One week ago, there were seven Smackdown performers off the active roster due to either health issues or positive drug test results. Today, that number could be as low as two.
Both Bobby Lashley and Great Khali were medically cleared this past week and worked the Smackdown tapings on 7/31. Super Crazy was also at the taping, although he didn’t wrestle. Nobody knew exactly his situation but the feeling was he may also be cleared. All three had elevated liver enzyme counts. In the case of Khali, the count level was dangerous enough to force him on the sidelines, but not far over the limit.
Lashley and Crazy’s counts were said to be high enough that it was a borderline call of Hepatitis and just days earlier, were not expected back any time soon and were written out of current storylines. Khali was kept involved as they were hopeful his liver count would quickly get to allowable levels. Just a week after, Lashley was cleared by a later test to return.
The Big Audio Nightmare with Mike Sempervive and I is back to talk about everything happening in the very busy world of Japanese professional wrestling.
This week’s topics include:
The final word on this year’s NJPW G1 Climax and what was an incredible final match between Naito and Okada
Did that match wash away the disappointment of the rest of the tournament
Kiyomiya taking Oiwa back to NOAH and what it means for both of them
Our thoughts on a great Stardom pay-per-view and possibly an even better Korakuen Hall show
Thoughts on NOAH’s N1 Victory, TJPW’s Princess Cup and more.
This week’s two-hour Big Audio Nightmare is back to talk about everything happening in the world of Japanese professional wrestling — dominated this week by the NJPW G1 Climax tournament.
Topics include:
The final verdict on NJPW G1 Climax 33’s league play and polarizing format
An In-depth review of everything that led to the quarterfinals
EVIL reaching the semifinals and what it means for the road to Wrestle Kingdom
The baffling booking Kaito Kiyomiya in this year’s G1
G1 Final predictions
Thoughts on Stardom’s 5 Star GP, NOAH’s N1 Victory, KAIRI, AJPW, Dragon Gate, and more!
Filthy Four Daily with Bryan Alvarez and Filthy Tom Lawlor is back with tons to talk about, everything from Miyahara vs. Nakajima to Sendai Girls to FTR vs. Jay & Juice to Smackdown with MASSIVELY differing opinions on Bianca vs. Iyo vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back to talk all the big news and show of the weekend, injuries to Callis, Bayley and Elton Prince, Battle of the Belts, Collision, Smackdown, NOAH and AAA and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including all the best matches of the weekend, Nakajima vs. Miyahara, Omega vs. Vikingo, FTR vs. Juice & Jay, Don Callis attacked legit, Bayley and Elton Prince hurt, Mox wins shoot with DEATH JITSU, Rick Steiner, Mercedes, Smackdown, Collision, Battle of the Belts and more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: The Mikey Nicholls G1 finish, Bayley injured at WWE house show, Elton Prince injury
8:10: Kento Miyahara vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima & Kenny Omega vs. Vikingo from this weekend, Don Callis incident
22:09: FTR vs. Jay White and Juice Robinson on Collision, Battle of The Belts feed dies
32:12: Rick Steiner invited back to WrestleCon
36:10: Mercedes Mone update, Giulia heading to the US, Jon Moxley wins gold medal in NAGA grappling tournament
38:16: A recap of the rest of AEW Collision & Battle of the Belts VII
NJPW, AJPW, and NOAH join forces today for All Together Again in Ryogoku Sumo Hall.
The undercard primarily consists of tag matches pitting companies against one another, while the top two bouts will feature teams with a representative from each promotion on either side.
The match opened with a brawl that left CHAOS with an early lead. The NOAH squad began to fight back into the match as the trio worked to isolate YH.
A tag to Ishii turned the match into a hoss fight. Ishii worked to fight off Inamura and Masa, eventually forcing a double tag. Inaba and Goto traded moves, leading to a YH save. Bishamon hit Inaba with Naraku leading into the pin, and the CHOAS win.
NJPW is up in the first match of the night.
Chris Ridgeway & Sean Legacy (NOAH) defeated Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr. (TMDK/NJPW)
This was a fantastic match.
Ridgeway and ZSJ opened the match with a slick sequence teasing what was to come. Legacy and Fujita tried their best to match the energy after tagging in.
Unsurprisingly, the NOAH pair worked to isolate Fujita, gaining the upper hand early on. Even after receiving the tag, Legacy was able to maintain control for his team.
ZSJ and Ridgeway picked up with another grappling sequence as soon as the pair was in the ring together again. ZSJ set Fujita up for success before tagging him back in, leading to a period of extended TMDK control.
Ultimately, ZSJ had to save Fujita from an ankle lock, prompting a slap fight. Legacy cleared the ring of ZSJ, leaving Ridgeway free to land a kick and turn his focus back to Fujita’s ankle. Fujita tried hanging on, but in the end, he tapped to Ridgeway’s anklelock.
Shota Umino (NJPW) defeated Yoshitatsu (AJPW)
Yoshitatsu opened the match by rushing Shota, gaining a lead early. Shota’s first rally was met with solid resistance from Yoshitatsu, who taunted the youngling with demeaning offense.
Out of nowhere, Shota bounced back with a neckbreaker which he followed with a Deathrider. Shota then pinned Yoshitatsu and left the ring as fast as possible.
Go Shiozaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima (AXIZ/NOAH) defeated Hokuto Omori (AJPW) & Satoshi Kojima (NJPW)
This was another great match. Omori stood out in a match full of stars, which was an accomplishment, no doubt.
Omori decided to start the match by throwing his own partner to the floor and going toe-to-toe with Go. Axiz, unsurprisingly, took quick control, beating their defiant junior in and out of the ring.
Once Kojima tagged in he managed to gain some footing, but the Axiz pairing was able to keep him on the back foot. Go tried for a lariat, but Kojima reversed, landing a cutter and setting Omori up for the tag.
Omori stood tall against Nakajima, landing a pair of suplexes for a believable nearfall. When Kojima interrupted Omori’s flow in an attempt to double-team, Nakajima retook the lead, landing multiple kicks and a brainbuster for the pinfall victory.
Suzuki and Marufuji opened the match with a strike battle. Ren then challenged Suguria and held his own reasonably well. Once the tags started coming, the NOAH trio was able to isolate Ren and establish control of the match.
Suzuki and Sugiura traded strikes in the middle of the ring, creating a reset. Miyawaki hit the ring with speed but found himself on the receiving end of strong Suzuki strikes. Desperado and Miyawaki then traded momentum before all of Strong Style hit the ring to cement control.
The NOAH trio hit the ring to save Miyawaki from sure doom. This led to a brawl on the outside, leaving Desperado and Miyawaki alone in the ring. Desperado hit Pinche Loco and pinned Miyawaki for another New Japan win.
Aaron Henare, Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & TJP (United Empire/NJPW) defeated Jun Saito, Rei Saito, Dan Tamura, Hikaru Sato & Ryuki Honda (AJPW)
This was pretty bad, which is a shame because it was loaded with guys I really like. An Evolution vs. O-Khan and Cobb tag could have been amazing, but instead, we had this silly little thing.
This match degenerated as soon as it started, with VDM taking the fight to the floor. The Saito brothers singled out Akira in the middle of the ring, prompting the rest of UE to make the save.
The UE control segment was also pretty silly, with O-Khan using a thumb in the butt to top things off. The Saito brothers then attacked their own partner so they could beat down Akira, which they did.
A tag to TJP led into a UE rally. After a multi-finisher spot, the AJPW squad hit the ring to make the save. The match then broke down completely, with every guy hitting the ring. Through all of the chaos, Akira was able to hit his finish to win the match.
Even once the match was over, the brawling continued. Sato pulled O-Khan’s trunks off at one point, but thankfully, he recovered them. Once things calmed down, UE celebrated their win in the ring.
The match opened with Anzai a strike and a dropkick to Naito to set the pace early. LIJ was quick to help Naito fight back, working to isolate Anzai from this point on.
Nagata and Shingo tagged in and traded momentum for some time. Suwama and Shingo then came to blows, with both men landing significant offense.
Shingo was forced to tag out, but BUSHI was able to hold his own against Suwama. This led to a match breakdown, with all men in the ring. The fight left Suwama and BUSHI alone in the ring again, but this time, Suwama landed a powerbomb to win the match.
The match opened with the juniors trading advantage for some time before a double tag left both heavyweight champions alone in the ring. SANADA was the first to strike, landing a dropkick and a dive to establish control. Lee fought back, dropping SANADA and attempting a disrespectful pin.
SANADA landed another dropkick, leading into an extended back-and-forth before the NJPW juniors tagged back in. Lee fought off both juniors before hitting TAKA with a big boot in the corner to win the match. The GHC champion has (indirectly) defeated the IWGP champion.
This match opened slowly with a feeling-out process between Wato and Aoyagi. Hiromu and HAYATO picked up the pace a little, but it didn’t take long for the HAYTO team to establish themselves as heels, working to isolate Hiromu from his corner.
A tag to AMAKUSA led to an acrobatic comeback sequence where he got his team back in the match. Wato and Aoyagi then re-entered the match, this time with more intensity. HAYATO then hit the ring, scoring a nearfall with a driver before Hiromu hit the ring to make the save. AMAKUSA then hit an incredible dive to leave HAYATO and Aoyagi alone in the ring.
HAYATO and Aoyagi climbed to the top rope, where Aoyagi hit a Spanish fly. After HAYATO kicked out, Aoyagi climbed to the top and hit a 450 to win the match for his team.
After the match, all three junior champs stood in the ring, holding their belts high.
I’ve been covering matches for F4W for over three years. This was easily my favorite. This was one of the best matches I’ve ever seen, an absolute masterclass and nothing short of an instant classic.
The entrances alone made this match feel huge.
Before the match could begin, Kenoh and Tanahashi had an intense staredown while Kaito starred a hole in Okada.
Tanahashi and Kenoh opened the match after a brief but fierce shove fight. Tanahashi was able to get a leg up on Kenoh early before both men tagged out.
Kento and Okada were next to square off. In a bit of a surprise, Kento was showered in cheers during before the pair began to grapple. Okada played into this, landing a cheap shot in an attempt to gain the lead. Kento answered with a headbutt, so Okada swung with a rainmaker that Kento avoided. Both men were on equal footing.
During the pause, Okada knocked Kaito off of the apron but fled to the floor. This left Yuma free to swing at Kaito, but Kaito ignored him, instead targeting Okada with a dropkick and a brutal attack on the floor.
After Yuma gained the advantage in the ring, Okada responded with a floor-based attack of his own.
In the ring the other guys tried to have a normal match, but tensions continued to rise. Kenoh brutalized Tanahashi with a kick to the back. Tanahashi fired back with dragonscrew before tagging Kaito back in the match.
Kaito unloaded on Kenoh, prompting Okada to hit the ring. Kaito dropped Okada and Kenoh with dropkicks. After Kenoh held on, he dropped Kaito with a dragon suplex and tagged in Yuma. Yuma landed a crossbody, but Kaito fired back with a flying arm. This allowed Kaito to tag in Kento, who had no problem beating down Yuma.
Yuma escaped by tagging in Okada. Okada, beyond frustrated, kicked Kento in the head over and over before dropping him with an air raid crash. Okada then landed a top rope elbow drop and hit the rainmaker pose. Kento reversed the rainmaker attempt with a beautiful knee, which he followed with a second for a nearfall.
Kento failed to hit his suplex finish, allowing Okada to secure the money clip. A double lariat led to a Tanahashi tag who cleared the ring. Tanahashi, Kaito, and Kento hit Okada with a triple dropkick followed by a sling blade for a nearfall.
Tanahashi tried for High Fly Flow, but Okada extended his knee into Tanahashi’s injured ribs. This led to a forearm exchange in the middle of the ring that ended with an Okada landslide. Tanahashi avoided the rainmaker, leading to every man rushing to the ring.
Okada, Yuma, and Kenoh were able to focus on Tanahashi. Kenoh hit a penalty kick and Yuma an elbow drop, but Tanahashi’s team made the save. Okada then focused on Tanahashi and landed a dropkick, an emerald flowsion, and a rainmaker before pinning Tanahashi.
After the final bell, all three rosters walked to the ring. Okada cut the show-ending promo where he thanked the fans for sticking with them through the pandemic. Okada then welcomed Inoki’s family to the ring for an “Ich Ni Son DA!” sendoff.
The full card has been finalized for the Friday, June 9 NJPW/AJPW/NOAH All Together Again pay-per-view.
Newly added to the lineup, NJPW’s SANADA, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & TAKA Michinoku will team against NOAH’s Jake Lee, YO-HEY & Tadasuke in a trios bout.
A pre-show kickoff match has also been added to the card, with NJPW’s Ryusuke Taguchi & YOH teaming with AJPW’s Black Menso-re & Ryo Inoue against NOAH’s Atushi Kotoge, Seki Yoshioka, Alejandro & Super Crazy.
The pre-show will begin at 4:30 a.m. Eastern time, with the main card kicking off at 5 a.m. Eastern time. The show will air on NJPW World pay-per-view.
The retirement tour for Keiji Mutoh continues at Japan’s Yokohama Arena as Mutoh wrestles for the final time as famed character The Great Muta at NOAH’s The Great Muta’s Final Bye-Bye event.
Muta will team with Sting & Darby Allin against Hakushi, Akira & Naomichi Marufuji in the night’s main event. It’s the first time Sting and Muta have teamed since July 2004 for an Hawaii indie event.
Outside two singles matches, the rest of the event is made up of traditional and multi-person tag team matches.
One of those singles matches will see Kazushi Sakuraba against Hideki Suzuki in a GHC martial arts rules match while the other features Timothy Thatcher against Masaaki Mochizuki.
Kaito Kiyomiya, Hijo de Doctor Wagner Jr., Takashi Sugiura & Satoshi Kojima will team to face Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Masakatsu Funaki & Manabu Soya while AMAKUSA, Ultimo Dragon & Ninja Mack take on YO-HEY, Kzy, and Dante Leon.
This opening junior tag started with typical back-and-forth during the first few control segments. As the pace picked up later in the match, the trading continued, just with a little more urgency. HIROKI eventually ended the match with a Stuka Splash on Yoshioka.
After a brief altercation after the opening bell, Natsu and Anou tagged out, leaving Kyona and Maya to trade strikes. Natsu pulled Kyona to the floor, helping her team establish control early. Natsu and Maya then worked to isolate Kyona, leading to the eventual hot tag.
After receiving the tag, Anou reversed the flow of the match for a while, but it didn’t take long for the heel pairing to begin their isolation tactic again. This time, Kyona was able to help Anou, keeping her competitive even through Natsu and Maya’s concentrated efforts.
Kyona eventually made the tag, but a top rope dropkick, pair of running boots, and a top rope splash left her on the receiving end of a near fall. Kyona continued to fight, however, landing a double suplex, a double lariat, and a sliding lariat for a near fall of her own.
Natsu connected with a pair of DDTs, forcing Anou to make the save; this led to a scramble for control. Kyona eventually landed a lariat which she followed with the Jungle Buster on Natsu, winning the match for her team.
Timothy Thatcher defeated Masaaki Mochizuki
Great match. Many people are mixed on Thatcher’s time in NOAH, but he has been a continued highlight for me, whether in the main event or lower on the card.
Thatcher opened the match with a quick attempt for grappling control, but Mochizuki answered by targeting Thatcher’s leg, taking the lead early. Thatcher eventually struck back by taking control on the mat.
Mochizuki used the targeted leg as a check to a standing Thatcher throughout the match; whenever Thatcher showed a little bit of life, he slowed him to a halt by focusing on the leg. Mochizuki tried to connect with a flurry of strikes, but Thatcher caught him with an armbar out of nowhere, forcing the submission.
A quick brawl allowed team Ogawa to establish an early lead. Ogawa and company were more than willing to gain a numbers advantage at any turn as they worked to isolate whoever they were in the ring with. A lot of attention was paid to Alejandro, with the heels eventually ripping off his mask, resulting in the disqualification.
After the match, NOSAWA cut an unwilling Miyawaki’s hair.
Good Looking Guys (Anthony Greene, Jack Morris & Jake Lee) defeated Daiki Inaba, Masa Kitamiya & Yoshiki Inamura
The opening minutes of this match saw different pairings of opponents testing their grit against one another. GLG eventually established control by forcing Inamura into the corner and trading tags to keep him from his team. GLG maintained their control for some time, even after Masa tagged into the match.
A tag to Inaba actually turned things around for his team. A lariat to Morris caused a match reset, leading to a Lee/Inamura exchange. Inamura dropped Lee with a suplex and a ton of elbow strikes, but Lee answered with a big knee to the midsection, followed yakuza kick. The rest of GLG cleared the ring of their opponents, and Lee pinned Inamura to win the match.
Tokyo Dome – Keiji Muto Grand Final Card
A video package played to announce the card for Muto’s Tokyo Dome farewell on 2/21/2023. All the matches had cute little names to set them apart.
Starting Love tag: Masa Kitamiya and Daiki Inaba vs. Yoshiki Inamura and Yasutaka Yano
TJPW Spark: Miyu Yamashita, Yuka Sakazaki, Rika Tatsumi, and Shoko Nakajima vs. Mizuki, Maki Itoh, Miu Watanabe, Yuki Arai
World Warrior Battle 6-Man tag: Takashi Sugiura, Satoshi Kojima, and Timothy Thatcher vs. Good Looking Guys (Anthony Greene, Jack Morris & Jake Lee)
New Explosion 10-Man tag: Eita, Yoshinari Ogawa, Hayata, Daga, and Chris Ridgeway vs. Atsushi Kotoge, YO-HEY, Seki Yoshioka, Alejandro and Junta Miyawaki
Dramatic Dream Future 8-Man tag: Shunma Katsumata, Mao, Toui Kojima, and Yuki Ueno vs. Tetsuya Endo, Yuya Koroku, Hideki Okatani, and Takeshi Masada
Dragongate vs. NOAH 6-Man tag: Dragongate (Shun Skywalker, Kai, and Diamante) vs. NOAH (Naomichi Marufuji, Hijo Del Dr. Wagner Jr., and Ninja Mack)
AJPW vs. NOAH 6-Man tag: AJPW (Kento Miyahara, Suwama, and Yuma Aoyagi) vs. NOAH/Kongo (Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima, and Manabu Soya)
Final De Lucha Tag: Gedo and Taiji Ishimori vs. NOSAWA Rongai and MAZADA
Tokyo Tornado: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Amakusa
Shinning Through: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. GHC Heavyweight Champion Kaito Kiyomiya
Pro-Wrestling “Last” Love: Keiji Muto vs. Tetsuya Naito
This is an incredibly stacked card. It really feels as if the wrestling world is coming together to celebrate the career of Muto.
GHC Martial Arts Rules: Kazushi Sakuraba defeated Hideki Suzuki
This is what it’s all about. I loved this.
The match opened with a scramble on the mat. Sakuraba tried to secure guard on Suzuki, but Suzuki was able to pass. After the stalemate on the ground, they stood up and traded a few palm strikes, but Suzuki secured a double-leg takedown to return to the mat.
Sakuraba popped back to his feet and tried a takedown of his own, finally pulling Suzuki into full guard. From guard, Sakuraba nearly secured an armbar, but Suzuki flipped out of the hold. Both men struggled for control of the legs of the other, leading to an extended struggle for the lead.
Sakuraba secured a triangle choke from the mat. Suzuki tried to escape by powering up and landing a buckle bomb, but before he could connect, he passed out. The referee noticed and stopped the match, leaving Sakuraba as the winner.
The match opened with an extended period of animated sequences. The lucha libre rules (no tags) allowed for fluid transitions between the competitors, leading to spatiality as the match escalated. Everyone hit impressive dives except Dragon, who teased a jump instead. Sonny Onoo, who accompanied Dragon to the ring, got involved, landing some quick kicks on KZY ahead of the finish. Ninja Mack won the match for his team with an insane top-rope dive on YO-HEY.
After the match, Onoo took a picture of the winning team with a disposable camera.
El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Kaito Kiyomiya, Satoshi Kojima & Takashi Sugiura defeated Kongo (Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh, Manabu Soya & Masakatsu Funaki)
This was a good match. The exchanges were fun, and all built upon each other up to the finish.
Kenoh and Kojima entered the match early, and with the rest of the faction’s help, Kongo established control. Kongo worked to isolate Kojima, with each member beating on the veteran.
Once the tag finally came, Sugiura challenged Kenoh, trading heavy blows and putting Kongo on the backfoot. Kaito tagged in and continued to further the lead made by Sugiura.
Funaki challenged Kaito, connecting with thunderous strikes and forcing the tag. Soya and Wagner entered to trade power moves, with Soya gaining the upper hand with a spear and a brainbuster. Kongo rushed the ring to fully cement Soya’s lead, which led to a free-for-all shortly after. Once the fog cleared, Wagner hit Soya with a driver and a beautiful moonsault to win the match.
This was incredible. It was filled with outlandish visuals, creative spots, and memorable moments. They worked around the limitations of the older wrestlers brilliantly, making them look outstanding despite their constraints. Brilliant sendoff.
The presentation of this match was highly extravagant. Before the match, a video package showed off Muta’s career and history with Sting. Marufuji came to the ring with an elaborate body and face paint combination. Hakushi and AKIRA had elaborate individual entrances. The Great Kabuki also walked to the ring with his nunchucks and gave the crowd a surprise show, mist and all. Allin skated to the ring with his AEW theme and the TNT championship. Sting’s first WCW theme, “Turbo Charged,” played before his entrance to his AEW theme with the snow. Muta’s entrance was probably the least ornate; other than a unique attire and some sparklers, it was normal.
Muta and Hakushi opened the match. Muta taunted Hakushi with a spray of green mist in the air. A scramble led the pair to the ground, but this first interaction was a tease of what was coming.
Marufuji and Sting tagged into the match. Marufuji tried chopping Sting, but Sting was unphased. Sting dragged Marufuji into the corner and tagged in Allin. Before Allin and Marufuji could come to blows, Marufuji tagged in AKIRA. AKIRA and Allin traded moves briefly before tagging out to Sting and Hakushi, respectively.
Sting hit Hakushi with a lariat that sent him to the floor. Hakushi took a moment to recover, only for Sting to bump him off the apron, over the barricade, and into the bell table. This led to a brawl outside, with Muta focusing Hakushi.
Muta choked Hakushi with a cable before jumping his ringside accompaniment. Muta took Hakushi’s graveside marker, broke it over his knee, and jabbed the jagged wood into Hakushi’s head, drawing blood. After dragging Hakushi back into the ring, Allin bit Hakushi’s wound, and Sting targeted it with slams into the barricade and ring post.
Muta slowed the violence momentarily, locking Hakushi in an STF in the middle of the ring. AKIRA hit the ring to make the save, leading to a tag into Marufuji.
Marufuji moved Allin into the corner, leading into a slightly faster sequence. Allin landed a fantastic dive, as only he could, before grabbing a chair. Instead of hitting him with it, Allin sat Marufuji in the chair, climbed to the top rope, and hit a dropkick, ring-to-floor.
Sting tagged in, but after several Stinger splashes, he lost control to AKIRA. AKIRA slipped up, however, getting caught in the scorpion deathlock before Muta re-entered the match. Muta connected with his signature dragon screws and shining wizard, but AKIRA held on. After blocking Muta’s second attempt at a shining wizard, AKIRA landed a top rope splash and tagged out to Hakushi.
Hakushi climbed to the top rope and delivered a falling headbutt for a nearfall. Allin hit the ring, smashing Hakushi over the head with his skateboard. This led to a brawl, clearing the ring of everyone but Hakushi and Muta.
Hakushi, blood-drenched, cupped his hands over his cut and drank his own blood before botching a top rope walk. Muta blinded Hakushi with the green mist after the fall. Muta hit Hakushi with a shining wizard. Hakushi’s tag partners hit the ring and made the save, but Muta’s partners were quick to back him up.
With Hakushi still on his back, Allin landed a coffin drop. Muta followed this with another shining wizard before pinning Hakushi to win his farewell.
After the conclusion, Muta attacked Hakushi’s ringside monk again. He grabbed the grave marker and stabbed Hakushi with it again. Muta then took Hakushi’s blood and wrote a message on the broken marker, trapping Hakushi’s demon inside him forever.
On his way to the back, Muta was visibly in a lot of pain. Allin and Sting helped him to the top but left him alone for one last mist spray.
A series of NJPW vs. NOAH matches are set for night two of Wrestle Kingdom 17.
Yokohama Arena will host NJPW vs. NOAH battles for the second consecutive year on tonight’s show, headline by five Los Ingobernables de Japon vs. Kongo singles matches.
NJPW’s Tetsuya Naito will face NOAH’s Kenoh in the main event, with Shingo Takagi facing Katsuhimo Nakajima in the semi-main.
SANADA vs. Manabu Soya, Hiromu Takahashi vs. Hajime Ohara, and BUSHI vs. Tadasuke comprise the other LIJ vs. Kongo matches on the show.
This was a fantastic opener; both teams had something to prove.
This match opened hot, with both teams of trainees going back and forth in intense sequences. The teams maintained their intensity as the bout continued, even as the pace slowed.
In the closing encounter, the NJPW team cleared the ring of Yano, allowing Fujita to lock in a deep Boston crab, forcing Ozawa to submit. After the match, Fujita and Yano traded slaps.
New Japan leads, 1-0.
Masa Kitamiya & Daiki Inaba (NOAH) defeated Tomohiro Ishii & Oskar Leube (NJPW)
They wasted no time, giving the Masa/Ishii faceoff in the opening encounter, and the pair traded strikes, teasing what was to come. Leube and Daiki acted almost as bumpers for the other pair, forcing space and building anticipation for the eventual explosion.
Once Ishii and Masa tagged back in, they continued where they left off, trading strikes and power moves. Leube eventually tried his hand at handling Masa but couldn’t hang with his more experienced foe. Instead, Masa ended the match with his signature prison lock leg submission.
After the match, Masa and Ishii traded more strikes, but Inaba was there to help Masa fight off Ishii.
NOAH evens the score, 1-1.
Jay Briscoe Tribute
The main card opened with a tribute to the late Jay Briscoe, who held gold in both New Japan and NOAH with his brother Mark.
The NOAH and NJPW rosters walked to the ring, with Naomichi Marufuji and Hiroshi Tanahashi holding portraits of Jay. After a ten-bell salute, “Reach for the sky, boy” played through Yokohama Arena.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Satoshi Kojima & Takashi Sugiura defeated Naomichi Marufuji, KENTA, El Phantasmo & Gedo
This was a fun match, nothing incredible, but it was a cute little story.
Before the match, Bullet Club tried to get Marufuji to participate in the communal “Too Sweet,” but he rejected the offer.
Marufuji and Tanahashi opened the match but passed it off early to Gedo and Kojima. The Bullet Club trio weren’t afraid to use their usual tactics to take control of the match, even as Marufuji protested.
Sugiura took control for his team, taking out ELP with a spear and a suplex from the top rope. ELP tried twisting Sugiura’s nipples but didn’t find much success with this tactic. Instead, it was KENTA who took control back for his side, wiping out all of his opponents and forcing the tag into Tanahashi.
Tanahashi and KENTA, opponents from last year’s Wrestle Kingdom, traded heavy strikes before wiping each other out, forcing a double tag to Marufuji and Yano. Yano tried his typical antics, but Bullet Club hit the ring to stop the shenanigans; Marufuji wasn’t pleased.
KENTA and Gedo offered Marufuji another “Too Sweet”, but just as he looked to be considering the offer, Yano snuck in with a low blow, rolling up Gedo and winning the match for his team.
After the match, KENTA and Marufuji traded words over the “Too Sweet” debacle.
El Desperado (NJPW) defeated YO-HEY (NOAH)
This did nothing for me.
After a basic back-and-forth opening, Desperado established an early control by targeting YH’s legs. YH tried to spring back into the match, but continued to “sell” his legs during his comeback (by sell, I mean he held them as he kicked, jumped, and dove).
The pair then traded lackadaisical moves and unconvincing near falls. YH landed a thrust kick, and Desperado answered with a forearm. Desperado tried for Pinche Loco, but YH reversed into a pin. Desperado kicked out and locked YH in Numero Dos, securing the win with continued targeting of the leg.
There were some clumsy moments throughout this match’s runtime and nothing that made the awkwardness worth the watch.
This match opened with a typical feeling-out process. Things pick up with more of the same. As the match continued, it got sloppier and sloppier, with the structure falling by the wayside.
AMAKUSA eventually landed a dive to take out TM for a moment. Back in the ring, TM dropped AMAKUSA with a tiger driver, but AMAKUSA’s team helped him retake control soon after. After landing a suplex, AMAKUSA connected with a Firebird Splash, his version of the 450, to win the match.
NOAH ties the score again, 2-2.
No Contest: Kaito Kiyomiya & Yoshiki Inamura (NOAH) vs. Kazuchika Okada & Togi Makabe (NJPW)
This was nothing short of incredible. This amount of emotion from Okada is so rare these days, and Kaito Kiyomiya, drug it out of him. Wow.
Inamura and Makabe opened the match and traded heavy blows before tagging in either of the heavyweight champions. Okada was the first champion to enter the match, wearing down Inamura in the center of the ring, prompting Kaito to make the save with a stiff kick that drew blood. Okada answered with a riotous flurry on the outside of the ring.
On the floor, the champions went back and forth in an intense scrap. This was nothing short of a wild brawl. After a very prolonged time on the floor, the referee called for the bell, resulting in a no-contest.
Once the match was over, Kaito grabbed a microphone and challenged Okada to a singles match. While the match is unlikely, I’d give just about anything to see it.
The score remains even, 2-2-1.
Tadasuke (NOAH/Kongo) defeated BUSHI (NJPW/LIJ)
This was decent, but it took a lot of effort to focus after the electricity of the last match. A better Tadasuke performance, all things considered.
BUSHI opened the match by taking Tadasuke to the outside. On the floor, Tadasuke took control, which he maintained as the match returned to the ring. BUSHI fought back, landing a tope to take out Tadasuke.
After they returned to the ring again, the pair traded moves. BUSHI used the mist on Tadasuke, but Tadasuke responded with a quick pin to establish an early lead for his faction.
This match was surprisingly filled with Ohara control. This led to a fun dynamic throughout the match, leading to the ultimate Hiromu comeback.
The match opened with a grappling sequence that saw the underdog, Ohara, gain an early lead over the IWGP junior champion. Ohara led the match for some time, using the barricade to cement a strong lead. When it seemed like Hiromu had a spark, Ohara had an answer.
Hiromu eventually landed a lariat to challenge Ohara’s control. This lead to a swift rally where Hiromu landed Victory Royal and Timebomb 2 to score the win.
NJPW and LIJ tie things back up. 3-3-1/1-1, all
Manabu Soya (NOAH/Kongo) defeated SANADA (NJPW/LIJ)
This match opened with a sluggish sequence that set the pace for the rest of the match. Soya took control but didn’t accomplish much before SANADA turned things in his favor.
Soya interrupted a springboard, initiating a struggle for control in the center of the ring. Soya won out, hitting a spear to drop SANADA. A follow-up lariat was blocked and turned into a SANADA dropkick, reversing momentum once more. SANADA landed a moonasult and attempted a second, but Soya blocked the follow-up with his knee.
After the blocked moonsault, the pair stood in the middle of the ring and traded strikes. Soya won out, landed a death valley bomb, and scored a near fall. Soya tried for a bomber, and after an extended struggle, he landed one, leading to a pinfall win.
Kongo and NOAH are back in the lead, 3-4-1 NOAH, 2-1 Kongo.
This was everything you would expect from this pair. It was a physically intense match built around strikes and other potent offense.
The pair opened with a tense sequence where neither man gained anything substantial. As things heated up, both men made minor gains, but neither established a significant lead.
Nakajima eventually forced Shingo to the floor, where a well-placed kick left him. Once Shingo made his way back inside the ropes, Nakajima toyed with him, triggering a firey rally from the KOPW champion.
Shingo beat Nakajima across the ring before Nakajima retook the lead with a kick knee. Nakajima tried stretching Shingo, but Shingo escaped, leading to a prolonged strike exchange. After landing a suplex, Shingo tried for a pumping bomber, but Nakajima ducked and landed a head kick dropping both men.
Nakajima tried connecting with strikes to follow up, but Shingo caught him with Made in Japan. Shingo went on to land a pumping bomber, but Nakajima kicked out. Shingo was quick to respond to the kick out, connecting with a flurry of strikes and Last of the Dragon to win the match and even the score.
The match opened with an extended feeling-out sequence. Kenoh took control after catching Naito in a posing position. Kenoh took the match to the floor, where he whipped Naito into the barricade to cement his newfound lead.
Back in the ring, Kenoh took his time picking apart Naito, but Naito eventually created opportunity with a well-timed dropkick to halt Kenoh’s advance. Naito then used a wear-down hold that forced Kenoh into the ropes.
A brief pause in Naito’s offense allowed Kento to retake control. Kenoh connected with heavy strikes, forcing Naito to the mat. Kenoh tried throwing Naito in the corner, but Naito countered, landing a swinging neckbreaker to turn the match back in his favor.
As the match drew on, Naito began to set up Destino, connecting with as many elbows to the neck as he could manage. Kenoh managed to block Naito’s first attempt to close, turning it into a suplex. Then, as the two gathered their senses on the mat, they began trading strikes again.
Kenoh emerged with another strong lead after a kick to a seated Naito led into a double-foot stomp from the top rope. Kenoh tried to follow with Ring of Fire, but Naito countered with a quick spinebuster. This reset led into a quick back-and-forth, with Kenoh winning out after another kick.
Kenoh tried for a suplex, but Naito turned it into a partial Destino. After the near fall, Naito was quick to follow up with another Destino with the full range of motion. Naito then pinned Kenoh to win the match and secure the night for his team and promotion.
NJPW and LIJ finish on top, 5-4-1 NJPW, 3-2 LIJ
After the match, Naito offered Kenoh an LIJ salute, but Kenoh rejected the gesture.
Once Kenoh and the rest of Kongo retreated to the outside, Naito cut the show-ending promo. After some positive words about his faction’s performance, he closed the show with a tandem chant with the crowd.
Once the show looked to be over, Keiji Muto entered the ring and challenged Naito to be his last opponent in the Tokyo Dome. Naito was quick to accept, setting the 2/21 main event in stone.
This was a delightful show, and a tradition that I hope keeps up. The LIJ vs. Kongo was a nice twist, and the Okada/Kaito angle was the most exciting thing New Japan has pulled off in years.
The January 21 Wrestle Kingdom 17 show will feature talent from both NJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Both companies officially confirmed the news Thursday morning. New Japan previously announced a Wrestle Kingdom show for the 21st at Yokohama Arena, but didn’t specify a card. A press conference to announce the full card will take place on NOAH’s official YouTube channel at 3 am ET on January 6.
This follows an angle that took place backstage at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on Saturday where members of NOAH stable KONGO (Kenoh, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Tadasuke, Hajime Ohara, and Hi69) confronted members of Los Ingobernables de Japon following their loss at the show to Keiji Mutoh, Shota Umino, and Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Last year’s Yokohama Arena show also revolved around a NJPW vs. NOAH theme, with most matches being multi-man tags. On that show, LIJ were successful against members of KONGO. The main event had Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeating Mutoh and Kaito Kiyomiya.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including Damar Hamlin, Dana White slapping his wife the week before Dana White’s Power Slap debuts, the Tokyo Dome press conference, Spencer Churchill, NOAH show notes, the RAW report from Monday, mailbag and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: The Damar Hamlin/Jerry Lawler/Owen Hart comparisons
Shinsuke Nakamura is heading to Pro Wrestling NOAH.
The company announced Sunday morning that the current WWE star will face The Great Muta in a singles match at NOAH’s The New Year 2023 event on January 1 at Budokan Hall.
Nakamura responded to the news on Twitter, writing “This is miracle”.
Keiji Mutoh is planning his retirement tour, which is set to end on February 21, 2023 at the Tokyo Dome. Most recently, he appeared under the Muta persona during NJPW’s Battle Autumn tour, costing The Great-O-Khan his NJPW World Television title match. He is set to have his final match in NJPW on November 20 at the NJPW x Stardom Historic X-Over event, where he will team with Kazuchika Okada and Toru Yano to take on Khan, Jeff Cobb, and Aaron Henare.
Mutoh’s final match under The Great Muta persona will take place on January 22, 2023 at The Great Muta Final Bye-Bye event in Yokohama. He will team with Sting with opponents yet to be named.
