Tomohiro Ishii is the new NEVER Openweight Champion.
Ishii defeated champion Jay White in a back and forth match. The finish came when both attempted to go for their finishers. Ishii connected with a dragon suplex, which allowed him to hit a lariat then pinned White with the vertical drop brainbuster for the win.
After the match, Ishii grabbed the title and left, opting not to cut the typical post-main event NJPW promo. The show ended with White being helped to the back, with White shoving down those helping him, leaving him to recover on his own on the ramp.
This marks Ishii’s sixth reign with the NEVER Openweight title. The stipulations for the match had been that if Ishii were unable to beat White tonight for the title, he would never be able to challenge for the title again. White had held the NEVER title for over 195 days, defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestling Dontaku on May 3, 2021 in Fukuoka, Japan.
NJPW’s Tomohiro Ishii will make his AEW debut on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Ishii will team with Orange Cassidy against The Butcher and The Blade. The match announcement was made during Saturday’s Full Gear pay-per-view.
Butcher and Blade interfered on Matt Hardy’s behalf as Hardy defeated Cassidy on Friday’s AEW Rampage. Cassidy and Best Friends were announced as official members of NJPW’s CHAOS stable this week.
Also set for Dynamite, Jay Lethal will challenge Sammy Guevara for the TNT Championship. Lethal made a surprise debut at Full Gear to challenge Guevara.
The TBS Championship tournament will continue with a quarterfinals matchup, as Hikaru Shida faces Nyla Rose.
Also announced, Lio Rush and Dante Martin will tag against Anthony Bowens and Max Caster of The Acclaimed.
More matches for Dynamite will be announced following Full Gear.
Here is the lineup so far:
The Butcher & The Blade vs. Orange Cassidy & Tomohiro Ishii
TNT Championship: Sammy Guevara (c) vs. Jay Lethal
TBS Championship tournament quarterfinals: Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose
“Switchblade” Jay White defends the NEVER Openweight Championship against Tomohiro Ishii in the main event of NJPW Battle in the Valley in San Jose, California.
White has held the title since Wrestling Dontaku on May 3. Should Ishii lose, he is banned from challenging for the NEVER title ever again.
Buddy Matthews will make his NJPW debut in the semi-main event, facing Kazuchika Okada.
In a first-time matchup, Juice Robinson will face Impact Wrestling World Champion Moose in a non-title affair.
United Empire’s Will Ospreay will take on LA Dojo’s Ren Narita in singles action. Ospreay’s stablemates Jeff Cobb and TJP will tag against Karl Fredericks and Clark Connors.
NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Tom Lawlor and top contender to his title Fred Rosser will be on opposite sides of a 10-man tag. Lawlor, JR Kratos, Danny Limelight, Royce Isaacs and Jorel Nelson will face Rosser, David Finlay, Rocky Romero, Alex Coughlin and Alex Zayne.
Brody King and Chris Dickinson will take on Bateman and Misterioso while in the opener, Impact’s Josh Alexander will face Yuya Uemura.
Our live coverage begins at 11 PM Eastern time.
**********
Show Report —
Kevin Kelly and Alex Kozlov were on commentary.
Josh Alexander defeated Yuya Uemura (11:52)
Very solid opener. Uemura still has yet to expand his moveset much beyond his Young Lion days, but he went toe to toe with a recent Impact World Champion.
Alexander went for a quick ankle lock, forcing Uemura to scramble to the ropes. The early goings were all Alexander as he picked Uemura apart. A spear into the ropes followed by a Northern Lights suplex got two. About five minutes in, Uemura fired up with chops as they traded strikes in the corner. He caught Alexander with a corner dropkick.
Uemura hit a scoop slam and an elbow drop followed by a back suplex for two. He immediately transitioned into a cross armbreaker out of the pin attempt. Alexander fought out and hit repeated Germans for a near fall, then went for the ankle lock before transitioning into a scorpion deathlock.
After the rope break, Alexander stomped Uemura’s ankle across the ropes. Uemura fought and fought, eventually getting back to his feet and reversing it into the armbar. Alexander stacked Uemura up, forcing a break. He starched Uemura with a right hand, but Uemura came back with dropkicks. Alexander countered the overhead underhook suplex, then locked the ankle lock on tight and forced the submission.
**********
BATEMAN & Misterioso defeated Brody King & Chris Dickinson (10:48)
Dickinson was legitimately injured in this match, leading to the odd finish and upset victory.
King and BATEMAN are former tag partners. BATEMAN attacked before the bell, and we lost commentary almost immediately. They brawled outside for a while, with BATEMAN and Misterioso maintaining control. Commentary returned.
Dickinson got a tag and entered the match with a double missile dropkick. A lariat and a head-and-arm suplex got two on Misterioso. He tried to follow it up with an armbar, but BATEMAN broke it up. Misterioso regained control as double knees in the corner got a two-count.
King eventually got the hot tag and crushed BATEMAN in the corner with a cannonball senton before sending Misterioso into him with a throw for two. Dickinson landed a top-rope splash as both he and BATEMAN sold knee injuries. Misterioso broke up the cover, but King immediately dispatched him to the floor.
Misterioso hit a springboard moonsault on King on the outside, and then BATEMAN covered Dickinson for the win out of nowhere. Cameras completely missed it — I think Dickinson may be legitimately injured.
**********
Team Filthy (Tom Lawlor, JR Kratos, Danny Limelight, Royce Isaacs, & Jorel Nelson) defeated Fred Rosser, David Finlay, Rocky Romero, Alex Coughlin, & Alex Zayne (15:20)
This had some nice intensity and cool spots, but it did get a little long in the tooth towards the end.
Lawlor and Rosser/Coughlin are the big rivals in this one. The two team leaders faced off to start things off, but it immediately broke down into a ten-way brawl. Things eventually settled in the ring, where Rosser hit a backbreaker on the apron, leading to the whole thing breaking down again. When the dust settled, Lawlor was in control, and we lost commentary again.
Isaacs and Finlay tagged in, with the latter hitting a blue thunder bomb. Romero entered the match and landed a rope-hang dropkick. The Forever clotheslines followed, but Romero was cut off with a lariat from Nelson. Kratos hit a big delayed vertical suplex and Team Filthy posed. Rosser tried to interrupt but was overwhelmed by the numbers advantage.
Romero rolled over to tag in Zayne, who dispatched the illegal members of Team Filthy and landed a sweet flipping top-rope hurricanrana on Limelight. Nelson tripped him up, but Zayne was able to reach Coughlin for the tag. Coughlin made a valiant effort to gutwrench Kratos, but ultimately fell victim to a leaping shoulder tackle.
Kratos came back with gutwrench suplexes of his own. He thought about a dive, but Zayne cut him off and landed a springboard moonsault on everyone. Romero followed with a dive of his own. Kratos then hit a ridiculous tope con giro in a great spot.
Coughlin fired up with a stiff slap and unloaded on Kratos, who came back with a discus forearm. Coughlin chop-blocked Kratos and hit a lariat to the back of Kratos’s head. The deadlift gutwrench suplex followed, an impressive show of strength. West Coast Wrecking Crew double-teamed Rosser for a near fall.
Lawlor and Isaacs looked to set up to submit Rosser, but Rosser dispatched Lawlor and hit the Gut Feeling for the win.
**********
Karl Fredericks & Clark Connors defeated United Empire (Jeff Cobb & TJP) (10:01)
This was solid but rather unspectacular. A cool-down match after the all-out ten-man tag.
They brawled to kick things off. Fredericks sent Cobb to the floor and landed a tope con giro. He and Connors maintained control early on, beating down TJP with frequent tags and double teams. Cobb tagged in and a kick from TJP on the apron allowed United Empire to gain the advantage. Connors took an extended beatdown at the hands of Cobb and TJP.
Fredericks eventually got the hot tag and he and Cobb traded forearms in the center of the ring. He hit his signature spinebuster for two, but Cobb came back with the spin cycle suplex for the double down. They both reached their partners for the tag.
TJP cut off Connors with a low dropkick. Connors countered with a powerslam for two. TJP came back with a tornado DDT and Cobb landed a nice standing moonsault for a near fall. Connors pounced TJP into Cobb, then speared the latter for good measure. He and Fredericks worked together on a double team concluded by a diving back elbow from Connors for a near fall.
Fredericks wanted Manifest Destiny, but Cobb broke it up. Cobb distracted the official and TJP had Fredericks cradled, but Connors adjusted the cradle and Fredericks pinned TJP.
**********
Will Ospreay defeated Ren Narita (15:54)
This was excellent, far and away the best match on the show so far. A worthy sequel to their brief but thrilling 2019 Best of the Super Juniors battle.
Ospreay insisted that the official raise his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, but Narita cut him off with a plancha. Ospreay crotched Narita over the top rope and booted him to the floor, where he dropped Narita spine-first over the barricade. Narita made it back inside before the 20 count.
Back in the ring, Ospreay dominated with strikes. He mocked Shibata by sitting cross-legged and folding his arms. Narita came back with suplexes for two. Ospreay countered the overhead belly-to-belly and hit the handspring enziguiri. Narita avoided a dive and hit the belly-to-belly out on the floor. Ospreay made it back in at 19 but was met with a heel hook from Narita. Ospreay countered into a German suplex.
They traded strikes from a kneeling position before rising to their feet. Ospreay hit his backflip enziguiri and went for the Stormbreaker, but Narita turned it into a rear naked choke. He transitioned into a cobra twist. Ospreay fought out, but Narita caught the hook kick and hit a German suplex for two. Ospreay countered a suplex into a cutter.
Ospreay called for the Oscutter, but Narita stopped it in its tracks. Ospreay instead hit a stack powerbomb for a near fall. Narita avoided a 450 splash and went for the Narita special. After a hard fight including palm strikes, Narita eventually got Ospreay turned over with the cloverleaf, but Ospreay eventually reached the ropes to force the break.
They had a stiff slap exchange until Ospreay caught Narita with the hook kick. They traded finisher attempts until Narita countered the Liger bomb attempt into a flying guillotine. Ospreay powered out and hit the Oscutter for a near fall. The Hidden Blade followed for the win.
**********
Moose defeated Juice Robinson (15:00)
Moose has just looked better overall as a wrestler in NJPW than in Impact.
Moose is the current Impact World Champion. They wrestled around to start until Moose took Juice out with a shoulder tackle. Juice fired back by sending Moose to the floor, where he hesitated on a plancha before settling on a running cannonball senton. Moose tried to chop Juice, but Juice moved out of the way and Moose chopped the ring post. Moose then sent Juice hard into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Moose maintained control with a one-arm spinebuster. He landed a crazy impactful chop on Juice, who fired back and wouldn’t go down. Juice landed his signature jabs and the Left Hand of God. He followed it up with a top-rope Frankensteiner and then a corner cannonball senton. A frog splash followed for two.
Juice looked for Pulp Friction, but Moose countered out of it and hit a dropkick followed by a powerbomb for a near fall. They traded hard strikes in the center of the ring. Juice countered a step-up with the Left Hand of God. Pulp Friction followed for a good near fall. Juice hit a big-time lariat for another near fall.
Moose popped up and hit the top-rope powerslam for a near fall. He kipped up, but Juice avoided the spear and rolled Moose up for two. Juice hit yet another Left Hand of God, but Moose came back with the spear for the win.
– After the match, Jonah Rock (formerly Bronson Reed in WWE) arrived and walked down to the ring. He stared down Moose, but then turned around and landed a senton on Juice Robinson. David Finlay ran out to make the save, but Rock easily dispatched him and crushed him with another senton. He then grabbed a mic and said “Jonah is here.” I guess he’s just “JONAH” (all caps) now.
**********
Kazuchika Okada defeated Buddy Matthews (16:31)
This was the second-shortest non-Young Lion Okada match all year, and I think the match was better for it, as long, drawn-out contests were a common criticism of the previous big NJPW USA show.
They performed a choreographed sequence early on where both men went for their finishers. Okada perched Matthews on the top rope and dropkicked him to the floor, where Matthews dropped Okada on the apron with a back suplex. In the ring, Matthews landed repeated soccer kicks, targeting Okada’s injured back.
Okada came back with a forearm and a flapjack. Back elbows and a DDT followed for two. Okada went for the Money Clip, but Matthews pushed his way out and sent Okada to the floor, landing a tope con giro.
Back in the ring, Okada avoided a missile dropkick and hit the air raid crash neckbreaker for two. He landed a top-rope elbow drop and performed the Rainmaker pose. Matthews ducked a Rainmaker and landed a knee and a buckle bomb. He clubbed Okada with repeated elbows until the official forced him to break, and then hit a curb stomp for a near fall.
Matthews mocked Okada with the Rainmaker pose. He went for a Rainmaker, but Okada countered it with a spinning version. Matthews fought out of a tombstone piledriver and hit a running knee but ran into a signature dropkick from Okada, who followed it up with the spinning tombstone. Matthews stopped a Rainmaker, but Okada’s grip wouldn’t break until he was caught with a knee.
Okada fought out of Murphy’s Law and hit Landslide followed by the Rainmaker for the win.
– After the match, Will Ospreay’s music played and he came out. “Long time no see, big brother” were his first words. He said the only reason Okada won the G1 was because Ospreay wasn’t in Japan. Since Okada won, however, Ospreay gave him permission to challenge the “real” world champion. Okada said he wouldn’t challenge Ospreay: Ospreay would have to challenge him.
Ospreay argued about who was the real world champion. He planned on waiting for NJPW to recognize him. Whoever wins between Okada and Shingo Takagi on January 4th will face Ospreay on January 5th at Wrestle Kingdom. Okada said he would make it rain in the Tokyo Dome.
**********
NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii defeated Jay White (c) to win the title (28:39)
This was long, classic NJPW main event epic style — for better and for worse. The crowd loved the finish. The title change was expected and could have interesting implications for Switchblade’s future if his contract rumors end up true.
They went back-and-forth at the bell until Ishii took White down with a shoulder block. White kept trying to slither away and escape Ishii’s attack until he surprised Ishii with a fireman’s carry throw across the ropes. White then repeatedly sent Ishii into the barricade. Back in the ring, White laid in multiple hard knife-edged chops.
White continued to dominate with dragon screws and more chops. Eventually, a shoulder tackle bought Ishii some breathing room, allowing him to come back with a powerslam. Ishii peppered White in the corner with chops and forearms. White returned fire with a spiking DDT.
Ishii fought out of a uranage attempt with a chop to the windpipe. White cheated by gouging at Ishii’s eyes and suplexed him into the corner. The Blade Buster followed for two. White couldn’t follow up with the Blade Runner, so he just chopped Ishii across the chest and flipped off the crowd. He mocked Ishii’s corner combinations until he was forced to break.
Switchblade kept up the attack until Ishii got that stony look on his face. He started leaning into White’s strikes until he just decked White with one forearm, sending him to the mat. They fought on the top rope, where Ishii desperately wanted a superplex, and he eventually hit it for a near fall.
Ishii tried to keep up the attack, but White countered the sliding lariat into his signature uranage. He then went for the Kiwi crusher, but Ishii fought out and they traded forearms in the center of the ring. White hit a strike combination and a back suplex, but Ishii popped up and came back with one of his own.
A Kiwi crusher from White got two as we lost commentary yet again. White wanted a sleeper suplex, but Ishii fought out and hit a German. White eventually did hit the sleeper suplex, but Ishii popped up and landed a hard lariat. White countered the sliding lariat with a clothesline of his own. He hit a brainbuster, but Ishii kicked out at one.
White was visibly frustrated at the 25-minute mark. Ishii countered a suplex with a headbutt and an enziguiri. White turned a lariat into a flatliner before hitting another sleeper suplex. Ishii countered the Blade Runner into a short-arm clothesline before landing the sliding lariat for a near fall. He called for the vertical drop brainbuster, but White fought out and they traded finisher attempts until Ishii hit a dragon suplex.
Ishii turned White inside out with a lariat for a near fall. The vertical drop brainbuster followed to earn Ishii the victory and the championship.
A new NEVER Openweight title match has been added to Battle in the Valley.
Jay White vs, Tomohiro Ishii has been added to NJPW’s event in San Jose, which takes place on November 13. Ishii has agreed to the stipulation that if he loses, he can never challenge for the NEVER Openweight Championship again. He agreed to the new stipulation after Jay White cut a promo accepting the challenge Ishii had issued back in September. White said he would only accept it, however, if the stipulation was added.
White vs. Ishii is the first match announced for Battle in the Valley, NJPW’s next major event in America. G1 Climax 31 winner Kazuchika Okada, Strong Openweight Champion Tom Lawlor, David Finlay, Juice Robinson, Lio Rush, Fred Rosser, Hikuleo, Ren Narita, and Will Ospreay have also been announced for the show.
Battle in the Valley will take place at the San Jose Civic Center.
The G1 Climax 31 A Block continued today in Hiroshima.
Tomohiro Ishii took on The Great-O-Khan in the main event, while Shingo Takagi faced Toru Yano in the semi-main.
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Yujiro Takahashi and Kota Ibushi vs. Tanga Loa were the other tournament matches today.
Hiromu Takahashi vs. KENTA and El Desperado vs. Ryohei Oiwa were the non-G1 matches.
Here are results and a report from the show.
**********
Recommended matches —
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Great-O-Khan
Hiromu Takahashi vs. KENTA
Kota Ibushi vs. Tanga Loa
Report —
El Desperado defeated Ryohei Oiwa (6:38)
This was a fun little battle.
They traded holds. Desperado fish hooked Oiwa to get the better of the grappling exchange. They then traded strikes. Desperado took the match back to the mat and went to work on Oiwa’s legs.
Oiwa hit a cool suplex out of a waistlock, then hit a dropkick. He tried for a crab, but Desperado fought him off and used an Indian deathlock. Oiwa tried to fight out with strikes, but eventually tapped out.
KENTA defeated Hiromu Takahashi (19:01)
Very good stuff. They worked Hiromu’s pace and KENTA more than held his own.
Hiromu hit a shotgun dropkick right off the bat. They brawled to the outside. Hiromu threw KENTA into the fence, but KENTA posted Hiromu to take control of the bout. KENTA mocked Tetsuya Naito’s signature taunt.
Hiromu made a comeback with a hurricanrana and a falcon arrow. KENTA escaped a dynamite plunger and hit a powerslam. KENTA hit a DDT for a near fall. KENTA hit a swing DDT across the top rope, then another DDT.
KENTA locked on Game Over. Hiromu fought out as KENTA tried to re-position the hold. KENTA low-bridged Hiromu to the floor. He teased a DDT off the apron, but Hiromu shoved KENTA into the security fence. KENTA hit a powerslam on the floor.
KENTA hit a stalling dropkick in the corner as Hiromu climbed back into the ring. KENTA missed with a double stomp off the top. Hiromu launched KENTA into the corner pad with a release German.
They traded strikes. KENTA bumped Hiromu into the referee and hit a DDT. With the ref out, KENTA brought a chair in. Hiromu dared KENTA to use the chair, so KENTA hit a series of strikes instead. They traded strikes. Hiromu hit the ropes, but KENTA tossed the chair at him. KENTA then hit two more chair shots and a Green Killer on the chair. The ref was revived, but Hiromu kicked out at two.
Hiromu escaped two GTS attempts, but KENTA hit him with a series of palm strikes to the face and neck. Hiromu tried to block a Busaiku knee with a lariat, but couldn’t get any power on it. They stumbled as Hiromu went for a victory royal, but Hiromu got it on his second attempt for a double down.
KENTA slid out of a Time Bomb attempt. Hiromu hit two thrust kicks and a lariat for a near fall. Hiromu hit a DVD into the corner pad. KENTA escaped another Time Bomb attempt, sent Hiromu into an exposed turnbuckle and used a schoolboy for the pin.
A Block: Kota Ibushi defeated Tanga Loa (w/Jado) (13:46)
This was not the most crisp effort in the sense that their timing wasn’t perfect, but they worked hard and had a great match.
Ibushi hit a dropkick and sent Loa rolling to the floor. Ibushi teased a running kick against the barricade, but Loa hit a spear on the floor. Back inside, Loa used a chinlock and an exploder.
Ibushi came back with a flying mid kick, a powerslam, then hit a second rope moonsault for a near fall. Loa hit a combination of strikes and a blue thunder bomb for a two count. Ibushi answered with a last ride for a two count.
Ibushi went for a Kamigoye to the back, but Loa reversed and hit his own Kamigoye to the back. Loa hit a powerbomb for a two count. They traded Germans, then traded poison ranas.
Ibushi hit a Bomaye. He tried to set up Kamigoye, but Loa hit a spear instead. Ibushi escaped Apesh*t and hit a tombstone.
Ibushi then hit Kamigoye to get the win.
A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Yujiro Takahashi (w/Pieter) (14:15)
Our run of good matches tonight ended here. This was a style clash to say the least.
Sabre was outclassing Yujiro on the mat early. Yujiro used the threat of a ref bump to set up a low blow, but Sabre blocked. Sabre continued to dominate on the mat.
Yujiro bit Sabre’s foot and hit a basement dropkick. Sabre rolled to the floor. Yujiro sent him into the barricade, then used his pimp cane as a weapon. Sabre beat the count back inside.
Yujiro worked Sabre over in a dull manner. Just slow-motion offense after slow-motion offense. Sabre blocked a fisherman buster and kicked at Yujiro’s left arm. Sabre continued to attack the arm. Yujiro answered with a reverse DDT.
Sabre reversed an Angle slam into a crucifix for a two count. Yujiro missed a sliding dropkick. Yujiro then hit the Angle slam. They traded strikes. Sabre got an octopus applied, but Yujiro hit Miami Shine out of it for a two count.
Yujiro hit Pimp Juice for a near fall. He went for Big Juice, but Sabre pretzeled him with a head scissors and a hammerlock. Yujiro tapped out.
A Block: Shingo Takagi defeated Toru Yano (8:17)
As Yano comedy matches go, this was certainly not a classic.
Yano produced two blindfolds. He threw one to Shingo and tried to get him to put it on. Shingo relented when the crowd cheered for it. As soon as he put his on, Yano took his own blindfold off and used a schoolboy for a two count.
They did some more comedy with the blindfolds, then dueled with the corner pads. Shingo hit chops and a senton for a near fall. They traded strikes, then pulled each other’s hair.
Yano hit a drop toe hold into an exposed buckle for a near fall, then hit a low blow for another. Shingo hit a lariat. He pulled Yano’s shirt over his head and hit a sliding lariat for a two count.
With Yano’s shirt still pulled over his head, Shingo hit Last of the Dragon for the pin.
A Block: Tomohiro Ishii defeated Great-O-Khan (26:26)
Ishii used every trick he knows to get a great match out of O-Khan.
Neither would go down as they traded shoulder tackles. O-Khan used a misdirection shoulder tackle to finally send Ishii to the mat. They traded strikes. Ishii scored a knockdown off a forearm strike, but sold his right arm after.
They fought to the outside. O-Khan sent Ishii into the barricade. Ishii sold his arm and his lower back. Back inside, Ishii avoided O-Khan sitting on his neck in the corner, but O-Khan hit a Mongolian chop off the middle rope.
Ishii hit a tackle, then a series of chops. Ishii hit a vertical suplex. O-Khan caught Ishii charging in and hit a throw. O-Khan tied Ishii to the tree of woe and hit a sliding dropkick. The referee freed Ishii from the corner.
They traded chops as the match reset. O-Khan hit two Mongolian chops. Ishii stepped out of the way of a third and hit a backdrop suplex. Each no-sold forearm shots from the other. O-Khan finally dropped Ishii with a heavy forearm in the corner at 15 minutes.
Ishii blocked a superplex and hit a powerbomb out of the corner for a two count. O-Khan blocked a sliding lariat and used a head and arm choke. Ishii escaped and hit a divorce court, then used a kimura. He slipped to a cross armbreaker, but O-Khan forced a break.
Ishii blocked an iron claw. They traded some working headbutts, then Ishii hit a headbutt to the chest. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for a two count.
O-Khan escaped a brainbuster. Ishii blocked a pump kick. O-Khan hit a gordbuster into a double down at 20 minutes.
O-Khan hit a back suplex for a two count. Ishii hit forearm strikes. O-Khan hit a pounce. O-Khan blocked a lariat and locked on the sheep killer. O-Khan hit a tombstone driver, but Ishii kicked out at two.
Ishii escaped the Eliminator. Ishii hit a German. O-Khan rolled through on the suplex and hit a pump kick. O-Khan hit the ropes, but ran into a lariat. O-Khan kicked out at one.
O-Khan ducked a lariat and hit his own clothesline just past 25 minutes. They teased finishers. Ishii hit an enzuigiri. Ishii hit a lariat. O-Khan kicked out at two.
Ishii hit the Vertical Drop Brainbuster and got the pin.
**********
Here is the lineup for the next show:
G1 Climax 31 night 12, Friday, October 8, 6 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
Announcers Kevin Kelly and Alex Koslov opened the show in front of a new backdrop that read “New Japan: Fighting Spirit Unleashed.” Kelly explained that over the next three weeks on Strong we’ll be seeing the new Fighting Spirit Unleashed that culminates in a Strong Openweight title match between champion Tom Lawlor and Lio Rush. This was the first episode of Strong that featured a live audience at ringside.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Alex Coughlin
This was great. This was the first of Coughlin’s Challenge Match Series, or a series of bouts against senior NJPW stars. This is similar to what both Yota Tsuji and Yuta Uemura completed this year, their final obstacle before becoming a full-time NJPW roster member. Coughlin will soon be a Young Lion no more.
Coughlin got right in Ishii’s face before the “Stone Pitbull” had even stepped into the ring. They started off with a long collar and elbow tie-up until they were forced to break when they were up against the ropes. Coughlin landed a cheap shot as they broke the hold. Just as you’d expect, Ishii dished out a brutal receipt of chops and elbows. Coughlin’s chest was pink not even five minutes into this.
Coughlin came back and put Ishii down with a flying shoulder block, then a deadlift gutwrench suplex for two. Ishii responded with even harder combinations of strikes in the corner. He scored a two-count with a huge angle backdrop suplex.
Coughlin immediately sprung back up after Ishii put him down again with a vertical suplex. He’d also use a backdrop suplex on Ishii for a two of his own, and later his signature bridging fall-away slam, again for two. They did a tit-for-tat elbow spot next, but Coughlin was able to power up again and hit Ishii with a spear. It wasn’t enough, though, and Ishii put Coughlin away with a vertical drop brainbuster to win in just over nine minutes.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Clark Connors & Karl Fredericks defeated the Stray Dog Army (Bateman, Barrett Brown & Misterioso)
Tanahashi making an appearance on tonight’s episode was kind of surreal. His presence alone felt like it elevated the match from the get-go. Just watching him pose on the top corner turnbuckle and show his IWGP US championship did something to alter the dynamic of the match before it even started.
The Stray Dog Army is a new name for the gang of three led by Bateman. They jaw-jacked with the babyface team before the match was underway. The crowd chanted for Tanahashi before this started; Tana humbly declined the praise with a “no, no” hand gesture.
Fredericks and Misterioso kicked things off for their teams. SDA triple-teamed him early, but Fredericks was able to land a cross body block and tag out to Connors.
Later, Fredericks and Tanahashi landed a double-team elbow drop, and then all three played simultaneous air guitar, which was awesome.
Brown tagged in next and shut Connors down with a suplex into the corner. Bateman was next and used his usual dirty wrestling tactics on Connors. Tonight he fishhooked Connors’ nose right in front of the referee.
SDA worked over Connors for a few more minutes, using quick tags in and out to keep the pressure on Connors. When Connors was finally able to make it to the red corner, Misterioso and Brown pulled Tanahashi and Fredericks off the apron so Connors couldn’t tag out.
Finally, Connors was able to tag out to Tanahashi, and what a hot tag it was. Tana cleaned house, then did a double-elbow drop to Misterioso and Brown. The crowd was probably at its loudest by this point as the crowd started chanting “Go Ace!”
They did a spot where first Brown took out Fredericks, then Connors took out Brown, Tanahashi slingbladed Brown, Bateman suckerpunched Tanahashi, and finally Fredericks came back and took out Bateman with an enzuigiri kick. Everyone was laid out and the crowd let out more loud cheers and a “this is awesome” chant, the first on Strong ever.
Fredericks would lay Brown out with Manifest Destiny to pick up the win for his team. Everyone looked great in this, but having both Tanahashi and a live audience really enhanced the match quality and made it feel more meaningful than the usual six-man tags on the show.
“It’s obvious: This asshole running around this place right now is—and always was—the real Will Ospreay.” Fredericks grabbed the mic afterwards and immediately called out Ospreay, saying he’d become a prick since “turning over a new leaf,” or becoming a heel and forming the United Empire with the Great O-Khan and Jeff Cobb. He said he wasn’t the same Young Boy he was 18 months ago and now, he’s a killer. He then issued a strongly worded challenge to Ospreay, who appeared with his version of the IWGP World Heavyweight title. The two then got into a wild brawl where Fredericks ended up tearing Ospreay’s pink dress shirt off his back. Ospreay then laid Fredericks out with the Hidden Blade back elbow, grabbed the mic and left Fredericks with these words: “I’ll see you in Dallas, Young Boy.”
Hikuleo defeated Juice Robinson in a tables match
The first person to put their opponent through a table would win, which meant no pinfalls, submissions, count-outs or disqualifications.
This was a rematch from their bout at Resurgence last month, and tonight’s match was much better. Robinson went after Hikuleo before the bell sounded. He threw Hikuleo into the corner and laid in a number of closed fists to his head, but Hikuleo was able to lift Robinson onto his own shoulders in position to be power bombed. Robinson bit his way out of the hold, then kicked him in the groin. The juice was loose, indeed.
Robinson ran off the apron and and landed onto Hikuleo with a somersault senton. The crowd was very into him at this show. Robinson tried suplexing Hikuleo through a table but couldn’t swing it. Hikuleo later back body-dropped Robinson onto the floor. Robinson dropkicked a table into Hikuleo’s face, then caught him with a pescado back on the floor.
When Robinson went to the top rope later, Hikuleo press slammed him off of it and back into the ring. He’d then set up a table in the corner and attempted to impale Robinson through it, but Robinson dodged it and Hikuleo went through the table. Since Robinson himself didn’t put Hikuleo through the table, the match was still on.
Robinson tried putting Hikuleo through a table with a diving senton off the top but Hikuleo moved, and Robinson landed on the table neck-first and actually split the table, although not fully. Hikuleo finished Robinson off next with a Tongan Driller through a table, thus winning the match in ten minutes.
Final thoughts:
This was definitely the most “big time” episode of NJPW Strong. With the live crowd, bigger set, and stars like Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay and Tomohiro Ishii showing up, the entire show felt elevated and more important than usual. This might be a good jumping on point for anyone wanting to get into Strong now that hasn’t already.
Next week sees Fred Rosser vs. Ren Narita in the main event, plus Jay White vs. Wheeler Yuta in singles action.
The G1 Climax 31 tournament kicked off today in Osaka with A Block action.
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi and Tomohiro Ishii squared off in the main event, while Tetsuya Naito took on Zack Sabre Jr. in the semi-main.
Here are results and a report from today’s show.
**********
Recommended matches —
Shingo Takagi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Report —
SHO defeated Ryohei Oiwa (6:08)
Great intensity from both guys in this quick opener.
Oiwa fired off a series of strikes right away. SHO quickly cut him off and dropped him with a forearm. SHO took the fight to the floor and whipped Oiwa into the barricade.
SHO stayed on offense as the fight returned to the ring. Oiwa made a fiery comeback and ht a series of strikes and a slam. SHO avoided a crab, then hit a lariat to halt Oiwa’s momentum.
SHO used the Snake Bite and Oiwa tapped out.
G1 Climax 31 A Block: Yujiro Takahashi (w/Pieter) defeated Kota Ibushi (11:31)
So the story they’re telling is that Ibushi has yet to fully recover from pneumonia and is vulnerable. Still, this was a pretty shocking result.
Ibushi hit one dropkick early, but this was pretty much all Yujiro. Yujiro hit stomps. Yujiro kicked Ibushi off the top rope to the floor as he tried a springboard attack. Yujiro used his walking stick to hit Ibushi. Yujiro hit some stomps.
Ibushi made a comeback with a mid kick, a striking combination and a standing moonsault. Ibushi hit a snap rana and sent Yujiro to the floor. Yujiro blocked the Golden Triangle moonsault off the post and sent Ibushi crashing to the floor. Yujiro hit a reverse DDT on the floor.
Back in, Yujiro used a boot and a fisherman buster for a near fall. Yujiro ducked a high kick and hit an Angle slam for another two count. Ibushi fought off two Miami Shine attempts and hit a high kick and a last ride for a near fall.
Yujiro blocked Kamigoye. Ibushi blocked Pimp Juice and hit a v-trigger. Yujiro used the threat of a ref bump to hit a low blow and Pimp Juice for a two count.
Yujiro hit a Big Juice implant DDT and got the pin.
G1 Climax 31 A Block: Great-O-Khan defeated Tanga Loa (w/Jado) (17:45)
Booking these guys to go more than ten minutes with each other is promotional malpractice, but this is also the same company that booked Chase Owens and Toru Yano to go nearly half an hour two weeks ago.
They began with a long collar and elbow, ending in a stalemate. O-Khan rolled outside and Jado threatened to get involved, but stayed away from O-Khan at this point.
Loa took over after a spear. Loa took the ref and threw O-Khan outside. Jado chopped O-Khan and hit him with a kendo stick. Loa hit a suplex on the floor for a countout tease.
O-Khan made a comeback with an inverted suplex and some of his unconventional offense. They traded strikes. Loa got a two count off a lariat. Jado took the ref for some reason as Loa locked on the OJK. The interference didn’t lead to anything. O-Khan forced a rope break.
Loa got a two count after a blue thunder bomb. They traded strikes, then O-Khan used a standing choke. Jado hobbled into the ring and O-Khan bumped him. Loa avoided an Eliminator and hit a powerbomb for a two count.
O-Khan avoided a Michinoku Driver and hit the Eliminator to end this.
G1 Climax 31 A Block: Toru Yano defeated KENTA (11:07)
Yano G1 matches are a wrestling comedy artform. You have to learn to love them, or else you’ll just be miserable all month.
KENTA gave the ring announcer a sheet of accomplishments to read off to match the length of Yano’s introduction.
The referee confiscated a roll of athletic tape from each man before the bell.
KENTA stalled for the first minute. Yano then followed suit and rolled outside. They did some comedy. KENTA sprayed Yano in the eyes with hand sanitizer. They fought on the ramp and the stage.
KENTA stashed two rolls of tape on the entrance stage. Yano threw one away, but KENTA used the other to tape Yano to the entrance truss. Yano freed himself and beat the count back in.
Yano exposed a turnbuckle and hit a slingshot on KENTA into it. Yano used a schoolboy for two. KENTA sent Yano into the exposed steel and hit a Shibata dropkick. KENTA hit a double stomp off the top for two.
Yano avoided a GTS. They pulled each other’s hair. They fought to the outside. KENTA bumped Yano into the ref. KENTA taped Yano’s wrists together and threw him under the ring, then revived the ref. Yano beat the count back in and hit a low blow and a schoolboy for a near fall.
Yano used another low blow and cradled KENTA for the pin.
G1 Climax 31 A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Tetsuya Naito (27:05)
This was excellent. These two don’t always have the best matches with each other for some reason, but the psychology here was perfect. Naito always goes after the neck, Sabre went after Naito’s knees, Naito gave out first.
They opened with some chain wrestling. Each won one of the two opening exchanges. Sabre used a neck crank to send Naito outside. Back in, Sabre used Naito’s own arms to choke him. Naito would try to reverse, but Sabre kept working back to the same position.
Naito made a comeback ten minutes in with a dropkick and his combinacion cabron in the corner. Sabre cut Naito off again with an ankle pick and a PK. Sabre laid in some uppercut forearms.
Sabre blocked a swing DDT and a flying forearm, then used Naito’s momentum to hit a dragon suplex for a two count. Naito then connected with a DDT and began to target Sabre’s neck to soften it up for Destino.
Naito hit Esperanza. Sabre caught Naito coming in and used a heel hook with a body scissors, but Naito fought to the ropes to force a break. Sabre tried a knee breaker, but Naito blocked and hit a spike DDT.
Naito went for a top rope frankensteiner, but Sabre blocked and used an octopus on the top rope. Sabre hit a sunset bomb off the top for a two count. Sabre used another heel hook, Naito forced another break.
Sabre kicked at Naito’s legs. Naito hit Destino, but could not follow with a cover. They traded strikes. Naito blocked a Zack Driver and hit Valentia. Sabre blocked Destino and used a clutch for a two count.
Sabre hit a dropkick to the legs and a leg sweep. Sabre hit a double stomp to the knees. Sabre tried a Zack Driver, but Naito countered into a clunky Destino.
Sabre used a double wristlock with a body scissors on the mat, almost a modified octopus hold from a seated position, he calls it YES! I AM A LONG WAY FROM HOME. After a ref stoppage tease, Naito tapped out.
Naito continued to sell his knees as he was helped to the back after the match.
This was everything you would expect from these two. Hard-hitting and a great match with insane pacing that flew by. Big, meaty men slapping meat.
They began at a crazy pace, firing off shoulder tackle attempts and trading forearms. Shingo scored the first knockdown. They fought to the floor, where Ishii hit a powerslam on the floor to establish the early advantage.
Back in, Shingo hammered away with forearms. Shingo dodged a headbutt and hit a DDT to win back control of the match. Shingo hit a series of strikes and a senton. Shingo hit some taunting kicks, so Ishii fired up and began to no-sell Shingo’s strikes. Ishii dropped Shingo with a forearm.
Ishii continued to fire off chops and forearms in the corner. Shingo fired back and dropped Ishii with a forearm. Shingo then began hammering away with strikes in the corner. Shingo hit a diving back elbow off the top for a two count.
Ishii avoided a sliding lariat, but Shingo hit a vertical suplex. Ishii answered with his own vertical suplex. Each no-sold two suplexes from the other. Shingo hit a sliding lariat on his second attempt.
Shingo hit a top rope superplex for a two count. Shingo hit a lariat. Ishii stumbled. Ishii fired off a lariat and dropped Shingo. Ishii ducked a lariat and hit another lariat. Ishii dropped Shingo as he tried a superplex. They realized what was happening as Ishii was losing his grip and Shingo was able to land safely.
Ishii hit the superplex on a second attempt. Shingo answered with a clothesline. They traded short forearm strikes. Shingo hit Made in Japan for a two count. Shingo hit a short clothesline to the back of the neck. Ishii hit a German. Shingo popped up and hit another lariat for a two count.
Ishii reversed Last of the Dragon into a crucifix bomb for a two count. They hit simultaneous lariats. Ishii hit an enzuigiri and bumped Shingo into the referee., but Red Shoes popped right back up. Ishii hit a powerbomb with a stack cover for a two count. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for another near fall.
Ishii blocked the Vertical Drop Brainbuster and hit a death valley driver. Ishii hit a half-and-half suplex and another lariat for another two count. Shingo blocked another brainbuster attempt and hit a dragon suplex.
Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber, Ishii kicked out at two. Ishii hit a series of chops. They traded headbutts.
Shingo blocked a forearm shot and lifted Ishii for Last of the Dragon and pinned him.
**********
Here is the lineup for tomorrow:
G1 Climax 31 night two, Sunday, September 19, 1 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
The Stone Pitbull is coming back to the United States.
Tomohiro Ishii has been announced for a set of NJPW Strong tapings to be held in Riverside, California on November 15.
NJPW announced the tapings during tonight’s Resurgence event in Los Angeles. Ishii defeated Moose at the event.
Ishii will also be a part of the Strong tapings set for this Monday in Long Beach, California.
No matches have been announced for the Strong tapings, but the event will be branded as NJPW Detonation.
NJPW’s US expansion efforts are back in full force this fall, with events now scheduled for Texas in September, Pennsylvania in October and now California in November.
Tickets for the tapings will go on sale Tuesday, August 17 at noon Eastern time.
Here is the full talent list advertised for Riverside:
NJPW has added Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii to the lineup for their August 16 NJPW Strong taping in California.
The appearances will mark the first NJPW Strong appearances for Tanahashi and Ishii. Strong has primarily used a United States-based roster in its year of existence. Rare appearances from Satoshi Kojima and Yuji Nagata have been exceptions.
Two days earlier at NJPW Resurgence in Los Angeles, Tanahashi will challenge Lance Archer for the IWGP United States Championship, while Ishii will face Impact Wrestling’s Moose on that show.
The taping will be the first ticketed NJPW Strong taping in history and tickets for the events have sold out.
NJPW released a video message from Tanahashi to promote the Strong appearance. The video can be seen below.
Here is the full talent list advertised for the Fighting Spirit Unleashed episodes of NJPW Strong to be taped on August 16:
A new match has been announced for NJPW Resurgence at The Torch at LA Coliseum on August 14.
NJPW’s Tomohiro Ishii will take on Impact Wrestling’s Moose at Resurgence. NJPW made the announcement this evening.
This will mark the second singles meeting between Ishii and Moose. They faced off on a 2016 Ring of Honor/NJPW War of the Worlds show in Michigan, a match that Ishii won.
Ishii vs. Moose is the sixth match announced for Resurgence. The show will air on NJPW World and FITE TV on Saturday, August 14 at 11 p.m. Eastern time.
Here is the lineup so far:
NEVER Openweight Championship: Jay White (c) vs. David Finlay
IWGP United States Championship: Lance Archer (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Jon Moxley & a mystery partner vs. Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson
Fred Rosser, Rocky Romero & Wheeler Yuta vs. TJP, Clark Connors & Ren Narita
The NJPW Summer Struggle tour continued today on the third of four consecutive days with major NJPW shows.
Hiroshi Tanahashi took on KENTA in the main event, while Tomohiro Ishii battled EVIL in the semi-main.
With Kota Ibushi’s status as the main event challenger for Shingo Takagi’s IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in question, the winner of today’s main event would seem to be the logical fill-in should Ibushi not yet be recovered from his bout with pneumonia.
Eagles pinned the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion a day before their title match. That was the only thing of note in this opener, as they didn’t get much time.
Suzuki-gun used a jumpstart attack to begin the match and cut YOH off. YOH managed a tag to SHO. DOUKI hit a cool suplex on SHO for a two count. SHO answered with a spear.
Desperado and Eagles got tags. Desperado used Numero Dos, but Eagles forced a break. Eagles used the Ron Miller Special, but Kanemaru saved for Desperado. Kanemaru entered to double up Eagles. Desperado hit Guitarra de Angel for a two count.
Desperado went for Pinche Loco. Eagles blocked, then rolled Desperado up for the flash pinfall.
**********
After the match, Desperado hit Eagles with a right hand and used a chair on the left leg of the challenger.
There was a lot of butt stuff with Taguchi in the early part of the match. Bullet Club rebounded and isolated YH in their corner. Ishimori and ELP used their comedy tandem offense on YH. YH came back with a headhunter to Ishimori.
Romero got a hot tag and hit forever clotheslines on ELP and Ishimori, then a double rana. Ishimori blocked sliced bread. Romero hit a rewind kick. Taguchi tagged in for hip attacks. Jado caused a distraction with a kendo stick, then tagged in.
Bullet Club went 4-on-1 against Taguchi. Jado used the OJK, but Romero saved. The match broke down as everyone climbed in.
Taguchi ducked a kendo stick shot from Jado and trapped him in an ankle lock for the submission.
**********
There was a short angle after the match. ELP and Ishimori tried to attack Taguchi and Romero after the bell. Taguchi caught ELP in an ankle lock and tried to reveal the contents of ELP’s loaded boot, but Ishimori saved.
**********
Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano defeated Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan by countout (10:52)
Okada and Cobb were very good together and should tear the house down tomorrow. The rest of this was a Yano match.
Okada threw his entrance gear at Cobb and brawled to the floor with him before the bell. O-Khan and Yano began the match as the legal men. Yano exposed a buckle, but that gave O-Khan an opening to go on the offensive. O-Khan and Cobb beat Yano down.
Cobb and Okada tagged in for an extended preview of their bout tomorrow. Cobb hit a throw. Okada blocked a spin cycle and tried the Money Clip, but Cobb blocked that. Okada hit a flapjack into a double down.
O-Khan and Yano tagged back in. O-Khan used a cobra twist with the claw applied, but Yano forced a break. Yano sent O-Khan into the exposed turnbuckle. O-Khan used a head and arm choke. Cobb and Okada jumped back in and broke the hold up.
All four brawled to the floor. Yano produced handcuffs and cuffed O-Khan to something under the ring. He was actually a second late beating the count back inside, but the ref called it for Yano anyway as O-Khan was counted out.
**********
Okada hit Cobb with a dropkick after the match. Cobb tossed a chair into the ring. Okada stood on the chair and taunted Cobb ahead of their match tomorrow.
Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura came to the ring to free O-Khan. He responded by beating them up.
Honma was good yesterday. Honma had a rough time today in the third of three straight days with this same matchup.
Honma was quickly cut off and LIJ worked on him in their half of the ring. Wato finally got a tag and hit BUSHI with a springboard forearm. Wato hit a tope con giro to both BUSHI and Shingo. Wato and BUSHI traded spots. They may have been having some communication issues.
Shingo got a tag and hit a series of chops and strikes to Wato. Wato hit a great pop-up hurricanrana. Honma climbed in for a double team. Wato got a two count on Shingo.
Shingo hit Wato with a pop-up DVD and a sliding lariat. Honma entered for a kokeshi. He teased a Kamigoye, but BUSHI saved and pulled Honma to the floor.
Shingo hit Wato with a Pumping Bomber for a two count. Wato used a crucifix bomb and a cradle for a pair of near falls.
Shingo blocked a kick and used Wato’s momentum to lift him for Made in Japan and the pin.
Ishii always delivers in big matches and this was no exception.
Ishii attacked before the opening bell and beat both EVIL and Togo all around ringside. He sent EVIL into the guardrail in the aisle and broke a piece of it.
Ishii teased a brainbuster on the ramp on EVIL, but Togo made the save. Ishii chased Togo into the ring. Togo distracted Ishii just long enough for EVIL to slide in with a lariat and take control of the match.
EVIL used his baseball swing chair shot on Ishii. Ishii made it back in after a countout tease. EVIL bumped Ishii into the barricade and the ring announcer took a bump. Back inside, EVIL sent Ishii into an exposed turnbuckle. EVIL used a half-crab.
Ishii fired up after a series of EVIL chops and hit a chop to the throat. Both were down selling the chops. EVIL again sent Ishii into the buckle, but Ishii charged out and hit a lariat. Ishii hit a long series of chops and forearm strikes in the corner.
EVIL stopped Ishii’s momentum with an eye poke. Togo pulled Ishii outside and whipped him into the barricade. EVIL sent Ishii back outside again. This time Ishii reversed a Togo whip into the barricade. Ishii then pulled EVIL to the ring announcer’s seat and bumped Togo into the barricade as a measure of justice.
Back in, Ishii hit a vertical suplex for a two count at the 15 minute mark. EVIL whipped Ishii into the buckle and hit a fisherman buster out of it. EVIL hit a superplex for a two count. Ishii blocked an attempt at the scorpion deathlock.
EVIL sent Ishii into the ref. The ref was bumped just long enough for Togo to get in for a Magic Killer and a near fall. Ishii blocked Darkness Falls. EVIL took a front turnbuckle into the exposed steel. Ishii hit a backdrop suplex into a double down.
Ishii hit a clothesline and a Vertical Drop Brainbuster off the middle rope for a two count. Ishii sent EVIL into Togo on the apron. Togo took a great bump to the floor. Ishii hit a sliding lariat for another near fall.
Ishii blocked Everything is EVIL and hit a headbutt. Ishii slid to the apron. EVIL kicked the middle rope into his groin for a low blow. EVIL then hit Darkness Falls for a two count. EVIL hit a lariat after a series of reversals for another two count. Ishii again blocked Everything is EVIL with a headbutt at 25 minutes.
EVIL took the ref. Togo jumped in with his ligature. Ishii fought him off and hit him with a headbutt. Ishii blocked an EVIL low blow and hit an enzuigiri. Ishii hit a massive lariat for another two count. EVIL bumped Ishii into the ref.
Yujiro ran in with his cane. Ishii blocked the cane shot. EVIL hit Ishii with a low blow. Yujiro hit Ishii with Pimp Juice. EVIL then finally hit Everything is EVIL for the pin.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated KENTA (24:51)
Tanahashi’s incredible year continues. Another great main event performance from him here.
Katsuyori Shibata was on commentary for this match. This would prove important.
KENTA did some of his customary stalling at the opening bell. Tana got off a flurry of offense, including a crossbody and a senton. KENTA came back by whipping Tana to the outside. He hit a double stomp off the apron, then sent Tana into the barricade.
KENTA took some time to jaw with Shibata.
Back in the ring, KENTA hit a neckbreaker for a two count. KENTA used a chinlock. KENTA took his knee pad down and teased a knee drop, but hit a short kick instead. KENTA played some air bass guitar.
Tana fired up after a series of punches and kicks from KENTA. Tana hit a flying forearm and a dragon screw out of the corner. He connected with two more dragon screws in the center of the ring. Tana used his Texas Clover Hold, but KENTA forced a break.
Tana blocked a swing DDT attempt, but KENTA connected on a powerslam. KENTA hit some kicks and a fisherman’s suplex for a two count. KENTA hit a clothesline off the top rope for another two count.
Tana blocked a draping DDT attempt. KENTA hit a hotshot over the top rope, then hit a draping DDT off the apron to the floor. Tana made it back in after a countout tease.
KENTA hit a Shibata dropkick in the corner. Tana blocked a Go 2 Sleep and hit another dragon screw. They traded heavy forearm shots. Tana got the best of the long exchange, dropping KENTA.
KENTA repeatedly tried to send Tana into the referee, even chasing Red Shoes around the ring, but Tana avoided the bump and hit a dropkick to the knee. Tana tried a dropkick in the corner, but this time KENTA pulled Red Shoes in the way for a ref bump.
With the referee down, KENTA hit a low blow. KENTA produced his old IWGP US title shot briefcase and used that as a weapon as well.
Shibata got in the ring and hit KENTA with a pump kick. He then revived Red Shoes and Tanahashi.
KENTA reversed slingblade into a G2S attempt. Tana reversed that into twist and shout. Tana then hit two slingblades. KENTA blocked a third slingblade with a Busaiku knee. He hit a second running knee strike for a near fall. Tana blocked another G2S attempt and hit a dragon suplex.
Tana then hit the Shibata dropkick to a massive reaction.
Tana then hit two High Fly Flows and got the pin.
**********
Tanahashi shook hands with Shibata after the match.
Tana then cut this amazing babyface promo. He was practically in tears. The NJPW Global Twitter account translated the promo:
“Right now, I’m going to be honest and humble with you. Thank you. Thank you for being here…
If we can draw enough power from one another we can overcome anything and live through everything. That’s what pro-wrestling is about.
And although I’m sweaty, I’m not tired. This tireless body will pull NJPW into the future.
Thank you for your support. Keep taking care of yourselves, stay healthy and enjoy pro-wrestling. FINALLY- one more thing. Tomorrow. The Tokyo Dome. The main event… is still uncertain. So can I make a little appeal?
If I’m needed (to fill in for Ibushi tomorrow) – I am ready! AIshitemasu!”
Tana played air guitar to close the show
**********
Here is the lineup for tomorrow:
NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in Tokyo Dome, Sunday, July 25, 3 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Tetsuya Naito & SANADA (c) vs. Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. Robbie Eagles
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo (c) vs. Rocky Romero & Ryusuke Taguchi
Pre-show New Japan Ranbo for the provisional KOPW 2021
NJPW’s Kizuna Road tour continued today at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Three singles matches headlined the show, serving as previews for tomorrow’s NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship match main event.
Tomohiro Ishii took on Yuji Nagata in the main event, Hirooki Goto vs. Satoshi Kojima was the semi-main, while the third match featured YOSHI-HASHI taking on Hiroyoshi Tenzan. Ishii, Goto and YOSHI-HASHI defend the NEVER Six-Man titles against Nagata, Kojima and Tenzan on tomorrow’s show, which will air for free on NJPW World.
A pair of trios matches rounded out today’s card.
Below are results and a report on today’s show.
**********
Recommended matches —
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yuji Nagata
Satoshi Kojima vs. Hirooki Goto
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Report —
Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado defeated El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI (10:22)
Desperado and Ishimori began with some solid chain wrestling. Desperado and DOUKI cut Ishimori off and briefly worked him over. Kanemaru got a tag and Jado used a kendo stick shot from the floor to turn the tide in Bullet Club’s favor.
Bullet Club worked Kanemaru over with their comedy back rakes. Kanemaru made a comeback on ELP. Ishimori and Desperado tagged back in for another solid exchange. Ishimori hit a handspring kick. Desperado hit a spinebuster, then tagged DOUKI for the closing stretch.
Ishimori pinned DOUKI after hitting a Bloody Cross.
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI (12:24)
This was different than I expected. Rather than a house show brawl, they had a very good wrestling match.
SANADA and Sabre began with a nice grappling battle. LIJ isolated Sabre and went to work on his left arm. Sabre came back with a kick to Naito’s left arm. Suzuki-gun then dragged LIJ to the floor and turned this into a brawl.
Back in, Suzuki and Sabre stretched Naito. Naito was isolated in the Suzuki-gun corner. SANADA, Taichi, Sabre and Naito did some four-way spots, then Suzuki and BUSHI got tags.
BUSHI hit a tope suicida. Suzuki kicked out of a swinging neckbreaker, then used a misdirection spot to set up a rear naked choke. He went for the Gotch-style Piledriver, but SANADA saved with a dropkick.
Everyone jumped in for a big move. Taichi got a tag. BUSHI blocked Zack Mephisto and hit a double rana.
Taichi hit an axe bomber and removed his trousers. Taichi blocked a rewind kick and hit a backdrop suplex. Sabre and Suzuki ran interference on SANADA and Naito.
Taichi then submitted BUSHI with the Seitei Jujiro (stretch plum).
YOSHI-HASHI defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan (14:30)
They knew they had to get a lot out of very little. YH is far from a ring general and Tenzan’s body has betrayed him. This was passable if grading on that curve. The effort is always there with Tenzan.
YH dominated the first five minutes of brawling. He teased breaking cleanly, but slapped Tenzan across the face. Tenzan hit a shoulder tackle. YH dragged Tenzan to the floor and whipped him into the barricade.
Tenzan came back with a wheel kick and his signature brainbuster. Tenzan tried an ugly top rope neckbreaker. He used the Anaconda Vice, but YH forced a rope break. Tenzan got the better of a striking battle. YH hit a headhunter. YH used the Butterfly Lock, but Tenzan powered out.
They traded strikes. Tenzan hit Mongolian chops. They exchanged headbutts to the chest. Tenzan used the Anaconda Vice, then hit an Anaconda Buster for a near fall. Tenzan missed a diving headbutt off the top.
YH hit a lariat and a meteora, then used the Butterfly Lock to pick up the submission win.
Satoshi Kojima defeated Hirooki Goto (15:11)
The story here was simple — Kojima only wins matches with a lariat, so Goto tried to take away Kojima’s arms. Kojima overcame and hit a lariat to win.
Kojima broke cleanly after locking up. After locking up again, Goto refused to do the same and hit a kick to the gut. Kojima came back with a tackle. On the floor, Kojima sent Goto into the barricade. Goto reversed a whip and sent Kojima into the barricade.
Kojima tried a lariat on the floor, but hit the post with his left arm. Goto then went to work on the left arm, wrenching it over the barricade. Goto continued the arm work as they got back in. Goto then went after the right arm with a cross armbreaker.
Goto continued working over both arms. Kojima no-sold a back suplex and hit his own back suplex. They battled in the corner. Kojima hit machine gun chops and a top rope elbow for a near fall.
Goto hit a misdirection lariat, wheel kick in the corner, then a running bulldog for a near fall. Kojima blocked an ushigoroshi. Goto teased a diving elbow. Kojima blocked and hit a lariat, sending Goto crashing to the floor at the 10 minute call.
They traded strikes, then hit simultaneous lariats. Goto went down, Kojima did not. Kojima hit a cutter for a near fall. Goto ducked a lariat and hit an ushigoroshi into a double down. Kojima hit a left arm lariat for a two count.
Goto blocked a lariat and hit a GTR, but didn’t go for a cover. Goto hit a draping GTR, but Kojima kicked out. Kojima blocked a kick.
Goto ducked two lariats, but Kojima caught him with a third lariat and scored the pin.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Yuji Nagata (22:20)
I had high hopes for this and was not disappointed. Ishii always delivers and Nagata can still go with the right type of opponent. This was excellent.
Ishii avoided Nagata’s dropkick to the knee. Nagata avoided Ishii’s sliding lariat. After locking up, Ishii teased breaking cleanly against the ropes. Instead, he slapped Nagata across the face.
Nagata got a cross armbreaker applied, then gave up the hold to work a different armbar. Ishii forced a rope break. Nagata hit a series of kicks. Ishii hit a powerslam.
This is where the chops started.
Ishii chopped the living hell out of Nagata’s chest, leaving it blistered. Ishii hit a series of kicks to the back. Nagata sold all of these strikes for everything he was worth. Ishii hit another series of chops. Nagata came back with a kitchen sink and checked out the damage to his chest.
Nagata hit a series of kicks to Ishii’s chest. Nagata hit a running boot in the corner. Ishii blocked an exploder, but Nagata connected on a butterfly suplex for a near fall. Ishii reversed a brainbuster attempt into a suplex.
They traded forearms. Nagata’s strikes got more powerful as Ishii’s power faded. Ishii dropped Nagata with a forearm, then hit a combination of forearms and chops in the corner. Ishii blocked a kick and hit a German off a whip out of the buckle.
Ishii hit a delayed superplex for a near fall. Nagata blocked a lariat and used a crossface. Ishii tried to force a break, but Nagata rolled through and re-applied the hold in the middle. Ishii finally crawled to the ropes to force a break.
Nagata hit a series of kicks, then went to work on Ishii’s left arm to set up the Nagata Lock. Selling with his left arm hanging at his side, Ishii hit a series of strikes. Nagata dropped Ishii with one forearm.
Nagata hit a second rope exploder for a two count. Nagata hit a PK. Ishii blocked a high angle suplex. Nagata hit a knee strike to the chest. Ishii blocked a kick and hit a lunging headbutt into a double down.
They traded slaps to the face for an extended period of time. Ishii hit an enzuigiri. Nagata hit an exploder. Ishii no-sold it and hit a lariat for a near fall. Nagata blocked a brainbuster and hit a spinning kick.
Nagata hit a step-up knee in the corner. Ishii collapsed. Nagata covered, but Ishii got his foot on the rope. Nagata hit a high kick and a German suplex.
Nagata hit a Thunder Death Driver for a great near fall. Ishii blocked a high angle suplex, blocked an exploder, then hit the Vertical Drop Brainbuster for the pin.
**********
Here is the lineup for tomorrow’s show:
NJPW Kizuna Road, Friday, July 2, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time, free on NJPW World —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI (c) vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI
Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado
NJPW has revealed the cards for their next two televised events.
NJPW will be back at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo for Kizuna Road shows on Thursday, July 1 and Friday, July 2. Both shows will begin at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time and will be available for free on New Japan World.
The July 2 show will be headlined by NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defending their titles against Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan. The match was set up by a challenge that was issued by Nagata after Ishii, Goto & YOSHI-HASHI retained their titles against EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo at this Tuesday’s Kizuna Road show.
Ishii vs. Nagata, Goto vs. Kojima, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tenzan are set for the July 1 Kizuna Road show. Ishii vs. Nagata will be the main event.
During the angle where Nagata challenged Ishii, Goto & YOSHI-HASHI to the NEVER Six-Man title match, Ishii gave Nagata a forearm strike. Nagata responded by dropping Ishii with a forearm strike of his own.
Here are the full lineups for the July 1 and July 2 Kizuna Road shows:
Thursday, July 1 —
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yuji Nagata
Hirooki Goto vs. Satoshi Kojima
YOSHi-HASHI vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & Minoru Suzuki
El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado
Friday, July 2 —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defend against Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI
El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Minoru Suzuki vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado
NJPW’s Road to Dominion tour continued today with a show in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
The NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships were on the line in the main event as Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS defended against Tetsuya Naito, SANADA and BUSHI of Los Ingobernables de Japon.
Below are results and a report on today’s show.
**********
Recommended matches —
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan vs. Kota Ibushi & Master Wato (at least the post-match angle)
This was a fun opener. Lots of action and everyone worked hard.
EVIL and Uemura started off. Uemura out-wrestled EVIL, then tagged Honma. Honma tagged in and was cut off right away. EVIL hit a senton. Owens tagged in to continue the attack. Honma hit a back elbow and tagged Tsuji.
Tsuji hit Owens with a senton. He went for a splash, but Owens got his knees up. While the other six guys brawled on the floor, Owens worked on Tsuji in the ring. Tsuji got tossed outside and hit with a Togo right hand.
ELP tagged in for some break dancing and comedy offense. Ishimori tagged in and continued with back rakes on Tsuji. Owens tagged in. He hit a pump kick. Tsuji came back with a suplex, then tagged Tanahashi.
Tana hit a jumping forearm to Owens, cleared the Bullet Club apron, then hit a baseball slide to Togo. Tana hit Owens with a dragon screw. He went for his Texas Clover Hold. He got it applied. ELP tried to break it up, but Honma intercepted him. EVIL jumped in to break it up.
Owens blocked a slingblade attempt and hit a jewel heist. Ishimori got a tag. Tana blocked a handspring kick and hit twist and shout.
Uemura tagged in and hit a running forearm and a back suplex for two. He went for an overhook suplex, but ELP jumped in to break it up. Uemura avoided an airplane spin neckbreaker. He went for a crab, but Ishimori blocked.
Ishimori then connected with the Bloody Cross for the pin.
This was good. I expect YOH and Desperado to have a great match on Monday. Desperado really upped his game at the end of 2020 and has been very good this year.
YOH and Desperado began with a striking battle. Suzuki-gun turned it into a ringside brawl and cut SHO off. It was his role again tonight to sell most of the way. He came back with a spear to Kanemaru and Taguchi got a hot tag.
Taguchi ran wild with hip attacks. He used three amigos to set up an ankle lock. Taguchi gave up the hold and went for Dodon, but Kanemaru blocked. Taguchi hit a hip attack, then missed a bumaye.
YOH and Desperado tagged back in. YOH hit a flying forearm, then used a neckbreaker for a two count. Desperado blocked Direct Drive with a hair pull. YOH hit a jumping knee. Desperado countered with a spinebuster, then tagged DOUKI.
DOUKI, Kanemaru and Desperado tripled up on YOH. DOUKI hit a springboard double stomp for a near fall. He used a triangle, but SHO saved. Kanemaru took out SHO. Taguchi took out Kanemaru. Desperado took Taguchi out with a spear. YOH hit a dropkick to Desperado.
YOH blocked DOUKI’s Suplex de la Luna, then used the Stargazer calf killer for the submission.
YOH and Desperado faced off after the match. Desperado pie-faced YOH, but there was no physicality in the angle besides that.
Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Minoru Suzuki defeated Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Gedo (2:24)
They couldn’t top their effort last night, so they didn’t even try.
Bullet Club jumped Suzuki-gun in the ring before Taichi’s song had finished playing. They fought around the ring on the outside. Sabre was briefly cut off in the ring.
Tonga and Loa went for a Magic Killer on Sabre. Suzuki and Taichi saved. Sabre used a neck crank and a Clarky Cat to quickly submit Gedo.
***** Intermission *****
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan defeated Kota Ibushi & Master Wato (9:07)
O-Khan tried a sneak attack before the bell. Ibushi fought it off and landed a flying mid kick. Wato tagged in, but O-Khan came back on him with an elbow and Mongolian chops. O-Khan and Cobb traded tags and continued beating down Master Wato.
Wato managed a dropkick and a reverse bulldog. Cobb and Ibushi got tags for a crazy sequence. Ibushi blocked a pop-up powerslam with a hurricanrana. Cobb did some of his impressive power spots and landed a deadlift throw out of the corner. Cobb landed another huge slam and tagged out. That spot was ugly.
O-Khan tied Ibushi to the tree of woe. He missed a basement dropkick. Ibushi popped up to the top rope and hit a double stomp. Wato tagged in and hit O-Khan with a springboard uppercut forearm and a dreamcast for a near fall.
Wato used a rolling heel hook, but Cobb broke it up. Cobb just started throwing Wato and Ibushi around. Cobb used a spinebuster on Wato.
O-Khan used the iron claw to set up the Eliminator on Wato for the pin.
**********
Ibushi and Cobb had a wild brawl after the match. Tsuji and Uemura jumped in to try to pull them apart. Just when you thought it was over, one of them would break free and the brawl would start all over again. They fought in the ring, then all around the arena.
This was intense and awesome, a great angle.
**********
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI to retain the titles (31:15)
This was an excellent six-man. The first ten minutes were slow, but they had to go quite a long time and that’s to be expected.
Goto pinned SANADA in a tag yesterday, so those two began here. SANADA broke cleanly off the opening lock-up. They briefly grappled to a stalemate.
Naito tagged in and demanded Ishii. Ishii tagged in, then Naito immediately tagged out to BUSHI. Ishii tried to go after Naito on the apron. As soon as Ishii turned his back, Naito jumped him. LIJ tried a 3-on-1 attack, but Goto and YH saved. CHAOS then went 3-on-1 against BUSHI.
BUSHI found himself isolated in the CHAOS half of the ring. YH tagged in for some chops. Goto tagged in and the pace slowed. YH tagged back in for a vertical suplex. They were pacing themselves to go a long time.
Naito grabbed YH from the apron and turned the tide in LIJ’s favor. A brawl broke out on the arena floor between Ishii and Naito. Naito used a kravate over the barricade. YH was then isolated in LIJ’s half of the ring. Ishii and Goto tried to make saves, but Naito and SANADA sent them to the outside.
YH came back with a headhunter to Naito. Ishii got a tag and beat up all three members of LIJ on his own. Naito was the legal man. Ishii hit a back suplex for a near fall. Naito and Ishii had a crazy striking battle in the middle of the ring. Ishii got the better of the strikes. Naito hit a back elbow and sliding dropkick at the 15 minute call.
SANADA tagged in for a cool sequence with Ishii. Ishii worked for a German suplex. SANADA avoided it once. Ishii got it on the second attempt. Goto tagged in and dispatched an interfering BUSHI, then hit a wheel kick in the corner on SANADA for a two count.
Goto teased an ushigoroshi, but SANADA blocked. SANADA took his corner flip bump and hit Goto with an atomic drop. SANADA put Goto in the paradise lock, then broke it with a dropkick. BUSHI and SANADA cleared the CHAOS apron. Goto avoided a TKO and grabbed a sleeper hold. Goto used the sleeper to set up the rolling cradle he won with yesterday, but SANADA kicked out.
Goto and YH doubled SANADA up and used the finish from yesterday for a near fall, with Naito making the save for SANADA. SANADA kicked at Goto’s spine. SANADA tried an O’Connor roll, but Goto blocked with a kick to the spine. SANADA hit a TKO into a double down.
YH and BUSHI got tags. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick and a tope suicida. All six guys were down and out on the floor just past the 20 minute mark.
Back inside, BUSHI used a DDT for a two count. CHAOS went 3-on-1 against BUSHI. Naito saved BUSHI from a headhunter. Naito hit Ishii with a dropkick off a BUSHI sunset flip. LIJ went 3-on-1 against YH. BUSHI hit a swinging neckbreaker for a two count.
BUSHI missed an MX. Everyone jumped in and hit each other with a big move. Goto hit BUSHI with an ushigoroshi. YH hit a meteora for a two count.
YH locked BUSHI in the Butterfly Lock at the 25 minute call. YH rolled through and hit a sit-out powerbomb for a two count. BUSHI blocked Kharma and rolled YH up for two.
Ishii and Naito jumped in and teased their finishers on each other. Naito blocked a brainbuster with a DDT. Ishii no-sold it. Naito hit a flying forearm. BUSHI hit YH with a codebreaker and an MX. Goto jumped in to break it up. SANADA hit a plancha to Goto.
BUSHI tried the MX again, but jumped off the ropes into a YH lariat. BUSHI went for a tag to SANADA, but Goto pulled SANADA off the apron. Ishii and Goto went for stereo ushigoroshis on Naito and SANADA, but they blocked. BUSHI used the BUSHI roll on YH for a super near fall. BUSHI and YH traded kicks. YH hit a lariat for a near fall at 30 minutes in.
YH went for Kharma. BUSHI tried to turn it into a codebreaker, but YH got him in the Butterfly Lock. Naito tried to save, but Ishii caught him in a heel hook. BUSHI verbally submitted or the referee called for the stoppage with the Butterfly Lock still locked in.
**********
Naito and Ishii stared each other down after the match. The best part of all of this is that it looks like a Naito-Ishii singles match will happen at Dominion if they ever get around to announcing a card.
YOSHI-HASHI cut a quick promo and the champs posed with their titles to close the show.
**********
Here is the announced lineup for Dominion. More matches will be announced at a later date:
NJPW Dominion, Monday, June 7, 5 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Shingo Takagi
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado (c) vs. YOH
A NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match is set for NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku 2021 tour.
In the main event of NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku event at Korakuen Hall on Tuesday, April 20, CHAOS’ Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI will put their NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team titles on the line against Bullet Club’s KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori. The show will air live on NJPW World starting at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Goto, Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI have been NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions since winning the titles in a tournament last August. Goto, Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI defeated their CHAOS stablemates Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & SHO in the tournament finals. The titles had been declared vacant after EVIL left Los Ingobernables de Japon and joined Bullet Club.
Leading into the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match, YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA, Goto vs. Ishimori, and Ishii vs. Takahashi will take place at NJPW’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku event at Korakuen Hall on Monday, April 19.
The Road to Wrestling Dontaku tour will begin on Saturday, April 10 and will end on Saturday, May 1. The Monday, April 26 show that’s taking place at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall will feature Tetsuya Naito vs. The Great-O-Khan and SANADA vs. Aaron Henare. Henare is the newest member of the United Empire with Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb.
Wrestling Dontaku 2021 is a two-night event that’s being held at the Fukuoka Convention Center on Monday, May 3 and Tuesday, May 4. NJPW also has Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni taking place at the Kagoshima Arena over two nights on Wednesday, April 28 and Thursday, April 29.
