Tag: kota ibushi

NJPW 49th Anniversary show live results: Ibushi vs. El Desperado

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Recommended matches —

  • IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental double title match: Kota Ibushi vs. El Desperado
  • New Japan Cup first round match: Satoshi Kojima vs. Jeff Cobb
  • Hirooki Goto, Tomoaki Honma, Gabriel Kidd & Master Wato vs. Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI 

Report —

Hirooki Goto, Tomoaki Honma, Gabriel Kidd & Master Wato defeated Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI (10:39)

This was a good opener. All action. Wato and Sabre barely saw any action in the match, but Sabre took a crazy bump. 

Suzuki-gun tried a jumpstart attack, but were foiled. Suzuki and Honma began as the legal men. Honma hit a kokeshi. Kidd tagged in to continue working with Suzuki. Kidd and Sabre had an exchange on the apron. Sabre took a bump off the apron to the floor on a forearm strike. 

Suzuki-gun was able to turn this into a brawl and gained the advantage on Kidd. Kidd was worked over in the blue corner. Suzuki crotched Kidd with the post and put him in an ankle lock. 

Kidd came back with a dropkick on Taichi and tagged Goto. Goto ran wild on Taichi and an interfering DOUKI. Taichi cut Goto off with an illegal choke and some Kawada kicks. Suzuki-gun then went to work on Goto. 

DOUKI hit a double stomp to Goto and locked on a triangle. Honma broke the hold with a kokeshi. Honma and Suzuki brawled to the floor. DOUKI tried Daybreak. Goto blocked. DOUKI blocked an ushigoroshi. Wato hit a springboard forearm on DOUKI and a plancha to Taichi. 

Goto hit an ushigoroshi on his second attempt, then hit a GTR for the pin on DOUKI. 

Ahead of their first round New Japan Cup match, Honma and Suzuki traded blows after the bell. Suzuki dropped Honma with a forearm. 

EVIL, Jay White, KENTA, Chase Ownes & Taiji Ishimori (w/Gedo & Dick Togo) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Toa Henare & Ryusuke Taguchi (7:39)

This was a quick undercard tag with a funny finish.

White teased starting with Henare, but stalled instead. KENTA and Juice tagged in. KENTA used a choke against the ropes and a hair pull to gain the upper hand. KENTA fired off some kicks. Juice answered with jabs and an inverted atomic drop. 

KENTA fell victim to a 5-on-1. Tanahashi tagged in and he was on the wrong end of a 5-on-1 Bullet Club attack. Bullet Club used their human centipede abdominal stretch on Tana. Tana hit a dragon screw on Owens and tagged Finlay. Finlay was quickly cut off after an Owens knee strike. 

EVIL tagged in and got hit with a Finlay neckbreaker. Taguchi tagged in and immediately got hit with Everything is EVIL for the pin. 

Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & SHO defeated SANADA, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI (9:13)

There were some nice teases for first round New Japan Cup matches here with Okada vs. Shingo and Ishii vs. SANADA. 

Okada and Shingo locked up. They’ll face off in the main event on Saturday. Okada teased a clean break against the ropes. Shingo wouldn’t allow the clean break and fired off some forearms. 

SANADA and Ishii tagged in. SANADA wanted to have a grappling battle, while Ishii wanted to turn it into a fist fight. SANADA hit a leapfrog dropkick. Ishii did a great subtle sell of his ribs, which Jay White heavily worked over last Saturday. 

Shingo tagged in and traded strikes with Ishii. BUSHI tripped Ishii from the floor. LIJ used wuick tags in working Ishii over. BUSHI choked him with his t-shirt. SANADA hit a side suplex for a near fall. Ishii and SANADA traded finisher attempts. 

Okada and Shingo tagged back in. Okada hit a back elbow and DDT for a near fall. They traded strikes. Shingo hit a corner clothesline. Okada blocked a pumping bomber and tried a Money Clip. Shingo slid out and tried a lariat. Okada blocked with a big boot. 

SHO tagged in for a nice exchange with Shingo. Shingo hit a big tackle and tagged BUSHI. BUSHI connected with a missile dropkick, a basement dropkick and a DDT. Everyone jumped in ahead of the finish. Shingo and BUSHI doubled up on SHO. SHO hit Shingo with a spear. 

SHO hit a deadlift German to BUSHI. SHO hit a lariat and called for Shock Arrow. He hit it, then pinned BUSHI. 

Ishii and SANADA traded chops after the match. 

**********

Wrestle Grand Slam was announced for May 15 in Yokohama Stadium and in Tokyo Dome on May 29. 

***** Intermission *****

New Japan Cup first round match: Jeff Cobb defeated Satoshi Kojima (11:50)

This was slow, but the work was very solid and every move meant something. 

They opened up with some power spots. They traded tackles. Cobb missed a splash in the corner. Kojima hit machine gun chops in the corner. Kojima went for a top rope elbow, but Cobb cut him off. Kojima avoided a slam off the top. Cobb hit a lariat. 

Kojima kicked out of a second lariat. Cobb hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. Cobb hit chops in the corner. He teased a top rope elbow to taunt Kojima. Kojima cut him off and tried for a superplex. Kojima connected with the superplex after a struggle. 

Kojima hit a shining wizard. Cobb rolled to the floor. Kojima tried a plancha. Cobb caught Kojima out of mid-air, hit two backbreakers, then a slam on the floor. 

Kojima hit a chop block to Cobb on the apron. Kojima followed with a DDT on the apron. Kojima hit a top rope elbow. Cobb blocked a cutter and hit a jumping uppercut forearm. Cobb hit a powerslam into the corner pad. Kojima answered with a cutter and a brainbuster for a near fall. 

Kojima teased pulling off his elbow pad for a lariat. Cobb stopped him and hit a spin cycle and a gutwrench powerbomb for a near fall. 

Kojima blocked Tour of the Islands. Cobb blocked a lariat. Kojima hit a lariat, but Cobb kicked out. 

Kojima removed his elbow pad. Cobb blocked a lariat with a superkick. Kojima blocked a lariat with a shoulder block. 

Kojima went for another lariat, but Cobb caught him coming in and hit a Tour of the Islands for the pin. 

New Japan Cup first round match: Great-O-Khan defeated Tetsuya Naito by referee stoppage (20:20)

This was a struggle. Naito did his best to have a good match and they paced it well given that they had to go so long, but O-Khan is learning on the job and isn’t up to the NJPW standard for long singles matches yet. 

A quick openingexchange saw Naito send O-Khan outside, then mock O-Khan’s pose. Back inside, O-Khan used a choke on the mat. He sent Naito ouside and they brawled around the ring. O-Khan whipped Naito into the barricade. 

O-Khan hit a throw, then sat on Naito’s back in the corner. Naito came back with a one-legged dropkick and a combinacion in the corner. Naito scored with a neckbreaker. O-Khan came back with Mongolian chops and used a figure four around the post. 

O-Khan hit Naito’s right knee with a chair as it was wrapped around the post. O-Khan hit a kneebreaker on the chair at the base of the ramp. Naito made it back in at 19. O-Khan used a claw on Naito’s knee. A claw on the knee.

O-Khan hooked Naito’s knee with a modified deathlock. O-Khan again used a claw on the knee. I don’t know. 

Naito hit a backdrop, then a series of back elbows in the corner. Naito hit diamond dust for a near fall. Naito went for Gloria. O-Khan blocked and hit a face-first slam. 

Naito blocked two Dominator attempts and hit a desperation Destino. Naito could not follow with a pinfall attempt. Naito hit an enzuigiri. O-Khan blocked a second Destino and hit a lariat for a near fall. 

O-Khan used a key lock on the knee, then used a kneebar. Naito fought the hold for a long time. He teased tapping out, he teased reaching the ropes, but Red Shoes eventually called for the stoppage. 

O-Khan continued stomping on the knee after the bell. Naito was helped to the back. 

IWGP Heavyweight Championship & IWGP Intercontinental Championship double title match: Kota Ibushi defeated El Desperado (w/Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) to retain the titles (20:36)

This was exactly what it should have been. Ibushi gave Desperado a ton and they had a great match.

They started out with chain wrestling. Desperado got the slight edge in the opening exchange and worked Ibushi’s left arm over the middle rope. Ibushi turned to strikes and hit a mid kick. The fight went to the floor. Ibushi sent Desperado into the barricade. Back in, Ibushi hit a slam for a near fall. 

Ibushi used a chinlock to set up a quick near fall. Ibushi fired off more strikes and dared Desperado to strike with him. Ibushi repeatedly got the better of the striking battles. 

Desperado went after Ibushi’s left leg with dragon screws. Desperado applied Numero Dos, but Ibushi fought to the ropes. Ibushi blocked Guitarra de Angel. Ibushi hit a powerslam and teased a follow-up moonsault. Desperado kicked Ibushi off the ropes to the floor. 

Desperado hit a suicide flip dive through the ropes. Back inside, Desperado hit Guitarra de Angel for a two count. Desperado continued attacking the left leg with stomps. Ibushi fought off a figure four attempt. Ibushi hit a double stomp, but sold his knee on landing. 

They traded strikes. Desperado picked Ibushi’s ankle and got Numero Dos applied again. Ibushi fought to the ropes to force a break. Ibushi countered a low dropkick attempt with another double stomp. 

They traded strikes. Desperado fired up after a series of hard kicks. Desperado hit a slam for a two count. Desperado went up top and connected with a frog splash for a close near fall. 

Desperado went for Pinche Loco. Ibushi blocked and hit a mid kick, a palm strike to the chest, then a v-trigger. Desperado blocked a high kick with a straight right hand. 

Ibushi blocked another Pinche Loco attempt and hit a lariat. Ibushi hit last ride for a two count. Ibushi called for the Kamigoye. Desperado reversed into el es culero for a two count. 

Ibushi hit a high kick. Desperado avoided Kamigoye and locked on Numero Dos. Ibushi reversed into a cradle for a near fall. Ibushi hit Kamigoye. Desperado kicked out. 

Ibushi hit a second Kamigoye and this time it was enough for the 1-2-3. 

Ibushi held up Desperado’s hand in a show of respect after the match. 

Ibushi cut a promo. He said he will unify the titles, he will take on all challengers and specifically called out Tanahashi at the commentary desk. 

He closed saying will never leave us, he will never betray us. 

NJPW announces full card for 49th Anniversary Show

Posted on by Bryan Rose

New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced the card for their 49th Anniversary Show on March 4 at Budokan Hall.

The main event will feature IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Kota Ibushi face new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado. At the press conference, it was noted that the titles would not be on the line. However, after Ibushi requested the match be for the titles, it was announced that Ibushi would defend both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles for the last time. The championships will then merge into one title, the IWGP World Heavyweight title.

Additionally, the first two New Japan Cup opening round matches will take place. Tetsuya Naito will face The Great-O-Khan, and Satoshi Kojima will face Jeff Cobb.

Here is the full card for the March 4 event:

  • Kota Ibushi vs. El Desperado in a special singles match
  • New Japan Cup first round: Tetsuya Natio vs. The Great-O-Khan
  • New Japan Cup first round: Satoshi Kojima vs. Jeff Cobb
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Toa Henare, and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. EVIL, KENTA, Chase Owens, Jay White, and Taiji Ishimori
  • Master Wato, Gabriel Kidd, Tomoaki Honma and Hirooki Goto vs. Taichi, Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., and DOUKI

NJPW to unify IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental titles

Posted on by Ethan Renner

NJPW will be unifying the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships into a new title, according to a report from Tokyo Sports.

The report quotes NJPW Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi and states that the Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles will be unified as the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, a new title, and that current double champ Kota Ibushi will be recognized as the first IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. 

Sugabayashi also suggests in the article that Ibushi will make the first defense of the new title against the winner of the New Japan Cup. 

The report also states that a new physical title belt will be made to represent the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Ibushi has been advocating for the title unification since defeating Tetsuya Naito for both top IWGP belts at Wrestle Kingdom 15 on January 4. 

Naito, who came to be synonymous with the Intercontinental title with a record six reigns spanning 814 days, challenged Ibushi at today’s Castle Attack show in Osaka for just the IC Championship. The build to that match played heavily on Ibushi’s desire to unify the titles and Naito’s want to separate them. 

Prior to the solo IC defense at Castle Attack, the Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships had been defended in double title matches since January 5, 2020, when IC champ Naito beat Kazuchika Okada for the Heavyweight title in a “Double Gold Dash.”

NJPW will hold a press conference at 1 a.m. Eastern time Monday. The official announcement of the new title, the field and brackets for the 2021 New Japan Cup, plus the card for the 49th Anniversary event on March 4 are expected at the presser.

At the conclusion of today’s Castle Attack event, new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado challenged Ibushi to a match at the anniversary show for both the Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles, as the Jr. Champion traditionally faces the Heavyweight Champion on that show. However, Tokyo Sports reports that their match will be non-title. 

NJPW 49th Anniversary Show title match challenge accepted

Posted on by Bryan Rose

New IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion El Desperado will challenge Kota Ibushi for both of his titles at New Japan’s 49th Anniversary Show later this week.

After Ibushi successfully retained the IWGP Intercontinental title on tonight’s Castle Attack show against Tetsuya Naito, Desperado came out, sporting his new IWGP Junior title that he had won in the co-main event. He brought up that he had challenged for the Junior title against Ibushi back in 2014 in Osaka, and now he wanted to challenge Ibushi for both of his championships. Ibushi accepted .

Recent anniversary shows have featured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion challenging the IWGP Heavyweight champion to a non-title match. Last year’s match was supposed to feature then Junior champion Hiromu Takahashi challenge then Heavyweight champion Tetsuya Natio. However, that event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 49th NJPW Anniversary Show will take place on March 4, this Thursday, at Budokan Hall.

NJPW Castle Attack night two live results: Ibushi vs. Naito

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Recommended matches —

  • IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Phantasmo vs. BUSHI vs. El Desperado
  • IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito

Report —

Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima defeated Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb (9:56)

This was a shocking result. The match was quite good. 

Kojima and Tenzan overcame a jumpstart before the bell and Kojima ran wild on Ospreay and Cobb. The story they told early was that Cobb and Ospreay didn’t have their timing down as a team yet and they did some miscommunication spots. 

Ospreay came back on Kojima with a springboard elbow. Tenzan got a tag and hit a brainbuster. Cobb hit a spin cycle on Kojima. Tenzan jumped in to save Kojima and Cobb abd Ospreay taunted him with Mongolian chops. 

Tenzan snapped and fired off a series of Mongolian chops in spite of being banned from using them. This was not a DQ. 

Kojima and Tenzan hit a Kozy Cutter on Cobb for a near fall with Ospreay saving. Cobb blocked a Kojima lariat. 

Kojima hit Cobb with a lariat on the second attempt and pinned Cobb. 

Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano defeated EVIL, Jay White & Chase Owens (w/Gedo & Dick Togo) (8:35)

Great selling by Ishii here, but they didn’t have enough time to have much of a match. 

Ishii and White started off. White immediately tagged out. Owens tagged in and went to work on Ishii’s ribs, which White worked over yesterday. White and Owens doubled up on Ishii in the ring. EVIL went after Okada on the floor. 

Bullet Club used their human centipede abdominal stretch on Ishii. Ishii took on Bullet Club 1-on-3. He hit a drop toehold EVIL who fell on White, then a German on Owens. 

Yano got a hot tag. Gedo jumped on the apron and took a bump. Togo exposed a turnbuckle and Yano charged into the exposed steel. Okada got a tag. Owens and Okada were legal as everyone jumped in for a big move and worked towards the finish. 

Okada used the Money Clip on Owens and Owens tapped. 

IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match: Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa (w/Jado) defeated Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI to retain the titles (15:46)

This was very good. Everyone worked really hard, the Bullet Club shenanigans were kept to a minimum and the pacing was excellent. 

Goto and YH came out firing at the opening bell, landing a series of strikes. Jado jumped in and Goto and YH hit him with their war drums trikes to the back. YH got cut off and worked over. 

YH kicked out of a gun stun, a tandem neckbreaker and a Magic Killer. Jado called for a super powerbomb, but YH fought off the attempt. YH rolled out of the way of a frog splash. Goto intercepted an attempt at a diving headbutt and got a hot tag. 

Goto hit trademark offense. He landed a wheel kick and bulldog on Tama for a near fall, with Tanga saving. YH and Goto hit a tandem neckbreaker on Tanga. Goto and YH hit the GYW on Tama, but Tama kicked out. 

Tanga blocked a GYR on Tama with a German to YH. YH blocked a Magic Killer on Goto and hit a German to Tanga. Goto hit Tama with an ushigoroshi for a near fall. Tanga hit a powerslam on YH. All four were in and down in the ring. 

Tama and Goto did a great series of counters and misdirection spots. YH hit a thrust kick on Tama into a fireman’s carry slam from Goto for a near fall. Tanga jumped in and tried a belt shot, but YH blocked. 

With the ref’s back turned, Jado hit Goto with a kendo stick. Tama followed up with a gun stun and scored the pinfall victory. 

***** Intermission *****

NEVER Openweight Championship match: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Great-O-Khan to retain the title (18:44)

O-Khan just doesn’t have the acumen to pull off a long singles match at this stage of his career, so this was very much a one-man show and effort by Tanahashi. It was good, but it was good because Tanahashi willed it to be. 

O-Khan tried for a Dominator right away. Tana blocked and teased a dragon suplex. Tana went for a dragon screw. O-Khan blocked and went for the Dominator again. Tana slid out and hit a dropkick to the left leg. 

They rolled outside. Yota Tsuji got involved. O-Khan got in Tsuji’s face. Tana stepped between them. O-Khan held Tana up and dared Tsuji to hit him. Tsuji balled up his fist as though he was considering hitting Tanahashi, but Tana fought free before Tsuji had to make a choice. 

Back in the ring, O-Khan went after Tanahashi’s left knee. Tana fought back with a series of strikes, a slam and a somersault senton for a near fall. Tana hit a pair of dragon screws. O-Khan snapped Tana’s neck across the top strand. Tana answered with a dragon screw in the ropes. 

Tana used another dragon screw, then applied a cloverleaf. O-Khan forced a rope break. There was a botched spot that was supposed to lead to O-Khan gaining the upper hand. It looked like he missed a knee strike but Tana was forced to sell it anyway. 

O-Khan tied Tana to the tree of woe. He hit a gordbuster and two inverted powerslams. O-Khan used the iron claw to set up a Dominator attempt. Tana blocked and we had dueling iron claws. Tana hit a slap with the left hand. 

O-Khan shoved the ref in the path of a slingblade. The ref took a bump. O-Khan hit a left hand with a closed fist. O-Khan called for Tsuji to hand him a chair. Tana slid the chair to Tana instead. Tana sat on the chair, then hit a drop toehold on the chair. 

O-Khan blocked a slingblade and hit a pump kick. Tana blocked a Dominator and hit an inverted slingblade. Tana hit a standing High Fly Flow. O-Khan rolled out of the way of a second High Fly Flow. O-Khan hit a Woo dropkick. 

O-Khan hit a flying forearm for a two count. O-Khan ended up bleeding from the nose or mouth here. Tana reversed a whip into a slingblade. Tana hit two more slingblades. O-Khan popped up and hit a lariat for a near fall. 

 O-Khan used an iron claw to set up a modified torture rack into an airplane spin bomb. 

O-Khan went for the Dominator. Tana pulled O-Khan over into a crucifix for the flash pin. 

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match: El Desperado defeated El Phantasmo & BUSHI to win the vacant title (23:12)

This match was incredible. It had everything you would want out of a main event title match and Desperado absolutely deserves the title after really upping his game since Best of the Super Juniors.

ELP got sent outside right away. Desperado gained the upper hand on BUSHI. ELP jumped back in and Desperado suplexed BUSHI on top of him. BUSHI hit a top rope rana on Desperado. He followed with a bulldog-dropkick combo for a near fall. 

BUSHI tried a draping DDT on the apron, but ELP blocked and tossed him to the floor. ELP hit a legdrop with Desperado draped across the top rope and got a two count off of it. ELP walked across the top rope. Desperado crotched him. BUSHI hit the hangman’s DDT on Desperado, then a missile dropkick to ELP for a near fall. 

BUSHI hit a suicide dive to Desperado on the ramp. ELP hit a springboard crossbody off the top to the ramp onto BUSHI and Desperado. ELP posted BUSHI. He then tore Desperado’s mask and hit him with a piledriver on the ramp. ELP removed Desperado’s mask and put it on himself. 

ELP and BUSHI went at it in the ring while ringside workers tended to Desperado on the ramp. ELP blocked a codebreaker and tore BUSHI’s shirt off. ELP stood on BUSHI’s crotch in the corner. ELP loaded his boot. ELP hit two quebradas for a near fall. 

ELP hit an airplane spin neckbreaker and a frog splash for a two count. Desperado struggled back to the ring and nailed ELP with a spear. Desperado clotheslined ELP to the floor. Desperado hit a suicide flip dive onto both ELP and BUSHI at the 15 minute call. 

Desperado tried a superplex. BUSHI cut it off and hit a stacked up powerbomb. BUSHI hit a codebreaker to Desperado for a two count as ELP saved. 

BUSHI blocked a superkick with the loaded boot and hung ELP’s leg up in the ropes. BUSHI hit a swinging neckbreaker for a two count on Desperado. BUSHI hit a codebreaker to Desperado. ELP tossed BUSHI outside and covered Desperado for two. 

ELP used a Styles Clash for a near fall as BUSHI broke up the pin, then used a crucifix for two on ELP. ELP hit a v-trigger to BUSHI, then one to Desperado. Desperado blocked a One-Winged Angel and used el es culero for a near fall. 

Desperado caught ELP in Numero Dos. ELP reversed into a cradle for a near fall. ELP blocked Pinche Loco. Desperado hit an Angle slam for a two count at the 20 minute call. 

ELP blocked Pinche Loco and hit three kicks with the loaded boot. ELP hit CRII . BUSHI stopped the ref from counting three. BUSHI hit a codebreaker on ELP for a two count. 

BUSHI came off the ropes with an MX attempt, but got caught with the loaded boot. BUSHI rolled outside and ELP could not follow up. Desperado ducked a superkick and hit a right hand. 

ELP turned a Pinche Loco into a back-to-chest cover for a two count. Desperado bridged out and hit Pinche Loco. Depserado rolled through and hit a second Pinche Loco and pinned ELP.

IWGP Intercontinental Championship match: Kota Ibushi defeated Tetsuya Naito to retain the title (27:50)

No one appeared to be seriously injured and that’s always the most important thing when these two go at it. A very good main event. 

As they have in their tag battles on this tour, they opened with five minutes of very good mat wrestling. Naito then fired off a series of strikes in the corner. Ibushi avoided a combinacion in the corner, but ran into a Naito basement dropkick to the left knee. 

Ibushi sold like his left knee had gone out on him. He did a great job of selling. Naito tried a whip into the barricade, but Ibushi sold like his knee gave and collapsed before he reached the fence. 

Back inside, Naito applied a figure four. Ibushi forced a rope break at the ten minute call. Naito continued working on the knee, driving it into the mat. Ibushi hit a dropkick, then a flying mid kick with the right leg for his first significant offense. Ibushi hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. 

Naito dropped Ibushi with a slap. He followed with a basement dropkick for a near fall. Naito went back after the leg with stomps. Naito hit a combinacion cabron and posed. Naito hit a neckbreaker for a two count. 

Naito used a crucifix submission. Ibushi fired off a flurry, but Naito answered with a swing DDT. They traded strikes. Naito went back after the knee. Naito used an ankle lock and grapevined the hold. Ibushi forced a rope break. 

Naito hit a diamond dust and Gloria for a near fall at the 20 minute mark. Naito teased a reverse frankensteiner off the top rope. Ibushi slid out and knocked Naito to the mat with strikes. Ibushi kicked Naito to the apron and teased a straightjacket German back into the ring. Naito blocked the straightjacket, but Ibushi hit a regular German off the second rope back inside for a near fall. 

Ibushi hit a bomaye and a last ride for a two count. Naito blocked a Kamigoye and hit valentia into a double down. Naito hit a series of elbows to the back of the neck, looking to set up Destino. Ibushi blocked an elbow and hit a thunderous lariat. 

Naito blocked another Kamigoye attempt. Naito hit Destino. Ibushi kicked out at two. 

Ibushi blocked another Destino. Ibushi hit a high kick and a v-trigger. Ibushi hit Kamigoye to the back of Naito’s head. Naito blocked a second Kamigoye and rolled Ibushi up for two. Ibushi hit a second Kamigoye. Naito kicked out. 

Ibushi hit a third Kamigoye and this time it was enough for the 1-2-3.

**********

El Desperado made his way to the ring after the match to challenge Ibushi for the main event of Thursday’s Anniversary show. 

Desperado said he finally won the IWGP Jr. title tonight, but the first time he had challenged for that title was years ago against Ibushi here in Osaka. 

Desperado said it’s customary for the Jr. Champion to wrestle the Heavyweight Champion at the anniversary show, but why not make it for the Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles?

Ibushi said anytime, anywhere, he accepts the challenge. He said he remembers that match with Desperado, and Desperado sucked back then. Ibushi said he’s a different man today and again said he’ll accept the chalenge at the anniversary show. 

Ibushi thanked the fans and closed the show by posing with his titles. 

Daily Update: Weekend shows, AEW Revolution, Jocephus

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

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WON NEWSLETTER: March 1, 2021 Observer Newsletter: 2020 Awards Issue, Elimination Chamber

The biggest and most-talked about issue of the year, the 2020 awards issue, is out today.  The issue covers the awards winners as voted on by the readership in these categories.  It also has all the top place winners for every category, comments on the awards for this year as well as a listing dating back to 1980 of all the awards winners in all the different categories.

We also have the performer and match of the week.

WWE Elimination Chamber show, with notes on direction, business, interest level, poll results and star ratings.

Also in this issue:

The new television war in Canada on Wednesday, how the first week went and what to look for, details on the WWE’s A&E Documentaries, who is being covered and more, reaction to Undertaker’s comments about current wrestlers being soft, migration of WWE Network to Peacock, Sasha Banks talks wanting to quit a few years ago, WWE business approaches, how WWE & AEW are doing as compared to televised sports this past week, Bill Goldberg on TV, notes on lots of new signees and are starting in camp including some not revealed yet, new WWE Network event, update on the Vince McMahon/Oliver Luck legal case, Ric Flair on why he doesn’t talk to the other Horsemen, Arn Anderson talks why a major international star flopped in WWE, WWE wins awards, the current WWE market value and the most-watched shows of the past week on the WWE Network.

This past week’s UFC show, the background, how it affects fighters going forward, and details behind the late changes in the show.

Television ratings of the past week, including segment-by-segment numbers for the past two weeks on Wednesday, who was watching in different age groups, how different segments did on Raw & Smackdown and more.

ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].

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If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.

FRIDAY NEWS UPDATE

Garrett Gonzales and I did our usual Friday show yesterday talking the 2020 Observer Awards with Tony Khan as well as talked the last year of the promotion with a lot of behind-the-scenes stories including about talent performing at the beginning of the pandemic, the writing of the Brodie Lee Memorial Show, initial reaction of Garrett giving both of us the weekly ratings and other fun stuff.

AEW tickets for Revolution were put on sale this morning and sold out instantly.  It was around 1,095 tickets (unofficial number) and some are reserved for local sponsors and those who work with and for the Jaguars so paid would be a little less than that.  There are 96 tickets left for Wednesday’s Dynamite tapings with Shaq at the moment of writing this, , so that will end up being sold out as well. (thanks to Bill Zdon)

There are three wrestling deaths to report of name wrestlers of the 50s, 60s and 70s. Jumping Johnny DeFazio of Pittsburgh, who Bruno Sammartino thought could have been a big star but he had a regular job in the city and didn’t want to travel, passed away at 80.  He was a union  leader with the Steelworkers and later an Allegheny County Council President. Don Serrano, who worked all over the world for 34 years, passed away.  He had to be close to 90.  Art “Boom Boom” Michalik, who was an All-Pro NFL player and an Olympic hopeful in wrestling for the 1952 games, a name pro wrestler into the early 70s, and later a notable football coach at the high school level, passed away this week at the age of 91.  At one time in the 60s, Don Owen had Michalik, Don Manoukian (who played for the Raiders), Curtis Iaukea (a star at Cal) and The Destroyer (a star at Syracuse) all together.  Jim Otto, who was an NFL legend as one of the great centers of all-time , came up there to talk Manoukian into coming to camp and they ended up almost talking him out of going to camp with all the fun they had touring Oregon wrestling.  They almost got him wrestling as a German heel.  We will have stories on all three in next week’s issue. All three have very notable life stories.

Smackdown tonight has Bianca Belair making her choice for WrestleMania, which would presumably be Sasha Banks, plus Chad Gable & Otis vs. Rey & Dominik Mysterio and the  Street Profits vs. King Corbin & Sami Zayn. 205 Live was taped Wednesday with August Grey vs. Tony Nese and Curt Stallion & Masoor vs. Ever-Rise.

New Japan Castle Attack from Osaka Castle Hall tonight is at 2 a.m. Eastern on New Japan World. There will be live English language coverage with Kevin Kelly:

  • Hiroshi Tanahashi & Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Will Ospreay & Great O’Khan & Jeff Cobb
  • Tanga Loa vs. Yoshi-Hashi
  • Tama Tonga vs. Hirooki Goto
  • Toru Yano vs. Chase Owens in a KOPW title match where the object is to remove the turnbuckle pads
  • Jay White vs. Tomohiro Ishii
  • Kazuchika Okada vs. Evil

Tomorrow has the second night of Castle Attack at midnight, which means prime time at 9 p.m. Pacific:

  • Ospreay & Cobb vs. Kojima & Tenzan
  • Okada & Ishii & Yano vs Evil & White & Owens
  • Tonga & Loa vs. Yoshi-Hashi & Goto for IWGP tag titles
  • Tanahashi vs. O’Khan for Never Open weight title
  • El Phantasmo vs. Desperado vs. Bushi for vacant IWGP jr. title
  • Kota Ibushi vs.  Tetsuya Naito for IC title

Tonight is the biggest episode of New Japan Strong in its history starting at 10 p.m. on New Japan World or on FITE TV with Jon Moxley vs. KENTA for the U.S. title, Ren Narita vs. Chris Dickinson and Brody King & ACH & The Riegel Twins vs. The DKC & Kevin Knight & Clark Connors & TJP

The highest segment on Wednesday night was the brawl with Sting & Darby Allin vs. Team Taz.  It wasn’t the high quarter, but the brawl itself averaged 1,002,000 viewers and 512,000 in 18-49.  A Matt Jackson promo and the Britt Baker vs Nyla Rosa ring entrances also topped 500,000 in 18-49.  Parts of Adam Page vs. Isaiah Kassidy also topped 1 million viewers.

UFC weigh-ins for tomorrow’s show which will be on ESPN+ starting at 6 p.m. Eastern:

  • Dustin Jacoby (204.5) vs. Maxim Grishin (210.5) – Grishim missed by 4.5 pounds and forfeits 30 percent of his purse
  • Vince Cachero (135.5) vs. Ronnie Lawrence (135.5)
  • Alexis Davis (135) vs. Sabina Mazo (135.5)
  • Alexander Hernandez (156) vs. Thiago Moises (155.5)
  • Alex Caceres (146) vs. Kevin Croom (145.5)
  • Angela Hill (116) vs. Ashley Yoder (116)
  • Pedro Munhoz (135.5) vs. Jimmie Rivera (135.5)
  • Montana De La Rose (126) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (125.5)
  • Nikita Krylov (205.5) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (205.5)
  • Jairzinho Rozenstruik (254.5) vs. Ciryl Gane (247)

The scheduled Alex Oliveira vs.  Ramazan Kuramagomedov fight is off as Kuramagomedov was taken ill this morning.

ROH has a major TV show syndicated this weekend with two title bouts with Rush vs. Shane Taylor for the ROH title and Jonathan Gresham & Jay Lethal vs. Kenny King & Dragon Lee for the tag titles.

Here are the BetOnline.ag odds for AEW Revolution:

  • Kenny Omega -500 vs. Jon Moxley +300
  • Young Bucks -250 vs. Jericho & MJF +170
  • Adam Page -300 vs. Matt Hardy +200
  • Sting & Darby Allin -400 vs. Brian Cage & Ricky Starks +250
  • Best Friends -160 vs. Kip Sabian & Miro +120

WWE

UFC

  • Deiveson Figueiredo is a -235 favorite against Brandon Moreno for their flyweight title rematch at sportsbetting.ag

OTHER NOTES

  • This story regarding an award given to Tiger Jeet Singh Sr., who was a huge star in Japan and Canada during the 70s, got mainstream media coverage in Japan.  Slam Wrestling has the story of a special presentation on Thursday to Tiger Jeet Singh, Tiger Ali Singh and the Tiger Jeet Singh Foundation by Japan, receiving the Consul-General’s Commendation.
  • CNN has a profile on the art/wrestling journal Orange Crush.
  • Kevin Eck’s weekly look at the ROH news.
  • SWE Fury TV Show results from this week’s episode 207 Charlie Hass defeated Gino Valentino by submission Andrew Anderson was disqualified in his match vs Action Jackson Moonshine Mantell vs Max Castellanos fought to a no contest Malia Hosaka defeated Jazmin Allure Rodney Mac Defeated Niles Plonk to become the new SWE Fury SWE TV Champion.
  •  SWE is doing a TV Taping/Facebook PPV this Saturday Feb 27th from Carthage TX . Order information is at this link:
  • Ricky Knight’s WAW promotion appears to be in trouble and a story on how they are trying to keep it alive. (thanks to Lee Wall)
  • A Go Fund Me for the family of Tom Cole, who passed away last week due to suicide,  was set up by his sister.
  • There is also a Go Fund Me Memorial Fund for the family of Joseph “Josephus” Hudson aka The Question Mark in NWA. The goal was $15,000 for burial and medical costs but it had raised $26,000 as of earlier today with major donors including David Arquette, Victor Deaton, Tony Falk, Cody Runnels, Shaun Ricker, David Lagana, Jimmy’s Seafood Restaurant, and many others.  More money raised will go to a trust fund for his 10-year-old son.
  • Jake Roberts, Jim Duggan, Lisa Marie Varon and Matt Taven have been announced for the 2021 WrestleCon convention.
  • The Wrestling Estate reported that ECWA, UWA Elite and Synergy Pro Wrestling have announced the creation of a Territory Championship that will be defended throughout New Jersey and the surrounding area.
  • A story on a George Romero pro wrestling television show pilot that resurfaced. (thanks to Joe Puccio)
  • Legacy Fighting announced a 3/12 show in Shawnee, OK at the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort airing live on Fight Pass with A.J. Dobson (5-0) vs. Maika Graf (8-1) in a middleweight main event.
  • NFC on 3/20 at District in Midtown Atlanta.
  • Calvin Tankman vs. Laredo Kid was announced for Wednesday’s MLW Fusion TV show.
  • John Lineker vs. Stephen Loman is set for the 4/28 ONE show in Singapore which will be airing live on TNT right after Dynamite on 4/27.

Daily Pro Wrestling History: British Bulldog becomes first WWF European Champion

CONTACT INFORMATION

NJPW Road to Castle Attack results: Ibushi & Nagata vs. LIJ

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Recommended matches —

  • Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi vs. Kota Ibushi & Yuji Nagata 

Report —

Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Yuya Uemura defeated Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado (8:57)

This wasn’t good, but I’ll say this for Jado — he’s moving much better than he has in recent years. 

Jado and Uemura began as the legal men. Goto and YH stopped G.O.D. from interfering. Jado hit a tackle and cut Uemura off. G.O.D. brawled with Goto and YH on the outside. Bullet Club spent several minutes working on Uemura. 

Uemura came back with a dropkick and tagged Goto. Goto hit a bulldog for a near fall on Tama. Goto and YH double teamed an interfering Tanga. YH got a tag and got triple teamed by G.O.D. and Jado. Jado hit a draping DDT for a near fall. 

Uemura stopped Jado from using a kendo stick as everyone jumped in at the finish. YH hit a lariat for a two count, then used the butterfly lock to submit Jado. 

Great-O-Khan, Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Yota Tsuji (9:28)

This was paint-by-numbers. 

United Empire attacked while Tanahashi was posing on the ropes during his entrance. Tenzan and Ospreay ended up the legal men. After a short triple team on Ospreay, Tenzan found himself on the wrong side of the ring and being worked over by United Empire. 

O-Khan taunted Tenzan with Mongolian chops. Cobb joined in and hit Tenzan with Mongolian chops. Ospreay tagged in and hit some as well. Tenzan came back with a wheel kick on Ospreay. 

O-Khan and Tana got tags. Tana hit a high cross for a near fall. They traded strikes. O-Khan blocked a slingblade and used a kneebar. Tana forced a break. Cobb tagged in and was hit with a dragon screw. Tana tagged out to Tsuji. 

Tsuji used a dropkick on Cobb. Cobb was tripled up on. Tsuji hit a splash for a near fall. Cobb got rolled up for a two count and placed in a crab. Cobb forced a break. 

Cobb hit a spin cycle for a two count. All six men were in. O-Khan used a claw to drag Tana to the floor. Cobb then hit Tour of the Islands for the pin. 

SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI defeated Yujiro Takahashi, El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori (9:55)

I’m not advocating for these Road to shows to be longer, but with about five extra minutes this could have been a good match. Instead, it was a standard house show undercard tag that felt too quick. 

Ishimori and ELP tried to double team BUSHI at the opening bell. BUSHI and Hiromu fought them off. Yujiro caught BUSHI with a boot from the apron and Bullet Club turned this into a ringside brawl. 

Back in, Ishimori teased going after BUSHI’s mask. Yujiro tagged in for more of the same. ELP tagged in for some of his comedy spots. Ishimori and ELP tagged in and out and continued the assault. 

BUSHI made a tag after a step-up enzuigiri on ELP. Hiromu got a hot tag and took on Ishimori and ELP 1-on-2. He hit a double shotgun dropkick and avoided ELP’s airplane spin neckbreaker. 

SANADA and Yujiro tagged in for the closing sequence. Each bit the other’s hand.Yujiro hit a basement dropkick and fisherman buster for a two count. SANADA avoided Miami Shine and landed on his feet off a suplex. LIJ hit a triple dropkick. 

ELP, Ishimori, Hiromu and BUSHI brawled to the floor. SANADA used Skull End with a body scissors for the submission win. 

ELP gave Hiromu and ELP t-shirt after the match. That was kind of him. 

EVIL, Jay White, Chase Owens & Dick Togo (w/Gedo) defeated Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & SHO (14:28)

This was the best match on the show to this point. 

Bullet Club kicked the ring announcer out of the ring as CHAOS made their entrance, but the cameras missed it. Bullet Club wisely retreated out of the ring as CHAOS entered to avoid a sneak attack before the bell. 

All eight brawled around the ring. Owens again teased a strap match with Yano, using the strap on the outside. Yano ended up getting a Bullet Club beatdown in the ring. EVIL sent him into an exposed buckle. Owens tagged in and repeated the spot with a second exposed buckle. 

Owens attached himself to Yano with the strap. The referee untied them after a couple of comedy spots. Ishii and White tagged in. Ishii was sent into the turnbuckle. SHO entered for a double team and hit a jumping knee strike. Ishii used a powerslam. 

White avoided a vertical drop brainbuster and hit a DDT after an intricate series of counters and teases between the two. White hit a DVD. Ishii came back with a vertical suplex. 

Okada and EVIL got tags. Okada hit a running back elbow. EVIL dumped Okada over the post to the floor and Okada landed awkwardly. EVIL went after Okada’s left leg. EVIL ducked a Rainmaker and avoided a dropkick. Okada avoided Darkness Falls. EVIL hit a misdirection lariat. Okada hit a DDT. 

SHO and Togo tagged in and had a very nice exchange. CHAOS went 4-on-1 against Togo. EVIL jumped in for the save and hit Everything is EVIL on SHO. He then took out Okada with a lariat. 

With SHO down after taking EVIL’s finisher, Togo covered SHO for the pin. 

White and Gedo choked Ishii with a scarf after the match. EVIL put Okada in the Darkness Scorpion. Owens attacked Yano with the strap. Bullet Club stood tall. 

Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi defeated Kota Ibushi & Yuji Nagata (16:26)

Naito and Ibushi began the match with mat work, as they did yesterday. It was very good and different than anything that anyone in the promotion is doing right now aside from Sabre. Their grappling ended in a stalemate. 

Nagata and Shingo tagged in. Naito entered for an illegal double team to help Shingo gain the advantage. Naito went after Ibushi on the outside and sent him into the barricade. Naito tagged in for a long chinlock on Nagata. 

Shingo fired off some short, taunting strikes to Nagata. Nagata fired up and hit a kitchen sink. Ibushi and Naito got tags. Naito worked on Ibushi’s left leg with a low dropkick and other kicks. Ibushi hit a mid kick and standing moonsault for a near fall. 

Naito escaped a last ride attempt. Naito hit another low dropkick and did a weird delayed sell of an Ibushi mid kick to set up a double down. Shingo tagged in and continued to target the left leg. Ibushi hit a snap rana and tagged out. 

Nagata hit a boot in the corner and a suplex for a near fall. Shingo blocked another boot and hit a dragon screw. Nagata fought off a figure four and landed a series of kicks. Naito hit an exploder. Shingo answered with a lariat. 

They traded strikes. Nagata missed an enzuigiri and Shingo hit a sliding lariat. Naito cut off a tag to Ibushi from Nagata and hit a combinacion. Nagata blocked Destino and used a Nagata Lock. Shingo broke up the hold with elbows. Ibushi entered, but Naito took out his leg with a dropkick. 

Naito used a jackknife cradle for a near fall as Ibushi saved. Naito then hit Destino for the pin and mocked Nagata’s salute as he held the pin. 

Naito closed the show with a promo. 

Full cards announced for NJPW Castle Attack nights one and two

Posted on by Joseph Currier

NJPW has revealed the full lineups for both nights of their next major event.

Castle Attack is taking place at Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka, Japan on Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28. For the first time since Wrestle Kingdom 14’s double title match, the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Champion will defend only one of his titles. Double champion Kota Ibushi’s Intercontinental title will be on the line against Tetsuya Naito in the main event of Castle Attack night two.

After Ibushi retained both of his titles against SANADA at the New Beginning in Hiroshima night two this week, Naito challenged Ibushi to the Intercontinental Championship match. Ibushi has said his dream is to unify the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental titles, while Naito wants them to be kept separate.

Ibushi became IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Champion by defeating Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 15 night one last month.

Three other title matches will also take place at Castle Attack night two. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi will defend his title against El Phantasmo, Hiroshi Tanahashi will defend his NEVER Openweight Championship against The Great O-Khan, and IWGP Tag Team Champions The Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) will put their titles on the line against Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI.

Night one of Castle Attack will be headlined by Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL. Jay White vs. Tomohiro Ishii will be the semi-main event.

Both nights of Castle Attack will air live on NJPW World. Night one will begin at 2 a.m. Eastern time. Night two will start at midnight Eastern.

Here are the full cards for both shows:

Castle Attack night one (Saturday, February 27) —

  • Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL
  • Jay White vs. Tomohiro Ishii
  • KOPW 2021 trophy holder Toru Yano defends against Chase Owens
  • Hirooki Goto vs. Tama Tonga
  • YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tanga Loa
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. The Great O-Khan, Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb

Castle Attack night two (Sunday, February 28) —

  • IWGP Intercontinental Champion Kota Ibushi defends against Tetsuya Naito
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defends against El Phantasmo
  • NEVER Openweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defends against The Great O-Khan
  • IWGP Tag Team Champions The Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) defend against Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI
  • Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano vs. EVIL, Jay White & Chase Owens
  • Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb

NJPW New Beginning in Hiroshima live results: Ibushi vs. SANADA

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI defeated Yota Tsuji, Yuya Uemura & Gabriel Kidd (8:51)

The purpose of this was to get Taichi and Sabre their heat back in an exhibition. It was effective enough at that. 

Tsuji and DOUKI began and had a quick exchange. Uemura and Taichi tagged in. Taichi gained the advantage and Suzuki-gun worked him over. Sabre tagged in and Uemura came back with a dropkick. 

Kidd got a hot tag and had a nice exchange with Sabre. Sabre kicked out of a suplex and used a Fujiwara armbar with some small joint manipulaton of the fingers for the tap.

Tomoaki Honma, SHO & Master Wato defeated Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (8:07)

Wato needs work, but he has flashes of brilliance. There were no such flashes tonight. Suzuki smiling during his entrance was the highlight of the segment. 

Suzuki and Honma started and traded palm strikes to the chest. Honma teased a kokeshi, but Suzuki blocked and Suzuki-gun turned this into a brawl around ringside. Back in the ring, Suzuki-gun used quick tags in working Honma over. 

Honma missed a kokeshi by about five feet but Suzuki sold it anyway and both tagged out. SHO took over on Desperado with kicks. Desperado reversed a power breaker into a cradle for a two count. SHO blocked Pinche Loco. They traded strikes. SHO hit a lariat to maintain the edge. 

Desperado avoided a second power breaker attempt and hit a spear. Kanemaru got a tag and SHO speared him. Wato tagged in and his team went 3-on-1 against Kanemaru. Wato hit a springboard uppercut forearm for a near fall. 

Suzuki-gun tripled up on Wato. Kanemaru hit Deep Impact, but SHO broke up the pin. Wato used a sloppy la carretera for the pin on Kanemaru.

Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI defeated Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo (9:54)

Bullet Club cut BUSHI off after a missile dropkick and BUSH-a-rooni and spent several minutes working him over with their comedy offense. If you like ELP and Ishimori goofing off for five minutes, this is the match for you. 

Hiromu got a tag and business picked up. He hit a double shotgun dropkick on Ishimori and ELP. He used a falcon arrow for a near fall on ELP. Hiromu blocked a Sudden Death loaded superkick. ELP hit an airplane spin neckbreaker into a double down. 

Naito and Yujiro got tags. Naito hit combinacon cabron in the corner. Yujiro used a hand bite, a reverse DDT and a fisherman buster for a two count. Yuiro got a bloody nose here. 

LIJ triple teamed Yujiro. BUSHI hit a tope suicida to Ishimori. Hiromu sent ELP into the fence. Naito used Destino to pick up the pinfall win over Yujiro. 

Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano went to a double countout with EVIL & Dick Togo (1:27)

EVIL tried to stall at the opening bell. Okada went to the floor after him. EVIL used a chair to hold Okada’s neck to the floor and intentionally got them both counted out. 

**********

Okada chased EVIL up the ramp and hit him with a chair. Red Shoes ran out as ringside attendants tried to separate Okada and EVIL. 

Okada cut a promo and challenged EVIL to a singles match right then. EVIL accepted. 

**********

Kazuchika Okada defeated EVIL by DQ (5:41)

This was unique for NJPW, not only in how they set the match up with a sports entertainment angle, but the match itself. 

They basically skipped what would have been the first fifteen minutes of a big NJPW singles match and went right to Okada’s comeback. 

He hit his running back elbow, air raid crash, dropkick and used the Money Clip. EVIL fought to the ropes for a break. 

EVIL used a misdirection lariat to set up Darkness Falls. EVIL used the Darkness Scorpion deathlock. With Okada still in the hold, Togo ran in and choked Okada with his ligature for the DQ. 

Yano ran in to save Okada, but EVIL nailed him with a low blow. 

EVIL’s music played to end the segment as Okada was helped to the back. 

The last two segments were bizarre and not at all like NJPW. This was bad. 1998 Crash TV level booking. 

NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champonship match: Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Jay White, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa to retain the titles (27:02)

This turned into a heck of a match. 

Ishii and White continued their run as co-MVPs of this tour. Their interactions were the highlights of this match and they got a good bit of time to work with. 

Something that I appreciate about these NEVER Six-Man title matches is that the teams always work in some three-man spots. It’s a nice detail that you don’t see in American wrestling. 

Ishii and White began with great intensity. White and Ishii tagged Tama and YH. YH hit a rana, but was quickly cut off and worked over in the Bullet Club corner. YH came back with a neckbreaker on Tama. 

Goto tagged in. He and Tama did a nice series of misdirection spots. Goto avoided a 2-on-1 from G.O.D. and hit a wheel kick and a bulldog on Tama for a near fall. 

G.O.D. doubled up on Goto. Tama used a Tongan Twist for a near fall. Tama blocked a GTR. Goto hit a neckbreaker over his knee and both tagged out. 

White and Ishii did a great series of finisher teases, over and over again. They ended with a huge uranage from White and a double down. 

YH and Tanga got tags. YH hit a headhunter and used the butterfly lock. Tanga powered out. Tama came in for a double team. YH fought out of a Magic Killer. Tanga hit a top rope diving headbutt. Tama hit a frog splash. Goto broke up a pin and fought off both members of G.O.D.

Goto and YH hit a GTW on Tama. They followed with an ushgoroshi/thrust kick combo. Ishii ran in for a sliding lariat. YH hit double knees for a near fall. 

Jado took the ref and White hit YH with a low blow. Bullet Club tried for a super powerbomb, but Ishii and Goto saved. Ishii hit Tanga wth a superplex and followed with a plancha to Tama. Ishii blocked a Blade Runner and hit a suplex on White. YH hit a lariat on Tanga for a two count. 

YH got the butterfly lock applied to Tanga. Gedo took the ref and Jado hit YH with a kendo stick. Tanga hit a lariat for a near fall. 

YH used a magistral cradle to roll up Tanga and pinned him. 

**********

Having pinned one of the tag champs, YH cut a promo and challenged G.O.D. to put the titles on the line against him and Goto. Expect that at Castle Attack. 

**********

IWGP Heavyweight Champonship & IWGP Intercontinental Championship double title match: Kota Ibushi defeated SANADA to retain the titles (27:41)

This was a very good main event. They continued the story they told all tour of the two being mirror images of each other in the ring. One guy would hit a move, the other guy would hit the same move or a similar one. 

They began with some mat work. They then traded shoulder tackles. Ibushi slipped a bit as he tried to kip up off a tackle. Ibushi sent SANADA to the floor after a flying mid kick. Both teased dives off the apron. SANADA hit a magic screw off the barricade for the first high impact move of the match. 

Back in the ring, SANADA got a quick one count off a lateral press. SANADA hit a back suplex out of the corner for a two count, then used a chinlock. Ibushi hit another running mid kick and used a standing moonsault for two. SANADA hit a leapfrog dropkick and a plancha. 

Ibushi avoided a springboard dropkick and hit his own dropkick. Ibushi hit a plancha of his own. SANADA avoided Ibushi’s springboard dropkick. Ibushi hit a snap rana. SANADA countered with a hurricanrana into a double down. 

Ibushi landed on his feet off a suplex attempt and hit a half-and-half suplex. Ibushi hit a last ride for a two count. He called for Kamigoye, but SANADA avoided it. SANADA fought out of a straightjacket German and hit his own Kamigoye. 

Ibushi avoided a second Kamigoye. SANADA lawn darted Ibushi into the corner pad. SANADA hit a top rope superplex and floated over into a magic screw for a two count. 

SANADA got Skull End applied with the hooks in. He used a bodyscissors while maintaining the dragon sleeper. SANADA gave up the hold and missed a monnsault at the 20 minute call. Ibushi lawn darted SANADA into the same corner pad. 

Ibushi teased a German off the second rope back into the ring. SANADA blocked and hit a TKO off the apron to the floor. Back in, SANADA used a tiger suplex with a bridge for a near fall. 

SANADA used a spinning Skull End. Ibushi slid out before the dragon sleeper could be applied and hit a bomaye. SANADA hit a pop-up TKO and a moonsault to the back. He went for another moonsault to the front, but Ibushi got his knees up. 

Ibushi hit a backflip kick. SANADA tried an O’Connor roll, but Ibushi blocked the bridge. Ibushi hit a Kamigoye to the back of the head. Ibushi hit a second Kamigoye — but SANADA kicked out. 

SANADA avoided a third Kamigoye and used two quick cradles for near falls. The second near fall was super close. 

Ibushi hit a high kick, a v-trigger and a third Kamigoye for the pin. 

**********

Ibushi grabbed a mic to cut a promo. Tetsuya Naito made his way to the ring before Ibushi said anything. Naito spoke first. 

Naito challenged for the Intercontinental title. He said he knows Ibushi wants to unify the titles and Naito doesn’t want him to. So Naito doesn’t want to be IWGP Heavyweight Champion?

Ibushi accepted the challenge. 

NJPW Road to The New Beginning results: Ibushi & SHO vs. LIJ

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Recommended matches —

  • Kota Ibushi & SHO vs. SANADA & Hiromu Takahashi 

Report —

Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Yuya Uemura & Gabriel Kidd (7:36)

Suzuki’s interactions with Kidd and Uemura were the highlights of this match. 

Taguchi and company employed a Suzuki-gun tactic and attacked before the opening bell. Taguchi did some comedy. Suzuki-gun rebounded from the attack and cut Kidd off in the ring. 

Kidd tried to trade forearms with Suzuki. Suzuki actually gave Kidd a lot here, doing a subtle sell of the forearms and taking a dropkick. Uemura tagged in and peppered Suzuki with forearms and slaps. Uemura hit a dropkick in the corner and a forearm knockdown for a one count. 

Suzuki tried for the Gotch-style piledriver. Uemura blocked and tried for a crab. Suzuki fought out of the crab attempt. Suzuki-gun tripled up on Uemura. Taguchi saved with hip attacks. Uemura used a back suplex for a near fall on Desperado. 

Suzuki distracted the referee. Desperado hit a strike with a closed fist and Pinche Loco for the pin on Uemura.

EVIL, Jay White & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Gedo & Dick Togo) defeated Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto by DQ (5:17)

 This was more of an extended angle than a match. YOSHI-HASHI was on commentary and caused the DQ. 

Okada, Ishii and Goto attacked before the opening bell. Ishii and Goto went after White on the floor. EVIL sent Okada into the barricade and Abe the ring announcer took a bump. 

EVIL and Okada began as the legal men. Okada teased a dropkick. EVIL hit a lariat for a near fall. Okada tried for the Money Clip. EVIL shoved Okada into the corner to break the hold. Goto tagged in and got tripped by Togo. Yujiro tagged in for a sliding dropkick on Goto. 

White and Ishii jumped in illegally. Ishii suplexed White and White rolled outside. Goto hit an ushigoroshi on Yujiro. White tripped Goto from the floor. 

White grabbed Ishii and pie-faced YH on commentary. YH jumped the rail and got in the ring. He hit a series of strikes on White for the DQ. 

Ishii and YH chased White to the back. Okada cut a promo and challenged EVIL to a singles match right there and then. EVIL declined. Okada went out after EVIL. They ended up back in the ring. EVIL again fought out of the Money Clip. 

EVIL hit his baseball swing chair shot on Okada. 

Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI defeated Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado (9:59)

This was a bad match with a bad finish. Tama was entertaining with his comedy. 

Tama brought three bags to the ring with him as this feud built on Tama stealing Taichi’s iron fingers continued. Taichi attacked Tama. The bags contained a glove, a baseball glove and a rubber chicken. 

Taichi beat Tama down. DOUKI tagged in and was cut off after a trip from Jado. Jado used a kendo stick on DOUKI. Bullet Club used quick tags in working DOUKI over. 

Tama teased pulling the iron fingers out of his tights. Instead, it was an elephant puppet. 

There was an extended DOUKI/Jado sequence. Sabre and Tanga got tags and had the best action of the match by default. Taichi got a tag and hit Tanga wth kicks. Jado got a tag. Sabre saved for Taichi. 

Tama took the ref. Jado tried to use the kendo stick again on Taichi. DOUKI saved with his pipe. DOUKI used the pipe on Jado. 

Taichi hit one superkick and pinned Jado. 

Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI defeated Tomoaki Honma & Master Wato (w/Hiroyoshi Tenzan) (12:19)

This had its moments when BUSHI and Wato were in, but the Naito/Honma issue has run its course and it’s probably best for both that this tour is ending. 

Wato and BUSHI began with a solid exchange, trading kicks. Honma tagged in and was cut off by LIJ. Naito and BUSHI traded tags and worked on Honma. Naito mocked Tenzan. 

Honma managed a tag to Wato. Wato hit BUSHI with kicks and a nice tornillo. Naito and Honma tagged back in. Naito hit a combinacion in the corner. They traded hard slaps to the face. Wato saved for Honma as Naito looked to set up a frankensteiner. 

Honma hit a diving kokeshi and a superplex. BUSHI jumped in for an LIJ double team. Naito and BUSHI hit stereo dropkicks for a two count. Wato saved. 

Naito teased Destino. Honma blocked and cradled Naito for a two count. Honma hit two lariats for another near fall on Naito. 

Naito blocked a Michinoku Driver attempt and hit Destino. BUSHI entered and hit a sunset flip. Naito followed with a jackknife cradle and pinned Honma. 

Naito held the cradle long after the bell. Wato made the save for Honma. BUSHI sent Wato outside and hit him with a suicide dive. 

Kota Ibushi & SHO went to a time limit draw with SANADA & Hiromu Takahashi (30:00)

Ibushi and SANADA started out with some crowd work. Ibushi posed on the turnbuckles. SANADA attacked from behind and knocked Ibushi over the ropes to the floor. They did a series of teases. Both teased their finishers. 

They locked up. SANADA broke cleanly against the ropes. SANADA used a hammerlock. They traded waistlocks. Ibushi used a headlock takeover. SANADA used a handstand escape. Both tagged out after nearly five minutes of very good work. 

Hiromu and SHO tagged in and traded strikes. They traded tackles. Hiromu teased a dive, but sat in the center of the ring instead. SHO got the upper hand on Hiromu with strikes. Ibushi tagged in and hit a series of kicks for a two count. 

SHO tagged in and maintained the edge on Hiromu. Hiromu came back with a choke over the ropes. All four brawled to the floor. Hiromu and SANADA sent SHO and Ibushi into the barricade. LIJ now had the upper hand. 

Hiromu hit SHO with a series of chops. SANADA tagged in and continued chopping. SANADA put SHO and an interfering Ibushi in paradise locks. SANADA and Hiromu broke the holds with dropkicks. SANADA hit a back elbow for a two count. 

Hiromu tagged back in for more chops at the 15 minute call. SHO hit a kitchen sink. SANADA got a tag. SHO hit him with a vertical suplex and tagged out. Ibushi hit a running mid kick and a moonsault for a near fall. SANADA hit a dropkick to the knee. 

Ibushi and SANADA rolled outside. Ibushi blocked a whip into the barricade and sent SANADA into the fence with a drop toe hold. Back in, Ibushi hit a springboard dropkick. Ibushi fought out of a Skull End attempt. SANADA hit a magic screw into a double down. 

SHO and Hiromu got tags. Hiromu blocked a spear. SHO escaped a falcon arrow attempt. They traded forearm strikes at the 20 minute call. SHO hit a series of kicks. SHO hit a big mid kick for a two count. Hiromu blocked a deadlift German. 

SHO blocked a hurricanrana. Hiromu fought out of a powerbomb. SHO hit a spear for a near fall. SANADA and Hiromu hit stereo dropkicks on an illegal double team. Hiromu hit a falcon arrow for a two count as Ibushi saved for SHO. 

Ibushi and SANADA fought to the floor. SHO escaped a DVD attempt. SHO hit a jumping knee strike. Hiromu blocked a dragon screw. SHO blocked a sunset flip and slapped on a kimura. Hiromu broke the hold with a forearm strike at the 25 minute call. 

SHO refused to go down after a thrust kick and a lariat. They traded lariats. They hit a series of simultaneous lariats into a double down. SANADA and Ibushi dragged their partners to their respective corners and tagged in. 

Ibushi and SANADA traded strikes at the 27 minute mark. SANADA used an O’Connor roll to set up Skull End. Ibushi escaped and hit a high kick. 

Ibushi went for the Kamigoye. SANADA blocked and used a TKO threat to set up a spinning Skull End. Ibushi popped his head out. SANADA got the hold applied again. SANADA gave up the hold with one minute left. 

SANADA tried for a moonsault but landed on his feet. SHO jumped in and hit a knee strike. Hiromu hit a tackle to SHO. Ibushi hit a dropkick on Hiromu. SANADA hit a dropkick to Ibushi’s legs. SHO hit a German on SANADA. Hiromu hit SHO with a pop-up powerbomb with 30 seconds left before the time limit. 

Ibushi hit a high kick to Hiromu. SANADA hit a springboard dropkick to Ibushi and got Skull End. Ibushi cradled SANADA for a two count as the time limit expired. 

Ibushi and SANADA continued trading cradles after the time limit. 

NJPW Road to The New Beginning results: Ibushi & Wato vs. LIJ

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Recommended matches —

  • Ryusuke Taguchi & Gabriel Kidd vs. Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura 
  • Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi vs. Tomoaki Honma & SHO 
  • SANADA & BUSHI vs. Kota Ibushi & Master Wato 

Report —

Ryusuke Taguchi & Gabriel Kidd defeated Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura (8:28)

This was a good opener. 

Kidd and Tsuji have been regular opponents on this tour and began with an intense striking battle. Kidd got the upper hand at first, but Tsuji came back with a slam and took over with a series of forearms. 

Uemura got a tag and used a kravate and a chinlock. Tsuji tagged back in for a slam and a near fall. Kidd avoided a vertical suplex. Tsuji hammered away again with forearms. Kidd reversed an Irish whip and hit a dropkick. 

Taguchi got a tag and hit Uemura and Tsuji with hip attacks. Taguchi hit a springboard hip attack to Tsuji for a two count. Tsuji blocked three amigos and hit a vertical suplex. 

Uemura tagged in and traded strikes with Taguchi. Tsuji entered and hit a splash. Uemura hit an elbow drop for a two count, then got a Boston crab applied. Kidd saved for Taguchi. Tsuji speared Kidd and they brawled to the floor. 

Taguchi blocked an overhook suplex. Taguchi tripped Uemura and used an ankle lock. Uemura escaped, then used a roll-up for two. 

Taguchi hit Dodon for the pin. 

Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano defeated EVIL, Jay White & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Dick Togo & Gedo) (11:07)

The post-match here was better than the match itself. 

Bullet Club attacked as soon as their opponents entered the ring. White and Ishii began as the legal men. White hit a series of strikes. Ishii no-sold. White tried to escaped to the outside, but Okada threw him back in. Gedo distracted Ishii and White hit a dragon screw in the ropes to take control of the bout. 

White used an inverted dragon screw and tagged Yujiro. Ishii went to the outside to go after White again. EVIL saved and White choked Ishii with a camera cable. Togo exposed a buckle. Ishii repeatedly got sent into the buckle. 

White tagged back in for some strikes and a suplex. Ishii managed a tag to Okada. EVIL tagged in for a sequence with Okada. Togo distracted Okada and EVIL threw Okada into the barricade. Back inside, Okada blocked a fisherman buster and sent EVIL into the exposed buckle. 

Yujiro tagged in and ate an Okada flapjack. Okada tagged Yano. Yano exposed a second buckle, then got sent into it himself. Yujiro hit a sliding dropkick and neckbreaker for two. 

White and Ishii jumped in. Ishii hit White with a German suplex. Okada hit a big boot on Yujiro. Togo tripped Yano. Yano sent Yujiro into Togo, then hit a low blow and a schoolboy on Yujiro for the pin. 

Ishii attacked White after the match and sent him into the barricade. Hirooki Goto jumped up from the commentary table and joined in the attack on White. EVIL attacked Okada with a chair. 

Goto and Ishii stood over White with their NEVER Six-Man titles. White went crazy and attacked ringside attendants Kidd and Tsuji with chair shots. 

Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado defeated Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI (12:18)

Bullet Club worked the match in their t-shirts to give you some idea of how seriously they were taking this match. 

The story of the G.O.D. vs. Dangerous Tekkers feud is that G.O.D. have stolen Taichi’s iron fingers. Taichi attacked Tama Tonga, who had a satchel that appeared to contain the fingers. Taichi opened the satchel and there was a toilet paper roll inside. 

Ishimori and Desperado tagged in. Jado hit Desperado with a kendo stick from the floor. Tama hit Desperado with the toilet paper. Desperado was isolated in Bullet Club’s half of the ring and they took turns working him over. 

Sabre and Tanga tagged in. Sabre got hit with a spear and they did a double down. ELP and DOUKI tagged in. DOUKI, Desperado and Kanemaru tripled up on ELP. Jado saved for ELP. DOUKI got two quick near falls on ELP. 

ELP then hit a superkick with the loaded boot and pinned DOUKI. 

Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Tomoaki Honma & SHO (12:45)

SHO blocked a shotgun dropkick from Hiromu with a spear at the opening bell and they were off to the races. Honma and SHO doubled up on Hiromu. SHO got an armbar, but Hiromu forced a rope break. Honma and SHO cut Hiromu off in their half of the ring. 

Hiromu went outside after SHO. Naito entered and used a camel clutch on Honma. Hiromu and Naito then used quick tags in isolating Honma. Honma came back with a vertical suplex on Naito. 

SHO and Hiromu tagged in. SHO hit a suplex for a near fall, then got another armbar applied. Hiromu forced a rope break. SHO continued attacking Hiromu’s left arm. Hiromu got D applied. SHO fought the hold for a long time, then finally broke it with a one-armed powerbomb. 

Honma and Naito got tags. Honma hit a DDT and a bulldog. Honma missed a kokeshi. Naito and Hiromu double teamed Honma and hit double dropkicks for a two count. Honma hit a superplex on Naito, then used a lariat for a near fall. 

Hiromu and SHO got in. Hiromu hit a pop-up powerbomb on SHO. Naito then hit Destino and pinned Honma. 

Hiromu and SHO had a nice face-off after the match. Somehow Hiromu’s BOSJ trophy got broken off-camera. 

SANADA & BUSHI defeated Kota Ibushi & Master Wato (18:47)

This was a fun main event to cap a very good show. 

Wato and BUSHI began by locking up. Wato hit a tornillo and gained the upper hand in their battle. Ibushi and Wato traded tags and continued working on BUSHI. SANADA saved with a dropkick to the knee and the match broke down into a brawl around the ringside area with LIJ in control. 

SANADA and Wato ended up the legal men. SANADA used a paradise lock. BUSHI got a tag in the plus position and used an STF and a knee breaker. SANADA tagged in and got hit with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. 

Ibushi got a tag and hit a springboard dropkick and a plancha on SANADA. SANADA hit his own plancha for a near fall. SANADA hit a hurricanrana. They traded strikes. Ibushi avoided a TKO. SANADA used an O’Connor roll to set up Skull End. Ibushi slid out and hit a high kick. 

Ibushi missed with a Kamigoye. Ibushi blocked a dragon screw. SANADA blocked a v-trigger and hit a back suplex. BUSHI tagged in for a missile dropkick. Ibushi blocked a swinging neckbreaker and hit a v-trigger before tagging out. 

BUSHI and Wato did a series of teases and counters. BUSHI hit a dropkick and a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Wato hit recientemente into a double down. BUSHI hit a dropkick to the knee and a DDT. 

SANADA tagged in as the match worked towards the climax. Wato hit an interfering BUSHI with a rana. Ibushi hit SANADA with a flying mid kick. Wato and Ibushi hit dueling high kicks for a near fall. 

BUSHI hit a codebreaker on Wato. Ibushi got sent outside and hit with a BUSHI tope suicida. Wato used two quick cradles for near falls. 

SANADA used a spinning Skull End. While BUSHI held Ibushi at bay, Wato tapped out and SANADA got the submission victory. 

SANADA closed the show with a promo. The arena lights were turned down and the crowd lit up the house with their cell phones for a cool visual. 

NJPW Road to The New Beginning results: Final build to Nagoya

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Recommended matches —

  • Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & SHO vs. SANADA, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi 

Report —

Togi Makabe, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask & Yota Tsuji defeated Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo, Gedo & Jado (9:03)

This was a wild brawl to begin the show. 

Bullet Club cut Tsuji off early and the bulk of the match was spent working him over. Jado used a kendo stick shot from the floor. ELP and Ishimori hit their comedy offense. 

ELP hit a series of cartwheels and flips for no reason. He ultimately left the match and joined commentary. 

Tiger Mask got a hot tag and cleaned house with kicks and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Ishimori blocked a Tiger Driver and hit a handspring kick. Gedo tagged in and got hit with the Tiger Driver instead. 

Nagata got a tag. He hit Gedo with kicks. He teased an exploder, but Jado saved for Gedo. Jado used a kendo stick on Nagata. Gedo grabbed brass knuckles, but Tsuji speared him. 

Nagata won by submission with the Nagata Lock. 

Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima went to a no-contest with Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan (w/Bea Priestley) (2:23)

Tenzan and Kojima came to the ring with chairs. Ospreay and O-Khan cleared out of the ring. Priestley ran in and hit low blows on Kojima and Tenzan. 

Ospreay threw a table in the ring. Kojima hit Ospreay with a cutter. Kojima and Tenzan teased a cuter through the table, but O-Khan saved. 

Ospreay challenged Kojima to a no-DQ match at The New Beginning in Nagoya on Saturday. Kojima appeared to accept, but the match was not officially announced. 

Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii defeated EVIL, Yujiro Takahahsi & Dick Togo (10:44)

Togo and Okada started the match. Goto tagged in and got tripped by EVIL from the floor and Bullet Club turned this into a brawl, as they proceeded to work virtually the identical match that they have every night of this tour. 

Goto got cut off and worked over in the ring. Yujiro exposed a buckle, tagged in, then threw Goto into the buckle. Goto came back on EVIL with a whip into the buckle and a Saito suplex. 

Okada tagged in and hit EVIL with strikes and a running back elbow. Okada hit an air raid crash neckbreaker for a near fall. 

Okada went for the Money Clip, but Togo jumped on the apron for a distraction. EVIL hit a mid kick and used a Darkness Scorpion, but Okada forced a rope break. 

Yujiro got a tag. Ishii tagged in and ran wild on Yujiro and Togo. Bullet Club jumped in to aid Yujiro. EVIL hit a fisherman buster. Yujiro hit a sliding dropkick for a two count. 

Yujiro brought his pimp cane in while EVIL took the referee. Ishii ducked the cane, but Yujiro hit an Angle slam for a near fall. Ishii blocked Pimp Juice. Goto choked Yujiro from the apron. Okada nailed EVIL and Togo. Goto hit an ushigoroshi on Yujiro. 

Ishii then connected with a sliding lariat and the vertical drop brainbuster for the pin. 

Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI defeated Tomoaki Honma & Master Wato (13:11)

Naito took his time getting to the ring. He has been working for his own amusement on this tour. 

Honma and Wato attacked just before the bell. Naito used a jackknife cover to try to steal a pin on Honma, the same hold he pinned him with yesterday, but Honma kicked out. 

Wato and BUSHI got tags. Wato hit a series of kicks. Honma tagged in and began to work on BUSHI. BUSHI and Naito doubled up on Honma, then turned this into a brawl around ringside. Honma ended up being worked over in the LIJ corner. 

Honma came back on Naito with a vertical suplex. Wato and BUSHI got tags and the pace quickened. Wato hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. BUSHI hit a dropkick to the leg and started working on Wato’s right knee. They traded strikes. Wato ducked a rewind kick and hit a high kick. 

Honma tagged in and hit some chops. Honma missed a kokeshi. BUSHI tagged Naito. Naito hit a back elbow, a dropkick and a neckbreaker for a two count. Honma ducked a swing and hit a kokeshi. Honma and Wato doubled up on Naito. Honma hit a diving kokeshi for two as BUSHI saved. 

Wato and BUSHI brawled to the floor. Honma hit a DDT and a lariat for a near fall. Honma teased a Michinoku Driver. Naito escaped. BUSHI jumped in. Wato caught Honma with a kick by mistake. 

BUSHI hit a backstabber to Honma, then Naito used the jackknife cradle for the pin. 

Naito held the cradle for more than a minute after the three count, adding insult to injury. Wato and BUSHI had a quick pull-apart after the match. 

Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & SHO vs. SANADA, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi ended in a time limit draw (30:00)

This was a really good main event and easily the best thing on the show. 

Tanahashi and Shingo started with a quick chain wrestling sequence. SHO and Hiromu tagged in and had a brief, intense battle. SANADA and Ibushi got tags and slowed things down. They worked some holds. SANADA teased a dragon screw. Ibushi hit a dropkick and gave his team the edge at the 5 minute call. 

Tana tagged in and hit SANADA with a slam and an elbow drop. Tanahashi got a cobra twist applied. SHO tagged in and went after SANADA’s left arm. LIJ jumped in to save SANADA. After a brief brawl on the outside, SHO ended up cut off in the ring. 

Hiromu hit a dropkick for a two count. Shingo tagged in and stomped at SHO’s left leg. Shingo teased a cloverleaf to SHO to taunt Tana. Shingo went after Tana on the apron. SANADA tagged in and used the paradise lock. 

SHO hit a backstabber to Hiromu and a kitchen sink to SANADA. Tana tagged in and hit a dragon screw and somersault senton for a two count. Ibushi tagged in and hit a running mid kick and a standing moonsault. SANADA came back with a hurricanrana and a plancha for a near fall at the 15 minute call. 

SANADA used an O’Connor roll to set up a Skull End attempt. Ibushi escaped and hit a dropkick. SHO got a tag and got hit with a back suplex. Hiromu tagged in for a sequence with SHO. SHO hit a series of kicks and got a two count. 

SHO hit a vertical suplex. LIJ tripled up on SHO. Hiromu hit a Dynamite Plunger. Tana saved for SHO. Hiromu blocked a SHO spear. SHO hit a German suplex and a spear. SHO went for Shock Arrow, but Shingo and SANADA saved. Hiromu escaped another Shock Arrow attempt at the 20 minute call. 

Hiromu and SHO traded strikes. SHO got a kimura applied. Hiromu rolled through and hit a DVD into the turnbuckle pad. SHO avoided Time Bomb. They traded lariats. Hiromu hit a belly-to-belly throw into the buckle. 

Shingo and Tanahashi got tags and traded strikes. They continued to trade at the 25 minute call. Shingo blocked a slingblade. Tana hit twist and shout. Shingo blocked another slingblade and hit his own twist and shout. Shingo escaped a dragon screw and hit a sliding lariat. 

Shingo hit a dragon screw. Shingo used a powerbomb and a single-leg crab. Ibushi saved. Ibushi and SANADA brawled to the floor. Tana hit two dragon screws and locked on a cloverleaf. Hiromu broke it up. 

Shingo blocked another slingblade. Tana hit slingblade for a two count. Tana hit Ace’s High. Hiromu hit a shotgun dropkick to Tana. SHO hit a jumping knee to Hiromu. SANADA hit SHO with a dropkick to the knee. Ibushi hit a springboard dropkick to SANADA. Shingo hit a German on Ibushi. 

Shingo and Tanahashi traded strikes. Tana hit a slingblade. Shingo hit a lariat for a near fall as Tanahashi kicked out at the 30 minute call. 

All six guys were down in the ring at the finish. 

Tanahashi and Shingo cut promos on each other after the match. 

NJPW Road to The New Beginning results: The tour continues

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Recommended matches —

  • Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi vs. Tomoaki Honma & SHO 
  • Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato vs. SANADA, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI 

Report —

Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI defeated Togi Makabe, Yuji Nagata, Tiger Mask & Yuya Uemura (10:06)

This was a fun brawl to kick off the show. The highlight was the interaction between Suzuki and Uemura. 

The Suzuki-gun side attacked before the opening bell. The babyface side was able to withstand the attack at first. Uemura and Suzuki brawled outside and Suzuki sold big for Uemura with his facial expressions. 

Tiger Mask got cut off in the ring after a pipe shot from DOUKI while the referee was distracted. Makabe got a hot tag and hit ten punches and a northern lights suplex on Suzuki. Suzuki used a Fujiwara armbar. The two traded strikes. 

Uemura and Desperado tagged in for the closing sequence. Uemura got a couple of near falls off quick cradles. Desperado used the ref as a distraction to set up his illegal right hand and a Pinche Loco for the pin. 

Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan went to a no-contest with Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (3:39)

This was a continuation of the finish of last night’s match between these two teams and more of an angle than a match. 

No Bea Priestley tonight for United Empire. 

O-Khan threw the ref out of the ring before Tenzan and Kojima had even entered. O-Khan and Ospreay attacked as Kojima and Tenzan made their way to the ring. 

All four brawled on the outside. The referee lost complete control. O-Khan and Tenzan got in the ring and traded chops. Ospreay entered with a chair and hit Tenzan. The ref waved off the match. It was ruled a no-contest for whatever reason rather than a DQ. 

Ospreay and O-Khan brought a stack of chairs into the ring. Kojima made the save for Tenzan with a chair and United Empire made a united retreat. 

EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo defeated Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (10:14)

This was practically the same middling undercard tag that some combination of opponents have had with this Bullet Cub trio on every night of the tour, only Bullet Club came away with a win tonight. 

Yujiro began with Goto and tried to get the advantage with biting. Okada and YH saved and they did some comedy. Togo and EVIL cleared the CHAOS apron. 

EVIL used YH’s staff as a weapon on Okada. Yujiro hit Goto with his pimp cane. Togo choked YH with a camera cable. Okada got a hot tag and made a comeback on Yujiro. EVIL and Yujiro cut Okada off. Okada hit a big boot to EVIL and tagged YH. 

Goto and YH hit some tandem offense on EVIL. EVIL took the ref. Yujiro jumped in with his cane. Togo choked YH with his ligature. EVIL hit Everything is EVIL and pinned YH. 

Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Tomoaki Honma & SHO (17:00)

If you’ve been watching the entire tour, then this match rewarded you for paying attention as it paid off the Naito/Honma interactions that have been going on. If not, enjoy the Hiromu/SHO stuff. 

LIJ immediately turned this into a brawl around ringside. Honma missed a kokeshi on Naito in the ring and Naito and Hiromu sent their opponents into the barricade repeatedly. Honma ended up cut off in the ring. 

Naito used a crucifix on Honma on the mat while Hiromu kept SHO away. Honma forced a break and hit a vertical suplex. SHO and Hiromu got tags and went a thousand miles an hour. SHO hit a spear and a series of lariats. The two had a long striking battle. Hiromu hit a pop-up powerbomb into a double down. 

Naito and Honma tagged in and brawled. Naito teased a top rope frankensteiner but Honma escaped. Hiromu entered for a double dropkick and a near fall. Honma hit a diving kokeshi to Naito. SHO and Honma doubled up on Naito and Honma hit a cannonball for a two count. 

The finish was unique. Naito hit a step-up enzuigiri. Hiromu jumped in to hit a thrust kick. Naito then used a jackknife cradle on Honma and pinned him. 

Naito and Hiromu did some goofing off after the match that was pretty entertaining. 

Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato defeated SANADA, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI (16:26)

This was a good main event that picked up steam as it went along after a slow start. 

Ibushi and SANADA began with a sequence of chain wrestling that was not particularly inspired. Both fought off attempts at the paradise lock. Ibushi hit a dropkick and tagged out. Wato knocked BUSHI off the apron and then hit a sloppy backbreaker on SANADA. 

Tanahashi tagged in to face SANADA. Shingo tripped Tana from the floor and the LIJ rout was on. All six brawled around ringside. Shingo and Tana ended up back in as the legal men. Tana was cut off in the LIJ half of the ring. 

Shingo and Tana traded strikes. Shingo got the upper hand. Tana hit a dragon screw but Shingo no-sold and tried a pumping bomber. Tana ducked and hit a second dragon screw and Shingo sold the impact of both. Shingo tagged out. 

Tana tried to cradle SANADA. Ibushi tagged in for a mid kick and a standing moonsault for a near fall o his next challenger. SANADA busted out the leapfrog dropkick and hit Ibushi with a plancha. Back in, SANADA used a TKO threat to set up a Skull End attempt. Ibushi hit a high kick and both fell down. 

Wato and BUSHI got tags. Wato used a dreamcast for a near fall. They traded kicks. BUSHI hit a rewind kick. Wato hit a jumping knee strike. They traded palm strikes. Wato hit another dreamcast before tagging Tana back in. 

Tana dispatched an interfering Shingo with a slap. Shingo and SANADA climbed back in to triple up on Tana. BUSHI hit a backstabber for a near fall. SANADA and Ibushi, Shingo and Wato brawled to the floor. 

Tana hit a twist and shout, slingblade, then used a cloverleaf. Shingo teased breaking the hold with a pumping bomber. Wato was supposed to hit him with a springboard forearm but slipped coming off the ropes. Wato saved as well as he could, then hit Shingo with a forearm and a 619. 

With the cloverleaf still applied, BUSHI tapped out. 

Tanahashi, Ibushi and Wato played air guitar to close the show.

NJPW reveals cards for New Beginning in Nagoya and Hiroshima

Posted on by Ethan Renner

NJPW has announced the lineups for its The New Beginning events, taking place January 30 in Nagoya and February 10 and 11 in Hiroshima. 

The key match on the tour is Kota Ibushi vs. SANADA for the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles on February 11. Ibushi claimed those titles with a win over Tetsuya Naito on January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom, then retained them on January 5, beating Jay White. SANADA appeared after the January 5 title match and challenged Ibushi for the titles at a later date. 

February 10 will feature two title matches, as Hiromu Takahashi defends the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship against SHO in the main event, while Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa will defend the IWGP Heavyweight Tag belts against Taichi and Zack Sabre Jr. in a Wrestle Kingdom rematch. 

The January 30 show will see Shingo Takagi defending the NEVER Openweight Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event. Shingo is coming off a successful NEVER title defense against Jeff Cobb at Wrestle Kingdom on January 5, while Tanahashi beat Great-O-Khan on January 4. 

Here are the full lineups:

NJPW New Beginning in Nagoya — Saturday, January 30, 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World

  • NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • Satoshi Kojima vs. Will Ospreay
  • Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Great-O-Khan
  • Kota Ibushi, Tomoaki Honma, SHO & Master Wato vs. SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
  • Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano vs. EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi

NJPW New Beginning in Hiroshima night one — Wednesday, February 10, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World 

  • IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. SHO
  • IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa (c) vs. Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Kota Ibushi & Tomoaki Honma vs. SANADA & Tetsuya Naito
  • Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
  • BUSHI vs. Master Wato
  • Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Yota Tsuji, Yuya Uemura & Gabriel Kidd

NJPW New Beginning in Hiroshima night two — Thursday, February 11, 1 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World 

  • IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental double title match: Kota Ibushi (c) vs. SANADA
  • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
  • Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano vs. EVIL & Dick Togo
  • Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Tomoaki Honma, SHO & Master Wato
  • Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
  • Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Yota Tsuji, Yuya Uemura & Gabriel Kidd

Double champion wants NJPW to unify IWGP Heavyweight & IC titles

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Image: NJPW

NJPW may be unifying the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental titles.

After retaining both titles against Jay White in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 15 night two, double champion Kota Ibushi announced during his post-match press conference that he wants to unify the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship. Ibushi called the Heavyweight Championship the strongest belt there is and the Intercontinental Championship the greatest belt there is. Ibushi said he wants the unified title to be both the strongest and the greatest.

Ibushi said he’ll make his ultimate dreams come true by unifying the titles.

When asked about his next title defense, Ibushi said he’d be willing to defend the unified title, both titles together if they aren’t unified by then, or just one of them if that’s what he’s asked to do.

NJPW’s Japanese and English-language Twitter accounts both posted tweets about Ibushi’s request.

Ibushi defeated Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 15 night one to win both titles. This is the first time that Ibushi has held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his career.

Last year, the two nights of Wrestle Kingdom 14 were built around determining a double champion. Kazuchika Okada retained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Ibushi and Naito won the IWGP Intercontinental Championship from White at night one. Naito then defeated Okada in a double title match at night two.

Naito, EVIL, and Ibushi have since been double champions, including Naito holding the titles twice. No one has challenged for just the IWGP Heavyweight Championship or IWGP Intercontinental Championship since Wrestle Kingdom 14.

NJPW will follow up on Wrestle Kingdom 15 with New Year Dash beginning at 4:30 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday (January 6).