good.
Page attacked Suzuki before the opening bell, and they brawled up to the ramp. Page hit a moonsault off the stage to the floor, wiping out Suzuki and his second, Desperado. They went to the ring, and Page covered for a one count, but Suzuki grabbed a wristlock and went on the offensive.
Suzuki sent Page to the floor, and dragged him into the crowd. Suzuki hit Page with a chair, and dropped pieces of the security fence on him. Back in the ring, Page was able to make a recovery, and hit a strong lariat and a dropkick in the corner.
Suzuki hit a boot in the corner, a snapmare, and a PK. Suzuki used a waistlock and tied up both of Page’s arms, but Page reached the ropes, forcing a break. They traded stiff forearms. Page went for the buckshot lariat, but Suzuki slipped behind, used the rear naked, and attempted to switch to the Gotch, but Page blocked it.
Page hit a rolling elbow and a superkick, and got the buckshot lariat on the second attempt. Page went for the rite of passage, but Suzuki slipped behind, and applied a rear naked choke. Suzuki went for the Gotch, but Page reversed it into the rite of passage, and got the pinfall.
A BLOCK MATCH: SWITCHBLADE JAY WHITE DEFEATED TOGI MAKABE (10:22)
They had a very physical match, but it wasn’t one of the better bouts of the tournament.
White hit some chops at the outset, but as soon as Makabe fired back, White rolled to the floor. From there, he sent Makabe into the fence, then repeated the fence/ring frame spot in front of the announce table.
Back inside, Makabe was able to recover, and hit a powerslam. He followed with a lariat, ten punches in the corner, and another lariat, and picked up a nearfall. Makabe hit a northern lights suplex for a nearfall, but then ate a snap Saito suplex.
Back on offense, White hit a vertical suplex for a nearfall. White dropped Makabe to his knees, and hit him with a series of chops and short forearm strikes. Makabe climbed to his feet, and asked White to hit him with more.
They traded a series of lariats. White hit a german, but then ate another lariat. Makabe sent White into the corner, and went for the spider german, White blocked a first attempt, and Makabe switched to a spider belly-to-belly.
White pulled Red Shoes in the way as Makabe teased the top rope kneedrop. Makabe climbed down, and delivered a german. He went back to the top, but missed the king kong kneedrop. White rolled to the floor, and pulled two chairs out from under the ring. Makabe blocked a chairshot, and clotheslined a chair into White.
White shoved Makabe into the referee, and hit him with a chairshot. White hit a blade runner, and picked up the pin.
A BLOCK MATCH: HIROSHI TANAHASHI DEFEATED MICHAEL ELGIN (16:03)
This was great. They had an incredible last five minutes, and the crowd really got into the last few nearfalls.
They did a test of strength at the outset, with Elgin coming out on top, even with the injured and heavily taped right arm. Elgin hit a pair of shoulder tackles, and Tanahashi countered with a hip toss. Tana went for a second rope senton, but Elgin powered up and dropped him on his face.
Elgin hit a slam and a slingshot splash for a nearfall. Tanahashi hit a flying forearm, a standing senton, and a somersault senton, getting a two count. They repeated the same time leg spot that Tanahashi did with Page a couple of weeks ago, and both broke cleanly. Tanahashi ducked a clothesline, and hit a dragon screw, but Elgin countered with one of his own.
Elgin blocked slingblade, and hit a belly-to-belly, followed by a clothesline in the corner, and a falcon arrow, picking up a nearfall. Elgin went to the second rope, and Tanahashi hit him with an elevated dragon screw. Tanahashi applied a cloverleaf, but Elgin powered out, sending Tanahashi over the top.
Tana skinned the cat, and pulled Elgin to the floor with a headscissors. Tanahashi teased a high fly flow to the floor, but Elgin jumped back inside and hit an enziguri, followed by a superplex for a nearfall.
Elgin used a jackknife cradle, into a powerbomb, into another jackknife cradle for a two count. Elgin hit a buckle bomb, but Tana bounced out of the corner and hit slingblade, followed by a pair of cradles for nearfalls.
Tanahashi went for another dragon screw, but Elgin turned it into an enziguri. Elgin hit a german, and a rolling forearm, but Tanahashi countered with twist and shout. Tanahashi hit another slingblade, and hit a high fly flow, but Elgin caught him and rolled through. They did a standing switch, then traded strikes. Elgin dropped Tanahashi with a lariat, then removed the pad from his injured right arm.
Elgin hit a lariat with the right arm, then hit splash mountain for a great nearfall. Elgin hit a buckle bomb, then went for an Elgin bomb, but Tanahashi slipped behind, and used an inside cradle for the pin.
A BLOCK MATCH: KAZUCHIKA OKADA DEFEATED EVIL (18:28)
These two had a very good main event. It had the epic last few minutes that we have come to expect from a classic Okada match.
EVIL used a side headlock, a shoulder tackle, and a lariat for quick two count. He went for everything is EVIL, but Okada turned it into a neckbreaker over the knee. Okada rolled to the floor. EVIL reversed an irish whip, and sent Okada into the security fence. EVIL grabbed a chair from under the ring, placed it over Okada’s head, and rammed him into the post.
Okada rolled back inside, and EVIL continued to attack the head and neck. He hit a series of chops, then used a chinlock. Okada hit the ropes, but ran right into a sidewalk slam, as EVIL earned another nearfall.
Okada hit a DDT, kipped up, and hit a series of running elbow strikes. Okada hit a flapjack for a two count, then teased the tombstone, but EVIL blocked it. Okada hit a pair of uppercuts, then missed a dropkick, and EVIL hit a senton.
They rolled to the apron. EVIL raked Okada’s eyes, then jumped off the apron and sent Okada neck-first into the security fence. They went to the ramp, and EVIL teased darkness falls, but Okada hit a DDT, followed by a shotgun dropkick, sending EVIL rolling down the ramp.
Back inside, Okada hit another shotgun dropkick. He went to the top, and hit another. Okada again went for the tombstone, but EVIL blocked it twice. EVIL placed Okada on Red Shoes’s shoulders, and hit a magic killer on Okada.
EVIL hit darkness falls for a two count. Okada blocked everything is EVIL, EVIL blocked a dropkick, and EVIL hit a rainmaker for another two count. EVIL hit a suplex and a lariat, picking up another nearfall.
Okada blocked everything is evil, a rainmaker, and then hit an everything is evil of his own, getting a nearfall. Okada hit a dropkick to the back and a tombstone. EVIL blocked a rainmaker, and hit a lariat. Okada blocked everything is EVIL, and hit a pair of rainmakers, which was enough to get the three count.
