Five title bouts headline today’s NJPW Wrestling Dontaku show.
In the main event, SANADA defends the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi.
In the semi-main, Tama Tonga puts the NEVER Openweight Championship up against David Finlay.
Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Ren Narita will defend the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship against Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii.
Zack Sabre Jr. defends the NJPW World Television Championship against Jeff Cobb.
KENTA defends the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship against Hikuleo.
Cards for the Best of the Super Juniors tournament will also be announced during today’s event.
The undercard:
- Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
- Shota Umino, KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight vs. Aaron Henare, TJP & Francesco Akira
- Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste & Kosei Fujita vs. Aussie Open & Great-O-Khan
- Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano & YOH vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahahsi, SHO & Dick Togo
- Young Lion gauntlet match (will not air on the broadcast): Ryohei Oiwa vs. Yuto Nakashima vs. Oskar Leube vs. Boltin Oleg
Our live coverage begins at 5 a.m. Eastern time.
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CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano, YOH & YOSHI-HASHI) defeated House Of Torture (Dick Togo, EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
This match opened with Bishamon attacking EVIL and Yujiro, who had stolen the IWGP tag belts earlier in the tour. From here, the match continued in a brawl until Bishamon was alone in the ring with Togo. They hit Togo with Shoto and pinned him for a quick pin.
After the match, the fighting continued. Aussie Open made the save and took their belts back. Fletcher then made the challenge to Bishamon and HOT for a three-way title match.
United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) vs. TMDK (Kosei Fujita, Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste)
Fujita tried to challenge as the match began, only to be outclassed by all of UE. Once Fujita finally tagged out, Aussie Open and Haste/Nicholls traded moves long enough for Fujita to recover.
When O-Khan and Fujita came to blows again, Fujita held his own. A German suplex to O-Khan forced Aussie Open to break up the tag. O-Khan responded with a suplex of his own and a sheep killer to win the match.
Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA) & Shota Umino defeated United Empire (Aaron Henare, Francesco Akira & TJP)
Shota started the match by squaring off with Henare. Henare won out in the opening exchange, leaving the rest of UE free to isolate Shota for some time. Shota eventually tagged out to Knight, who was able to turn the match around for his team.
The match broke down with both teams hitting dives and fighting on the floor. Through all the chaos, KUSHIDA secured an inside cradle and pinned TJP for a sudden win.
After the match, Intergalactic Jet Setters and Catch 22 stared each other down. Henare and Shota also stared each other down post-match, but I think that was so they wouldn’t feel left out.
Just 5 Guys (DOUKI, Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito)
This match opened with a scramble, and J5G were able to isolate Naito from his team, at least in the early moments.
Taichi and Shingo soon came to blows. Both men traded strikes as if the KOPW belt was on the line before passing off the match to others.
There was a brief struggle for control before J5G secured three separate submissions in the middle of the ring. Taichi’s stretch plum forced BUSHI to tap out, leaving J5G with another win.
BOSJ Cards
May 12 – A Block: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Mike Bailey | Titan vs. TJP | Lio Rush vs. SHO | KUSHIDA vs. DOUKI | Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Taiji Ishimori – B Block: El Desperado vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru | YOH vs. Robbie Eagles | Master Wato vs. Francesco Akira | BUSHI vs. Dan Moloney | Kevin Knight vs. Clark Connors
May 13 – A Block: Hiromu Takahashi vs. DOUKI | Titan vs. Taiji Ishimori | SHO vs. Mike Bailey | Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Lio Rush | KUSHIDA vs. TJP – B Block: YOH vs. Master Wato | El Desperado vs. BUSHI | Kevin Knight vs. Francesco Akira | Robbie Eagles vs. Clark Connors | Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Dan Moloney
May 14 – A Block: Lio Rush vs. Hiromu Takahashi | TJP vs. Mike Bailey | KUSHIDA vs. Titan | DOUKI vs. Taiji Ishimori | Ryusuke Taguchi vs. SHO – B Block: El Desperado vs. Master Wato | YOH vs. Dan Moloney | Robbie Eagles vs. Francesco Akira | BUSHI vs. Clark Connors | Kevin Knight vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
May 16 – A Block: Lio Rush vs. Taiji Ishimori | Hiromu Takahashi vs. SHO | KUSHIDA vs. Mike Bailey | DOUKI vs. TJP | Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Titan – B Block: Master Wato vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru | El Desperado vs. Kevin Knight | Francesco Akira vs. Dan Moloney | BUSHI vs. Robbie Eagles | YOH vs. Clark Connors
May 17 – A Block: KUSHIDA vs. Taiji Ishimori | Titan vs. Mike Bailey | Lio Rush vs. DOUKI | TJP vs. SHO | Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Hiromu Takahashi – B Block: El Desperado vs. YOH | Master Wato vs. Dan Moloney | Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Robbie Eagles | Francesco Akira vs. Clark Connors | Kevin Knight vs. BUSHI
May 18 – A Block: KUSHIDA vs. Hiromu Takahashi | Lio Rush vs. Titan | Taiji Ishimori vs. SHO | Ryusuke Taguchi vs. TJP | Mike Bailey vs. DOUKI – B Block: Master Wato vs. Robbie Eagles | YOH vs. Francesco Akira | El Desperado vs. Clark Connors | Kevin Knight vs. Dan Moloney | Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. BUSHI
May 19 – A Block: Hiromu Takahashi vs. TJP | Taiji Ishimori vs. Mike Bailey | KUSHIDA vs. Lio Rush | Titan vs. SHO | Ryusuke Taguchi vs. DOUKI – B Block: El Desperado vs. Dan Moloney | YOH vs. BUSHI | Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Francesco Akira | Kevin Knight vs. Robbie Eagles | Master Wato vs. Clark Connors
May 21 – A Block: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Taiji Ishimori | Lio Rush vs. TJP | Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Mike Bailey | Kushida vs. SHO | DOUKI vs. Titan – B Block: El Desperado vs. Francesco Akira | YOH vs. Kevin Knight | Robbie Eagles vs. Dan Moloney | Master Wato vs. BUSHI | Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Clark Connors
May 23 – A Block Finals – KUSHIDA vs. Ryusuke Taguchi | Hiromu Takahashi vs. Titan | DOUKI vs. SHO | Lio Rush vs. Mike Bailey | TJP vs. Taiji Ishimori
May 24 – B Block Finals – BUSHI vs. Francesco Akira | El Desperado vs. Robbie Eagles | Master Wato vs. Kevin Knight | YOH vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru | Dan Moloney vs. Clark Connors
May 26 – BOSJ Semi-Finals – A Block Leader vs. B Block 2nd Place | B Block Leader vs. A Block 2nd Place
May 28 – BOSJ Finals
NJPW Strong Openweight Championship: Hikuleo defeated KENTA (c)
Hikuleo opened the match with a big boot, resulting in a knockout scare. KENTA baited Hikuleo while selling the boot, launching a prolonged attack on the leg.
During what started as a comeback, Hikuleo knocked out the referee with a big boot. KENTA took advantage, using a kendo stick to beat down Hikuleo. Hikuleo powered through, broke the stick, and hit KENTA with a powerbomb, but the referee remained down during Hikuleo’s pin attempt.
KENTA took control back as the referee returned to his senses. Hikuleo caught KENTA with a powerslam to turn momentum in his favor. A chokeslam from Hikuleo allowed him to pin KENTA, and win the Strong belt.
NJPW World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Jeff Cobb (Time Limit Draw)
Cobb established control early, using his strength to withstand ZSJ’s wrestling. ZSJ focused on Cobb’s leg, even while on the defensive.
A gut-wrench superplex from Cobb at the 10-minute mark was answered with a rally from ZSJ. Cobb held on before trying to close with Tour of the Islands. ZSJ reversed Cobb’s finish into a choke, but Cobb powered trough, launching ZSJ across the ring with a suplex.
With three minutes remaining, ZSJ started attempting desperate roll-ups. ZSJ then turned to strikes, which opened the door for Cobb to land Tour of the Islands. ZSJ rolled to the floor before Cobb could pin him. With the final seconds closing in, Cobb lifted ZSJ for multiple powerbombs, each time being caught in an arm bar. This played out until the clock expired, resulting in a time-limit draw.
After the match, both men seemed visibly frustrated with being unable to close. A rematch would be unsurprising.
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, & Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Strong Style (El Desperado, Minoru Suzuki & Ren Narita) (c)
The match opened with Tanahashi attempting to prove he was good to go following his recent injury. Strong Style were able to gain the upper hand until Narita tagged in.
Narita and Okada came to blows early, with Okada punishing Narita outside of the ring. A side eye from Tanahashi got Okada to calm down and return to the ring. After continuing his bullying for a while in the ring, Okada tagged Tanahashi back into the match.
Narita was able to tag to Suzuki, escaping punishment, at least for a moment. Tanahashi and Suzuki went back and forth for control, trading strikes and moves, but never giving up too much. Suzuki changed this trend with a targeted attack on Tanahashi’s broken ribs. Ishii saved Tanahashi from his anguish, buying him some time to recover.
Ishii then tagged in, as did Desperado, leaving the rivals free to go to war. Desperado was one foot ahead but failed to hit his finish. Ishii answered with a German and Desperado a spear. Desperado tried for Pinche Loco multiple times but was unable to connect. Ishii dropped Desperado with a headbutt, prompting another double tag.
Narita and Okada started fighting again. This time, Narita led the action to the floor and maintained a lead against Okada. Back in the ring, Narita continued to control the pace. Narita scored multiple near falls on Okada with suplexes before locking in a cobra twist that forced Ishii to make the save.
It took Tanahashi, Ishii, and Okada to take control back from Narita. Okada landed an air raid crash, a dropkick, and a landslide to set up the rainmaker. After connecting with the rainmaker, Okada pinned Narita to win the match and the Never Six Man belts for the dream team.
After the match, Shota Umino walked to the ring. He queued up an announcement for Jon Moxley’s return at Dominion, presumably for a six-man title match. The third man on the team is still unannounced.
NEVER Openweight Championship: David Finlay defeated Tama Tonga (c)
Before the match could even begin, Finlay attacked Tama. Finlay and Tama then brawled to the floor before fighting deep into the crowd. The pair returned to the ring for a moment, but it didn’t take long for them to wander outside again. This time, Tama whipped Finlay into the barricade, establishing a strong lead.
Tama attempted Supreme Flow, but Finlay blocked with his knee. Finlay followed up with an Irish curse and a barrage of crossface strikes.
Tama turned the match around with a bloody Sunday before locking in a sharpshooter. After Finlay escaped, Tama climbed to the top, but Finlay shoved him off, sending him crashing to the floor. Finlay followed up with an apron powerbomb and a brutal throw into the turnbuckle post, nearly leaving him with a count-out victory.
Back in the ring, Finlay hit an eliminator, three powerbombs, and several intense strikes. With the end in sight, Finlay hit Oblivion twice but refused to pin Tama, trying to get Jado to throw in the towel. After the third Oblivion, Finlay gave in and pinned Tama to win the NEVER Openweight Championship.
After the match, a masked man walked to the ring and attacked Finlay. After clearing the ring of Gedo, the man removed his mask, revealing El Phantasmo. Phantasmo unloaded on Finlay, inside the ring and out.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: SANADA (c) defeated Hiromu Takahashi
Hiromu gained an early lead after landing an apron dropkick which he followed with a dropkick into the barricade. Hiromu connected with a rana and a falcon arrow to slow SANADA’s attempt to fight back.
SANADA landed a dropkick and a plancha to put Hiromu on the backfoot. Hiromu bounced back after escaping a dragon sleeper by connecting with a DDT and a slam into the corner.
SANADA held on through Hiromu’s advance before finally securing a dragon sleeper. Hiromu escaped, but SANADA followed up with a moonsault. On SANADA’s second moonsault attempt, Hiromu blocked and hit timebomb for a nearfall.
When Hiromu tried for timebomb again, SANADA escaped and hit a shining wizard. Hiromu held on, landing a German suplex in response. SANADA continued to advance, however, landing forearms to knock Hiromu senseless.
In a last-ditch, Hiromu landed a cutter and a dynamite plunger, a lariat, and timebomb 2; SANADA kicked out. SANADA tried for shining wizard, but Hiromu blocked. As Hiromu tried to follow up, SANADA caught him in Skull End. SANADA then hit another moonsault for another nearfall.
Hiromu tried for a Hiromu-roll, but SANADA answered with a shining wizard. To close, SANADA hit Deadfall and pinned Hiromu.
After the match, and SANADA’s closing promo, the video package with dinosaurs, falling buildings, and exploding planets played again. A monstrous Yota Tsuji walked out and attacked all of J5G, leaving them lying. Tsuji speared SANADA into the floor before taunting him with the IWGP belt.
