A new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion was crowned today at NJPW Dominion in Osaka-Jo Hall.
Shingo Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the title in the show’s main event.
Shingo hit Okada with a dragon suplex, a diving forearm strike and a Last of the Dragon to win the title in 36:00 of a battle that saw both repeatedly use Okada’s Rainmaker finisher.
After his title win, Shingo called out Kota Ibushi. Ibushi beat Jeff Cobb in an unofficial number one contender’s match earlier in the evening and was the first IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Shingo challenged Ibushi and the challenge was accepted. No date was announced for the match.
Shingo becomes the third IWGP World Heavyweight Champion since the title’s inception in March of this year.
NJPW’s former top two titles, the IWGP Heavyweight title and IWGP Intercontinental title, were put on the line in a winner take all match won by Tetsuya Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 14 in January 2020. Following Naito’s win, both titles were on the line in each IWGP Heavyweight Championship match, with one exception. That exception was an Ibushi Intercontinental title defense against Naito at Castle Attack in February 2021.
Following Ibushi’s defense of both the Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles at the NJPW Anniversary Show on March 4, they were officially retired. Ibushi was then recognized as the first IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and presented with the new title belt at the March 30 Road to Sakura Genesis event.
Ibushi would lose the IWGP World title to Will Ospreay in his first defense at Sakura Genesis on April 4. Ospreay made one defense of the title, beating Shingo at Wrestling Dontaku on May 4. Ospreay officially vacated the title on May 20, citing a neck injury.
The vacant IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is on the line tonight at NJPW Dominion in Osaka-Jo Hall.
Kazuchika Okada will face Shingo Takagi for the title vacated by Will Ospreay last month due to a neck injury. Okada and Shingo have met twice before in singles matches. Okada beat Shingo in the 2020 G1 Climax tournament, while Shingo was the winner in the 2021 New Japan Cup tournament.
In the semi-main, Kota Ibushi will face Jeff Cobb. These two had a crazy pull-apart at a Road to Dominion event last week in Korakuen Hall.
El Desperado will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against YOH. This match was scheduled for Wrestling Dontaku last month, but was postponed due to COVID protocols.
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI, plus Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & SHO vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo round out the undercard.
Our live coverage begins at 5 a.m. Eastern time.
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Hiromu Takahashi opened the show with a promo. He said he’s recovering well from his injury and will challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship soon.
This was a solid opener that really could have used a few more minutes.
Tanahashi and Owens began. Owens mocked Tana’s air guitar. Tana hit a second rope crossbody. Ishimori tried to interfere from the apron, but SHO jumped in to even things out. Bullet Club turned this into a brawl around ringside and gained the upper hand.
YOSHI-HASHI ended up the legal man and cut off in Bullet Club’s corner. YH made a comeback on EVIL, then tagged Ishii. Goto and SHO jumped in for some spots, including a double spear from SHO on ELP and Ishimori. Togo distracted Ishii and EVIL hit a fisherman buster for a near fall.
SHO and Ishimori tagged in for the closing sequence. Everyone jumped in for a big move. Tana hit Ishimori with slingblade. Ishimori and ELP doubled up on SHO and got a near fall. EVIL took the ref, Togo choked Ishii. Ishimori hit SHO with a Bloody Cross and pinned him.
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Bullet Club continued attacking after the bell. EVIL, Yujiro and Togo went after Goto, Ishii and YH, so that looks to be a NEVER Six-Man Tag title match for the next tour.
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Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI defeated Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI (11:32)
It looks as though they’re positioning Naito and SANADA as the next challengers for Taichi and Sabre’s IWGP Heavyweight Tag titles. Naito and Taichi began here. Naito shot for a single-leg takedown on the referee. Things turned serious and Sabre and SANADA jumped in. They did a couple of cool four-way spots.
Suzuki-gun turned this into a brawl around ringside. DOUKI choked BUSHI with his steel pipe on the floor. DOUKI and BUSHI ended up the legal men. BUSHI was beaten down, then managed a DDT.
Taichi and Naito tagged back in. Naito hit a neckbreaker and his Tranquilo pose. SANADA tagged in for a double hip toss and a sliding dropkick to Taichi for a two count. Taichi hit an axe bomber, then tagged Sabre.
Sabre used a cobra twist. SANADA teased a paradise lock, but Sabre blocked and hit a neck twist. Suzuki-gun went 3-on-1 against SANADA. Sabre hit a PK for a two count. Taichi and Sabre teased Zack Mephisto. Naito saved. BUSHI hit a tope suicida to Taichi. DOUKI hit a tope to BUSHI.
Sabre tried to turn a SANADA O’Connor roll into a European clutch. SANADA blocked, then trapped Sabre’s shoulders and pinned him.
Naito, SANADA, Taichi and Sabre had a long staredown after the match and taunted each other.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado defeated YOH to retain the title (23:40)
This was very good. Both guys are super workers. The psychology was simple work a body part, but sound.
They opened with some chain wrestling. Neither man got a clear advantage over the other. YOH reversed a whip and hit a dropkick, sending Desperado outside. Desperado pulled YOH to the floor and whipped him into the barricade to take control of the bout.
Desperado grabbed a bucket from under the ring and threw it inside to distract the referee. Desperado then used a chair on YOH’s left leg. Back in the ring, Desperado continued to target the left leg. Desperado hit a splash to the leg for a near fall.
YOH hit a sunset flip for a hope spot near fall. Desperado came back with an Indian deathlock, but YOH forced a rope break. YOH tried a suplex, but his leg gave way. YOH hit a series of back elbows and a flying forearm.
YOH began to target Desperado’s right leg. He used an inverted figure four. Desperado forced a rope break. YOH hit a dropkick to the right leg. Desperado reversed a whip and hit a spinebuster. He went for Numero Dos. He got the hold, but YOH quickly made the ropes.
Desperado hit a stiff forearm shot, but YOH refused to go down. Desperado hit a back suplex and a vertical suplex for a near fall. YOH escaped a Guitarra de Angel, but sold his leg on landing. They fought to the floor. YOH hit a shotgun dropkick into the barricade.
YOH hit a plancha and a tope con giro. YOH threw Desperado back in after a countout tease. YOH hit a missile dropkick and a falcon arrow for a two count. Desperado came back with a dragon screw in the corner.
They traded forearms, then traded kicks to their respective bad legs. YOH hit a flatliner. Desperado hit an Angle slam and Guitarra de Angel for a near fall at the 20 minute call.
Desperado went for Pinche Loco. YOH blocked with a jumping knee. YOH reversed Numero Dos into a cradle for a two count, then slapped on his Stargazer submission hold. YOH rolled through and blocked one rope break, but Desperado crawled back to the ropes to force the break.
YOH hit a dragon suplex for a two count. Desperado blocked Direct Drive. YOH blocked a right hand, but Desperado hit a headbutt. YOH blocked Pinche Loco and used a roll-up for two. YOH hit a superkick. Desperado hit a straight right hand.
Desperado then hit Pinche Loco and got the pin to retain the title.
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SHO came to the ring to tend to YOH. El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori ran in. ELP said they’l be challenging SHO and YOH for the Junior Tag titles on the Kizuna Road tour.
Ishimori then addressed Desperado and said it’s now his time to challenge him for the Junior Heavyweight title. Desperado accepted the challenge.
***** Intermission *****
Kota Ibushi defeated Jeff Cobb (w/Great-O-Khan) (19:53)
This was a great match. These guys have super chemistry and I’d like to see this again.
They didn’t touch for nearly the first full minute. After posturing, Ibushi landed a dropkick. Ibushi tried to land some strikes, but Cobb covered up. Cobb used a double-leg takedown and hit some strikes from Ibushi’s guard.
Ibushi rolled outside, but Cobb went out after him to keep the pressure on. Cobb hit some heavy strikes on the floor. Cobb powered Ibushi up and posted his lower back. Back inside, Cobb hit a headbutt, then went back after Ibushi’s back.
Ibushi came back with a flying mid kick. Cobb quickly cut him off again and used a variety of strikes. Cobb continued to target Ibushi’s back with knees, then stood on Ibushi’s back. Ibushi hit a kick from his back on the mat, but Cobb stayed on the attack with power strikes.
Cobb hit a short-arm lariat. Cobb went for a standing moonsault, but Ibushi got his knees up. Both missed a charge into the corner. Ibushi hit a standing moonsault for a two count. Cobb ducked a high kick and hit a back suplex, then landed his own standing moonsault for a near fall.
Ibushi sent Cobb to the floor. He went for a plancha, but Cobb caught him. Ibushi fought Cobb off and made it back to the apron, then hit an Asai moonsault from the top rope to the floor. Cobb made it back in after a countout tease.
Ibushi tried for a German off the second rope, but Cobb blocked. They fought on the top rope. Ibushi hit a reverse rana off the top for a two count. Ibushi hit a bomaye for another near fall.
Ibushi called for the Kamigoye. Cobb blocked and hit a release overhead belly-to-belly for a double down. Cobb hit a running uppercut and a back suplex for a near fall. Cobb powered Ibushi up for an F-5 and a near fall.
Ibushi escaped Tour of the Islands and hit a high kick. Ibushi hit Kamigoye, but Cobb kicked out at two. Cobb blocked a second Kamigoye. Ibushi blocked Tour of the Islands. Cobb hammered Ibushi with the Cobbgoye, but couldn’t follow up in time. He covered for a near fall.
Ibushi turned a Tour of the Islands into a lateral press for a two count. Cobb went for a pop-up powerbomb. Ibushi blocked and hit a knee strike on his way down, then hit another Kamigoye for the pin.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Shingo Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the title (36:00)
This was everything you would expect. Shingo especially was incredible in this match. Okada may have been battling his wind a bit in his first singles match back after battling COVID, but he was great as well. Shingo’s selling and facial expressions were on another level throughout the match.
They opened with some mat wrestling. Both worked hammerlocks on the mat. Shingo missed on a senton attempt. Okada tried a senton, but Shingo got his knees up. Okada sold his back on landing and that became the story of the match.
They fought on the outside. Shingo got the upper hand and threw Okada back in. Shingo used a body scissors on the mat and continued to go after the back. Okada tried to end it quickly with a tombstone, but Shingo escaped and hit a powerslam.
Okada made a comeback. He ducked a lariat and hit a running back elbow and a DDT. Okada went for the air raid crash neckbreaker, but Shingo blocked and drove his elbow into Okada’s back. Shingo went to the top rope, but Okada hit a dropkick and sent him crashing to the floor.
Okada hit a draping DDT off the barricade. Back inside, Okada hit heavy rain and went for the Money Clip. Shingo quickly forced a rope break. Okada hit a slam. He teased a missile dropkick, but Shingo popped up. Okada rolled through and ran into a lariat.
Okada got the Money Clip again. Shingo elbowed out. Okada tried a backslide, but Shingo turned it into Noshigami. Shingo hit a wheel barrow German into the corner pad. Shingo used a torture rack, then hit two gutbusters. Shingo hit a massive corner clothesline Okada fired up and hit a shotgun dropkick.
Okada got the Money Clip applied yet again, but Shingo was in the ropes. Okada was forced to break right away. Okada missed a dropkick. Shingo missed a sliding lariat. Okada used the Money Clip to set up a spinning tombstone, then went back to the Money Clip. They did a long submission tease, but Shingo fought to the ropes.
Shingo rolled outside. Okada fought for a tombstone on the floor, but Shingo blocked by grabbing the barricade. Shingo hit Made in Japan on the floor. Both made it in after a double countout tease. Shingo hit a corner lariat and a stay dream for a close near fall. Shingo hit a series of strikes, then ran off the ropes into an Okada dropkick at the 30 minute call.
Okada hit a tombstone, then tried a Rainmaker. Shingo ducked and hit his own Rainmaker. They traded strikes from their knees, then standing. Shingo blocked a spinning Rainmaker and hit a DVD. Okada ducked a pumping bomber, then used a backslide to set up two Rainmakers. Shingo blocked another Rainmaker and hit a Rainmaker of his own.
Shingo hit a pumping bomber for a great near fall at the 35 minute call. They reversed each other’s finishers, then Shingo hit a dragon suplex. Shingo hit a diving forearm strike.
Shingo hit Last of the Dragon and got the pin to win the title.
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Shingo cut a promo after the match. He said he lost to Will Ospreay when he challenged for this title, but his heart was still beating. He said that this is only the start of what he has planned. Shingo said we’re still going through a lot, but he’s here to inspire us and bring us energy.
Shingo called out Ibushi and challenged him. Ibushi accepted. No date was announced for the match.
A new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion will be crowned at NJPW Dominion.
NJPW has announced that Kazuchika Okada will face Shingo Takagi for the vacant title.
The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship has been vacant since May 20, when NJPW revealed that former title holder Will Ospreay had vacated the title to return to the United Kingdom to seek treatment for a neck injury.
Okada had been scheduled to face Ospreay for the title at Wrestle Grand Slam at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, May 29, a show that has been postponed indefinitely. Shingo challenged Ospreay for the title at Wrestling Dontaku on May 4 in a losing effort, but beat Okada in this year’s New Japan Cup.
NJPW also announced that Dominion will now take place on Monday, June 7 in Osaka-Jo Hall. The show was originally scheduled for Sunday, June 6, but a state of emergency in Osaka related to the COVID-19 pandemic was extended through that weekend.
In addition to the IWGP World title match, two other matches were announced for Dominion.
El Desperado will defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against YOH. That match had been scheduled for Wrestling Dontaku on May 4, but the match was pulled from the show due to COVID-19 protocols. Desperado later revealed that he had battled COVID.
The other match set for Dominion is Kota Ibushi vs. Jeff Cobb. The first angle for this match was shot at Sakura Genesis back in April, as Cobb laid out Ibushi after Ibushi lost the IWGP World title to Ospreay.
Here is the lineup for Dominion so far:
NJPW Dominion, Monday, June 7, 3 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
Kota Ibushi vs. Jeff Cobb
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. YOH
For the first time in the history of the promotion, AEW placed first on cable with a combined live and taped Dynamite show on 5/5 built around “Blood and Guts,” essentially the closest thing in decades to the original War Games concept that Dusty Rhodes invented in 1987.
Others have done War Games and WWE, which for years wouldn’t do it specifically because it was a WCW idea, brought it back in NXT with some modern changes, the key being allowing pinfalls, and getting rid of the roof on the cage. Plus, because it was WWE, it had to be done without blood.
AEW, with its Road to show hyping the same concept that debuted on July 4, 1987, at the Omni in Atlanta, when Dusty Rhodes & Nikita Koloff & The Road Warriors & Paul Ellering faced The Four Horseman of Ric Flair & Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard & Barry Windham & J.J. Dillon. AEW brought back the roof, because they were going to do the traditional version (although they did shave time in the first two segments). To those who liked tradition, the roof made it authentic. The roof also eliminates jumps off the top of the cage, but more importantly, the lack of the roof is safer. In the first War Games, J.J. Dillon’s in-ring career ended when Hawk had to change the trajectory of a dive off the top rope in giving him a Doomsday Device and he fell badly. A few years later, Sid Vicious nearly broke the neck and ended the career of Brian Pillman by doing a power bomb, where he had to change the move because the roof changed the angle and Pillman came down almost on his head. Vicious later said that he was mad at Pillman because Pillman complained about his lack of selling in a match at the Meadowlands and that he in fact, intended to hurt him on purpose.
The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be on the line in the main event of night two of NJPW Wrestling Dontaku.
Will Ospreay will defend the IWGP World title against Shingo Takagi. This will be Ospreay’s first title defense since defeating Kota Ibushi for the Championship at Sakura Genesis.
The two have met three times in singles competition before. Ospreay holds a 2-1 edge over Shingo with his wins coming in the 2019 Best of the Super Juniors final and this year’s New Japan Cup final. Shingo’s victory came in the 2020 G1 Climax tournament.
Tonight’s scheduled IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match with El Desperado defending against YOH was pulled from the card as a precautionary measure. Contact tracing has also forced the change of two other matches on the card.
A previously scheduled 10-man tag has been split into two new matches: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori, plus Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Jay White, EVIL & Dick Togo.
The Los Ingobernables de Japon vs. United Empire series will continue with Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare in a trios match.
For the seventeenth time since April 4 and in their tenth broadcast meeting in that timeframe, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI will face Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado in a trios match.
Our live coverage begins at 2 a.m. Eastern time.
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The show began with the announcement of the changes to tonight’s card.
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Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI defeated Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado (10:00)
This is the tenth time this exact match has been broadcast in the last month. I don’t know what more can be said about the match. I don’t ever want to see it again.
Unfortunately, Taichi and Sabre are G.O.D.’s next challengers for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag titles by virtue of Sabre’s win yesterday, so I expect to see it many more times.
This was the DOUKI show early. He hit an Asai moonsault on both members of G.O.D. before being cut off. Jado worked him over. Tama worked him over. Loa worked him over.
The match broke down. Everyone brawled. Sabre got a hot tag and used Hurrah! to submit Jado.
Sabre and Taichi cut promos on G.O.D. after the match, as this feud must continue.
Tenzan and Yujiro began with some brawling. Tenzan tagged in Wato and Wato was promptly cut off. Yujiro and Ishimori used quick tags as they worked on Wato. Wato came back with a flying mid kick to Ishimori.
Yujiro and Tenzan got tags. Tenzan’s hot tag was actually pretty crisp. His effort is always there, but his body is not always willing. He hit a brainbuster and a mountain bomb. He used an Anaconda Vice, but Ishimori made the save for Yujiro.
Wato and Ishimori got tags. Wato peppered Ishimori with kicks. Ishimori blocked a powerbomb and hit a handspring kick. Yujiro and Ishimori hit a tandem neckbreaker for a near fall. Tenzan saved.
As Yujiro and Tenzan brawled to the floor, Ishimori hit Wato with a Bloody Cross for the pin.
Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI (14:54)
This was good as well. With the exception of one off night, all the televised tagmatches between LIJ and United Empire have been good on this tour.
Naito had trouble getting his entrance gear off. It’s always a rib when Naito is introduced last and is wearing his entrance suit. It takes him forever to get everything off.
LIJ overcame a jumpstart and controlled Henare for the first several minutes of the match. Naito and SANADA hit some tandem offense. Naito was eventually cut off and worked over.
Cobb used a delayed vertical suplex while doing squats with Naito, which was beyond impressive. Cobb hit a standing moonsault for a two count. O-Khan tagged in to continue working Naito over. Naito hit a swing DDT and tagged out.
SANADA got a hot tag and ran wild. Henare tagged in and got hit with an atomic drop and put in the paradise lock. Henare came back with a Samoan drop. They traded elbow strikes. Cobb tagged in. SANADA took him over with a rana, then tagged BUSHI.
BUSHI hit a tope suicida to Cobb. He followed with a DDT for a two count. Cobb fought off a Codebreaker. Everyone hopped in to hit a big move as they worked to the finish.
BUSHI teased an MX, but Cobb caught him coming off the ropes. BUSHI fought out of a spin cycle attempt and used a victory roll for a near fall.
Cobb powered up and hit a dropkick and a vicious knee strike to mock Kota Ibushi, then hit Tour of the Islands to pin BUSHI.
***** Intermission *****
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Jay White, EVIL & Dick Togo (12:14)
This had a little bit of everything. Lots of good work from Tanahashi. Lots of comedy. Lots of Bullet Club shenanigans.
Tanahashi and White began. Both were so great at subtly selling the damage they did to each other’s legs in yesterday’s main event.
Taguchi tagged in and it was comedy time. All six guys did a great comedy spot. Five guys took a bump off a single Taguchi hip attack. Taguchi went for Everything is EVIL on EVIL, but EVIL blocked and cut him off. Taguchi was worked over.
Tana and White got tags. Both tried for a Texas cloverleaf, but neither could get it. White hit a Blade Buster, then tagged Togo. Togo used a jackknife cradle for two.
Tana hit a crossbody off the second to Togo and tagged Yano. Yano exposed a buckle and produced a hood. Togo put the hood on Yano and rolled him up for two. EVIL and Togo hit Yano with sentons. Togo covered for another two.
EVIL took the referee. Togo choked Yano. Tanahashi jumped in and put the hood on Togo. Yano hit a double low blow on Togo and EVIL and pinned Togo.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match: Will Ospreay defeated Shingo Takagi to retain the title (44:53)
The last two nights have shown that even with all the issues currently facing NJPW, the repetitive undercard, the apathy and the uninspired booking, the main events still produce the best pro wrestling in the world. This was an epic.
They teased locking up, then decided to strike with each other. Ospreay kipped up off a double sledge to the chest. Shingo missed a senton. Ospreay grabbed a side headlock and took Shingo over. Shingo used a head scissors escape. Both backed away to collect themselves before the next volley.
A test of strength ended with Shingo hitting a backdrop. Shingo went after Ospreay’s back, stretching him. Shingo hit a tackle and a senton, then grabbed a front chancery. Shingo ate a kick, then clotheslined Ospreay to the floor.
On the outside, Ospreay whipped Shingo into the barricade. Shingo avoided a back suplex on the railing and hit a drop toe hold into the fence. Shingo posted Ospreay and dropped him face-first onto the apron.
O-Khan, Cobb and Henare came to ringside. A momentary distraction from them allowed Ospreay to get the upper hand on Shingo. Ospreay cleared the timekeeper’s table and tried to drag it over to Shingo, but Shingo produced a table from under the ring and knocked Ospreay’s table away.
Shingo set up both tables on the floor. He teased a death valley driver off the apron, but Ospreay blocked. Ospreay teased a kick off the apron, but Shingo avoided the tables. Ospreay brought Shingo back inside with a brainbuster, then hit pip pip cheerio. The tables remained a Chekhov’s gun on the outside.
Ospreay torqued on Shingo’s left arm with a cross armbreaker. Shingo rolled outside. Ospreay went out after him and used the barricade and the post to continue attacking the left arm. Back in, Ospreay kicked at the arm, then used an armlock.
Shingo tried to turn an arm wringer into a sleeper hold, but Ospreay broke the hold by backing Shingo into the corner. Ospreay hit some Kawada kicks. Shingo no-sold them and fired up. Shingo hit a jab and a DDT.
Shingo hit a tackle and a brainbuster. Ospreay avoided noshigami. They traded chops in the corner. Ospreay tied Shingo to the tree of woe for a series of kicks. Ospreay hit a bloody sunday for a near fall.
Shingo hit a backdrop out of a Stormbreaker attempt. Shingo caught a kick and turned it into a dragon screw. Ospreay reversed a suplex into a stunner, then hit a 619. Ospreay used La Mistica to set up a wristlock. Shingo forced a rope break.
Ospreay hit a rolling elbow. Shingo blocked an Oscutter attempt. Ospreay hit a stunner and tried a standing moonsault, but Shingo got his knees up. Shingo hit noshigami into a double down at the 20 minute call.
Shingo hit a wheelbarrow German for a two count. Shingo caught a kick and tossed Ospreay through the air for a flip bump. Ospreay avoided a sliding lariat. Shingo avoided a handspring kick. Shingo blocked a Stormbreaker. Ospreay hit a handspring kick. Shingo no-sold and hit the sliding lariat.
Ospreay blocked a corner clothesline and hit a cheeky nando’s kick. Ospreay teased a top rope Stormbreaker. Shingo blocked a sunset bomb out of the corner. Ospreay hit a Pele kick and a top rope Spanish fly for a two count at 25 minutes.
Ospreay draped Shingo over the ropes and hit a shooting star press. He followed with a standard shooting star press for a near fall. Ospreay started selling his back after landing. Ospreay placed Shingo on the tables. He teased a 450 off the post, but Shingo cut him off.
They fought on the apron. Ospreay teased a Stormbreaker off the apron. Shingo teased noshigami off the apron. Ospreay went for an Oscutter, but Shingo blocked and hit Made in Japan off the apron through the tables.
Ospreay barely beat the count back in at 19. Shingo hit a sliding jab and Made in Japan for a near fall at the 30 minute call. Ospreay’s back was cut up from the table spot.
Ospreay collapsed as Shingo tried to set up a pumping bomber. Ospreay collapsed as Shingo tried to whip him into the corner. Shingo hit a corner clothesline. He teased a second rope Last of the Dragon. Ospreay elbowed his way free. Ospreay missed on a frankensteiner.
Shingo dove off the second rope into an Oscutter. Ospreay hit a second Oscutter and got a near fall. They traded elbow strikes. Ospreay hit the Chelsea Grin. Ospreay missed with a Hidden Blade. Shingo blocked a Super Oscutter and hit a GTR.
Shingo hit a lariat. Ospreay blocked a pumping bomber. Ospreay went for an Oscutter, but Shingo caught him in a cutter for a great near fall.
Ospreay blocked a Last of the Dragon and hit a rolling elbow, then hit a hook kick. They traded poison ranas. Ospreay popped up and hit Hidden Blade. Ospreay covered, but Shingo’s right arm was under the bottom rope, so Red Shoes stopped the count at two.
Ospreay went for a Stormbreaker, but his back gave out. Ospreay hit some short kicks at the 40 minute call. Shingo hulked up and hit a series of forearms. Ospreay ducked a pumping bomber. Ospreay hit a pop-up DVD, but Ospreay no-sold it.
Shingo hit a lariat. Ospreay hit a high kick and a Spanish fly. Shingo escpaed a Stormbreaker attempt. Ospreay hit a jumping knee strike. They traded strikes, then traded headbutts. Shingo hit a big headbutt to the side of the neck.
Ospreay hit the Chelsea Grin and a Rainmaker. He followed with Hidden Blade and a Stormbreaker for the pin.
**********
Ospreay cut a promo. He thanked Shingo for being his first stepping stone. He said that the company has leaned on him for far too long. He said with card subject to change, the people get their ticket’s worth just by seeing him. He said the building sold out with just one match announced — his match.
He said everyone was expecting his demise. He said Okada and the world are probably disappointed with the man he’s become, but he doesn’t care. He said all he cares about is United Empire and being the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
Ospreay said he rights the wrong and will beat Okada in the main event of Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome.
O-Khan translated Ospreay’s promo, then did the United Empire roll call to close the show as confetti fell.
How the NHL deal affects both WWE and AEW is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
We look at the deal, have Tony Khan’s comments on it, update on AEW and TNT, AEW vs. NHL ratings, declining ratings equals larger right fees, notes on the next WWE and AEW deals, and key contract years for AEW and WWE.
Also in this issue:
A complete rundown of UFC 261, background of the show, match-by-match coverage, poll results, business notes, as well as what categories UFC won in television ratings this past week.
Peacock subscribers, Supreme Court ruling on a WWE case, WWE going back on the road, Mickie James talks her issues with her final run, why no second Evolution PPV show, front office changes in WWE, Daniel Bryan talks his future goals, Paul Levesque talks physical Hall of Fame, new WWE announcer, new WWE signings, how wrestling fared as compared with other sports on television, former headliner says he’s returning to WWE, upcoming major TV matches and the most-watched segments on YouTube of recent shows.
CMLL and ROH relationship falling apart, how Mexico is changing with a new promotion, the question a lot of the CMLL and AAA wrestlers have to ask themselves and money figures the top talent is getting with the new promotion.
What other wrestlers held three major world titles in three different companies besides Kenny Omega and details of that.
Impact Rebellion with match-by-match coverage, star ratings and poll results, as well as early PPV notes, where the company is going forward and what happened in the Omega vs. Swann match.
WWE’s highest stakes television match in a long time with Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan.
A feature on Jake Paul, Triller’s lawsuit, and Paul challenges involving Daniel Cormier, Nate Diaz and Kamaru Usman.
PPV numbers from television from every company over the past six months.
More on last week’s feature about historical world title unification matches from different companies, including a reference to Babe Ruth.
How long the average fan watches the key wrestling shows, how many different people are actually watching, what show is watched live the most and what show is time delayed the most.
More into detail on the ratings than any other source, how every segment on NXT and AEW did as well as how it did with different age groups, genders and more, plus a look at all other wrestling shows of the past week.
Results of the major pro wrestling events of the past week.
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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE
Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer Radio talking Raw, New Japan, Randy Savage and perhaps Brian Pillman. You can send questions to the show to [email protected]
What could be one of the best matches of 2021 takes place in a few hours with the New Japan show tonight at 2 a.m. Eastern time from Fukuoka in the second night of Dontaku:
Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi & Douki vs. Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa & Jado
Kazuchika Okada & Sho vs. Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Tetsuya Naito & Sanada & Bushi vs. Jeff Cobb & Great O’Khan & Aaron Henare
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toru Yano & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Dick Togo & Evil & Jay White & Toru Yano & Taiji Ishimori
Desperado vs. Yoh for the IWGP jr. title
Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi for the IWGP title
One of Dragon Gate’s biggest shows of the year, Dead or Alive, takes place at 3 a.m. early Wednesday morning headlined by Yamato & Kai vs. Dragon Kid & SB Kento where the losing team then has a singles match and the loser of that match loses their mask or their hair.
Triller has announced they are giving one month’s amnesty for any person or entity who illegally streamed the 4/17 show. Anyone who pirated the PPV can pay the original cost for the show before 6/1 and obtain a release from a lawsuit by Triller. After 6/1, the company will be pursuing all individuals for a maximum penalty of $150,000 per illegal stream. Matt St. Claire, the Head of Piracy for Triller said that all the actual IP addresses of everyone who streamed the fight from an illegal source will be turned over in discovery, even if they used VPN’s as each stream has a unique fingerprint embedded.
Raw tonight has Bobby Lashley in a non-title match against either Drew McIntyre or Braun Strowman, A.J. Styles & Omos vs. The New Day for the tag titles and Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler defend the women’s tag titles against Lana & Naomi.
NXT tomorrow night has Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart vs. Indi Hartwell & Candice LeRae in a street fight for the NXT women’s tag titles, Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah Scott falls count anywhere and Timothy Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa vs. Grizzled Young Veterans.
The PFL show on Thursday night is moving from ESPN 2 to ESPN which means the PFL will be in front of the largest audience in the history of the promotion. It airs from 7-11 p.m. Eastern:
Vice will be doing a Dark Side of the Ring marathon on Thursday starting at 8:30 a.m. leading to the 9:30 p.m. episode on Brian Pillman. Owen Hart is at 3:30 pm. and Chris Benoit is at 7:30 p.m., the Road Warriors is at 10 a.m. and Von Erichs at 2:30 p.m.
Both WWE and AEW are part of the Huntington Disease Society of America online auction that takes place from now until 5/15. Huntington Disease is a brain disease passed down from generation to generation. WWE donated two virtual VIP tickets to the Thunderdome and the winner can get a virtual meet and greet with a WWE star of their choice. AEW donated signed turnbuckles with signatures of most of its biggest stars. Brandi Rhodes, Colt Cabana, Jungle Boy and McKenzie Mitchell also did awareness videos.
The WWE Network was nominated for a Sports Business Journal award for Best in Digital Sports Media. The award winners will be announced on 6/23.
AEW
Dark Elevation for tonight
Private Party vs. Duke Davis & Ganon Jones
10 vs. D3
Red Velvet vs. Reka Tehaka
QT Marshall vs Dillon McQueen
Ryo Mizunami vs. Abadon
Nick Comoroto vs Baron Black
FTR vs. Terrence & Terrell Hughes
Thunder Rosa vs. Willow Nightingale
Miro vs. Will Allday
Matt Hardy & Blade vs. Colt Cabana & 5
Nyla Rose vs. Madi Wrenkowski
Jon Moxley vs. Andrew Palace
OTHER NOTES
“The Claw,” a documentary on the life of James “Baron Von” Raschke, makes its worldwide debut on 5/14 at 8:20 p.m. as part of the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Film Festival. The premiere will air outdoors at the Como Lakeside Pavilion in St. Paul and then be available for online streaming from 5/15 to 5/23. More on that here.
SWE results from Saturday night in Dallas, TX before 250 fans: Rodney Mack b Action Jackson to keep the TV title, Christi Jaynes b Ivelisse, OMGs b Niles Plonk & Flex Berry, Blood Hunter b Pac Ortega, Charlie Haas b Moonshine Mantell to keep SWE title
International Big Time Wrestling from yesterday in Trenton, NJ: Royce Carney III won The Bug Memorial Battle Royal, Justin Tyme & Solo b Sean Tyler & Jorge Bravo, Rod Street b Mysterious Movado, David Lauren Jones b Justin Dream, Revenge of the Nerds b Sam Beale & Kenny Urban, Malcolm Monroe III b Billy Ray Daniels, DBA b Rick Cannon, Xavier Walker b Kongo Kong (thanks to Leonard Brand)
United Wrestling Coalition on 5/15 in Wrightstown, NJ at Kelly’s Banquet Hall
IWTV will be airing a live broadcast of Paradigm Pro Wrestling on 5/21 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. The show will be under UWFi (Japanese 90s shootfighting group) rules. These will be combination of UWFi and hardcore style with Bobby Beverly vs. Mo Atlas, Matt Makowski vs. Matt Justice, John Wayne Murdoch vs. Reed Bentley and Dominic Garrini vs. Akira. There are 13 matches totla on the show, which takes place at the American Legion Hall in Sellersburg, IN.
MLW Fusion Wednesday at 7 p.m. on YouTube has Lio Rush vs. Myron Reed for the middleweight title and Richard Holliday in action.
PWP from Saturday night in Omaha: El Bigote b Nino Hatchet, Mack Riggs b Xander McIntosh, Tim Boston b JD Parker, Los Bollos b Omar Pachecco, Seto Kobara b Pat Powers, Pat Powers & Los Bollos & JD Parker b Branden Juarez & Seto Kobaara & Tim Boston. The next show is the 16th anniversary show on 5/20 at the Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha.
NJPW has revealed the cards for their next major events, Wrestling Dontaku 2021 and Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni.
Wrestling Dontaku is a two-night event that’s being held at the Fukuoka Convention Center. Night two is taking place on Tuesday, May 4 and will be headlined by IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay defending his title against Shingo Takagi, The winner of that match will go on to defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Grand Slam at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, May 29.
Also at Wrestling Dontaku night two, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado will put his title on the line against YOH.
Night one of Wrestling Dontaku is taking place on Monday, May 3. In the main event, Hiroshi Tanahashi will defend his NEVER Openweight Championship against Jay White. There will also be a ladder match on the Wrestling Dontaku night one card, with Tama Tonga and Taichi battling for the Iron Finger from Hell, which is a weapon that both Taichi and Tonga have feuded over in the last few months. It originally belonged to Takashi Iizuka.
Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni is being held at the Kagoshima Arena over two nights on Wednesday, April 28 and Thursday, April 29. The first night will feature Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) defending their IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles in a rematch against former champions El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru. A pair of special tag team matches will headline the night two card, with Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi facing Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb and Will Ospreay & The Great-O-Khan taking on Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito.
Here are the full lineups for all four events:
Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni night one (Wednesday, April 28) —
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions SHO & YOH defend against El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Toru Yano defends the KOPW 2021 Provisional title against EVIL
Will Ospreay, The Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb vs. Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Shingo Takagi and Will Ospreay will face off tonight in this year’s New Japan Cup finals.
Shingo vs. Ospreay is a rematch of the 2019 Best of the Super Juniors final, a match that Ospreay won. Both now classified as heavyweights, they will face off again for the right to challenge Kota Ibushi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at the upcoming NJPW Sakura Genesis event.
In the semi-main, Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada will take on Jay White, Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens.
In the fourth match of the night, David Finlay, Juice Robinson and Toa Henare will face Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI.
Before intermission, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI and SHO will tag against EVIL, KENTA and Yujiro Takahashi.
Satoshi Kojima and Tomoaki Honma will team up against The Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb of United Empire.
In the opener, Yota Tsuji, Gabriel Kidd and Yuya Uemura will face Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. and DOUKI.
Our live coverage begins at 1 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
The show began with a surprise appearance from YOH of Roppongi 3K. YOH has been out of action with a torn ACL. He announced that he will be back in the ring at Sakura Genesis on April 4 and wants to challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag titles with SHO.
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI defeated Yota Tsuji, Gabriel Kidd & Yuya Uemura (10:39)
This was a great opener.
The story of the match was the Young Lions frustrating the established Suzuki-gun veterans with their skill. The veterans gave the young guys a ton in this one.
Uemura and DOUKI began the match. Uemura had the upper hand with wrestling skill, so DOUKI turned this into a brawl around the ring. DOUKI used his pipe on Uemura on the floor.
Kidd and Sabre got tags and told a similar story. They had a mini-version of their tournament match from earlier this month, but I think this was way better. Kidd got cut off, then came back with strikes and dropkicks.
Tsuji and Taichi tagged in for the finish. Taichi was taking Tsuji lightly and Tsuji got a couple of great near falls as a result. Taichi teased tearing off his trousers, but Tsuji rolled him up instead.
Taichi avoided a Tsuji spear and hit an axe bomber and a backdrop suplex for the pin.
The Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb defeated Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma (8:58)
This was fine. They didn’t get a lot of time, but that’s okay.
Kojima busted out a flip senton in the shine. That was unexpected. Honma missed a kokeshi and was cut off. Kojima got a tag and hit an elbow drop off the top for a near fall.
Cobb and Honma got tags. Honma hit a kokeshi. He caught an interfering O-Khan and hit a combination bulldog DDT on both Cobb and O-Khan.
Cobb came back on Honma and hit a Tour of the Islands for the pin.
O-Khan cut his customary post-match promo, proclaiming the dominance of United Empire.
This was just to set up challengers for YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishi and Hirooki Goto for the NEVER Six-Man Tag titles. It wasn’t much of a match.
Bullet Club attacked before the opening bell and went to work on Yano. Togo interfered and aided in the attack on Yano. Yano was able to expose a buckle in one of the neutral corners. Yano managed a tag to SHO, then SHO was cut off.
EVIL sent SHO into the security fence and the ring announcer took a bump. KENTA tagged in and repeatedly sent SHO into the exposed buckle. YH got a tag and some offense on KENTA. KENTA came back with a DDT on YH and tagged Yujiro.
Bullet Club worked on YH. Yujiro hit a basement dropkick for a two count, with SHO making the save. YH used a butterfly lock on Yujiro, but EVIL broke it up.
Togo took the referee. Yujiro hit YH with his cane, then hit Pimp Juice for the pin.
They played up on commentary that EVIL, KENTA and Yujiro had just beaten a third of the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag champs.
Bullet Club continued their assault after the match. Yano got whipped into the exposed turnbuckle. KENTA attacked YH with his own bo staff. KENTA left with the bo.
***** Intermission *****
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI defeated Juice Robinson, David Finlay & Toa Henare (10:10)
Major heel turn vibes coming from Henare here.
Finlay was selling the damage to his left ankle from last night’s match. He wanted to start off with Naito, but Naito demanded that Juice start instead.
Juice overcame a sneak attack from BUSHI and got some early offense on Naito. Finlay tagged in and was in the plus position, but was quickly cut off after a dropkick to the bad ankle from Naito. Naito relentlessly mocked Juice throughout the match.
Finlay was able to come back after a blue thunder bomb. Juice tagged in for another exchange with Naito. Henare was standing on the floor watching instead of on the apron for much of this. Juice finally tagged out to Henare.
Henare did some power spots with SANADA, then hit a spin kick and a double spear to BUSHI and SANADA.
SANADA missed with a springboard dropkick. He went for Skull End, but Henare slid out. SANADA used an O’Connor roll for the flash pin on Henare.
After the match, Juice and Finlay walked to the back on their own, leaving Henare at ringside. Henare threw a fit and attacked the barricade in frustration at taking another loss.
Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada defeated Jay White, Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens (11:31)
Good storytelling in this match as they continue to tease a rivalry between Ibushi and Okada even as they team together.
After an early surge of offense from Tanahashi, Bullet Club turned this into a brawl. Gedo interfered on the outside. Okada ended up the legal man and was cut off in the Bullet club half of the ring.
Fale knocked Ibushi off the apron. Okada fought for, then finally got a slam on Fale. White tagged in as Okada looked to make a tag. Okada hit a big boot and tagged Tana as Ibushi was still on the floor.
White blocked a slingblade. White and Tana did a series of standing switches, endiing with White hitting a DDT. White hit a blade buster for a two count.
Owens got a tag and Tana made a tag to Ibushi after hitting a slap. Ibushi hit a flying mid kick and a standing moonsault for a two count.
Everyone jumped in for a big move. Tanahashi hit slingblades on Fale and Owens and a dragon screw on White. Ibushi hit a v-trigger and a Kamigoye on Owens for the pin.
Okada stuck around only long enough to get his hand raised after the match. White had staredowns with both Tanahashi and Ibushi over their titles.
New Japan Cup final: Will Ospreay (w/Bea Priestley, The Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb) defeated Shingo Takagi to win the 2021 New Japan Cup (30:06)
This was a gripping 30 minutes. They crafted a great mix of psychology and every move under the sun to put together a great match.
They traded strikes and tackles to begin. Ospreay kipped up off a Shingo tackle. Ospreay countered out of a Made in Japan attempt. Shingo blocked an Oscutter attempt.
The fight went to the floor. Shingo sent Ospreay into the barricade and worked on Ospreay’s bad right arm. Ospreay has a broken nose as well, so Shingo raked the nose. Back inside, Shingo hit a tackle. Ospreay flipped out of a vertical suplex attempt and hit a cutter. Ospreay hit a handspring kick.
They went back to the floor. This time, Ospreay sent Shingo into the fence. Ospreay tore at the tape on Shingo’s back and went after the injury. Ospreay hit a backdrop on the barricade. Shingo beat the count back inside.
Ospreay continued to go after Shingo’s back with kicks, forearm strikes and stomps. Ospreay used a body scissors. Shingo avoided a charge into the corner, but Ospreay followed up right away with pip pip cheerio for a two count.
Shingo came back with strikes and a DDT. Ospreay avoided a sliding lariat. Shingo caught Ospreay off a handspring kick attempt and hit a pop-up death valley driver. Shingo sent Ospreay outside. Priestley acted as a human shield, which allowed Ospreay to post Shingo.
Ospreay set up a table on the outside. They did a series of table bump teases. Priestley moved the table out of the way. Ospreay again used Priestley as a shield to avoid a baseball slide. Shingo hit a snake eyes and a pop-up powerbomb for a two count.
Shingo used an STF. Ospreay forced a rope break. Shingo hit Noshigami for a two count. Ospreay came back with a lariat. Shingo blocked a running boot in the corner and teased a driver off the second rope. Ospreay blocked and hit a gamengiri.
Ospreay hit a top rope Spanish Fly for a near fall. Shingo blocked another Oscutter attempt. Ospreay slid out of a Noshigmai attempt. Shingo hit a lariat. They traded strikes. Shingo hit an unanswered series of strikes. Ospreay answered with a hook kick.
Ospreay did an amazing flip out of a pumping bomber attempt and hit an Oscutter. Shingo kicked out at two. They fought back to the outside. Ospreay hit an Oscutter off the post to the floor, which was insane.
Ospreay placed Shingo on the table. Ospreay hit a 450 splash off the top rope to the floor through the table. They teased a countout. Ibushi was at the commentary table. Shingo used an Ibushi towel to wipe his brow, then Ibushi encouraged Shingo to get back in. Shingo beat the count.
Ospreay hit an immediate springboard dropkick, then a shooting star press for a near fall. Ospreay went for a Stormbreaker. Shingo sprawled out. Ospreay hit some Kawada kicks. Shingo did a dead-eye stare and no-sold a series of kicks.
Shingo hit a series of strikes in the corner. Ospreay avoided a pumping bomber and hit London Falling. Shingo hit Made in Japan for a near fall. Shingo hit a lariat. Ospreay answered with a crucifix for a near fall. Shingo hit a poison rana.
Ospreay turned a pumping bomber attempt into a Spanish Fly for a near fall. Ospreay hit a high kick and two rolling elbows. Ospreay hit a Hidden Blade and a Stormbreaker for the pin.
**********
Ospreay cut a promo after the match. He said that everyone doubted him, but he told everyone he would win the New Japan Cup and he did.
Ospreay called Ibushi into the ring. Ospreay said he didn’t care about the lineage of the Intercontinental or IWGP Heavyweight titles, but he cared about being number one. He said it pains him, but Ibushi is number one. He said he’ll do anything it takes to take the IWGP World Heavyweight title from Ibushi.
Ospreay hit an Oscutter on Priestley to drive home the point that he’ll do whatever it takes. The audience didn’t know what to make of that. There was just stunned silence after the crowd had been very receptive to his promo.
Ospreay’s comments continued backstage. He said he has a family and a 5-year relationship with Bea, but if he can do that to someone he loves, what the f*** is he going to do to Ibushi?
Ospreay said he’s the leader of NJPW, not Ibushi. He said he fulfills his destiny at Sakura Genesis and becomes the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
NJPW has announced the undercard for tonight’s New Japan Cup finals.
The undercard mostly focuses on tag team matches. In the co-main event, Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Kazuchika Okada will team up to take on Bullet Club members Jay White, Bad Luck Fale, and Chase Owens. The new Impact World Tag Team champions, David Finlay and Juice Robinson, will team with Toa Henare to take on Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and BUSHI.
The finals were determined during last night’s New Japan Cup semifinals. Will Ospreay defeated Finlay to advance to the finals, while Shingo Takagi defeated EVIL.
The full card, which takes place tomorrow morning in Xebio Arena Sendai, has the following:
Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay in the New Japan Cup finals
Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White, Bad Luck Fale, and Chase Owens
Juice Robinson, David Finlay, and Toa Henare vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, and BUSHI
Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, and SHO vs. EVIL, KENTA, and Yujiro Takahashi
Satoshi Kojima and Tomoaki Honma vs. Jeff Cobb and The Great-O-Khan
Gabriel Kidd, Yuya Uemura, and Yota Tsuji vs. DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr., and Taichi
Shingo Takagi and Will Ospreay will face off in this year’s New Japan Cup finals.
Shingo and Ospreay advanced with wins at today’s semifinals show in Sendai. Shingo pinned EVIL in the main event after hitting Last of the Dragon, while Ospreay defeated David Finlay with a Stormbreaker in the semi-main. Shingo and Ospreay will now face each other in the finals tomorrow (Sunday, March 21) to decide the 2021 tournament winner.
The winner of Shingo vs. Ospreay will challenge Kota Ibushi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis on Sunday, April 4.
Shingo defeated Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, KENTA and EVIL in this year’s New Japan Cup, while Ospreay defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Zack Sabre Jr., SANADA and Finlay.
Shingo vs. Ospreay is a rematch of the 2019 Best of the Super Juniors final, a match that Ospreay won.
The New Japan Cup finals will begin at 1 a.m. Eastern time Sunday and will be aired on NJPW World.
Yano won a terrible match, rolling up Jado for the pin after a low blow.
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI defeated Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI (11:19)
This was a fun sprint. SANADA tapped out DOUKI with Skull End.
Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada defeated Jay White, KENTA & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Gedo) (10:26)
This was the match with the earthquake break in the middle of it. Ibushi pinned Yujiro after a Kamigoye.
They teased tension between Okada and Ibushi, and Tanahashi and Ibushi during the match.
New Japan Cup semifinal: Will Ospreay (w/Bea Priestley) defeated David Finlay (w/Juice Robinson) (21:04)
This was a good match with good psychology.
They traded hammerlocks to start, then did some basic drop-downs, tackles and simple spots. Finlay hit a dropkick. Ospreay rolled outside. Finlay hit a backdrop on the floor.
Back in, Ospreay briefly got the upper hand. They went back to the outside and Finlay got sent into the fence. Finlay was back on top after another backdrop.
Ospreay hit Pip Pip Cheerio for a near fall and began to go to work. He teased his Chelsea Grin, but Finlay blocked and hit a superplex. Finlay used a series of cradles for near falls. Finlay blocked Stormbreaker and hit a uranage backbreaker. Ospreay came back with a Spanish Fly.
Finlay hit an ushigoroshi. He went for an Acid Drop, but Ospreay tossed him over the top rope to the floor. Finlay sold like he had broken his ankle. A medical attendant checked on Finlay. They teased a countout, but Finlay made it back in.
Ospreay hit a dropkick and a stack powerbomb for a two count, then applied a figure four. Ospreay removed the boot on Finlay’s injured ankle while he kept the figure four applied. Finlay forced a rope break.
Ospreay hit some Kawada kicks. Ospreay hit a hook kick. Finlay blocked an Oscutter with a jaw breaker. Finlay tried an Acid Drop, but his ankle gave out. Finlay turned a Stormbreaker attempt into a victory roll for a two count.
Finlay went for the Acid Drop, but Ospreay blocked. Ospreay nearly dropped Finlay on is head as they tried to set up a powerbomb, but hit the move safely.
Ospreay then hit Stormbreaker for the pin.
New Japan Cup semifinal: Shingo Takagi defeated EVIL (w/Dick Togo) (22:43)
This was a good match that never reached a higher gear. The usual Bullet club shenanigans didn’t help. Shingo did a masterful job of selling his back, though.
EVIL stalled at the outset. Togo interfered from the outside to allow EVIL to hit a lariat. Togo exposed a buckle and took the ref. EVIL whipped Shingo into the buckle.
Shingo came back with some power spots, but sold the damage to his back from the buckle. EVIL blocked an early Last of the Dragon attempt and hit a backbreaker. EVIL hit a drop toehold into the exposed buckle. EVIL continued to work on the back with a superplex.
EVIL went for Everything is EVIL. Shingo blocked and hit a short lariat. They traded lariats, then traded strikes. The crowd started to really get into it here. Togo slid EVIL a chair and took the ref. EVIL hit a chairshot to the head for a two count.
EVIL hit Darkness Falls for another two count. Shingo blocked Everything is EVIL and hit Made in Japan for a two count. EVIL bumped Shingo into the referee.
Togo entered and hit Shingo with right hands. EVIL hit a low blow to Shingo. EVIL and Togo hit a Magic Killer. Togo used a ligature to choke Shingo. Shingo came back with a double lariat to knock Togo outside. Shingo blocked a low blow and hit a pumping bomber.
Shingo revived the ref, then hit Last of the Dragon for the pin.
Ospreay made an appearance during Shingo’s show-closing promo. Ospreay hit a series of strikes. Shingo blocked a Stormbreaker and sent Ospreay packing with a clothesline.
David Finlay and Will Ospreay claimed the two remaining semifinal spots with wins today in Shizuoka. Finlay scored an upset win over Jay White, pinning him with a stunner and an Acid Drop. Ospreay pinned SANADA after a Hidden Blade and a Stormbreaker.
Both semifinal matches will take place Saturday in Sendai, which will also host the finals on Sunday.
Here are the updated results and the remaining Cup schedule.
**********
New Japan Cup schedule —
Semifinals —
Saturday, March 20, 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World
EVIL vs. Shingo Takagi
Will Ospreay vs. David Finlay
New Japan Cup final —
Sunday, March 21, 1 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World
EVIL or Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay or David Finlay
The quarterfinals of the New Japan Cup started during today’s show from Korakuen Hall. Here are the results of the preliminary matches and a full report of the Cup matches.
Nagata won via submission over Kidd with the Nagata Lock II.
Jay White, Bad Luck Fale, & Chase Owens defeated Juice Robinson, David Finlay, & Toa Henare (10:46)
Fale pinned Henare with the Grenade. White faces Finlay in two days in the Cup quarterfinals.
Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb defeated SANADA & BUSHI (8:34)
Cobb pinned BUSHI with the Tour of the Islands. Ospreay faces SANADA in two days in the Cup quarterfinals.
New Japan Cup quarterfinal: EVIL defeated Toru Yano (7:54)
This was about as compact and focused as a Yano match gets. It wasn’t a classic or anything, but it was entertaining.
Dick Togo was out there with EVIL as always. Yano demanded that Togo leave ringside, but was nearly counted out while he waited. EVIL attacked when Yano made his way back to the ring, then distracted the official as Togo attacked on the floor. EVIL then sent Yano into the barricade, knocking down the timekeeper in the process.
Back in the ring, EVIL used various nefarious means to beat down Yano. Togo consistently got involved. Yano nearly got the upper hand through a whip into an exposed turnbuckle, but EVIL turned the tables and resumed the beatdown.
Yano finally made his comeback by yanking EVIL down by his hair and sending him into the exposed turnbuckle. He sent Togo packing and hit a belly-to-belly suplex on EVIL.
Yano sent EVIL face-first into the exposed buckle and rolled him up for a near fall. He then sent EVIL to the floor and choked him with Togo’s wire before tossing EVIL underneath the ring. The count almost reached 20, but then the lights suddenly went out. EVIL appeared back in the ring, hit Everything is EVIL, and pinned Yano to advance to the semifinals.
New Japan Cup quarterfinal: Shingo Takagi defeated KENTA (23:47)
This match was disappointing. The final five minutes were excellent, but the crowd was dead silent for KENTA’s heat segment, which took up half the match’s duration.
KENTA immediately powdered to the floor and stalled. After a minute or so, he came back into the ring and they locked up. KENTA kept pulling Shingo’s hair so they transitioned into exchanging forearms. After a snapmare, KENTA laid in kicks, but Shingo hit a body slam. Shingo laid in repeated strikes in the corner before his attack moved to the floor.
Shingo attempted to bring KENTA back into the ring, but KENTA rolled to the outside and attacked Shingo with the bell in the same manner he had been attacking people with his briefcase. He hit a DDT on the floor, forcing Shingo to make his way back in the ring to beat the count. KENTA resumed his beatdown in the ring, cranking on Shingo’s neck and laying in more kicks. This heat segment went a long time, almost ten full minutes.
The crowd was behind Shingo as he fired up and hit his signature strike combo. He downed KENTA with a shoulder block and followed it up with repeated knee drops. KENTA hit a DDT, but Shingo just pressed his way right out of it and hit a big vertical suplex. KENTA hit his twisting DDT into the top rope followed by a diving clothesline for two. He then went for Game Over, but Shingo was too close to the ropes.
They traded forearms before KENTA caught a boot and hit the Shibata corner dropkick. Shingo rolled out of the way of the double foot stomp and hit a DDT. KENTA avoided the sliding lariat and hit a draping DDT of his own before following it up with a fisherman’s buster. He landed the diving foot stomp for two. Shingo went for Made in Japan, but KENTA fought out and locked on Game Over, but Shingo reached the ropes again.
KENTA hit a tiger suplex, but Shingo popped up and flattened him with a Pumping Bomber. The crowd finally got really into it at this point, 20 minutes into the match. They traded forearms before Shingo caught one and turned it into Made in Japan for two. They had a great stiff strike exchange where KENTA baited Shingo into forearms before catching him with repeated backhands and a knee lift for two. The Busaiku knee followed for two.
After KENTA pulled his knee pad down, Shingo countered the Go To Sleep and hit a Death Valley driver. A Pumping Bomber followed for two, and the Last of the Dragon followed for three.
Shingo will face EVIL in the New Japan Cup semifinals.
Before the show went off the air, Shingo cut a promo on EVIL, who emerged to stare his former stablemate down. Dick Togo attacked Shingo from behind, and they beat him down with a Magic Killer. EVIL stood tall to end the show.
The second round of the 2021 New Japan Cup continued today in Aichi. Here are the results for the preliminary matches and full reports for the Cup matches.
Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI, & Toru Yano defeated David Finlay, Yota Tsuji, & Gabriel Kidd (11:17)
YOSHI-HASHI submitted Kidd with the Butterfly Lock. Finlay and YOSHI-HASHI will face off in the second round of the Cup.
Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, & Jeff Cobb defeated Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi, & DOUKI (7:51)
O-Khan pinned DOUKI with the Eliminator. Ospreay and Sabre will face off in the second round of the Cup.
SANADA submitted SHO with the Skull End. SANADA and Nagata will face off in the second round of the Cup.
Jay White, EVIL, & Bad Luck Fale defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, & Toa Henare (11:41)
EVIL pinned Henare with Everything is EVIL. White and Tanahashi will face off in the second round of the Cup.
New Japan Cup second round: KENTA defeated Minoru Suzuki (16:56)
There was some really exciting stuff here, including an exhilarating slap sequence, but much of the work had a disconnect to it as well. It wasn’t as crisp as it could have been.
KENTA stalled at the bell. He grabbed a newspaper from ringside, but Suzuki took it from him and laid it out in the center of the ring, inviting KENTA back in. Suzuki laid in strikes, but upon a rope break, KENTA starched him with a slap, which just angered Suzuki, who in turn gave chase.
When Suzuki re-entered the ring, KENTA tried to take advantage with a big boot, but Suzuki stretched him over the top rope with his illegal armbar spot. He then sent KENTA into the barricades repeatedly before grabbing a chair. The official tried to take it, allowing KENTA enough time to boot the chair into Suzuki and attack him with it.
Back in the ring, KENTA laid in kicks. Suzuki tried to fire up but was consistently foiled as KENTA kept up the offense. KENTA taunted Suzuki with some weak kicks and was met with a single stiff forearm in return, dropping him. This time it was Suzuki who repeatedly laid in kicks, concluding with a cocky cover attempt.
Suzuki hit two more forearms but KENTA avoided the third and took advantage with a DDT, followed by a second draping DDT for two. KENTA laid in corner strikes and somewhat whiffed on his running Shibata dropkick. He set up for the Go To Sleep, but Suzuki countered it into a standing guillotine. When Suzuki tried to transition into the Gotch-style piledriver, however, KENTA rolled through and went for Game Over.
Once Suzuki reached the ropes, KENTA immediately followed it up with the Busaiku knee. He tried for the Go To Sleep again, but Suzuki countered it into a single-leg crab. After a long battle, KENTA eventually reached the ropes. Suzuki goaded KENTA into a standing striking battle, where they both hit some great open-hand slaps. That was one of the best individual sequences of the tournament so far.
KENTA surprised Suzuki with a spinning back fist, but Suzuki fought out of Go To Sleep once again and locked on the rear naked choke. Suzuki let it go, laid in a ton of strikes, and went for the Gotch-style Piledriver, but KENTA immediately countered it into the Go To Sleep out of nowhere for the win.
He will face the winner of tonight’s main event in a quarterfinal Cup match.
New Japan Cup second round: Shingo Takagi defeated Hirooki Goto
This was the exact match you would expect from these two, meaning it was excellent. Shingo is probably going a long way in this tournament.
They had the typical strong style shoulder block and forearm exchange to start. Shingo knocked Goto down as both men teased finishers before a cradle from Goto got a close near fall. They brawled on the floor, where Shingo hit a DDT after sending Goto into the barricade.
Shingo maintained control in the ring. They eventually wrestled to the apron, where Shingo attempted a Death Valley driver, but Goto fought out and dropped Shingo hard on the apron. Goto kept up the advantage for a while, targeting Shingo’s head with elbows. Shingo eventually fired up and laid in chops before his back elbow, straight right, and lariat combination bought him some time.
A shoulder block and a vertical suplex sent Goto to the mat again. Shingo went for Noshigami, but Goto fought out and hit a suplex of his own. Goto hit a corner knee into a bulldog for two. He followed it up with a Saito suplex, but Shingo popped right up and hit a Saito suplex himself. Shingo called for the Pumping Bomber and was met with a lariat from Goto. They exchanged clothesline attempts, but neither man would go down both collapsed for a double down.
Shingo went for his striking combination again but was met with a lariat for his trouble. Goto immediately followed it up with the ushigoroshi, but couldn’t make the cover. Shingo repeatedly went for a German suplex, so when Goto fought out, he adjusted his gameplan with a clothesline to the back of Goto’s head. Shingo taunted Goto with goading kicks, which baited Goto into taking a Noshigami.
Goto avoided the Pumping Bomber but took Made in Japan for his trouble for two. Shingo laid in repeated forearms, connecting hard with the last one, which downed Goto. Goto caught a lariat attempt and hit GTW but was once again too exhausted to cover. He went for GTR, but Shingo fought out, so Goto landed a headbutt and the reverse GTR for two. He followed it up with the mid kick, but Shingo fought out of another GTR attempt and rolled Goto up for a great near fall.
Shingo popped up and downed Goto with a short lariat. He tried to follow it up with Last of the Dragon, but Goto fought out and they had a long battle for a vertical suplex, which Shingo eventually won by draping Goto over the top rope and hitting an assisted GTR. Shingo then hit a picture-perfect Pumping Bomber for a near fall.
The Last of the Dragon followed to allow Shingo to pick up the win and advance.
Shingo Takagi vs. KENTA is the quarterfinal match from this section of the Cup bracket. They will likely be the main event of the March 16 Korakuen Hall show.
The New Japan Cup tournament continued today in the Ota City Gymnasium in Tokyo.
Here are the results and a report on the Cup matches.
**********
Recommended matches —
New Japan Cup first round match: Minoru Suzuki vs. Tomoaki Honma
New Japan Cup first round match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
Report —
Jay White, Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori (w/Gedo) defeated Toa Henare, David Finlay & Yuya Uemura (9:38)
Ishimori pinned Uemura after hitting a Bloody Cross.
Henare vs. White and Finlay vs. Owens are Cup matches on Wednesday, March 10.
Great-O-Khan, Will Ospreay & Jeff Cobb (w/Bea Priestley) defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI (10:55)
Cobb pinned BUSHI after a Tour of the Islands.
There was very little in the way of tournament implications in this match. Cobb and O-Khan are through to the second round and could potentially meet in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, March 16 if Cobb beats EVIL and O-Khan beats Toru Yano. SANADA and Ospreay are on the other side of the brackets and could potentially face off in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 18.
New Japan Cup first round match: Minoru Suzuki defeated Tomoaki Honma (14:54)
This was awesome. This was the best Honma match in a long, long time. Suzuki is the perfect opponent for him and is a master of the art of pro wrestling. Honma more than held up his end of things.
They began by firing off palm strikes to the chest. Honma got a knockdown and missed with two kokeshis. Suzuki took Honma outside and used the barricade as a weapon. Honma made it back in after a countout tease.
Suzuki hit a hard series of kicks. Honma came back with a DDT and a running bulldog. Suzuki hit a headbutt. Honma hit a standing kokeshi.
They fought on the turnbuckles and no one died, miraculously. Honma knocked Suzuki off the buckle and hit a diving kokeshi off the second rope. Honma tried for some sort of STF-like submission, then transitioned to a lateral press for a near fall.
Honma slid out of a rear naked choke and hit a lariat. They both fired up. Suzuki hit two slaps to the face. They traded forearm shots. Suzuki was laughing with glee.
Suzuki hit an unanswered series of forearm strikes to the neck. Suzuki used a rear naked choke to set up a Gotch-style piledriver. Honma valiantly fought off the attempt and cradled Suzuki for a near fall.
Suzuki hit another forearm, then a massive Gotch-style piledriver for the pin.
Suzuki advances and will face the winner of Juice/KENTA on Saturday, March 13.
New Japan Cup first round match: KENTA defeated Juice Robinson (w/David Finlay) (17:16)
This was good. I wouldn’t call it must-see, but they clearly put a lot of thought into the match layout.
KENTA going after Juice’s eye after his recent return from a broken orbital bone was a story in the match. It didn’t really play into the finish, but Juice sold it throughout.
KENTA used a side headlock and a hair pull. Juice hit a back suplex to escape the headlock and picked up an early near fall. KENTA rolled out to the floor as Juice was setting up to hit a cannonball.
KENTA hit Juice with the ring bell from the outside. KENTA began working Juice over with punches in the ring, then threw him outside and into the barricade. KENTA choked Juice with a camera cable and used the swinging gate on the barricade as a weapon. KENTA used a headlock.
Juice came back with a spinebuster and a series of clotheslines. Juice hit a series of jabs. They raked each other’s faces. Juice hit a headbutt. KENTA hit a DDT over the ropes and a diving clothesline off the top for a two count.
They exchanged big boots. KENTA sent Juice off the apron with a running kick. They fought on the outside. KENTA hit a backdrop over the barricade and Juice took a nasty bump over a table to the floor.
KENTA climbed to the top rope. Juice cut him off. Juice hit a DVD on the floor. Back in, Juice used a powerbomb for a near fall. KENTA reversed a Pulp Friction attempt into a cradle for a near fall. KENTA hit a draping DDT.
KENTA hit a running knee in the corner and a Shibata dropkick. Juice avoided a diving stomp and hit a leg lariat. KENTA went for Game Over. Juice blocked and hit a Juice Box for a two count at the 15 minute call.
Juice blocked a G2S and rolled KENTA up for a near fall. KENTA blocked a Pulp Friction attempt and ducked a Left Hand of God. Juice connected with a right hand.
KENTA reversed another Pulp Friction attempt and got Game Over applied. Juice tapped.
KENTA advances and will face Suzuki on Saturday, March 13.
New Japan Cup first round match: Shingo Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada (23:58)
This was a tremendous match. Okada’s performance was incredible given that he has two slipped discs in his back.
Okada tried for his trademark clean break after the opening lock up, but Shingo fired off a strike. Okada answered with a side headlock. They traded shoulder tackle attempts. Okada used a drop toehold and hit an elbow drop.
Okada used a sliding dropkick to send Shingo outside. They traded whips into the barricade. Shingo hit a DDT on the floor, then tossed Okada back inside. Shingo hit a vertical suplex for a two count, then used a chinlock to continue working the neck after the DDT on the floor.
Okada tried to fire off some strikes, but got dropped with a double chop. Okada hit three strikes. Shingo hit one and Okada went down. Shingo went for noshigami, but Okada reversed into a Money Clip. Shingo quickly broke the hold and teased a pumping bomber. Okada blocked with a big boot.
Okada ducked under a lariat and hit a back elbow, a running back elbow in the corner and a DDT for a near fall. Okada teased a dropkick in the corner, but Shingo escaped and dropped him with a combination of strikes.
Shingo hit two short lariats, a slam and a diving back elbow drop. Shingo mocked Okada’s Rainmaker pose. Shingo tried for a Rainmaker, but Okada blocked. Okada hit a flapjack into a double down.
They had an intense striking battle in the center of the ring. Okada missed a dropkick. Shingo missed a clothesline. Okada blocked another pumping bomber and tried for the Money Clip. Shingo slid out and hit noshigami into another double down.
Shingo still could not get the pumping bomber, as Okada blocked his next attempt with a dropkick. Okada hit a tombstone and slapped on the Money Clip. Shingo slid to the bottom strand to force a break.
Okada hit a slam and called for a top rope elbow at the 15 minute call. Shingo cut him off on the top rope and hit a superplex. Okada sold his lower back on impact. Shingo hit a sliding lariat for a two count.
Okada blocked another pumping bomber attempt. Shingo ducked a Rainmaker and hit Made in Japan for a great near fall. Okada blocked as Shingo went for Last of the Dragon. Shingo hit a lariat, then a series of forearm strikes.
Okada reversed a whip and hit a dropkick. Okada grabbed Shingo’s wrist on landing, then went back to the Money Clip. Okada hit a spinning tombstone, then again applied the Money Clip. Okada hit a backbreaker as Shingo reached for the ropes, then went back to the hold. They teased a ref stoppage, but Shingo made the bottom rope. Everyone was great in their role here, Okada, Shingo and Red Shoes.
Shingo fired off some strikes from his knees at the 20 minute call. Okada hit a shotgun dropkick, but Shingo popped right up and finally hit the pumping bomber.
Okada hit a Rainmaker. Shingo ducked a second Rainmaker. Shingo blocked a spinning Rainmaker and hit a pumping bomber. Okada kicked out at two. The crowd really got into the match here.
Shingo hit another pumping bomber. Okada escaped Last of the Dragon and trapped Shingo’s legs in a cradle for a two count.
Shingo hit a uranage backbreaker over his knee. Shingo hit a massive pumping bomber for another great near fall.
Shingo went for Last of the Dragon. Okada reversed into a Rainmaker attempt. Shingo ducked the Rainmaker and hit Last of the Dragon for the pin.
Shingo moves on and will face Hirooki Goto in a second round match on Saturday, March 13.
