A match at this morning’s NJPW Sengoku Lord event was changed due to two wrestlers missing the show as a precautionary measure.
NJPW announced that Tomoaki Honma and Yota Tsuji would both miss Sengoku Lord as a precautionary measure due to taping a television show with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19. It was noted that Honma and Tsuji are both in good health and weren’t in close contact with the person who tested positive:
On July 17, Tomoaki Honma and Yota Tsuji recorded a television show with another cast member who tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, July 24.
Both are in good health and were not in close contact with the infected party. They will not be appearing on Sengoku Lord out of an abundance of caution.
We apologize to fans who were looking forward to seeing Tsuji and Honma wrestle, and appreciate your understanding.
Honma, Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima & Ryusuke Taguchi were supposed to face Tsuji, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & Gabriel Kidd at Sengoku Lord. It was changed to Makabe, Kojima & Taguchi defeating Ishii, Yano & Kidd in a six-man tag match. Makabe pinned Kidd to get the win.
This was a well-worked opener. You can really see the toll that injuries have taken on Ishimori as he is still spectacular in short bursts but has really slowed down overall.
Uemura got the best of the opening mat wrestling sequence. Ishimori turned it into a brawl and whipped Uemura into the barricade. Ishimori worked on the neck.
Uemura made a comeback and used his cool rolling cradle for a near fall. They traded cradles and sunset flips for a series of near falls.
The finish saw Ishimori hit a lungblower. He followed up with a strange sequence on the mat that saw him finally lock on the Yes Lock and Uemura tapped.
Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & Gabriel Kidd (10:25)
This was originally scheduled as an eight-man with Tomoaki Honma on the winning side and Yota Tsuji on the losing team but both were pulled after coming in contact with someone who had COVID-19. Both are said to not be showing any symptoms themselves and were pulled for precautionary reasons.
The match began and ended with Makabe and Kidd. Kidd was fired up and hit Makabe with strikes. Taguchi and Yano tagged in for some comedy spots. Kojima and Ishii had a fun exchange that saw Kojima hit a top rope elbow for a near fall.
Kidd got a series of near falls on Makabe. Makabe cut him off with a lariat and hit a German into a bridge for the pin.
BUSHI and SHO kicked things off. Goto tagged in and worked on BUSHI. LIJ used an illegal triple team to cut Goto off. Naito tagged in for a sequence with Goto. Goto avoided a charge into the corner and hit an ushigoroshi on Naito.
YH tagged in for a surprisingly intense sequence with Naito. They traded forearm shots and Naito sold a lot for YH. Naito hit an enzuigiri and we were back to SHO and BUSHI.
SHO dodged a rewind kick. BUSHI hit a swinging neckbreaker. SANADA tagged in for the closing sequence. Everyone jumped in for a big move. SHO hit a spear for a near fall. SANADA went for Skull End but SHO turned it into a cradle for another near fall.
SANADA then used Skull End and SHO quickly tapped out.
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They announced an on August 29 outdoor show, their first in 21 years at Jingu Stadium on the aptly named Summer Struggle tour.
We then had an intermission as they cleaned the ring.
Suzuki-gun attacked before the opening bell and the match broke down into a ringside brawl. Suzuki and Nagata renewed their rivalry by trading strikes. Suzuki choked Nagata with a camera cable.
Suzuki-gun cut Wato off and worked him over. Wato came back with a nice dropkick on Taichi before tagging Tanahashi. Tanahashi took on all of Suzuki-gun by himself. He hit a somersault second rope senton on both Taichi and Kanemaru at the same time.
Taichi came back with a gamengiri on Tanahashi. Sabre and Ibushi tagged in for a sequence of strikes and trading cradles for near falls. DOUKI tagged in and got two honest to goodness near fall on Ibushi with a lariat and a driver.
The match broke down. Suzuki and Nagata traded strikes. Nagata hit an exploder on Suzuki. Tenzan hit Sabre with a wheel kick. Wato hit a springboard forearm to DOUKI.
The finish saw DOUKI shove the ref down. He then swung his metal pipe at Ibushi. Ibushi ducked and hit a Kamigoye for the pin.
Kazuchika Okada defeated Yujiro Takahashi (13:44)
This was one of the weaker Okada matches you will ever see. Yujiro just isn’t a top flight singles guy. Okada had to sell most of the way to make the match work at all.
Yujiro ducked outside at the opening bell. They brawled in the aisle and around ringside. Okada missed a charge and Yujiro hit a drop toehold to send him into the barricade. Back inside, Yujiro hit some punches from the mount.
Yujiro hit a legdrop for a two count. Yujiro used a chinlock and hit a one-legged dropkick for another two count. Yujiro hit a big boot and a stroke for another near fall.
Okada came back with a shotgun dropkick and a DDT. Okada tried for a cobra clutch but Yujiro bit his hand to force a break. Yujiro hit another one-legged dropkick and used a fisherman’s suplex for a two count.
They traded strikes. Yujiro hit the ropes but ran into a dropkick. Okada then hit a tombstone and locked on the cobra clutch. Yujiro reached the ropes to force a break.
Okada teased another tombstone. Gedo jumped on the apron with a wrench and took the referee. Yujiro used the distraction to hit Okada with his pimp cane. Yujiro hit Miami Shine for a near fall. Okada blocked Pimp Juice but Yujiro hit a big boot for another near fall.
Yujiro avoided a dropkick and hit a lariat for a two count. Yujiro went for a razor’s edge but botched it. They went right back to the same move. Okada slid out and got the cobra clutch again. Yujiro again bit his hand.
Okada went for a Rainmaker. Yujiro ducked and hit a lariat. Okada hit a dropkick and knocked Gedo off the apron.
The finish saw Okada use the cobra again. He gave up the hold and hit a spinning tombstone before going back to the cobra clutch. Yujiro tapped out.
NEVER Openweight Championship match: Shingo Takagi defeated El Desperado to retain the title (17:03)
This was a very good match built around Shingo selling his left leg.
Desperado stole Shingo’s title belt on Monday. He refused to hand the belt over to Red Shoes before the match and tried to hit Shingo with it. Shingo ducked the belt shot and teased his own strike with the title before handing it off to the referee and the match finally began.
Desperado went after Shingo’s left leg. He snapped it over the barricade then attacked it with a chair. Shingo’s selling was awesome. Shingo came back with a crazy double dragon screw. Desperado answered with a spinebuster.
Desperado got a stretch muffler applied but Shingo forced a break. Desperado again got the hold applied and again Shingo forced a rope break. Shingo hit a DDT and a sliding lariat.
Shingo used noshigami but could not follow up with a cover. Desperado rolled outside and grabbed a chair befire deciding to use the title belt as a weapon. They did a countout tease but Shingo made it back in at 18.
Desperado hit a spear. Shingo blocked Pinche Loco. Desperado hit an Angle slam before going back to the stretch muffler. He used the hold to go for a pin but Shingo kicked out. Shingo blocked Pinche Loco but sold his knee going out.
They traded strikes. Shingo hit Made in Japan for a near fall. Shingo went for Last of the Dragon but Desperado blocked and used a crucifix for a near fall. Shingo blocked a low blow and hit a lariat.
Shingo hit a pumping bomber. He then hit Last of the Dragon for the pin.
Shingo limped to the back still selling his leg.
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We got another intermission before the main event.
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IWGP Heavyweight Championship & IWGP Intercontinental Championship match: EVIL (w/Dick Togo) defeated Hiromu Takahashi to retain the titles (33:58)
The last seven or eight minutes were very good but they went forever before that. they worked the match at EVIL’s pace instead of Hiromu’s which hurt the match too. Hiromu was fantastic but the whole EVIL run is built on ref bumps and interference and it limits how good the matches can be.
Hiromu hit two shotgun dropkicks in the ring immediately. EVIL rolled outside and Hiromu hit two shotgun dropkicks off the apron to establish the early advantage.
Hiromu hit the ropes but Togo tripped him. EVIL took the referee and Togo hit some stomps on the floor. EVIL placed a chair around Hiromu’s neck and hit it with a second chair. EVIL exposed a buckle and repeatedly sent Hiromu into it. Hiromu sold his neck.
EVIL used a chinlock, then took the ref again. Togo interfered from the floor. EVIL hit a neckbreaker but missed a senton. Hiromu hit a headscissors and knocked Togo off the apron. Hiromu hit a sunset bomb that wiped out both EVIL and Togo. Hiromu whipped Togo into the barricade.
Back inside, Hiromu used a falcon arrow for a near fall. EVIL blocked a Time Bomb attempt and hit a stomp. EVIL teased Darkness Falls on the apron but Hiromu blocked and hit a superkick. Hiromu hit a Dynamite Plunger on the apron.
Hiromu teased a dive off the post but EVIL pulled two young lions in his path. Hiromu then hit a senton off the post onto EVIL and the lions. Hiromu hit another Dynamite Plunger for a two count.
Hiromu blocked a Magic Killer and hit a shotgun dropkick. EVIL answered with a snap suplex into the turnbuckle pad. EVIL hit a top rope superplex. He went for Everything is EVIL but Hiromu blocked.
EVIL hit a German but Hiromu landed on his feet. Hiromu hit a superkick and a German. EVIL used a standing switch and hit five more Germans. Hiromu blocked Everything is EVIL and backed EVIL into the exposed buckle.
Hiromu locked on D. EVIL tried to hit a slingshot out of the triangle but Hiromu sat down in a cradle for a two count. Hiromu hit some strikes and used an inverted suplex for a two count.
EVIL blocked Time Bomb. Hiromu blocked a low blow and hit a lariat for a two count. Togo jumped on the apron and Hiromu knocked him off with a back elbow.
Hiromu hit a running death valley driver into the corner pad. He went for Time Bomb but EVIL blocked. The ref got bumped on a Hiromu charge into the corner.
Togo jumped in and attacked Hiromu. EVIL and Togo hit a Magic Killer. Togo went up top but got crotched on the top rope before falling to the floor. Hiromu blocked Everything is EVIL and hit the move himself at the 30 minute mark.
Hiromu hit a death valley driver into the exposed buckle. He hit Time Bomb but EVIL kicked out. Hiromu hit Time Bomb II but Togo pulled the referee out of the ring before he could count the three.
Togo choked Hiromu with his ligature. EVIL then hit a low blow.
EVIL hit Darkness Falls. He followed up with Everything is EVIL for the pin.
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Ishimori ran in and attacked Hiromu after the match, so that appears to be the next IWGP Jr. Heavyweight title program.
Naito ran in to make the save for Hiromu. He then faced off with EVIL and cut a promo. He hinted at a challenge in the future but nothing will likely be made official until the cards for the Summer Struggle tour are announced.
EVIL, Ishimori and Togo celebrated in the ring to close the show.
NJPW held a press conference Monday to announce the card for Sengoku Lord on July 25 in Nagoya. Attendance will be limited to abide by social distancing guidelines.
A double title match will headline as new Bullet Club member EVIL will make his first defenses of the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships against former Los Ingobernables de Japon stablemate Hiromu Takahashi. It was Takahashi who made the save for Naito after EVIL and Dick Togo attacked him at the end of Dominion.
The semi-main event will feature LIJ’s Shingo Takagi making his third defense of the NEVER Openweight Championship, facing Suzuki-gun’s El Desperado. Desperado attacked Takagi at Dominion to set up the title defense.
Sengoku Lord will also feature a grudge match between Kazuchika Okada and Yujiro Takahashi. Okada lost in the New Japan Cup Final to EVIL, who was aided by interference from Yujiro, Gedo and Taiji Ishimori.
Here is the full card:
IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental double title match: EVIL (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi
NEVER Openweight Championship match: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. El Desperado
The promotion will return to Korakuen Hall in Tokyo for a New Japan Road event on Monday, July 20. Sengoku Lord will then take place at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya on Saturday, July 25. NJPW will be back at Korakuen Hall on Monday, July 27 and Friday, July 31 for Summer Struggle 2020 shows.
Sengoku Lord took place for the first time last year and was headlined by then-champion Kota Ibushi defending the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Zack Sabre Jr.
Fans will be allowed to attend the four shows, but the venues will be at a reduced capacity. “All events will take place with strict measures to counteract the spread of COVID-19. Thoroughly check our event policy,” NJPW wrote.
NJPW noted that further events will be announced upon careful monitoring of the developing global situation with the coronavirus pandemic.
The New Japan Cup began this morning and has eight more events. All of those except for the finals will be held without fans in attendance. The New Japan Cup finals on July 11 and Dominion on July 12 are both taking place at Osaka-jo Hall. Fans will be able to attend those two shows with the arena limited to one-third capacity.
The winner of the New Japan Cup will challenge double champion Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship in the main event of Dominion.
Two title matches highlight tonight’s Sengoku Lord event in Nagoya.
Kota Ibushi will make his first title defense since winning the Intercontinental title at Madison Square Garden when he faces Zack Sabre Jr. in the main event. It was in the second round of the New Japan Cup last month where Sabre was able to defeat Ibushi, and now looks to do the same tonight.
Juice Robinson will also be defending his title on the card as he faces the Rogue Leader of the Bullet Club, Bad Luck Fale. He set his sights on the title shortly after Robinson successfully defended it against Chase Owens last month and looks to do the deed tonight.
Owens will be in a featured match as well, as he is scheduled to face ‘Mad’ Mikey Nicholls in singles action. The rest of the card are mainly tag team matches, with one having Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito in opposite corners in a ten man tag team match.
Join us tonight for live coverage starting at 5 a.m. EST. There will be English commentary.
The four engaged in some pushing and shoving before the opening bell.
Tsuji and Umino traded forearms on the ground, then standing. Umino scored a nearfall off a back elbow. Narita got a tag and worked over Tsuji’s head and neck.
After being worked over, Tsuji was finally able to make a tag to Uemura for the first time. Tsuji and Uemura hit a double dropkick on Umino. Uemura hit a nice double underhook suplex for a two count on Narita.
Uemura hit the ropes, but ran right into a bridging belly-to-belly from Ren Narita, who used the hold for the pinfall.
MINORU SUZUKI, TAICHI, YOSHINOBU KANEMARU, EL DESPERADO & TAKA MICHINOKU DEFEATED SATOSHI KOJIMA, YUJI NAGATA, TOMOAKI HONMA, TOA HENARE & JUSHIN LIGER (12:16)
A chaotic ten-man followed the very good opener. This was a mixed bag. The Liger and Suzuki showdown was cool, and something I hope to see more of.
Suzuki-gun jumped their opponents before the bell. Honma halted their momentum, hitting a pair of kokeshis on TAKA. TAKA made a tag to Suzuki, who demanded that Liger tag in. Liger obliged.
Liger and Suzuki exchanged palm strikes to the chest. Liger sent Suzuki outside and teased a baseball slide, but Suzuki escaped, then sent Liger into the barricade.
The match broke down into a crowd brawl. Suzuki buried Liger under pile of chairs. Liger beat the count back into the ring at 19.
Taichi tagged in and went for Liger’s mask. Liger fought him off. Suzuki-gun used a series of quick tags, isolating Liger in their corner. Liger hit a superplex on Kanemaru, a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Desperado, then tagged Nagata.
Nagata ran wild with kicks and exploder suplexes. Kojima tagged in, and hit a series of machine gun chops. He went for the top rope elbow, but Suzuki cut him off. Kojima hit a Koji Cutter on Taichi. Henare tagged in. He dropped Taichi with a shoulder tackle, then hit a brainbuster.
The match broke down into chaos. Everyone jumped in. Eventually, Henare and Taichi were the only two left in the ring. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick, a superkick, then used a stretch plum for the submission victory.
After the bell, Suzuki used a heel hook on Liger on the floor.
Fun fact: Suzuki does a bit on his Instagram where he wears a different pair of Stance socks every day, and posts a photo of them. I met Suzuki at WrestleCon a couple of weeks ago, and I wore a pair of Stance socks. I showed Suzuki, who could not have been less impressed with them, or me.
The best stuff here was in the opening minutes of the match, in the exchange between Dragon Lee and Taiji Ishimori.
Dragon and Ishimori kicked things off. Dragon teased a dive, but Jado nailed him with a kendo stick from the floor, allowing Ishimori to take over. Ishimori hit a sliding German. Dragon hit a knee strike, enabling him to tag Makabe. Dragon and Ishimori have great chemistry.
Makabe and Tonga did a few spots. Yano made a tag, and untied a turnbuckle pad. The Bullet Club went three-on-one on Yano. Dragon hit a tope con hilo to the floor, but took himself out along with Ishimori.
Tonga and Loa doubled up on Yano, but Makabe saved with a double lariat. Yano used a schoolboy on Loa for the pin.
Yano tried to steal Tonga and Loa’s belts after the match, but the Bullet Club preceded to beat down their opponents, leaving them laying.
MIKEY NICHOLLS DEFEATED CHASE OWENS (8:55)
This was an odd match. There was nothing technically wrong with it. The work was solid. It also had little heat from the crowd. It felt like they had just started when they were already getting into nearfalls and the closing sequence.
As Nicholls made his entrance, Jado came down the ramp behind him, and hit him with a kendo stick. Owens used the attack to establish the early advantage. Owens hit a leg sweep on the floor, sending Nicholls into the barricade. They teased a countout, but Nicholls made it back in at 19.
Owens used an abdominal stretch, and pulled on the top rope for extra leverage. Nicholls hit a DDT, four clotheslines, and a spinebuster. Nicholls hit a DVD, and used a sliding lariat for a nearfall.
Owens hit a series of strikes, a lariat, and hit a running knee. Owens used a Final Cut for a two count. Owens hit a thumb to the eye, then a superkick. He hit the ropes, but ran right into a Mikey Bomb, and Nicholls got the pin.
HIROOKI GOTO & RYUSUKE TAGUCHI DEFEATED JAY WHITE & HIKULEO (10:57)
The theme of the night was CHAOS picking up wins over the Bullet Club, and that continued here. The match was just alright.
Goto wanted to start things off with White. White agreed, but then immediately tagged out. Goto made quick work of Hikuleo, and White tagged in. Goto and Taguchi hit a series of clotheslines on White in the corner.
Hikuleo jumped back in and hit both with clotheslines, allowing Bullet Club to take over. White and Hikuleo used quick tags, and worked over Taguchi. White countered two hip attacks, but Taguchi hit a third, into a double down.
Goto tagged in, going one-on-one with White. Goto hit a Saito suplex for a two count. White escaped the ushigoroshi twice, then hit a Saito suplex of his own. Hikuleo tagged in. Taguchi jumped in for the save, but Hikuleo hit him with a powerslam.
Gedo jumped on the apron for a distraction, but Goto shoved White into him. Goto hit an ushigoroshi on White, then one on the legal man, Hikuleo.
Goto followed with a GTR on Hikuleo, and got the pin.
This was a fun ten-man tag. With as much talent as there was in the ring, it would have been nearly impossible to have a bad match. The EVIL and Ishii showdowns here were especially good.
YOH and Shingo began. Shingo went for a dragon screw, but YOH avoided it, and hit one of his own. Ishii got a tag, and demanded EVIL. EVIL entered, and the two traded strikes. This got a great reaction. They exchanged for a solid minute without a respite. They then went to trading shoulder blocks, and Ishii finally got the upper hand.
YOSHI-HASHI tagged in, and chopped away at EVIL. EVIL used misdirection, and knocked Ishii off the apron. Ishii jumped in, and EVIL dropped him with chops. SHO tagged in, and YOH entered illegally for the double team on EVIL.
Everyone got involved as the action spilled to the floor. The brawl ended with BUSHI and Shingo in the ring, doubling up on SHO. Shingo and SHO went one-on-one. SHO ducked the Pumping Bomber, then hit a dropkick and a spear.
Okada and SANADA tagged in, ahead of their upcoming IWGP title match. They did a series of counters and reversals based on their trademark spots. Okada hit a DDT, while SANADA countered with a leapfrog dropkick.
BUSHI and YOH got tags. BUSHI avoided a 3K from SHO and YOH, and hit a double rana. Naito tagged in, and YOH took him out with a dropkick to the knee. YOSHI-HASHI tagged in, and hit Naito with a double stomp.
CHAOS teamed up on Naito. YOSHI-HASHI hit double knees on Naito and made a cover, but EVIL made the save.
The match broke down, with everyone hitting a big move. The sequence ended with YOSHI-HASHI hitting Naito with a lariat for a two count.
LIJ teamed up against YOSHI-HASHI, who ate a Codebreaker from BUSHI, then a Destino from Naito, who got the pin.
IWGP UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: JUICE ROBINSON DEFEATED BAD LUCK FALE TO RETAIN THE TITLE (17:33)
This was tough sledding. It’s tough to have a good match with Fale, and it’s even tougher to have a good, long singles match with him.
They built the match around Juice trying to slam Fale. Fale knew that Juice’s plan was to slam him. So he worked over Juice’s back, so that Juice could slam him.
Fale attacked Juice before the bell. The assault continued after the bell, and Fale slammed Juice into a row of seats. They teased a countout, but Juice made it back to the ring in time. Fale continued working over Juice’s back.
Juice made a comeback, but continued to sell his back. He hit a cannonball, but could not follow up due to the damage to his back. Juice avoided a Grenade twice. He went for a slam again, but Fale collapsed on top of him for a nearfall.
Fale hit a splash for a two count. Fale hit a spear, then hit a Grenade, but Juice kicked out at two. Fale went for the Bad Luck Fall, but Juice slipped out and hit the Left Hand of God.
Juice hit a high cross off the top, then another Left Hand. Juice finally got the bodyslam, then hit Pulp Friction for the pin.
I liken trying to have a match with immobile or musclebound big guys to attempting to wrestle various appliances or pieces of furniture.
Wrestling Jinder Mahal would be like wrestling a recliner. Wrestling Drew McIntyre would be like wrestling an office chair. Office chairs have wheels, so they’re a little more mobile. I think wrestling Fale would be like wrestling a refrigerator.
IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: KOTA IBUSHI DEFEATED ZACK SABRE JR. TO RETAIN THE TITLE (29:09)
An excellent main event. I think this was better than their most recent singles match, but I think I liked their 2018 New Japan Cup match a little bit more.
Ibushi used a blistering kick to the quad to keep Sabre at bay early on, as Sabre looked to take the fight to the ground. They eventually locked up, and Sabre used some holds to ground Ibushi. Ibushi quickly baited Sabre into striking again, and Ibushi landed another hard kick to the leg. Sabre took a stroll around the ring to regroup.
Sabre tied up Ibushi. He went for a headscissors, but Ibushi blocked it. Ibushi sent Sabre to the outside after a snap rana. They fought on the floor. Sabre locked Ibushi up with a bodyscissors over the barricade. Sabre then applied a cobra twist over the barricade.
Sabre cranked on Ibushi’s head and neck with his legs, as they fought on the apron. Ibushi fell to the floor, while Sabre went back inside. Ibushi made it back in as well, and Sabre continued to target the head and neck.
Sabre hit a suplex, then a pump kick to Ibushi’s left arm. Ibushi fought back, hitting a pair of strikes to the abdomen. Sabre pinned both of Ibushi’s arms behind him, tied up his legs, and made a cover for a nearfall.
Sabre used a neck crank, then slipped to a head and arm choke, but Ibushi powered out with a slam. Sabre used an octopus hold, but Ibushi rolled to the ropes, forcing a break. Sabre used a modified single-leg crab, but Ibushi again forced a rope break.
Ibushi hit a dropkick out of nowhere, sending Sabre to the floor. Ibushi hit a pescado. Sabre rolled back inside, and Ibushi hit a springboard dropkick. Ibushi hit a powerslam. He went for a moonsault, but Sabre caught him coming in, and turned it into a triangle choke at the fifteen minute mark. Ibushi forced a break.
They traded pinning combinations. Ibushi hit a straightjacket German for a two count. Sabre used a European clutch for a two count, then transitioned to a butterfly neck crank. Ibushi again forced a rope break. Sabre hit a running uppercut, but missed a PK. Sabre blocked a head kick, then used a bridging suplex for a nearfall. Sabre hit a PK for another two count.
Sabre taunted Ibushi with some short kicks to the head, then followed with three PKs. Ibushi caught a fourth, and dropped Sabre with a palm strike to the chest.
They had a slap fight, ending with Ibushi hitting a lariat. Ibushi went for a Last Ride, but Sabre turned it into a triangle. Ibushi powerbombed out of the triangle. Ibushi went for another Last Ride, but Sabre hit the Zack Driver. Exhausted, Sabre could not follow up.
They traded strikes on the mat. They made it back to their feet, and continued to trade. Ibushi hit a suplex, and Sabre rolled to the apron. Ibushi tried for a deadlift suplex back inside, but Sabre cut him off with a guillotine. Ibushi escaped, and hit a backflip kick.
Ibushi went for a Bomaye, but Sabre ducked it, and used a bridge for a two count. Ibushi hit a high kick, then hit Last Ride for a two count.
Sabre escaped a Kamigoye, and slipped to an octopus hold. Ibushi slid out, and hit a knee strike. He followed with a Kamigoye, and got the pin.
Naito came out after the match, and grabbed a microphone. He challenged Ibushi to face him at a later date, and Ibushi accepted.
