KENTA’s first challenger for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship has been decided.
At today’s World Tag League and Best of the Super Juniors finals event, KENTA delivered a video message to Hiroshi Tanahashi, accepting the terms of a challenge issued by Tana.
KENTA said that the match would only take place if NJPW’s ace agreed to a no DQ match. KENTA said that he wanted vengeance after Tanahashi put him through a table in their US title match at Power Struggle on November 6.
Tanahashi responded by accepting KENTA’s terms. No date has been set for the match.
Tanahashi won the United States title at NJPW Resurgence in Los Angeles in August. He successfully defended the title against Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome in September, then dropped the belt to KENTA at Power Struggle.
The no DQ match will be KENTA’s first defense in his first reign with the title.
Pro Wrestling NOAH has revealed KENTA’s match for their New Year’s Day show at Budokan Hall.
KENTA will team with Kazushi Sakuraba & Takashi Sugiura in a six-man tag team match against Daiki Inaba, Masa Kitamiya & Yoshiki Inamura at NOAH’s The New Year 2022. The show is taking place on Saturday, January 1 and will be available live on NOAH’s Wrestle Universe streaming service.
It was announced on November 28 that NJPW’s KENTA would be taking part in NOAH’s Budokan Hall show. It will be the first time KENTA’s wrestled for NOAH since 2018, when he returned to the company to face Naomichi Marufuji at Marufuji’s 20th anniversary event. KENTA was still with WWE then. He joined NJPW after departing WWE in 2019.
KENTA is currently the IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion in NJPW.
The Budokan Hall show is taking place in advance of the NJPW vs. Pro Wrestling NOAH supercard at Wrestle Kingdom 16 night three. Wrestle Kingdom 16 night three is being held at Yokohama Arena on Saturday, January 8.
NOAH’s New Year’s Day show will be headlined by Katsuhiko Nakajima defending his GHC Heavyweight Championship against Go Shiozaki. Here’s the full card for the event:
GHC Heavyweight Champion Katsuhiko Nakajima defends against Go Shiozaki
GHC National Champion Kenoh defends against Kaito Kiyomiya
KENTA, Kazushi Sakuraba & Takashi Sugiura vs. Daiki Inaba, Masa Kitamiya & Yoshiki Inamura
GHC Tag Team Champions Keiji Mutoh & Naomichi Marufuji defend against Masato Tanaka & Masaaki Mochizuki
GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion HAYATA defends against Yoshinari Ogawa
KENTA is set to make his return to Pro Wrestling NOAH on January 1st.
It was announced this evening at the NOAH the BEST 2021 event that KENTA, who currently wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling, will be part of NOAH’s event at Budokan Hall on January 1st. It wasn’t specified who he will face.
KENTA graduated from the All Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in 2000 but quickly joined NOAH later in the year along with most of AJPW’s roster. He spent the next 14 years winning major championships in both NOAH’s junior heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, including winning the GHC Heavyweight Championship on one occasion. He left to join WWE in 2014, and upon his departure from WWE in 2019, he joined NJPW, where he has remained since.
On January 8, NOAH will take part in the third night of Wrestle Kingdom 8 at the Yokohama Arena for a show called NJPW vs. NOAH, a supercard featuring wrestlers from both companies. No matches have been announced for the show.
The G1 Climax 31 A Block concluded today in Yokohama.
Five wrestlers remained mathematically alive heading into the final day of A Block action.
Here are results and a report from the show.
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Recommended matches —
Kota Ibushi vs. KENTA
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tanga Loa
Report —
Great-O-Khan defeated Satoshi Kojima (10:25)
O-Khan attacked before the bell and they brawled around ringside. O-Khan dominated the early-going. Kojima came back with machine gun chops, a DDT on the apron and a DDT in the center of the ring.
Kojima hit a brainbuster for a near fall. O-Khan blocked a lariat with a pump kick. Kojima blocked the Eliminator with a lariat. O-Khan used the iron claw. Kojima blocked the Eliminator. They hit simultaneous lariats.
O-Khan used the sheep killer to set up the Eliminator and score the pin.
A Block: Toru Yano defeated Tomohiro Ishii (11:08)
Ishii needed to win and every 12-pointer to lose or go to a double DQ, so he was effectively out but not mathematically eliminated headed into the night.
The story of the match was Ishii being wise to all of Yano’s tricks and narrowly avoiding defeat, until he didn’t. Ishii was good, Yano was Yano.
Yano used a towel around Ishii’s neck to take him down and try to score two quick pinfalls, but failed. Yano exposed a buckle.
Yano went outside and crawled under the ring. Ishii threw a corner pad at Yano on the floor. Yano whipped Ishii into the exposed buckle and used a schoolboy for a near fall.
Ishii blocked three low blow attempts and hit an enzuigiri. Yano turned one sliding attempt into a crucifix for a near fall. Ishii hit the sliding lariat on the second attempt.
Ishii hit a headbutt. Yano blocked a Vertical Drop Brainbuster, hit a low blow, then used a backslide to pin Ishii.
A Block: Shingo Takagi & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Pieter) went to a double countout (13:36)
This was ruled a draw and each got one point. There was some good brawling here, but also some clunky spots.
Yujiro whiffed on a suicide dive as Shingo prepared to step into the ring, but Shingo sold the dive anyway.
Pieter provided a distraction and Yujiro hit Shingo with his walking stick on the floor. Yujiro maintained control of the brawl and tried to steal a countout win.
Shingo made his comeback with noshigami and a sliding lariat. Shingo was begging the crowd for reactions. Yujiro hit a hotshot across the tope strand. Shingo dead-weighted Yujiro on an Angle slam, but Yujiro powered him up and hit the move.
Yujiro used Miami Shine for a near fall. Shingo blocked Big Juice with a lariat and pounded the mat to try to wake the crowd up. Yujiro raked the eyes. Shingo blocked Pimp Juice and hit Made in Japan for a near fall.
Yujiro blocked Last of the Dragon by biting Shingo’s hand. Yujiro rolled to the apron and low-bridged Shingo to the floor. Yujiro repeatedly sent Shingo into the fence to try to steal the countout. Both beat the count in at 19.
They continued to brawl on the outside. Yujiro hit Pimp Juice on the floor. Shingo hit a DVD on the floor. Yujiro hooked his ankle and prevented him from beating the 20 count. A double countout.
A Block: Tanga Loa (w/Jado) defeated Zack Sabre Jr. (17:31)
The pace these guys worked was insane. A great match.
Sabre tried to steal a quick submission with a cobra twist, but Loa fought it off. Loa tried to get a countout win by baiting Sabre to the floor. They did several countout teases. Loa went for a quick submission of his own with the OJK, but Sabre forced a break.
Sabre came back with a RNC in the ropes. Loa cut him off again and hit a standing moonsault. Sabre came back with la mistica. Loa hit a frog splash for a near fall. They traded suplexes and no-sold them.
Loa went for an electric chair. Sabre fought through and went for a clutch, but Loa reversed into an Apesh*t attempt. Sabre caught Loa in a flying octopus. Loa got the ropes for a break, then hit a lariat.
Loa hit a powerbomb for a near fall. Sabre got another octopus applied, then used it to set up a code red for a near fall. Sabre kicked at Loa’s arm, then hit two PKs. Loa kicked out at one. Loa got the better of a striking battle.
Sabre used a European clutch for a near fall. Loa reversed the clutch into his own clutch and got the pin.
A Block: Kota Ibushi defeated KENTA (26:16)
This was fun. They did one million things in the match. Some hit, some missed, but the drama was there.
They exchanged tentative strikes from kickboxing stances. Ibushi caught KENTA right in the face on a flying mid kick. KENTA rolled outside. Ibushi went out after, but KENTA posted him and took control of the bout. Both just beat a very generous 19 count back in.
KENTA used an STF. Ibushi got a brief comeback and went for the golden triangle moonsault, but KENTA tripped him up and Ibushi crashed to the floor. KENTA sent Ibushi up and over the barricade.
KENTA dragged Ibushi backstage. KENTA made it back to the ring. Ibushi beat another very generous 19 count back in. KENTA sent Ibushi into an exposed turnbuckle. KENTA used a chinlock.
Ibushi hit a powerslam and a moonsault. KENTA hit some short kicks. He went for a Busaiku knee, but Ibushi used a Matrix kip-up to avoid it and hit a kick and a half-and-half suplex. KENTA avoided the Bomaye and bumped Ibushi into the referee in the exposed turnbuckle. Red Shoes was down on the floor.
KENTA hit a DDT. KENTA brought a chair in. Ibushi no-sold a chair shot. Ibushi teased using the chair, but hit a kick to the head instead. Ibushi introduced a table on the floor. He teased a German off the apron, but KENTA blocked. Ibushi hit a backdrop on the apron.
Ibushi placed KENTA on the table. The table legs gave way. KENTA laid there anyway. Ibushi hit a splash off the post to KENTA on the table. The table refused to break. Both made it back in after yet another long 19 count.
KENTA hit a green killer and a double stomp off the top for a near fall. Ibushi fought out of a GTS. KENTA hit a series of palm strikes. Ibushi blasted KENTA with Kamigoye, but KENTA kicked out.
KENTA avoided another Kamigoye and sent Ibushi into the exposed buckle. KENTA used a hip toss for a near fall, then got Game Over applied. Ibushi forced a rope break at 25 minutes.
Ibushi hit a head kick. KENTA sent Ibushi into the exposed buckle and used a schoolboy for a near fall. KENTA hit a Busaiku knee for a near fall.
Ibushi blocked GTS and hit a v-trigger. He hit a Kamigoye to the back, then another Kamigoye to the front to get the pin and win the block.
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Here is the lineup for the next show:
G1 Climax 31 night 18, Wednesday, October 20, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
B Block: SANADA vs. EVIL
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Chase Owens
B Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Tama Tonga
B Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Taichi
Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Ryohei Oiwa & Kosei Fujita
When you look at the lineup and you see Yano in the semi-main, you can bet on everything else getting a few extra minutes. This went too long as a result.
BUSHI hit a dropkick before the bell for the jumpstart, then threw Yujiro into the barricade. Yujiro used Pieter as a human shield to stop BUSHI from attempting a dive and used the distraction to drag BUSHI to the floor. Yujiro sent BUSHI into the security fence and took control of the bout.
Yujiro worked BUSHI over in a dull manner. BUSHI came back with a basement dropkick and a suicide dive. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick. Yujiro bit BUSHI’s hand to halt the momentum. Yujiro went for Miami Shine, but BUSHI blocked and hit a backstabber.
BUSHI went for an MX, but Yujiro caught him with a lariat. They exchanged forearm strikes. Yujiro hit a big boot. BUSHI hit a dropkick. Yujiro hit another lariat and an Angle slam for a two count.
BUSHI blocked a Pimp Juice attempt and cradled Yujiro for a near fall. Yujiro blocked a codebreaker and hit Big Juice for the pin.
A Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tanga Loa (w/Jado) (16:18)
Really good match. Ishii will probably end up MVP of the G1 again. His worst match so far was with Kota Ibushi of all people. The sons of Haku continue to deliver in the tournament so far as well.
Loa rolled outside after a quick strike exchange kicked things off. He climbed back in and they got the crowd into the match with a long series of strikes exchanged. Loa got the best of the sequence. Ishii rolled outside. Loa sent him into the barricade, then posted his back.
Back in, Loa used a chinlock and elbows to the head. Loa hit an exploder and Ishii sold his back big. Ishii answered with chops in the corner, a powerslam and a delayed vertical suplex. Loa hit a neckbreaker to cut him off.
Loa no-sold a German suplex and hit a blue thunder bomb for a two count. Loa used the OJK, but Ishii made the ropes. Ishii blocked a powerbomb and hit a backdrop. Ishii hit a superplex for a two count.
Ishii tried to set up a sliding lariat, but Loa popped up and hit a dropkick. Loa hit a massive lariat and a top rope diving headbutt for a near fall. Loa hit a spear and a sit-out powerbomb for a good near fall.
Ishii escaped Apesh*t and hit an enzuigiri and a lariat for a two count. They traded lariats, but neither went down. Ishii hit a headbutt. Loa again avoided the sliding lariat.
Ishii escaped Apesh*t a second time and hit the Vertical Drop Brainbuster for the pin.
A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Great-O-Khan (15:26)
This was unique and excellent if you like Sabre matches. They did almost exclusively technical wrestling and it felt like a real contest. This might have been the best match of O-Khan’s career.
They spent the first eight minutes of the match trading holds on the mat. O-Khan ended up bleeding from the nose.
Sabre fired off a couple of forearms, but O-Khan dropped Sabre with one Mongolian chop. O-Khan used two more Mongolian chops to drop Sabre a second time. Sabre sold losing feeling in his right arm after the chops to the neck.
Sabre used an octopus. O-Khan reversed into an ankle lock. Sabre reversed into a heel hook. O-Khan reversed. Sabre forced a rope break. Sabre blocked a gutwrench throw and took O-Khan’s back with a choke. Sabre used a crucifix for a two count.
Sabre hit a penalty kick, but O-Khan kicked out at one. Sabre avoided the claw and went for a tornado DDT, but O-Khan blocked and used a cobra twist with the iron claw applied as well. O-Khan transitioned to the sheep killer. O-Khan slipped to a modified torture rack, then gave up the hold.
O-Khan went for the Eliminator at the 15 minute mark, but Sabre locked on a standing triangle. O-Khan didn’t submit, but the referee called for the stoppage with O-Khan unable to improve his position.
A Block: Kota Ibushi vs. Toru Yano (4:03)
This was total comedy.
Yano put a bag over Ibushi’s head and rolled him up for two near falls. Yano then rolled Ibushi up in the ring skirt and tried to steal a countout, but Ibushi freed himself and made it back in.
Ibushi hit a dropkick and a plancha. Yano tried to tape Ibushi to the apron, but Ibushi kicked him away and Yano was almost counted out. Ibushi blocked a low blow. Yano used another cradle for a near fall.
Ibushi hit a Kamigoye to the back, a Bomaye, then hit a standard Kamigoye for the pin.
A Block: Shingo Takagi defeated KENTA (23:56)
A very good main event. Not match of the tournament or anything, but a solid match with good storytelling.
They traded strikes and shoulder tackle attempts. Shingo hit a slam and a senton. KENTA blocked a diving forearm attempt and used Game Over on Shingo’s taped right arm, but Shingo forced a rope break.
Shingo rolled outside and KENTA posted his right arm. KENTA kicked the right arm as it was draped over the barricade. Back inside, KENTA kicked at the arm and used a Fujiwara armbar. KENTA exposed a turnbuckle and whipped Shingo’s arm into it.
KENTA continued working on the arm. Shingo grabbed a chinlock, but got backed into the exposed buckle. Shingo hit a couple of strikes and a DDT. He continued firing off strikes with the right arm, selling it after each strike. Shingo blocked a swing DDT and hit a lariat with his left arm.
Shingo hit a vertical suplex and a sliding lariat with the right arm. He continued to sell the arm, then covered for a near fall. KENTA fought off Made in Japan and hit a swing DDT across the top rope. KENTA hit a top rope clothesline for a two count.
KENTA hit a DDT for another near fall. Shingo blocked a draping DDT attempt and they fought to the apron. Shingo teased Made in Japan off the apron, but KENTA slid out and dropped Shingo’s right arm across the top rope.
They battled on the floor. KENTA hit the green killer DDT off the apron to the floor. Shingo made it back in after a countout tease. KENTA hit a running kick and a stalling dropkick in the corner. KENTA hit a double stomp off the top to the bad arm for a near fall.
Shingo blocked a GTS attempt. KENTA hit a knee strike and tried it again. Shingo blocked and hit a pop-up DVD into a double down at the 15 minute call.
They traded forearms. KENTA hit a series of palm strikes. Shingo hit a headbutt. KENTA hit a spinning backfist. Shingo blocked a kick and hit Made in Japan for a two count. Shingo hit a top rope superplex.
Shingo tried a lariat in the corner, but KENTA pulled the referee in his path. The ref took a bump and rolled to the floor. KENTA hit a low blow and a divorce court. KENTA Pillman-ized Shingo’s right arm.
KENTA dragged the ref back in at 20 minutes and locked on Game Over, but Shingo got his foot across the bottom rope to force a break. KENTA hit a running knee strike. He teased a Pumping Bomber, but Shingo cut him off with a lariat.
Shingo escaped another GTS attempt and hit a dragon suplex and a diving forearm strike. Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber with his bad arm, but KENTA kicked out.
KENTA slipped out of one Last of the Dragon attempt and tried to send Shingo into the buckle, but Shingo sent KENTA into the buckle instead. Shingo then hit Last of the Dragon to get the pin.
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Here is the lineup for the next show:
G1 Climax 31 night eight, Friday, Ocotber 1, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
KENTA revealed on social media that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
On Instagram, KENTA wrote that he has been suffering from COVID for the last few weeks, but has since tested negative.
“I got COVID last few weeks,” he wrote. “First of all, I apologize to everyone who had to [change plans] because of me. Fortunately, my symptom was not too bad. Just [had a] fever a few days (102 F) and lost my smell. But now I’m totally fine. And got [a negative test]. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.”
KENTA last appeared for NJPW back on July 25, when he competed in the King of Pro Wrestling 22-man Ranbo battle royal. Prior to that, he lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW’s Summer Struggle event in Nagoya a day prior.
NJPW’s next major event is Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome, which will take place over two days on September 4 and 5.
The NJPW Summer Struggle tour continued today on the third of four consecutive days with major NJPW shows.
Hiroshi Tanahashi took on KENTA in the main event, while Tomohiro Ishii battled EVIL in the semi-main.
With Kota Ibushi’s status as the main event challenger for Shingo Takagi’s IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in question, the winner of today’s main event would seem to be the logical fill-in should Ibushi not yet be recovered from his bout with pneumonia.
Eagles pinned the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion a day before their title match. That was the only thing of note in this opener, as they didn’t get much time.
Suzuki-gun used a jumpstart attack to begin the match and cut YOH off. YOH managed a tag to SHO. DOUKI hit a cool suplex on SHO for a two count. SHO answered with a spear.
Desperado and Eagles got tags. Desperado used Numero Dos, but Eagles forced a break. Eagles used the Ron Miller Special, but Kanemaru saved for Desperado. Kanemaru entered to double up Eagles. Desperado hit Guitarra de Angel for a two count.
Desperado went for Pinche Loco. Eagles blocked, then rolled Desperado up for the flash pinfall.
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After the match, Desperado hit Eagles with a right hand and used a chair on the left leg of the challenger.
There was a lot of butt stuff with Taguchi in the early part of the match. Bullet Club rebounded and isolated YH in their corner. Ishimori and ELP used their comedy tandem offense on YH. YH came back with a headhunter to Ishimori.
Romero got a hot tag and hit forever clotheslines on ELP and Ishimori, then a double rana. Ishimori blocked sliced bread. Romero hit a rewind kick. Taguchi tagged in for hip attacks. Jado caused a distraction with a kendo stick, then tagged in.
Bullet Club went 4-on-1 against Taguchi. Jado used the OJK, but Romero saved. The match broke down as everyone climbed in.
Taguchi ducked a kendo stick shot from Jado and trapped him in an ankle lock for the submission.
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There was a short angle after the match. ELP and Ishimori tried to attack Taguchi and Romero after the bell. Taguchi caught ELP in an ankle lock and tried to reveal the contents of ELP’s loaded boot, but Ishimori saved.
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Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano defeated Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan by countout (10:52)
Okada and Cobb were very good together and should tear the house down tomorrow. The rest of this was a Yano match.
Okada threw his entrance gear at Cobb and brawled to the floor with him before the bell. O-Khan and Yano began the match as the legal men. Yano exposed a buckle, but that gave O-Khan an opening to go on the offensive. O-Khan and Cobb beat Yano down.
Cobb and Okada tagged in for an extended preview of their bout tomorrow. Cobb hit a throw. Okada blocked a spin cycle and tried the Money Clip, but Cobb blocked that. Okada hit a flapjack into a double down.
O-Khan and Yano tagged back in. O-Khan used a cobra twist with the claw applied, but Yano forced a break. Yano sent O-Khan into the exposed turnbuckle. O-Khan used a head and arm choke. Cobb and Okada jumped back in and broke the hold up.
All four brawled to the floor. Yano produced handcuffs and cuffed O-Khan to something under the ring. He was actually a second late beating the count back inside, but the ref called it for Yano anyway as O-Khan was counted out.
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Okada hit Cobb with a dropkick after the match. Cobb tossed a chair into the ring. Okada stood on the chair and taunted Cobb ahead of their match tomorrow.
Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura came to the ring to free O-Khan. He responded by beating them up.
Honma was good yesterday. Honma had a rough time today in the third of three straight days with this same matchup.
Honma was quickly cut off and LIJ worked on him in their half of the ring. Wato finally got a tag and hit BUSHI with a springboard forearm. Wato hit a tope con giro to both BUSHI and Shingo. Wato and BUSHI traded spots. They may have been having some communication issues.
Shingo got a tag and hit a series of chops and strikes to Wato. Wato hit a great pop-up hurricanrana. Honma climbed in for a double team. Wato got a two count on Shingo.
Shingo hit Wato with a pop-up DVD and a sliding lariat. Honma entered for a kokeshi. He teased a Kamigoye, but BUSHI saved and pulled Honma to the floor.
Shingo hit Wato with a Pumping Bomber for a two count. Wato used a crucifix bomb and a cradle for a pair of near falls.
Shingo blocked a kick and used Wato’s momentum to lift him for Made in Japan and the pin.
Ishii always delivers in big matches and this was no exception.
Ishii attacked before the opening bell and beat both EVIL and Togo all around ringside. He sent EVIL into the guardrail in the aisle and broke a piece of it.
Ishii teased a brainbuster on the ramp on EVIL, but Togo made the save. Ishii chased Togo into the ring. Togo distracted Ishii just long enough for EVIL to slide in with a lariat and take control of the match.
EVIL used his baseball swing chair shot on Ishii. Ishii made it back in after a countout tease. EVIL bumped Ishii into the barricade and the ring announcer took a bump. Back inside, EVIL sent Ishii into an exposed turnbuckle. EVIL used a half-crab.
Ishii fired up after a series of EVIL chops and hit a chop to the throat. Both were down selling the chops. EVIL again sent Ishii into the buckle, but Ishii charged out and hit a lariat. Ishii hit a long series of chops and forearm strikes in the corner.
EVIL stopped Ishii’s momentum with an eye poke. Togo pulled Ishii outside and whipped him into the barricade. EVIL sent Ishii back outside again. This time Ishii reversed a Togo whip into the barricade. Ishii then pulled EVIL to the ring announcer’s seat and bumped Togo into the barricade as a measure of justice.
Back in, Ishii hit a vertical suplex for a two count at the 15 minute mark. EVIL whipped Ishii into the buckle and hit a fisherman buster out of it. EVIL hit a superplex for a two count. Ishii blocked an attempt at the scorpion deathlock.
EVIL sent Ishii into the ref. The ref was bumped just long enough for Togo to get in for a Magic Killer and a near fall. Ishii blocked Darkness Falls. EVIL took a front turnbuckle into the exposed steel. Ishii hit a backdrop suplex into a double down.
Ishii hit a clothesline and a Vertical Drop Brainbuster off the middle rope for a two count. Ishii sent EVIL into Togo on the apron. Togo took a great bump to the floor. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for another near fall.
Ishii blocked Everything is EVIL and hit a headbutt. Ishii slid to the apron. EVIL kicked the middle rope into his groin for a low blow. EVIL then hit Darkness Falls for a two count. EVIL hit a lariat after a series of reversals for another two count. Ishii again blocked Everything is EVIL with a headbutt at 25 minutes.
EVIL took the ref. Togo jumped in with his ligature. Ishii fought him off and hit him with a headbutt. Ishii blocked an EVIL low blow and hit an enzuigiri. Ishii hit a massive lariat for another two count. EVIL bumped Ishii into the ref.
Yujiro ran in with his cane. Ishii blocked the cane shot. EVIL hit Ishii with a low blow. Yujiro hit Ishii with Pimp Juice. EVIL then finally hit Everything is EVIL for the pin.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated KENTA (24:51)
Tanahashi’s incredible year continues. Another great main event performance from him here.
Katsuyori Shibata was on commentary for this match. This would prove important.
KENTA did some of his customary stalling at the opening bell. Tana got off a flurry of offense, including a crossbody and a senton. KENTA came back by whipping Tana to the outside. He hit a double stomp off the apron, then sent Tana into the barricade.
KENTA took some time to jaw with Shibata.
Back in the ring, KENTA hit a neckbreaker for a two count. KENTA used a chinlock. KENTA took his knee pad down and teased a knee drop, but hit a short kick instead. KENTA played some air bass guitar.
Tana fired up after a series of punches and kicks from KENTA. Tana hit a flying forearm and a dragon screw out of the corner. He connected with two more dragon screws in the center of the ring. Tana used his Texas Clover Hold, but KENTA forced a break.
Tana blocked a swing DDT attempt, but KENTA connected on a powerslam. KENTA hit some kicks and a fisherman’s suplex for a two count. KENTA hit a clothesline off the top rope for another two count.
Tana blocked a draping DDT attempt. KENTA hit a hotshot over the top rope, then hit a draping DDT off the apron to the floor. Tana made it back in after a countout tease.
KENTA hit a Shibata dropkick in the corner. Tana blocked a Go 2 Sleep and hit another dragon screw. They traded heavy forearm shots. Tana got the best of the long exchange, dropping KENTA.
KENTA repeatedly tried to send Tana into the referee, even chasing Red Shoes around the ring, but Tana avoided the bump and hit a dropkick to the knee. Tana tried a dropkick in the corner, but this time KENTA pulled Red Shoes in the way for a ref bump.
With the referee down, KENTA hit a low blow. KENTA produced his old IWGP US title shot briefcase and used that as a weapon as well.
Shibata got in the ring and hit KENTA with a pump kick. He then revived Red Shoes and Tanahashi.
KENTA reversed slingblade into a G2S attempt. Tana reversed that into twist and shout. Tana then hit two slingblades. KENTA blocked a third slingblade with a Busaiku knee. He hit a second running knee strike for a near fall. Tana blocked another G2S attempt and hit a dragon suplex.
Tana then hit the Shibata dropkick to a massive reaction.
Tana then hit two High Fly Flows and got the pin.
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Tanahashi shook hands with Shibata after the match.
Tana then cut this amazing babyface promo. He was practically in tears. The NJPW Global Twitter account translated the promo:
“Right now, I’m going to be honest and humble with you. Thank you. Thank you for being here…
If we can draw enough power from one another we can overcome anything and live through everything. That’s what pro-wrestling is about.
And although I’m sweaty, I’m not tired. This tireless body will pull NJPW into the future.
Thank you for your support. Keep taking care of yourselves, stay healthy and enjoy pro-wrestling. FINALLY- one more thing. Tomorrow. The Tokyo Dome. The main event… is still uncertain. So can I make a little appeal?
If I’m needed (to fill in for Ibushi tomorrow) – I am ready! AIshitemasu!”
Tana played air guitar to close the show
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Here is the lineup for tomorrow:
NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome, Sunday, July 25, 3 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Tetsuya Naito & SANADA (c) vs. Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. Robbie Eagles
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo (c) vs. Rocky Romero & Ryusuke Taguchi
Pre-show New Japan Ranbo for the provisional KOPW 2021
Night seven of the Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour took place today at Korakuen Hall.
The top three matches featured the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions facing members of Bullet Club in singles matches, with YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA, Hirooki Goto vs. Taiji Ishimori and Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yujiro Takahashi.
KENTA, Takahashi and Ishimori will challenge Goto, Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI for those NEVER Six-Man titles on tomorrow’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku event, a 5:30 a.m. Eastern time show on NJPW World.
Here are full results and a report on today’s show:
This was a fun little comedy opener with some bad wrestling.
I love the spot where Gedo boos Tanahashi’s abs when he takes his ring jacket off.
Bullet Club attacked before the opening bell. Honma and Togo paired off in the ring as the other four brawled on the floor. Honma missed a kokeshi, and Bullet Club cut him off and worked him over.
Honma came back on Gedo with a hip toss and a kokeshi, then dispatched an interfering Togo and EVIL. Tanahashi got a tag and went to work on Gedo. Gedo used a thumb to the eye. Togo tagged in, but Tana hit him with a dragon screw.
Yano tagged in for the finish. He exposed a buckle. He produced a hood from his tights. Togo grabbed the hood and put it on Yano, then rolled him up for a two count.
Yano hit a double low blow on EVIL and Togo, then used a schoolboy on Togo for the pin.
Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare defeated Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI (7:43)
This was fine for what it was, but they hardly got any time.
We had our second match and our second jumpstart attack by the heels. Ospreay and Shingo started out as the legal men. They had a nice strike exchange. Ospreay avoided a sliding lariat and stomped away at Shingo’s head.
Henare tagged in for some double team offense. Shingo hit a double vertical suplex, then tagged SANADA. Henare has pinned SANADA twice on this tour. Henare cut SANADA off, then tagged O-Khan. O-Khan used a wacky hold on SANADA. He tried for a Dominator, but SANADA kicked hm away and tagged Naito.
Naito fought off a double team from O-Khan and Cobb. BUSHI jumped in for some tandem offense. O-Khan used Mongolian chops on Naito. Naito hit an enzuigiri into a double down.
BUSHI and Cobb tagged in. BUSHI rolled Cobb up for a near fall. Cobb hit a spin cycle for a near fall. Everyone jumped in for a big move before the finish.
Cobb hit BUSHI with a Tour of the Islands for the pin.
O-Khan cut his roll call promo after the match.
*****Intermission*****
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Yujiro Takahashi (15:17)
This was the best Yujiro match in years.
Yujiro fired off some kicks at the outset, then sent Ishii outside. Yujiro whipped Ishii into the barricade and hit him with his pimp cane.
Back inside, Ishii no-sold some forearm shots. Yujiro hit some elbow drops and a drive-by kick with Ishii hung up in the ropes. Ishii hit a shoulder block, then a series of chops in the corner. Yujiro halted the momentum by biting Ishii’s hand, then hit a slam and a low dropkick.
They had a striking battle in the center of the ring. Yujiro whipped Ishii into the buckle, then ht a German suplex into the buckle. He followed with a fisherman buster for a near fall.
Ishii fired up and hit a powerslam. Yujiro hit a back suplex into a double down. Ishii hit a superplex for a two count. They teased a ref bump. Ishii hit a headbutt, but Yujiro answered with an Alabama slam, a lariat and an Angle slam for a near fall.
A series of misdirection spots ended with Yujiro hitting a lariat. Ishii avoided Miami Shine and hit an enzuigiri into another double down.
Another exchange of strikes ended with an Ishii lariat. Ishii hit a powerbomb and used a stack cover for one near fall, then hit a sliding lariat for another. Yujiro hit a DDT, then a reverse DDT. Yujiro hit Miami Shine for a two count.
Ishii blocked Pimp Juice and hit a headbutt and a lariat for a near fall, then used a Vertical Drop Brainbuster to pick up the pin.
From a ring psychology standpoint this was probably the best thing on the show.
They established this right away as your classic big man vs. little man match where the heel is the little guy, as Goto won a striking battle. Ishimori then used his agility to avoid a series of strike attempts. Ishimori bailed to the outside and ran away from Goto.
Ishimori beat Goto back into the ring and cut him off, focusing his attack on Goto’s left arm. Ishimori took the fight back outside and worked Goto’s arm over the edge of the barricade.
Back in, Ishimori continued to attack the left arm. Ishimori missed with double knees in the corner. Goto hit a vertical suplex, a wheel kick in the corner, then a bulldog. Ishimori used an eye rake to avoid an ushigoroshi, then hit a handspring kick.
Ishii came to ringside to second Goto.
Ishimori used a Yes Lock, but Goto reached the ropes. Ishimori dropped Goto face-first into the turnbuckle. Goto hit a hangman’s neckbreaker. They traded strikes. Goto got a near fall off a lariat, then hit an ushigoroshi for a two count.
Goto hit a PK. Ishimori blocked a GTR attempt and turned it into a backslide for the flash pin.
These guys were working in slow motion. KENTA picks and chooses his spots to work hard, and YH needs a lot of help to have a great match. This did not make for a winning formula.
Throw in the ref bumps and the fact that both wrestlers ended up with bloody mouths after the match, and this was even worse.
KENTA did his customary stalling for the first few minutes. YH hit a baseball slide and dragged him back inside. YH hit a headhunter. YH went after KENTA’s left arm with elbow strikes. YH hit a chop. KENTA rolled back outside.
YH sent KENTA into the barricade. KENTA reversed a whip into the barricade and hit a DDT on the arena floor. KENTA continued his offensive on the outside. Ishii came over to menace him, so KENTA rolled YH back inside.
KENTA hit a series of kicks. YH fired up. They traded forearm strikes. KENTA used a drop toehold to ground YH again. KENTA hit a kitchen sink, then exposed a turnbuckle. KENTA and Ishii jawed at each other. YH got whipped into the exposed buckle.
KENTA continued to work YH over, using a neckbreaker, a chinlock, then some kicks. YH came back with strikes, a dragon screw and a delayed vertical suplex. KENTA hit another kitchen sink to stop YH’s momentum.
KENTA hit a tornado DDT, then a top rope clothesline for a near fall. KENTA used an STF, but YH made the ropes. KENTA hit a draping DDT for a two count. He followed with a running boot in the corner and a Shibata dropkick.
KENTA missed with a double stomp off the top, but hit a powerslam. He hit the double stomp on his second attempt for a two count. YH fought off a Go 2 Sleep attempt. They traded strikes. YH hit a dragon suplex, but KENTA rolled to the apron for safety.
YH hit a slingshot into the exposed buckle, then connected with a lariat for a two count. YH used the Butterfly Lock, then rolled through into a Kharma attempt. KENTA blocked. YH hit a back stabber and a meteora. YH hit a fisherman buster, but KENTA kicked out.
KENTA blocked Kharma. They teased a ref bump, and KENTA used the distraction to hit a DDT for a two count. As YH kicked out, he threw KENTA into the ref, who took a bump.
KENTA produced YH’s bo staff from under the ring. KENTA missed with a bo swing. YH grabbed the staff. The ref was revived and saw YH with the staff. As YH took the ref, KENTA splashed them both in the corner for another ref bump.
KENTA used the bo on YH, then revived the ref. YH trapped KENTA in a cradle for a good near fall. YH hit a superkick and used a schoolboy for a two count. YH blocked a kick and hit a slap. He tried for Kharma, but KENTA threw him into the buckle.
KENTA hit a series of palm strikes, a busaiku knee for a near fall, then used the Go 2 Sleep for the pin.
KENTA closed the show with a promo, introducing the crowd to his girlfriend — the bo staff.
Here is the lineup for Tomorrow’s show:
NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku night eight, Tuesday, April 20, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI (c) vs. KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori
Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare vs. Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toru Yano vs. EVIL & Gedo
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Tomoaki Honma, SHO & YOH
NJPW has revealed the full card for this Friday’s episode of NJPW Strong.
After last week’s opening round, the New Japan Cup USA 2021 tournament will continue this week with the two semifinal matches.
In the main event of Friday’s show, Lio Rush will face Brody King in a Cup semifinal. Rush defeated Clark Connors in his opening round match on last week’s episode, while King defeated Chris Dickinson in last week’s main event.
In the other semifinal bout, Tom Lawlor will face Hikuleo. Lawlor defeated Ren Narita in the first round with a rear naked choke, and Hikuleo defeated Fred Rosser to advance.
In Friday’s opener, Karl Fredericks, Kevin Knight, The DKC and Alex Coughlin will face Misterioso, Barrett Brown, Adrian Quest and Jordan Clearwater in an eight-man tag.
Strong airs Fridays at 10 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW World and is available on demand shortly after airing.
Here is Friday’s full lineup:
New Japan Cup USA semifinal match: Lio Rush vs. Brody King
New Japan Cup USA semifinal match: Tom Lawlor vs. Hikuleo
Karl Fredericks, Kevin Knight, The DKC & Alex Coughlin vs. Misterioso, Barrett Brown, Adrian Quest & Jordan Clearwater
A NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match is set for NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku 2021 tour.
In the main event of NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku event at Korakuen Hall on Tuesday, April 20, CHAOS’ Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI will put their NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles on the line against Bullet Club’s KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori. The show will air live on NJPW World starting at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Goto, Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI have been NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions since winning the titles in a tournament last August. Goto, Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI defeated their CHAOS stablemates Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & SHO in the tournament finals. The titles had been declared vacant after EVIL left Los Ingobernables de Japon and joined Bullet Club.
Leading into the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match, YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA, Goto vs. Ishimori, and Ishii vs. Takahashi will take place at NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku event at Korakuen Hall on Monday, April 19.
The Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour will begin on Saturday, April 10 and will end on Saturday, May 1. The Monday, April 26 show that’s taking place at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall will feature Tetsuya Naito vs. The Great-O-Khan and SANADA vs. Aaron Henare. Henare is the newest member of the United Empire with Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb.
Wrestling Dontaku 2021 is a two-night event that’s being held at the Fukuoka Convention Center on Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4. NJPW also has Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni taking place at the Kagoshima Arena over two nights on Wednesday, April 28 and Thursday, April 29.
The quarterfinals of the New Japan Cup started during today’s show from Korakuen Hall. Here are the results of the preliminary matches and a full report of the Cup matches.
Nagata won via submission over Kidd with the Nagata Lock II.
Jay White, Bad Luck Fale, & Chase Owens defeated Juice Robinson, David Finlay, & Toa Henare (10:46)
Fale pinned Henare with the Grenade. White faces Finlay in two days in the Cup quarterfinals.
Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb defeated SANADA & BUSHI (8:34)
Cobb pinned BUSHI with the Tour of the Islands. Ospreay faces SANADA in two days in the Cup quarterfinals.
New Japan Cup quarterfinal: EVIL defeated Toru Yano (7:54)
This was about as compact and focused as a Yano match gets. It wasn’t a classic or anything, but it was entertaining.
Dick Togo was out there with EVIL as always. Yano demanded that Togo leave ringside, but was nearly counted out while he waited. EVIL attacked when Yano made his way back to the ring, then distracted the official as Togo attacked on the floor. EVIL then sent Yano into the barricade, knocking down the timekeeper in the process.
Back in the ring, EVIL used various nefarious means to beat down Yano. Togo consistently got involved. Yano nearly got the upper hand through a whip into an exposed turnbuckle, but EVIL turned the tables and resumed the beatdown.
Yano finally made his comeback by yanking EVIL down by his hair and sending him into the exposed turnbuckle. He sent Togo packing and hit a belly-to-belly suplex on EVIL.
Yano sent EVIL face-first into the exposed buckle and rolled him up for a near fall. He then sent EVIL to the floor and choked him with Togo’s wire before tossing EVIL underneath the ring. The count almost reached 20, but then the lights suddenly went out. EVIL appeared back in the ring, hit Everything is EVIL, and pinned Yano to advance to the semifinals.
New Japan Cup quarterfinal: Shingo Takagi defeated KENTA (23:47)
This match was disappointing. The final five minutes were excellent, but the crowd was dead silent for KENTA’s heat segment, which took up half the match’s duration.
KENTA immediately powdered to the floor and stalled. After a minute or so, he came back into the ring and they locked up. KENTA kept pulling Shingo’s hair so they transitioned into exchanging forearms. After a snapmare, KENTA laid in kicks, but Shingo hit a body slam. Shingo laid in repeated strikes in the corner before his attack moved to the floor.
Shingo attempted to bring KENTA back into the ring, but KENTA rolled to the outside and attacked Shingo with the bell in the same manner he had been attacking people with his briefcase. He hit a DDT on the floor, forcing Shingo to make his way back in the ring to beat the count. KENTA resumed his beatdown in the ring, cranking on Shingo’s neck and laying in more kicks. This heat segment went a long time, almost ten full minutes.
The crowd was behind Shingo as he fired up and hit his signature strike combo. He downed KENTA with a shoulder block and followed it up with repeated knee drops. KENTA hit a DDT, but Shingo just pressed his way right out of it and hit a big vertical suplex. KENTA hit his twisting DDT into the top rope followed by a diving clothesline for two. He then went for Game Over, but Shingo was too close to the ropes.
They traded forearms before KENTA caught a boot and hit the Shibata corner dropkick. Shingo rolled out of the way of the double foot stomp and hit a DDT. KENTA avoided the sliding lariat and hit a draping DDT of his own before following it up with a fisherman’s buster. He landed the diving foot stomp for two. Shingo went for Made in Japan, but KENTA fought out and locked on Game Over, but Shingo reached the ropes again.
KENTA hit a tiger suplex, but Shingo popped up and flattened him with a Pumping Bomber. The crowd finally got really into it at this point, 20 minutes into the match. They traded forearms before Shingo caught one and turned it into Made in Japan for two. They had a great stiff strike exchange where KENTA baited Shingo into forearms before catching him with repeated backhands and a knee lift for two. The Busaiku knee followed for two.
After KENTA pulled his knee pad down, Shingo countered the Go To Sleep and hit a Death Valley driver. A Pumping Bomber followed for two, and the Last of the Dragon followed for three.
Shingo will face EVIL in the New Japan Cup semifinals.
Before the show went off the air, Shingo cut a promo on EVIL, who emerged to stare his former stablemate down. Dick Togo attacked Shingo from behind, and they beat him down with a Magic Killer. EVIL stood tall to end the show.
Ahead of the show, tonight’s episode of NJPW Strong was promoted as the hands-down biggest episode since the series’ inception last July. This was also one of the first live stream presentations of the show on NJPW World. It’s usually uploaded right at 10 PM Eastern/7 PT in the States.
Brody King, Super ACH, Sterling Riegel & Logan Riegel defeated The DKC, Kevin Knight, Clark Connors & TJP
Brody King and his partners all came to the ring wearing the same ski mask he often does when he makes his entrance. Also, ACH now goes by “Super ACH,” or at least according to NJPW’s ring announcer tonight.
This was a great opener. Young lions DKC, Clark Connors, and Kevin Lee got into the ring and started jaw-jacking and chest-bumping with the opposing team before the match even started.
ACH kept his hoodie and face mask on as he and DKC kicked things off. The masked ACH blasted the newest Young Lion with hard chops early on before tagging out to Sterling Riegel. He and twin brother Logan used double-team offense, including an assisted neckbreaker spot. Lee and King got into it and had a great exchange of strikes and chops. Lee had a hydraulic kit but King answered back quickly with a senton.
Still in his hoodie and mask, ACH was next. Maybe he’s trying to cut weight. He, King and the Riegels laid into rookie Lee for the next few minutes. Lee is outrageously athletic and threw huge dropkicks. Keep an eye on him this year, for sure.
Clark Connors and the still-masked ACH were next in and had an excellent exchange. Connors was the proverbial “house of fire,” and no, I don’t feel guilty about writing such a clichéd wrestling trope because that is truly how Connors came off when he came into the match.
Later, Connors landed a spear, and TJP landed a frog splash for close count until King broke up the count. Lee came in and launched a huge dropkick. DKC and ACH were in together next and when DKC missed a dropkick ACH kicked him in the chest while he was seated, then put him down with a brain buster to pick up the win for his team. Yes, he had wrestled the entire match in mask and hoodie. Really good stuff.
Ren Narita submitted Chris Dickinson
What an awesome match this turned out to be. Not that I was necessarily doubting it, but these two over-delivered tonight.
The match started out relatively slow and methodical, pretty quiet up until Narita threw the first chop that echoed in the empty venue. We were off from here, with both dishing it out at 100%. The two became increasingly more aggressive, throwing harder chops and slaps, all while shouting and generally kicking up the match intensity in bursts.
Dickinson seemed to get the better of Narita throughout the match as he dictated the pace. It was only a few minutes into the match and his chest was visibly red from chops.
“Dirty Daddy” locked in a heel hook type-submission on Narita, though the two didn’t let up with the chops while they were on the mat. Narita tried chopping and kicking his way out of the hold, which Dickinson had to break eventually. When they were back on their feet, they traded more chops until Dickinson used the Dragon screw leg whip to put Narita back to the mat. Narita somehow found some extra power inside of himself at around five minutes in when he muscled Dickinson into the corner and unloaded a flurry of forearms. Dickinson quickly returned and landed the death valley bomb on Narita but only garnered a two count. I think this was the first time someone kicked out of that move on the show.
Dickinson called for the finish and tried for a powerbomb, but couldn’t lift him up. He tried smacking Narita, But Narita suddenly exploded with super-hard strikes slabs and then locked on his modified Texas cloverhold finish for the submission win.
Announcers sold this as an upset and to be honest I’m pretty surprised with the result myself. Good choice in the end as both looked terrific. Good, hard-hitting stuff.
Jon Moxley (c) defeated KENTA to retain the IWGP US Heavyweight championship
A quick promo package aired explaining the backstory between the two. Definitely had the big match, especially in the short history of the show’s existence.
The two went head for head as soon as the bell sounded and immediately started throwing elbows. Moxley took KENTA out with a hard tackle, then threw them into the corner. Interestingly, he also used a sliding lariat, a move first made famous by Masato Tanaka, but also often used by his rival from last year’s G-1 Climax in 2019, Tomohiro Ishii.
Mox and KENTA were out to the floor moments later. Moxley tried suplexing KENTA but used a snap suplex of his own onto the mat on the floor.
KENTA brought out the red briefcase but Moxley blocked his attempt at an attack, then tried to give him a piledriver on top of the briefcase. KENTA reversed that then DDT’d Mox onto the briefcase.
Back in the ring, KENTA continued his assault. Hard kicks to Mox’s back from KENTA, which Mox sold as though he was really getting the crap kicked out of him. It felt like the textbook example of a pro wrestling brawl, or one for the modern era.
KENTA kicked John Moxley square in the face with indignance, then yelled “come on!” mockingly at the US champ. KENTA played the merciless heel in this match, and was fantastic.
KENTA went for the GTS but Moxley blocked it and shoved KENTA out of the ring. He then followed up with a tope suicida through the ropes onto the floor. They continued fighting on the outside around the ring. Moments later, we saw Moxley on top of the entrance ramp where he ran off and did a jumping knee that connected with KENTA, presumably getting him back for the flying double stomp off the stage on AEW a few weeks ago.
Moxley tried setting up a table outside the ring but while he did that, KENTA grabbed the US title and bashed Mox in the head with it. KENTA then laid him across the table, climbed to the top rope, and connected with a flying elbow drop through the table, both landing on the floor in a heap as the referee began his count-out call.
Both made it back to the ring at 19. KENTA capitalized, connecting with a big boot then a running basement dropkick before stomping Moxley with a diving double stomp off the top rope for a very close count. KENTA then called for the finish and went for a Go 2 Sleep, but Moxley escaped. Moxley struck KENTA with a pretty violent German suplex, then caught KENTA with a flying lariat.
Mox tried to ground and power his way out of the match, but KENTA caught Moxley in the cross-face lock. Mox reversed that into a bully choke. KENTA transitioned back into Game Over. Before passing out, Moxley was able to break the hold and launched another flurry of strikes at KENTA.
Lots of trash talking between these two towards the end with KENTA even being blocked out after saying the F-word a couple times. KENTA had one final stand before Moxley drilled KENTA with the death rider for a definitive win. One of the top matches of the year so far.
Final thoughts:
If you weren’t watching NJPW Strong before, this was a great episode to start off with. We basically got an enhanced edition of the weekly show, this time with a bigger main event than ever plus an outstanding undercard.
The opener was a fun and fast opener featuring new faces at the top of their game; Narita submitting Dickinson was intriguing, and the match itself was on a similar plane in terms of quality when compared with tonight’s main event, which was an awesome brawl. It could have gone on another five or ten minutes, I’m sure, but these two never overstayed their welcome and really delivered a quality main event tonight, one worthy of the past month’s worth of promotion by NJPW and AEW.
NJPW has announced the full lineup for Friday’s New Beginning USA 2021 edition of Strong on NJPW World.
Already announced, IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley will defend the title against KENTA in the main event. The build to this match kicked off in earnest when Moxley appeared on the January 29 episode of Strong, attacking KENTA. KENTA has since appeared twice on AEW Dynamite to build the match.
In the semi-main, Ren Narita will take on Chris Dickinson.
In Friday’s opener, Brody King, ACH, Sterling Riegel and Logan Riegel will face The DKC, Kevin Knight, Clark Connors and TJP.
Strong airs Fridays at 10 p.m. Eastern time on NJPW World and is available on demand shortly after airing.
Here is Friday’s full lineup:
IWGP United States Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. KENTA
Ren Narita vs. Chris Dickinson
Brody King, ACH, Sterling Riegel & Logan Riegel vs. The DKC, Kevin Knight, Clark Connors & TJP
Good heavyweight match to kick things off. Kratos blasted Clearwater with a shoulder block as the bell sounded. These two are roughly the same height but Kratos outweighs the younger Clearwater by a few dozen pounds. Kratos played bully throughout most of the match, which in turn forced Clearwater to fight back.
Kratos is one of the best active heavyweights on national television right now. He suplexed Clearwater around the ring midway through, once with an impressive deadlift suplex and later with a vertical suplex that happened to launch Clearwater a few feet more than one normally would land from that move. Clearwater came back in short bursts, once even landing a running neckbreaker for two on Kratos.
From here, Clearwater applied a standing ankle lock before letting Kratos go. Kratos flattened Clearwater with a big lariat just after the five-minute mark, then locked on a crossface submission until Clearwater made it to the ropes for a break. Kratos then used an atomic drop (nice) and a running single-leg dropkick on Clearwater before putting him away with a modified fisherman’s buster for the win.
Short, hard-hitting, and interesting to see Clearwater outclassed by a bigger, more established wrestler like Kratos. I imagine a rematch between them would be even better than what we saw tonight, and I look forward to it down the road.
Interview with KENTA
“I’m gonna beat him up, kick his ass, that’s it. I’ve had the briefcase for over, what, six months? So, I’m gonna kick his ass.”
In response to Kevin Kelly’s interview with IWGP US champion Jon Moxley last week, KENTA appeared tonight with a few words of his own. “He’s, like … cheap.” KENTA first explained that Moxley was “not a man,” then proclaimed he’d be the first-ever Japanese-born IWGP US champion. “I know I’m the best person to represent New Japan to the world. I deserve to be the first Japanese United States champion.”
KENTA then addressed Moxley in Japanese, where he pretty much restated what he’d just said in English. He implied he’d save the US title from “rotting” on Moxley, and threatened to beat him up again.
Bateman defeated Clark Connors
Good match that went just under ten minutes. Bateman has been booked like one of the top wrestlers on the program since arriving. They started this match exchanging shots and holds on the mat. They played up Bateman’s clear size advantage over Connors, who wasn’t really able to sink in any of his offense because of his lankier opponent. Connors would rely on his toughness to pull himself away from Bateman’s hold, eating a number of hard chops without selling them, frustrating Bateman. You could see Connors’ chest turning red immediately.
Towards the middle of the match, the two started to strike each other in a back-and-forth contest. After around five minutes or so, Connors tackled Bateman as he came off the ropes, decking him with a pounce, but it wasn’t enough to put away the taller Bateman. Connors later answered with a powerslam but again, just two.
The finish saw Bateman catch Connors in a hanging guillotine choke as he came off the ropes, then put Connors down for two with a Northern Lights bomb. After Bateman spiked Connors with a tombstone, that was it. Bateman scores the win and moves ahead in the NJPW Strong pecking order.
In his post-match promo, Bateman claimed he couldn’t feel his hands or fingers, implying how hard-hitting his match with Connors was. He then explained how Connors had “made” Bateman beat him in the way he did. “I’m the captain now,” Bateman said.
Team Filthy (Chris Dickinson and Danny Limelight) defeated TJP and Ren Narita via submission
Really good tag team match. Narita and Dickinson were in first for their teams and looked great at the start. It was a nice catch-style exchange between these two.
TJP was next and tried locking in an armbar on Dickinson, but no dice: “Dirty Daddy” transitioned to a half-crab for a bit, then punished the young lion with hard low kicks before tagging out to Filthy teammate Danny Limelight.
Dickinson had been in for about five minutes by this point, so Limelight was fresh. Limelight immediately went and talked trash at Narita, who shoved Limelight to the mat with force. Narita has looked really good in his past couple matches on Strong. He ended up taking a lot of Team Filthy’s offense midway through, with the team trapping him in their corner of the ring.
After hitting a desperation-German suplex, Narita finally tagged out to TJP, who soared into the ring, landing a springboard forearm shot to Limelight. The younger Limelight later turned the tables on TJP and countered a move of his with a crucifix bomb, then a fisherman’s buster with a cradle for a close two-count.
Towards the end of the match, TJP locked in a modified kneebar on Dickinson while Narita was able to lock in his modified cloverleaf hold, the same one Tiger Mask used on Dynamite Kid in one of their early matches. Both opponents broke the simultaneous submissions via rope breaks.
Once Narita landed a front suplex off the ropes on Limelight, TJP stuck his patented frog splash from the top, then covered Limelight for a very close call, Dickinson making the last minute save. Dickinson neutralized Narita with a brainbuster (or a spinebuster, according to Alex Koslov), then locked in a tight STF on TJP for the submission victory.
After the match, Dickinson and Narita got into it, jaw-jacking a bit with each other in the ring before Limelight sucker-punched Narita and helped Dickinson lay him out. In their post-match promo, Dickinson insinuated that there’d be more to come between him and Narita, and Limelight chimed in before they finished and he used his mic time to call out TJP to close out the show.
Final thoughts:
What I liked most about this week’s episode of NJPW Strong was its variety. JR Kratos vs. Jordan Clearwater served as a solid, high impact heavyweight match, something we don’t see every week.
Bateman vs. Clark Connors was another good match with more emphasis on a story that’s likely to unfold over the next few episodes of Strong. It’s interesting to have someone on the show function as “traditional heel,” an outsider with an edge over the home team’s top star.
The final bout had great tag team wrestling with a proper amount of on-screen time given to all involved. This match had time on its side, or rather it had enough time allotted so that it could work. This felt like a well-paced bout that really kicked up in intensity towards the end, though all four seemed able to get to that point after a slow build.
This is an episode worth checking out if you’re looking to hop on this latest season of NJPW Strong. One hour of consistently well-curated wrestling.
On this week’s free episode of the Mat Men podcast, Andrew and Rich are joined by Harry Terjanian to break down this Sunday’s NXT TakeOver Vengeance Day event.
Yes, the match lineup is amazing but will it live up to expectations? We say YES! The door is officially open!
Also on the show:
AEW had a historic main event Wednesday on Dynamite as New Japan roster member KENTA made his promotional debut, teaming up with AEW World Champion Kenny Omega to face IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley and Lance Archer.
This year’s WrestleMania card is starting to shape up and we discuss all the latest match news and an update on the plan for fans in attendance at their biggest event of the year and beyond.
Get all that along with all the week’s news, rumors, and viewer questions on today’s episode of Mat Men.
