Tag: njpw new beginning

The second night of New Beginning takes place tonight, once again in Sapporo.

Kazuchika Okada will battle Taichi in the main event. Taichi has proven to be a thorn on Okada’s side in the aftermath following Wrestle Kingdom 14, where Okada lost the IWGP Heavyweight title to Tetsuya Naito. The situation escalated last night when Taichi attacked Okada following their match and laid him out on the entrance ramp.

The RevPro British Heavyweight title will also be on the line. Zack Sabre Jr. will defend the title against Will Ospreay, who lost the IWGP Jr. title last month at Wrestle Kingdom 14. 

A number of tag matches hyping the New Beginning show that will take place later this month is also set for this show. Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi and SANADA will battle KENTA, Taiji Ishimori and Jay White in a six-man tag match.

Jon Moxley will also make another appearance, teaming with SHO, YOH and Ryusuke Taguchi to take on Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, DOUKI and Yoshinoubu Kanemaru.

Join us for live coverage starting at 1 a.m. EST.

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TOA HENARE DEFEATED YOTA TSUJI

This was your standard opener. Full of fundamentally sound, yet unspectacular work. 

Henare established the early edge with basic offense, including shoulder tackles and a Boston crab. Tsuji came back with a slam. He tried his own crab, then a cradle attempt, but Henare blocked and hit a Samoan drop for a two count. 

Tsuji tried another cradle, then pulled Henare into a full crab. Henare reached the ropes for a break. Tsuji hit Henare with a couple of dozen unanswered strikes. 

Tsuji hit a spear for a near fall. Henare answered with a lariat, then hit a rugby tackle for a two count. Henare then used Toa Bottom to pick up the pin. 

HIROYOSHI TENZAN, MANABU NAKANISHI & TIGER MASK DEFEATED TOGI MAKABE, TOMOAKI HONMA & YUYA UEMURA

This was about getting Nakanishi and the NJPW Dads some ring time, not about match quality. 

Nakanishi and Uemura kicked things off. Uemura sold a Nakanishi chop like a fish out of water, then tagged Honma. Honma hit Nakanishi with the slowest DDT in the world, then missed a kokeshi. Tenzan tagged in and worked over Honma. Not good. 

Honma came back with a kokeshi and tagged in Makabe, who hit ten punches in the corner on Tenzan. Tenzan hit a mountain bomb and tagged Nakanishi. Nakanishi hit Makabe and Honma with chops. 

Nakanishi used two lariats to pick up a near fall on Makabe. Nakanishi used the Argentinian backbreaker on Makabe. Tiger Mask used an octopus on Uemura. Tenzan locked the Anaconda Vice on Honma. Makabe broke the hold. 

Uemura and Tiger tagged in. Uemura hit a dropkick, a flying forearm near fall, then used a full crab. Nakanishi broke the hold with chops. Everyone jumped in as the finish neared. Four guys brawled outside, leaving Tiger and Uemura in the ring. 

Uemura used an inside cradle for a two count. Tiger killed Uemura with a high kick, then hit a tiger suplex off the top for a near fall, with Makabe making the save. Tiger then used a tiger suplex on the mat to pick up the pin. 

Nakanishi cut a promo after the match. He said this is his last time in Sapporo and thanked the fans, before bowing to all four sides of the arena. 

EL PHANTASMO DEFEATED GABRIEL KIDD

Kidd is an L.A. Dojo boy with a couple of years of experience. Commentary pointed out that he wrestled ELP on this date two years ago in England. Kidd is good and ELP gave him a good bit of offense here. Good match. 

A chain wrestling sequence kicked things off. ELP used a bow and arrow. Kidd escaped and covered for a one count. ELP used a knuckle lock, then a rope walk, then a springboard headscissors for a near fall. 

ELP hit some comedy back rakes. He tied Kidd to the tree of woe and stomped on his crotch. Kidd hit a chop and a slam. ELP hit a springboard crossbody, then missed a quebrada. Kidd used an inside cradle for a two count, then hit a dropkick. 

Kidd locked on a full crab. ELP forced a rope break, then hit an enziguri. ELP went for a crab, but Kidd reversed into a roll-up for two. ELP then hit a chop and a frog splash for the pin. 

ELP hit a CR2 after the match. 

HIROOKI GOTO, TOMOHIRO ISHII & ROBBIE EAGLES DEFEATED SHINGO TAKAGI, EVIL & BUSHI 

This ruled. Just all action the entire time. 

Ishii and EVIL started out. Ishii accidentally took a bump on his head off an EVIL lariat and tagged out. He may have been selling, but the referee and Goto didn’t react as though this was planned. 

Eagles and BUSHI tagged in. Eagles targeted the left leg with kicks. Shingo jumped in to save, then turned this into a brawl around ringside. Ishii took a bump on the ramp off a chop from EVIL. Back inside, Goto and EVIL ended up the legal men. 

EVIL tried a scorpion deathlock. Ishii jumped in to save, and EVIL chopped him down. Shingo tagged in. Goto and Shingo traded elbows and simultaneous lariats. Shingo blocked a misdirection lariat, but Goto connected on a short arm lariat. 

Ishii tagged in and hit a back suplex to EVIL. Shingo tagged in and traded a series of strikes in the corner with Ishii. Ishii hit a powerslam. Shingo blocked a right hand and hit a back suplex. Shingo no-sold a vertical suplex, then hit a lariat. This was a great exchange. 

BUSHI and Eagles got tags. Eagles hit a wheel kick. BUSHI blocked a sliced bread attempt, blocked a Turbo Backpack, then hit a rewind kick. BUSHI hit a hurricanrana, then used a backstabber for a near fall. 

Eagles blocked a neckbreaker, then got an assist from both Ishii and Goto. Eagles hit a dropkick to the knee, a 450 to the knee, then used the Ron Miller Special. EVIL jumped in to break it up. Ishii and Goto hit stereo ushigoroshis on EVIL and Shingo. After a long struggle, BUSHI tapped out. 

JON MOXLEY, SHO, YOH & RYUSUKE TAGUCHI DEFEATED MINORU SUZUKI, EL DESPERADO, YOSHINOBU KANEMARU & DOUKI

This was a crazy brawl. Just tons of fun. 

Moxley was last to enter. He was entering through the crowd and Suzuki went up into the stands after him. Everyone brawled all around the arena. Suzuki teased hitting a Gotch-style piledrive on Moxley through a table, but Moxley escaped. 

In the ring, Desperado used Numero Dos on SHO, while Kanemaru locked YOH in a crab. Kanemaru and YOH were legal. YOH reached the ropes. Moxley and Suzuki continued to brawl around the arena while the match went on. 

Moxley and Suzuki brawled back to the ring, then tagged in. They had a lengthy exchange of strikes. Suzuki hit a PK, then tried a piledriver, but Moxley hit a backdrop. Suzuki tagged out, so Moxley tagged out to go after Suzuki again on the outside. 

The other members of Suzuki-gun went 3-on-1 on Taguchi. DOUKI hit a double stomp for a near fall, as SHO and YOH saved. SHO and YOH brawled to the outside with Desperado and Kanemaru. 

DOUKI tried for Suplex de la Luna. Taguchi escaped and missed a hip attack. Everyone jumped in for a big move as the match reached its climax. Suzuki and Moxley were the last two in. They continued trading. Moxley hit his own partner in Taguchi. Suzuki and Moxley brawled to the floor again. 

DOUKI used an inside cradle for a near fall on Taguchi. Taguchi hit a Bomaye for a near fall, then slapped on an ankle lock. DOUKI tapped out. 

The brawl continued after the match, and Moxley and Suzuki fought all the way to the back. 

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They announced a seven date tour of Hokkaido for July. 

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TETSUYA NAITO, SANADA & HIROMU TAKAHASHI DEFEATED KENTA, JAY WHITE & TAIJI ISHIMORI

Bullet Club jumped LIJ as they entered. KENTA went after Naito on the floor. Hiromu made his own comeback in the ring, sending Ishimori outside with a headscissors. White nailed Hiromu, and the fight spilled to the floor. 

White sent SANADA into the barricade, then choked him with a camera cable. KENTA hit a DDT on Naito in the aisle. Bullet Club then threw Hiromu back inside and started working him over. 

KENTA hit a series of uppercut forearms, then went outside after Naito, sending him into the barricade. White tagged in and used a chinlock. Hiromu came back with a dragon screw, then tagged Naito. 

KENTA tagged in to go head to head with Naito. They traded strikes. KENTA hit a draping DDT for a two count. KENTA hit a Shibata dropkick. Naito countered with a neckbreaker. Naito went for Gloria, but KENTA blocked. KENTA avoided a flying forearm. Naito answered with a tornado DDT. 

SANADA and White tagged in. Ishimori jumped in for a double team but got locked in the paradise lock. White hit a DDT, an uppercut forearm, then a death valley driver for a near fall. SANADA avoided a Blade Buster and hit a back suplex. 

Ishimori tagged in and hit a lungblower for a near fall on SANADA, while Naito, KENTA, White and Hiromu fought to the floor. SANADA, Naito and Hiromu hit stereo dropkicks to Ishimori. Everyone jumped in the ring and hit a big move, then fought back to the floor. 

Ishimori used a cradle for a near fall on SANADA. Ishimori hit a jumping knee strike. SANADA cought Ishimori coming in and locked on Skull End, forcing Ishimori to tap out. This was another good tag match. 

RPW BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: ZACK SABRE JR. DEFEATED WILL OSPREAY TO RETAIN THE TITLE

I think we’re past the point where a significant portion of wrestling fandom looks at Ospreay as just a high spot guy. If not, show any doubters this match. Both guys put on a technical wrestling clinic. A great match.

The story they told early was that Ospreay wanted to create pace to fly, so Sabre did his best to stay in Ospreay’s face, first grounding him with a wristlock, then backing him into the corner. Sabre kept control of Ospreay’s right arm, grounding him with holds. Ospreay wore an aelbow pad on that arm. 

Ospreay asked for a Grecco-Roman knuckle lock. Sabre obliged. Ospreay powered Sabre down, but Sabre bridged out. They traded a series of rolling cradles, before Sabre took a stroll around ringside. 

They traded a hammerlock. Ospreay used the hold to grab Sabre’s left heel. Sabre reversed and twisted on Ospreay’s left heel. Sabre tried a bow and arrow but Ospreay escaped, then used the threat of a magistral cradle to employ a headscissors takeover. 

They rolled to the floor. Ospreay teased a Sasuke Special. Sabre cut him off. Ospreay popped back into the ring and hit a plancha to the floor. Back inside, Sabre used a cobra twist, then transitioned to a ground cobra, before cranking Ospreay’s neck. 

Sabre used a kravate. Ospreay slid out and hit a handspring kick. Ospreay sold his neck, then hit a series of short strikes. Ospreay hit a running forearm shot. As Sabre was clutching the middle rope from the mat, Ospreay nailed him with a dropkick. 

Sabre avoided Pip Pip Cheerio. They traded snapmares. Sabre took Ospreay’s back. Ospreay tossed Sabre off. He went for a standing shooting star, but Sabre caught him coming in and fought for a cross armbreaker. Ospreay slid out and locked on a crossface. Sabre slid out of that. 

Ospreay fought for, and finally applied, a figure four. After a long fight, Sabre forced a rope break at the 15 minute mark. 

Ospreay hit a standing shooting star to Sabre’s left leg, then hit Pip Pip Cheerio. Sabre avoided a Robinson Special. Ospreay missed a second Robinson attempt. Sabre tried for a European clutch, but Ospreay escaped. 

Sabre grabbed an ankle lock. Ospreay slid out and used a backslide. Sabre landed on his feet out of a suplex attempt. Ospreay hit a high kick. Sabre blocked an Oscutter and locked on a sleeper. Ospreay escaped the hold, but Sabre hit a half nelson suplex. 

Sabre hit three PKs for a near fall. Sabre taunted Ospreay with Kawada kicks at the 20 minute mark. They traded strikes. Sabre blocked a tiger wall flip kick, but Ospreay hit a vertical suplex. Ospreay hit an Oscutter, and Sabre rolled to the floor. Ospreay threw him back in. Sabre rolled out the other side of the ring, where Ospreay hit a Sasuke Special. 

Back inside, Ospreay hit a hook kick. Ospreay teased a Hidden Blade, but Sabre grabbed an ankle lock. Ospreay slid out and hit a hook kick. Sabre ducked under a Hidden Blade and tried a crucifix-type hold, but Ospreay forced a rope break. 

Sabre went for a Zack Driver. Ospreay blocked, then hit an inverted bloody sunday for a near fall. Ospreay tried Storm Breaker, but Sabre reversed into a European clutch. Ospreay escaped. Sabre hit a PK. Ospreay answered  with a strike at 25 minutes. 

Ospreay escaped a hold and hit a powerbomb for a two count. Ospreay hit a shooting star press off the top for a near fall. 

Sabre escaped a Storm Breaker and locked on an octopus. Ospreay reversed into Storm Breaker position. Sabre escaped and used the octopus to hook on a ground cobra. Ospreay didn’t respond to the referee’s commands, so Red Shoes called for a stoppage. 

KAZUCHIKA OKADA DEFEATED TAICHI

This was probably the best match of Taichi’s life. You know Okada is going to bring it in a singles main event, and he did. The crowd probably didn’t buy Taichi having a chance until they crossed the 25 minute mark of a match that went about 31 minutes, but they finaly bought in. 

Taichi attacked witha kick to the back as Okada was taking off his ring jacket. The opening bell sounded. Taichi grabbed the iron glove. Okada ducked a glove shot, then hit a low dropkick. Okada sold his neck, selling the damage from Taichi’s attack last night. 

Taichi rolled outside. Okada hit a flying crossbody over the first guardrail, sending both crashing into the second security fence. Okada again sold his neck on landing. Okada whipped Taichi into the barricade. 

Okada slowed things down as they climbed back into the ring. Okada hit some back elbows in the corner. He went for a DDT, but Taichi blocked, then hit a backdrop suplex. Okada rolled to the floor. Taichi went out after him and sent Okada into the barricade. Taichi again choked Okada with a cable over the barricade, as he did yesterday. 

The pace slowed to a crawl with Taichi on offense. Back inside, he used an abdominal stretch. Taichi targeted the tape on Okada’s back and neck with kicks. Okada went for a flapjack. Taichi fought it off and hit another kick. 

Okada hit a DDT, then a running back elbow, waking up the crowd. Okada missed his back elbow into the corner, but hit an air raid crash after the miss. Taichi rolled to the floor. Okada teased a plancha, but Taichi pulled Miho Abe in front and used her as a human shield. 

Okada went to the floor. Taichi used the distraction from Abe to send Okada into the barricade. They fought to the ramp, where yesterday Taichi hit a Black Mephisto. Taichi teased it again. Okada blocked and teased a tombstone on the ramp. Taichi blocked. Okada hit a shotgun dropkick on the ramp. 

Back inside, Okada hit a slam, then a top rope elbow. He hit the Rainmaker pose. Taichi fought off the Rainmaker attempt. Okada missed another back elbow into the corner, allowing Taichi to hit a running high kick in the corner. 

Taichi dropped Okada with a mid kick at the 15 minute mark. Okada ducked an axe bomber, then hit a flapjack. Okada hit another Woo dropkick. Taichi rolled to the corner, where he slid on the iron glove. Okada ducked a glove shot, sat Taichi on the top rope, then dropkicked him to the floor. 

Okada grabbed the glove and handed it to Red Shoes. Kanemaru came to ringside and took the referee. Taichi used a chair on Okada twice. The second shot, to the head, caused the seat of the chair to pop off, so it was a gimmicked chair. 

Taichi hit an axe bomber for a near fall. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick, then locked in the stretch plum. Taichi ripped off the tape from Okada’s neck, then applied the hold a second time. Okada sat in the hold forever. Taichi gave it up and made a cover for a two count at the 20 minute mark. 

Taichi went for a Last Ride. Okada blocked. Taichi used Kawada kicks, then teased a piledriver, but Okada hit a backdrop. Okada ducked a buzzsaw kick and hit a German, maintaining waist control on landing. 

Okada teased a Rainmaker. Taichi slid out. Okada hit a dropkick. Taichi fought off a Rainmaker, then applied the stretch plum. Okada hit an armdrag to break it. Taichi ducked another Rainmaker and hit another backdrop suplex. 

Taichi dumped Okada on his head with another backdrop suplex. Taichi hit another backdrop suplex into a bridge for a near fall. 

Okada ducked a thrust kick and hit a tombstone, into a double down. They traded big boots at the 25 minute mark. Taichi hit two hard forearm strikes. He whipped Okada into the ropes and hit a dropkick. 

Taichi teased Black Mephisto. Okada slid out and hit a Rainmaker. Okada kept hold of Taichi’s wrist on landing and hit a second Rainmaker. Okada posed, then pulled Taichi up for a third. Taichi grabbed Red Shoes and hit a low blow on Okada, then used a Gedo clutch for a close near fall. 

Taichi hit a high kick in the corner, an axe bomber, then a kamigiri kick. Taichi stacked up Okada off a Last Ride and scored another two count. The crowd really got into it from this point. 

Taichi went for Black Mephisto. Okada slid out and hit a spinning Rainmaker. Taichi ducked another Rainmaker. Okada blocked a Black Mephisto at the 30 minute mark. 

Okada teased a tombstone. Taichi blocked and hit a high kick. Okada caught a kick and hit a spinning tombstone, then hit another Rainmaker for the pin. 

Okada cut a promo. He put over the tough battle. He thanked the fans and said NJPW will be back in July with the earlier announced Hokkaido tour.