After their last match ended in a double countout, El Phantasmo and Jeff Cobb are set to meet again for the NJPW World TV title.
A TV title match with ELP defending against Cobb will headline NJPW’s Road to the New Beginning show at Korakuen Hall on Monday, February 3. The match will likely have a no countouts stipulation with NJPW saying that both competitors have requested it.
Shortly after returning from a battle with cancer, ELP won the NJPW World TV title in a four-way match at Wrestle Kingdom 19. Cobb — who was also part of that bout — got a one-on-one shot against ELP at NJPW Battle in the Valley last weekend, but it ended with ELP retaining due to a double countout.
Ren Narita was NJPW World TV Champion prior to ELP winning the title at Wrestle Kingdom. Cobb held the championship from May-October 2024 before dropping it to Narita.
NJPW has also announced a title match for the Tuesday, February 4 Road to the New Beginning show at Korakuen Hall. El Desperado will defend his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Kosei Fujita in that night’s main event.
The Bullet Club War Dogs team of Clark Connors and Drilla Maloney have won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships.
NJPW’s show at Korakuen Hall on Sunday featured several matches in the ongoing rivalry between The United Empire and Bullet Club. The two factions will wrestle inside a steel cage at the New Beginning in Osaka on February 11.
Connors and Maloney defeated Catch 2/2’s TJP and Francesco Akira for the belts in today’s main event. The finish of the match saw Connors pin Akira after a Full Clip to win the belts.
💥Road to THE NEW BEGINNING💥後楽園大会‼️
UNITED EMPIRE🆚BC WAR DOGSの4番勝負‼️ 最後の勝負はIWGPジュニアタッグ選手権💥
TJP has been under the influence of his new Aswang character (an evil being from Filipino folklore) since being locked in a coffin by Bullet Club in the lead-up to Wrestle Kingdom. This new vicious side of TJP came out in Sunday’s match when he wanted Akira to help him use a table against their opponents. When Akira hesitated, it gave their opponents an advantage. Later during the match, Akira again hesitated when Maloney attempted to use a fork on his opponents. Chris Charlton noted on commentary that Akira might not have what it takes for vicious matches such as the steel cage match scheduled for Osaka next weekend.
Bullet Club attacked after the match and left the members of United Empire lying in the ring as David Finlay cut a promo. Once Finlay was finished, Bullet Club powerbombed Akira onto a bunch of chairs.
Jeff Cobb was originally supposed to wrestle Alex Coughlin on today’s show. However, NJPW announced Cobb sustained a thigh injury and was replaced by Great-O-Khan in the match. They also ran an angle where Cobb was attacked in the back by Bullet Club after an autograph signing.
“Jeff Cobb, who was scheduled to compete on tonight’s card in Korakuen hall, has sustained an injury to his left thigh, and will be unable to compete tonight,” the promotion wrote. “We apologize to fans who were looking forward to seeing Cobb wrestle and appreciate your understanding.”
After an intense night in Korakuen Hall, War Dogs sent a powerful message to United Empire, who appear in disarray before next week's steel cage match.#njnbg report:https://t.co/iW1P3l3a6I
Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Yuya Uemura & Gabriel Kidd (7:36)
Suzuki’s interactions with Kidd and Uemura were the highlights of this match.
Taguchi and company employed a Suzuki-gun tactic and attacked before the opening bell. Taguchi did some comedy. Suzuki-gun rebounded from the attack and cut Kidd off in the ring.
Kidd tried to trade forearms with Suzuki. Suzuki actually gave Kidd a lot here, doing a subtle sell of the forearms and taking a dropkick. Uemura tagged in and peppered Suzuki with forearms and slaps. Uemura hit a dropkick in the corner and a forearm knockdown for a one count.
Suzuki tried for the Gotch-style piledriver. Uemura blocked and tried for a crab. Suzuki fought out of the crab attempt. Suzuki-gun tripled up on Uemura. Taguchi saved with hip attacks. Uemura used a back suplex for a near fall on Desperado.
Suzuki distracted the referee. Desperado hit a strike with a closed fist and Pinche Loco for the pin on Uemura.
EVIL, Jay White & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Gedo & Dick Togo) defeated Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto by DQ (5:17)
This was more of an extended angle than a match. YOSHI-HASHI was on commentary and caused the DQ.
Okada, Ishii and Goto attacked before the opening bell. Ishii and Goto went after White on the floor. EVIL sent Okada into the barricade and Abe the ring announcer took a bump.
EVIL and Okada began as the legal men. Okada teased a dropkick. EVIL hit a lariat for a near fall. Okada tried for the Money Clip. EVIL shoved Okada into the corner to break the hold. Goto tagged in and got tripped by Togo. Yujiro tagged in for a sliding dropkick on Goto.
White and Ishii jumped in illegally. Ishii suplexed White and White rolled outside. Goto hit an ushigoroshi on Yujiro. White tripped Goto from the floor.
White grabbed Ishii and pie-faced YH on commentary. YH jumped the rail and got in the ring. He hit a series of strikes on White for the DQ.
Ishii and YH chased White to the back. Okada cut a promo and challenged EVIL to a singles match right there and then. EVIL declined. Okada went out after EVIL. They ended up back in the ring. EVIL again fought out of the Money Clip.
EVIL hit his baseball swing chair shot on Okada.
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI defeated Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado (9:59)
This was a bad match with a bad finish. Tama was entertaining with his comedy.
Tama brought three bags to the ring with him as this feud built on Tama stealing Taichi’s iron fingers continued. Taichi attacked Tama. The bags contained a glove, a baseball glove and a rubber chicken.
Taichi beat Tama down. DOUKI tagged in and was cut off after a trip from Jado. Jado used a kendo stick on DOUKI. Bullet Club used quick tags in working DOUKI over.
Tama teased pulling the iron fingers out of his tights. Instead, it was an elephant puppet.
There was an extended DOUKI/Jado sequence. Sabre and Tanga got tags and had the best action of the match by default. Taichi got a tag and hit Tanga wth kicks. Jado got a tag. Sabre saved for Taichi.
Tama took the ref. Jado tried to use the kendo stick again on Taichi. DOUKI saved with his pipe. DOUKI used the pipe on Jado.
This had its moments when BUSHI and Wato were in, but the Naito/Honma issue has run its course and it’s probably best for both that this tour is ending.
Wato and BUSHI began with a solid exchange, trading kicks. Honma tagged in and was cut off by LIJ. Naito and BUSHI traded tags and worked on Honma. Naito mocked Tenzan.
Honma managed a tag to Wato. Wato hit BUSHI with kicks and a nice tornillo. Naito and Honma tagged back in. Naito hit a combinacion in the corner. They traded hard slaps to the face. Wato saved for Honma as Naito looked to set up a frankensteiner.
Honma hit a diving kokeshi and a superplex. BUSHI jumped in for an LIJ double team. Naito and BUSHI hit stereo dropkicks for a two count. Wato saved.
Naito teased Destino. Honma blocked and cradled Naito for a two count. Honma hit two lariats for another near fall on Naito.
Naito blocked a Michinoku Driver attempt and hit Destino. BUSHI entered and hit a sunset flip. Naito followed with a jackknife cradle and pinned Honma.
Naito held the cradle long after the bell. Wato made the save for Honma. BUSHI sent Wato outside and hit him with a suicide dive.
Kota Ibushi & SHO went to a time limit draw with SANADA & Hiromu Takahashi (30:00)
Ibushi and SANADA started out with some crowd work. Ibushi posed on the turnbuckles. SANADA attacked from behind and knocked Ibushi over the ropes to the floor. They did a series of teases. Both teased their finishers.
They locked up. SANADA broke cleanly against the ropes. SANADA used a hammerlock. They traded waistlocks. Ibushi used a headlock takeover. SANADA used a handstand escape. Both tagged out after nearly five minutes of very good work.
Hiromu and SHO tagged in and traded strikes. They traded tackles. Hiromu teased a dive, but sat in the center of the ring instead. SHO got the upper hand on Hiromu with strikes. Ibushi tagged in and hit a series of kicks for a two count.
SHO tagged in and maintained the edge on Hiromu. Hiromu came back with a choke over the ropes. All four brawled to the floor. Hiromu and SANADA sent SHO and Ibushi into the barricade. LIJ now had the upper hand.
Hiromu hit SHO with a series of chops. SANADA tagged in and continued chopping. SANADA put SHO and an interfering Ibushi in paradise locks. SANADA and Hiromu broke the holds with dropkicks. SANADA hit a back elbow for a two count.
Hiromu tagged back in for more chops at the 15 minute call. SHO hit a kitchen sink. SANADA got a tag. SHO hit him with a vertical suplex and tagged out. Ibushi hit a running mid kick and a moonsault for a near fall. SANADA hit a dropkick to the knee.
Ibushi and SANADA rolled outside. Ibushi blocked a whip into the barricade and sent SANADA into the fence with a drop toe hold. Back in, Ibushi hit a springboard dropkick. Ibushi fought out of a Skull End attempt. SANADA hit a magic screw into a double down.
SHO and Hiromu got tags. Hiromu blocked a spear. SHO escaped a falcon arrow attempt. They traded forearm strikes at the 20 minute call. SHO hit a series of kicks. SHO hit a big mid kick for a two count. Hiromu blocked a deadlift German.
SHO blocked a hurricanrana. Hiromu fought out of a powerbomb. SHO hit a spear for a near fall. SANADA and Hiromu hit stereo dropkicks on an illegal double team. Hiromu hit a falcon arrow for a two count as Ibushi saved for SHO.
Ibushi and SANADA fought to the floor. SHO escaped a DVD attempt. SHO hit a jumping knee strike. Hiromu blocked a dragon screw. SHO blocked a sunset flip and slapped on a kimura. Hiromu broke the hold with a forearm strike at the 25 minute call.
SHO refused to go down after a thrust kick and a lariat. They traded lariats. They hit a series of simultaneous lariats into a double down. SANADA and Ibushi dragged their partners to their respective corners and tagged in.
Ibushi and SANADA traded strikes at the 27 minute mark. SANADA used an O’Connor roll to set up Skull End. Ibushi escaped and hit a high kick.
Ibushi went for the Kamigoye. SANADA blocked and used a TKO threat to set up a spinning Skull End. Ibushi popped his head out. SANADA got the hold applied again. SANADA gave up the hold with one minute left.
SANADA tried for a moonsault but landed on his feet. SHO jumped in and hit a knee strike. Hiromu hit a tackle to SHO. Ibushi hit a dropkick on Hiromu. SANADA hit a dropkick to Ibushi’s legs. SHO hit a German on SANADA. Hiromu hit SHO with a pop-up powerbomb with 30 seconds left before the time limit.
Ibushi hit a high kick to Hiromu. SANADA hit a springboard dropkick to Ibushi and got Skull End. Ibushi cradled SANADA for a two count as the time limit expired.
Ibushi and SANADA continued trading cradles after the time limit.
Kidd and Tsuji have been regular opponents on this tour and began with an intense striking battle. Kidd got the upper hand at first, but Tsuji came back with a slam and took over with a series of forearms.
Uemura got a tag and used a kravate and a chinlock. Tsuji tagged back in for a slam and a near fall. Kidd avoided a vertical suplex. Tsuji hammered away again with forearms. Kidd reversed an Irish whip and hit a dropkick.
Taguchi got a tag and hit Uemura and Tsuji with hip attacks. Taguchi hit a springboard hip attack to Tsuji for a two count. Tsuji blocked three amigos and hit a vertical suplex.
Uemura tagged in and traded strikes with Taguchi. Tsuji entered and hit a splash. Uemura hit an elbow drop for a two count, then got a Boston crab applied. Kidd saved for Taguchi. Tsuji speared Kidd and they brawled to the floor.
Taguchi blocked an overhook suplex. Taguchi tripped Uemura and used an ankle lock. Uemura escaped, then used a roll-up for two.
Taguchi hit Dodon for the pin.
Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano defeated EVIL, Jay White & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Dick Togo & Gedo) (11:07)
The post-match here was better than the match itself.
Bullet Club attacked as soon as their opponents entered the ring. White and Ishii began as the legal men. White hit a series of strikes. Ishii no-sold. White tried to escaped to the outside, but Okada threw him back in. Gedo distracted Ishii and White hit a dragon screw in the ropes to take control of the bout.
White used an inverted dragon screw and tagged Yujiro. Ishii went to the outside to go after White again. EVIL saved and White choked Ishii with a camera cable. Togo exposed a buckle. Ishii repeatedly got sent into the buckle.
White tagged back in for some strikes and a suplex. Ishii managed a tag to Okada. EVIL tagged in for a sequence with Okada. Togo distracted Okada and EVIL threw Okada into the barricade. Back inside, Okada blocked a fisherman buster and sent EVIL into the exposed buckle.
Yujiro tagged in and ate an Okada flapjack. Okada tagged Yano. Yano exposed a second buckle, then got sent into it himself. Yujiro hit a sliding dropkick and neckbreaker for two.
White and Ishii jumped in. Ishii hit White with a German suplex. Okada hit a big boot on Yujiro. Togo tripped Yano. Yano sent Yujiro into Togo, then hit a low blow and a schoolboy on Yujiro for the pin.
Ishii attacked White after the match and sent him into the barricade. Hirooki Goto jumped up from the commentary table and joined in the attack on White. EVIL attacked Okada with a chair.
Goto and Ishii stood over White with their NEVER Six-Man titles. White went crazy and attacked ringside attendants Kidd and Tsuji with chair shots.
Bullet Club worked the match in their t-shirts to give you some idea of how seriously they were taking this match.
The story of the G.O.D. vs. Dangerous Tekkers feud is that G.O.D. have stolen Taichi’s iron fingers. Taichi attacked Tama Tonga, who had a satchel that appeared to contain the fingers. Taichi opened the satchel and there was a toilet paper roll inside.
Ishimori and Desperado tagged in. Jado hit Desperado with a kendo stick from the floor. Tama hit Desperado with the toilet paper. Desperado was isolated in Bullet Club’s half of the ring and they took turns working him over.
Sabre and Tanga tagged in. Sabre got hit with a spear and they did a double down. ELP and DOUKI tagged in. DOUKI, Desperado and Kanemaru tripled up on ELP. Jado saved for ELP. DOUKI got two quick near falls on ELP.
ELP then hit a superkick with the loaded boot and pinned DOUKI.
SHO blocked a shotgun dropkick from Hiromu with a spear at the opening bell and they were off to the races. Honma and SHO doubled up on Hiromu. SHO got an armbar, but Hiromu forced a rope break. Honma and SHO cut Hiromu off in their half of the ring.
Hiromu went outside after SHO. Naito entered and used a camel clutch on Honma. Hiromu and Naito then used quick tags in isolating Honma. Honma came back with a vertical suplex on Naito.
SHO and Hiromu tagged in. SHO hit a suplex for a near fall, then got another armbar applied. Hiromu forced a rope break. SHO continued attacking Hiromu’s left arm. Hiromu got D applied. SHO fought the hold for a long time, then finally broke it with a one-armed powerbomb.
Honma and Naito got tags. Honma hit a DDT and a bulldog. Honma missed a kokeshi. Naito and Hiromu double teamed Honma and hit double dropkicks for a two count. Honma hit a superplex on Naito, then used a lariat for a near fall.
Hiromu and SHO got in. Hiromu hit a pop-up powerbomb on SHO. Naito then hit Destino and pinned Honma.
Hiromu and SHO had a nice face-off after the match. Somehow Hiromu’s BOSJ trophy got broken off-camera.
SANADA & BUSHI defeated Kota Ibushi & Master Wato (18:47)
This was a fun main event to cap a very good show.
Wato and BUSHI began by locking up. Wato hit a tornillo and gained the upper hand in their battle. Ibushi and Wato traded tags and continued working on BUSHI. SANADA saved with a dropkick to the knee and the match broke down into a brawl around the ringside area with LIJ in control.
SANADA and Wato ended up the legal men. SANADA used a paradise lock. BUSHI got a tag in the plus position and used an STF and a knee breaker. SANADA tagged in and got hit with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
Ibushi got a tag and hit a springboard dropkick and a plancha on SANADA. SANADA hit his own plancha for a near fall. SANADA hit a hurricanrana. They traded strikes. Ibushi avoided a TKO. SANADA used an O’Connor roll to set up Skull End. Ibushi slid out and hit a high kick.
Ibushi missed with a Kamigoye. Ibushi blocked a dragon screw. SANADA blocked a v-trigger and hit a back suplex. BUSHI tagged in for a missile dropkick. Ibushi blocked a swinging neckbreaker and hit a v-trigger before tagging out.
BUSHI and Wato did a series of teases and counters. BUSHI hit a dropkick and a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Wato hit recientemente into a double down. BUSHI hit a dropkick to the knee and a DDT.
SANADA tagged in as the match worked towards the climax. Wato hit an interfering BUSHI with a rana. Ibushi hit SANADA with a flying mid kick. Wato and Ibushi hit dueling high kicks for a near fall.
BUSHI hit a codebreaker on Wato. Ibushi got sent outside and hit with a BUSHI tope suicida. Wato used two quick cradles for near falls.
SANADA used a spinning Skull End. While BUSHI held Ibushi at bay, Wato tapped out and SANADA got the submission victory.
SANADA closed the show with a promo. The arena lights were turned down and the crowd lit up the house with their cell phones for a cool visual.
Kota Ibushi, Tomoaki Honma, SHO & Master Wato vs. SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
Jay White, EVIL, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Gedo, Jado & Dick Togo) vs. Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano
Report —
Gabriel Kidd defeated Yota Tsuji (7:21)
This was a bit slower than their match last night, but the work was solid.
Kidd dominated an early chain wrestling battle, targeting Tsuji’s left arm. Tsuji hit a leapfrog and a hip toss to turn the tide.
Tsuji applied a camel clutch. Tsuji used a splash to the back and covered for a two count.
Kidd hit a backdrop and a senton for a near fall. Kidd fought for a vertical suplex and finally got it for another two count. They traded strikes. Tsuji fought out of one butterfly suplex attempt.
Kidd dropped Tsuji with a palm strike and hit an uppercut forearm. Tsuji came back with a spear for a near fall. Kidd avoided a running powerslam and used a small package to set up the butterfly suplex.
Ishimori and Taguchi began the match with some comedy. ELP and Uemura got tags. ELP quickly cut Uemura off. ELP and Ishimori used their comedy back rakes and crotch stomps and worked on Uemura.
Taguchi got a hot tag and ran wild with hip attacks. He used a springboard hip attack on ELP for a near fall. Taguchi tried for three amigos, but Ishimori stopped him. Uemura entered and Taguchi and Uemura hit a double suplex on Ishimori and ELP.
Uemura was legal, but Taguchi hit a bomaye hip attack. Uemura covered for a two count. Ishimori hit a jumping knee strike on Uemura into an airplane spin neckbreaker from ELP for a near fall.
Uemura blocked a Bloody Cross attempt and used two quick cradles for near falls. Taguchi and ELP brawled to the outside. Uemura fired up and hit a double overhook suplex for a close near fall.
Uemura got a Boston crab applied. ELP broke the hold with a superkick with the loaded boot. Ishimori then covered for the pin.
Uemura sold the superkick as if he had been hit by a sniper. Just a phenomenal job by him.
This was a great match. SANADA and Ibushi in particular had a great sequence to tease their upcoming singles bout.
The action started before the bell as Ibushi and SANADA, SHO and Hiromu, Wato and BUSHI and Honma and Naito paired off and brawled. Honma and Naito began in the ring as the legal men.
Naito and Honma traded strikes. Honma missed a kokeshi. Naito used a crab on him, but Honma reached the ropes. BUSHI and Wato got tags. Wato teased a springboard uppercut, but Hiromu pulled him off the apron and the brawl was back on.
Naito used a high-angle crab on Honma on the floor. Back inside, BUSHI controlled Wato with kicks in the corner. BUSHI went after Wato’s right knee. SANADA tagged in and continued the right leg work. Naito and Hiromu doubled up on Wato. BUSHI used an STF, but Wato forced a rope break.
Wato hit a spin kick to BUSHI and forced him to tag Hiromu. Wato hit a dreamcast on Hiromu and was finally able to tag out. SHO hit a PK on Hiromu for a near fall. SHO reversed a sunset flip into a cross armbreaker, but Hiromu got to the ropes immediately. Hiromu blocked one spear, but SHO hit another for a near fall.
Hiromu blocked a deadlift German and hit a superkick. SHO escaped a Dynamite Plunger. They hit simultaneous lariats. Hiromu hit a huge lariat into a double down.
Ibushi and SANADA got tags. Ibushi hit a flying mid kick and a standing moonsault for a two count. SANADA tried to set up a leapfrog dropkick, but Ibushi stopped it. Ibushi got sent outside and SANADA hit a plancha.
Ibushi avoided a TKO. Ibushi flipped out of a dragon sleeper. SANADA got Skull End applied, but Ibushi powered out and hit a high kick. SANADA avoided a Kamigoye and hit a magic screw.
BUSHI tagged in. Naito and BUSHI hit double dropkicks on Ibushi. BUSHI hit a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. BUSHI went for a codebreaker. Ibushi blocked. Everybody jumped in and hit a big move.
Wato hit BUSHI with a dreamcast. Ibushi used a v-trigger for a near fall, then hit Kamigoye and pinned BUSHI.
Shingo Takagi was on commentary for this match. Ibushi taunted him with his title belts after the bout, teasing a future meeting between the two.
Elimination match: Jay White, EVIL, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Gedo, Jado & Dick Togo) defeated Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Toru Yano (27:10)
Ishii and White were the stars of this match. This had a level of intensity to it that has been missing from the shows on this tour.
Ishii went after White before the bell. The two would continue to interact throughout the match as chaotic brawls would break out.
Goto and Tanga started as the legal men, but that was merely a formality as the first ten minutes of the match were a series of brawls breaking out in and around the ring. White choked Ishii with a camera cable on the floor.
Goto was worked over by G.O.D. in the ring before making a comeback and tagging Okada. Okada and EVIL squared off. Okada hit a running back elbow. EVIL cut him off with a mid kick. Okada got the Money Clip, but EVIL backed him into the corner and broke the hold.
Togo tripped Okada from the floor. EVIL tossed Okada to the apron. Okada low-bridged EVIL to the floor for an elimination. *EVIL eliminated*
EVIL used a chair on Okada, but Okada didn’t drop to the floor. Yujiro tried to knock Okada off. Instead, Okada hit a diving attack on EVIL and eliminated himself. Okada teased a tombstone on the floor, but Bullet Club broke it up. *Okada eliminated*
Yujiro and Yano were in next. Yujiro used a corner pad on Yano. Yujiro charged into the exposed buckle and got rolled up for a near fall. Yujiro hit a sliding dropkick and a fisherman buster for a two count. Yujiro rolled to the apron and got shoved off. *Yujiro eliminated*
White entered and threw Yano out right away. *Yano eliminated*
YH came in and hit a running chop on White. Tama jumped in to save White. White knocked Ishii off the apron for good measure. G.O.D. hit slingshot sentons on YH. Ishii and Goto saved for YH. White again went after Ishii. YH got cut off in the Bullet Club corner.
White missed a charge into the corner. YH hit a bunker buster and tagged Ishii. Ishii hammered away at White with strikes and sent him into the exposed buckle. Ishii threw the referee down. Ishii dragged White outside and sent him into the barricade.
Ishii brought a chair into the ring. The ref took the chair away. White used the opening to hit a Saito suplex. Ishii no-sold and hit a tackle. White hit a DDT. White hit a Blade Buster. Ishii almost got thrown out, but Goto saved. Gedo hit a low blow on Ishii and Ishii fell to the floor. *Ishii eliminated*
Goto hit a wheel kick and a bulldog on White for a two count. Goto got sent to the apron. White took the ref. Jado hit Goto with a kendo stick. The ref took Bullet Club’s word for it and that was it for Goto. *Goto eliminated*
It was down to G.O.D. and White vs. YH. YH came in a house of fire and rolled White up for a near fall. Tama hit a gun stun on YH. White had him pinned, but pulled him up at the count of two. Tanga hit Apesh*t on YH. White covered and again pulled YH up after a two count.
White hit a sleeper suplex. White acted as though YH kicked out, but he didn’t. G.O.D. hit a Magic Killer. White pulled YH up at the count of one.
White teased a Blade Runner, but Goto threw in the towel for YH. *YH eliminated*
After the bell, White hit a Blade Runner on YH. G.O.D. beat down Ishii. White hit a sleeper suplex and a Blade Runner on Ishii.
White cut a promo. He said he and G.O.D. are the real Bullet Club. He said that he and G.O.D. were challenging Ishii, Goto and YH for the NEVER Six-Man Tag titles and they could respond to the challenge when they wake up.
Goto attacked White and G.O.D. as they were making their post-match comments backstage, but they were quickly pulled apart.
SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Kota Ibushi, Tomoaki Honma, SHO & Master Wato
Report —
Yota Tsuji defeated Gabriel Kidd (7:26)
This was a well-worked opener. They focused on technical wrestling for the bulk of the match.
Kidd went after Tsuji’s left arm, hoping to soften him up for a butterfly suplex later. Tsuji worked the legs, looking to set up the Boston crab.
Tsuji hit a hip toss and a splash for a near fall. Kidd hit a dropkick and a vertical suplex for his own near fall. Kidd went for the butterfly suplex. Tsuji blocked and hit a spear, then used a running powerslam for a two count.
Tsuji got the full Boston crab applied and Kidd was forced to tap.
SANADA and Ibushi began with a chain wrestling sequence that ended in a stalemate. Wato and BUSHI tagged in and traded strikes. Wato looked good and had some unique counters to an attempted hurricanrana and a leapfrog.
BUSHI was cut off and briefly worked over by Wato and Honma. Honma missed a kokeshi and LIJ stomped him down 4-on-1. They then took turns working him over. Hiromu used a dropkick for a near fall.
Naito got a tag and used a neckbreaker and an attempted jackknife cradle for a two count. Honma came back with a DDT. Ibushi and SANADA got tags and traded strikes. SANADA hit a house show plancha for a near fall.
Ibushi blocked a TKO. Both missed standing moonsaults. SANADA missed a springboard attack. Ibushi countered with a springboard dropkick.
SHO and Hiromu got tags and the action really picked up. Hiromu hit a dragon screw. A sequence of counters ended with a SHO kick to the back. They traded strikes again. SHO hit a lariat. Hiromu hit a superkick.
Wato got a tag and hit a dreamcast for a two count. Everyone hopped in for a big move. Ibushi teased a Kamigoye on SANADA, but BUSHI saved.
BUSHI hit a backstabber on Wato into a Time Bomb II from Hiromu. Hiromu then pinned Wato.
SHO and Hiromu, Ibushi and SANADA, plus Naito and Honma stared each other down after the match.
This was notable for the post-match, but practically a carbon copy of every match EVIL, Yujiro and Togo have been a part of with Okada and his rotating partners on this tour.
Bullet Club attacked before the opening bell. Yano was worked on 3-on-1. Yano’s team worked over Togo 3-on-1. Yano and Togo did some comedy with the turnbuckle pads. Yujiro exposed a buckle and Yano got sent into it.
Yano managed a tag to Okada. Okada hit some trademark offense on Yujiro. Okada got whipped into the exposed buckle. Okada hit a flapjack into a double down.
Ishii got a tag and was promptly subdued by Bullet Club. Togo took the referee and Yujiro hit Ishii with his cane. Ishii no-sold one cane shot. Yujiro hit a second for a near fall as Okada saved.
The finish saw Okada jump in and hit an air raid crash neckbreaker on Yujiro. Ishii then hit the vertical drop brainbuster and pinned Yujiro.
**********
Jay White ran in and attacked Ishii after the match. EVIL, Yujiro and Togo pulled Okada and Yano to the floor, laying them out.
White hit a series of strikes on Ishii, then left him laying with a Blade Runner. Ishii was helped to the back.
This was a decent match with an impossibly bad finish.
Suzuki-gun attacked before the opening bell. The teams brawled around ringside.
Taichi and Tama started as the legal men. Both teased eliminations over the top rope. Sabre tagged in and cranked on Tama’s neck.
Suzuki-gun isolated Tama in their corner. DOUKI tagged in. Jado teased a kendo stick shot. DOUKI threw Tama out, but the ref’s back was turned and Tama got back in the ring. DOUKI was then isolated in the Bullet Club corner.
ELP tagged in for some comedy. Ishimori taunted Sabre by using the same neck cranks on DOUKI. DOUKI and Jado did some spots together and I began questioning my chosen profession.
Taichi got a tag and made a house of fire babyface comeback that was pretty great. Kanemaru and ELP got tags and had a nice sequence. ELP hit a quebrada. ELP got dumped over the top but his feet didn’t hit. Ishimori and Kanemaru fought on the apron.
Ishimori got knocked off the apron but ELP caught him on his shoulders. Kanemaru got bounced off the apron as Desperado hit the ropes for the first elimination. *Kanemaru eliminated*
Desperado then hit a right hand and knocked Ishimori to the floor for the elimination. *Ishimori eliminated*
DOUKI and Desperado doubled up on Tama. Ishimori tripped Desperado, then Tama used the distraction to toss Desperado. *Desperado eliminated*
DOUKI teased Daybreak on Tama. Tama caught him off the ropes with a spinebuster, then used a sharpshooter for the elimination. *DOUKI eliminated*
Sabre entered and used an armbar, then a triangle on Tama. Sabre used the hold to pull Tama to the apron, then dropped him to the floor. *Tama eliminated*
Tanga jumped in while Sabre was still on the apron and knocked him off for an elimination. *Sabre eliminated*
Taichi used a jumping high kick to eliminate Tanga. *Tanga eliminated*
It was down to Taichi and Jado. Jado begged off and tried to raise Taichi’s hand in victory. Taichi declined and lit him up with kicks.
Tanga jumped back in. Sabre got in the ring and used a guillotine, distracting the ref. Jado used a kendo stick on Taichi, then Tama entered and hit Taichi with the iron fingers, knocking him out.
Jado covered for the pin on Taichi. *Taichi eliminated*
Sabre grabbed the mic after the match and cut a promo on G.O.D. and the NJPW tag division. Sabre promised to save the division. Sabre helped Taichi out of the ring.
Bullet Club cut Tsuji off early and the bulk of the match was spent working him over. Jado used a kendo stick shot from the floor. ELP and Ishimori hit their comedy offense.
ELP hit a series of cartwheels and flips for no reason. He ultimately left the match and joined commentary.
Tiger Mask got a hot tag and cleaned house with kicks and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Ishimori blocked a Tiger Driver and hit a handspring kick. Gedo tagged in and got hit with the Tiger Driver instead.
Nagata got a tag. He hit Gedo with kicks. He teased an exploder, but Jado saved for Gedo. Jado used a kendo stick on Nagata. Gedo grabbed brass knuckles, but Tsuji speared him.
Nagata won by submission with the Nagata Lock.
Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima went to a no-contest with Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan (w/Bea Priestley) (2:23)
Tenzan and Kojima came to the ring with chairs. Ospreay and O-Khan cleared out of the ring. Priestley ran in and hit low blows on Kojima and Tenzan.
Ospreay threw a table in the ring. Kojima hit Ospreay with a cutter. Kojima and Tenzan teased a cuter through the table, but O-Khan saved.
Ospreay challenged Kojima to a no-DQ match at The New Beginning in Nagoya on Saturday. Kojima appeared to accept, but the match was not officially announced.
Togo and Okada started the match. Goto tagged in and got tripped by EVIL from the floor and Bullet Club turned this into a brawl, as they proceeded to work virtually the identical match that they have every night of this tour.
Goto got cut off and worked over in the ring. Yujiro exposed a buckle, tagged in, then threw Goto into the buckle. Goto came back on EVIL with a whip into the buckle and a Saito suplex.
Okada tagged in and hit EVIL with strikes and a running back elbow. Okada hit an air raid crash neckbreaker for a near fall.
Okada went for the Money Clip, but Togo jumped on the apron for a distraction. EVIL hit a mid kick and used a Darkness Scorpion, but Okada forced a rope break.
Yujiro got a tag. Ishii tagged in and ran wild on Yujiro and Togo. Bullet Club jumped in to aid Yujiro. EVIL hit a fisherman buster. Yujiro hit a sliding dropkick for a two count.
Yujiro brought his pimp cane in while EVIL took the referee. Ishii ducked the cane, but Yujiro hit an Angle slam for a near fall. Ishii blocked Pimp Juice. Goto choked Yujiro from the apron. Okada nailed EVIL and Togo. Goto hit an ushigoroshi on Yujiro.
Ishii then connected with a sliding lariat and the vertical drop brainbuster for the pin.
Naito took his time getting to the ring. He has been working for his own amusement on this tour.
Honma and Wato attacked just before the bell. Naito used a jackknife cover to try to steal a pin on Honma, the same hold he pinned him with yesterday, but Honma kicked out.
Wato and BUSHI got tags. Wato hit a series of kicks. Honma tagged in and began to work on BUSHI. BUSHI and Naito doubled up on Honma, then turned this into a brawl around ringside. Honma ended up being worked over in the LIJ corner.
Honma came back on Naito with a vertical suplex. Wato and BUSHI got tags and the pace quickened. Wato hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. BUSHI hit a dropkick to the leg and started working on Wato’s right knee. They traded strikes. Wato ducked a rewind kick and hit a high kick.
Honma tagged in and hit some chops. Honma missed a kokeshi. BUSHI tagged Naito. Naito hit a back elbow, a dropkick and a neckbreaker for a two count. Honma ducked a swing and hit a kokeshi. Honma and Wato doubled up on Naito. Honma hit a diving kokeshi for two as BUSHI saved.
Wato and BUSHI brawled to the floor. Honma hit a DDT and a lariat for a near fall. Honma teased a Michinoku Driver. Naito escaped. BUSHI jumped in. Wato caught Honma with a kick by mistake.
BUSHI hit a backstabber to Honma, then Naito used the jackknife cradle for the pin.
Naito held the cradle for more than a minute after the three count, adding insult to injury. Wato and BUSHI had a quick pull-apart after the match.
Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & SHO vs. SANADA, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi ended in a time limit draw (30:00)
This was a really good main event and easily the best thing on the show.
Tanahashi and Shingo started with a quick chain wrestling sequence. SHO and Hiromu tagged in and had a brief, intense battle. SANADA and Ibushi got tags and slowed things down. They worked some holds. SANADA teased a dragon screw. Ibushi hit a dropkick and gave his team the edge at the 5 minute call.
Tana tagged in and hit SANADA with a slam and an elbow drop. Tanahashi got a cobra twist applied. SHO tagged in and went after SANADA’s left arm. LIJ jumped in to save SANADA. After a brief brawl on the outside, SHO ended up cut off in the ring.
Hiromu hit a dropkick for a two count. Shingo tagged in and stomped at SHO’s left leg. Shingo teased a cloverleaf to SHO to taunt Tana. Shingo went after Tana on the apron. SANADA tagged in and used the paradise lock.
SHO hit a backstabber to Hiromu and a kitchen sink to SANADA. Tana tagged in and hit a dragon screw and somersault senton for a two count. Ibushi tagged in and hit a running mid kick and a standing moonsault. SANADA came back with a hurricanrana and a plancha for a near fall at the 15 minute call.
SANADA used an O’Connor roll to set up a Skull End attempt. Ibushi escaped and hit a dropkick. SHO got a tag and got hit with a back suplex. Hiromu tagged in for a sequence with SHO. SHO hit a series of kicks and got a two count.
SHO hit a vertical suplex. LIJ tripled up on SHO. Hiromu hit a Dynamite Plunger. Tana saved for SHO. Hiromu blocked a SHO spear. SHO hit a German suplex and a spear. SHO went for Shock Arrow, but Shingo and SANADA saved. Hiromu escaped another Shock Arrow attempt at the 20 minute call.
Hiromu and SHO traded strikes. SHO got a kimura applied. Hiromu rolled through and hit a DVD into the turnbuckle pad. SHO avoided Time Bomb. They traded lariats. Hiromu hit a belly-to-belly throw into the buckle.
Shingo and Tanahashi got tags and traded strikes. They continued to trade at the 25 minute call. Shingo blocked a slingblade. Tana hit twist and shout. Shingo blocked another slingblade and hit his own twist and shout. Shingo escaped a dragon screw and hit a sliding lariat.
Shingo hit a dragon screw. Shingo used a powerbomb and a single-leg crab. Ibushi saved. Ibushi and SANADA brawled to the floor. Tana hit two dragon screws and locked on a cloverleaf. Hiromu broke it up.
Shingo blocked another slingblade. Tana hit slingblade for a two count. Tana hit Ace’s High. Hiromu hit a shotgun dropkick to Tana. SHO hit a jumping knee to Hiromu. SANADA hit SHO with a dropkick to the knee. Ibushi hit a springboard dropkick to SANADA. Shingo hit a German on Ibushi.
Shingo and Tanahashi traded strikes. Tana hit a slingblade. Shingo hit a lariat for a near fall as Tanahashi kicked out at the 30 minute call.
All six guys were down in the ring at the finish.
Tanahashi and Shingo cut promos on each other after the match.
This was a fun brawl to kick off the show. The highlight was the interaction between Suzuki and Uemura.
The Suzuki-gun side attacked before the opening bell. The babyface side was able to withstand the attack at first. Uemura and Suzuki brawled outside and Suzuki sold big for Uemura with his facial expressions.
Tiger Mask got cut off in the ring after a pipe shot from DOUKI while the referee was distracted. Makabe got a hot tag and hit ten punches and a northern lights suplex on Suzuki. Suzuki used a Fujiwara armbar. The two traded strikes.
Uemura and Desperado tagged in for the closing sequence. Uemura got a couple of near falls off quick cradles. Desperado used the ref as a distraction to set up his illegal right hand and a Pinche Loco for the pin.
Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan went to a no-contest with Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (3:39)
This was a continuation of the finish of last night’s match between these two teams and more of an angle than a match.
No Bea Priestley tonight for United Empire.
O-Khan threw the ref out of the ring before Tenzan and Kojima had even entered. O-Khan and Ospreay attacked as Kojima and Tenzan made their way to the ring.
All four brawled on the outside. The referee lost complete control. O-Khan and Tenzan got in the ring and traded chops. Ospreay entered with a chair and hit Tenzan. The ref waved off the match. It was ruled a no-contest for whatever reason rather than a DQ.
Ospreay and O-Khan brought a stack of chairs into the ring. Kojima made the save for Tenzan with a chair and United Empire made a united retreat.
This was practically the same middling undercard tag that some combination of opponents have had with this Bullet Cub trio on every night of the tour, only Bullet Club came away with a win tonight.
Yujiro began with Goto and tried to get the advantage with biting. Okada and YH saved and they did some comedy. Togo and EVIL cleared the CHAOS apron.
EVIL used YH’s staff as a weapon on Okada. Yujiro hit Goto with his pimp cane. Togo choked YH with a camera cable. Okada got a hot tag and made a comeback on Yujiro. EVIL and Yujiro cut Okada off. Okada hit a big boot to EVIL and tagged YH.
Goto and YH hit some tandem offense on EVIL. EVIL took the ref. Yujiro jumped in with his cane. Togo choked YH with his ligature. EVIL hit Everything is EVIL and pinned YH.
If you’ve been watching the entire tour, then this match rewarded you for paying attention as it paid off the Naito/Honma interactions that have been going on. If not, enjoy the Hiromu/SHO stuff.
LIJ immediately turned this into a brawl around ringside. Honma missed a kokeshi on Naito in the ring and Naito and Hiromu sent their opponents into the barricade repeatedly. Honma ended up cut off in the ring.
Naito used a crucifix on Honma on the mat while Hiromu kept SHO away. Honma forced a break and hit a vertical suplex. SHO and Hiromu got tags and went a thousand miles an hour. SHO hit a spear and a series of lariats. The two had a long striking battle. Hiromu hit a pop-up powerbomb into a double down.
Naito and Honma tagged in and brawled. Naito teased a top rope frankensteiner but Honma escaped. Hiromu entered for a double dropkick and a near fall. Honma hit a diving kokeshi to Naito. SHO and Honma doubled up on Naito and Honma hit a cannonball for a two count.
The finish was unique. Naito hit a step-up enzuigiri. Hiromu jumped in to hit a thrust kick. Naito then used a jackknife cradle on Honma and pinned him.
Naito and Hiromu did some goofing off after the match that was pretty entertaining.
This was a good main event that picked up steam as it went along after a slow start.
Ibushi and SANADA began with a sequence of chain wrestling that was not particularly inspired. Both fought off attempts at the paradise lock. Ibushi hit a dropkick and tagged out. Wato knocked BUSHI off the apron and then hit a sloppy backbreaker on SANADA.
Tanahashi tagged in to face SANADA. Shingo tripped Tana from the floor and the LIJ rout was on. All six brawled around ringside. Shingo and Tana ended up back in as the legal men. Tana was cut off in the LIJ half of the ring.
Shingo and Tana traded strikes. Shingo got the upper hand. Tana hit a dragon screw but Shingo no-sold and tried a pumping bomber. Tana ducked and hit a second dragon screw and Shingo sold the impact of both. Shingo tagged out.
Tana tried to cradle SANADA. Ibushi tagged in for a mid kick and a standing moonsault for a near fall o his next challenger. SANADA busted out the leapfrog dropkick and hit Ibushi with a plancha. Back in, SANADA used a TKO threat to set up a Skull End attempt. Ibushi hit a high kick and both fell down.
Wato and BUSHI got tags. Wato used a dreamcast for a near fall. They traded kicks. BUSHI hit a rewind kick. Wato hit a jumping knee strike. They traded palm strikes. Wato hit another dreamcast before tagging Tana back in.
Tana dispatched an interfering Shingo with a slap. Shingo and SANADA climbed back in to triple up on Tana. BUSHI hit a backstabber for a near fall. SANADA and Ibushi, Shingo and Wato brawled to the floor.
Tana hit a twist and shout, slingblade, then used a cloverleaf. Shingo teased breaking the hold with a pumping bomber. Wato was supposed to hit him with a springboard forearm but slipped coming off the ropes. Wato saved as well as he could, then hit Shingo with a forearm and a 619.
With the cloverleaf still applied, BUSHI tapped out.
Tanahashi, Ibushi and Wato played air guitar to close the show.
I love Suzuki and I love heel vs. heel brawls, but this was rough. There’s no good reason for Jado to be wrestling every night on this tour.
Suzuki and DOUKI attacked before the opening bell. DOUKI got cut off by a Jado trip from the floor as he ran the ropes. Gedo and Jado worked on DOUKI. Jado also teased going after Taichi who was on commentary.
Jado did some entertaining crowd work from the apron. He got a tag and knocked Suzuki off the apron as Bullet Club continued to dominate DOUKI. Gedo tagged in and tried to take a swing at Suzuki. Instead, Suzuki put him in an armbar over the ropes.
Suzuki didn’t get a tag but jumped in and did a hot tag anyway, and it was awesome. Suzuki shoved the referee down before hitting a big boot in the corner and a PK on Gedo. Suzuki and Jado brawled to the floor.
DOUKI used a double stomp for a near fall on Gedo. Jado hit DOUKI with a kendo stick to stop him from hitting Daybreak.
DOUKI used a Jorge Rivera special to get the pin on Gedo.
Suzuki put the ringside attendants in armbars after the match, while Jado continued jawing with Taichi.
This was the same basic match that this Bullet Club trio has worked every night of the tour to this point.
Ishii and Togo began. EVIL and Yujiro jumped in to try for an illegal triple team, but Okada and YH saved for Ishii and tripled up on Togo.
YH got a tag and worked on Togo’s left arm. Togo used an eye rake. Yujiro exposed a turnbuckle and all three CHAOS teammates got whipped into it. YH got worked over by Bullet Club.
EVIL missed a charge into the corner and ran chest-first into the exposed turnbuckle. Okada got a tag and hit EVIL with a DDT for a near fall. EVIL blocked a second DDT attempt and hit a ref-assisted mid kick.
EVIL tried a fisherman buster, but Okada blocked. EVIL got a Darkness Scorpion applied. Okada forced an immediate rope break. Yujiro got a tag and faced off with Okada. The match broke down and everyone jumped in.
Yujiro hit a lariat for a near fall. Okada blocked a Miami Shine attempt and used the Money Clip on Yujiro, who tapped out.
Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima by DQ (11:52)
Kojima and Ospreay were good in this match. The finish was bad, but they so rarely do DQs that you can forgive that, particularly since this was a way to get Tenzan and Kojima some of their heat back without pinning O-Khan or Ospreay.
This was billed as Tenzan’s comeback match after he was kayfabe injured in a match against the United Empire at New Year Dash less than three weeks ago.
Tenzan and Kojima used a jumpstart attack. Tenzan and O-Khan began as the legal men and had a sloppy brawl. O-Khan used a nerve hold and stomped Tenzan down. Priestley interfered and choked Tenzan.
Ospreay tagged in and mocked Tenzan with Mongolian chops. Tenzan hit a wheel kick and tagged Kojima. Kojima hit Ospreay with machine gun chops and landed a top rope elbow for a near fall.
Ospreay missed with pip pip cheerio. Ospreay blocked a cutter. Kojima hit a DDT. Ospreay blocked a lariat and hit a rolling elbow and a vertical suplex. O-Khan got a tag and got hit with a Kojima cutter.
Tenzan tagged in and hit O-Khan with Mongolian chops and a headbutt. Tenzan hit a brainbuster for a near fall. O-Khan went for a Dominator, but Tenzan blocked. They traded Mongolian chops.
Ospreay and Kojima entered and traded strikes. Kojima blocked a hook kick and hit a cutter. Kojima and Tenzan doubled up on O-Khan. They hit the TenKoji cutter. Tenzan got the Anaconda Vice applied to O-Khan, then transitioned to a pinfall attempt, but O-Khan kicked out.
Tenzan hit a slam and teased a moonsault. Priestley hit Tenzan with a chair as he climbed to the top. Ospreay tried to use the chair. Tenzan shoved him away and began pounding on O-Khan with the chair for the DQ.
Kojima hit Ospreay with a lariat after the match. Tenzan again used the chair on O-Khan.
Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma, SHO & Master Wato defeated SANADA, Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI in an elimination match (24:22)
This was fun, especially after the Honma-Naito interactions in tag matches on this tour.
This was held under NJPW elimination match rules where you tag in and out and eliminations can come by pinfall, submission, DQ or being thrown over the top rope.
Tanahashi and Shingo began. They did a couple of elimination teases right away with LIJ trying to team up to dump Tana over the top rope, then Tana’s team doing the same to Shingo.
SHO and Hiromu tagged in. SHO landed a series of strikes in the corner and they teased that he would be DQed before his team calmed him down. Honma tagged in and missed a kokeshi. LIJ used quick tags in working Honma over.
Tanahashi got a hot tag and ran wild with dragon screws. Ibushi tagged in and hit SANADA with a series of kicks and a standing moonsault. Ibushi and SANADA did a series of elimination teases.
BUSHI and Wato fought in the ring, then knocked Ibushi and SANADA off the apron for a double elimination. *Ibushi & SANADA eliminated*
Wato and BUSHI fought to the apron. Wato eliminated BUSHI with a spinning backfist. *BUSHI eliminated*
Hiromu hit a sunset bomb through the middle rope to eliminate Wato. *Wato eliminated*
Hiromu and SHO had a nice exchange. Hiromu applied D. They fought to the apron. SHO eliminated Hiromu with a dropkick. *Hiromu eliminated*
Shingo and SHO squared off. SHO got hit with a pumping bomber on the apron and was eliminated. *SHO eliminated*
Tanahashi entered the match and hit a somersault senton off the second rope on Shingo. Tana blocked a lariat and hit twist and shout. Shingo hit his own twist and shout. They fought to the apron. Tana hit a dragon screw in the ropes and eliminated Shingo. *Shingo eliminated*
It was down to Honma and Tanahashi vs. Naito. Tanahashi hit a slingblade. Tana went for High Fly Flow but got crotched on the top rope and fell to the apron. Naito eliminated him with a baseball slide. *Tanahashi eliminated*
Honma hit a kokeshi on Naito. He tried a top rope kokeshi but got slammed off the top. Naito went to the top rope. Honma cut him off and hit a superplex. Honma covered for a near fall.
Honma avoided a flying forearm, hit a headbutt, then eliminated Naito with a clothesline over the top. *Naito eliminated*
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match: Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo defeated El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru to win the titles (23:07)
There were three ref bumps and three different referees in this match. If Bullet Club shenanigans aren’t your thing, you can skip this.
Kanemaru and ELP began the match. Kanemaru kept trying to rip apart ELP’s loaded boot, but failed. Desperado and Ishimori tagged in. Ishimori worked on Desperado’s arms. Ishimori and ELP traded tags and used their comedy back rakes as Desperado was cut off.
Kanemaru tagged in and hit a double back rake. He was quickly cut off and ELP attacked his neck. Ishimori got a tag and continued working on Kanemaru’s neck. Kanemaru was tied to the tree of woe. Ishimori hit him with a baseball slide. ELP and Ishimori stomped on Kanemaru’s crotch. Desperado saved and threw them to the floor.
Desperado tagged in and went after Ishimori’s left leg. He tried for Numero Dos but ELP saved. Desperado got Numero Dos applied, but Ishimori reversed into the Yes Lock. Desperado reversed back into Numero Dos. Ishimori rolled through for a cradle and a near fall.
Ishimori hit a handspring kick. Kanemaru and ELP got tags. Kanemaru hit a satellite DDT for a near fall. Kanemaru got a figure four applied and tried to take off ELP’s boot, but Ishimori saved.
ELP and Ishimori hit an electric chair codebreaker/moonsault combination for a near fall. ELP hit the ref with a superkick and the ref took a bump to the floor. Kanemaru covered ELP but there was no ref. They carried the ref to the back as Desperado hit ELP with a title belt.
Another ref ran out and Ishimori pulled him out of the ring for another ref bump. Ishimori used the titles as weapons. Kanemaru tried a whiskey bottle shot. ELP hit a low blow and hit him with a belt for a near fall. Kanemaru used an inside cradle for two.
ELP tried a superkick. Kanemaru threw the boot into the ref for another ref bump. Kanemaru hit ELP with a low blow.
A third ref came out and cleared the ring of the various weapons. Kanemaru tried the Eddie Guerrero spot with the title belt on ELP, but the ref didn’t call for a DQ. Kanemaru hit a moonsault for a near fall. Kanemaru hit a brainbuster for another two count.
Kanemaru tried Deep Impact but jumped into a low blow. The ref missed the low blow somehow. ELP then hit a superkick with the loaded boot for the pin.
Taichi jumped in the ring after the match and kept ELP and Ishimori at bay while he got Desperado and Kanemaru out of the ring.
ELP cut a promo, then Ishimori and ELP celebrated in the ring to close the show.
This was the quickest show of this loop at roughly 110 minutes.
**********
Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Satoshi Kojima & Yota Tsuji (8:36)
There was some good action in this one as Ospreay worked the bulk of the match for his team.
Kojima and Tsuji attacked before the opening bell. Tsuji was quickly cut off when O-Khan grabbed an anaconda vice. O-Khan worked Tsuji over with his wacky offense. Ospreay tagged in and continued the attack.
Kojima got a tag and hit machine gun chops to Ospreay. O-Khan blocked a top rope elbow attempt from Kojima. Ospreay hit Kojima with pip pip cheerio. Kojima blocked a Storm Breaker attempt and took Ospreay down with a cutter.
Tsuji tagged in and hit a back bodydrop and a vertical suplex on Ospreay for a near fall. He followed with a splash for another two count as O-Khan made the save for Ospreay. O-Khan and Kojima exchanged Mongolian chops and rolled outside.
Ospreay hit a bloody sunday on Tsuji. Kojima broke up the ensuing pin attempt. Tsuji connected with a spear to Ospreay. Ospreay blocked a slam attempt and hit a hook kick and an Oscutter for the pin.
O-Khan did his United Empire roll call promo after the match.
Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo, Gedo & Jado defeated Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI (10:42)
This was the third garbage brawl between these teams in as many nights and the worst match of the bunch. ELP’s loaded boot was again the story of the bout.
Kanemaru fell victim to the loaded boot after Bullet Club attacked before the bell rang. Bullet Club isolated Kanemaru and worked over his abdomen. Suzuki tried to save but got sent outside by Gedo and Jado.
ELP and Ishimori did a lot of their comedy offense. Kanemaru managed a low dropkick to Gedo and tagged Suzuki. Suzuki hit a penalty kick on Gedo for a near fall.
Jado saved for Gedo. Suzuki put Jado in a Fujiwara armbar. ELP saved for Jado. Suzuki blocked a shot from ELP’s boot and put him in a kneebar. ELP rolled outside. Desperado tagged in and got hit with a kendo stick from the floor.
Ishimori tagged in and hit a seated senton on Desperado. Kanemaru jumped in for a double team. ELP got a tag and stomped on Desperado with the loaded boot. DOUKI tagged in to set up the closing sequence.
DOUKI hit Daybreak for a near fall, but Ishimori made the save for ELP. Gedo jumped in with brass knuckles. Jado entered with a kendo stick. DOUKI brought his pipe into the ring.
ELP hit a superkick with the loaded boot for the pin.
Suzuki put Jado in an armbar on the floor after the match, just for giggles. ELP and Ishimori briefly posed with the IWGP Jr. Tag belts after the win.
This was a fine little brawl. Goto looked especially good here.
Bullet Club used a jumpstart attack and sent Okada and YH outside while they worked on Goto. Goto made a heck of a comeback and beat on all three Bullet Club guys. Togo tripped him from the outside to shift the momentum back in Bullet Club’s favor.
They brawled around ringside. EVIL used a chair to choke Okada. Goto was worked over for several minutes. Goto and Yujiro hit simultaneous lariats into a double down. Okada got a tag and hit some signature offense on Yujiro. EVIL tagged in and got hit by an Okada air raid crash.
YH tagged in. YH and Goto hit EVIL with some tandem offense, including a thrust kick into an ushigoroshi. The match broke down and everyone jumped in for a big move. YH used a lariat and a butterfly lock on EVIL. Togo jumped on the apron with a chair for the distraction save.
EVIL hit a low blow and Everything is EVIL on YH for the pin.
SANADA & Tetsuya Naito defeated Kota Ibushi & Tomoaki Honma (13:07)
Ibushi and SANADA began by locking up. Ibushi broke cleanly against the ropes. Ibushi gained the advantage with a mid kick, then tagged Honma. Ibushi jumped back in for a double team. Honma and Ibushi missed a double kokeshi, allowing LIJ to take control of the bout.
Naito tagged in and toyed with Honma. He hit a series of back elbows to the neck, softening up Honma for a later Destino. Naito and SANADA exchanged tags and kept the pressure on Honma. Naito used a kravate on the mat and hit a basement dropkick for a near fall. Honma came back with a diving kokeshi.
SANADA and Ibushi got tags. Ibushi hit a back elbow and a standing moonsault for a near fall. SANADA hit a dropkick to Ibushi’s left knee. Ibushi tried a sunset flip, but found himself stuck in the paradise lock. SANADA used a dropkick for a near fall.
Ibushi avoided a moonsault attempt and a TKO attempt, but SANADA hit a magic screw to reset the match. Naito and Honma got tags to set up the finish.
Honma hit a vertical suplex for a two count. SANADA interfered. Honma hit a combination complete shot/DDT on both and used a kokeshi for a near fall. Ibushi entered to double up on Naito. Honma hit a lariat for another near fall.
Honma teased a top rope kokeshi, but SANADA cut him off at the pass. Naito teased a reverse frankensteiner, but Honma blocked, thank goodness. SANADA and Naito hit double dropkicks on Honma. Ibushi tried to save but SANADA threw him out of the ring.
Naito hit a step-up enzuigiri. Honma hit a headbutt. Naito blocked a lariat and hit Destino for the pin.
Naito threw Honma into the barricade after the match. He legitimately seemed angry that he had to work with Honma on a third straight show.
SANADA and Ibushi did some crowd work after the match.
This was another fun main event. The finish was awesome and very creative as well.
SHO and Hiromu started out. Hiromu hit an immediate shotgun dropkick. They traded tackles. SHO used two misdirection spots to hit another shoulder tackle. Tanahashi tagged in and used a cobra twist on Hiromu.
SHO tagged in for a strike exchange. BUSHI entered for the illegal double team and LIJ took control of the match. They cut SHO off and all three worked him over. Hiromu tagged back in for another nice exchange with SHO. SHO managed a spear and a tag to Wato.
Wato peppered BUSHI with kicks. They traded strikes. BUSHI hit a rewind kick and a swinging neckbreaker into a double down.
Shingo and Tanahashi tagged in. Tanahashi avoided a combination of strikes and hit a second rope crossbody. Shingo fought off three dragon screw attempts. Tana ducked a sliding lariat. Shingo came back with his own dragon screw. Tana fought off a cloverleaf attempt, but Shingo answered with a sliding lariat.
They traded strikes. Shingo blocked a slingblade and hit a suplex. Tanahashi popped up and hit slingblade into a double down. These guys are incredible.
Wato got a tag and cleared the LIJ apron. Wato hit a dreamcast on Shingo. SHO jumped in for a double team. Shingo hit a double lariat. Wato ducked a short lariat. Shingo got the short lariat on his second attempt.
SHO entered. Hiromu tried a hurricanrana on him, but SHO blocked and hit a lariat. BUSHI hit a step-up enzuigiri on SHO. Tanahashi hit a slingblade on BUSHI. Shingo hit a lariat out of the corner on Tanahashi.
With the deck cleared, Shingo and Wato were set for the finish. Wato hit a crucifix bomb for a two count. Wato used another crucifix for a near fall.
For the finish, Wato tried a dreamcast. Shingo caught the kick and plucked Wato out of the air, then hit Last of the Dragon for the pin.
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI
Report —
Just like last night, this show ran just under two hours, including a long opening video package and a brief intermission. They announced an attendance of 694 for Sunday’s show. No number has been announced yet for today’s show, but the building looked much more empty.
The show itself was very much like last night’s, but with a few minor tweaks to the lineup.
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Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Satoshi Kojima & Yuya Uemura (9:13)
A solid opener.
United Empire attacked before the opening bell. Kojima and Ospreay fought outside while O-Khan and Uemura began as the legal men. Kojima recovered and helped Uemura double suplex O-Khan for a two count.
Uemura quickly found himself cut off and being worked over in Empire’s corner. He made a comeback with palm strikes to the chest and a dropkick. O-Khan and Uemura tagged out.
Kojima lit up both Ospreay and O-Khan with strikes. Kojima took the Flair press slam bump off the top rope from O-Khan, who stopped him from hitting an elbow. Kojima answered with DDTs to both. Ospreay teased a Storm Breaker. Kojima blocked and hit a cutter into a double down.
Uemura tagged in and hit Ospreay with a flying forearm. He went for a double overhook suplex, but Ospreay blocked by biting his ear. Ospreay then hit a back suplex and tagged out.
Ospreay and O-Khan double-teamed Uemura. Kojima broke up a pinfall after a what-a-maneuver by O-Khan. Ospreay took out Kojima with a hook kick.
Uemura used two quick cradles for near falls. He teased a running forearm, but O-Khan hit a pump kick and Dominator for the pin.
O-Khan did his United Empire roll call promo after the match.
Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI defeated Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo, Gedo & Jado (9:48)
Suzuki-gun made their intentions clear as soon as they stepped through the curtain — They were mad about losing last night to ELP’s loaded boot and they were here for revenge.
They attacked as soon as they got into the ring and cut Gedo off. Jado used a kendo stick shot on DOUKI to turn the momentum in Bullet Club’s favor. A bad match ensued.
Jado couldn’t get DOUKI up for a suplex then took a bad-looking bump on a DDT. Desperado, Kanemaru, Ishimori and ELP did their best to save the bout with a nice exchange. Gedo tagged in and immediately tried to drag the match quality back down.
Desperado used a spinebuster on Gedo for a near fall, then used Numero Dos for the submission.
EVIL and Togo began the match with an illegal double team on Okada. Yujiro tagged in and got nailed by an Okada elbow drop. Okada tagged out to YH. YH hit a neckbreaker for a two count. Togo kicked YH from the apron.
YH fell victim to a hot shot across the top rope from Yujiro. Bullet Club turned the bout into a brawl around ringside. EVIL used a chair on Okada. Back inside, YH was isolated in Bullet Club’s half of the ring. Togo, EVIL and Yujiro used quick tags in working him over.
YH hit a vertical suplex to Yujiro and tagged Ishii. Ishii ran wild briefly, before Yujiro used a face rake and a low dropkick to stop his momentum. Yujiro bit Ishii’s hand. Ishii hit a stiff forearm shot. Yujiro countered with an inverted DDT.
EVIL tagged in and sent Ishii into an exposed turnbuckle. Ishii charged out of the corner and dropped EVIL with a lariat. Okada tagged in and hit a flapjack. Okada applied the Money Clip. EVIL broke the hold, by ramming Okada into the corner, then used his Darkness Scorpion. Okada forced a rope break.
Togo tripped Okada from the floor, then raced to tag himself in. Bullet Club tripled up on Okada. EVIL hit a fisherman buster.Togo covered for a near fall.
Everyone jumped in for a big move near the finish. Togo raked Okada’s eyes, but then ran right into a dropkick. Okada locked on the Money Clip and Togo submitted.
This was a fine little match, but nothing you need to go out of your way to see.
SHO and Hiromu began with a striking exchange. SHO got the upper hand. Naito intervened and hit an inverted atomic drop. The LIJ rout was on from there.
SHO came back with a double spear to Naito and Hiromu. Ibushi and SANADA got tags. Ibushi hit a flying mid kick and a standing moonsault for a near fall. Ibushi tried his best to engage the small crowd.
SANADA turned a standing moonsault attempt of his own into a dropkick in a cool spot. Ibushi fought off a paradise lock attempt. SANADA fought off a paradise lock attempt by Ibushi, but then ran into an Ibushi dropkick.
Honma tagged in. He hit a kokeshi on SANADA for a near fall. SANADA raked Honma’s face. Honma avoided a dropkick and hit a diving kokeshi. Hiromu broke up the pin, then hit a pop-up powerbomb on SHO.
LIJ triple teamed Honma and hit a triple dropkick. SANADA teased Skull end, but Honma cradled him for a two count. SANADA hit a magic screw for a near fall.
For the finish, SANADA locked on Skull End with a body scissors and Honma tapped out.
This has to be the first sub-fifteen minute NJPW main event in some time.
Master Wato and BUSHI started out. Wato got a little bit of momentum going with some kicks, but Shingo tripped him from the outside and this quickly became a one-sided affair. BUSHI and Shingo worked on Wato.
Shingo would take some shots at Tana on the apron when he was in working on Wato. Wato hit a jumping kick to Shingo, allowing Tanahashi to get his first crack at Shingo.
Tana went for a cloverleaf on Shingo, but BUSHI broke it up. Tana took BUSHI out with a dragon screw, then hit a senton on Shingo. Shingo came back with a back suplex, then tagged out.
BUSHI hit a missile dropkick. Tanahashi hit a second rope crossbody and tagged Wato back in. Wato hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and a series of kicks. Wato hit a dreamcast and recientemente for a near fall. BUSHI answered with a rewind kick and a backstabber. Both made tags.
Shingo and Tana traded strikes, then traded twist and shouts. They are going to tear the house down in their singles match, they have great chemistry.
Tana and Shingo traded more strikes, then traded slaps. Shingo went for a pumping bomber. Tana turned it into a slingblade. Shingo popped right back up and hit a lariat into a double down.
BUSHI and Shingo doubled up on Tana. Shingo assisted in a BUSHI backstabber for a near fall as Wato saved. Tana blocked a swinging neckbreaker and hit a dragon screw, then used a cloverleaf. Shingo broke that up with a lariat.
Shingo hit Tana with strikes. He tried a pumping bomber, but Tana ducked and Wato hit a springboard attack and a tornillo dive on Shingo.
Tana then hit a slingblade and a High Fly Flow on BUSHI for the pin. A great main event.
Tanahashi and Shingo had a brief face-off after the match. Tana then closed the show with a promo and an air guitar duet with Master Wato.
Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan (w/Bea Priestley) vs. Satoshi Kojima & Yota Tsuji
Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo
SHO & Master Wato vs. Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
Report —
Due to a COVID-related state of emergency being declared in Tokyo until February 7, the show began a half hour earlier than usual at 4 a.m. Eastern.
This was also a five-match card rather than the traditional six as there is a recommended 8 p.m. curfew in Tokyo (6 a.m. Eastern).
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Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Satoshi Kojima & Yota Tsuji (8:38)
This was an entertaining opener.
Kojima and Ospreay began, as Kojima wanted revenge for Ospreay kayfabe injuring Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Kojima got the better of a quick striking battle and hit a tackle.
Tsuji and O-Khan tagged in. I like the O-Khan character but his wrestling leaves a lot to be desired. He’s very unorthodox and not in a good way. O-Khan cut Tsuji off and repeatedly picked him and dropped him on the mat. There was a fair amount of squeezing.
Ospreay got a tag and took a back bodydrop. Kojima tagged in and hit some machine gun chops and a top rope elbow for a near fall. Ospreay’s bumping and feeding is the weakest part of his game besides his dollar store Ric Flair gimmick.
Ospreay cut Kojima off with a kick to the bread club and a vertical suplex. O-Khan tagged in and hit some Mongolian chops. Kojima came back with a cutter and tagged out.
Tsuji and O-Khan squared off. Tsuji is significantly better than O-Khan. Kojima jumped in for a double team. Tsuji used a splash for a near fall. Ospreay jumped in and traded strikes with Kojima. Ospreay blocked a lariat with a high kick, then hit a hook kick.
Tsuji used a unique pinning combination for a near fall on O-Khan. O-Khan cut him off with a big boot, then hit the Dominator for the pin.
O-Khan did his United Empire roll call promo after the match.
Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo, Gedo & Jado defeated Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI (9:23)
The key to this one was continuing to get ELP’s loaded boot over.
It’s typically fun to watch NJPW’s heel stables wrestle each other, just because there’s no depth that they won’t sink to in trying to win.
This match was the exception to that rule. Ishimori and ELP are fantastic wrestlers who are handicapped by being placed in the Bullet Club job squad. Gedo is a fine in small doses. Jado has significant balance issues and should not be in the ring.
Suzuki-gun started brawling before the opening bell. Bullet Club got the upper hand when ELP hit Kanemaru in the leg with the loaded boot. Bullet Club worked Kanemaru over with comedy back rakes and such.
There was a cool finish. DOUKI went for Daybreak, but came off with a springboard into an ELP superkick with the loaded boot for the pin.
With Jay White on hiatus, EVIL has borrowed his stalling routine.
Yujiro and Goto began as the legal men. Yujiro bit Goto’s hand. Ishii tagged in and demanded that Togo do so as well. Ishii and Togo doing spots together gave me life. This ruled.
EVIL jumped in to try to double up on Ishii. Instead, Okada and Goto saved. EVIL tripped Ishii from the floor, finally allowing Bullet Club to turn this into a brawl more suited to their style. EVIL used a chair on Okada on the floor.
Ishii ended up cut off in the Bullet Club corner. Ishii was whipped into an exposed turnbuckle. Ishii avoided a second whip into the buckle. EVIL ran sternum-first into the exposed steel, allowing Ishii to tag Okada.
Okada had a great hot tag here. He ran wild with elbow strikes and back elbows on EVIL. Okada teased an air raid crash neckbreaker, but EVIL used a hair pull and a trip from Yujiro on the floor to regain command and tagged Togo.
Okada hit a flapjack on Togo. Goto got a tag. Goto tried a misdirection lariat, but soon fell victim to a 3-on-1 from Bullet Club. Togo got a near fall off an EVIL fisherman buster to Goto.
Things broke down as the finish approached. Togo grabbed his ligature. Okada saved. EVIL took out Okada. Goto rebounded and hit an ushigoroshi and a GTR on Togo, then pinned him.
These guys were up first after intermission. SANADA entered last for the LIJ squad. It will be interesting to see if Naito being phased down is just for the short term.
This was not a good night for Naito and Honma in the ring. Someone could have been seriously injured.
Shingo and Tanahashi began. Shingo teased a clean break against the ropes, then tried a wild chop. Tana ducked, then hit a second rope crossbody. Naito interfered from the apron and LIJ took over.
SANADA got a tag and got the paradise lock on Tana. Naito tagged in and used a kravate. Tanahashi knocked Shingo down on the apron with a wild swing. Shingo then tagged back in and the two traded strikes.
Ibushi and SANADA got tags. Ibushi scored a knockdown with a forearm, then used a high kick and a standing moonsault for a two count. SANADA hit a dropkick to the left knee and a follow-up plancha as Ibushi rolled outside.
Ibushi avoided a springboard attack and hit a flying mid kick. Ibushi teased a last ride. SANADA escaped and tried to lock in a dragon sleeper. Ibushi hit a high kick into a double down. Honma tagged in and hit a series of strikes and a bulldog.
Honma missed a kokeshi, allowing SANADA to tag Naito. Naito hit some trademark offense on Honma, then used a crucifix. Tanahashi broke the hold. Shingo entered and took Tanahashi out. Naito tried a Destino. Honma was supposed to reverse, but stumbled. Naito and Honma stumbled around and fell into a turnbuckle.
Tanahashi hit a slingblade on Naito. SANADA took out Tana. Honma missed a top rope kokeshi. Naito and Honma were supposed to do something else, but again they stumbled and fell down. Naito looked like he was really mad with how the match was going here.
SANADA and Naito hit a double dropkick on Honma. Naito then used Destino and pinned Honma.
SANADA and Ibushi stared each other down after the match.
Wato and BUSHI began. Wato immediately knocked Hiromu off the apron with a running boot. Hiromu answered by hitting a sunset bomb. BUSHI tagged out and Hiromu began working on Wato in the LIJ corner. Hiromu knocked SHO off the apron for good measure.
BUSHI got a tag and used an STF, but Wato forced a rope break. Hiromu and BUSHI continued to use quick tags in working Wato over.
SHO got a hot tag and ran wild on Hiromu. Hiromu sold big for him. SHO hit a spear and began working on Hiromu’s left arm, looking to set up the Shock Arrow or the cross armbreaker. SHO hit a vertical suplex for a two count.
Hiromu tried to take SHO’s back. SHO threw him off and got the cross armbreaker. Hiromu reversed the hold into a cradle for a two count. They did a series of counters and reversals. Hiromu hit a superkick into a double down.
Hiromu tried a Dynamite Plunger. SHO blocked and hit a big forearm strike. They traded stiff forearm shots. Hiromu blinked first, as SHO knocked him into the ropes with a strike. Hiromu popped up and they kept trading. Hiromu knocked SHO into the ropes with a strike.
After another striking sequence, SHO hit a lariat into a double down. Both tagged out. Wato lit BUSHI up with kicks and a springboard uppercut forearm for a two count. BUSHI blocked a recientemente attempt and hit a DDT.
BUSHI hit a missile dropkick. Wato blocked a codebreaker and hit a slingblade. Wato climbed to the top rope, but Hiromu shoved him off to the mat. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick with Wato draped over the ropes. BUSHI hit a DDT on the apron.
Hiromu entered for a double team. SHO hit Hiromu with a German suplex. BUSHI hit a codebreaker on SHO. Wato hit a dreamcast on BUSHI. All four were down in the ring at this point.
BUSHI and Wato climbed to their feet and traded strikes. Wato hit a jumping knee strike. BUSHI hit a rewind kick and a destroyer, but SHO saved. BUSHI and Hiromu took out SHO with a double sunset flip.
BUSHI suplexed Wato into a powerbomb from Hiromu, then covered for a near fall. BUSHI tried to set something up, but Wato reversed into a jackknife cradle and stole the pin.
Hiromu and SHO had a staredown over the IWGP Jr. title after the bell.
Wato and SHO both cut short promos in the ring after their win.
Including the opening video package and the intermission, the show was done in an hour and 53 minutes.
NJPW’s Road to the New Beginning tour continued today in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
A NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match headlined, while opponents for Sunday’s New Beginning in Osaka show squared off in tag matches underneath.
Here are full results and match recaps:
YUYA UEMURA DEFEATED YOTA TSUJI
Tsuji’s right shoulder was heavily taped. Uemura took most of the match, working over the injured shoulder. Lots of ground work. Solid technical wrestling on display here in the opener.
Uemura used a crab, but Tsuji forced a break. Tsuji got the best of a striking exchange, then continued firing strikes with a grounded Uemura in the ropes.
Tsuji hit the ropes, but ran right into a dropkick. Uemura tried an underhook suplex, Tsuji blocked. Uemura hit the underhook suplex into a bridge on the second attempt for the pin.
EL PHANTASMO DEFEATED GABRIEL KIDD
This was similar to the match these two had last weekend. The two have wrestled before in the U.K. and have good chemistry. ELP gave Kidd a lot more offense than a Young Lion would typically get against a veteran.
Kidd scored a knockdown after a drop down and leapfrog sequence. ELP went to work on Kidd’s back and groin with his comedy stomps and back raking. Kidd came back and hit a dropkick and hit some stomps in the corner.
ELP cut Kidd off with a superkick, then hit a frog splash. ELP had Kidd pinned, but pulled him up after a two count, opting to try for his CR2 instead. Kidd used a jackknife cover for a two count, then an inside cradle for another near fall.
ELP then hit an enzuigiri and used the CR2 for the pin. This was an entertaining variation on the typical Young Lion squash.
These old guys (and Henare) went out there and tried to have the best eight minute undercard tag match of all time. The effort was there. Henare was the only guy who didn’t hit a move off the turnbuckles.
Nakanishi and Henare started out by locking up, then trading strikes. Henare tried to put Nakanishi in his own Argentinian Backbreaker, but Nakanishi fought it off, then hit a spear. Both tagged out.
Tenzan and Honma squared off. Tenzan hit Mongolian chops. Nakanishi entered for an illegal double team. He took a swing at Henare on the apron and hit the referee, who took half a bump. Tenzan hit a kokeshi to Honma. Nakanishi hit a spear.
Honma managed a tag to Henare, who used a slam on Tenzan for a two count. Henare hit Mongolian chops to Tenzan. Tenzan came back with a wheel kick, then tagged Nakanishi.
Nakanishi used a short-arm lariat on Henare, then another lariat for a near fall. Nakanishi put Henare in the Argentinian Backbreaker. Honma jumped in to break it up. Henare hit Nakanishi with a vertical suplex.
Honma and Tenzan tagged back in. Honma ducked a lariat and hit a tackle. Honma hit chops, a bulldog, then a kokeshi. Henare entered for a double team. Honma and Henare hit a combination kokeshi/leg sweep for a near fall.
Nakanishi and Henare brawled on the floor. Honma missed a kokeshi off the second rope and sold his neck. Nakanishi jumped in and hit Honma with a lariat. Nakanishi hit a chop off the top rope to Honma. Tenzan then hit a MOONSAULT to Honma for the pin.
WILL OSPREAY, SHO & YOH DEFEATED ZACK SABRE JR., EL DESPERADO & YOSHINOBU KANEMARU BY DQ
SHO and YOH defend the Jr. Heavyweight Tag titles against Despy and Kanemaru on Sunday, so the story here was that Kanemaru and Desperado wanted to soften up their opponents.
They had a great brawl, which is probably not what you would expect with these teams. Sabre and Ospreay had a great technical wrestling sequence as well.
Ospreay, SHO and YOH hit stereo pescados just before the opening bell. Ospreay dragged Sabre into the crowd and rammed him into the famed EAST sign.
In the ring, YOH went to work on Kanemaru with strikes. Ospreay got a tag and hit a slam for a near fall. Sabre made it back to the ring and the match broke down into a brawl around ringside. When the dust cleared, Suzuki-gun was in charge, working over SHO’s left leg.
After a lengthy beatdown of SHO, Ospreay and Sabre tagged in. They had a great mat wrestling sequence, trading cradles and clutches for near falls.
YOH and Desperado tagged in and had an intense exchange of slaps and strikes. YOH teased a dragon suplex, but then hit a bridging German for a near fall. YOH went for a falcon arrow. Desperado slipped behind, then hit a misdirection spear.
SHO and Ospreay jumped in to save YOH. Ospreay hit a mid kick and a standing corkscrew moonsault for a near fall, with Kanemaru and Sabre saving.
SHO and YOH hit stereo knees on Desperado. They tuned up the band for the 3K, but Kanemaru jumped in and spit whiskey in YOH’s eyes. Desperado then used a chair on SHO for the DQ.
Ospreay ran in and cleared the ring. He kicked a chair into Desperado, then kicked Sabre off the apron. Sabre tried to run back in and hit Ospreay with a chair, but Ospreay blocked and hit a high kick.
Suzuki-gun used their standard attack before the opening bell. They brawled around ringside and into the crowd. Taichi used a chair on Okada. Makabe was the legal man. They teased a countout, but Makabe made it back in.
Taichi choked Makabe. Suzuki tagged in and teased a Gotch-style piledriver. Makabe escaped and hit a lariat. Okada got a tag. He laid out Taichi with a DDT, then hit an interfering DOUKI with a flapjack.
Okada missed a Woo dropkick. Taichi answered with a backdrop suplex. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick for a near fall. Okada escaped a powerbomb attempt and hit a dropkick. Taguchi got a tag and hit a hip attack, then pulled Taichi’s tear-away pants off. Just a tremendous spot.
DOUKI got a tag. Suzuki assisted with a double team. DOUKI hit a springboard double stomp for a near fall. Makabe jumped in and hit a double lariat. Okada hit a shotgun dropkick to Taichi on the apron.
DOUKI went for suplex de la luna, but Taguchi used a victory roll for a near fall. Taguchi hit a Bomaye, then used Dodon for the pin.
Suzuki went after the ringside attendants with a chair after the match.
TETSUYA NAITO, SANADA & HIROMU TAKAHASHI DEFEATED KENTA, JAY WHITE & TAIJI ISHIMORI
KENTA and Naito began. KENTA stalled. White attacked Naito from behind, Bullet Club cleared the opposing apron, then stomped Naito down in the ring. They then took the fight into the crowd. Back inside, Ishimori used a neck crank on Naito.
White got a tag and took Naito back outside, where he repeatedly rammed him into the barricade and the ring frame. KENTA got a tag and hit some stomps, then a draping DDT. This was kind of a night off for Naito, as he just laid on the mat and took some stomps most of the way.
KENTA missed a double stomp off the top. SANADA and white got tags. SANADA put Gedo in the paradise lock on the floor. SANADA sent White into the guardrail. Back inside, he tried for the paradise lock on White, but Switchblade blocked.
White pulled SANADA down by the hair, then hit some stomps. White hit a death valley driver for a near fall. White and SANADA did a series of TKO and Blade Buster teases before tagging Ishimori and Hiromu.
Ishimori tried a handspring kick. Hiromu blocked and hit a German, but Ishimori landed on his feet, then hit the handspring kick. White jumped in and hit a Blade Buster. Ishimori covered for a near fall.
KENTA, Naito, White and SANADA brawled to the floor. Ishimori hit Hiromu with a knee strike. Hiromu answered with an overhead throw into the buckle, then tagged Naito. Naito hit a top rope frankensteiner for a near fall.
Naito tried a Destino. KENTA cut him off. SANADA cleared the ring, then LIJ hit a triple dropkick to Ishimori. Naito hit Gloria, then used Destino for the pin on Ishimori.
White and SANADA looked good here, and Ishimori and Hiromu kicked the match into a higher gear near the finish. KENTA and Naito took it relatively easy ahead of their match Sunday.
NEVER OPENWEIGHT SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: SHINGO TAKAGI, EVIL & BUSHI DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO, TOMOHIRO ISHII & ROBBIE EAGLES TO RETAIN THE TITLES
This was all action from the opening bell. A great main event.
Ishii and EVIL were nominally the legal men, but all six guys jumped in and traded spots in the opening minute. The challengers went three-on-one against EVIL.
Eagles got a tag and hit EVIL with chops and a leg kick. Shingo cut Eagles off from the apron, and LIJ established a three-on-one. Shingo and Ishii fought into the crowd. EVIL worked over Eagles. BUSHI got a tag and continued the work, hitting a missile dropkick.
BUSHI choked Eagles with his t-shirt, then used the shirt to hit a neckbreaker. EVIL tagged in and knocked Goto off the apron, then hit Eagles with his bronco buster senton. Kevin Kelly always calls it a bronco buster, but it’s really more of a seated senton in the corner than a traditional bronco buster.
Shingo tagged in and teased Last of the Dragon. Eagles fought it off, hit a leg lariat, then tagged Ishii. Shingo cut Ishii off before he could even climb into the ring. He caught his leg on the rope, then sold his taped left knee.
Ishii fired up. Shingo and Ishii traded strikes. Ishii killed Shingo with a forearm to the face, then hit a series of forearm strikes to the back of Shingo’s neck. Shingo no-sold a powerslam and hit a lariat.
EVIL got a tag and hit a corner clothesline. Ishii blocked a Darkness Falls attempt and hit a vertical suplex. Goto got a tag. BUSHI and Eagles jumped in. Both sides teased a double suplex, with Goto and Eagles finally hitting one.
Goto used a Saito suplex on EVIL for a near fall. EVIL blocked an ushigoroshi and hit a draping stomp. Goto blocked Darkness Falls. They did a great series of misdirection spots, ending with Goto hitting a lariat.
LIJ jumped in for a triple team. Eagles and Ishii saved. BUSHI hit a tope suicida to Eagles at the fifteen minute call.
EVIL and Goto teased their finishers. EVIL hit the ropes and ran into an ushigoroshi. Ishii then hit a sliding lariat. Goto and Ishii teamed up for an elevated GTR on EVIL for a near fall. Shingo entered and got hit with an Ishii headbutt.
Goto hit EVIL with a mid kick. He tried a GTR, but EVIL reversed it into Darkness Falls. BUSHI and Eagles tagged in for what looked to be the closing sequence.
Eagles hit an elbow strike to BUSHI’s head. Shingo and Ishii entered. Shingo hit a double lariat to Eagles and Ishii. BUSHI hit a backstabber for a near fall on Eagles. Eagles hit a tope suicida to BUSHI. Goto and Ishii hit stereo ushigoroshis on EVIL and Shingo.
Eagles hit a dropkick to BUSHI’s leg. He tried the Ron Miller Special. BUSHI reversed into a cradle for a near fall. Eagles hit Turbo Backpack for another two count.
Eagles locked on the Ron Miller Special. Shingo broke it up with a sliding lariat. EVIL, Shingo, Ishii and Goto jumped in and traded a crazy series of clotheslines at the twenty minute call, ending with all four down on the mat, then rolling outside.
BUSHI hit Eagles with a neckbreaker. He went for MX. Eagles caught him and hit a codebreaker. Eagles hit a 450 to BUSHI’s leg, then locked him in the Ron Miller Special. BUSHI rolled Eagles over, spit black mist in his face, then used an inside cradle for a near fall.
With Eagles blinded by the mist, BUSHI then hit an MX for the pin.
Toru Yano and Ryusuke Taguchi ran in after the match and stole the title belts. Ishii then grabbed the NEVER Openweight belt and challenged Shingo to defend it against him next. Shingo agreed. Hopefully Ishii gets some time to heal up, as those two had a match of the year in G1 last year.
BUSHI cut a promo to close the show. He said they won, but they don’t have the belts, but they’re still the champs.
NJPW’s Road to the New Beginning continued today in Osaka, with the participants from the top four matches on Monday’s tour-closer taking part in a 10-man tag main event.
No titles were on the line on today’s event, which was more of a glorified house show than anything. The undercard was lackluster, largely due to having a lot of talent stacked in the last match.
With a pair of title matches, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White and Taiji Ishimori vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, plus Kazuchika Okada in singles action against Bad Luck Fale, Monday’s show should be significantly better.
Full results and match recaps from today’s show are below:
A decent opener, but nothing special, and not as good as some of the openers on this tour.
Tenzan and Tsuji used tandem tackles on Umino, who tagged out. Yoshida entered and took over on Tsuji with strikes. Umino tagged back in and used a slam for a near fall.
Umino and Yoshida worked over Tsuji. Yoshida kicked Tenzan off the apron, then used a chinlock on Tsuji. Tsuji reached the ropes, forcing a break. Tsuji got a slam on Yoshida and tagged Tenzan.
Tenzan hit Mongolian chops, a corner lariat, and hit a brainbuster for a two count. Yoshida and Tenzan exchanged strikes. Tenzan hit a mountain bomb for a two count. Yoshida hit a sit-out lariat and tagged Umino.
Umino ate a spin kick from Tenzan. Tenzan hit a corner lariat, and Tsuji hit a dropkick. Tsuji used a crab, but Yoshida broke it up. Umino used a dropkick off the second rope on Tsuji, then applied a crab. Tenzan broke up the hold.
Yoshida took Tenzan to the floor, and Umino hit a fisherman suplex on Tsuji for the pin.
YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED REN NARITA (9:59)
YOSHI-HASHI didn’t look good here. Narita is much better than he is already.
Narita jumped YH before the bell, looking to gain the early advantage. He briefly scored some offense, before YH took control. YH used a chinlock, then a seated crossface, but Narita reached the ropes.
YH hit a slam for a near fall. He draped Narita over the ropes, then connected with a dropkick to the back for a near fall. Narita hit a dropkick to YH’s taped shoulder. Narita hit a back elbow and a shoulder tackle for a near fall.
Narita hit a vertical suplex for a two count, then applied a crab. YH reached the ropes. They traded chops. YH hit a superkick for a near fall, then applied a half crab. YH transitioned to a full crab, but Narita reached the ropes.
Narita picked up two quick near falls. YH used a neckbreaker for a near fall, then applied the butterfly lock. Narita fought it, but he had no choice but to tap out.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a match like this on a New Japan show. Mediocre work, no heat, and it went forever.
Honma and Owens grappled to a stalemate. Yujiro and Henare tagged in and Yujiro used some rule-breaking tactics to take over. Yujiro and Owens worked over Henare. Henare finally tagged Honma. Honma missed a Kokeshi.
Yujiro worked over Honma. Honma made his own comeback and tagged Henare. Henare hit a flying tackle on Owens. Yujiro jumped in for the illegal double team, but Henare hit him with a Samoan drop. Honma came in and hit a Kokeshi, and Henare hit a diving chop for a near fall.
Henare used a tackle on Owens for a near fall, as Yujiro jumped in to break up the pinfall. Owens went for a package piledriver, but Henare escaped. Owens tried again, and got it this time for the pin.
EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI DEFEATED MINORU SUZUKI, YOSHINOBU KANEMARU & EL DESPERADO (12:02)
This was fun, and it was excellent when Suzuki and SANADA were in together.
They brawled before the bell, then after. They brawled in the ring, they brawled around ringside. Suzuki-gun finally gained the advantage when Suzuki used an armbar on BUSHI, first over the ropes, then on the apron.
The Suzuki-gun team went to work on BUSHI, focusing on the left arm. BUSHI used a swinging neckbreaker on Desperado, then managed a tag to SANADA. SANADA put Kanemaru in the Paradise Lock, then focused his attack on Suzuki.
Business really picked up when SANADA and Suzuki were in together. They did a really nice sequence of counters based off their singles match last week. Suzuki went for the Gotch piledriver, but SANADA backdropped out of it and hit a dropkick.
EVIL got a tag. Suzuki did a misdirection spot, allowing his team to triple up on EVIL. Suzuki hit a PK, and Kanemaru covered for a near fall. Kanemaru hit Deep Impact on EVIL, but SANADA broke up the pinfall.
LIJ then triple-teamed Kanemaru. BUSHI hit a suicide dive to Desperado. EVIL and SANADA hit Kanemaru with the Magic Killer for the pin.
Naito had both knees taped, and his left arm taped. TAKA and Shingo worked most of the match. TAKA looked good considering his age, and Shingo always looks good.
Naito and TAKA started off. Naito wanted Taichi, so TAKA obliged. Taichi tagged in, he and Naito both hit tranquilo poses, then tagged out.
TAKA poked Shingo in the eyes. Shingo made his own comeback. Naito jumped in for the double team, then rolled outside. Taichi attacked Naito with his microphone stand on the floor, then jumped in and attacked Shingo with it while TAKA took the ref.
Taichi sent Naito over the barricade, attacking him with a chair on the outside. Taichi then sent Shingo into the barricade, before again focusing his attack on Naito.
TAKA worked on Shingo with stomps and simple strikes in the ring. TAKA then used a crossface, a running knee in the corner, a running knee strike, and another crossface. TAKA used a chinlock, but Shingo reached the ropes. Shingo and TAKA tagged out.
Naito hit a dropkick, a neckbreaker, and the combinacion de cabron for a near fall. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick for a near fall. Taichi took his pants off. Naito hit a running kick into a double down. Naito made a tag.
Shingo missed with a pumping bomber, and Taichi hit an enzuigiri. TAKA used another eye poke, then hit a superkick for a two count. Shingo hit a brainbuster. Naito ran Taichi into the barricade, then jumped in to double up on TAKA.
Naito hit a dropkick, and Shingo used a pop-up spinebuster. Naito hit an atomic drop, and Shingo hit a pumping bomber. Shingo used Last of the Dragon to pick up the pinfall on TAKA.
HIROSHI TANAHASHI, KAZUCHIKA OKADA, TOGI MAKABE, TORU YANO & RYUSUKE TAGUCHI DEFEATED JAY WHITE, BAD LUCK FALE, TAMA TONGA, TANGA LOA & TAIJI ISHIMORI (29:33)
This was an elimination match. Eliminations could take place via pinfall, submission, or over the top rope with both feet hitting the floor.
Tanahashi and White started off. Tana tried for the quick over the top elimination, and his teammates helped, but Bullet Club made the save. White went to work on Tana’s bad knee with kicks. He went for an elimination, but Okada saved, then jumped in for a double-team back elbow. Tana and Okada posed.
Taguchi and Tonga tagged in. They did some comedy. Tonga tagged Ishimori. Taguchi hit a hip attack and danced. Taguchi used a roll-up, but then got hit with Jado’s kendo stick from the floor. Bullet Club used the distraction to beat down the babyfaces around ringside.
With his teammates down on the floor, Taguchi fell victim to an attack from Ishimori and White in the ring. White used dragon screws, then a chinlock. Loa got a tag, and hit a suplex for a two count. Tonga tagged in and hit a dropkick for a two count.
Ishimori tagged in. He hit a handspring, but jumped right into a hip attack. Taguchi tagged Makabe. Makabe hit a powerslam on Ishimori, then ten punches on Loa. Makabe hit three lariats. Loa hit a powerslam. Makabe hit a lariat. He went to the top for the knee drop, but Fale threw him off the top into the ring. Loa dumped Makabe over the top for the first elimination. (Loa eliminates Makabe)
Yano came in. Jado tossed Tonga a kendo stick, but he refused to use it, allowing Yano to use a schoolboy on Loa for the second elimination. (Yano eliminates Loa)
Tonga then snapped and used the kendo stick on Yano for the disqualification. (Tonga eliminated by DQ)
White hit the Blade Runner on Yano for the pinfall elimination. (White eliminates Yano)
Tana entered, going to work on White’s legs. Tana used a dragon screw and a dropkick to the leg. He went for a second rope senton, but White rolled out of the way. They went to the outside, where White sent Tana into the barricade. White got a near fall back inside.
Ishimori tagged in, and attacked Tana’s knees. Fale entered and did the same. White tagged back in. Tana managed a crossbody off the second, then tagged Okada. Okada ran wild on White and an interfering Ishimori. Okada hit a DDT for a near fall on White.
White came back with a Saito suplex, then tagged Fale. Okada went for a slam, but Fale escaped. Okada tried again, and slammed Fale. Fale hit a tackle and a splash for a two count. Okada blocked a grenade twice. Okada and Fale fought near the ropes, and Fale went to the floor for the elimination. Fale then pulled Okada to the floor and eliminated him. (Okada eliminates Fale, Fale eliminates Okada)
Taguchi and Ishimori fought on the apron. Taguchi hit a hip attack, and both he and Ishimori fell to the floor, eliminated. (Taguchi eliminates Ishimori, Taguchi eliminates himself)
The match came down to Tanahashi and White. They traded strikes. Tana hit a slingblade for a two count. Tana hit a slam, then went to the top. Gedo pushed him off the top, but Tana skinned the cat and made it back inside.
White went for a Blade Runner, but Tana fought it off. White hit a uranage. White hit a DVD for a two count. Tana reversed a Blade Runner into twist and shout. Tana hit a rope-assisted dragon screw on White, as White rolled to the apron.
They fought on the apron. Tana hit slingblade, and White fell to the floor, eliminated. (Tanahashi eliminates White)
White went after Tanahashi’s bad knee after the match, and promised to take his title on Monday. Tana went after White, but he was held back by the Young Lions. Tana broke free and chased White backstage, and that’s how the show ended.
KUSHIDA’s final match with New Japan will be against the top heavyweight in the promotion: IWGP heavyweight champion Hiroshi Tanahashi.
The match will take place during The Road to New Beginning tour that will take place on January 29 at Korakuen Hall, just a few days before KUSHIDA’s contract with New Japan expires. It isn’t known where he is headed, but Dave Meltzer reported last month that WWE had interest in signing KUSHIDA.
Other highlights of The Road to New Beginning tour include elimination matches between the Los Ingobernables de Japon and Suzuki-gun stables that will take place on 1/28 at Korakuen Hall and 2/7 in Aichi.
A rematch from New Year Dash will also take place, as NEVER six man tag team champions Guerrillas of Destiny and Taiji Ishimori take on Togi Makabe, Toru Yano and Ryusuke Taguchi on 1/30 in Miyagi. On the same card, BUSHI will take on El Desperado and Shingo Takagi will face Yoshinobu Kanemaru in singles bouts.
