When Daniel Bryan announced his emotional return to the ring, it was fairly inconceivable that he’d end up being a vicious and pompous environmentalist heel just eight months later. But the character change has revitalized Bryan and taken him to the highest points since the immediate aftermath of announcing his comeback. With Bryan completely buying into the change, “the new Daniel Bryan” has been far better in execution than it would have sounded on paper.
A look at New Japan going into the Tokyo Dome, notes on lots of new television deals and a story on the life of Larry Hennig heads up this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Our lead story is a preview of the Wrestle Kingdom 13 show, with the lineup, storylines, tag team tournament rundown, this weekend’s shows and full coverage of the tag team tournament finals with match-by-match coverage, star ratings and poll results.
Look at the glory days of the AWA with a story on the life of Larry Hennig. Start with his legit sports background, why he never wrestled or played football in college, how he got started in pro wrestling, and his rise to fame as a heel in the AWA.
Look at one of the 60s most successful tag teams, Harley Race & Larry Hennig, and their feud with Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher. Also look at the rest of Hennig’s career all over the world.
Also look at the future of Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt, George Bush’s connection to pro wrestling, WWE week on USA, WWE rules for what U.K. talent can do, injury and illness updates, John Cena talks on future, notes on and WWE tryouts.
Also look at ONE attempting to become a significant player on the U.S. scene with its deal with TNT, its big signings, but also a look at the company’s real economic numbers.
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer, or by using PayPal directing funds to [email protected].
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TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Next week’s Christmas day edition of SmackDown is being taped at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California after tonight’s episode.
Today is Steve Austin’s 54th birthday, Trish Stratus’ 43rd birthday, and RVD’s 48th birthday.
Dixie Carter congratulated EC3 on being called up to the main roster: “So proud of you E! Congrats to @wwe too… Can’t wait to watch you hold those major titles in the air. Love you, Aunt D #toponepercent #wwe #raw #smackdown”
Today’s Hidden Gem is a Christmas night 1983 match from Mid-South Pro Wrestling, with then tag team champions Butch Reed and Jim Neidhart defending the titles against Magnum TA and Mr. Wrestling II.
WWE Network News reported that tomorrow’s Hidden Gems addition will be an AWA Christmas night event from 1983 featuring a Nick Bockwinkel vs. Mad Dog Vachon AWA title match. Just over an hour of the show will be uploaded.
After it was set up at their TV tapings over the weekend, ROH announced that Jay Lethal will defend his ROH World Championship against Dalton Castle at Honor Reigns Supreme in Concord, North Carolina on January 13.
Jon Jones’ coach Brandon Gibson feels that the constant layoffs that Jon Jones had had due to various problems actually benefits him in terms of competition. “He’s not getting concussions,” he told Luke Thomas. “He’s taking care of his body and his mind, and this is such a — at this top one percent, these guys are tough. That’s not an aspect that comes with sparring or anything like that. The time off where we’re not having impact, where his body’s not getting beaten up and broken down, where we’re just continuing to evolve the skill and the technique and the strategy and develop Jon that much more as a martial artist is key. And you said he’s 31, he has a long fight career ahead of him still, and he really feels like this time off has prolonged his career that much more.
Conor McGregor says he’s “launching rockets in 19’”.
A featherweight match between Jeremy Stephens and Zabit Magomedsharipov has been confirmed for UFC 235.
Marina Rodriguez has pulled out of a scheduled February 2nd strawweight fight in Brazil against Alexa Grasso due to what is being reported as a hand injury. It isn’t known if she will be replaced or if the match will be scrapped.
JacksonWink and American Top Team’s Instagram accounts have been taken down due to UFC content.
Former UFC fighter Chris Leben was on the Comedy Suplex Podcart episode 78 promoting his upcoming appearance for FIST Combat, this Thursday, December 20, at “Jolt’n Joes” in La Mesa, CA.
Joey Janela has revealed the first name for the third Spring Break event set to take place next April, and it’s a doozy.
A video posted on Janela’s Twitter account revealed that Atsushi Onita is the first name set for the upcoming WrestleMania weekend event. No other names or an opponent for Onita have been announced.
Onita recently held a press conference announcing his return to pro wrestling. He retired once again back in October of last year following a months long retirement tour. His last match was a six man barbed wire match, teaming with KAI And Shingo Takagi to defeat Nosawa, Kazuyuki Fujita and Kendo Kashin. Onita has retired multiple times over the years, his first back in January of 1985 due to accumulating injuries.
Joey Janela’s Spring Break 3 will take place on April 5, 2019 at the White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, New Jersey. Tickets will go on sale Monday at noon.
Ted Turner recently revealed that he is suffering from Lewy body dementia.
Turner, 79, talked to Ted Koppel during an episode of CBS Sunday Morning that will air on 9/30. Deadline reported on Turner’s comments regarding his diagnosis.
“It’s a mild case of what people have as Alzheimer’s,” Turner reportedly said. “It’s similar to that. But not nearly as bad. Alzheimer’s is fatal. Thank goodness I don’t have that.” It was reported at one point during the interview, Turner paused and was unable to remember what his disease was.
Turner was responsible for bringing pro wrestling to TBS the early 1970s. Turner Broadcasting eventually purchased Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988, which would later become World Championship Wrestling. It was Turner who approved a two hour block of wrestling, which would go on to be WCW Nitro, to square off against WWE Raw head to head on Monday nights in the fall of 1995. The two television shows battled for ratings supremacy for several years.
After Time Warner, the parent company of Turner Broadcasting merged with AOL in 2001, Turner found himself with diminished power within the conglomerate. After being battered in the ratings for several years, along with massive financial losses, WCW Nitro and sister show Thunder were cancelled in March of 2001, with WCW being sold to WWE shortly after. Turner did not attempt to get back into wrestling after WCW’s demise.
The newest member of the Impact Hall of Fame is none other than the monster himself, Abyss.
It was announced during Impact tonight that Abyss (real name Christopher Park) will be inducted into their Hall of Fame during Bound for Glory weekend. The ceremony will be on October 13th at McHale’s Pub in midtown Manhattan.
“I’m absolutely over whelmed with the response to my upcoming @IMPACTWRESTLING Hall of Fame induction,” he wrote on Twitter following the announcement. “Thank you ALL for your messages. This is one of the highlights of my career. I’m over come with emotion. Thank you to everyone who ever supported me. This is for all of YOU!!”
Abyss made his debut as Prince Justice during the first Impact pay-per-view on June 19, 2002, as part of the Gauntlet for the Gold match to crown a new NWA Worlds Heavyweight champion. He was soon repackaged as Abyss. He is formerly a NWA Worlds Heavyweight champion, as well as a X Division, Television and tag team champion, both under the NWA and Impact banners.
The most recent storyline involving Abyss took place this year when Jimmy Jacobs brought Kongo Kong into Impact Wrestling, labeling him the new monster of the promotion. After Jacobs repeatedly goaded Abyss into making a return, he obliged, bringing back James Mitchell as his manager. He lost to Kong in a Monster’s Ball match and hasn’t appeared on Impact since then.
Ric Flair and Wendy Barlow have committed themselves to one another.
TMZ Sports first reported that Flair and longtime fiancee Wendy Barlow had a commitment ceremony on Wednesday at a resort in northern Florida. Video provided showed Flair walking down the aisle in what was said to be a custom suit, then Dolph Ziggler walking Barlow down the aisle. The Undertaker was also said to be there.
Ric Flair has been married four times in the past. Megan and David Flair were from his first marriage to Leslie Goodman. Reid and Ashley (also known as WWE’s Charlotte) were from his second marriage to Elizabeth Harrell. His most recent marriage was with Jacqueline Beems, who filed for divorce in 2012. Barlow and Flair became engaged in 2016.
Barlow was also briefly in WCW in the early 1990s as a part of the Flair For the Gold talk show segments as Fifi the Maid.
Two more names have been added to the Over Budget Battle Royal at All In: Zero Hour.
Punishment Martinez and Brandon Cutler have been added to the match over the lastcouple of days. Martinez is the current ROH television champion. Cutler has been regularly working in the California area in the last year, and has previously wrestled for PWG and Championship Wrestling from Hollywood.
Already announced for the battle royal are Jordynne Grace, Brian Cage, Moose, Billy Gunn, Rocky Romero, Jimmy Jacobs, Marko Stunt, Colt Cabana and Ethan Page. This brings the current total to 11, with four more spots still unannounced. Also set for Zero Hour is a tag team match pitting the Briscoe Brothers against SoCal Uncensored’s Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky.
All In: Zero Hour is the preshow that will be held right before All In’s main card goes on the air. It will start at at 6 p.m. EDT on WGN America.
A big ROH title match featuring a New Japan contracted talent is set for next month.
Will Ospreay will challenge Jay Lethal for the Ring of Honor title at next month’s Death Before Dishonor event. During tonight’s Ring of Honor television tapings, a video of Will Ospreay appeared on the video screen, challenging Lethal. After the video finished, Lethal accepted the match, saying that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Ospreay confirmed the news on his Twitter account.
A Women of Honor World title match was also set during tonight’s tapings. After Sumie Sakai won a match, Ian Riccaboni announced that that the title would be called the Women of Honor World title going forward. Sakai said after the announcement that there is one person that would validate her being champion, and that is Tenille Dashwood. She came out and accepted the challenge soon after.
Already set for Death Before Dishonor is a CHAOS vs. Bullet Club match with The Young Bucks, Hangman Page, Marty Scurll and Cody squaring off against Kazuchika Okada, Best Friends, Tomohiro Ishii and Rocky Romero. Jushin Thunder Liger has also been announced for the show.
Death Before Dishonor will take place on September 28 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The next participant in All In’s pre-show battle royal is none other than Billy Gunn.
Gunn was the seventh participant announced for All In’s Over Budget battle royal. He joins Brian Cage (who was announced for the battle royal yesterday), Jordynne Grace, Ethan Page, Colt Cabana, Moose and Rocky Romero. There will be fifteen competitors overall.
The winner of the pre-show battle royal will get a shot at the Ring of Honor world title later on the main card. The pre-show itself, called Zero Hour, will air on WGN America starting at 6 p.m. EDT. The Briscoes taking on the SCU contingent of Christopher Daniels and Scorpio Sky will also take place on the pre-show. Other names slated include Beretta, Chucky T, Dalton Castle and Moose.
All In will take place on September 1 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, IL. FITE.TV will stream the event, and it will also be available on pay-per-view.
In a new interview, Daniel Bryan noted that he was leaning towards staying with the WWE.
Bryan was on the Sam Roberts podcast when Roberts noted that since Bryan is featured in the new WWE 2K19 video game, that he might be staying with the WWE beyond September 1 when his contract expires. Bryan said that he didn’t want to give too many details, but did give a probability of the chances of that happening.
“I think at this point it would be 90-plus percent,” he told Roberts. “It’s very likely I’ll re-sign with WWE.”
Bryan further noted that as of the show’s recording, which would be around August 6, that he had not re-signed with the company yet and that it might be a few weeks before negotiations were completed.
Bryan had said in previous interviews that he would likely not re-sign with the company if he wasn’t able to wrestle. He was cleared in March of this year and teamed with Shane McMahon to defeat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at WrestleMania.
New matches and programs began to take shape last night during the G1 Climax finals.
The biggest story coming out of last night’s show was the breakup of Kazuchika Okada and Gedo. After his match last night in a backstage interview, Okada said he wouldn’t be relying on his manager going forward. Despite the breakup, he and Gedo shook hands after the announcement. It seems that while Okada isn’t leaving CHAOS, Gedo will no longer accompany him to the ring going forward. Gedo had been his manager going back to 2012 when Okada first returned from excursion.
The next IWGP title defense has also been set, as Tomohiro Ishii officially challenged Kenny Omega following a tag team match featuring both of them. Ishii beat Omega during the tournament, cementing his case. After their match last night, Omega accepted Ishii’s challenge in a backstage interview.
Cody also made his intentions clear last night as he pinned Juice Robinson square in the middle of the ring during another tag team match. After the match was over, Cody made it official that he wanted a shot at his IWGP United States title. Zack Sabre Jr. also indicated he wanted a title match too, as he submitted Robinson during the G1 tournament.
And while there wasn’t an indication of a future title match, the Guerillas of Destiny do have a case for a IWGP tag team title match as they defeated The Young Bucks and Marty Scurll to win the NEVER six man tag team titles. The Young Bucks mentioned after the match that things weren’t over between them and the Bullet Club OG.
New Japan is taking the rest of the month off, with shows resuming in September. Road to Destruction events run from September 7-9, with three Destruction events set for September 15, 17 and 23.
The A Block winds down tonight in the first of three New Japan shows in Budokan Hall, with the last two matches determining the first finalist for the upcoming G1 Climax finals on 8/12.
It boils down to three people: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada and Jay White. Tanahashi wins if he wins his main event match against Okada or if they go to a draw. Okada wins he beats Tanahashi and if EVIL wins his match against White or goes to a draw. White wins if he wins his match and Okada wins his match, or the main event ends in a double count out or disqualification.
Other matches that have no bearing on the finals tonight include Bad Luck Fale facing Minoru Suzuki, Hangman Page taking on YOSHI-HASHI and Michael Elgin taking on Togi Makabe.
Join us for live coverage starting at 5:30 a.m. EDT. There will be English commentary.
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Tomohiro Ishii and SHO defeated Toa Henare and Shota Umino
We’re at Budokan Hall, but we’re getting the same tags. Everyone looked good as usual, but just there as a match. SHO won with the deadlift German suplex, pinning Umino. Kind of a flat finish.
Guerillas of Destiny defeated Toru Yano and Gedo
Yano stalled a bit, not wanting to get near the Tongans. That may play into his B Block finals match against Tama Tonga. Same finish as usual: Gedo is isolated and after some back and forth with Tanga Loa, fell to a seated piledriver.
Hirooki Goto and YOH defeated Juice Robinson and David Finlay
A good match, pretty nice back and forth. Robinson and Goto are squaring off in their last B Block match tomorrow. Goto got the win here with the GTR on Finlay.
Tetsuya Naito and SANADA defeated Zack Sabre Jr. and Taka Michinoku
This was a pretty good match. Sabre and Naito worked well together; they are in a key match tomorrow that Naito needs to win. SANADA picked up the win with the cold skull submission.
Sabre jumped Naito after the match, but Naito bailed to the outside and goaded Sabre into doing more.
The Elite went to a no contest with Kota Ibushi, Marty Scurll and Chase Owens
They spent a good part of the match not touching one another but being completely competitive against one another. This all built to a tag where Omega and Ibushi were in. But UH OH! The Tongans came out and ruined the match, attacking everyone. I think the idea is that they want you to think they could run in during Omega and Ibushi tomorrow.
Everyone was conciliary with one another once the Tongans made their way to the back, apologizing to the fans for what just happened.
Togi Makabe defeated Michael Elgin
They brawled early, landing stiff shots against one another. Elgin hit a giant chop to the corner that echoed throughout the arena. Elgin hit a really cool deadlift German suplex for a near fall.
Makabe starts some offense as the two trade blows, then trade German suplexes. Makabe hit a big lariat and took Elgin to the top rope. Elgin fought back, shoving Makabe and eventually landing a crucifix bomb. He next tries the Elgin bomb, but Makabe refuses to get up from the floor.
Makabe cuts off Elgin with a death valley driver, then connects with the king kong knee drop for the win. Really fun, heated match. Great back and forth, too.
YOSHI-HASHI defeated Hangman Page
Page controlled early after hitting the shooting star shoulder block on the outside. YH came back with the headhunter, then a second on the top rope. Page cut him off with a forearm, then after YH draped him on the top rope came back with the buckshot lariat.
Page follows with a giant neckbreaker off the top rope, but YH still kicks out. He continually fought out of the rite of passage then tried for karma but Page connected with a forearm. YH responded with a superkick then out of nowhere hit a giant Canadian destroyer for a nearfall. YOSHI-HASHI then connected with Karma for the win. A good match with a great ending.
Minoru Suzuki defeated Bad Luck Fale by DQ
Suzuki jumped Fale right as Fale was beating up the announcer. They crawled around the ring, Fale choking Suzuki with a cable wire. After briefly cutting him off inside the ring, Suzuki took Fale back to the outside and threw him against the guardrail. Suzuki then blasted him with a steel chair,.
The referee, deciding that maybe a chair might not be legal in a singles match, tried to take away the chair. Suzuki ignored him and instead continued to beat up Fale with the chair, throwing him into another barricade.
Fale cut off Suzuki with a samoan drop, then went for the grenade. Suzuki caught him in the armbar when Tanga Loa came in to beat him up. Fale went for a splash, but Suzuki kicked out. Fale goes for the bad luck fall. Suzuki counters with the sleeper, but Fale smashes him in the corner.
Suzuki was going for the Gotch piledriver when for the ten millionth time this show Tama Tonga came in and attacked, laying out Suzuki with the gun stun for the DQ. Ok brawl until the finish. I assume there’s going to be a payoff to all this, but it’s going to come at the expense of the New Japan referees becoming some of the dumbest referees in existence.
EVIL defeated Jay White
White laid out EVIL from the ring to the floor with a big Saito suplex, then suplexed him twice into the barricade in from of the English announce team, which is a spot he’s been doing the entire tour. EVIL eventually manages to cut him off and build some offense.
White cuts him off with a complete shot STO. He tried for the blade runner, but as the referee was huddled in the corner after a near miss White low blowed him. EVIL managed to connect with the darkness falls. He follows that with a big lariat.
EVIL goes for the Everything is Evil but White cuts him off with a necktie suplex, then follows with the kiwi crusher. EVIL cuts him off and grabs a steel chair, but as the referee takes it away White launches him off his feet with a half nelson suplex. Another ref bump. White looks to use the chair, but in mid motion EVIL hits the STO and pins White. Pretty good match, more drama because of the G1 implications.
That eliminates Jay White from the tournament. The winner of the next match will win the A Block.
Hiroshi Tanahashi drew with Kazuchika Okada
Okada starts off with a big shotgun dropkick, but Tanahashi keeps it slow, grinding him down, focusing on a knee. He slams it against the ring post twice. Okada then works over Tanahashi’s knee, taking him the outside where slams it on the mat. Taking Okada back to the ring, he then lands a running dropkick to Tanahashi’s knee at the ten minute mark.
Tanahashi connects with the senton but Okada dodges the slingblade and takes down Tanahashi. Okada hits a running dropkick, then another from the top rope. Okada goes for the tombstone, but Tanahashi reverses and actually lands one of his own.
Okada is on the apron as Tanahashi landed a giant dropkick that sent Okada clear into the barricade. Tanahashi followed with a huge high fly flow to the floor. At the twenty minute mark, Tanahashi sunk in the cloverleaf and actually managed to transition into a Styles Clash. Okada rolled out of the way after a high fly flow attempt, however.
Okada nailed a dropkick, then hit another. He went for the rainmaker, but Tanahashi connected with the sling blade. He tried for the tombstone again, but Okada wouldn’t budge. Okada reversed it, or at least tried to, but Tanahashi hit the twist and shout neckbreaker at the 25 minute mark.
Tanahashi hit another slingblade and went for the high fly flow again, but this time Okada hit a dropkick, then hit the tombstone. Okada tried the rainmaker but Tanahashi dodged it three times until a twisting rainmaker landed. He went for another, but Tanahashi countered with a cradle. Another rainmaker attempt, but Tanahashi connected with a dragon suplex.
With one minute left, Okada struggled to get into the rainmaker position again. He went for it, but Tanahashi slapped him. Tanahashi went to the top rope and hit the high fly flow, but Okada kicked out. Time ran out right after that. Awesome, well paced New Japan main event. Not one of their best matches (there have been so many great ones) but this is still an excellent match with some fantastic drama.
With the draw, Tanahashi reaches 15 points, giving him the A Block and a spot in the finals.
Tanahashi cut a simple promo, promising to win the G1 finals. He then posed and met with people at ringside to close out the show.
Final standings for A Block:
Hiroshi Tanahashi – 15
Kazuchika Okada – 13
Jay White – 12
Minoru Suzuki – 10
EVIL – 10
Michael Elgin – 6
Bad Luck Fale – 6
Hangman Page – 6
Togi Makabe – 6
YOSHI-HASHI – 6
Ruby Riott was back on Raw tonight after being gone over a month due to injury.
She made her return towards the end of a match pitting her stablemates in the Riott Squad, Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott, against Bayley and Sasha Banks. She emerged under a hooded sweatshirt as Bayley was going after Morgan on the outside. Both she and Morgan then jumped Bayley as Logan rolled up a distracted Banks for the win.
Riott had been out of action since the end of June, spraining her MCL in a match against Dana Brooke at a WWE house show in Rapid City, South Dakota. At the time, it was estimated that she would be about 3-4 weeks.
Since the injury, the Riott Squad have mostly worked matches against Bayley and Sasha Banks on television, usually serving as a backdrop to Bayley and Banks’ own feud, where they recently reconciled and have emerged as a formidable tag team.
John Cena has officially been added to WWE’s upcoming house show in Shanghai next month.
Cena confirmed the news in a video posted on YouTube this afternoon, where he made the announcement that he will be a part of WWE’s house show in Shanghai on September 1st. He poked fun at criticism that he only has five moves by saying that after training at the Jackie Chan Stunt Team International Training Centre, he will showcase a sixth “move of doom”.
Cena has largely been gone from WWE since WrestleMania, where he lost to the Undertaker in under three minutes. His only other match since then was when he defeated Triple H at the Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia back on April 27th. He has mostly been focusing on acting projects since then, and it isn’t known if he will appear at SummerSlam later this month.
WWE’s house show in Shanghai will be a Raw event. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Ronda Rousey are all advertised for the show.
A night of fascinating bouts headlines the tenth night of G1 Climax 28 action, with tonight hosting more B Block action.
SANADA will be taking on IWGP Heavyweight champion Kenny Omega in the main event. Omega has yet to be beaten, and at this point anyone and everyone is looking for a mistake. SANADA scored a big win over Kota Ibushi a couple of days ago, and could be looking to score a massive win (and perhaps a future title match) if he can knock off Omega tonight.
Other matches include Tetsuya Naito vs. Hirooki Goto, Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii (which promises to be very hard hitting based on previous encounters), Juice Robinson looking to outwit Toru Yano and Zack Sabre Jr. will be the one tonight to try and avoid Tama Tanga and the constant interference.
Join us for live coverage starting at 5:00 a.m. EST. There will be English commentary.
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BAD LUCK FALE & TANGA LOA DEFEATED TOGI MAKABE & TOA HENARE (6:04)
Makabe and Henare withstood an assault from the Bullet Club OG’s at the opening bell, and Makabe sent Fale into the fence on the outside. Henare was quickly overcome, and Loa and Fale worked him over.
Makabe got a tag and hit Fale with punches in the corner, and got a nearfall off a lariat. Fale got to his feet and hit a shoulder tackle, and the two made simultaneous tags.
Henare hit Loa with a shoulder tackle, a Samoan drop, and a tackle off the top. He went for an uranage, but Loa slipped out, hit a lariat, and then hit apeshit for the pin.
A standard tag opener. Henare got a little bit more offense than you might expect.
HANGMAN PAGE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED SWITCHBLADE JAY WHITE & YOH (6:22)
They had a nice match and fit a lot into six minutes.
White played total opportunist heel, begging off from Page, and tagging in YOH. White jumped back in and attacked Owens, and took him to the floor, where he sent him into the ring frame and the barricade.
White tagged in as the legal man. Owens went for a side effect, but his back gave out, damaged from the earlier attack. He got the side effect on the second try, and tagged in Page.
Page hit a dropkick on YOH into a standing moonsault on White for a nearfall. White recovered and hit a Saito suplex, before tagging YOH. YOH hit a slingshot stomp to Page’s back, then hit a neckbreaker. Owens jumped in for the save, but White took him to the floor, leaving Page and YOH.
Page went for the rite of passage, but White blocked it from the apron. White held Page for YOH to attack, but Page ducked, and YOH hit White. Page hit YOH with the rite of passage, and made a cover. White had the opportunity to break up the pin, but didn’t, furthering the White/CHAOS storyline.
After the match, White attacked Owens on the floor, before running away.
MINORU SUZUKI & EL DESPERADO DEFEATED EVIL & BUSHI (7:11)
I know I’m not breaking any news here, but Suzuki is such a special performer. He did more here than you might expect in an undercard tag.
Did you know that Suzuki-gun wrestlers often jump their opponents just seconds before the opening bell? They did that here. They brawled all over the arena. Suzuki hit EVIL with a chair and laid him out in the crowd. Desperado worked over BUSHI in the ring, and choked him with his t-shirt.
Suzuki nailed BUSHI with hard forearms and laughed, but BUSHI was able to make it to his corner and tag EVIL. EVIL hit a neckbreaker on Suzuki for a two count, and the two traded forearms and chops.
They had an awesome sequence where EVIL went for everything is EVIL and Suzuki went for the Gotch, but both slipped out. BUSHI got a tag and ran wild on Suzuki, and got a nearfall off knees in the corner.
BUSHI hit a missile dropkick, but Suzuki got a rear naked choke. EVIL made the save briefly, but BUSHI pulled hi to the floor. Suzuki got the choke again, then hit the Gotch, and pinned BUSHI.
This was a lot of fun. SHO didn’t look as good or explosive as usual, perhaps because Umino’s continued rise was the focus of the match.
YOSHI-HASHI got some offense on Tana, but The Ace hit a crossbody off the second rope, pausing the action, and allowing both to tag out. SHO and YOSHI-HAHSI then doubled up on Umino. YOSHI-HASHI hit a vertical suplex for a nearfall, but Umino came back and hit a missile dropkick.
Umino tagged Tanahashi, who hit a dragon screw and a senton on YOSHI-HASHI. YOSHI-HASHI hit Tana with chops and a headhunter, before tagging SHO. SHO hit some forearms on The Ace, before falling to twist and shout.
Tanahashi tagged Umino, who ran wild with forearms and a missile dropkick on SHO. Umino used a crab on SHO. YOSHI-HASHI came in for the save, but Umino hit him with a dropkick. SHO was able to get an armbar on Umino, but Tanahashi saved.
Umino got a pair of nearfalls on SHO, including with a la magistral cradle, but could not put him away. SHO hit a lariat for a nearfall, then hit the five star clutch for the pin, while YOSHI-HASHI kept Tanahashi at bay on the floor.
Tanahashi and YOSHI-HASHI had a staredown after the bout.
MICHAEL ELGIN & DAVID FINLAY DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA & GEDO (9:06)
Okada and Elgin clearly saved their best stuff for their singles match tomorrow, but they did enough teases that it left me wanting to see that match.
FInlay and Elgin did some comedy with Gedo’s beard, and worked him over. Okada made the save, and Okada hit Finlay with a slingshot senton. Okada and Gedo then grabbed Finlay’s beard, and went to work.
Okada used a chinlock, and Finlay escaped, hitting a belly-to-back. Elgin tagged and hit a back elbow off the middle rope, and hammered Okada with a clothesline. Elgin hit a bridging belly-to-belly for a two count, then went for the falcon arrow off the top, but Okada blocked it.
Okada hit scooby dooby doo off the top for a two count. Elgin hit a hard elbow, but Okada hit him with a flapjack. Okada went for a tombstone and a rainmaker, but Elgin slipped out and hit a powerslam, leading to a double down.
Both men made tags, and Finlay ran wild on Gedo. Finlay went for a cutter, but Gedo slipped out. Gedo went for the Gedo clutch, but Elgin pulled him off and hit a suplex.
Okada jumped in for the save, but Elgin threw him to the floor, allowing Finlay to hit a stunner on Gedo, picking up the win.
B BLOCK MATCH: ZACK SABRE JR. DEFEATED TAMA TONGA (11:00)
This was a clash of styles to say the least. The parade of DQ finishes in the Bullet Club OG’s matches continued here.
Tonga briefly tried to wrestle with Sabre, but Sabre clearly had the technique advantage, so he turned it into a brawl. Their seconds, Loa and TAKA got involved and took bumps on the floor.
Tonga worked very methodically, taking the first five minutes on offense. Sabre finally mad a comeback, and got a nearfall off a bridging clutch out of the corner. Tonga got a nearfall off a rollup, but TAKA nailed him from the outside coming out of it.
Tonga went for a gun stun, but Sabre turned it into an armbar. Tonga hit the ref while swinging his arms in the hold, and he took a bump. With the referee out, the GOD doubled up on Sabre. Tonga went for a gun stun, but accidentally hit Loa.
Sabre used a triangle and Tonga tapped, but there was no ref. Tonga hit a gun stun as the ref recovered, but Sabre turned it into an armbar. Tonga looked as though he was ready to tap, but Fale lumbered in and hit Sabre for the DQ.
B BLOCK MATCH: JUICE ROBINSON DEFEATED TORU YANO (8:30)
This was a total comedy match.
Both broke cleanly on the ropes in their opening exchange, but Yano’s vow to turn over a new leaf continued to go out the window. He got frustrated and kicked Juice, who countered with jabs and sent him to the floor.
On the outside, Yano taped Juice to the security fence and hit his broken hand with a chair. Yano untied one corner pad, then another. They did some comedy spots with both pads, and Juice used an airplane spin on Yano, leading to more comedy.
They traded forearms, until Juice hit a suplex and a standing senton for a two count. Juice sent Yano into an exposed buckle, but Yano countered with an inverted atomic drop, and sent Juice into the exposed buckle.
Yano got a pair of nearfalls off cradles, but Juice fired back with jabs. Juice removed the cast from his broken hand, and after a series of reversals, hit pulp friction and got his first win of the tournament.
B BLOCK MATCH: KOTA IBUSHI DEFEATED TOMOHIRO ISHII (16:14)
This was absolutely insane. I think this was the best match of the tournament so far. Both are masters of their craft, and far be it from me to claim to know what was real and what was just selling, but it was jarring just how brutal this was and how many hard shots to the head and neck both men took.
They went after each other right at the opening bell, and had an intense exchange of strikes and tackles. Ishii got the better of the exchange, and demanded more from Ibushi. Ishii no-sold all of Ibushi’s strikes, and knocked Ibushi down with a chop.
Ibushi came back with a dropkick, and Ishii was taken off his feet for the first time. Ibushi hit a snap rana, and Ishii rolled to the floor. Ibushi hit a plancha, but overshot it a bit, and Ishii took the move on his head and neck, right on the floor.
Ibushi took the fight into the crowd, and hit a rana on the floor, before climbing to the second level of seats, where he hit an insane moonsault to the floor. Back in the ring, Ibushi hit a slingshot dropkick, and a bridging german, earning a nearfall.
Ishii no-sold a kick to the chest, and dropped Ibushi with a forearm shot. Ishii hit a delayed vertical suplex from the second rope, but Ibushi no-sold it. Ishii hit two more suplexes on the mat, and Ibushi no-sold both, before hitting an enziguri.
Ibushi no-sold a series of forearms, and knocked Ishii down with a palm strike to the chest. Ibushi lawn-darted Ishii into the turnbuckle pad, then taunted him with short kicks. They had a slap fight, and Ibushi knocked Ishii down again. He hit a series of kicks to the head and neck, and Ishii fired back with chops to the throat, and slaps to the head.
Ibushi fired back with closed fists to the chest, which were sold as throat strikes. Ibushi hit a last ride for a nearfall. He pulled the kneepad down, then hit a straightjacket suplex, dumping Ishii right on his head.
Ishii recovered and nailed Ibushi with a kamigoye and a jackknife last ride for a nearfall, then inside-outed him with a lariat for another nearfall.
Ishii went for the brainbuster, but Ibushi reversed and hit one. Ishii no-sold it. Ibushi hit a diving knee to the face, but Ishii kicked out at one.
Ibushi hit a series of strikes, then hit a kamigoye, and got the pin.
B BLOCK MATCH: TETSUYA NAITO DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO (13:27)
This was good, their work was solid, but they never found a higher gear, and they had the unenviable task of trying to follow the previous match.
Naito teased a clean break on the ropes, but then kicked Goto, and they traded shots. Naito teased a dive, Goto jumped back inside. Goto went back outside, Naito teased again, and Goto jumped back in and dropped Naito with a shoulder tackle. Goto worked a chinlock.
Naito clotheslined Goto with the top rope, then dropped him with a neckbreaker on the apron. Naito sent Goto into the barricade, and Goto just beat the count back inside.
Naito hit a swinging neckbreaker. They traded strikes. Naito spit on Goto, and went for an irish whip into the corner, but Goto reversed and hit a clothesline. Goto hit a leg lariat in the corner, then hit a Saito suplex for a two count.
Naito hit an inverted DDT, a kick to the back, then hit his slingshot dropkick in the corner. Naito hit a top rope rana for a two count. After a misdirection spot, Goto hit a lariat and an ushigoroshi for a nearfall.
Goto teased the GTR, but Naito floated over and hit a german. Naito hit a flying forearm. He went for destino, but Goto countered with an inverted GTR. He could not make a cover, and after struggling to his feet, hit a kick.
Goto went for the GTR, but Naito hit a snapmare. Naito went for destino, but Goto hit a pair of headbutts. He went for the GTR again, but Naito hit destino for a nearfall. Naito hit a second destino, and this time, it was enough to get the victory.
B BLOCK MATCH: KENNY OMEGA DEFEATED SANADA (20:12)
On any other show, this would have been talked about as the best bout of the night. An excellent, excellent main event. Ibushi and Ishii were just impossible to follow tonight.
They started simply, both working the left arm, with Omega perhaps earning a slight edge in the opening exchange. SANADA sent Omega to the floor, and teased a dive, but Omega backed off. SANADA opened the ropes to allow Omega back inside cleanly, and Omega used the opportunity to attack SANADA’s left leg.
Omega sent SANADA into the railing, then dropped him knee-first on the apron. Back inside, Omega pulled the hair, and stomped on the injured leg. They traded strikes, but Omega went back to working the leg. SANADA was able to counter with a shotgun dropkick off the second rope, but immediately went back to selling the damage to his leg.
SANADA hit his leapfrog dropkick spot, into a plancha to the floor. SANADA went for a TKO, but Omega hit you can’t escape. On the landing, though, he hit SANADA’s knees, and briefly sold his legitimate heel injury. SANADA rolled to the floor, and Omega hit the terminator dive.
Omega hit the kotaro krusher. SANADA side-stepped a v-trigger, did the Flair flip into the corner, but then slingshotted off the ropes right into a powerbomb. Omega went up top and hit a missile dropkick to the back of a kneeling SANADA. Omega hit a snap dragon, and cradled SANADA for a nearfall.
Omega hit a huge v-trigger, then another. SANADA blocked a third, landed a series of strikes, then ate another knee. SANADA was able to recover and hit a tiger suplex, but Omega kicked out of the bridge.
Omega hit another v-trigger, then hit a jay driller for a close nearfall. Omega hit another v-trigger and went for the one-winged angel, but SANADA turned it into skull end. Omega backed away from a moonsault, then missed a v-trigger into the corner pad.
SANADA applied skull end, and as Omega faded, released the hold. He went for another moonsault, but missed again, and sold the knee. They exchanged a series of forearm shots, and Omega finally buckled.
SANADA hit a knee, then skull end into a moonsault, but Omega turned it into a spike piledriver. Omega hit another v-trigger. SANADA slipped out of a one-winged angel, but Omega maintained control of his wrists, and was finally able to hit his finisher. Omega covered, and got the pin to go to 5-0.
Matt Riddle has been pulled from this year’s Battle of Los Angeles, raising speculation as to where he’ll be heading next.
Pro Wrestling Guerilla made the announcement tonight on their Twitter account. Trevor Lee will take his place in the tournament, which is set to run September 14th through the 16th.
There is speculation that Riddle may be heading somewhere, as he has also pulled out of dates with Over the Top Wrestling in Dublin, Ireland. He is still scheduled for upcoming shows with EVOLVE, which are set to take place throughout August. He also currently holds the EVOLVE title.
On last night’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned that current rumors indicate that both New Japan and WWE are looking into bringing in Riddle, with NJPW having interest in using him for their shows in the United States. Both companies have expressed interest in Riddle in the past, but were wary of bringing him in due to previous marijuana drug test violations in the UFC.
