Tag: Hirooki Goto - Page 5

NJPW G1 Climax 29 night two results: Goto vs. White, Ishii vs. Cobb

Posted on July 13, 2019 by Ethan Renner

G1 Climax 29 continued today in Tokyo, with the B Block taking center stage.

The show was well-paced — and it featured a couple of customary opening night upsets. Raise your hand if you had Toru Yano defeating Tetsuya Naito in your picks.

Here are the full results and match recaps from Ota City General Gymnasium:

EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI DEFEATED KOTA IBUSHI, WILL OSPREAY & YUYA UEMURA

Ibushi and EVIL kicked things off. Ibushi posted a photo of his swollen ankle on social media the other day. You would never know he was hurt otherwise. He hit a series of kicks, then broke out a standing moonsault. He hit the ropes, then started to sell the ankle, and LIJ went to work on him.

BUSHI and EVIL worked over Ibushi in their corner. EVIL tried for Darkness Falls, but Ibushi slid out, hit a mid kick, then tagged Ospreay.

Ospreay hit Pip Pip Cheerio on SANADA. They did a series of teases of their signature spots. SANADA hit his leapfrog dropkick, but Ospreay countered with a double handspring kick to BUSHI and SANADA.

Uemura got a tag. He connected with a back elbow to BUSHI, then applied a crab. BUSHI reached the ropes for a break. Uemura tried for a double underhook suplex, but BUSHI avoided it.

LIJ tripled up on Uemura. BUSHI hit a backstabber for a near fall. Uemura used a backslide for a near fall. He hit the ropes, but ran right into a codebreaker. BUSHI pinned Uemura.

EVIL went after Ibushi after the bell, posting his bad ankle.

This was effective in setting up both Ibushi vs. EVIL and Ospreay vs. SANADA.

BAD LUCK FALE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED LANCE ARCHER & YOSHINOBU KANEMARU

The smaller men were just here to be thrown around by Archer and Fale, which was a nice touch. Fale and Archer faced off at the outset and fought to a stalemate. They hit stereo chokeslams. Archer hit a Pounce on Owens. Kanemaru spit whiskey mist in Fale’s eyes.

The match broke down, with Fale and Archer brawling around ringside. Kanemaru and Owens were left in the ring. Kanemaru hit a DDT for a near fall. He tried for Deep Impact, but Owens avoided it. Owens followed with a package piledriver for the pin.

After this, I am actually intrigued by the upcoming Archer vs. Fale match.

KENTA, CLARK CONNORS & KARL FREDERICKS DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI, SHOTA UMINO & REN NARITA

Connors and Fredericks are students at the NJPW LA Dojo. Both looked very good here.

Tanahashi and KENTA face off tomorrow, and they had a pull-apart before the opening bell.

Connors and Narita started off with some mat work. Umino and Fredericks were in next, trading headlocks and shoulder tackles. Umino hit a back elbow for a one count, while Fredericks used a scoop slam for one of his own.

Fredericks and Connors used a double team to take control of the match. KENTA got a tag and continued working over Umino. Tanahashi got a hot tag. He hit a flying forearm, then used a somersault senton for a near fall.

Tana went for a slingblade, but KENTA blocked it. Tana blocked a GTS attempt. The match broke down. Tana used a cloverleaf on KENTA, but Connors broke it up. KENTA slapped Tana, then Tana hit a dragon screw.

After a double down, Fredericks and Narita tagged back in. Narita hit a vertical suplex for a near fall. He used a leg lace into a scorpion, but Connors saved.

While KENTA and Tana brawled on the outside, Narita hit Connors with a belly-to-belly. Fredericks hit a dropkick, a spinebuster, then kipped up. He used a single-leg crab — and Narita tapped.

ZACK SABRE JR. & MINORU SUZUKI DEFEATED YOSHI-HASHI & KAZUCHIKA OKADA

Sabre and Okada began with a short, intense sequence. Sabre tied up Okada on the mat, but Okada came back with a back elbow. YH and Suzuki tagged in — and things quickly devolved into a ringside brawl.

Suzuki threw YH into the barricade, then hit him with pieces of the barricade. YH beat the count back inside, where Suzuki peppered him with kicks. Sabre and Suzuki worked over YH’s arm. YH came back with a clothesline to Suzuki, into a double down.

Okada and Sabre got tags. Sabre tried for an octopus, while Okada tried for an air raid crash. After a struggle, Sabre finally got the octopus, but YH saved. Okada fought off another octopus attempt with a hip toss, then hit a dropkick.

YH tagged in. He hit a clothesline, his running chop, then a vertical suplex on Sabre. Okada and YH double-teamed Sabre. YH hit a headhunter off the top for a near fall. YH used a lariat to make a cover, but Suzuki made the save.

While Suzuki and Okada brawled to the floor, Sabre used an armbar on YH for the submission.

Okada and Sabre are going to tear the house down tomorrow.

B BLOCK MATCH: JUICE ROBINSON DEFEATED SHINGO TAKAGI (14:42)

They started off exchanging shoulder blocks and strikes. Juice went for a leapfrog, but Shingo cut him off. Juice rolled to the apron. Shingo pulled him to the outside, then hit a DDT on the floor. Back inside, Shingo used a chinlock.

Juice fought out of the hold with strikes. They traded strikes and chops. Shingo hit a double sledge to the chest, then clotheslined Juice over the top to the floor. Shingo teased a dive, but Juice cut him off with a spear through the ropes.

Juice hit a spinebuster, then climbed to the top rope. He hit a high cross for a near fall. Shingo fought out of a Juice Box, but missed with a follow-up lariat. Juice hit a full nelson bomb for a two count.

Shingo countered the Left Hand of God with a lariat. They traded corner clotheslines. Juice went for a cannonball, but Shingo slipped out of the way. Shingo connected with a wheelbarrow German for a two count.

Shingo went for noshigami. Juice reversed it into a Juice Box, and Shingo rolled to the corner. Juice hit a cannonball, then sat Shingo on the top rope. Juice hit a headbutt, then a superplex into a jackhammer for a near fall.

Juice went for Pulp Friction, but Shingo escaped, then hit a sliding lariat. They hit simultaneous lariats twice. They traded strikes. Shingo hit a Saito suplex, but Juice no-sold it, then hit a lariat.

Juice went for Juice Box, but Shingo countered with noshigami. Shingo then hit the Pumping Bomber for an awesome near fall.

Juice used a roll-up for a near fall, then hit two Left Hand of Gods. He followed with Pulp Friction — and got the 1-2-3. This was an excellent match.

B BLOCK MATCH: JON MOXLEY DEFEATED TAICHI (7:36)

Taichi jumped Moxley as he made his entrance through the crowd. Taichi used a chair, then hit an axe bomber on the floor. They entered the ring for the first time, where Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick for a near fall.

Taichi took his pants off, then hit an enzuigiri. Moxley used a sunset flip for his first offensive move of the match. He followed with chops and strikes in the corner. Moxley sent Taichi outside with a low dropkick, then hit a suicide dive.

Moxley pulled a table from under the ring. He deposited Taichi through the table with a uranage. Back inside, Moxley pulled a kneepad down, then hit a running knee for a near fall.

Taichi sent Moxley into the referee, who took a bump to the floor. Miho Abe slid a chair to Taichi. Moxley grabbed the chair and threw it into Taichi. Taichi reversed a Death Rider attempt into a Gedo clutch for a near fall.

Moxley popped up, hit Death Rider, and picked up the pin. A fun sprint.

B BLOCK MATCH: TORU YANO DEFEATED TETSUYA NAITO (3:43)

Yano was frustrated with how long it took Naito to take his entrance gear off. Naito kept his T-shirt on, so Yano decided to wrestle in a shirt as well.

Yano looked to lock up, but Naito kept backing off. Yano tried to untie a turnbuckle pad, but Naito cut him off. Naito pulled a corner pad off, but Yano cut him off.

Naito pulled Yano’s shirt over his face, then used a schoolboy for a near fall. Naito tried to use the corner pad, but Red Shoes jumped in and took it away.

They pulled each other’s hair. Yano pulled Red Shoes’s shirt over his face, then hit a low blow. Yano pulled Naito’s shirt over his face, then rolled him up for the upset.

B BLOCK MATCH: TOMOHIRO ISHII DEFEATED JEFF COBB (18:33)

Cobb scored an early knockdown off a shoulder tackle. Ishii countered with an extended series of chops and elbows in the corner. Cobb’s chest turned red from all the chops.

Cobb hit some chops, but Ishii countered with three headbutts. Cobb hit a crazy release belly-to-belly throw, then landed a spinning back suplex for a two count.

They exchanged short forearm strikes, which the crowd loved. Cobb teased going down, but instead hit a short right hand, ending the exchange. Cobb sent Ishii into the buckle, but Ishii rebounded with a shoulder tackle.

Ishii hit a vertical suplex. He covered, but only got a one count. Cobb deadlifted Ishii out of the lateral press. Cobb hit a vertical suplex, then hit a standing moonsault for a two count.

Cobb demanded that Ishii stand up. Ishii tried to get up, but collapsed. Cobb hit a series of right hands. Ishii fired up and no-sold a series of strikes. Ishii stepped right into a series of elbows and no-sold all of them.

Ishii hit a clothesline in the corner, then placed Cobb on the top rope. Ishii hit a superplex. Cobb stood right up, no-sold a lariat, then hit his own lariat. Cobb placed Ishii on the top rope and hit a superplex as well. Cobb covered and scored a near fall.

They exchanged strikes until Cobb dropped Ishii with a headbutt to the chest. Cobb hit a traditional piledriver for another near fall.

Cobb teased the Tour of the Islands while Ishii teased a brainbuster. Ishii hit a backdrop suplex. He went for a lariat in the corner, but Cobb caught him with a uranage. Ishii no-sold it and hit a suplex. Cobb no-sold that. Cobb hit a suplex — Ishii no-sold that. The sequence ended with Ishii dropping Cobb with a clothesline.

Ishii went for a sliding lariat, but Cobb caught him. Ishii fought Cobb off, then hit a dragon suplex. Ishii hit a lariat, and Cobb took a flip bump. Ishii covered, but Cobb kicked out at one. Cobb hit a lariat.

Cobb went for Tour of the Islands, but his back gave out. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for a near fall. Cobb countered out of a brainbuster. They traded headbutts.

Ishii got neck control, then hit the vertical drop brainbuster. This was finally enough to put Cobb down — and Ishii covered for the victory.

A great performance by both guys. I’m not the biggest Cobb supporter, but he more than held up his end of the bargain here. Ishii, meanwhile, remains one of the best wrestlers alive.

B BLOCK MATCH: HIROOKI GOTO DEFEATED JAY WHITE (21:07)

White stalled early on. He gave Gedo a chair and told him to sit beyond the barricade, as he was confident that he could take Goto on his own.

White finally engaged Goto with a side headlock. Goto sent White over the top rope with a clothesline. Goto took the fight outside and sent White into the barricade. As White got back in the ring, Gedo grabbed Goto’s leg, allowing White to recover.

White dropped Goto on the apron with a gutbuster. They teased a countout, but Goto made it back in. White took Goto back to the floor, then slammed him into the barricade and ring frame. Back inside, Goto hit some slaps to the chest. White hit a neckbreaker for a near fall.

White worked over Goto’s neck with elbows. Goto came back with a spinning clothesline. Goto hit a clothesline in the corner. White fought off an ushigoroshi, but Goto hit a mid kick, a spinning wheel kick, and a Saito suplex.

Goto hit a clothesline in the corner off a misdirection spot. White came back with a DDT. White hit two rolling head-and-arm suplexes. He tried for a third, but Goto initially blocked it. After a struggle, White hit a suplex into the buckle.

White then used a Blade Buster for a near fall.

They exchanged strikes. White got the better of it with uppercuts. They did a crazy misdirection sequence, ending with White hitting a Saito suplex. That ruled.

White hit a clothesline, then blocked a headbutt. He slapped Goto, taunting him. White hit a uranage, which Goto sold as though he had been killed. White started jawing with Red Shoes, allowing Goto to pop up and hit a lariat.

Goto hit an ushigoroshi. He fired up, but this time it was White’s turn to play possum. White rolled to the ropes, so Goto wasn’t able to go for a GTR.

White jumped up. They traded strikes. Goto hit a big headbutt, then hit the inverted GTR. He covered, but only got a two count.

Goto went for a second GTR, but White fought it off. Goto fought out of a sleeper suplex. He grabbed White by the hair, then hit a series of headbutts. Goto hit a final cut. Gedo jumped in the ring with brass knuckles, but quickly begged off.

Goto hit Shouten Kai for a near fall at the twenty minute mark. Goto hit an ushigoroshi for another near fall. He hit a mid kick, then hit the GTR for the 1-2-3.

The story they told here was that this is a new, more vicious Hirooki Goto who is willing to bend the rules if he has to. These guys have wrestled a lot over the last year and a half. This may have been the best of their matches together.

Standings —

A Block

Kazuchika Okada: 2
Lance Archer: 2
Bad Luck Fale: 2
SANADA: 2
KENTA: 2
EVIL: 0
Hiroshi Tanahashi: 0
Will Ospreay: 0
Kota Ibushi: 0
Zack Sabre Jr.: 0

B Block

Hirooki Goto: 2
Tomohiro Ishii: 2
Toru Yano: 2
Jon Moxley: 2
Juice Robinson: 2
Shingo Takagi: 0
Taichi: 0
Tetsuya Naito: 0
Jeff Cobb: 0
Jay White: 0

NJPW Wrestling Hi no Kuni live results: Jay White vs. Hirooki Goto

Posted on April 29, 2019 by Ethan Renner

The tag team titles are on the line at NJPW Wrestling Hi no Kuni this morning at the Grand Messe in Kumamoto,

Current champions Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga will defend tonight against the team of Toru Yano and Togi Makabe. It was at Madison Square Garden where Yano stole the IWGP titles from the Guerillas of Destiny and has spent most of this tour keeping them from GoD’s grasp. This may the day where GoD will finally gain them back.

In the main event, Jay White will face Hirooki Goto in a special singles match. The two have been on opposite sides most of the tour, taunting one another prior to their bout. White even scored a pinfall victory over Goto after interference by Gedo.

Tag matches fill out the rest of tonight’s card, with Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Kota Ibushi and Roppongi 3K squaring off against their Wrestling Dontaku rivals SANADA, EVIL, Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI and Shingo Takagi.

Join us for live coverage starting at 2:00 a.m. EST.

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TOMOAKI HONMA, REN NARITA & SHOTA UMINO DEFEATED YOTA TSUJI, YUYA UEMURA & TOA HENARE

Narita’s right shoulder is still taped up, and he appears to be limited by injury. Rather than strikes, suplexes and crabs, these openers have involved a lot more working holds since Narita got hurt, and the match quality has suffered.

Honma and Henare traded chops in slow motion. The pace picked up after Uemura and Umino tagged in. Uemura hit a dropkick on Umino, and Tsuji hit a powerslam. Uemura used a crab on Umino, but Narita broke up the hold.

Umino used a spinebuster into a cover, but Uemura kicked out. Umino maintained control over Uemura’s legs, and transitioned to a full crab. That was a cool spot. Uemura reached the ropes.

Umino went for a fisherman buster, but Uemura used a cradle for a nearfall. Umino hit a dropkick, then hit the fisherman buster for the pin.

While the finish was going on, Honma and Tsuji fought on the floor, and Honma ended up bleeding from the mouth.

JUSHIN LIGER, JEFF COBB, RYUSUKE TAGUCHI, YOSHI-HASHI & TIGER MASK DEFEATED MINORU SUZUKI, TAICHI, EL DESPERADO, YOSHINOBU KANEMARU & TAKA MICHINOKU

This was chaotic. They continue to build towards Cobb vs. Taichi and Liger vs. Suzuki.

Suzuki-gun attacked before the bell. Taguchi’s team recovered well and too the early advantage. Suzuki-gun reclaimed the edge, and went 5-on-1 against Taguchi. Taguchi was able to tag Liger, and Liger and Suzuki faced off.

Liger hit a shotei. Suzuki used a PK, and got a nearfall. They exchanged palm strikes to the chest. Suzuki dropped Liger with a forearm, then used a rear naked choke. He went for a Gotch piledriver, but Liger powered out. Suzuki hit a knee, into a double down.

Cobb and Taichi tagged in. Cobb hit a clothesline and a standing moonsault. Kanemaru and Desperado jumped in, but Cobb hit both with a double back suplex. Taichi used the distraction to recover, and used a buzzsaw kick for a two count.

TAKA tagged in, and cleared the apron. Suzuki hit Cobb with a PK, and TAKA hit a knee for a nearfall. The match broke down, leaving Cobb and TAKA the legal men. Cobb hit Tour of the Islands on TAKA and got the pin.

DRAGON LEE & WILL OSPREAY DEFEATED TAIJI ISHIMORI & HIKULEO

A short match, but quite good for what it was.

Ospreay stood on Lee’s back and hit a corkscrew moonsault on Hikuleo. Hikuleo recovered and hit some suplexes and power moves on Ospreay. Ospreay hit a backflip kick, and both tagged out.

Lee and Ospreay did a series of teases and reversals. Both missed with reverse ranas, and Lee hit a vertical suplex. Ishimori tagged out. Hikuleo hit a series of chops. Lee hit a jumping knee strike. Hikuleo no-sold, and hit a vertical suplex.

Ospreay hit Pip Pip Cheerio, and picked up a nearfall. He followed with a dropkick in the corner, and teased the Storm Breaker, but Ishimori cut him off. Ishimori and Hikuleo isolated Ospreay. Hikuleo used a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall.

Lee used a rana to send Ishimori outside, then hit a dive to the floor. Inside, Hikuleo hit a lariat for a close nearfall. Ospreay recovered, hit a hook kick, a Robinson Special, and used the Oscutter to get the victory.

BAD LUCK FALE DEFEATED MIKEY NICHOLLS

I’m a little bit surprised by the result here. They have protected Nicholls to a certain degree since his debut, but I guess that’s over now.

They brawled to the floor right away. Fale sent Nicholls over the barricade, and focused his attack on Nicholls’s right arm. Nicholls wears a pad on that arm, and he uses it to hit his sliding lariat. They did a long countout tease, but Nicholls beat the count back inside.

Fale stomped and splashed the right arm. Nicholls blocked a Grenade, then hit a lariat. He followed with a sliding lariat for a nearfall, as he just stopped selling the right arm. Nicholls went for a Mikey Bomb. Fale fought him off.

Fale hit a Samoan drop, then hit The Grenade and got the pin.

JUICE ROBINSON DEFEATED CHASE OWENS

This was okay, but slow, and it didn’t have a lot of heat. It was the weakest match of their recent trilogy.

They started by trading holds. Owens sent Juice to the floor, then hit a dropkick through the ropes. They exchanged chops, then traded right hands. Juice hit a leg lariat, then a sit-out lariat. Juice went to the top rope, and hit a crossbody for a two count.

Juice went for Pulp Friction, but Owens turned it into a cradle for a two count. Juice went for it again, but Owens escaped. Owens hit a knee strike and went for the package piledriver, but Juice turned it into a jackknife cover for a nearfall.

Owens hit a big lariat. Juice hit the Left Hand of God, then hit Pulp Friction for the pin.

TETSUYA NAITO, SHINGO TAKAGI, BUSHI, EVIL & SANADA DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA, SHO, YOH, KOTA IBUSHI & TOMOHIRO ISHII

The 10-man tags between these teams on this tour have been outstanding. I know they like to go with title matches on top whenever they can, but I don’t understand why Jay White and Hirooki Goto are going on last tonight. No one can follow this match.

Okada and SANADA began. Okada broke cleanly on the ropes, but SANADA used the clean break to attempt a paradise lock. Okada didn’t allow the hold to be applied, and used a submission hold of his own.

The action spilled to the floor, where LIJ gained the early advantage. Naito sent Ibushi chest-first into the barricade. Back inside, LIJ went 5-on-1 against YOH. Naito hit the combinacion de cabron, then used a submission hold. SHO broke it up.

BUSHI jumped in and sent SHO back to the floor, and LIJ continued working on YOH. YOH made a comeback, hitting BUSHI and Shingo with dragon screws. Ibushi got a tag and ran wild. He hit a snap rana, a double backflip kick, and hit EVIL with a standing moonsault for a nearfall.

Ishii tagged in and went toe-to-toe with EVIL. They traded clotheslines and shoulder blocks, with neither man budging. Ishii finally dropped EVIL with a clothesline. EVIL popped right up. EVIL went for a fisherman buster, while Ishii tried to hit a brainbuster. The sequence ended with EVIL hitting a thrust kick, followed by a fisherman buster.

Okada and SANADA got tags. Okada hit a running back elbow for a knockdown. He followed with an air raid crash. The other eight men fought on the floor. Okada went up top and hit an elbow drop. He hit the Rainmaker pose.

SANADA ducked a Rainmaker. Okada hit a dropkick. SANADA ducked another Rainmaker attempt, and used an O’Connor roll to set up Skull End. SANADA gave up the hold and went for a moonsault, but Okada hit the Woo dropkick.

Okada tagged SHO in. SHO hit a spear. He teased a deadlift German, and finally got it after a long struggle. SHO went for Shock Arrow, but Shingo jumped in for the save. Shingo and SHO traded lariats, and both hit a Pumping Bomber. SANADA recovered and hit SHO with a back suplex for a nearfall.

They did a tremendous sequence where everyone hit a big move. With the ring cleared, SANADA used Skull End on SHO for the submission victory.

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: TAMA TONGA & TANGA LOA DEFEATED TOGI MAKABE & TORU YANO TO RETAIN THE TITLES (14:51)

Bullet Club used a jumpstart, but it backfired. Yano untied a turnbuckle pad, while Makabe hit a double clothesline. The fight went to the floor, where both teams had mixed results. Yano sent Loa into a row of chairs, while Tonga sent Makabe into the barricade.

Back inside, Loa drove Yano into the exposed buckle. Bullet Club gained the advantage, and sent both Makabe and Yano into the barricade. Back inside, Loa worked on Yano. He hit a legdrop for a two count.

Tonga got a tag and saw his first legal action of the match. The GOD hit a double suplex on Yano. They used a series of quick tags. Loa made a pinfall attempt, but Yano got a foot on the ropes, forcing a break.

GOD continued working Yano over, isolating him in their corner. Tonga sent Yano into the exposed buckle, and picked up a two count. Yano used a handful of hair to take Loa down, and tagged Makabe.

Makabe hit Tonga with a lariat, and he rolled outside. Makabe hit ten punches in the corner on Loa, then sent him to a knee with a lariat. Loa ducked another lariat and hit a German, then tagged Tonga. GOD hit Makabe with a double dropkick for a nearfall. Makabe hit a clothesline to Tonga, then tagged Yano.

Yano used a fireman’s carry and a belly-to-belly. He hit the ropes, but Loa tripped him from the floor. Tonga hit the ropes, but Makabe tripped him from the floor. Yano hit an inverted atomic drop, and used a slingshot to send Tonga into the exposed buckle.

Makabe hit the ropes, right into a kendo stick shot from Jado. GOD hit Guerrilla Warfare on Makabe, but he kicked out. Loa hit a diving headbutt, and Tonga hit a frog splash. Tonga made a cover, and got a two count.

The match broke down, and all four men jumped in. Tonga took the referee. Loa teased using Makabe’s chain as a weapon, but Yano nailed him with a low blow. The ref took a bump. Makabe used his chain and hit Tonga with it for a nearfall.

Makabe hit the King Kong Kneedrop, but Loa broke up his pinfall attempt. Jado jumped on the apron. Tonga used the distraction to roll up Makabe, and grabbed the pin with a handful of tights.

JAY WHITE DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO (22:59)

A good main event. They built the match well, starting slowly, and really picking up the pace near the finish. White cut a promo after the match, promising to go after the winner of Okada vs. SANADA to get the IWGP title back.

White did a lot of stalling early. He rolled outside immediately. They locked up, and White begged off again. White rolled outside a third time. Goto finally got his hands on White, and hit a shoulder block. He hit a second, and White rolled outside again.

Goto followed White to the floor, and sent him into the barricade. Gedo cut Goto off, and White hit him with a Saito suplex on the floor. White sent Goto into the barricade and the ring frame. Back inside, referee Red Shoes refused to count due to White’s nefarious tactics.

White used a crab. Goto reached the ropes. White used a slingshot to send Goto’s neck into the bottom rope. White used some chops, and hit a back elbow for a two count. White used a chinlock. Goto fired back with palm strikes to the chest, and used a snap suplex.

White ducked a charge into the corner, and hit another Saito suplex. Goto ducked a clothesline and hit a mid kick. White escaped an ushigoroshi attempt, but ate another mid kick. Goto hit the ropes, but Gedo tripped him. White used the distraction to hit a big uranage.

After a double down, White hit an uppercut and a DVD for a two count. White hit a flatliner and a deadlift German for another nearfall. White caught a mid kick, and sent Goto to the floor with a suplex over the top rope.

White hit a Kiwi Krusher for a two count. White blasted Goto with knee strikes to the head and neck area. Goto recovered and hit a lariat. They got to their knees, and exchanged forearm strikes. Back on their feet, they traded again, and Goto dropped White.

After a great series of misdirection spots, Goto hit a big clothesline. Goto connected with a wheel kick in the corner, and hit an elevated neckbreaker. He made a cover, but White kicked out. Goto went to the top rope, but White cut him off. They exchanged strikes on the top rope. Goto hit a headbutt, then a code red off the top for a nearfall.

Gedo jumped on the apron for a distraction. White swung a chair, but Goto ducked it. Goto hit Gedo with an ushigoroshi, then hit one on White. Goto hit a mid kick. He went for a GTR, but White blocked the first attempt. Goto hit an inverted GTR for a two count.

Goto went for another GTR, but White escaped. White went for a Blade Runner. They did a series of GTR and Blade Runner reversals. White hit two half-and-half suplexes, then hit the Blade Runner for the pin.

New Japan Cup night four results: Hirooki Goto vs. SANADA

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Ethan Renner

Night four of the 2019 New Japan Cup was held today in Kagawa, with the final four matches of the first round taking center stage.

After a wild night three, which featured the standout matchup of the first round between Kota Ibushi and Tetsuya Naito, Monday’s show featured less star power on top, with Hirooki Goto and SANADA headlining.

The tag team action on the undercard was strong, perhaps planned that way, given that two of the tournament matches later were short bouts with a comedy focus.

Full results and recaps are below:

TAIJI ISHIMORI, BAD LUCK FALE, HIKULEO & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED JUICE ROBINSON, YOSHI-HASHI, MICHAEL ELGIN & YUYA UEMURA

Everyone looked good here. YOSHI-HASHI looks much better on this tour than he did on the last. Ishimori got the win for his team, tapping out Uemura with a LeBell Lock.

Bullet Club beat down YOSHI-HASHI after the match. Owens and YH face off on Wednesday in a New Japan Cup match.

TETSUYA NAITO, EVIL, BUSHI & SHINGO TAKAGI DEFEATED HIROYOSHI TENZAN, YUJI NAGATA, MANABU NAKANISHI & REN NARITA

Naito was only in a little, but he showed no ill effects from his war with Ibushi last night. Takagi and Nagata had a nice sequence. Narita showed great heart, but eventually tapped to a very sloppy crab from BUSHI.

KOTA IBUSHI & TOMOAKI HONMA DEFEATED ZACK SABRE JR. & TAKA MICHINOKU

This might have been Honma’s best match since his return. They deviated from the typical patterned Honma tag match. Sabre and TAKA worked over Ibushi’s neck, which took a lot of damage against Naito on Sunday.

The finishing sequence saw Ibushi go for a Kamigoye on TAKA. Sabre cut him off and slapped on an armbar. Honma broke up the armbar with a Kokeshi. Ibushi then nailed TAKA with the Kamigoye and got the pin.

WILL OSPREAY & TOMOHIRO ISHII DEFEATED LANCE ARCHER & TAICHI

A preview of two second round matches here. Good action. Archer picked up a couple of close near falls near the finish, but Ospreay used a crucifix to roll him up for the pin.

Archer laid out Ospreay with a Blackout immediately after the flash pin, while Taichi attacked Ishii with the mic stand.

MIKEY NICHOLLS, TOA HENARE & RYUSUKE TAGUCHI DEFEATED SHOTA UMINO, HIROSHI TANAHASHI & KAZUCHIKA OKADA

Tana and Taguchi began with some comedy. Henare and Umino tagged in, and Henare’s team quickly gained the advantage. They worked over Umino, until the Young Lion was able to connect with a dropkick, then tag Okada.

Okada hit some trademark spots on Henare. Henare hit a Samoan drop and tagged Nicholls. Nicholls got a near fall on Okada, his second round opponent. Nicholls avoided a Tombstone, then ducked a Rainmaker, hitting a spinebuster.

Umino hit a missile dropkick on Nicholls and made a cover, but Taguchi and Henare broke it up. Nicholls hit a sliding lariat, the setup for his Mikey Bomb, and got a two count on Umino. He then connected with the Mikey Bomb to get the pin.

NEW JAPAN CUP FIRST ROUND MATCH: TORU YANO DEFEATED DAVEY BOY SMITH JR. (5:30)

A total Yano comedy match. Smith is super impressive looking, but it just seems like they’re never going to do anything with him, certainly as a singles wrestler. Even as a tag team with Archer, they’re never pushed past a certain level.

Smith chased Yano around the building before the bell. He caught up to him in the ring, and the bell sounded, but the action went back outside right away.

Smith used a chair on Yano. Yano untied a corner pad from the floor and tried to choke Smith with a roll of tape he pulled from his tights, but Smith sent him into the barricade. Smith attacked Yano’s knee, first with a kick over the barricade, then slamming it onto an announcer’s table.

They traded inside cradles. Yano then used a schoolboy for the pin.

NEW JAPAN CUP FIRST ROUND MATCH: COLT CABANA DEFEATED TOGI MAKABE (7:26)

This didn’t have a lot of time to build, and they got into the near falls almost right away. Two solid pros had a solid outing here.

Cabana tried to score a quick victory with some underhanded tactics at the outset, tripping Makabe. They did some comedy, before things got more serious, as Makabe started working over Cabana’s legs.

Cabana used a delayed splash off the top and picked up a near fall. Cabana blocked a northern lights suplex, but Makabe got a near fall off a powerslam. Cabana blocked the spider German, then missed a moonsault off the top.

Makabe hit a DVD, but missed with the King Kong Kneedrop off the top. Cabana used a diving Superman cover, trapping Makabe’s legs, and got the pin.

NEW JAPAN CUP FIRST ROUND MATCH: MINORU SUZUKI DEFEATED SATOSHI KOJIMA (13:43)

This was a very good, perfectly-paced match between two veterans.

Kojima went right at Suzuki and scored some early offense. Suzuki took control of the match after applying an armbar over the ropes. Suzuki hit a PK on the apron. They brawled into the crowd, where Suzuki broke a chair over Kojima’s head. Kojima beat the count back inside at 19.

Kojima caught a PK, then hit a DDT. Kojima hit his machine gun chops in the corner. Suzuki no-sold them, then connected with a series of strikes in the corner. Kojima no-sold those, then went back to the machine gun chops. They repeated that spot, but this time Suzuki sold the chops.

Kojima went to the top for his elbow drop, but Suzuki cut him off and hit a kick in the corner. Kojima got a slam and went back to the top, this time connecting with the elbow. Suzuki kicked out at two on the ensuing cover.

They traded strikes. Suzuki blocked a Koji Cutter, then applied a sleeper. Kojima countered an attempt to transition to the Gotch-style piledriver, and hit a Koji Cutter. Kojima hit a brainbuster and made a cover, but Suzuki kicked out.

Suzuki hit a series of palm strikes. Kojima backdropped out of another Gotch attempt, then hit a lariat. Kojima connected with a second lariat, and Suzuki kicked out at two.

Kojima went for a third lariat, but Suzuki side-stepped. Suzuki slapped on a rear naked choke, then transitioned to the Gotch, hit the piledriver, and got the pin.

NEW JAPAN CUP FIRST ROUND MATCH: SANADA DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO (20:47)

I was skeptical that these guys would be able to rise to the occasion, as they are both just a notch below the top guys in the company when it comes to charisma. I was wrong. They proved to be up to the challenge of main eventing. Goto more than held up his end, and SANADA was excellent here, especially with the subtle sell of his right arm.

Goto started off working the left arm, then hit a mid kick. Goto used a chinlock. SANADA caught a second mid kick and went for the Paradise Lock, but Goto escaped. SANADA low-bridged Goto to the floor, then hit a senton off the apron to the floor.

Goto got whipped into the barricade. SANADA tossed him back inside and got a near fall. SANADA used a chinlock. Goto avoided a standing moonsault, but SANADA used a dropkick to a seated Goto to pick up a one count.

They exchanged strikes. After a misdirection spot, Goto hit a short clothesline. He connected with a spinning wheel kick in the corner, then hit a Saito suplex for a two count. Goto teased the Ushigoroshi, but SANADA slipped out, hit his leapfrog dropkick, then a plancha.

They exchanged forearm shots to the neck area, playing off the idea that both guys use finishers that target the neck. They traded more hard shots to the neck in the corner. SANADA took his corner flip bump and went for a springboard attack. Goto cut him off and went for the Ushigoroshi, but SANADA reversed, and hit the Ushigoroshi himself.

SANADA applied the Skull End, but gave up the hold. He went to the top for a moonsault, but missed. Goto hit a lariat. They did a series of counters and reversals, ending with SANADA using a cradle for a two count.

Goto hit Ushigoroshi, then a mid kick. Goto went for the Shouten Kai, but SANADA countered, using a draping neckbreaker. SANADA went for Skull End, but Goto reversed it into an inverted GTR for a near fall.

SANADA got Skull End applied a second time, and again gave up the hold. He went up top, hit a moonsault, and picked up the pin, advancing to the second round. A really good main event.

NEVER Openweight title match set for NJPW World Tag League finals

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Bryan Rose

A new NEVER title match has been added to the World Tag League finals.

New Japan announced this evening that Hirooki Goto will defend the NEVER Openweight title against Kota Ibushi. This stems from a challenge made on this morning’s World Tag League event at Korakuen Hall. Goto issued the challenge after a six man tag team bout featuring the both of them. Ibushi originally seemed uninterested in the offer, but then took him up after Goto pulled the offer.

Goto regained the title earlier this month at Power Struggle, defeating then champion Taichi. He wasn’t originally supposed to get a championship shot, however. Will Ospreay was originally supposed to face Taichi, but a rib injury put him out of the match. Ospreay and Ibushi have run into each other several times in recent months.

The World Tag League finals will take place on December 9 at the Iwate Industrial Cultural Center.

NEVER Openweight title match added to NJPW Power Struggle

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Joseph Currier

Though Will Ospreay was pulled from the show due to injury, there will still be a NEVER Openweight Championship match at Power Struggle.

NJPW announced overnight that Taichi will defend his NEVER title against Hirooki Goto at Power Struggle in Osaka, Japan on November 3. The match was set up at NJPW’s Road to Power Struggle show on Saturday, with Goto issuing a challenge to Taichi and Taichi declining it.

Taichi won the title from Goto at Destruction in Beppu this September.

Taichi was originally scheduled to defend the title against Ospreay at Power Struggle, but NJPW confirmed last week that Ospreay wouldn’t be able to wrestle at the show after suffering a rib injury at Revolution Pro Wrestling’s Global Wars UK event on October 14.

Here’s the updated card for Power Struggle:

RevPro British Heavyweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii defending against Minoru Suzuki
IWGP Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho defending against EVIL
Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
NEVER Openweight Champion Taichi defending against Hirooki Goto
Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay vs. Kenny Omega & Kota Ibushi
Kazuchika Okada & Beretta vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale
Finals of the Super Junior Tag League

First matches set for next month’s NJPW Lion’s Break Project 1

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Bryan Rose

More information has been released for next month’s Lion’s Break Project 1 in California.

New Japan’s English website announced tonight that a special singles match between Hirooki Goto and Jeff Cobb will take place on the first card on November 10. On the following day, Kenny Omega will take on David Finlay in another special singles match.

Other announced participants for the two shows include Jushin Thunder Liger, Ryusuke Taguchi, ACH and Rocky Romero. Clark Connors and Alex Coughlin, who wrestled in the dark match at Fighting Spirit Unleashed, will also participate on the show.

In addition, two meet and greet sessions will take place at the New Japan Dojo in Carson, California also on November 10 and 11. Liger, Taguchi, Romero and Cobb will participate on the first day while Finlay, ACH, Goto and Omega will participate on the second day. NJPW President Harold Meij will also be participating in the meet and greets.

Lion’s Break Project 1 will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

NJPW G1 Climax 28 night six live results: Goto vs. Ishii

Posted on July 21, 2018 by Ethan Renner

Clashes between CHAOS and The Bullet Club headline the sixth night of G1 action.

Hirooki Goto and Tomohiro Ishii have had a fierce rivalry with one another for years; their battles over the NEVER Openweight title were amazing bouts. Despite both now being members of CHAOS, Goto is looking for redemption after losing to Kenny Omega a few days ago. Taking out Ishii tonight might be his best bet for a much needed momentum boost.

Kenny Omega and Tama Tonga will have their first match against one another tonight as well. Tonga, Tanga Loa and Bad Luck Fale have distanced themselves from Kenny Omega’s Bullet Club, making a huge statement after jumping Kenny Omega a few weeks ago at the G1 Special in San Francisco. Tonga and his crew have been interfering freely in each other’s matches over the course of the tournament; one has to wonder if the rest of the Bullet Club will have Omega’s back.

Other matches for tonight include Juice Robinson battling Tetsuya Naito, SANADA facing Zack Sabre Jr. and Toru Yano taking on Kota Ibushi.

Join us for live coverage starting at 5:30 a.m. EST. There will be English commentary, with Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero calling the action.

**********

SHO & YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED REN NARITA & MICHAEL ELGIN

A basic opener, SHO won with the bridging german.

TANGA LOA & BAD LUCK FALE DEFEATED EVIL & BUSHI

A quick win for the Firing Squad, Loa pinned BUSHI after hitting Apesh*t.

MINORU SUZUKI & EL DESPERADO DEFEATED YOH & SWITCHBLADE JAY WHITE

Another quick match, but a fun one that told a good story.

White played total chickensh*t heel, ducking Suzuki, begging off, and tagging out at every opportunity.

Business picked up once YOH tagged in, and he even got a nearfall on Suzuki, but Suzuki slapped on the rear naked, then hit the Gotch on YOH, while taunting White, and got the pin.

HANGMAN PAGE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI & DAVID FINLAY

Page is quickly becoming the standout of this tournament.

Tana and Page started out. They did some comedy, including Page handing Tana his air guitar, after Owens retrieved it from under the ring.

Finlay and Owens tagged in. Finlay hit a dropkick, but Owens quickly cut him off. Page was in briefly and hit a standing shooting star, before Owens came back in. They did a double down, leading to tags to their partners.

Tana and Page again did some comedy, before Tana hit some of his trademark spots, including sling blade, a flying forearm, and a middle rope senton. Tana was able to tag Finlay, who ate a superkick, after hitting a back elbow.

Page went for the rite of passage, but Tana made the save. Owens hit Tana with the jewel heist, leaving Finlay to Page, who hit the rite of passage, and picked up pthe victory, heading into tomorrow’s tournament match with Tana. The two had a staredown after the match.

TOGI MAKABE & TOA HENARE DEFEATED GEDO & KAZUCHIKA OKADA

Not much to this, and Okada didn’t hit most of his trademark stuff. This was to put some steam behind Makabe before his tournament match with Okada tomorrow.

Gedo sold Henare’s opening flurry like a cartoon character, before getting in a bit of offense. Okada tagged in and hit some basic stuff, before Henare hit him with a big shoulder tackle, and tagged in Makabe.

Makabe hit some punches in the corner, but quickly ate a DDT and a scoop slam. Okada went up top for the elbow, but Makabe stood up, and Okada changed direction and jumped off the top.

The match broke down and all four men jumped in. Gedo got a nearfall on Makabe, but Makabe quickly recovered, cut him off, and hit the king kong kneedrop off the top, and pinned Gedo.

Okada teased going after Makabe with Makabe’s chain after the match, but then begged off.

B BLOCK MATCH: TORU YANO DEFEATED KOTA IBUSHI

This was a strange, fun, maddening, hilarious styles clash.

Yano got two quick nearfalls on Ibushi with a fireman’s carry takeover hold, and a cradle, as they teased the upset. Ibushi sent Yano outside and hit a plancha, but Yano sent him into the barricade, and proceeded to untie two of the corner pads from outside.

Ibushi hit an insane twisting moonsault from the post to the floor, and untied a corner pad himself, before Yano cut him off, sent him inside, and right into an exposed buckle. He tried to send Ibushi into another, and after failing once, repeatedly succeeded.

Yano handcuffed Ibushi with a roll of tape, forcing Ibushi to go to a hands-free offense. Ibushi hit a standing moonsault with hs hands tied, which was insane. Yano sent Ibushi into the ref, who took a bump.

With the ref down, Yano hit a low blow and a chop block, then rolled Ibushi up with a schoolboy and got the upset win.

B BLOCK MATCH: SANADA DEFEATED ZACK SABRE JR.

This was a really fun match, and another upset. The story was that SANADA beat Sabre at his own game, Sabre lost his cool, and lost the bout.

SANADA frustrated Sabre in the early going, repeatedly working back to a full nelson hold. Sabre went for a heel hook into a kneebar, but SANADA escaped, furthering the idea that SANADA was holding his own with the technical master. They finished the opening portion of the bout with a really nice sequence, which got a big ovation.

SANADA continued to have an aswer for all of Sabre’s holds, so Sabre decided to try to strike with him, but SANADA quickly established that he had the striking edge. Sabre then went back to tworking holds, and applied a double wristlock. SANADA reversed intoo skull end, but Sabre slipped to an octopus, before they traded pinning combinations for nearfalls.

Sabre went for the Zack driver, but SANADA reversed into skull end. Sabre slid out and tried to bridge for a pin, but SANADA kicked out. SANADA hit the O’Connor roll, then bridged into a pinning combo of his own, and scored the upset pinfall.

B BLOCK MATCH: TETSUYA NAITO DEFEATED JUICE ROBINSON

A superb match. Naito is Naito, and Juice always comes through in big matches. This was no exception.

Naito went after Juice’s bad hand early on, and even got booed for doing so. He hit the slingshot dropkick in the corner right onto the hand, sending Juice reeling to the floor. Naito continued his assault, sending Juice into the barricade, then stomped on the hand on the floor.

Back inside, Naito used a wristlock. Juice fired back with punches, but Naito answered with his own strikes, before raking Juice’s eyes. Juice countered with a hard back forearm shot, then a full nelson bomb, before hitting his jabs.

Naito went for the neckbreaker, but Juice slipped out, and hit a spinebuster, before hitting a series of chops and a corner clothesline. Naito recovered and hit the neckbreaker, then a low dropkick to the hand. Naito applied a wristlock, but Juice reached the ropes.

Naito hit a top rope rana, but Juice rolled through and turned it into a pinfall attempt, scoring a close nearfall. Juice hit a jackhammer, but couldn’t follow up, as he sold his hand. Juice went for a superplex, but Naito cut it off, going after the hand. Juice then went for a fallaway slam from the second rope, and hit it.

Juice hit the cannonball, then got a nearfall with a powerbomb, as the crowd got behind Naito. Naito hit a standing reverse rana, and went for destino, but Juice countered into a pulp friction attempt. Naito countered with a german. He went for destino a second time, but Juice countered with a lariat, as the crowd went nuts.

Juice went for pulp friction, but Naito hit destino. It didn’t matter, as Juice kicked out, which got a huge reaction.

Naito hit a second destino, and this time got the pin.

B BLOCK MATCH: KENNY OMEGA DEFEATED TAMA TONGA

This was more a continuation of the Bullet Club storyline than a match, which is probably why it didn’t go on last.

Fale and Loa accompanied Tonga to the ring, and the Firing Squad all went after Omega before the bell rang. Page and Owens ran out to make the save, and there was a brawl at ringside. Omega hit rise of the terminator, and went for another, but Tonga cut him off in the ring with a spear, and went to work.

Tonga delivered a monologue as the match went on, berating Omega for dividing the Bullet Club. Tonga missed an avalanche, and ate a tornado DDT, as Omega started to find his footing. Omega went for you can’t escape, but Tonga got the knees up on the moonsault. Tonga went for the gun stun, but Omega hit him with a v-trigger. He went for another, but Tonga hit an alabama slam.

Tonga went for the gun stun again, but Omega hit him with another v-trigger. While Tonga took the ref, Loa made his way back to ringside and clipped Omega’s leg with a chair. He went for a powerbomb on Omega on the floor, but Omega escaped, but not before his leg was damaged.

Loa hit Omega with a chair, and Tonga rolled him up, but only got a two count. Tonga went for a gun stun on the chair, but Omega reversed, and Tonga landed on the chair. Tonga teased a Styles clash on the chair, but Red Shoes kicked the chair out of the way.

Enraged, Tonga hit Red Shoes with a gun stun for the DQ.

After the match, Fale, Loa and Tonga teased slamming Omega’s head into the buckle with the chair around his neck, but Owens, Page, and Ibushi made the save.

B BLOCK MATCH: TOMOHIRO ISHII DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO

This was everything you think of when you hear the term “strong style.” This was a real test of the cardio of both of these bigger guys, as they worked at a pretty crazy clip. A good, different, fun main event.

They opened with an exchange of shoulder blocks and strikes, with neither man gaining a clear advantage. Goto started to distance himself with a spinning back kick in the corner, and a Saito suplex for a nearfall.

Goto dropped Ishii with a series of hard kicks to the heart, but Ishii started to no-sell them, and dropped him with a forearm. Ishii hit a suplex, but Goto stood up out of it, and hit another kick to the chest. Goto applied a sleeper, but Ishii powered out.

They traded a series of stiff lariats. Both briefly got the other down, but both were right back up. They finally hit simultaneous lariats, and both dropped to the mat. Goto applied the sleeper again, but Ishii hammered his way through it, and dropped Goto with a lariat in the corner.

Ishii hit a delayed brainbuster off the second rope for a nearfall. Ishii went for the sliding lariat, but Goto caught him coming in and hit an ushigoroshi. He followed with a lariat, and Ishii took a flip bump. Goto hit the reverse GTR. He went for the standard GTR, but Ishii powered out and hit a Saito suplex, leading to a double down.

Ishii went for an enziguri, but Goto caught him. Ishii escaped and hit a lariat, and made a jacknife cover for a nearfall. Ishii went for the brainbuster, but Goto hit him with shouten kai for a nearfall.

They traded headbutts, and Ishii hit an enziguri, followed with a sliding lariat for a nearfall. Ishii then connected with the vertical drop brainbuster, and got the pin.

B BLOCK STANDINGS

Kenny Omega 6

Tomohiro Ishii 4

Tetsuya Naito 4

Kota Ibushi 4

SANADA 4

Zack Sabre Jr. 2

Hirooki Goto 2

Tama Tonga 2

Toru Yano 2

Juice Robinson 0

NJPW G1 Climax 28 night four live results: Omega vs. Goto

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Bryan Rose

A rematch from the 2016 G1 finals headlines the fourth night of G1 action.

Continuing action in the B Block, Kenny Omega will face off against Hirooki Goto in the main event. The two had an epic battle nearly two years ago, with Omega pinning Goto to become the first wrestler outside of Japan to win the prestigious tournament. Goto will very likely look to avenge his loss here tonight.

Tetsuya Naito also has a big battle ahead of him, as he battles Tomohiro Ishii. The two can’t be anymore different: Naito is tranquilo, while Ishii gives his heart and soul into every match he does with fierce intensity. These two have had incredible matches in the past, and this promises to be no different.

Other G1 matches for tonight has Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Toru Yano (which is a fascinating clash of styles), Kota Ibushi taking on Juice Robinson and SANADA squaring off against Tama Tonga.

Tune in this morning at 2:30 a.m. for live coverage. There will be English commentary by Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero.

**********

Before the show started, there was a ten bell salute for Masa Saito, who passed away earlier this week.

Jay White and SHO defeated Michael Elgin and Ren Narita

This was a pretty good opener, hot action that followed the usual formula. Narita got some really nice near falls on YOH before he cut him off and submitted him with a high angle Boston crab.

Minoru Suzuki and El Desperado defeated YOSHI-HASHI and SHO

Oh no, this is going to be a bad couple of days for YOSHI-HASHI. Suzuki tortured him while Desperado worked on SHO. Suzuki-gun then just took turns destroying SHO. CHAOS tried to isolate Suzuki and work him over, but Desperado came in for the save. Suzuki cut off SHO and planted him with the Gotch piledriver for the win.

Suzuki cut a promo after the match, He’s facing YOSHI-HASHI soon.

EVIL and BUSHI defeated Togi Makabe and Toa Henare

The usual formula here. Heels ganged up on both Makabe and Henare. EVIL got a hold of Henare and submitted him with the Banshee Muzzle.

Makabe jumped EVIL after the bell as the two had to be seperated.

Bad Luck Fale and Tanga Loa defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi and David Finlay

Tanga Loa was the focus of this match, and of course Tanahashi and Bad Luck Fale worked together. Loa got the win with, well, it’s a vulgar name. I’ll just keep referring to Loa’s finish as a sitout piledriver.

Hangman Page and Chase Owens defeated Kazuchika Okada and Gedo

This was pretty good. Okada and Page, who will face each other tomorrow, looked like they had good chemistry with one another. Page took out Okada with the shooting star shoulderblock and Owens followed with the package piledriver on Gedo.

B Block:

SANADA defeated Tama Tonga

Things started out slow. Tama Tonga wanted to shake hands. SANADA, playing the usual babyface dope, shook it and was immediately jumped. When they went to the floor, SANADA chased him until Tanga Loa came in and clotheslined him. That caused him to get kicked out, at least for right now.

SANADA started to build momentum, putting Tama Tonga in the paradise lock (he had tried to put it on SANADA earlier to no avail) then kicked him. He went for the skull end, but then Tama Tonga collided into the referee. This caused Bad Luck Fale and Tanga Loa to come in and lay out SANADA. Tonga covered him after a powerbomb by Loa, but he kicked out.

As Loa went to the apron, SANADA shoved Tonga into Loa, then SANADA bridged him for the win. Okay, not great. Doesn’t really bode well for Tama Tonga if all of his matches are going to end up with ref bumps and interference.

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Toru Yano

After some mat wrestling, they take it into the crowd where Sabre cuts off an attempt to throw him into the crowd and instead applies some holds. He tries to beat Yano to the 20 count, but fails. Yano actually managed to reverse an abdominal stretch as he takes him back to the outside.

Sabre cuts him off again and wraps Yano’s legs around a guardrail as again, he tries to beat Yano to the 20 count but again, Yano managed to make it in! Sabre manages to lock in a triangle that takes down Yano. He tries to powerbomb Sabre, but it doesn’t work. He nearly passes out but somehow made it to the bottom rope.

Eventually, Yano did resort to his usual underhanded tactics. After smashing Sabre’s back into an exposed turnbuckle twice, he undid the other turnbuckle. But in the process, Sabre grabbed his leg and pinned him with the Gedo clutch. Really fun for what it was.

Kota Ibushi defeated Juice Robinson

Story of the match early was that Robinson would not let Ibushi hit the Golden Triangle Moonsault. Robinson stopped him a second time, sent him crashing to the mat and hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. They meet on the apron, where out of nowhere Ibushi busts out a jumping hurricanrana that sends Robinson to the floor.

Ibushi starts getting wild. He hits a standing moonsault from the ringpost — not even the turnbuckle — all to the way to the barricades, wiping out Robinson. Juice cuts him off and after some back and forth, hits a double knee buster.

Juice went for the pulp friction but Ibushi puts him in the electric chair position. Juice fights back, but ends up taking a waistjacket suplex then is struck by the kamigoye for the win. Great match that played up the styles of both men very well.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Tomohiro Ishii

Naito played his usual game of keeping cool early while Ibushi laid in some sick chops. Eventually, Naito responded with some of his own. They hit each other hard before Naito took down Ishii with a neckbreaker.

Naito drags his feet across Ishii’s face as he goads him on. Ishii responded by not only spitting at him, but took down Naito with a huge forearm shot that send Naito to the floor. Despite this, Naito shot back and went for a missile dropkick but Ishii no sold it and shoved Naito into the corner.

The two meet on the top turnbuckle where Naito hits a sunset flip bomb for a good nearfall. Ishii fires back, hitting a giant powerbomb and follows with a sliding D but Naito kicks out. Ishii blocked the Destino and hit the lariat for another great kickout. Naito finally manages to put Ishii down with an engizugir so that he could gather himself.

Ishii blocks another Destino but Naito hits a rolling kick. Ishii goes for a vertical suplex but Naito lands the Destino out of nowhere. A second gives him the win in an awesome, epic match. Great heat, solid moves and a great aura of a knock down, drag out fight.

Kenny Omega defeated Hirooki Goto

They went for their finishers early, but both blocked them. Omega sent Goto to the floor with a hurricanrana. They brawl into the crowd, where Omega bodyslams Goto on top of the bleachers which does not sound very fun at all. Omega then hops on a ledge near the bleachers and jumps off with a moonsault in a very cool spot.

Omega works on Goto in the ring, hitting his signature moves and wearing him down until Goto finally grabs him and hits the ushigoroshi. He cut off Omega at the top rope and hit a sunset flip bomb. The two got up to their feet and started to exchange blows, with Goto getting the better of it.

Goto next connected with the shouten kai, then went for the GTR but Omega caught him in a roll up. Omega hit the v-trigger, then another, then a third. Omega hit the One Winged Angel, and that was it. A great, classic New Japan main event, though Ishii and Naito was better in terms of heat.

Omega cut a promo after the match in Japanese, putting over the B Block. He made sure to point out that they weren’t the champion and he is.

NJPW reveals full card for Cow Palace G1 Special

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Bryan Rose

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.
YOSHI-HASHI, Gedo, Rocky Romero, SHO & YOH vs. Haku (Meng), Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens

NJPW Kizuna Road live results: Michael Elgin vs. Hirooki Goto

Posted on June 17, 2018 by Ethan Renner

The first of three Kizuna Road shows will feature a high profile NEVER Openweight title match.

New champion Michael Elgin will defend his title against the former champion, Hirooki Goto. Considering that he never took the pin in the triple threat match at Dominion, Goto has a valid reason for getting such a quick rematch. It’ll be up to him to regain the title that he never lost.

NJPW is also set to announce the entrants for this year’s G1 Climax tournament, which is set to kick off next month. We’ll only get a list of names on tonight’s show — block and match announcements won’t be announced until the 6/18 and 6/19 shows, respectively. One has to wonder who will make the cut this year and who may be entering as a surprise.

Join us for live coverage tonight at 5:30 a.m. EST. The show will not have English commentary.

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Yuya Uemura went to a time limit draw with Yota Tsuji

They began with a crisp chain wrestling sequence. Uemura moved to working the left arm, using a hammerlock. He went for a cross armbreaker, but could not get it, and Tsuji capitalized. Tsuji used a kneebar and a heel hook, attacking the left leg.

Tsuji continued working the leg, with stomps on the ground, and in the corner. Uemura made a comeback, hitting a shoulder block and a scoop slam. He used an armbar and a wristlock, until Tsuji made the ropes. Tsuji hit a dropkick and a pair of scoop slams, as Uemura really sold the damage to his leg.

Tsuji applied a single leg crab, but Uemura was able to reach the ropes. Tsuji tried to irish whip Uemura, but Uemura went down, selling the leg. Uemura hit a dropkick, then went for the cross armbreaker. Tsuji transitioned to a crab, but Uemura finally got the armbreaker. Tsuji reached the ropes.

After the rope break, Uemura went for a cover, but the bell sounded, as they reached the ten minute time limit. A fundamentally sound opener, with good selling from both guys.

Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Tomoyuki Oka & Shota Umino

Oka and Nakanishi traded strikes to a stalemate, until Nakanishi hit a shoulder block, dropping Oka. Nagata and Umino tagged in, and Umino got some early offense on Nagata, hitting a dropkick, and picking up a nearfall.

Nagata came back with strikes. Oka came in to aid his partner, and Nagata sent him to the floor. Nakanishi went for the backbreaker rack on Umino but Oka jumped in for the save. Nakanishi hit a stiff forearm shot, but Umino countered with a dropkick, and made the tag to Oka.

Oka hit Nakanishi with a pair of avalanches in the corner, and used a double underhook suplex for a nearfall, as the Korakuen crowd got behind him. Oka hit a vertical suplex for a nearfall, but Nakanishi countered with a spear, and made the tag to Nagata.

Nagata hit Oka with strikes, but ate a hip toss, and Umino tagged in. Umino ran wild with back elbow strikes, and a front dropkick off the top. He went for an armbar, but Nakanishi made the save. While Oka and Nakanishi brawled to the floor, Nagata hit a kick and a knee lift.

Nagata hit an exploder, and used a Nagata Lock, forcing Umino to tap. This was a standard Young Lions vs. Veterans tag match, with Umino and Oka getting a touch more offense than usual.

Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Ren Narita

Tenzan and Yujiro started off. Korakuen loves Tenzan. Tenzan hit some chops, and both guys tagged out.

Taiji hit a seated senton, and a low dropkick, before tagging Yujiro. Yujiro used shoulder blocks, a slam, and a crab, until Tenzan lumbered in to break the hold. Yujiro hit a yakuza kick on Narita, who came back with a dropkick, and tagged Tenzan.

Tenzan hit some chops in the corner, and called for a brainbuster, but hit more of a vertical suplex. Yujiro came back with a low kick and a fishermans suplex. He hit a yakuza kick in the corner, but Tenzan hit a leg lariat, and they tagged their partners.

Narita got a nearfall off a back elbow, and went to the crab, but Taiji reached the ropes. Taiji hit his handspring into a kick, then hit a lungblower for a nearfall. He followed up with a Lebell Lock, and Narita tapped.

This was good when Narita and Taiji were in, and below average when Tenzan and Yujiro were.

KUSHIDA, Ryusuke Taguchi, Toa Henare, Jeff Cobb & Togi Makabe defeated Rocky Romero, SHO, YOH, Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI

SHO and KUSHIDA started out, and it was awesome. They exchanged holds on the ground, armbar attempts, and went at a crazy pace. YOH and Taguchi tagged in and did some comedy. Taguchi ran the ropes until he dropped. YOSHI-HASHI tagged in and ate a hip attack, leading to Taguchi’s corner train spot.

Henare tagged in and the Chaos team cut him off. Taguchi and Rocky brawled into the crowd, while Yano and Henare worked in the ring. Makabe got a tag, and he worked over YOSHI and Yano with clotheslines. Taguchi and Makabe hit a series of hip attacks on Yano, and Makabe hit a suplex for a nearfall.

Yano hit his inverted atomic drop, and Rocky and Cobb tagged in. Rocky went for a springboard rana, but Cobb caught him. Rocky went for an avalanche, but Cobb caught him and hit an overhead belly to belly and a standing shooting star. Cobb followed up with a Tour of the Islands, and got the pin.

They announced the G1 Field:
Kenny Omega, Michael Elgin, Jay White, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Juice Robinson, Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, Hangman Page, Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Kota Ibushi.

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi defeated TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi & Takashi Iizuka

Suzuki-gun jumped LIJ at the bell. While the other seven guys brawled on the floor, EVIL ran wild on TAKA and Kanemaru in the ring. LIJ overcame the odds, and Naito and Hiromu jumped in. Taichi hit Naito with the mic stand from the apron, and another brawl broke out.

Desperado sent Hiromu into the crowd, and attacked his left leg with a chair. Iizuka kind of just wandered around the building. Taichi worked over Naito, who just beat the count back inside. Iizuka bit Naito while Taichi took the ref, but Taichi and Naito were still the legal men.

Naito hit an enziguri and a neckbreaker, and SANADA got a tag. He tied up an interfering Kanemaru with the paradise lock, and ran wild with dropkicks. Taichi and Iizuka cut him off, raking his eyes and biting him.

Desperado and Hiromu tagged in, and they did a cool criss-cross sequence. Desperado hit a spear, but Hiromu came back with his overhead throw into the corner. TAKA and BUSHI tagged in, and Suzuki-gun quickly cut BUSHI off.

TAKA got a couple of nearfalls, while the other eight guys brawled on the floor. Naito recovered and hit TAKA withh a corner dropkick. BUSHI hit a codebreaker for a nearfall, then hit TAKA with an MX for the pin.

This was mostly a showcase for the popular LIJ faction, and an appetizer for Desperado vs. Hiromu, which takes place tomorrow.

Kazuchika Okada, Jay White & Tomohiro Ishii defeated Juice Robinson, Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay

Juice and White started out. White used underhanded tactics to gain the advantage on Juice. Okada and Tana tagged in, and the place started buzzing. Okada hit a slingshot senton, and took Tana to the corner, where he tagged in Ishii. Ishii no-sold Tana’s chops, and hit a suplex for a nearfall. White tagged in and used a crossface.

Okada tagged back in, but got nailed with a dragon screw. White and Juice tagged back in. Juice hit a dropkick and a sit-out lariat. He followed with his jabs, a clothesline in the corner, and went to the top. Juice missed a high cross, and White shit a suplex, before tagging Ishii. White and Ishii attempted a double team, but Juice hit a crossbody on both, and tagged in Finlay.

Finlay ran wild on Ishii. He hit a back elbow off the turnbuckle. He survived Ishii blocking a dropkick. Tana tagged in and hit sling blade on Ishii, and intercepted an interfering Okada, hitting a dragon screw.

Juice hit White with a cannonball in the corner. Finlay went for a cutter, but Ishii blocked. Finlay used a series of cradles for nearfalls. Ishii went for the brainbuster, but Finlay slid out. Ishii hit a german and a lariat for a nearfall, then hit the brainbuster, getting the win.

White teased leaving, then came back out and attacked Juice as he was walking to the opposite locker room. White sent Juice into the post, then whipped him into the barricade twice. He hit a suplex on the floor, then grabbed a chair, and attacked the Young Lions that tried to restrain him.

He tossed Juice into the ring, and teased a con-chair-to on Juice’s arm, but Juice escaped at the last minute, and punched the chair into White’s face.

A good match, all action, and a hot angle after to set up White vs. Juice for the US title next month.

Hirooki Goto defeated Michael Elgin to win the NEVER Openweight Championship

They traded shoulder blocks and power stuff early, establishing that neither had a significant strength advantage.

Elgin hit a suplex, Goto rolled to the floor, and Elgin hit a footstomp from the apron to the floor. He followed up with a slingshot footstomp back inside.

Elgin hit a buckle bomb and teased going for the quick win with an Elgin Bomb, but got blocked it, and took over. Goto used a sleeper, but Elgin powered out and hit a german. He went for another, but Goto blocked it with his foot, and Elgin had to transition to an exploder, securing a nearfall.

They exchanged chops and palm strikes to the chest, then Elgin connected with a dropkick. Elgin hit a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall, then hit an avalanche and a middle rope senton for another. Goto came back with strikes, and hit a big lariat, leading to a double down.

Goto hit a corner lariat, then a running leg lariat in the opposite corner. Elgin came back with a series of strikes to the chest, before hitting a powerslam for a nearfall. Elgin hit a series of clubbing blows to the chest and back, but Goto cut him off with an ushigoroshi.

Goto went for a DDT, but Elgin backed him into Red Shoes in the corner, and the ref took a bump, and rolled to the floor. Elgin hit a falcon arrow, then teased the Elgin Bomb, but Taichi ran in and nailed both with his mic stand. Jeff Cobb ran down and suplexed Taichi, before chasing him to the back.

Goto and Elgin traded forearms on the mat, then both got to their feet and continued to trade. Goto hit a suplex, but ate a pair of enziguris off a charge into the corner. Elgin hit a scoop slam and went up top, but Goto cut him off, and knocked him to the apron.

Goto tried to suplex Elgin into the ring, but Elgin blocked, and pulled him to the apron. Goto knocked Elgin to the floor with strikes, and Elgin countered, pulling Goto to the floor and hitting a fishermans suplex on the floor.

Elgin tossed Goto back inside and went to the top rope. He hit a splash off the top for a nearfall. He went for an Elgin Bomb, but Goto backdropped out. They traded forearms, and Elgin pulled off his elbow pad and hit a huge strike, then a modified chokeslam for a nearfall.

Elgin put Goto on the top rope, and teased a crucifix bomb, but Goto blocked. Elgin stepped to the apron and hit a clothesline, knocking Goto to the mat. Elgin put Goto back on the top and teased the crucifix bomb again, but Goto blocked. Elgin hit an enziguri, then fought for a superplex, but Goto countered, hitting a powerbomb off the top for a nearfall.

Goto went for the GTR, but Elgin blocked it. Goto hit a Shouten Kai for a nearfall, which the crowd really bought as a potential finish. Goto measured out a kick, but Elgin caught it, and hit a huge forearm. Goto used a sleeper, but Elgin hulked up and broke the hold with a throw.

Elgin hit a massive forearm, then a lariat, which Goto took a flip bump off. Elgin hit the Elgin Bomb, but Goto kicked out at two. Elgin hit a buckle bomb, but Goto fired out of the corner with a lariat. Goto hit a lariat and this time Elgin took a flip bump, and Goto got a two count.

Goto went for the GTR, but Elgin slippe dout. He went for the Elgin Bomb, then maybe a torture rack bomb, but Goto slipped out and hit a lariat. Goto then hit two GTRs, and got the pin, winning the title.

Cobb came back out after the match and went face-to-face with Goto. He grabbed a mic and challenged Goto for the title, so that looks to be a future direction.

This was a great main event, and they worked at a pretty crazy pace for 31 minutes, especially for two bigger guys.

Title matches, G1 announcements set for NJPW Kizuna Road

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Bryan Rose

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

NJPW Road to New Beginning recap: SANADA-EVIL vs. Okada-Goto

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Ethan Renner

New Japan Pro Wrestling set the stage for Saturday’s New Beginning in Osaka with two nights of televised action from the Road to the New Beginning tour on Monday and Tuesday in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.

The most notable bout from the two shows was the IWGP Tag Team Championship defense by SANADA & EVIL, as they retained their titles over Kazuchika Okada & Hirooki Goto. SANADA is Okada’s opponent on Saturday, and his title defense here should lend him some credibility and momentum, as he enters what could be the biggest match of his life.

EVIL is also set to challenge for Goto’s NEVER Openweight Championship in Osaka.

Road to The New Beginning (February 5th, 2018) —

Jushin Liger, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tiger Mask IV defeated Ren Narita, Shota Umino & Tetsuhiro Yagi

Liger and Tiger worked over Narita’s left leg, and Narita’s selling looked good. Tiger went to work on Yagi’s left arm, and Yagi actually got some offense in, firing back with chops. Taguchi put a stop to that, forcing a tag to Umino.

Umino got a near fall and a near submission on Taguchi, but Liger made the save. Taguchi got the pin with the Dodon after surviving a La Magistral cradle. This was fine — a typical veterans vs. young boys tag match.

Hikuleo & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Manabu Nakanishi & Tomoyuki Oka

A short, thoroughly unexceptional bout. Hikuleo is the former Leo Tonga. The Bullet Club team established themselves as heels, breaking rules and jumping Oka at the bell. They brawled to the floor. Oka was dominated, but he was able to tag Nakanishi.

Nakanishi scored with some chops and tipped control of the match to his team. The big man tagged Oka back in, which proved to be an error in judgment. Oka ate a DDT from Takahashi and was pinned.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Katsuya Kitamura

This was a challenge, as Tenzan is clearly beaten up and having trouble moving. They had a slow match, with Tenzan taking the bulk of the offense.

Kitamura showed heart in surviving through some near falls, but he eventually tapped to the Anaconda Vice.

Sho, Yoh & Rocky Romero defeated El Desperado, Taichi & Taka Michinoku

This was solid. Suzuki-gun turned it into a brawl, which served as the great strength of the match, as it highlighted Sho and Yoh’s selling, which is the strongest part of their game. Sho’s back was taped up and Michinoku targeted it.

The match broke down into a six-way. Romero and Desperado took the ref, before Romero hit a tope to the outside, wiping out Taichi and Desperado. Sho and Yoh hit their finish on Michinoku for the win.

Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano defeated Juice Robinson & Henare

The crowd was solidly behind Robinson. Ishii no-sold most of Henare’s offense in the early going, lending more credibility to his selling of the youngster’s offense late in the match. Ishii is really a brilliant worker. They did some of the standard Yano comedy spots, including removing the turnbuckle pad, which the referee didn’t even bother to chastise him for.

Towards the finish, as Ishii started to sell and the contest became more back and forth, Yano tied Robinson to the barricade by his hair, leaving Henare to go it alone. Ishii hit the brainbuster and picked up the pinfall.

KUSHIDA, Michael Elgin & Togi Makabe defeated Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Suzuki-gun pounced before the bell rang. Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but they brawled around ringside. Makabe and Elgin fought off Suzuki and Iizuka, and the brawl was kept short, as KUSHIDA and Kanemaru went at it in the ring.

The brawling picked up again, and Suzuki and Iizuka brawled into the crowd with Elgin and Makabe. Desperado joined in the brawl and helped Suzuki-gun waylay KUSHIDA, and the brawlers took over. KUSHIDA sold for a while, before tagging Elgin in, allowing the big man to do his power stuff, which always gets over.

Suzuki and Makabe squared off and exchanged forearm strikes, which got a big reaction. Suzuki slapped on a sleeper, missed the Gotch piledriver, and slapped on another sleeper in a cool spot. KUSHIDA made the save as Iizuka went for the iron glove. The finish saw Makabe hit the top rope knee drop on Kanemaru for the victory.

After the match, Makabe challenged Suzuki for an Intercontinental title match, and Suzuki snapped, attacking the young boys at ringside.

Jay White defeated David Finlay

I recall an interview with William Regal where he was talking about an unnamed prospect that WWE was interested in, believed to be Adam Cole, who they had passed on because he looked too young to be taken seriously as a tough guy. I think of that every time I see Jay White in action. His character is supposed to be this ruthless killer type, but he looks too young for me to take him seriously as a grizzled, deranged madman.

The work here was quite good, highlighted by a state-of-the-art opening exchange. They brawled to the outside, and White took over after hitting a suplex on the floor. White worked over the legs and the injured shoulder of Finlay. White suplexed Finlay over the top to the outside, which was nuts.

White swung a chair at Finlay, who ducked and hit a spear for a near fall. Finlay opted not to use the chair when he had the chance, which the crowd applauded him for. Finlay hit a Lumbar Check for a near fall. Finlay went for his cutter, but White reversed into the Blade Runner for the pin.

They didn’t get a ton of time, but they did well with what they had. White punished Finlay with elbows after the match.

Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI defeated Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Gedo in an elimination match

This was a unique match, as eliminations could take place via pinfall, submission, disqualification, or over the top rope, Royal Rumble-style.

Takahashi eliminated himself going for a sunset flip from the ring to the floor on Ospreay, who was eliminated as the move was executed. YOSHI-HASHI eliminated Naito over the top rope. Gedo was disqualified for removing BUSHI’s mask. YOSHI-HASHI tossed BUSHI, leaving CHAOS with a 3-2 advantage.

Okada and SANADA had a nice back and forth, teasing their upcoming title match and ending with Okada eliminating SANADA over the top. EVIL dumped Okada immediately after, making it 2-1 for CHAOS. EVIL tossed Goto, leaving it a 1-on-1 between EVIL and YOSHI-HASHI.

YOSHI-HASHI kicked out of the Darkness Falls, and scored a near fall with a powerbomb, before falling victim to Everything is EVIL for the pin, and a victory for LIJ.

Road to The New Beginning (February 6th, 2018) —

Jushin Liger, KUSHIDA & Tiger Mask IV defeated Ren Narita, Shota Umino & Tetsuhiro Yagi

They used the same template as the young boys opener the previous night, with Liger dominating and the boys getting some offense in on his partners. Narita did a fair bit of damage to KUSHIDA by employing a modified Sharpshooter and a Boston Crab, but he eventually tapped to the cross armbreaker.

Hikuleo & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tomoyuki Oka

The work was not particularly smooth here when Hikuleo and Oka were in together, but Hikuleo in particular has improved greatly in the last few months. This was short, but they did more near falls than you would expect from the second match on the card.

Takahashi pinned Oka after a DDT.

Manabu Nakanishi defeated Katsuya Kitamura

This was the fifth match in the seven match trial series that is supposed to be getting Kitamura over, I suppose? I understand the principle, but I’m not certain that it’s working as designed. Nakanishi is much better off in tags these days, but this was short enough and simple enough that he looked fine.

They exchanged power moves, chops, shoulder blocks, and the like, and brawled outside. Kitamura hit the spear, but he couldn’t get Nakanishi up for the Jackhammer, and fell victim to a lariat. Nakanishi hit a double sledge to the chest for a near fall, and racked Kitamura for the submission.

Sho, Yoh & Rocky Romero defeated El Desperado, Taka Michinoku & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Roppongi 3K took the advantage early, but Suzuki-gun turned it into their standard crowd brawl, working over Sho’s injured back and gaining the edge. With Sho selling on the apron, Yoh worked the bulk of the match, selling for Suzuki-gun.

Romero got a hot tag and used an eye rake and a backslide on Michinoku for the pin. Suzuki-gun beat down Roppongi 3K after the match.

Jay White, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano defeated David Finlay, Juice Robinson & Henare

Yano aimed to tie Robinson to the top rope by his hair, following up on their match from Monday, but failed. Robinson and Yano did some comedy. Ishii and Henare worked together again, and Ishii sold more early on than he did the previous night. Again, so smart.

White hit the Blade Runner on Henare, and followed up with elbows, taunting Finlay. With Henare taking punishment, the ref called for a stoppage.

Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & Takashi Iizuka defeated Michael Elgin, Ryusuke Taguchi & Togi Makabe

Suzuki and Makabe brawled through the crowd and to the backstage area, furthering their angle, as they teased the idea that Makabe is going to try to force Suzuki to accept his IC title challenge. Iizuka and Taguchi did some comedy, then Elgin tagged in for his power stuff.

Suzuki and Makabe tagged in and exchanged strikes, and Makabe survived a sleeper attempt and tagged out. Suzuki continued working on Makabe even though he was no longer the legal man, and he used a sick hangman’s choke. Taguchi was legal, and tapped to a Suzuki heel hook.

Suzuki-gun ran wild after the match, laying out Elgin and Taguchi. Suzuki provided the exclamation point, hitting Makabe with the Gotch piledriver. Suzuki grabbed a microphone and cut a promo, refusing Makabe’s challenge.

Will Ospreay, YOSHI-HASHI & Gedo defeated Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI

It may be too early to second-guess the booking decision not to put the IWGP title on Naito at Wrestle Kingdom, but at this point, it certainly feels like Naito has lost a bit of his luster since falling short there. The LIJ team worked over YOSHI-HASHI, perhaps punishing him for eliminating so much of their team in the main event on Monday.

Ospreay tagged in and exhibited why he is my favorite high flyer in the business today. He and Takahashi did some cutting-edge stuff together, then Gedo and BUSHI tagged in and slowed things down. YOSHI-HASHI hit a lariat and hit Karma for the win.

YOSHI-HASHI attacked Naito after the bout, setting up their match on Saturday.

IWGP Tag Team Champions SANADA & EVIL defeated Kazuchika Okada & Hirooki Goto to retain their titles

There were dueling chants for Okada and SANADA, who started the match. They began slowly, working holds. SANADA went for the Paradise Lock, but Okada kicked out and tagged in Goto. SANADA and EVIL took the action outside, and EVIL guillotined Goto against the post with a chair.

EVIL and SANADA worked over Goto back in the ring, and they continued to go at a slow pace. Goto hit a desperation lariat, then made the tag to Okada. EVIL tagged SANADA, who tossed Okada outside and hit a plancha on the IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

Okada fought back and briefly locked in the Cobra Clutch, which Okada is still struggling to get over as a potential finisher. Goto got a tag and applied a sleeper. He teased a GTR, but EVIL made the save. Okada jumped in and hit his dropkick on EVIL, and all four men ended up down in the ring, selling.

Okada broke up a Magic Killer and Goto and Okada hit duel Ushigoroshis, in a cool spot. EVIL reversed a GTR attempt, hitting a fisherman’s suplex and Darkness Falls for a near fall on Goto. Okada broke up a pinfall, but SANADA jumped in and nailed Okada with a Rainmaker. With Okada down, EVIL and SANADA hit a Magic Killer on Goto. EVIL hit Everything is EVIL on Goto for the pin, retaining the titles.

SANADA cut a promo after the match, promising to take Okada’s title on Saturday in Osaka.

Suzuki vs. Goto hair match set up, Tanahashi returns ahead of WK 12

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

The expected hair vs. hair match between Minoru Suzuki and Hirooki Goto for the NEVER Openweight Championship is now just about official for the January 4th Wrestle Kingdom show at the Tokyo Dome.

It is expected that the entire card will be announced within the next 48 hours since New Japan’s final show of the year on Monday at Korakuen Hall just ended.

After Goto & YOSHI-HASHI beat Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka via DQ due to outside interference on today’s show, Suzuki and Goto did post-match mic work. Suzuki accepted the challenge and said that he would finish Goto, not just humiliate him by taking his hair. He also indicated his own hair would be on the line as he said it was all or nothing, the winner gets the clippers (to cut their opponent’s hair off) as well as the NEVER title belt.

Also at today’s show, Hiroshi Tanahashi appeared and assured everyone that his knee is improving and he would be defending his IWGP Intercontinental title against Jay White at the Dome. White, who was not advertised for the show and didn’t wrestle, then attacked Tanahashi and worked over his bad knee.

There was also an end-of-the-show brawl with Tetsuya Naito and Kazuchika Okada in their final confrontation before the Tokyo Dome. This time Naito was able to escape Okada’s new Cobra Clutch and finish him with the Destino, to show that even with Okada’s new counter developed, he’s studied and can still win the title.

NJPW G1 Climax 27 night seven results: Tanahashi vs. Goto

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Bryan Rose

We’re nearing the halfway point of the G1 Climax as the seventh of 19 shows aired earlier this morning, featuring A Block action. Who came out of the main event on top, Hiroshi Tanahashi or Hirooki Goto? Did Zack Sabre Jr. outwrestle Bad Luck Fale? Will anyone avenge Daryl’s demise? All your answers are below.

Tomoaki Honma, who has been out most of the year due to a severe neck injury, appeared at ringside for most of the show.

Prelim matches —

– Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Juice Robinson & David Finlay when Takahashi hit Finlay with the Pimp Juice DDT and pinned him.

– Toru Yano & Jado defeated SANADA & BUSHI when Yanorolled up BUSHI after a low blow and pulled his shirt over his head. This only lasted minutes.

– EVIL & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Minoru Suzuki & Taichi when Takahashi pinned Taichi with the Gedo clutch.

– Michael Elgin & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Kenny Omega & Chase Owens after Elgin hit Owens with the Elgin bomb.

– Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Kazuchika Okada & Gedo when Kojima pinned Gedo with the lariat.

A Block matches —

Tomohiro Ishii defeated YOSHI-HASHI

This was a good back-and-forth match. YOSHI-HASHI is good, even great, but Ishii is a master at making matches like these feel intense and this was no different.

They chopped each other silly early. YH gained control, kicking Ishii repeatedly in the head over and over, but it had no effect. Ishii mounted a comeback with a big superplex, but only got a two count.

YOSHI-HASHI worked his way out of a powerbomb, then walked right into a German suplex. He fought his way back and hit a swanton bomb. He tried to sink in the butterfly lock, then eventually got it. Ishii escaped, but YH got right back at it, hitting a running dropkick.

A Karma attempt went awry as Ishii countered with a DDT. He followed with a press powerbomb. YOSHI-HASHI kicked out of a sliding D, but eventually did fall to a brainbuster, giving the win to Ishii.

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Bad Luck Fale

Sabre immediately latched onto Fale and tried for various submissions, but was unable to secure anything. Fale instead stomped him and took him to the outside, throwing Sabre into the barricades. Desperado tried to get involved, but was quickly taken out.

Fale went for a splash, but Sabre dodged and attacked him with a penalty kick. He locked in the octopus hold, but Fale escaped and went for the Bad Luck Fall. Sabre avoided it and started working over Fale’s legs. Eventually, he secured a triangle choke. Fale tried to escape, but Sabre had other plans as he released the hold, rubbed his elbow across Fale’s eyes, and pinned him with a victory roll.

That was a fun, different match. Sabre, a staunch supporter of animal rights, dedicated his victory to Daryl (Hiromu Takahashi’s stuffed cat that Fale previously ripped to shreds) as he was heading to the back.

Togi Makabe defeated Kota Ibushi

This was good while it lasted. It seemed shorter than your usual fare but was pretty solid for what it was.

They started the match by smashing one another with elbows. They went back and forth, hitting each other with strong moves. Ibushi unleashed a flurry of offense and hit a German suplex. He took Makabe to the top rope. Makabe fought him off, but ate a big reverse moonsault.

Makabe launched off the top rope with a knee to Ibushi’s face. He followed that with the kneeling powerbomb, and when that didn’t get the job done, pinned Ibushi with the King Kong knee drop.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Yuji Nagata

Another good match here. Nagata is still one of the best wrestlers around, and since he never gets big opportunities to face someone like Naito in a singles match, he always makes the best of it.

They started off slow. Naito took his time, then got the heat after getting some of his fingers into Nagata’s eyes.

Nagata took him out with a knee lift and pelted him with kicks. Naito grabbed a leg and started attacking back, only for Nagata to take him down. Naito responded with the satellite DDT, but Nagata fired back with stiff kicks. They engaged in a slap battle, where Nagata dominated Naito, sending him to the floor and mounting him with punches.

Nagata threw Naito around with suplexes and went for the backdrop driver, but Naito fought out of it. After sinking in the armbar, Nagata looked for the backdrop driver again but Naito escaped. He tried the satellite DDT, but Nagata blocked it, only for Naito to counter with the Destino. Naito followed with another one for the win.

Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Hirooki Goto

This was really good, one of the better matches on the show. They worked a good back-and-forth match, and Tanahashi’s selling of the arm and Goto working on it were pretty good as well.

They did the usual lock-up in the ropes spot, but this time Tanahashi went for a leg, which didn’t succeed. He wound up on the top rope, but Goto took him out with a clothesline that sent him tumbling all the way to the floor.

Goto wrapped Tanahashi’s arm on the barricade and worked on it as they got back into the ring. Tanahashi tried a comeback, hitting the senton off the top rope, but Goto immediately went back to the bicep.

More back and forth ensued. Goto kicked Tanahashi hard in the good arm and then went for the sleeper. He hit a penalty kick and the ushigiroshi, then looked to finish with the GTR but Tanahashi escaped. Goto went for it once more, but Tanahashi countered with a swinging neckbreaker.

Goto tried for the shouten kai, but Tanahashi hit two neckbreakers, a butterfly suplex, and a slingblade in response. Tanahashi hit one High Fly Flow before following through with another to score the win.

Current standings —

A Block:

Tetsuya Naito — 6
Zack Sabre Jr. — 6
Hiroshi Tanahashi — 6
Kota Ibushi — 4
Hirooki Goto — 4
Bad Luck Fale — 4
Tomohiro Ishii — 4
Togi Makabe — 4
YOSHI-HASHI — 2
Yuji Nagata — 0

B Block:

Kenny Omega — 6
Kazuchika Okada — 6
Minoru Suzuki — 4
EVIL — 4
Toru Yano — 2
Tama Tonga — 2
SANADA — 2
Juice Robinson — 2
Michael Elgin — 2
Satoshi Kojima — 0

NJPW G1 Climax 27 night five results: Ibushi vs. Ishii

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Bryan Rose

Night five of the G1 took place this morning at Machida City Gym in Tokyo, featuring a big battle between Kota Ibushi and Tomohiro Ishii, as well as a scrap pitting Hirooki Goto and Togi Makabe against one another.

Prelim matches —

– Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Michael Elgin & Katsuya Kitamura when Kojima pinned Kitamura with a lariat.

– Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Taichi defeated Juice Robinson, David Finlay & Hirai Kawatowhen Desperado pinned Kawato with La Guitarra de Angel.

– EVIL & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Tama Tonga & Chase Owens when EVIL submitted Owens with the Banshee Muzzle. Takahashi has coped with the loss of Daryl by carrying what the announcers described as an invisible Daryl.

– Kenny Omega & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Toru Yano & Jado when Takahashi pinned Jado with the Pimp Juice DDT.

– SANADA & BUSHI defeated Kazuchika Okada & Gedo when BUSHI pinned Gedo with the MX.

A Block matches —

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated YOSHI-HASHI

Desperado grabbed YOSHI-HASHI’s foot early, which allowed Sabre to take control and work on YH’s arm. Sabre continued to work over YH until YOSHI-HASHI finally hit the headhunter neckbreaker.

YOSHI-HASHI hit a jackknife powerbomb and took out Desperado as he went for his senton, but Sabre got his feet up. Sabre followed with a penalty kick. He trapped YH’s bad arm in an armlock, but YH managed to get to the ropes.

Sabre trapped him in another armbar, then transitioned into the Octopus stretch for the submission. Good match.

Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yuji Nagata

This was a great match. The crowd was super into it, which added a lot. A simple, but great back-and-forth type of match.

Tanahashi took him down early and applied a figure four leglock. After a struggle, Nagata turned it around, only for Tanahashi to reverse it back.

Nagata got to the ropes as Tanahashi let go. After a striking battle, Tanahashi looked for the slingblade, but Nagata grabbed him. Tanahashi responded with a German suplex. Nagata trapped Tanahashi’s arms and did the white eyes armbar, then took him to the corner and unleashed a big superplex, but Tanahashi kicked out.

A brainbuster immediately after that also just got two. Tanahashi countered a back suplex attempt into a crossbody. He hit the slingblade and went for the High Fly Flow, but Nagata met him up at the top as the two battled. Tanahashi headbutted him and hit the High Fly Flow, then went to another corner and hit a second one for the win.

Bad Luck Fale defeated Tetsuya Naito

Naito took out Fale early by dropkicking him out of the ring as he made his way in, but it quickly became Fale’s match as he dominated Naito with big power spots. Naito tried to knock Fale off his feet and failed a number of times until finally taking him down with a shoulder tackle.

Naito followed with a Destino attempt, but Fale quickly blocked it and got the advantage. Fale went for the Grenade, but Naito countered with a DDT. Fale quickly shot back with another Grenade attempt, this time succeeding, then hit the Bad Luck Fall for the win.

This was fine, but not to the standard of other G1 matches so far as it was a lot of nothing.

Kota Ibushi defeated Tomohiro Ishii

They had a really good match. The crowd tonight was great, and added a ton to the match. Ibushi’s strikes in particular felt and sounded awesome every time they connected.

It started off hot with some quick exchanges. Ibushi hit a suplex, but Ishii immediately got up, only for Ibushi to dropkick him.

They did a series of spots where they would not sell their opponent’s offense until their opponent fired back with shots. They did this a few times until Ibushi wiped out Ishii. The latter immediately fired up as they exchanged more wild spots until Ibushi hit him with a fierce clothesline.

Ishii continued to mount offense, hitting a sliding D. Ibushi struck him with huge kicks to the head, and after a series of big time offense, planted Ishii with a German suplex bridge. He followed that with the press powerbomb for the win.

Togi Makabe defeated Hirooki Goto

Another great match with plenty of heat. This is Makabe’s hometown, so there were plenty of reasons for people to get into him, and also why it was probably the main event. Makabe also actually came out to “Immigrant Song,” so I guess they unmuted his theme for the night.

This immediately became a brawl with Goto and Makabe battling around the ring. Goto gained the advantage by throwing Makabe into the barricades.

Makabe struck back and they exchanged back and forth until Goto hit him with the ushigiroshi. He tried for the GTR, but Makabe countered with a German suplex. He unleashed two big lariats, then tried to follow with the King Kong knee drop, but Goto got out of the way.

Goto fired back, hitting a penalty kick and locking in a sleeper. They battled on the top rope, where Makabe got the advantage, taking out Goto and hitting the King Kong knee drop. He followed with the kneeling powerbomb, but Goto kicked out. Makabe took him to the corner and, after a struggle, hit the Spider suplex and the King Kong knee drop for the win.

Makabe cut a promo to end the show. I don’t think there was anything off-the-walls awesome on this show, but every match with the exception of Fale/Naito delivered, so the show overall is worth going out of your way to watch, especially the last two matches and Nagata/Tanahashi.

Current standings —

A Block:

Tetsuya Naito — 4
Hirooki Goto — 4
Zack Sabre Jr. — 4
Kota Ibushi — 4
Bad Luck Fale — 4
Hiroshi Tanahashi — 4
Togi Makabe — 2
YOSHI-HASHI — 2
Tomohiro Ishii — 2
Yuji Nagata — 0

B Block:

Kenny Omega — 4
Kazuchika Okada — 4
Tama Tonga — 2
SANADA — 2
Juice Robinson — 2
EVIL — 2
Toru Yano — 2
Minoru Suzuki — 2
Michael Elgin — 0
Satoshi Kojima — 0