NJPW held their final event of 2021 today in Korakuen Hall, night four of Road to Tokyo Dome. Below are results and a report.
Report —
El Phantasmo defeated Ryusuke Taguchi and Tiger Mask
This was a fine opener.
Prior to the match, Taiji Ishimori and ELP brought a present to the ring. After teasing giving away the gift, ELP stomped the box. Something something bah humbug.
The match’s opening sequence left ELP and Taguchi alone in the ring. After going back and forth, trading pin attempts, TM attempted to clean up the scraps. Instead, the action developed into a proper triangle, involving all three at once.
TM landed a tiger suplex from the top rope on ELP before trying for a driver on Taguchi to close the match. Taguchi reversed into a pin attempt; ELP jumped on top of Taguchi, pinning both men in the process. Neither TM nor Taguchi kicked out, leaving ELP with a pinfall victory over both men.
After the match, Ishimori and ELP attempted a beatdown, but Robbie Eagles ran out to make the save.
Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb (United Empire) defeated Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
This was quite enjoyable for what it was.
This match opened with an outside brawl. In the ring, Henare and Tenzan traded blows. Kojima and co gained early advantage, going as far as a triple submission spot on UE.
Eventually, the fun came to an end. UE isolated Nagata, allowing Cobb to land Tour of the Islands. He then pinned Nagata in the center of the ring.
Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, and KENTA (Bullet Club) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, and Tomoaki Honma
This was to the point. It got over KENTA and Tanahashi a little more, without overstaying its welcome.
The match opened with BC jumping Tanahashi, leading to a passionate exchange between him and KENTA. As things cooled down, Fale and Owens traded tags against Makabe and Honma. Owens hit Honma with a C trigger into a Fale choke lariat slam, leading to the pin.
After the match, Bullet Club attempted a beatdown, but Tanahashi got the better of his attackers.
KOPW 2021 Match | End of Year Party Rules: Toru Yano (c) defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru
This match was exactly what it sounds like—Yano and Kanemaru sharing some drinks and goofing around in the ring.
In an end of year party rules match, each wrestler must drink every two minutes. The fans voted for the liquor of choice, opting for whiskey.
The pair stalled in the opening, ensuring they would have at least one shot. They traded quick pin attempts before having another. Before the third, the pair took turns trying to whip each other into an exposed buckle. Yano struggled to down his third, and Kanemaru tried blocking it, leading to a near count-out. The fourth came after rolling around on the mat for a while; like the last, Yano struggled in getting this one down, almost ending in a count-out.
Kanemaru filled his mouth with whiskey, which he attempted to spit into Yano’s face; instead, Yano landed a low blow, forcing Kanemaru to spit it into the eyes of the referee. Yano landed a powerbomb, resulting in the pinfall.
YOH, YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto, and Tomohiro Ishii (CHAOS) defeated SHO, Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi, and EVIL (House of Torture)
This match opened with an outside brawl. In the ring, YOH got the best of SHO, which continued as the rest of CHAOS became involved. This didn’t last long, however, as HoT used chairs and exposed buckles to gain control.
Eventually, YH got the hot tag, allowing Ishii to run through HoT, but again, HoT used underhanded tactics to regain the lead. This played out again with Goto.
Finally, things began to click for the CHAOS squad. They led a rally that was punctuated with a GYR on Togo, leading to the pin.
After the match, HoT attempted a beatdown, but CHAOS still stood tall as the fog cleared.
Zack Sabre Jr, Taichi and El Desperado (Suzuki-gun) defeated SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, and Hiromu Takahashi (Los Ingobernables de Japon)
This was better than what I expected it to be. Like every other match so far, it was concise and added to the upcoming Dome shows. Good stuff.
The match opened with Desperado and Hiromu trading blows, picking up right where they left off last night. Things continued to escalate between the junior champ and his future challenger until ZSJ tagged into the match.
Suzuki-gun worked over Hiromu, making him desperate for a tag. When the tag came, Naito failed to get anything started for LIJ, instead trading with Taichi before tagging SANADA into the match. ZSJ and SANADA had on the mat that ended when ZSJ bridged into a pin that SANADA couldn’t escape.
Robbie Eagles and Kazuchika Okada (CHAOS) defeated BUSHI and Shingo Takagi (Los Ingobernables de Japon)
This was good, especially in the context of the prior matches on the tour.
Okada and Shingo opened the match, and, unlike their other matches on this tour, Shingo ended the sequence with an advantage. After a quick exchange between BUSHI and Okada, Shingo and Okada went at it again, and this time, Okada emerged with a slight edge.
BUSHI and Eagles had a back and forth exchange that ended in a double tag after both proved to be on equal footing. Okada increased his lead over Shingo with an air raid crash neckbreaker into a prolonged Money Clip. Shingo took favor back after a superplex leading to a grounded clothesline.
BUSHI tagged in, gaining some ground before Eagles hit the ring. Okada locked in a money clip before an elbow drop prompted Shingo to involve himself. Okada tried hitting Shingo with a Rain Maker but had to settle with a discus lariat, sans wristlock. Okada then hit BUSHI with a piledriver and a Rainmaker, leading to the pin.
After the match, the lights cut out, leading to a Will Ospreay promo on the big screen. He basically said he was the real champion, and he would prove that come January 5th. Once Ospreay was done, Okada cut a promo, before a show-closing promo from Shingo that ended with confetti.
Early chain wrestling from Wato and Oiwa turned to striking as Nakashima and Taguchi entered the match. As the match developed, Taguchi and Wato worked to isolate Nakashima, resulting in a hot tag. Oiwa’s sequence of offense left the teams on equal footing before a double tag. After a prolonged struggle, Nakashima submitted to Wato’s Boston crab.
This match was an excellent tease for what is to come. Good stuff.
This match opened with a brawl that focused ZSJ and Taichi against YH and Goto. The four had an extended sequence, leaving all of them lying. As a result, TAKA and Fujita were the only viable wrestlers for some time after.
Fujita was generally in control of TAKA but slipped into a crossface. ZSJ and Taichi hit the ring to guard the submission, leading to a Suzuki-Gun victory via tap out.
The Nagata/Suzuki stuff was good; the Yano/Kanemaru stuff was typical KOPW silliness.
Suzuki-Gun jumped Yano and Nagata before the match. As the action entered the ring, Suzuki found significant ground control over Yano. Yano was forced to escape by tagging in Nagata. Suzuki and Nagata had an excellent, intensive sequence leading to a double tag.
With the two KOPW contenders in ring, things became a little silly. Yano immediately slammed Kanemaru into an exposed corner. Yano grabbed a bottle, only for Kanemaru to spit a mouth full of liquor into Yano’s eyes. Kanemaru then beat Yano over the head with the bottle, leading to a disqualification favoring the Yano/Nagata pairing.
EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo, & SHO (House of Torture) defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, & YOH
This match wasn’t great, but it certainly added to the Dome shows to come.
This match opened with a brawl. Things took a while to settle down, as Wrestle Kingdom opponents singled one another out. Eventually, HoT gained control of the match, allowing them to single out Ishii.
Ishii finally tagged out to YOH, leading to a passionate exchange with SHO. Tenzan and Togo traded for a while before some Togo cheating incited another brawl. In the chaos, EVIL hit Tenzan with a 6-man belt, leaving Togo with a pin and HoT with a win.
After the match, the teams fought again, and HoT was defeated in the scuffle. This led to a dramatic locking of eyes between YOH and SHO.
This was busy, but that’s to be expected with a 10-man tag, especially one that features Bullet Club. The most compelling work came after the bell.
The opening visual between the ten men sharing the ring was quite cool. In perhaps the biggest shock of the night, this match did not open with a brawl. Instead, the babyface squad gained control early, prompting the entire BC team to hit the ring to steal momentum. BC singled out Tanahashi, and this led to a brawl.
Tanahashi and KENTA had a sequence with a kendo stick before the junior tag champions, Eagles and TM, traded moves with the soon-to-be challengers, Ishimori and ELP. BC took control of the ring, leading to another brawl. Owens and Honma shared the ring for an extended period, even during the brawls, eventually leading to the finish after Owens hit Honma with a package piledriver.
After the match, KENTA beat Tanahashi with a chair; staff tried to keep the two teams apart, but this only aided KENTA in destroying Tanahashi. As things settled, Owens and KENTA shared some tense words, presumably about the US title.
Shingo Takagi, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito (Los Ingobernables de Japon) defeated Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan, & Aaron Henare (United Empire)
This match opened with a brawl. Cobb soon found himself alone in the ring, leaving SANADA and Shingo free to single out his leg; when Naito tried, Cobb sparked up, leading to another brawl. As things settled down, Naito found himself in a similar position to Cobb. UE took turns beating down Naito, and again, things picked up when Naito and Cobb shared the ring.
SANADA and O-Khan traded moves for a while. O-Khan eventually took ground control, where he spanked his opponent; soon after, SANADA tagged Shingo into the match.
Shingo and Henare reset the match flow before another brawl. Naito and Cobb both tried landing their finishers, with Naito eventually connecting with Destino. Cobb hit Henare with a pumping bomber and Made in Japan before pinning him.
Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI (Los Ingobernables de Japon) vs. El Desperado & DOUKI (Suzuki-Gun) went to a time limit draw
This was very bloated, I guess in an attempt to fill out a main event caliber match or something to that effect. It fell flat.
Desperado and Hiromu opened the match with chain wrestling that turned to striking as things picked up. DOUKI tried tagging again, only for Hiromu and Desperado to fight outside the ring. Once the action in ring developed, BUSHI and Hiromu took turns choking DOUKI with his own hair.
Things spilt to the outside again, where Suzuki-Gun gained control that continued in the ring. This eventually led to a Hiromu hot tag, where he took out both of his opponents. A triangle from Hiromu forced DOUKI into the ropes.
BUSHI and DOUKI had an extended sequence that ended when the other pair hit the ring. By the end of this four-way exchange, all four were left lying. Then the Suzuki-Gun pairing locked the LIJ pairing into submissions, but both escaped.
Another tag to Hiromu led to another exchange between him and Desperado. After lariat, Hiromu had a pin on Desperado, but it was broken up. This led to the pair trying for quick pins; then, the bell rang. The teams fought to a draw.
Yano and Fale began. Yano tried to slam Fale, but failed. Fale easily slammed Yano. Both tagged out. Owens and Honma traded back elbow strikes. Honma missed a kokeshi and it afforded Bullet Club the opportunity to work over Honma in their corner.
Yano got a lukewarm tag and untied a corner pad. He again tried and failed to slam Fale. Fale ran into the exposed buckle. Yano tried another slam. Fale slammed Yano.
Owens tagged in and sent Yano into the buckle. Yano used a hair pull to set up a tag to Honma. Honma hit a kokeshi on Owens. Owens came back with a jewel heist for a near fall.
Honma used a schoolboy for a near fall, then hit a diving kokeshi. Fale and Yano fought to the floor. Honma missed a kokeshi off the second rope.
Owens then hit a pumping knee strike and a package piledriver and pinned Honma.
**********
Fale tried to destroy Yano’s KOPW trophy after the match. Yano saved the trophy but took a beating for it. Fale vs. Yano is going to be brutally bad tomorrow.
This was about further establishing Taguchi and Wato as challengers for Desperado and Kanemaru’s Jr. Tag titles. It was effective in that regard. It was nothing special as a match.
Suzuki-gun attacked before the opening bell. They repeated the spot from yesterday where Suzuki tried a headbutt on Tenzan but Tenzan was impervious to the pain. Tenzan still ended up cut off.
Tenzan came back with a mountain bomb and tagged Wato. Wato hit a tornillo. He had a rough landing on it for the second straight night.
Kanemaru and Taguchi ended up the legal men. Kanemaru hit an inverted DDT for a near fall. He went for Deep Impact. Taguchi ducked and hit a hip attack. Taguchi used a schoolboy for a two count. They botched a hip attack/dropkick counter.
Kanemaru shoved the ref and tried a low blow. Taguchi avoided the blow and hit his own low blow, then used a schoolboy for the pin.
**********
Desperado made a big deal of the low blow after the match. Taguchi insisted that he kicked Kanemaru in the gut. He did not.
**********
Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Jado) defeated Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI (11:05)
This was a wild brawl. It took forever to get going, but the closing sequence was quite good.
DOUKI and Yujiro began. Bullet Club cut DOUKI off with underhanded tactics and worked him over. DOUKI came back with a DDT on Tanga, then tagged Sabre. The Suzuki-gun squad cut Tanga off.
Tama tried to interfere as Taichi used a dragon sleeper on Tanga. Sabre intercepted him with a guillotine. Jado jumped in with a kendo stick. DOUKI took him out with a swing of his metal pipe, then placed Yujiro in the DOUKI Chokey.
Dangerous Tekkers went for Zack Mephisto on Tanga. Tama made the save. G.O.D. went for a Magic Killer on Taichi, but Taichi and Sabre fought it off.
DOUKI hit Yujiro with a tope suicida. He went for Daybreak on Tanga. Sabre saved and DOUKI rolled Tanga up for two. DOUKI then used a magistral cradle for another near fall.
DOUKI hit the ropes, but ran right into Apesh*t from Tanga, who pinned him.
**********
After the match, Tanga put Taichi in the OJK, Tama put Sabre in the sharpshooter, while Jado beat up DOUKI with a kendo stick.
G.O.D. then posed with their World Tag League trophies and Taichi and Sabre’s IWGP Tag title belts.
**********
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & Hiromu Takahashi defeated EVIL, Dick Togo & Taiji Ishimori (13:41)
Bullet Club attacked before the opening bell. LIJ overcame the cheap shots at first and the early focus was on EVIL vs. SANADA. SANADA got the upper hand, then tagged Naito in.
Togo exposed a buckle, then each member of the LIJ side was sent into the steel. EVIL used a chair on SANADA on the floor. Back in, EVIL covered Naito for a two count. Bullet Club worked Naito over. Naito came back with a neckbreaker on Ishimori, then tagged Hiromu.
Hiromu hit a series of corner clotheslines on Ishimori, then a double shotgun dropkick to Ishimori and Togo. Ishimori and Hiromu did a series of counters and teases, ending with an Ishimori knee strike and a double down.
SANADA and EVIL got tags. SANADA hit his leapfrog dropkick, but missed the follow-up plancha. EVIL sent SANADA into the barricade. The ring announcer took a bump on the barricade shot.
EVIL used a scorpion deathlock on SANADA. SANADA forced a break. Togo tagged in for the closing sequence.
EVIL took the ref. Togo choked SANADA. Hiromu saved for SANADA. SANADA tagged Naito. Naito hit a series of signature spots. LIJ jumped in for a triple team on Togo. EVIL And SANADA entered. SANADA hit Everything is EVIL and used a Skull End on EVIL.
The match finished up with Naito hitting Destino on Togo for the pin.
**********
SANADA kept EVIL in Skull End long after the bell sounded. Young Lions jumped in to try to break the hold, but Naito tossed them out of the ring. LIJ stood tall on this night.
The Empire attacked before the opening bell to establish the early advantage. The first five minutes of the match were Cobb and O-Khan just brutally pounding on BUSHI. BUSHI sold and sold, until finally hitting a double hurricanrana and tagging out.
Shingo and O-Khan faced off. They traded Mongolian chops. Cobb got a tag. Cobb hit a spin cycle suplex on Shingo for a near fall.
Cobb hit Shingo’s own trademark jab-jab-lariat combination. Shingo tried to answer with a suplex but Cobb blocked. Shingo hit a sliding lariat.
Shingo hit a massive wheelbarrow suplex on Cobb, into a double down. BUSH tagged in and hit a missile dropkick on Cobb, followed up with a suicide dive on O-Khan. Shingo fired up the crowd as LIJ doubled up on Cobb.
Cobb fought out of the double team and hit a double clothesline on Shingo and BUSHI. O-Khan and Cobb then teamed up on BUSHI. Cobb and O-Khan took turns hitting BUSHI with suplexes.
Shingo tried to save for BUSHI. Cobb no-sold a pumping bomber from Shingo, then hit Tour of the Islands on Shingo.
Cobb followed with Tour of the Islands on BUSHI for the pin.
**********
Cobb tossed Shingo out of the ring and posed with his NEVER title belt. O-Khan then cut a promo in the ring.
**********
Jay White, KENTA & Gedo defeated Kota Ibushi, Juice Robinson & SHO (18:11)
White acted as though he wanted to start off with Ibushi, but of course tagged out to Gedo right away. Gedo hit a series of strikes to Ibushi. Ibushi completely no-sold all of them as he walked around, stalking White.
The babyface side tripled up on Gedo. SHO tagged in and got cut off. Bullet Club traded tags, working him over in their corner. SHO managed a tag to Ibushi and we finally got the White-Ibushi sequence around the 10 minute call.
White hit a Blade Buster for a near fall. He then hit a dragon screw and modified STO. KENTA tagged in and hit Ibushi with kicks. Ibushi hit a dropkick, then tagged Juice.
Juice hit a series of strikes in the corner. KENTA answered with a slingshot DDT and a top rope clothesline. KENTA used Game Over. Juice reached the ropes to force a break. Juice hit a cannonball for a two count.
Juice and KENTA traded back elbows. Juice hit a leg lariat into a double down. SHO and Gedo tagged in at the 15 minute mark. SHO hit a series of kicks and scored a near fall. SHO hit a spear for another two count.
Gedo hit a backdrop out of Shock Arrow, then hit a chin crusher. SHO hit a series of forearms. Gedo hit a complete shot for a near fall, then grabbed a set of brass knuckles. White jumped in with a briefcase. Ibushi saved with a rana. KENTA jumped in. Juice took out KENTA with a plancha.
SHO hit Gedo with a lariat. He again called for Shock Arrow. White made the save with a sleeper suplex. White then tagged in. He took out an interfering Ibushi with a German, then hit SHO with Blade Runner and got the pinfall win.
**********
KENTA laid out Juice with a briefcase shot after the match, then cut a promo announcing that he accepted Juice’s challenge at Wrestle Kingdom.
White then attempted to close the show with a promo. He taunted Ibushi. Ibushi chased White out of the ring and closed the show with his own promo.
NJPW ran their first of three consecutive nights in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall today, kicking off the final leg of this year’s Road to Tokyo Dome tour.
Recommended matches —
Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Chase Owens vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI
Jay White, EVIL & Dick Togo vs.Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Report —
The show started with a highlight video from all the major NJPW shows in 2020. This was slick and well done.
Tiger Mask, Togi Makabe & Satoshi Kojima defeated Yota Tsuji, Yuya Uemura & Gabriel Kidd (8:57)
This was Tiger Mask’s comeback match after being sidelined for most of the year with diverticulitis. I am happy to report that his entrance music still rules. This was a nice showcase for the New Japan dads.
Uemura and Makabe started the match with a mat wrestling clinic. Uemura shot for a double-leg takedown and got it. He tried a single-leg, but Makabe blocked. Makabe did some chain wrestling.
Things took a turn when a frustrated Uemura threw a dropkick. Makabe answered with a slam. Both tagged out.
Kidd and Tiger entered. Kidd landed some strikes and whipped Tiger into the buckle. Tiger answered with kicks, cutting Kidd off. Kojima tagged in and worked Kidd over. Makabe entered for more of the same. Kidd hit a dropkick and tagged Tsuji.
Makabe hit Tsuji with a powerslam and tagged Kojima. Kojima hit his signature machine gun chops. Uemura jumped in to save Tsuji and they doubled up on Kojima. Tiger entered but was tossed outside by Kidd, as the Young Lions tripled up on Kojima.
Tiger made it back in and hit a Tiger driver on Kidd. Kojima hit a cutter on Tsuji. Tsuji responded by hitting a spear and a brainbuster for a near fall.
Tsuji ducked one lariat, but Kojima caught him on the rebound with a lariat and covered for the pin.
After the match, everyone left the ring to Tiger and he took a bow.
Juice Robinson & Toa Henare defeated KENTA & Yujiro Takahashi (11:10)
This was more about teasing a singles match between Juice and KENTA at the Dome than having the best match they could.
KENTA teased starting off with Juice but immediately tagged out, so Juice followed suit. Henare and Yujiro did some spots before rolling outside. Yujiro used his pimp cane to gain the advantage.
KENTA and Yujiro worked Henare over. Henare finally came back with a brainbuster. Juice got a tag. Yujiro and KENTA illegally doubled up Juice and cut him off, then traded tags in working him over.
Juice made his comeback, hit KENTA with a Left Hand of God, then followed with Pulp Friction on Yujiro for the victory.
**********
After the match, KENTA tried a briefcase shot on Juice. Juice blocked and tried a briefcase shot on KENTA, but KENTA rolled out of the ring. The two jawed at each other for a few moments.
Juice left with KENTA’s IWGP U.S. title shot briefcase.
The babyfaces took a page out of Suzuki-gun’s playbook and attacked before the opening bell. This led to a brief period of dominance for Wato, Taguchi and Tenzan. Wato hit a tornillo on Desperado.
They did some comedy involving Suzuki and Taguchi’s posterior. Suzuki-gun cut Taguchi off and worked on his left arm.
Taguchi managed a tag to Tenzan. Suzuki and Tenzan had a nice exchange. Suzuki tried a headbutt, but sold it like he hurt his own head delivering the move to Tenzan’s thick skull.
Wato tagged in. He was cut off by Kanemaru and Desperado. The Jr. Tag champs hit some tandem offense. Kanemaru hit Deep Impact for a near fall as Tenzan made the save for his pal Wato.
For the finish, Wato used a jackknife cradle to trap Kanemaru and pin him.
**********
They briefly teased Wato and Taguchi challenging for Desperado and Kanemaru’s IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag titles after the match. We will be hearing more about this in the coming days.
**********
Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Chase Owens (w/Jado) defeated Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI (8:32)
This was more of an extended angle than a match, with G.O.D. looking to damage Taichi and Sabre before they challenge them for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag belts at Wrestle Kingdom.
Bullet Club attacked before the opening bell, targeting Sabre. I forget because I only get to see it a couple of times a year, but Sabre can be a heck of a babyface in peril when the match calls for it.
G.O.D. worked Sabre over. Sabre came back with a cobra twist and a neck crank on Owens. Taichi tagged in and went after everyone on the Bullet Club team by choking them, including Jado on the apron.
Taichi hit Tama with an axe bomber. He teased a backdrop suplex but Tama blocked. Tama tried a Gun Stun on Taichi, but he blocked. Sabre caught an interfering Tanga in an octopus while Taichi used a choke on Tama. DOUKI tagged in for a double stomp on Tama and a near fall.
Everyone jumped in as the match worked towards the finish. Taichi took his pants off. Taichi hit Tama with a high kick and DOUKI cradled him for a near fall. DOUKI hit a plancha on Owens.
The finish was great. DOUKI went for his Daybreak slingshot DDT on Tama. Tama caught him flying in with a Gun Stun and pinned him.
**********
G.O.D. raised their World Tag League trophies in celebration and talked trash to Taichi and Sabre after the bell. Sabre and Taichi posed with their belts.
**********
Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomoaki Honma (14:12)
As will likely be the case for all of the key matches before the Dome, the important stuff here came in the post-match. The action in the ring was fine, but nothing special.
Empire attacked before the opening bell. Ospreay and Okada paired off, fighting to the floor. Ospreay whipped Okada into the barricade. O-Khan tried to go after Tanahashi’s left knee. Tanahashi fought him off and got an armbar, before tagging Honma.
Honma tried a kokeshi on O-Khan but missed. O-Khan hit some Mongolian chops. Cobb tagged in and used some power lifts to isolate Honma in the Empire corner. Ospreay tagged in and used a face rake and a chinlock in working on Honma.
Honma managed to come back with a vertical suplex and tagged Okada. Okada and Ospreay had a short exchange, ending with Ospreay hitting a neckbreaker. O-Khan tagged in and used a baseball slide as Okada was tied to the tree of woe. Okada hit an air raid crash neckbreaker before tagging Tana.
Tana hit a flying forearm on O-Khan, then hit Cobb with a dropkick, knocking hm from the apron. Tana used a dragon screw on O-Khan. He teased a slingblade. O-Khan blocked and tried a German. Tana blocked the suplex. O-Khan hit a stroke, then an inverted suplex for a near fall.
O-Khan went for the Dominator. Tanahashi turned it into a twist and shout, into a double down. Honma and Cobb got tags. Cobb and Honma traded shoulder tackles. Honma hit a bulldog and a kokeshi. Ospreay tried to intervene and got hit with a diving kokeshi.
Tana and Okada hit a double suplex on Cobb, then lifted Honma off the ropes into a diving kokeshi for a near fall.
Ospreay and Okada, plus Tana and O-Khan paired off on the outside. Honma tried a second rope kokeshi on Cobb, but missed. Ospreay hit Honma with a hook kick. Cobb covered, but Okada saved.
Cobb hit a striking combination, ending it with a lariat. He followed up with a Tour of the Islands and pinned Honma.
**********
The Empire continued their assault after the bell. O-Khan dropped Tana knee-first on a chair supplied by Priestley. O-Khan continued hammering away at Tana’s left leg with the chair until Okada saved.
Empire teased leaving. Ospreay ran back in and hit a Hidden Blade on Okada. The Empire stood tall over the fallen Okada and Tanahashi. O-Khan cut a promo, without the benefit of a microphone, to end the segment.
**********
Jay White, EVIL & Dick Togo (w/Gedo) defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI (17:36)
Something to keep an eye on is the dissension teases with White and EVIL. They worked well together, and their teamwork led to the victory, but they did a few subtle things to plant the seed for when one eventually turns on the other.
White had a Hollywood Hogan tan and a new briefcase to signify his double title challenge at Wrestle Kingdom.
White teased wanting to start the match with Naito, but tagged out to Togo right away. Naito then teased locking up with Togo, but ducked and hit White with a forearm shot as he stood on the apron. LIJ hit some tandem offense on Togo, before isolating him in their corner.
BUSHI got a tag and a one count after a DDT. Togo raked BUSHI’s face. EVIL exposed a buckle in the Bullet Club corner. BUSHI and SANADA got sent into the exposed steel. White and Naito brawled on the outside, where White sent Naito into the barricade and choked him with a camera cable.
Back in the ring, Bullet Club took turns in working over BUSHI. BUSHI tagged SANADA, who then locked EVIL and Togo in paradise locks, breaking the holds with a double dropkick. EVIL cut SANADA off and hit a corner lariat and a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall.
EVIL teased Darkness Falls. SANADA blocked and tried Skull End. EVIL slid out and tried a German. SANADA landed on his feet out of the suplex, but Togo tripped him from the floor. EVIL and Togo tried a Magic Killer, but SANADA fought it off and hit his Magic Breaker on EVIL.
White and Naito tagged in. Naito hit a neckbreaker and low dropkick for a quick near fall. Naito used another neckbreaker and a crucifix hold. White tried to force a rope break, but Naito refused to break on the ropes. Red Shoes had to pull Naito’s legs off.
Naito hit a series of stomps in the corner. Rather than try for a combinacion, Naito teased a top rope frankensteiner. White raked his face, then hit a DDT. White yelled at Red Shoes and twice put his hands on him, still angry about the crucifix. White hit a Blade Buster for a two count.
White went for a Blade Runner. Naito blocked and hit an enzuigiri, then a spinebuster, into a double down at the 15 minute call.
BUSHI tagged in. He hit a tope suicida and a swinging neckbreaker for a two count on White. BUSHI rolled White up for another two count, then hit a rewind kick. White hit a Saito suplex.
SANADA jumped in. Togo choked SANADA. SANADA hit a TKO on Togo. EVIL hit Everything is EVIL on SANADA. White hit a Blade Runner on an interfering Naito. EVIL hit Darkness Falls on BUSHI.
White then hit the Blade Runner on BUSHI and pinned him.
**********
White posed with both of Naito’s titles after the match.
EVIL cut a promo on SANADA, while Togo put a knee on SANADA’s neck.
White then took the mic and cut a promo on Naito. He said Naito got what he wanted in Ibushi, then maybe a shot at White on night two. White said Naito, Ibushi, EVIL and all of us better not forget that they still have to breathe with The Switchblade in his new era.
NJPW begins their Road to Tokyo Dome today with the first of three straight nights of action in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
Hiromu Takahashi’s comeback match headlines today’s show, as the returning star will team with BUSHI against the Birds of Prey, Will Ospreay and Robbie Eagles.
On the undercard, Kazuchika Okada will team with YOSHI-HASHI against Jay White and Chase Owens. Third from the top will be Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi tagging against Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi.
The other notable undercard bout is the opener, which will see Jushin Liger wrestle the first of three final Korakuen Hall matches. Today he teams with Tiger Mask, Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji as they face Rocky Romero, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe.
The NJPW World broadcast will have English commentary. Our live coverage begins at 4:30 a.m. Eastern.
Tsuji and Honma began. Honma missed a kokeshi. Taguchi and Tiger tagged in. Tiger hit some kicks. Taguchi hit a hip attack, then Tiger began attacking his posterior. Liger tagged in and continued the comedy, slapping Taguchi’s ass.
Liger used a Romero special. Taguchi tried a hip attack but Liger simply stepped out of the way. Taguchi hit a hip attack, then tagged in Makabe. Tsuji tried to make the save for Liger, but Makabe hit him with a powerslam.
Makabe hit ten punches in the corner and a lariat on Liger for a two count. Liger came back with a shotei. Uemura and Romero tagged in. Uemura hit a double underhook suplex. Honma saved Romero.
Everyone jumped in for a big move. Honma hit Liger with a kokeshi. Romero hit Uemura with a knee. Makabe hit a double lariat on Tiger and Liger.
Romero used a cradle on Uemura for a two count, then hit a swing DDT for another near fall. Romero then hit a falcon arrow into a cross armbreaker for the submission win over Uemura.
Tsuji went after Makabe after the match. Makabe dropped him with a forearm. All eight guys then had a pull-apart. A solid opener, but nothing special.
The announcers said that there was an earthquake during this match. That seems notable.
BAD LUCK FALE, TAMA TONGA & TANGA LOA DEFEATED JUICE ROBINSON, DAVID FINLAY & TOA HENARE
Bullet Club used a jumpstart attack and went after Henare. The commentators said that Henare is working with a broken rib. Jado used a kendo stick and Bullet Club worked over Henare, seemingly forever.
Henare finally managed a tag to Juice. Juice and Finaly hit stereo bulldogs. Juice hit a Left Hand of God. Henare and Fale tagged in. Henare went for a Samoan drop on Fale, but couldn’t get it. Fale took the ref in an effort to allow Jado to interfere, but Henare took him out with a dropkick.
Fale hit a pounce and a big splash for a two count, then hit a Grenade on Henare for the pin. This wasn’t good.
Somewhere in here Finlay took a spear on the floor taking him out of the match. G.O.D. taunted him after the match as Juice tended to his shoulder with an ice pack.
The announcers called attention to another earthquake aftershock here.
ZACK SABRE JR. & TAICHI DEFEATED EVIL & SANADA
SANADA and Sabre traded waistlocks and holds. SANADA used a headlock takeover and hit a dropkick. Sabre rolled outside, frustrated. SANADA tried for the paradise lock on Sabre. Taichi made the save and SANADA tried to put him in the lock as well. Sabre used the distraction to attack.
Sabre and Taichi went to work on SANADA. Taichi choked EVIL with a cable while Sabre sent SANADA into the crowd. After a countout tease, Sabre went to work on SANADA’s left arm. Taichi tagged in and continued the attack on the left arm.
SANADA managed a hip toss and tagged EVIL. EVIL hit a seated senton in the corner for a two count. Taichi blocked Darkness Falls and hit a kick. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick. EVIL used the referee as a base for a Magic Killer on Taichi, into a double down.
Sabre and SANADA got tags. SANADA hit a dragon screw. He tried a figure four, but Sabre turned it into a cradle for a pinfall attempt. SANADA escaped, but Sabre nailed him with a PK. Sabre sold the damage from the kick and the earlier dragon screw.
SANADA and Sabre traded strikes. Sabre went for the Zack Driver. SANADA blocked. Sabre used a cobra twist but SANADA reversed into Skull End. SANADA used a spinning Skull End. He tried a moonsault but missed.
Taichi hit an interfering EVIL with an axe bomber. Sabre and SANADA traded a series of quick cradles, ending with Sabre rolling through for the pinfall victory.
This ended up being a heck of a match by the end after a slow start.
Not much to this one, just a chance for a hurting Ishii to get his hand raised.
YOH and Ishimori started off as the legal men. Bullet Club turned it into a ringside brawl. Ishimori, KENTA, Yujiro and ELP worked over YOH. YOH’s selling here was cartoonish, as was Bullet Club’s offense.
Goto finally got a tag but KENTA quickly cut him off. Goto came back with a lariat. Yujiro tagged in and also ate a lariat. Goto tagged Ishii. Ishii was quickly cut off as well. Yujiro used a fisherman buster for a two count.
The match broke down and all eight jumped in. Goto and Ishii hit stereo ushigoroshis on KENTA and Yujiro. Ishii then used the Vertical Drop Brainbuster for the pin on Yujiro.
Naito and Ibushi began. I am absolutely terrified that someone is going to die when they are in the ring together. Naito and Shingo tried to double up on Ibushi, but Ibushi hit both with dropkicks before tagging out.
Tana tagged in and hit a scoop slam on Naito, but missed the follow-up somersault senton. They traded strikes. Shingo attacked Tana from the apron. All four brawled around ringside and Tana and Ibushi got sent into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Shingo and Naito used quick tags in working Tanahashi over. Shingo hit a vertical suplex and a double sledge to the chest. Tana came back with a dragon screw. Both tagged out.
Ibushi ran wild on Naito with dropkicks. Naito hit a tijeras, then used a crucifix with his legs on Ibushi. Ibushi reached the bottom rope, but Naito was slow to break the hold. Ibushi hit a snap German. Naito came back with a one-legged dropkick, then tagged out.
Ibushi hit an insane snap rana on Shingo, then tagged out. Tanahashi hit a flying forearm and a somersault senton on Shingo for a near fall. They traded strikes. Tana hit Twist and Shout, then used a slingblade for a two count. Naito made the save for Shingo, then brawled outside with Ibushi.
Tana tried a High Fly Flow, but Shingo got his knees up. Tana ducked a Pumping Bomber but fell victim to a double team. Shingo hit Noshigami for a near fall as Ibushi made the save.
Ibushi hit a superkick on Naito. Shingo hit a German on Ibushi. Shingo and Tana traded strikes. Shingo hit a big lariat for a two count.
Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber. He went for Last of the Dragon, but Tana slipped to a victory roll and got the flash pin.
Immediately after the three count Shingo jumped on Tana with a lateral press to get his heat back. Tanahashi sold all of this big, doing his best to make Shingo look good in defeat.
It’s not surprising given the level of talent of all four of these guys, but this was awesome.
JAY WHITE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA & YOSHI-HASHI
White and Okada started off. White teased locking up but tagged out right away. Okada used some strikes to take over on Owens. YH got a tag and hit some chops. YH hit a baseball slide on both Owens and White, then sent Owens into the barricade.
As YH tried to climb back inside, White cut him off. This allowed Owens to get the upper hand on YH, while White then sent Okada into the barricade.
White and Owens worked over YH. YH went for a tag but White knocked Okada off the apron. YH managed a headhunter on Owens, then tagged Okada. Okada hit Owens with a back elbow and a DDT. Okada teased an air raid crash, but Owens blocked and suplexed Okada into the buckle.
White got a tag and hit a Blade Buster on Okada for a two count. Okada came back with a dropkick to the back. He tried another but White avoided it. They teased finishers. Okada pulled out of a Blade Runner and connected on another dropkick.
YH got a tag and hit a headhunter on White, then used a sit-out powerbomb and a jackknife cover for a two count.
YH went for Kharma, but White blocked. YH used the Butterfly Lock, but Owens saved for White. Okada and Owens brawled outside. YH hit a lariat. He went for Kharma again. White grabbed the referee. Gedo jumped in with brass knuckles. YH ducked the knuckles but fell victim to a Blade Runner. White got the pin.
YH had a good night and Okada was his usual spectacular self in this match.
**********
We got an awesome wacky Hiromu video package before the main event. Hiromu was hanging out in a laundromat. Hiromu was naked in a hot tub. I can’t do this justice.
WILL OSPREAY & ROBBIE EAGLES DEFEATED HIROMU TAKAHASHI & BUSHI
Hiromu looked good but only did some moderately insane things instead of his typical extremely insane things.
Hiromu and Ospreay started with a crazy exchange of flips, counters, drop-downs, misdirection spots, headscissors, you name it. This got a great crowd response. Both tagged out.
Eagles and BUSHI were the legal men inside, but the focus was on Ospreay and Hiromu on the floor. Ospreay sent Hiromu into the barricade repeatedly, and Hiromu threw himself around with reckless abandon.
Ospreay got a tag. Eagles and Ospreay hit stereo kicks on BUSHI. Ospreay got a two count as the pace slowed for the first time. Ospreay hit some methodical chops. Eagles tagged back in.
Hiromu tripped Eagles from the floor. He teased a sunset bomb on Ospreay, but ultimately settled for a regular apron bomb. Hiromu hit a shotgun dropkick and Ospreay flew over the barricade.
They fought into the crowd. BUSHI sent Eagles into the East sign, while Hiromu sent Ospreay into the West sign in Korakuen.
Back in the ring, Hiromu tagged in and hit Eagles with chops. BUSHI and Hiromu used quick tags and worked Eagles over. BUSHI used an STF, but Eagles reached the ropes. Hiromu and BUSHI both hit chops. Hiromu used a basement dropkick for a two count.
Ospreay tried a Pip Pip Cheerio but Hiromu hit him with a shotgun dropkick, and the Eagles beatdown continued. Eagles hit a leg lariat on Hiromu, then tagged Ospreay.
Ospreay hit Hiromu with a flying forearm. Hiromu again ducked Pip Pip Cheeri, but Ospreay connected on a backflip kick. Ospreay then hit Pip Pip Cheerio.
Ospreay teased Storm Breaker. Hiromu blocked, but Ospreay hit a kick that might have caught Hiromu in the face, as he ended up with a bloody nose. Hiromu suplexed Ospreay into the buckle. BUSHI got a tag and Ospreay hit both with a backflip kick, then tagged out.
Eagles missed a charge into the corner. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick. Eagles hit a dropkick to the leg. Ospreay entered for some tandem offense, then hit a Sasuke Special to Hiromu on the floor. Eagles hit a running knee for a two count.
Eagles missed a 450 attempt, but rolled through. Ospreay and Hiromu jumped in. Hiromu blocked a tiger wall flip kick and sent Ospreay outside. Eagles hit a kick on Hiromu, then hit BUSHI with Turbo Backpack.
Eagles climbed to the top but BUSHI cut him off. Eagles sent BUSHI back to the mat with a headbutt, then hit a 450 to the legs. Eagles then used the Ron Miller Special. Hiromu tried to save but Ospreay intercepted him with a cobra twist. Hiromu hit a pop-up powerbomb on Ospreay, sendng him into Eagles, breaking the submission.
BUSHI managed a tag. Hiromu hit a corner clothesline. Eagles and Ospreay cut him off with a double Cheeky Nandos kick.
Eagles and Ospreay went for Red Wing. Hiromu flipped over into a double powerbomb off the second rope. Hiromu and BUSHI hit a tandem fireman’s carry slam on Eagles but Ospreay saved.
Ospreay tried Hidden Blade on Hiromu, but Hiromu ducked it, then press slammed Ospreay over the top to the floor. BUSHI followed with a dive over the top to Ospreay.
Hiromu hit a DVD into the buckle on Eagles. He tried Dynamite Plunger, but Eagles rolled through into a cradle for the surprise pinfall win.
After the bell, Ospreay taunted Hiromu with the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight belt. Hiromu and BUSHI walked to the back, leaving Ospreay to cut the show-closing promo.
Ospreay cut a heelish promo. He said maybe Hiromu isn’t ready, but he is, and he’ll see everyone tomorrow.
