Dragon Lee resurfaced at tonight’s World Tag League, challenging Jushin Thunder Liger to what will be one of his last matches.
After a six-man tag team match that featured Liger had concluded, Dragon Lee appeared on the video monitor. He said he used to be known as Dragon Lee, but now is going by the name Ryu Lee. He said Liger was an icon of pro wrestling all over the world and understood that he would soon be retiring. Lee requested to face him in one of his last matches.
Liger responded by saying he would take that as a challenge. But Liger also mentioned that he wanted to face one other person, someone who is just coming back from a neck injury. He didn’t mention Hiromu Takahashi by name, but Takahashi has just returned after being gone for more than a year due to a neck injury.
With two possible challengers, no match was made official. Jushin Thunder Liger already has a match set for January 4, but does not have a match announced for January 5.
CMLL, who owns the rights to the Dragon Lee name, fired Lee back in September for not following guidelines set by the programing department. He most recently challenged Kenny Omega for the AAA Mega Heavyweight championship back on December 1 in a losing effort.
Liger’s second-to-last match will take place on January 4 when he will team with Tatsumi Fujinami, The Great Sasuke and Tiger Mask to take on the team of Naoki Sano, Shinjiro Otani, Tatsuhito Takaiwa and Ryusuke Taguchi.
The retirement ceremony for Jushin Thunder Liger will take place on January 6 at New Year Dash.
After a 16-month absence, Hiromu Takahashi has returned to NJPW.
Following a successful IWGP Jr. title defense against BUSHI this morning at Power Struggle, Ospreay cut a promo asking who would challenge him next. After no one responded, he started to leave when a video started to play, similar to the time bomb vignettes that aired prior to Hiromu Takahashi’s return from excursion. The timer was set for January 4.
Hiromu Takahashi’s cat dolls Daryl and Naoru then emerged on the video screen and lit a bomb that started a timer for ten seconds. After a countdown clock ended at 0, Takahashi emerged.
After a few minutes of running around the ring and taking bumps into the barricade, he entered the ring and thanked the fans for waiting for him. He said he would make the Jr. division more fun, and mocked those for saying he should tone down his style by taking bumps all over the ring. He then, in English, challenged Ospreay to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
Takahashi was IWGP Jr. champion when he broke his neck taking a dragon driver from Dragon Lee at the G1 Special in San Francisco on July 7, 2018. The title was later vacated on August 20 of that year.
NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour continued today in Hiroshima.
The top three matches on the show saved a somewhat sleepy undercard.
One focus of the opening matches on this tour has been the issues between Minoru Suzuki and Jushin Liger. With Liger not scheduled on this show, we had to wait until the fourth match before we had anything that felt like it was building towards something of consequence.
Business picked up later in the card, and both the semi-main and the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team title match were excellent.
This was not at the level of most Young Lion openers of late.
Narita’s right shoulder was heavily taped. On commentary, Kevin Kelly said it was slightly separated. Tsuji and Uemura worked on the shoulder early.
Narita was able to make a tag to Umino. Uemura and Tsuji hit Umino with dropkicks. Tsuji used a crab, and Narita came in for the save. Umino hit a spinebuster on Tsuji for a near fall, then used a full crab. After a long fight, he reached the ropes.
Umino then hit a fisherman’s suplex on Tsuji for the pin.
MINORU SUZUKI, EL DESPERADO & YOSHINOBU KANEMARU DEFEATED TIGER MASK IV, YOSHI-HASHI & TOA HENARE
The Suzuki-gun team used their traditional jumpstart, attacking before the opening bell. Tiger Mask started off as the legal man for his team. Suzuki used an armbar on him over the ropes, then brawled with YOSHI-HASHI in the crowd.
Back inside, Desperado went for Tiger’s mask. Tiger fought back with some kicks, then went for Desperado’s mask. Desperado used an eye rake, then tagged Suzuki. Suzuki used a chinlock and an armbar. YOSHI-HASHI jumped in for the save and traded strikes with Suzuki.
Kanemaru tagged in and ate a wheel kick. Desperado entered and ate a backbreaker, enabling Tiger to tag YOSHI-HASHI.
YOSHI-HASHI and Kanemaru fought to a stalemate, then Henare and Suzuki got tags.
Henare hit a Samoan drop for a near fall. He used a tackle for another near fall. Suzuki used a misdirection spot, then hit the Gotch piledriver on Henare for the pin.
This was a let’s get everyone on the show 10-man tag. There wasn’t enough comedy to be a good comedy match, and there wasn’t enough wrestling to be a good wrestling match.
This match saw Bullet Club use the jumpstart before the bell. Yano and Tonga ended up the legal men. Yano untied a corner pad and used it as a weapon against Tonga. Tonga reciprocated. Loa got a tag and whipped Yano into the exposed buckle, twice.
Fale tagged in, and he took a turn sending Yano into the buckle. Tonga got a tag and used a kokeshi, mocking Honma. Yano sent Tonga into the buckle and both tagged out.
Juice and Owens were the legal men. Fale and Nicholls jumped in, and Nicholls and Juice gained the advantage. Juice hit a cannonball and a senton, while Nicholls hit a sliding lariat. Owens escaped Pulp Friction and used a roll-up for a two count. Owens hit a lariat and tagged Loa.
Juice sent Loa into the buckle, then tagged Makabe. Makabe hit ten punches and a lariat, but Loa followed with his own lariat. The match broke down as everyone jumped in. Jado tried to use a kendo stick, but Yano hit him with a low blow.
After the low blow, Makabe hit Jado with the King Kong knee drop for the pin.
JEFF COBB & RYUSUKE TAGUCHI DEFEATED TAICHI & TAKA MICHINOKU
Not much to the match. This was about establishing Taichi as Cobb’s challenger for the NEVER title, and the post-match angle did that.
Taguchi has a new haircut and shaved his facial hair. He looks ten years older somehow.
Taguchi and Cobb did some comedy spots with TAKA. They fought into the crowd, where Taichi used a chair on Cobb. Back inside, Taichi and TAKA doubled up on Taguchi.
Cobb finally got a tag and ran wild. He hit a standing moonsault on Taichi, but missed a splash in the corner. Taichi hit a jumping kick, and tagged TAKA. TAKA hit a running knee for a near fall.
Taguchi flew in with a hip attack on Taichi. Cobb hit TAKA with a lariat and followed with Tour of the Islands for the victory.
After the bell, Taichi attacked Cobb and posed with the NEVER title.
HIROOKI GOTO, WILL OSPREAY & DRAGON LEE DEFEATED JAY WHITE, TAIJI ISHIMORI & HIKULEO
This was a good six-man.
Bullet Club attacked before the bell. White went after Goto, and they fought around ringside. Ospreay came out firing. He teased a dive, but Hikuleo cut him off and Bullet Club went to work on Ospreay.
Hikuleo used a delayed vertical suplex for a two count. Ishimori and Ospreay traded back handsprings. Ishimori missed on his, while Ospreay connected with a kick. Lee got a tag and hit a dropkick in the corner.
Ishimori and Lee traded strikes. Lee hit a jumping knee strike, while Ishimori hit a Canadian Destroyer. Goto and White tagged in. Goto ran wild with clotheslines, then hit a Saito suplex for a two count.
White blocked an ushigoroshi, then suplexed Goto into the turnbuckle. Hikuleo tagged in and hit a swinging neckbreaker. He made a cover, but Ospreay broke up the pin. Hikuleo hit a double lariat on Goto and Lee. Ospreay went for pip pip cheerio, but Hikuleo caught him and slammed him.
Goto recovered and went for a GTR on Hikuleo. White saved, but Goto hit him with a lariat. Goto hit Hikuleo with an inverted GTR, then hit a standard GTR for the pin.
TETSUYA NAITO, EVIL & SANADA DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA, TOMOHIRO ISHII & KOTA IBUSHI
This was great. EVIL and Ishii continue to tear the house down when they’re in together.
Naito and Ibushi started off. They only did a little bit, but they got a great reaction. EVIL and Ishii tagged in and did their trading strikes spot. Okada and SANADA got tags, and the pace slowed a bit. EVIL tripped Okada from the floor and LIJ took over.
EVIL hit Okada with a neckbreaker. EVIL covered, but Ishii broke up the pin. Okada and SANADA went at it again. SANADA teased his leapfrog dropkick, but Okada hit an air raid crash into a double down.
Ibushi and Naito tagged in. Ibushi hit a springboard dropkick and a plancha. Ibushi hit a powerslam into a second rope moonsault for a near fall. Naito slipped out of a dragon suplex attempt, and hit a reverse rana off the top for a two count.
Ibushi hit a suplex, but Naito no-sold and hit a one-legged dropkick. EVIL tagged in. Ibushi hit him with a dropkick, then tagged Ishii. They did an awesome sequence of reversals, and Ishii hit a suplex.
EVIL hit a corner lariat, then used a fisherman’s suplex. LIJ triple-teamed Ishii. EVIL hit a big lariat for a near fall. EVIL applied the scorpion deathlock, but Ibushi broke it up.
Naito hit Ibushi with a DDT. Okada hit a flapjack on Naito. SANADA hit Okada with a dropkick to the knee. EVIL and SANADA went for the Magic Killer, but Okada saved Ishii with a dropkick to SANADA. Ishii hit EVIL with a lariat for a two count.
Ishii hit a suplex, but missed a sliding lariat. EVIL hit a headbutt, then hit Everything is EVIL for the pin.
IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: SHO & YOH DEFEATED BUSHI & SHINGO TAKAGI TO RETAIN THE TITLES (25:10)
SHO and Shingo began, locking up. They traded shoulder tackles. SHO finally dropped Shingo. YOH got a tag. BUSHI jumped in and ate a double dropkick. SHO and YOH teased stereo dives, but Shingo and BUSHI cut them off and took the fight to the floor.
SHO and YOH were both sent into the barricade. Back inside, Shingo hit a double stomp on YOH. BUSHI choked YOH with his T-shirt. They exchanged chops and palm strikes to the chest. Shingo and BUSHI continued working over YOH.
While BUSHI used an STF on YOH, Shingo and SHO fought on the floor. BUSHI used a neckbreaker for a near fall. YOH missed on one dropkick, but hit a second. He went for a tag, but Shingo knocked SHO off the apron.
YOH made his own comeback, hitting dragon screws on both Shingo and BUSHI. SHO got a tag. He hit a spear on both Shingo and BUSHI. After a fight, SHO hit a vertical suplex on Shingo. SHO hit a dropkick, ducked a Pumping Bomber, and hit a spear. He used a cross armbreaker, but BUSHI made the save.
SHO continued to attack Shingo’s Pumping Bomber arm. Shingo hit a powerbomb and used a jackknife cover for a near fall. BUSHI hit a backstabber, then Shingo hit a sliding lariat for a near fall.
Everyone jumped in. SHO and YOH hit stereo knees, but Shingo decked them both with a double lariat. YOH and BUSHI rolled to the floor, while SHO and Shingo stood in the center of the ring, trading. Shingo hit a lariat with the left arm, but SHO refused to go down.
They traded short lariats. SHO hit a knee, then dropped Shingo with a lariat. He followed with his own Pumping Bomber for a two count. SHO hit a deadlift German into a bridge for a two count.
SHO went for the Shock Arrow, but Shingo hit a backdrop. SHO hit a mid kick, ducked a Pumping Bomber, and hit a dragon suplex. Shingo no-sold it. He went for a Pumping Bomber, but SHO countered with a clothesline of his own.
BUSHI and YOH tagged in. YOH hit a flying forearm and used a neckbreaker for a two count. BUSHI blocked a falcon arrow. YOH hit some uppercuts, and BUSHI followed with a missile dropkick.
SHO and YOH doubled up on BUSHI. They used an elevated neckbreaker, and YOH got a near fall. BUSHI blocked a 3K attempt and hit a double rana. Shingo jumped back in and sent SHO to the floor. BUSHI hit a suicide dive.
Shingo hit YOH with a Pumping Bomber, and BUSHI hit a Codebreaker for a near fall. BUSHI went for an MX, but YOH caught him with a superkick. Shingo tried to hit YOH with a Pumping Bomber, but SHO jumped in and took the blow for him.
SHO and YOH hit stereo knees on Shingo, sending him to the floor. They went for the 3K on BUSHI, but BUSHI blocked and sent SHO into Red Shoes, who took a bump.
BUSHI hit a low blow and used a backslide for a near fall. SHO and Shingo fought to the floor. BUSHI went for the MX, but SHO jumped in for the save. SHO and YOH hit the 3K on BUSHI, but Shingo made the save.
While SHO held Shingo on the floor, YOH hit a dragon suplex on BUSHI for the pin. An awesome main event.
Throughout the week leading into December 31st, we’ll take you back to some of Dave Meltzer’s top-rated matches of the past year, starting with the five star matches and ending up with a seven star classic.
15 matches got the five star treatment while six matches garnered ratings above that level.
What follows is an edited version of Dave’s writeup from the match from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, available in full for subscribers. Also, we want to give a big shoutout to Cagematch.net who makes research for this list ridiculously easy.
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Taiji Ishimori
NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Finals | June 4, 2018
*****1/2
“Takahashi and Ishimori had what could be argued was the year’s best match, and definitely the greatest finale in the long history of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, on 6/4 at Korakuen Hall.
It was not only the best match of the tournament, but one of the best matches I’ve ever seen. Emotionally, physically and mentally, it would be in the handful of matches, five so far, that I’d give ****** to. The only negative is not wanting to reward too much dangerous activity as Takahashi has such a lack of looking at his future, which makes him incredible today, but pro wrestling is a marathon, not a sprint. Ironically, his opponent, the current IWGP jr. champion, is becoming the ultimate historical sprinter, compared to both the brilliance and self-destructive long-term performances of the Dynamite Kid.
Considering the performance Takahashi put on in the Ishimori match, and consider that was only the No. 2 match of his current run, and now he’s facing Ospreay at Dominion, who tore it up every night himself, and they’re facing each other on what is New Japan’s second biggest event of the year, the goal would be to have the greatest match of the year, or die trying. But they do not have the pressure on that Okada and Omega have. They can have the 10th or 15th best match of the year and people will rave about it.
So in the first big spot, Takahashi went for his sunset flip power bomb and Ishimori did a backflip out of it. They hit hard elbows on the foot back and forth. They ended up in the bleachers and Takahashi ran from one side of the arena to the other in the walkway and hit Ishimori with a dropkick on the floor. He then went to power bomb Ishimori down the stars, but Ishimori turned that into a huracanrana sending Takahashi rolling down an entire staircase. Ishimori threw him into the post and gave him an amazing sliding German suplex. Takahashi finally came back hitting the sunset flip power bomb to the floor.
After working his safest big match of his life with Kushida, Takahashi decided to make up for it here. Takahashi followed with a wheelbarrow pancake on the floor and then a dropkick off the apron. Ishimori came back with a dynamite plunger and a crossface and then the bloody cross. He had him in he submission and the ref was about to stop it and just then Takahashi made the ropes. The timing of reading the crowd and the ref and getting to the ropes at the peak point was perfect here. Takahashi’s selling her was fantastic. Takahashi did a belly to belly into the corner and hit the dynamite plunger for a near fall. Takahashi did a front rolling cradle bomb off the middle rope for a near fall. Ishimori did a reverse huracanrana and Takahashi got up and did a reverse huracanrana and both collapsed. Ishimori landed badly on the second one. They teased a double knockout but both got up before ten.
They did a big elbow exchange and Takahashi went down. Ishimori did a jumping knee and killer clothesline but Takahashi kicked out at one. Ishimori did a Woo dropkick and running double knees, followed by a tombstone into double knees for another near fall. Ishimori used a bloody cross and Takahashi reversed into an armbar and Ishimori power bombed him, and then Takahashi got the triangle on for the first time. Ishimori tried a power bomb but Takahashi blocked him. But Ishimori was able to power bomb him into the turnbuckles. Ishimori used a uranage and then went for the 450, but Takahashi got his knees up. Takahashi was then selling his knee. Ishimori went for a huracanrana but Takahashi reversed back into a triangle. Ishimori got out with a power bomb. Takahashi used a double arm piledriver and followed putting on the triangle again. Ishimori made the ropes. Ishimori came back with the bloody cross but Takahashi powered out and gave him a Death Valley bomb into the turnbuckles and followed with the time bomb for the pin.
Takahashi then did an interview and said he doesn’t want to be called the Best of the Super Juniors winner, and the goal is the title and challenged Ospreay. Ospreay came out and said, “Well done. We’re all so proud of you.” Then Ospreay showed his belt and said that this proves he’s the junior heavyweight champion of the world and noted he’s beaten Takahashi twice. He said he’d see him in Osaka for Dominion. Takahashi then said that this is our Super Junior tournament and the whole building was on its feet clapping for him including Liger and Milano Collection A.T. at ringside. He said that five years ago he was right here at Korakuen Hall and his dream was to win the IWGP jr. title and bring it back here to Korakuen Hall. Naito, Evil, Sanada and Bushi came out to congratulate him.
New Japan Pro Wrestling has posted another update on Hiromu Takahashi’s condition following the neck injury that he suffered at this past Saturday’s G1 Special.
NJPW noted that Takahashi was able to travel back to Japan today, where he will proceed with treatment. He had been hospitalized in San Francisco after Saturday’s match against Dragon Lee at the Cow Palace.
Takahashi injured his neck towards the end of the match when a Phoenix Plex spot went wrong and he landed on his head/neck as he was given the move. The match continued for a couple of minutes after that, ending when Takahashi hit the Time Bomb to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
NJPW has yet to officially confirm Takahashi’s exact injury, but Dave Meltzer reported that the original belief was that Takahashi suffered a broken neck. NJPW wrote on Monday morning that Takahashi was undergoing a thorough evaluation but was conscious and able to sit and talk.
While not confirming the exact injury that he suffered, New Japan Pro Wrestling provided a few additional details on Hiromu Takahashi’s condition in an update overnight.
NJPW officially announced that Takahashi has been hospitalized after suffering a neck injury during his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship defense against Dragon Lee at the Cow Palace on Saturday night. They noted that Takahashi is currently undergoing a thorough evaluation but is conscious and is able to sit and talk.
Dave Meltzer reported yesterday that the original belief was that Takahashi had broken his neck on the Phoenix Plex spot that went wrong when he landed on his head/neck after being given the move by Lee. The match continued for a couple of minutes after that, with Takahashi retaining with the Time Bomb.
Kenny Omega also posted an out-of-character tweet today where he asked everyone to pray for Takahashi’s recovery: “As everyone may know, ‘Kenny Omega’ isn’t an LIJ guy whatsoever, but there’s no mistaking that Hiromu was one of, if not, our company’s brightest current/future star. Let’s pray for his recovery. #njpw”
Two new title matches help round out the card for NJPW’s G1 Special in San Francisco on July 7.
It was officially announced this evening that Hiromu Takahashi will next defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against longtime rival Dragon Lee at the Cow Palace. The two are no stranger to one another, most recently wrestling at the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, where Dragon Lee defeated Takahashi.
Also announced for the show was a NEVER Openweight Championship match pitting new champion Hirooki Goto against Jeff Cobb. The two spent a lot of time on the last tour battling one another, with Cobb challenging Goto following his championship win over Michael Elgin earlier this week.
Here is the full card for the event:
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega defending against Cody Rhodes
IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion Jay White defending against Juice Robinson
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defending against Dragon Lee
Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay vs. Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI
IWGP Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks defending against EVIL & SANADA
NEVER Openweight Champion Hirooki Goto defending against Jeff Cobb
Hiroshi Tanahashi & KUSHIDA vs. Hangman Page & Marty Scurll
Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr.
Here are this morning’s results from Korakuen Hall for the second of three Kizuna Road shows that will be broadcast live on New Japan World. We’ll also see bracketing for next month’s G1 Climax tournament.
Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura went to a time limit draw
This was pretty fun. These two have improved tons in the last few months and a built a very basic, solid opening match. The two traded near falls that got the crowd into the match. Tsuji trapped Uemura in a Boston crab and struggled to get him to submit, but wouldn’t and the time limit soon expired.
Yujiro Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori defeated Ren Narita and Shota Umino
A solid match. These kind of matches are usually designed to showcase the young lions, and both looked good here. Umino actually busted out a la magistral cradle for a cool nearfall. Yujiro cut him off and hit the pimp juice DDT for the win,
Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Tomoyuki Oka
Another solid match featuring guys who didn’t make the cut for this year’s G1. Nagata not being in is so crazy, he’s always the one that has sleeper matches with some of the best talent. An average, pretty good tag team bout. Nagata pinned Oka with a back suplex.
Roppongi 3K, Toru Yano and YOSHI-HASHI defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Togi Makabe, David Finlay, Henare
Fast-paced, really good match. Lots of tags that allowed everyone to get some shine in. For someone that’s mostly done tags this year YOSHI-HASHI has bandages everywhere. Boiled down to Henare and YOSHI-HASHI. Henare showed some good fire, but got cut off by YOSHI-HASHI who submitted him with the butterfly lock.
Time for block announcements:
A Block: Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, YOSHI-HASHI, Bad Luck Fale, Hangman Page, EVIL, Minoru Suzuki
B Block: Juice Robinson, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Tama Tonga, SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, Zack Sabre Jr., Kota Ibushi, Kenny Omega
So yes, in other words, Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi is happening very soon. Get ready!
Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI, SANADA and EVIL defeated Taichi, Takashi Izuka, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Taka Michinoku
Hey, guess what. This match started with Suzuki-gun jumping everyone and they ended up brawling on the outside. It was an ok match, but kinda short. BUSHI scored the win for his team after hitting Michinoku with the MX.
SANADA refused to fist bump Naito after the match, teasing their eventual match in the B Block.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin, Juice Robinson, Jeff Cobb and KUSHIDA defeated Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Jay White, Tomohiro Ishii and Gedo
Ishii and Elgin went at it and had some good back and forth. Cobb and Goto did some brief exchanges as well, since they are likely to be the next NEVER title match. KUSHIDA scored the win, submitting Gedo with the hoverboard lock.
White jumped KUSHIDA and Elgin after the match, laying them both out. White then threw Robinson into the barricade. He took him back into the ring, planted him with a back suplex and went for the Bladerunner but Juice started to fire back .Robinson went for pulp friction but White low blowed him and beat him up with elbows. He followed up by wrapping Robinson’s hand with a chair then used another to smash Robinson’s hand.
The IWGP Jr. title got a cool champions roll call package before the main event.
Hiromu Takahashi defeated El Desperado to retain the IWGP Jr. title
Takahashi came out to the ring with a guitar case. Inside the cage was a nice bouquet of flowers that Takahashi gave to Desperado. When Takahashi turned his back, Desperado very rudely jumped him with the flowers to kick off the match.
Takahashi gained control and took Desperado into the stands. Takahashi charged toward him but Desperado drove the guitar case into his chest. Desperado followed by clearing out an aisle and drove Takahashi head first into the row of chairs.
Desperado continues to wear and tear Takahashi until he finally fires back with a running dropkick into a barricade on the outside. Desperado counders by undoing the turnbuckle pad. When Desperado tries to whip Takahashi into the turnbuckle, he counters and sends Desperado into the post.
Takahashi continued to do crazy stuff, including hitting a sunset flip bomb to the floor and landing a gigantic senton from the top rope to the outside. Back inside the ring, the two have a big striking match where Takahashi gets the upper hand.
Desperado went for the guitara de angel but Takahashi blocked it, After a low blow attempt fails, Desperado nailed Takahashi with a lariat. Yoshinobu Kanemaru then came in with a chair. As the ref was taking care of him, Desperado used the chair to wallop Takahashi. Hiromu used the opportunity to plant Desperado with the dynamite plunger on the chair.
BUSHI took out Kanemaru with the mist as Takahashi hit the running driver into the corer. Desperado dodged, taking out the ref and low blowing Takahashi. Desperado grabs the belt, but Takahashi grabbed the mask. Desperado was stunned at first, but then whalloped Takahashi with the belt and hit the guitara de angel, but didn’t get it.
Desperado went for another but Takahashi went for a triangle. Desperado powerbombed him, but Takahashi kept it on. Desperado escaped and after a brief flurry Takahashi put it on again. This time, Desperado deadlifted him and powerbombed him into the exposed turnbuckle. Desperado went for a charge, but Takahashi responded with a belly to belly into the turnbuckle.
Takahashi followed with the running driver into the turnbuckle and hit the time bomb for the win. Excellent match. Good start, Takahashi made a great comeback and the layout of the finish was awesome.
Takahashi cut a short promo to end the show. Main event is strong enough to check out on its own.
Kenny Omega is set to headline the show that he and CEO Fighting Game Championships are putting on with NJPW later this month.
The card for the event was revealed this afternoon, with Omega & Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi topping the five-match lineup. The other matches are: Roppongi 3K (Sho & Yoh) vs. Dragon Lee & Ryusuke Taguchi, Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) vs. Juice Robinson & David Finlay, Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Rocky Romero, and Jeff Cobb vs. Chase Owens.
The show, which is being called CEO x NJPW When Worlds Collide, will be held at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida on June 29th as part of CEO’s weekend of fighting video game events. It will be streamed live on CEO’s Twitch channel starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
When Worlds Collide is part of a busy end of June and beginning of July for NJPW internationally. They have Strong Style Evolved UK shows on June 30th and July 1st, along with the G1 Special in San Francisco at the Cow Palace on July 7th.
KUSHIDA, SANADA, EVIL, and BUSHI will also be appearing at ROH’s Best in the World pay-per-view on June 29th and their post-PPV television tapings the next day.
Full lineups for Kizuna Road have been revealed, featuring two big matches and G1 announcements.
The G1 Climax 28 tournament announcements will be strung across all three shows. 6/17 will announce the participants. The second show on 6/18 will have block announcements and the last show on 6/19 will announce the main events for each show.
Title matches announced for the Kizuna Road tour features Michael Elgin vs. Hirooki Goto headlining the 6/17 show for the NEVER title. Elgin won the title at Dominion by pinning Taichi, so it makes sense that the unpinned champion would be the next challenger for the title. Hiromu Takahashi meanwhile will also defend the Junior heavyweight title against Desperado on the 6/18 show.
The main event on the 6/19 show will feature the retirement ceremony of Super Strong Machine, who hasn’t wrestled since 2014. While he won’t be wrestling on the card, the main event will be filled with Strong Machines: Strong Machine No. 69, Strong Machine Ace, Strong Machine Justice, Strong Machine Don and Strong Machine Buffalo will team up to take on all of Los Ingobernables de Japon.
Here is the entire rundown for each Kizuna Road show that will air on New Japan World. All three shows will take place at Korakuen Hall:
June 17 (features participants announced for this year’s G1):
Michael Elgin vs. Hirooki Goto for the NEVER Openweight title
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson and David Finlay vs. Kazuchika Okada, Jay White and Tomohiro Ishii
Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI and Hiromu Takahashi vs. Takashi Iizuka, Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado and Taka Michinoku
Togi Makabe, Jeff Cobb, Toa Henare, KUSHIDA and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Rocky Romero and Roppongi 3K
Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Ren Narita vs. Taiji Ishimori and Yujiro Takahashi
Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi vs. Tomoyuki Oka and Shota Umino
Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura
June 18 (features G1 block announcements):
Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado for the IWGP Jr. title
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin, Juice Robinson, Jeff Cobb and KUSHIDA vs. Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Jay White, Tomohiro Ishii and Gedo
Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA and BUSHI vs. Takashi Iizuka, Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Taka Michinoku
Ryusuke Taguchi, Toa Henare, David Finlay and Togi Makabe vs. Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI and Roppongi 3K
Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Tomoyuki Oka vs. Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi
Taiji Ishimori and Yujiro Takahashi vs. Ren Narita and Shota Umino
Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura
June 19 (features match announcements for G1):
Strong Machine No. 69, Strong Machine Ace, Strong Machine Justice, Strong Machine Don and Strong Machine Buffalo (w/Super Strong Machine) vs. Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI and Hiromu Takahashi
Michael Elgin, Jeff Cobb, Juice Robinson and David Finlay vs. Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Jay White and YOSHI-HASHI
Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano vs. Takashi Iizuka and Taichi
Rocky Romero and Roppongi 3K vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado and Taka Michinoku
Togi Makabe, Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask vs. Toa Henare, Tomoyuki Oka and Shota Umino
KUSHIDA and Ren Narita vs. Taiji Ishimori and Yujiro Takahashi
Following last night’s Best of the Super Junior finals, two new matches have seen set for this weekend’s Dominion event on 6/9.
Hiromu Takahashi defeated Taiji Ishimori to become this year’s tournament winner. As expected, he called out Will Ospreay, who came to the ring. Ospreay, after mentioning that he had beaten Takahashi twice before, accepted his challenge.
Meanwhile, Marty Scurll and Yujiro Takahashi jumped Hiroshi Tanahashi after their match which led Jushin Thunder Liger, who was at ringside on commentary, to come in and clear house. Based on commentary, it appears that Tanahashi, Liger and Rey Mysterio will team up to challenge three members of the Bullet Club, with Scurll and Takahashi being likely candidates.
Here is what we have for Dominion so far. The rest of the card is likely to be released in the coming days.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega for the IWGP title in a 2/3 falls match
Tetsuya Naito vs. Chris Jericho for the IWGP Intercontinental title
EVIL and SANADA vs. The Young Bucks for the IWGP tag team titles
Hirooki Goto vs. Michael Elgin vs. Taichi for the NEVER Openweight title
Will Ospreay vs. Hiromu Takahashi for the IWGP Jr. title
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Rey Mysterio and Jushin Thunder Liger vs. The Bullet Club
The finals for this year’s Best of the Super Juniors are set.
For the first time ever, Hiromu Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori have advanced to the finals and will face one another tomorrow morning at Korakuen Hall to decide the 25th Best of the Super Junior winner. With Will Ospreay out of the equation, it is very likely that the winner of the tournament will challenge him to a title match at Dominion on 6/9.
Ishimori advanced by beating YOH. He needed a win in order to tie with Will Opsreay, and since he beat Ospreay he would win the tiebreaker and advance to the finals. He was at ringside, cheering fellow CHAOS member YOH on as he was rooting for an upset. Despite some close near falls and great support from the crowd, Ishimori trapped YOH in a crossface and earned the submission win. Ospreay, stunned, helped YOH to the back.
Meanwhile, Takahashi had his hands full with one of the most biggest stars in the division, KUSHIDA. In a match with tremendous heat, Takahashi managed to score the upset win after hitting an inverted piledriver and submitting KUSHIDA with a triangle.
The finals of the Best of the Super Juniors starts tonight at 5:30 a.m. EDT. There will be English commentary.
Here are the results from the fourth night of Best of the Super Juniors action, this time back in Korakuen Hall with B Block matches.
Prelim matches:
Chase Owens and Taiji Ishimori defeated Flip Gordon and Tomoyuki Oka when Owens pinned Oka with the cradle piledriver.
Minoru Suzuki and Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated ACH and Shota Umino when Kanemaru submitted Umino with a Boston crab.
YOSHI-HASHI and YOH defeated Will Ospreay and Gedo when YOSHI-HASHI submitted Gedo with the butterfly lock.
Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI defeated Henare and Tiger Mask when Naito pinned Henare with the Destino.
Chris Jericho appeared on the video screen after the Naito match when he was in the ring. He said he’s crazy and he’ll show Naito how crazy he’ll be at Dominion. He admits that the best New Japan has to offer, but he’s seen people like him come and go. He’s going to make Naito famous, take away his title and take it to the United States. I should make note this is a very much cleaned up version of what he said. People sure like using the f word in New Japan…
B Block matches:
SHO defeated Chris Sabin
Good match. Sabin’s matches are a bit slower than other matches in the tournament, but that’s perfectly alright, it just makes his matches stand out. He and SHO had a nice, simple bout that was built up well throughout.
Things start off slow, with some match wrestling. SHO takes down Sabin with a choke. He’s in control until Sabin plants him with a DDT. He followed on the outside with a knee to the chest and a running tope con hilo that wiped out SHO on the floor.
Sabin took SHO to the top rope and plants him with a big superplex. SHO came alive with a powerslam. After a chop battle, SHO took down Sabin and applied an armbar. Sabin countered with a crucifix and pelts Sabin with superkicks.
Both back up on their feet, Sabin is laid out with knees to the back. SHO tried for the package piledriver, then connected for the win.
Dragon Lee defeated Ryusuke Taguchi
This was okay. A bit too much comedy at the start, but they ended up having a solid, albeit short match.
Starts off with some comedy early, like Lee sending Taguchi across the ropes and Taguchi keeps running until he gets winded. Lee finally sent him to the outside and ended the games with a tope con giro.
The two go back and forth as they battled to the top rope. Taguchi fell down in the double footstomp to the floor position. Lee took the bait as Taguchi escaped and took him down with an ankle lock. Lee escaped, cut off Taguchi and connected with the desuncadora for the win.
KUSHIDA defeated Marty Scurll
I liked this a lot, a really good match. The chain wrestling at the start was really good and the last few minutes were great. Not a match of the year candidate, but a very good bout.
Some good chain wrestling to start things off. Scurll takes control and takes KUSHIDA to the top rope, slapping him. KUSHIDA responded by taking him to the floor and sinking in an armbar. Scurll countered with a cool rolling surfboard.
Scurll connected with a last shot like maneuver. KUSHIDA tried for a springboard but Scurll took him down. He goes for the chicken wing, but KUSHIDA laid him out and hit a rolling DDT. He goes for the kimura, but Scurll turns it into a roll up.
KUSHIDA lashed out at Scurll by hitting a rolling kick as he was on the top rope. KUSHIDA climbed up but Scurll grabbed one of his fingers and broke it. KUSHIDA fell to the floor, but immediately got up and hit a DDT. He followed with a knee trembler and Back to the Future to score the win.
El Desperado defeated Hiromu Takahashi
Great match. Different than other match, more like a brawl than anything. But the crowd was into it from the start and bothe the first few minutes and the final minutes were pretty hot. Desperado’s constantly improving to the point where he’s probably one of the more underrated talents in the division.
Takahashi jumped Desperado at the start of the match and took him into the crowd and up the stairs. He actually hit a running dropkick in an empty space and sent Desperado into a wall. Takahashi takes him back to the ring, but Desperado wakes up and pretty much does the same thing to Takahashi by taking him into the crowd and pelting him with a steel chair.
Desperado continues the assault, hitting an implant DDT on the floor. Takahashi fought back by drilling Desperado with a reverse facebuster to the floor. A running dropkick off the apron sends Desperado into production equipment.
Back in the ring, Desperado gained control again and put Takahashi in a Boston Crab. He tried to follow with the guitara de angel but Takahashi managed to turn it into a reverse rana. Desperado then walked right into a belly to back suplex into the ring post.
Desperado tried to use the referee as he was on Takahashi’s shoulders but missed a low blow attempt and was drilled with the running death valley driver into the turnbuckle. Desperado did get the referee out of the way and tried to introduce his tag team title into the match, but it didn’t work.
He distracted the referee for the third time, low blowed Takahashi and hit the guitara de angel but Takahashi kicked out. One angel’s wings later and it was over for Takahashi.
New Japan Pro Wrestling kicked off the B Block of the 25th Best of the Super Juniors tournament Saturday in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
The strong tournament bouts delivered, and the undercard, while short on star power, provided some good action as well, particularly in the opener which featured Young Lions Shota Umino and Yota Tsuji.
The tournament continues on Sunday in Shizuoka, with IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay set to headline with ACH, capping a night of A Block action.
Below are the results from Saturday’s show.
**********
Shota Umino defeated Yota Tsuji by submission
Good fundamental work here from both guys. Tsuji’s selling brought the crowd into the match at the end, and Umino’s top rope Shotgun Dropkick is a thing of beauty. Umino submitted Ysuji with the Boston Crab.
Will Ospreay, YOSHI-HASHI & YOH defeated ACH, Tiger Mask & Tomoyuki Oka
I covered the Lions Gate Project show earlier this week and came away more impressed with Oka than any of the current group of Young Lions because of his charisma. That was on display here as well, but the work in the match itself was nothing special. Oka tapped out to a butterfly lock.
Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Toa Henare & Flip Gordon
Suzuki is much better suited to working tags than long singles bouts at this stage of his career, and looked better here than in his main event with Naito earlier this month. Suzuki pinned Henare with the Gotch piledriver.
SANADA & BUSHI defeated Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori
A good action match. The crowd was really into Ishimori. A lot of focus in the ring and in the post-match was on BUSHI and Ishimori, who will face off in a singles bout tomorrow. SANADA submitted Owens with the skull end.
BOSJ B Block Matches:
Dragon Lee defeated SHO
This was great. They got the crowd into it right away with a strong exchange of strikes. SHO went for a cross armbreaker, but Lee made the ropes. SHO continued to focus his attack on the arms of Lee. Lee hit a sweet tope con hilo, which led to another strike exchange.
They traded belly-to-back suplexes, and Lee hit a standing Spanish Fly for a nearfall. Something tells me we’re going to see that move a lot in this tournament. SHO went back to working the arms, but Lee countered by striking the right arm and applying a Kimura. SHO was able to reach the ropes, and both men sold exhaustion.
Lee went for a rana from the apron to the floor, but SHO caught hi and powerbombed him into the ring. SHO hit a Last Ride onto his knees, got a nearfall, then used a cross armbreaker. They teased a top rope German, but Lee turned it into a double footstomp and a nearfall.
They traded knee strikes, but Lee grabbed an arm, and hit the Desnucadora for the pin.
El Desperado defeated Ryusuke Taguchi
This was excellent in spots, and a wacky comedy bout in other spots
Desperado jumped him before the bell. Taguchi came back with hip attacks and a 619. He went for another 619, but Desperado crotched him on the middle rope and threw him outside. Desperado wedged a chair between Taguchi’s legs and hit that with another chair. Ouch. Lots of groin attacks in wrestling, lately.
They teased a countout, but Taguchi made it back in. Desperado whipped Taguchi into an exposed buckle, and tried to hit him low again with an international object, but the referee cut him off. Desperado worked on the legs.
Taguchi made a comeback and hit a springboard dropkick, and used an ankle lock. Desperado cut him off with a spinebuster. Both went for double underhooks, but Taguchi was finally able to get them, and hit a slam, and a hip attack for a nearfall.
The finish saw Desperado kick Taguchi low while the referee’s back was turnned, and he picked up the pinfall.
Chris Sabin defeated KUSHIDA
This was a solid, fundamentally sound, strike-based match. It was different than I expected. Sabin was never quite the same guy after tearing his knees up a few years ago, but he makes up for that in other ways. KUSHIDA had to slow his usual pace to allow Sabin to keep up, but that is by no means a shot at Sabin. Few guys in the world can work at KUSHIDA’s pace.
They started slow, working holds. KUSHIDA attacked the left arm, while Sabin went to work on KUSHIDA’s right. Sabin used a headbutt, and followed up with strikes to all of the limbs. They traded strikes, and Sabin used a La Magistral for a nearfall. He went for another, but KUSHIDA turned it into a Kimura. Sabin reached the ropes.
Sabin went for a springboard Tornado DDT, KUSHIDA coutered, but Sabin was able to hit it on the second try. KUSHIDA hit a handspring into a kick. Sabin hit a top rope German and an All Hail Sabin for a nearfall. He followed up with another All Hail Sabin, and got the pinfall.
Hiromu Takahashi defeated Marty Scurll
These are two of the best wrestlers on the planet. Scurll has some of the best ring psychology in the business, and Hiromu is so spectacular. All of that was on display in the opening sequence, as they traded moves, counters, and bird taunts. Hiromu went for a Sunset Bomb, but Scurll countered, bent the right arm back, and hit a superkick on the apron.
Scurll continued to target the right arm on the floor, and sent Hiromu into the first few rows of seats. Back inside, he stomped on Hiromu’s right hand, and hit a backbreaker. Scurll attacked the head and neck with uppercuts and double sledges. He hit a Backstabber, but Hiromu countered with a suplex into the corner pad.
A lengthy strike exchange ended with Hiromu hitting a flying headscissors and a Shotgun Dropkick off the apron to the floor. He hit a top rope standing senton for a earfall. Scurll teased the finger break spot, but Hiromu hit a pop-up powerbomb, and the momentum shifted to him.
Scurll countered with a top rope DDT. Hiromu came back and hit the Sunset Bomb. Back inside, Hiromu hit Dynamite Plancha for a nearfall. He wet for a headscissors off the apron, but Scurll turned it into a powerbomb off the apron, and Hiromu landed hard. They traded strikes on the apron, and Scurll hit a Tombstone on the apron, leading to a nearfall.
Scurll went for the Chicken Wing, Hiromu powered out, but Scurll was finally able to apply the hold. He gave it up, but did the finger break spot and hit a pair of superkicks. He stomped on Hiromu’s head, but Hiromu countered with a Time Bomb attempt. Scurll countered into a cradle, but Hiromu countered, locking in a triangle choke.
Scurll tried to break the hold with a powerbomb, but Hiromu held on, and Scurll passed out in the hold. A great main event.
Hiromu Takahashi is coming to Las Vegas for Ring of Honor’s 16th Anniversary pay-per-view.
After Dave Meltzer reported earlier this month that Flip Gordon would be facing a wrestler from New Japan Pro Wrestling at the PPV, ROH confirmed today that it will be Gordon vs. Takahashi. Gordon faced Takahashi and KUSHIDA in a triple threat match on the first night of the Honor Rising tour in Tokyo last weekend and got the pin on his Anniversary show opponent. On the second night, Gordon teamed with Ryusuke Taguchi against Takahashi & BUSHI and took the fall.
In post-show interviews on the Honor Rising tour, it was teased that Gordon will be in this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
The card for ROH’s 16th Anniversary show took shape at their last two sets of television tapings, and The Young Bucks & Hangman Page defending their Six-Man Tag Team titles against Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky in a Vegas street fight was also officially announced today. Sumie Sakai vs. Hana Kimura in a Women of Honor Championship tournament first round match is set for the pre-show.
Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas will host the PPV on March 9th. The updated card is listed below:
ROH World Champion Dalton Castle defending against Jay Lethal
ROH Tag Team Champions Motor City Machine Guns defending against The Briscoes
ROH Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks & Hangman Page defending against Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky in a Vegas street fight
Cody vs. Matt Taven
Marty Scurll vs. Punishment Martinez
Flip Gordon vs. Hiromu Takahashi
Sumie Sakai vs. Hana Kimura in a Women of Honor Championship tournament first round match (pre-show)
