Juice Robinson claims he will not be in Osaka on Sunday to defend the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship at NJPW Dominion.
In a video released on NJPW’s YouTube channel, Robinson stated that he is still suffering from acute appendicitis and will not be in Japan on Sunday to defend the US title in a three-way against SANADA and Will Ospreay as advertised.
The fact that Robinson is still being advertised for the bout, that the video was released via official NJPW channels, the wording of NJPW’s social media posts, and the absence of an official statement from the company would seem to indicate that this is an angle and not a legitimate issue, and that Robinson will appear.
BREAKING
Juice Robinson declares himself- and the IWGP United States Championship- OUT of Dominion?
NJPW has revealed the stipulation for the KOPW 2022 match at Sunday’s Dominion event.
The promotion has announced that after two days of voting on the NJPW and NJPW Global Twitter account, the match will be held under title holder Shingo Takagi’s proposed 10-minute scramble rules. The wrestler with the highest total count on their pinfall attempts at the end of 10 minutes will be declared the winner.
Shingo’s option won by a 55.5 percent to 44.5 percent margin, with a total of 29,032 votes cast.
Challenger Taichi had proposed a limited finishers total 10 count match, where only certain pin attempts would be allowed, and the first wrestler to reach a total of 10 on their pinfall counts would win.
Here is the card for Dominion:
NJPW Dominion, Sunday, June 12 —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Jay White
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Juice Robinson (c) vs. Will Ospreay vs. SANADA
NEVER Openweight Championship: Tama Tonga (c) vs. Karl Anderson
KOPW 2022: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Taichi
AEW interim World Championship eliminator match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens (c) vs. Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & SHO vs. Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Toru Yano vs. Doc Gallows
Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Ace Austin
Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Aaron Henare, TJP & Francesco Akira
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Tuesday News Update
WWE
WWE announced on Raw last night that Cody Rhodes will undergo surgery for his torn pectoral muscle on Wednesday.
PWInsider reported that Edge has now been positioned as a babyface on the Raw roster.
The Rock surprised his mother, Ata Johnson, with a new home and shared videos on Instagram. “I surprised my mom and bought her a new home. Took me and my design team 8 weeks to get it ready, where she could walk thru her front door for the very first time and everything she saw was brand new and a total surprise. I’ve been lucky enough to have bought her a few homes over the years, but this one is special as she’s told me over and over these past few years, “After a lifetime of traveling, I want this home to be my last. Thats my dream.”
The first trailer for Black Adam, which features The Rock as the titular character, will premiere tomorrow.
Ciampa and Sonya Deville have been advertised for this Wednesday’s episode of The Bump.
The Stand Back DLC pack for WWE 2K22 is out now. It features The Hurricane, Stacy Keibler, A-Kid, and Wes Lee.
On June 2, WWE filed trademarks for ‘WWE Legends’ and ‘WWE Smack Talk’.
Both Kayla Braxton and Mick Foley are celebrating birthdays today.
AEW/ROH
This week’s AEW Road to, which focuses on CM Punk and who will challenge for the interim AEW World Championship.
TNT aired their final scheduled NHL game for the season last night, so going forward Rampage will be in its regular timeslot of 10 pm ET.
In an interview with Monthly Puroresu, DDT’s Jun Akiyama expressed interest in wrestling Eddie Kingston, who has wanted a match with Akiyama. “I’m just glad to say that there are many people who still want to wrestle me even at this age,” he said. “I’d want to go against Eddie Kingston.”
Stipulations for Shingo Takagi and Taichi’s match for NJPW Dominion have been decided. Fans will either vote for a no time limit, limited finishes, ten count match (Taichi) or a 10-minute unlimited pinfall scramble where the most pinfalls wins (Takagi).
NJPW’s LA Dojo is hosting a special training seminar featuring Katsuyori Shibata and Hiroshi Tanahashi on June 24. More information here.
The latest edition of Aces High looks at Tanahashi’s first encounter with Kazuchika Okada.
Stardom announced that Mayu Iwatani’s life story is being made into a movie, and auditions will be held for casting.
Dragongate announced that Riki Iihashi, who had made his debut for the promotion back in September, has retired from wrestling and no in-ring retirement match or ceremony will be held. He had been out of action since March with an injury.
With CM Punk out of action due to injury, an interim AEW World Champion will be crowned at AEW & NJPW’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view on Sunday, June 26. The interim champion will face Punk in the future when Punk is able to return to action.
It was announced on Rampage last night that a battle royal will open this coming Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite. The battle royal winner will then face Jon Moxley in the main event of the episode. The winner of that match will advance to the interim title bout at Forbidden Door.
The other competitor for the interim title bout will be determined when Hiroshi Tanahashi takes on Hirooki Goto in an AEW World title eliminator match at NJPW Dominion on Sunday, June 12.
Punk vs. Tanahashi was originally scheduled for Forbidden Door.
AEW is calling the series of matches the “AEW Interim World Championship Eliminator Series.”
After winning the AEW World Championship from Hangman Page at Double or Nothing, Punk suffered an injury on Dynamite this Wednesday. Punk revealed the injury on Rampage last night, describing it as a broken “wheel.” Punk will need to undergo surgery for the injury.
Punk vowed to come back bigger, faster, stronger, and hungrier than ever before.
Forbidden Door is being held at the United Center in Chicago.
SANADA returned to NJPW at today’s Best of the Super Juniors finals event and issued a challenge for the Dominion show on June 12.
SANADA issued a challenge for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship at Dominion, a title that he never lost in the ring.
After suffering a fractured orbital bone in a New Japan Cup match against Will Ospreay, SANADA was stripped of the US title and has been out of action since.
It is unclear at this point whether or not SANADA will face United States Champion Juice Robinson for the title, or whether he will take on another contender, as Robinson missed today’s show due to appendicitis. No announcement has been made as to whether or not Robinson will be cleared for action by next Sunday.
SANADA defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi for the US title at a New Year’s Golden Series event on February 19, his first singles title win in NJPW.
A new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion was crowned today at NJPW Dominion in Osaka-Jo Hall.
Shingo Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the title in the show’s main event.
Shingo hit Okada with a dragon suplex, a diving forearm strike and a Last of the Dragon to win the title in 36:00 of a battle that saw both repeatedly use Okada’s Rainmaker finisher.
After his title win, Shingo called out Kota Ibushi. Ibushi beat Jeff Cobb in an unofficial number one contender’s match earlier in the evening and was the first IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Shingo challenged Ibushi and the challenge was accepted. No date was announced for the match.
Shingo becomes the third IWGP World Heavyweight Champion since the title’s inception in March of this year.
NJPW’s former top two titles, the IWGP Heavyweight title and IWGP Intercontinental title, were put on the line in a winner take all match won by Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 14 in January 2020. Following Naito’s win, both titles were on the line in each IWGP Heavyweight Championship match, with one exception. That exception was an Ibushi Intercontinental title defense against Naito at Castle Attack in February 2021.
Following Ibushi’s defense of both the Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles at the NJPW Anniversary Show on March 4, they were officially retired. Ibushi was then recognized as the first IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and presented with the new title belt at the March 30 Road to Sakura Genesis event.
Ibushi would lose the IWGP World title to Will Ospreay in his first defense at Sakura Genesis on April 4. Ospreay made one defense of the title, beating Shingo at Wrestling Dontaku on May 4. Ospreay officially vacated the title on May 20, citing a neck injury.
The vacant IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is on the line tonight at NJPW Dominion in Osaka-Jo Hall.
Kazuchika Okada will face Shingo Takagi for the title vacated by Will Ospreay last month due to a neck injury. Okada and Shingo have met twice before in singles matches. Okada beat Shingo in the 2020 G1 Climax tournament, while Shingo was the winner in the 2021 New Japan Cup tournament.
In the semi-main, Kota Ibushi will face Jeff Cobb. These two had a crazy pull-apart at a Road to Dominion event last week in Korakuen Hall.
El Desperado will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against YOH. This match was scheduled for Wrestling Dontaku last month, but was postponed due to COVID protocols.
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI, plus Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & SHO vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo round out the undercard.
Our live coverage begins at 5 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Hiromu Takahashi opened the show with a promo. He said he’s recovering well from his injury and will challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship soon.
This was a solid opener that really could have used a few more minutes.
Tanahashi and Owens began. Owens mocked Tana’s air guitar. Tana hit a second rope crossbody. Ishimori tried to interfere from the apron, but SHO jumped in to even things out. Bullet Club turned this into a brawl around ringside and gained the upper hand.
YOSHI-HASHI ended up the legal man and cut off in Bullet Club’s corner. YH made a comeback on EVIL, then tagged Ishii. Goto and SHO jumped in for some spots, including a double spear from SHO on ELP and Ishimori. Togo distracted Ishii and EVIL hit a fisherman buster for a near fall.
SHO and Ishimori tagged in for the closing sequence. Everyone jumped in for a big move. Tana hit Ishimori with slingblade. Ishimori and ELP doubled up on SHO and got a near fall. EVIL took the ref, Togo choked Ishii. Ishimori hit SHO with a Bloody Cross and pinned him.
**********
Bullet Club continued attacking after the bell. EVIL, Yujiro and Togo went after Goto, Ishii and YH, so that looks to be a NEVER Six-Man Tag title match for the next tour.
**********
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI defeated Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI (11:32)
It looks as though they’re positioning Naito and SANADA as the next challengers for Taichi and Sabre’s IWGP Heavyweight Tag titles. Naito and Taichi began here. Naito shot for a single-leg takedown on the referee. Things turned serious and Sabre and SANADA jumped in. They did a couple of cool four-way spots.
Suzuki-gun turned this into a brawl around ringside. DOUKI choked BUSHI with his steel pipe on the floor. DOUKI and BUSHI ended up the legal men. BUSHI was beaten down, then managed a DDT.
Taichi and Naito tagged back in. Naito hit a neckbreaker and his Tranquilo pose. SANADA tagged in for a double hip toss and a sliding dropkick to Taichi for a two count. Taichi hit an axe bomber, then tagged Sabre.
Sabre used a cobra twist. SANADA teased a paradise lock, but Sabre blocked and hit a neck twist. Suzuki-gun went 3-on-1 against SANADA. Sabre hit a PK for a two count. Taichi and Sabre teased Zack Mephisto. Naito saved. BUSHI hit a tope suicida to Taichi. DOUKI hit a tope to BUSHI.
Sabre tried to turn a SANADA O’Connor roll into a European clutch. SANADA blocked, then trapped Sabre’s shoulders and pinned him.
Naito, SANADA, Taichi and Sabre had a long staredown after the match and taunted each other.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado defeated YOH to retain the title (23:40)
This was very good. Both guys are super workers. The psychology was simple work a body part, but sound.
They opened with some chain wrestling. Neither man got a clear advantage over the other. YOH reversed a whip and hit a dropkick, sending Desperado outside. Desperado pulled YOH to the floor and whipped him into the barricade to take control of the bout.
Desperado grabbed a bucket from under the ring and threw it inside to distract the referee. Desperado then used a chair on YOH’s left leg. Back in the ring, Desperado continued to target the left leg. Desperado hit a splash to the leg for a near fall.
YOH hit a sunset flip for a hope spot near fall. Desperado came back with an Indian deathlock, but YOH forced a rope break. YOH tried a suplex, but his leg gave way. YOH hit a series of back elbows and a flying forearm.
YOH began to target Desperado’s right leg. He used an inverted figure four. Desperado forced a rope break. YOH hit a dropkick to the right leg. Desperado reversed a whip and hit a spinebuster. He went for Numero Dos. He got the hold, but YOH quickly made the ropes.
Desperado hit a stiff forearm shot, but YOH refused to go down. Desperado hit a back suplex and a vertical suplex for a near fall. YOH escaped a Guitarra de Angel, but sold his leg on landing. They fought to the floor. YOH hit a shotgun dropkick into the barricade.
YOH hit a plancha and a tope con giro. YOH threw Desperado back in after a countout tease. YOH hit a missile dropkick and a falcon arrow for a two count. Desperado came back with a dragon screw in the corner.
They traded forearms, then traded kicks to their respective bad legs. YOH hit a flatliner. Desperado hit an Angle slam and Guitarra de Angel for a near fall at the 20 minute call.
Desperado went for Pinche Loco. YOH blocked with a jumping knee. YOH reversed Numero Dos into a cradle for a two count, then slapped on his Stargazer submission hold. YOH rolled through and blocked one rope break, but Desperado crawled back to the ropes to force the break.
YOH hit a dragon suplex for a two count. Desperado blocked Direct Drive. YOH blocked a right hand, but Desperado hit a headbutt. YOH blocked Pinche Loco and used a roll-up for two. YOH hit a superkick. Desperado hit a straight right hand.
Desperado then hit Pinche Loco and got the pin to retain the title.
**********
SHO came to the ring to tend to YOH. El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori ran in. ELP said they’l be challenging SHO and YOH for the Junior Tag titles on the Kizuna Road tour.
Ishimori then addressed Desperado and said it’s now his time to challenge him for the Junior Heavyweight title. Desperado accepted the challenge.
***** Intermission *****
Kota Ibushi defeated Jeff Cobb (w/Great-O-Khan) (19:53)
This was a great match. These guys have super chemistry and I’d like to see this again.
They didn’t touch for nearly the first full minute. After posturing, Ibushi landed a dropkick. Ibushi tried to land some strikes, but Cobb covered up. Cobb used a double-leg takedown and hit some strikes from Ibushi’s guard.
Ibushi rolled outside, but Cobb went out after him to keep the pressure on. Cobb hit some heavy strikes on the floor. Cobb powered Ibushi up and posted his lower back. Back inside, Cobb hit a headbutt, then went back after Ibushi’s back.
Ibushi came back with a flying mid kick. Cobb quickly cut him off again and used a variety of strikes. Cobb continued to target Ibushi’s back with knees, then stood on Ibushi’s back. Ibushi hit a kick from his back on the mat, but Cobb stayed on the attack with power strikes.
Cobb hit a short-arm lariat. Cobb went for a standing moonsault, but Ibushi got his knees up. Both missed a charge into the corner. Ibushi hit a standing moonsault for a two count. Cobb ducked a high kick and hit a back suplex, then landed his own standing moonsault for a near fall.
Ibushi sent Cobb to the floor. He went for a plancha, but Cobb caught him. Ibushi fought Cobb off and made it back to the apron, then hit an Asai moonsault from the top rope to the floor. Cobb made it back in after a countout tease.
Ibushi tried for a German off the second rope, but Cobb blocked. They fought on the top rope. Ibushi hit a reverse rana off the top for a two count. Ibushi hit a bomaye for another near fall.
Ibushi called for the Kamigoye. Cobb blocked and hit a release overhead belly-to-belly for a double down. Cobb hit a running uppercut and a back suplex for a near fall. Cobb powered Ibushi up for an F-5 and a near fall.
Ibushi escaped Tour of the Islands and hit a high kick. Ibushi hit Kamigoye, but Cobb kicked out at two. Cobb blocked a second Kamigoye. Ibushi blocked Tour of the Islands. Cobb hammered Ibushi with the Cobbgoye, but couldn’t follow up in time. He covered for a near fall.
Ibushi turned a Tour of the Islands into a lateral press for a two count. Cobb went for a pop-up powerbomb. Ibushi blocked and hit a knee strike on his way down, then hit another Kamigoye for the pin.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Shingo Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the title (36:00)
This was everything you would expect. Shingo especially was incredible in this match. Okada may have been battling his wind a bit in his first singles match back after battling COVID, but he was great as well. Shingo’s selling and facial expressions were on another level throughout the match.
They opened with some mat wrestling. Both worked hammerlocks on the mat. Shingo missed on a senton attempt. Okada tried a senton, but Shingo got his knees up. Okada sold his back on landing and that became the story of the match.
They fought on the outside. Shingo got the upper hand and threw Okada back in. Shingo used a body scissors on the mat and continued to go after the back. Okada tried to end it quickly with a tombstone, but Shingo escaped and hit a powerslam.
Okada made a comeback. He ducked a lariat and hit a running back elbow and a DDT. Okada went for the air raid crash neckbreaker, but Shingo blocked and drove his elbow into Okada’s back. Shingo went to the top rope, but Okada hit a dropkick and sent him crashing to the floor.
Okada hit a draping DDT off the barricade. Back inside, Okada hit heavy rain and went for the Money Clip. Shingo quickly forced a rope break. Okada hit a slam. He teased a missile dropkick, but Shingo popped up. Okada rolled through and ran into a lariat.
Okada got the Money Clip again. Shingo elbowed out. Okada tried a backslide, but Shingo turned it into Noshigami. Shingo hit a wheel barrow German into the corner pad. Shingo used a torture rack, then hit two gutbusters. Shingo hit a massive corner clothesline Okada fired up and hit a shotgun dropkick.
Okada got the Money Clip applied yet again, but Shingo was in the ropes. Okada was forced to break right away. Okada missed a dropkick. Shingo missed a sliding lariat. Okada used the Money Clip to set up a spinning tombstone, then went back to the Money Clip. They did a long submission tease, but Shingo fought to the ropes.
Shingo rolled outside. Okada fought for a tombstone on the floor, but Shingo blocked by grabbing the barricade. Shingo hit Made in Japan on the floor. Both made it in after a double countout tease. Shingo hit a corner lariat and a stay dream for a close near fall. Shingo hit a series of strikes, then ran off the ropes into an Okada dropkick at the 30 minute call.
Okada hit a tombstone, then tried a Rainmaker. Shingo ducked and hit his own Rainmaker. They traded strikes from their knees, then standing. Shingo blocked a spinning Rainmaker and hit a DVD. Okada ducked a pumping bomber, then used a backslide to set up two Rainmakers. Shingo blocked another Rainmaker and hit a Rainmaker of his own.
Shingo hit a pumping bomber for a great near fall at the 35 minute call. They reversed each other’s finishers, then Shingo hit a dragon suplex. Shingo hit a diving forearm strike.
Shingo hit Last of the Dragon and got the pin to win the title.
**********
Shingo cut a promo after the match. He said he lost to Will Ospreay when he challenged for this title, but his heart was still beating. He said that this is only the start of what he has planned. Shingo said we’re still going through a lot, but he’s here to inspire us and bring us energy.
Shingo called out Ibushi and challenged him. Ibushi accepted. No date was announced for the match.
NJPW’s Road to Dominion tour continued today with a show in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
The NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships were on the line in the main event as Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS defended against Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI of Los Ingobernables de Japon.
Below are results and a report on today’s show.
**********
Recommended matches —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan vs. Kota Ibushi & Master Wato (at least the post-match angle)
This was a fun opener. Lots of action and everyone worked hard.
EVIL and Uemura started off. Uemura out-wrestled EVIL, then tagged Honma. Honma tagged in and was cut off right away. EVIL hit a senton. Owens tagged in to continue the attack. Honma hit a back elbow and tagged Tsuji.
Tsuji hit Owens with a senton. He went for a splash, but Owens got his knees up. While the other six guys brawled on the floor, Owens worked on Tsuji in the ring. Tsuji got tossed outside and hit with a Togo right hand.
ELP tagged in for some break dancing and comedy offense. Ishimori tagged in and continued with back rakes on Tsuji. Owens tagged in. He hit a pump kick. Tsuji came back with a suplex, then tagged Tanahashi.
Tana hit a jumping forearm to Owens, cleared the Bullet Club apron, then hit a baseball slide to Togo. Tana hit Owens with a dragon screw. He went for his Texas Clover Hold. He got it applied. ELP tried to break it up, but Honma intercepted him. EVIL jumped in to break it up.
Owens blocked a slingblade attempt and hit a jewel heist. Ishimori got a tag. Tana blocked a handspring kick and hit twist and shout.
Uemura tagged in and hit a running forearm and a back suplex for two. He went for an overhook suplex, but ELP jumped in to break it up. Uemura avoided an airplane spin neckbreaker. He went for a crab, but Ishimori blocked.
Ishimori then connected with the Bloody Cross for the pin.
This was good. I expect YOH and Desperado to have a great match on Monday. Desperado really upped his game at the end of 2020 and has been very good this year.
YOH and Desperado began with a striking battle. Suzuki-gun turned it into a ringside brawl and cut SHO off. It was his role again tonight to sell most of the way. He came back with a spear to Kanemaru and Taguchi got a hot tag.
Taguchi ran wild with hip attacks. He used three amigos to set up an ankle lock. Taguchi gave up the hold and went for Dodon, but Kanemaru blocked. Taguchi hit a hip attack, then missed a bumaye.
YOH and Desperado tagged back in. YOH hit a flying forearm, then used a neckbreaker for a two count. Desperado blocked Direct Drive with a hair pull. YOH hit a jumping knee. Desperado countered with a spinebuster, then tagged DOUKI.
DOUKI, Kanemaru and Desperado tripled up on YOH. DOUKI hit a springboard double stomp for a near fall. He used a triangle, but SHO saved. Kanemaru took out SHO. Taguchi took out Kanemaru. Desperado took Taguchi out with a spear. YOH hit a dropkick to Desperado.
YOH blocked DOUKI’s Suplex de la Luna, then used the Stargazer calf killer for the submission.
YOH and Desperado faced off after the match. Desperado pie-faced YOH, but there was no physicality in the angle besides that.
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki defeated Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Gedo (2:24)
They couldn’t top their effort last night, so they didn’t even try.
Bullet Club jumped Suzuki-gun in the ring before Taichi’s song had finished playing. They fought around the ring on the outside. Sabre was briefly cut off in the ring.
Tonga and Loa went for a Magic Killer on Sabre. Suzuki and Taichi saved. Sabre used a neck crank and a Clarky Cat to quickly submit Gedo.
***** Intermission *****
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan defeated Kota Ibushi & Master Wato (9:07)
O-Khan tried a sneak attack before the bell. Ibushi fought it off and landed a flying mid kick. Wato tagged in, but O-Khan came back on him with an elbow and Mongolian chops. O-Khan and Cobb traded tags and continued beating down Master Wato.
Wato managed a dropkick and a reverse bulldog. Cobb and Ibushi got tags for a crazy sequence. Ibushi blocked a pop-up powerslam with a hurricanrana. Cobb did some of his impressive power spots and landed a deadlift throw out of the corner. Cobb landed another huge slam and tagged out. That spot was ugly.
O-Khan tied Ibushi to the tree of woe. He missed a basement dropkick. Ibushi popped up to the top rope and hit a double stomp. Wato tagged in and hit O-Khan with a springboard uppercut forearm and a dreamcast for a near fall.
Wato used a rolling heel hook, but Cobb broke it up. Cobb just started throwing Wato and Ibushi around. Cobb used a spinebuster on Wato.
O-Khan used the iron claw to set up the Eliminator on Wato for the pin.
**********
Ibushi and Cobb had a wild brawl after the match. Tsuji and Uemura jumped in to try to pull them apart. Just when you thought it was over, one of them would break free and the brawl would start all over again. They fought in the ring, then all around the arena.
This was intense and awesome, a great angle.
**********
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI to retain the titles (31:15)
This was an excellent six-man. The first ten minutes were slow, but they had to go quite a long time and that’s to be expected.
Goto pinned SANADA in a tag yesterday, so those two began here. SANADA broke cleanly off the opening lock-up. They briefly grappled to a stalemate.
Naito tagged in and demanded Ishii. Ishii tagged in, then Naito immediately tagged out to BUSHI. Ishii tried to go after Naito on the apron. As soon as Ishii turned his back, Naito jumped him. LIJ tried a 3-on-1 attack, but Goto and YH saved. CHAOS then went 3-on-1 against BUSHI.
BUSHI found himself isolated in the CHAOS half of the ring. YH tagged in for some chops. Goto tagged in and the pace slowed. YH tagged back in for a vertical suplex. They were pacing themselves to go a long time.
Naito grabbed YH from the apron and turned the tide in LIJ’s favor. A brawl broke out on the arena floor between Ishii and Naito. Naito used a kravate over the barricade. YH was then isolated in LIJ’s half of the ring. Ishii and Goto tried to make saves, but Naito and SANADA sent them to the outside.
YH came back with a headhunter to Naito. Ishii got a tag and beat up all three members of LIJ on his own. Naito was the legal man. Ishii hit a back suplex for a near fall. Naito and Ishii had a crazy striking battle in the middle of the ring. Ishii got the better of the strikes. Naito hit a back elbow and sliding dropkick at the 15 minute call.
SANADA tagged in for a cool sequence with Ishii. Ishii worked for a German suplex. SANADA avoided it once. Ishii got it on the second attempt. Goto tagged in and dispatched an interfering BUSHI, then hit a wheel kick in the corner on SANADA for a two count.
Goto teased an ushigoroshi, but SANADA blocked. SANADA took his corner flip bump and hit Goto with an atomic drop. SANADA put Goto in the paradise lock, then broke it with a dropkick. BUSHI and SANADA cleared the CHAOS apron. Goto avoided a TKO and grabbed a sleeper hold. Goto used the sleeper to set up the rolling cradle he won with yesterday, but SANADA kicked out.
Goto and YH doubled SANADA up and used the finish from yesterday for a near fall, with Naito making the save for SANADA. SANADA kicked at Goto’s spine. SANADA tried an O’Connor roll, but Goto blocked with a kick to the spine. SANADA hit a TKO into a double down.
YH and BUSHI got tags. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick and a tope suicida. All six guys were down and out on the floor just past the 20 minute mark.
Back inside, BUSHI used a DDT for a two count. CHAOS went 3-on-1 against BUSHI. Naito saved BUSHI from a headhunter. Naito hit Ishii with a dropkick off a BUSHI sunset flip. LIJ went 3-on-1 against YH. BUSHI hit a swinging neckbreaker for a two count.
BUSHI missed an MX. Everyone jumped in and hit each other with a big move. Goto hit BUSHI with an ushigoroshi. YH hit a meteora for a two count.
YH locked BUSHI in the Butterfly Lock at the 25 minute call. YH rolled through and hit a sit-out powerbomb for a two count. BUSHI blocked Kharma and rolled YH up for two.
Ishii and Naito jumped in and teased their finishers on each other. Naito blocked a brainbuster with a DDT. Ishii no-sold it. Naito hit a flying forearm. BUSHI hit YH with a codebreaker and an MX. Goto jumped in to break it up. SANADA hit a plancha to Goto.
BUSHI tried the MX again, but jumped off the ropes into a YH lariat. BUSHI went for a tag to SANADA, but Goto pulled SANADA off the apron. Ishii and Goto went for stereo ushigoroshis on Naito and SANADA, but they blocked. BUSHI used the BUSHI roll on YH for a super near fall. BUSHI and YH traded kicks. YH hit a lariat for a near fall at 30 minutes in.
YH went for Kharma. BUSHI tried to turn it into a codebreaker, but YH got him in the Butterfly Lock. Naito tried to save, but Ishii caught him in a heel hook. BUSHI verbally submitted or the referee called for the stoppage with the Butterfly Lock still locked in.
**********
Naito and Ishii stared each other down after the match. The best part of all of this is that it looks like a Naito-Ishii singles match will happen at Dominion if they ever get around to announcing a card.
YOSHI-HASHI cut a quick promo and the champs posed with their titles to close the show.
**********
Here is the announced lineup for Dominion. More matches will be announced at a later date:
NJPW Dominion, Monday, June 7, 5 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. YOH
This was a good opener. Suzuki did some cool spots and Uemura and YOH were given the opportunity to shine. SHO’s role was to sell.
YOH, SHO and Uemura fought off a sneak attack by Suzuki-gun at the opening bell. Suzuki-gun tried a second time and succeeded. SHO was cut off and worked over.
Suzuki got SHO in a heel hook. Uemura tried to make the save, but Suzuki put him in a heel hook as well, while still keeping the hold on SHO.
SHO came back with a double spear to Desperado and Kanemaru. YOH got a hot tag and had an extended exchange with Desperado. YOH hit a Pele kick into a double down. YOH tagged Uemura. Uemura and SHO doubled up on Desperado.
Desperado blocked an overhook suplex and hit Uemura with a spinebuster. YOH saved as Desperado tried Pinche Loco on Uemura. Uemura cradled Desperado for a two count.
Desperado used the threat of a ref bump to hit a right hand to Uemura. He followed with Pinche Loco and got the pin.
This was kind of a mess. Not enough comedy to be a good comedy match, not enough good wrestling to be a good wrestling match.
Hontai briefly got the advantage on Owens. Honma tagged in and was quickly cut off and worked over. Taguchi got a tag and ran wild with hip attacks.
Tanahashi and EVIL tagged in for the first real wrestling of the match. Togo tripped Tana from the floor. Tana hit two twist and shouts. He went for a third, but EVIL turned it into a fisherman buster.
Tiger and Ishimori got tags. Tiger hit a Tiger superplex for a near fall. ELP jumped in for an airplane spin neckbreaker, then Ishimori followed with a Bloody Cross to pin Tiger.
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan defeated Kota Ibushi & Yota Tsuji (12:31)
Cobb went after Ibushi before the opening bell and the match started off hot. They did a couple of teases of signature spots, then Cobb rolled outside to slow the pace. O-Khan and Tsuji got tags.
O-Khan quickly cut Tsuji off with a back elbow and a slam. O-Khan hit Mongolian chops and a double palm strike to the chest. Cobb tagged in for an impressive throw. O-Khan tagged back in and sat on Tsuji’s neck in the corner. Ibushi tried to save Tsuji, but he was sent outside.
Cobb came back in for a delayed vertical suplex and a near fall. Tsuji hit a dropkick to Cobb for a hope spot. A second dropkick allowed him to tag Ibushi.
Ibushi hit a springboard dropkick and a plancha to Cobb. He nailed O-Khan with a back elbow on the outside, then peppered Cobb with kicks inside. Ibushi hit a standing moonsault for a two count.
Ibushi called for Kamigoye. O-Khan saved Cobb, then Cobb hit a pop-up powerslam for a near fall. Cobb called for the Cobbgoye. Ibushi blocked, but Cobb hit a lariat. O-Khan tagged in. He used a standing choke. Ibushi came back with a flying mid kick.
Tsuji tagged in to meet his doom. He hit a series of strikes to O-Khan. O-Khan fired back with a chop. Tsuji hit a tackle and a splash for a near fall. Tsuji went for a crab, but O-Khan blocked and used a triangle. Tsuji slid out and hit a spear.
Cobb saved O-Khan. Cobb and O-Khan doubled up on Tsuji. O-Khan hit a facebuster for a two count as Ibushi saved. Tsuji used two quick cradles for near falls. He went for a third, but O-Khan caught him in the claw and hit the Eliminator for the pin.
Ibushi and Cobb stared each other down after the match, but there was no big angle here.
This looked like it would be the best match on the show on paper. Had they been in the main event spot and given ten more minutes, they really could have done something special. Still, this was very good.
Shingo and Okada began. Shingo hit a chop. Okada took Shingo down with a snapmare, then sent him rolling outside after a sliding dropkick. They clearly didn’t want to give away too much this early.
YH and BUSHI tagged in. BUSHI hit a rana and a dropkick and YH was cut off quickly. LIJ traded tags as they worked on YH. Okada, Ishii and Goto saved for YH and helped him cut Naito off. YH and Naito traded chops. Ishii tagged in and backed Naito into the corner. Naito hit a series of forearms. Ishii no-sold, then hit a brutal series of chops and forearms.
Naito and Ishii traded forearms in the center of the ring. SANADA and Goto jumped in. Naito used the distraction to hit Ishii with a neckbreaker and a dropkick for a double down.
Okada and Shingo got tags. Shingo hit a vertical suplex for a two count. Okada sold that big. Okada ducked a lariat and hit a running back elbow. He hit a back elbow in the corner and a DDT for a near fall.
Shingo blocked the air raid crash neckbreaker. They traded strikes. Okada missed a dropkick. Shingo missed a sliding lariat. Shingo ran off the ropes into an Okada dropkick. This was more what would you expect from a tag preview of a big singles match. Good stuff.
BUSHI and Goto tagged in. Ishii and YH cleared the LIJ apron and they went 3-on-1 against BUSHI. BUSHI blocked an ushigoroshi attempt and hit a backstabber to Goto. SANADA got a tag. Shingo, Naito and SANADA went 3-on-1 against Goto. SANADA hit a TKO for a near fall as Okada made the save.
SANADA rolled through off a missed moonsault. Everyone jumped in for a big move. Naito took a flip bump for a YH lariat.
YH hit a headhunter to SANADA, then Goto cradled SANADA for the flash pin.
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. (w/Miho Abe & DOUKI) defeated Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa (w/Jado) to win the titles (26:08)
This was absolute madness. It was probably the best match these two teams have had this year. Technically it was far from a masterpiece, but it was a wild brawl between two teams who hate each other.
Jado and DOUKI made a big show of going to the back before the match began, virtually assuring their involvement later.
Tonga and Loa tried a double team on Taichi at the outset, but he fought them off. With that plan failing, then went after Miho Abe on the floor. Taichi went to fight for his wife’s honor. Tama grabbed her and forced her to watch as Loa attacked Taichi. Sabre tried to save, but got sent into the barricade.
Taichi made it back in after a countout tease. He came back with an axe bomber to Tama. Loa and Sabre tagged in. Sabre used an octopus hold. Loa reached the ropes to force a break. Sabre hit a wild tornado DDT and tagged Taichi.
Taichi hammered away at Loa with kicks. He dared Loa to strike with him, so Loa dropped him with a heavy forearm. They continued to trade. Both hit gamengiri kicks. Sabre used a neck crank on an interfering Tonga. Loa tackled Sabre. Taichi hit a backdrop suplex to Loa for a double down. Loa used an OJK. Taichi fought for a rope break. Taichi hit a rolling elbow.
Tama and Sabre got tags. Sabre used Barry from Eastenders. Jado ran in and took the ref. Gedo ran in with brass knuckles. DOUKI ran in and slipped while trying a springboard attack to Gedo. DOUKI dragged Jado to the back. Loa saved for Tama.
G.O.D. hit a Tongan Twist to Sabre for a near fall. Tama hit an assisted gun Stun for a near fall with Taichi saving Sabre. G.O.D. hit Taichi with a Magic Killer. Loa hit a diving headbutt to Sabre. Tonga hit a frog splash for a near fall.
G.O.D. tried a super powerbomb on Sabre, but he hit a rana out of it. Taichi hit a double axe bomber to G.O.D., then revived Sabre. Sabre hit a PK to Tonga for a two count. Taichi and Sabre went for Zack Mephisto, but Loa saved. Loa got hit with Zack Mephisto.
Tonga hit a low blow to Taichi and rolled Sabre up for a two count. Sabre blocked a Gun Stun and applied a choke to Tonga. Taichi jumped in for a gamengiri.
Sabre and Taichi hit a Tensho Zack Driver to Tonga, then Sabre covered for the pin.
Sabre and Taichi cut short promos after the match, then Miho Abe celebrated with the titles to close the show.
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Here is the lineup for tomorrow’s show:
NJPW Road to Dominion, Wednesday, June 2, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
YOH, SHO & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. EVIL, Chase Owens, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
A NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship match and an IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match will headline NJPW’s Road to Dominion tour.
On Wednesday, June 2 in Korakuen Hall, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI will defend the NEVER Six-Man titles against Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI.
That match was set up on the Road to Wrestle Grand Slam tour. After Naito and SANADA defeated Goto and YOSHI-HASHI in the main event of the May 26 show, Naito issued a challenge. YOSHI-HASHI accepted the challenge on behalf of his team, then was attacked three-on-one by Naito, SANADA and BUSHI. Goto ran in to make the save for YOSHI-HASHI.
On Tuesday, June 1 in Korakuen Hall, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa will defend the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team titles against Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi.
That bout is a rematch from Wrestle Kingdom 15 on January 4 and The New Beginning in Hiroshima on February 10. Tonga and Loa defeated Sabre and Taichi for the titles at Wrestle Kingdom, then beat them in a rematch in Hiroshima.
Tuesday’s Road to Dominion event will air for free on NJPW World. A Road to Dominion show is also currently scheduled for Friday, June 5, but no card has been announced. Three matches have been announced for Dominion, which was moved from June 6 to June 7.
Here are the lineups announced so far for the Dominion tour:
NJPW Road to Dominion, Tuesday, June 1, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time, free on NJPW World —
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa (c) vs. Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.
Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Kota Ibushi & Yota Tsuji vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. EVIL, Chase Owens, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
YOH, SHO & Yuya Uemura vs. Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
NJPW Road to Dominion, Wednesday, June 2, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Kota Ibushi & Master Wato vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
YOH, SHO & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura vs. EVIL, Chase Owens, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo
NJPW Road to Dominion, Friday, June 5, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Card to be announced
NJPW Dominion, Monday, June 7, 3 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
Kota Ibushi vs. Jeff Cobb
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. YOH
A new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion will be crowned at NJPW Dominion.
NJPW has announced that Kazuchika Okada will face Shingo Takagi for the vacant title.
The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship has been vacant since May 20, when NJPW revealed that former title holder Will Ospreay had vacated the title to return to the United Kingdom to seek treatment for a neck injury.
Okada had been scheduled to face Ospreay for the title at Wrestle Grand Slam at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, May 29, a show that has been postponed indefinitely. Shingo challenged Ospreay for the title at Wrestling Dontaku on May 4 in a losing effort, but beat Okada in this year’s New Japan Cup.
NJPW also announced that Dominion will now take place on Monday, June 7 in Osaka-Jo Hall. The show was originally scheduled for Sunday, June 6, but a state of emergency in Osaka related to the COVID-19 pandemic was extended through that weekend.
In addition to the IWGP World title match, two other matches were announced for Dominion.
El Desperado will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against YOH. That match had been scheduled for Wrestling Dontaku on May 4, but the match was pulled from the show due to COVID-19 protocols. Desperado later revealed that he had battled COVID.
The other match set for Dominion is Kota Ibushi vs. Jeff Cobb. The first angle for this match was shot at Sakura Genesis back in April, as Cobb laid out Ibushi after Ibushi lost the IWGP World title to Ospreay.
Here is the lineup for Dominion so far:
NJPW Dominion, Monday, June 7, 3 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
Kota Ibushi vs. Jeff Cobb
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. YOH
This was a good opener with solid work from all six guys.
Kidd and Taguchi opened with a brief chain wrestling battle. Honma and Kojima tagged in. Honma missed a kokeshi. They traded dozens of chops which got the crowd clapping along. Kojima hit a top rope elbow for a near fall.
Taguchi missed a kokeshi on Honma. Honma hit a kokeshi. Makabe went one-on-two against Taguchi and Kojima. Makabe hit a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Nagata hit an exploder on Makabe. Makabe hit a lariat.
Kidd and Nagata ended up the legal men. Kidd used a tackle for a one count. Nagata tried a Nagata Lock but Makabe and Honma broke it up. Kidd hit a dropkick on Nagata for a near fall.
The finish saw Nagata hit a mid kick and an exploder for a near fall, followed up with a Nagata Lock for the submission.
Business picked up once Ishii and Hiromu tagged in but the rest of this match was nothing special.
Yano and SANADA began with some comedy spots. SANADA used a rolling cradle to make Yano dizzy. BUSHI and SANADA then worked over Tsuji.
The tide turned once Ishii tagged in. Ishii no-sold a missile dropkick from BUSHI. Yano used a slingshot to send SANADA into an exposed buckle.
Hiromu and Ishii went one-on-one. Hiromu hit a shotgun dropkick. Ishii hit a backdrop suplex before tagging out. LIJ hit tandem dropkicks on Tsuji. Hiromu went for Time Bomb on Tsuji but Tsuji blocked and used a cradle for a near fall. Tsuji hit a nice dropkick that had Jushin Liger comparing him to Bruiser Brody on commentary.
Hiromu hit Tsuji with a superkick for a two count. Hiromu then locked on a Boston crab and Tsuji tapped.
This was fun. The aim was to continue to establish Wato and to set up his next feud with Kanemaru.
The good guys employed a Suzuki-gun tactic and attacked before the bell. Tenzan and DOUKI ended up the legal men. Wato jumped in for a dropkick. Kanemaru tripped Tenzan from the floor allowing Suzuki-gun to take over.
They brawled on the outside where Kaneamru and Wato paired off. Kanemaru hit a stomp on the barricade where he usually hits a leg slice, then DDT’ed Wato on the floor.
Suzuki-gun continued working on Tenzan in the ring. He managed a tag to Wato who hit a tornillo to the floor and a springboard uppercut forearm. Kanemaru cut Wato off. Desperado tagged in and Wato hit him with a jumping kick before tagging out.
Uemura hit a beautiful dropkick on Desperado. Wato hit Desperado with a shining wizard and a standing moonsault. Uemura covered but Suzuki-gun broke it up as the match broke down.
Uemura fought for a double underhook suplex on Desperado. Desperado blocked. Uemura used a victory roll for a near fall.
The finish saw Desperado pull the referee into the path of a running Uemura. Desperado used the distraction to hit a right hand and Pinche Loco for the pin.
Suzuki-gun beat down Wato and Tenzan after the match. Kanemaru and Wato looks to be a singles match in the near future.
Okada came out all fired up to get his hands on the guys that cost him the New Japan Cup last night. He also had his neck taped up.
Yujiro and Ishimori targeted the neck and worked it over for the first several minutes. Okada finally hit a flapjack and managed a tag to Goto. The flapjack was really the only meaningful Okada offense in the entire match.
Okada hit a dropkick to Ishimori and rolled outside. Gedo ran down and assaulted Okada on the outside. Goto hit an ushigoroshi on Yujiro. He went for a GTR but Ishimori saved.
Ishimori hit a bloody Cross on Goto and Yujiro followed up with Pimp Juice for the pin.
After the match, Yujiro left Okada laying after a Pimp Juice in the ring.
I certainly didn’t have Okada vs. Yujiro on my radar this year but here we are.
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We got an intermission while the ring was disinfected.
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NEVER Openweight Championship match: Shingo Takagi defeated SHO to retain the title (20:08)
This was a great, great match. Shingo’s selling was amazing as the story of the match was SHO working on his right arm. SHO more than held up his end.
They opened by trading shoulder tackles to establish that they were equal in the power department. SHO briefly got a cross armbreaker before Shingo forced a break. They brawled outside where Shingo established the advantage.
Back inside, they traded strikes. Shingo blocked one spear but SHO hit a second. SHO hit a German into a bridge for a near fall. SHO attacked Shingo’s right arm. Shingo answered by firing off punches with his left hand and a left arm lariat. The attention to detail here was incredible.
They traded corner clotheslines. SHO took a back suplex but stumbled to his feet and hit a wheelbarrow German right away. They traded lariats. SHO hit a superkick into a double down at the ten minute mark.
SHO hit a jumping knee. Shingo hit a clothesline, a sliding lariat and noshigami for a near fall. SHO hit a backstabber and a powerbomb. SHO hit a power breaker. SHO hit a lariat but Shingo kicked out at one.
SHO hit a deadlift German into a bridge for a two count. He called for Shock Arrow but Shingo hit a backdrop on his way out of the move. SHO hit a seeries of strikes in the ropes. The referee tried to intervene but SHO threw him down.
Shingo teased Made in Japan but SHO blocked. Shingo hit a double knee gutbuster instead, then hit Made in Japan for a near fall. Shingo hit a pumping bomber but still sold his right arm. SHO kicked out at one.
Shingo went for Made in Japan again. SHO blocked and got an armbar. SHO gave up the armbar and hit a piledriver for a two count.
SHO called for Shock Arrow. Instead he first punted Shingo’s right arm again. SHO used an armbar. Shingo got a near fall after turning him over. SHO maintained the hold, then slipped to a triangle choke. The ref dropped Shingo’s arm twice but Shingo powered out and hit a DVD.
Shingo hit a GTR with SHO draped over the second rope. Shingo then hit Last of the Dragon for the pin.
Desperado attacked Shingo in the aisle after the match, so that looks to be the next NEVER title program.
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match: Zack Sabre, Jr. & Taichi defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi to win the titles (28:44)
I’d be surprised to see a better tag match all year than this one, even with the stacked tag division AEW has.
Ibushi and Tanahashi attacked before the opening bell and established the early edge. Tanahashi and Ibushi hit stereo planchas. Taichi was out of position on Ibushi’s but had to sell it anyway.
Tana hit a somersault senton. Ibushi hit a standing moonsault. Ibushi got caught in a flying triangle by Sabre. Ibushi managed a tag to Tanahashi who hit dragon screws on both Sabre and Taichi.
Sabre cut Tanahashi off with a kick to the back from the apron and Taichi and Sabre spent the next several minutes working Tanahashi over. Tanahashi came back with an inverted dragon screw on Sabre before he tagged out.
Ibushi hit Sabre with a springboard dropkick. He fought off an interfering Taichi and used a powerslam and a moonsault on Sabre for a two count. Sabre managed to tag out.
Taichi and Ibushi traded hard kicks at the fifteen minute mark. Tanahashi and Sabre jumped in. Taichi locked Ibushi in a guillotine. Sabre locked Tana in a triangle. Tana reversed into a cloverleaf before Sabre escaped and rolled outside. Tana made the save for Ibushi.
Tana and Ibushi hit a double slingblade on Sabre. Ibushi hit Taichi with a last ride for a two count. Ibushi hit Taichi with a Kamigoye. He went for a second Kamigoye but Sabre jumped in and took his back with a rear naked choke and body scissors.
Sabre held Ibushi while Taichi hit a high kick. Taichi hit a last ride. Sabre cut off an interfering Tanahashi but Ibushi kicked out just before the twenty minute mark.
Taichi ripped his pants off. Taichi blocked a lawn dart attempt by Ibushi. Ibushi hit a high kick and tagged a fired up Tanahashi. Taichi blocked a first slingblade but Tana hit it on the second try. Taichi blocked another slingblade attempt and hit a jumping high kick.
Sabre tagged in. Tana caught a PK and no-sold some slaps before hitting his own slap. Sabre blocked a slingblade and went for a backslide. Tana blocked and hit twist and shout and a slingblade for a near fall as Taichi broke up the pin.
Tanahashi hit a High Fly Flow to a standing Sabre. Taichi hit Tana with a high kick. Ibushi hit a high kick to Taichi. Sabre hit Ibushi with a Zack Driver. All four men were down as the 25 minute mark approached.
Tana went for High Fly Flow. Sabre got his knees up and cradled Tana. Ibushi broke up the pin. Sabre took the ref. Taichi jumped in with the iron glove and hit Ibushi. Tana ducked a shot with the glove but ate a backdrop suplex.
Taichi held Tana up while Sabre hit four dragon screws to each leg. Tanahashi’s selling here was probably the best selling I’ve ever seen. You felt what he felt inside.
Taichi then hit a jumping high kick into a Zack Driver by Sabre. Sabre then covered for the pin.
The beating continued after the match and Ibushi and Tanahashi were left laying in a heap in the center of the ring. Let’s run this back, please.
**********
We had another cleaning intermission before the main event.
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We then had a strong video package to set up the main event.
They showed footage of EVIL turning on Naito, then EVIL debuting as Naito’s partner in 2015. They had more footage of them together through the years, then ended the video with EVIL stomping on Naito’s LIJ hat yesterday.
EVIL entered first for the main event. He changed up his look a little bit. He had his hair down instead of pulled back and some new entrance gear. He had some new music as well.
He has also ditched the eye makeup. He still wears a singlet on top but has new black and white boots. He wore pleather tights with a skirt over them and knee pads on the outside. This look needs some work.
EVIL came to the ring with Bullet Club. Naito entered alone.
Referee Red Shoes Unno ejected Bullet Club before the match.
**********
IWGP Heavyweight Championship & IWGP Intercontinental Championship double title match: EVIL defeated Tetsuya Naito to win the titles (38:00)
This went way, way, way, way, way too long but was also more of an extended angle than a match that was there to steal the show.
EVIL tried to stall at the opening bell but Naito would not allow that. Naito went to the outside and brought EVIL back in. EVIL turned the tide on the outside, whipping Naito into the barricade. EVIL exposed a buckle.
Japanese commentator Milano Collection A.T. has long been an EVIL supporter and has held up one of his light-up souvenir sickles during EVIL’s entrance. EVIL grabbed the sickle and snapped it in half. Milano jumped the rail to confront EVIL and EVIL whipped him into the barricade for great, easy heat.
EVIL set up a table on the floor. Naito avoided a Darkness Falls into the table. EVIL worked on Naito’s legs, wrenching them over the barricade. Back inside, EVIL sent Naito into the exposed buckle repeatedly. EVIL targeted Naito’s legs again with stomps.
Naito fired back with some hard overhand chops. Naito sold like his left knee went out after sliding out of a suplex but then hit a one-legged dropkick with his right leg. Naito hit a combinacion in the corner and used a neckbreaker for a two count. Naito used a crucifix hold. EVIL reached the ropes to force a break at the fifteen minute mark.
EVIL used a hair pull to take Naito down. Naito hit an inverted atomic drop and a back elbow. Naito missed an enzuigiri. EVIL went back to work on the legs, driving them into the mat.
EVIL teased a back suplex off the apron through the table. Naito blocked and hit a neckbreaker on the apron. Naito teased a piledriver off the apron but EVIL blocked and drove Naito left knee-first through the table at the twenty minute mark. Naito’s back was sliced up from the table.
EVIL put a chair around Naito’s left leg and threatened to Pillman-ize it. Red Shoes jumped in between them with a piece of the broken table and forced EVIL to back off. For a company that usually makes its refs look weak this was an odd time to reverse that trend.
They did a countout tease but Naito made it in at 19. EVIL used a scorpion deathlock. Naito stayed in the hold forever. Red Shoes tried to sell this as a near finish and the crowd seemed into it. Naito finally forced a break.
EVIL hit a lariat for a near fall just past the 25 minute mark. EVIL hit Darkness Falls. Naito kicked out at the last possible second. Naito hit an inverted Destino which I believe he’s calling Esperanza into a double down.
They traded strikes. EVIL gouged Naito’s eyes. Naito hit a swing DDT and the crowd came alive. Naito hit a rolling bicycle kick and Valentia for a near fall at 30 minutes. Naito sent EVIL into the exposed buckle.
Naito hit a top rope frankensteiner. Naito hit Destino but EVIL kicked out. Naito rang up the arm and went for a second Destino but EVIL blocked. EVIL hit a knee lift and threw Naito into Red Shoes who took a bump and rolled outside.
Jado did a walk-in with a kendo stick. Ishimori ran past Jado in the aisle and hit a springboard senton on Naito. Jado finally got in the ring with a kendo stick. Hiromu ran in and made the save. He hit Jado with a superkick and launched Ishimori into the buckle with a release German.
EVIL played possum in the corner with a chair. He drilled Naito in the ribs and then hit a chair shot to the head. The chair looked to be gimmicked as the seat popped right off as it hit Naito’s head.
Naito blocked Everything is EVIL and hit an enzuigiri. Naito hit a top rope tornado DDT for a near fall. Naito hit Valentia. He went for Destino but EVIL grabbed the ref and hit a low blow on Naito.
A fake BUSHI ran in while EVIL took the ref and choked Naito out with a hand grip. Fake BUSHI took the ref and EVIL stomped Naito low.
EVIL then hit Everything is EVIL and pinned Naito.
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Fake BUSHI unmasked as Dick Togo and he and EVIL stomped Naito. Hiromu ran in for the save.
Hiromu cut a promo on EVIL. EVIL blew him off and left with Togo. Hiromu had a meltdown in the ring before running to the back as the show ended.
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I’m all for making a new top guy but I also feel that what makes the IWGP Championship the most prestigious in wrestling is that so few people get to hold it.
EVIL as IWGP Champion wouldn’t stick out so much if someone like Tomohiro Ishii ,who forces his way into a title match every 18 months or so simply by virtue of his work, had ever held the title.
This is just the first chapter in the story and I’m willing to see how it plays out. I’m also aware of the challenges the company is facing without access to foreign talent right now. EVIL is very good. But can he rise to the level of his push? We shall see.
