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Csonka’s NJPW BOTSJ Night Nine Review 5.31.16

June 1, 2016 | Posted by Larry Csonka
7.3
The 411 Rating
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Csonka’s NJPW BOTSJ Night Nine Review 5.31.16  

Csonka’s NJPW BOTSJ Night Nine Review 5.31.16


OFFICIAL RESULTS
Block A Match: BUSHI defeated David Finlay @ 7:18 via pin [**¾]
Block A Match: Matt Sydal defeated Rocky Romero @ 13:37 via pin [***¾]
Block A Match: KUSHIDA defeated Gedo @ 13:34 via submission [****]
Block A Match: Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Kyle O’Reilly @ 11:45 via submission [***]


Much like last year, I will be focusing only on the tournament matches.

BUSHI defeated David Finlay: Finlay charged the ring and they went right to action. They worked to the floor, with BUSHI hitting a great suicide dive. Great energy from these two early on, with BUSHI desperately trying to stay in the hunt. BUSHI then did the shirt choke spot, which he always does, and worked over young Finlay. It was smooth sailing for a while, but Finlay connecting with an uppercut and send BUSHI to the floor. The plancha followed, and he had control back. Finlay hit the running uppercut and Finlay roll for a near fall. He managed to get the stump puller; BUSHI fought and was able to get the ropes. BUSHI has enough of that comeback shit, hit the missile dropkick and ten they traded strikes. At one point BUSHI slapped the taste out of his mouth, as he looked insulted that Finlay was putting up such a fight. Finlay kept fighting, scoring with various roll ups, but BUSHI hit the code breaker off the ropes and put Finlay away. An overall strong performance from both, but it lacked something to really get me invested. BUSHI moves to 2-3, while Finlay drops to 1-4.

Matt Sydal defeated Rocky Romero: They grappled to begin, obviously fearing the wrath of Vader. Lots of back and forth here, with a nice pace early to keep you interested. Sydal wasn’t afraid to take things to the mat, which is more Romero’s world. Romero has his shoulder taped up and Sydal stated to attack the arm. As Romero tried to mount a comeback early on, Sydal was able to use his speed advantage to stay one step ahead of him. Sydal then fell for Romero’s Spider-Man deal in the ropes, and they went to the floor. Sydal chased, but when they got back in Romero cut him off with a dropkick and took the heat, trying to ground Sydal. While Sydal would use his speed to cut off Romero, Romero was content to rake the eyes and cheat to keep his advantage. Forever clotheslines got a near fall for Romero. Sydal again fought back, hitting a RANA and spin kick, followed by leg kicks. Good back and forth here, with neither man wanting to back down, Sydal then countered sliced bread, and ht the standing moonsault for a near fall. Romero took a powder to the floor, Sydal followed with the dropkick to the floor, and they brawled at ringside. Romero peeled the mat back, and tried for a suplex but Sydal fought him off but Romero hit the sliced bread on the floor. They did the countout tease, and Romero then hit the dropkick as Sydal was laid over the ropes, and got a near fall. They then went back and forth with strikes, both guy fired up big time and Sydal lit up Romero with kicks and knees. The sitout powerbomb got a near fall. Sydal went up top, but Romero popped up and cut him off. Sydal fought off the superplex and slipped under and hit the jumping knee and a RANA. The shooting star press connected and Sydal picked up the victory. That was a very good match; with both guys working hard and doing a great job of selling that either could win. The home stretch was very entertaining. Sydal moves into first place with a 4-1 record, while Romero drops to 2-3.

KUSHIDA defeated Gedo: Gedo has such a great presence, he looks like he is constantly thinking of ways to fuck with you. Gedo looked as if he was going to play by the rules early, but eye poked KUSHIDA on a rope break because he could. KUSHIDA fought back and took the action to the mat, and started to work on the arm to set up the hover board lock. KUSHIDA was working an aggressive, but methodical pace here when he had control; looking to inflict maximum damage but also being careful due to Gedo’s veteran tricks. Gedo got a break as he had the doctor check on him, which led to him cutting off KUSHIDA as he went for the back handspring. He then dropped KUSHIDA with the hangman’s DDT on the floor to take the heat. As the ref counted on KUSHIDA, Gedo removed a turnbuckle pad. He immediately sent KUSHIDA into the exposed buckle as the lions ratted him out. This allowed Gedo to sent him to the exposed buckle again. I love the dirty veteran emptying his bag of tricks to try and overcome the younger champion story, especially with Gedo; it just works. Gedo grounded KUSHIDA, working the crossface. KUSHIDA barely made the ropes, frustrating Gedo. KUSHIDA managed to reverse an Irish whip, which sent Gedo into the exposed buckle. KUSHIDA then ht the springboard dropkick, sending Gedo to the floor, and followed with a plancha. KUSHIDA looked exhausted as they did the countout tease on Gedo. KUSHIDA then decided not to wait for Gedo, and as he struggled to get into the ring, KUSHIDA hit the dropkick. Gedo managed to counter with an atomic drop and superkick, which got a near fall. Gedo worked his Jerry Lawler punches, and then hit the STO. KUSHIDA countered the Gedo clutch into the hover board lock, but then Gedo got a small package for a near fall. They did a double down spot off of the striking exchange, and the crowd loved this. They worked to their feet, traded strikes again, but Gedo got an eye poke and they then did a ref bump, which if you didn’t know any better looked like an accidental spot, leading to Gedo hitting the low blow on KUSHIDA. It was actually well done and came out of nowhere, and also played into the Gedo character perfectly. This led to a near fall. GEDO DID THE RAINMAKER POSE AND THE CAMERA PANNED OUT! LONG LIVE MEMPHIS GEDO! KUSHIDA then countered the rainmaker, and rolled into the hover board lock, Gedo fought for his life, but KUSHIDA kept him center ring and Gedo had to tap! I loved this, the story, the work from both, Gedo using every trick to try and stay alive and also overcome the younger champion; this was very well done. Long live Memphis Gedo, the man is a treasure. Everyone will talk about O’Reilly, KUSHIDA, Ricochet and Ospreay for very good reasons, but Gedo and Liger are still bringing it as the veterans this year. What they lack in speed and youth they more than make up for in other ways. Liger was great last year, and is good again this year, but Gedo has done some spectacular work. KUSHIDA finally gets over .500 as 3-2, while Gedo drops to 1-4.

Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Kyle O’Reilly: Right away as they worked back and forth, you could see O’Reilly looking to work the arm while Taguchi was trying to attack the leg. It was so simple, but I loved that in the first 30-seconds both men were already looking to set up work for their submission finishes. As they did counters, O’Reilly kicked Taguchi in his ass and sold it like he kicked a brick wall. After some back and forth, O’Reilly countered a sunset flip into an arm bar, but Taguchi got the ropes. O’Reilly continued to assault the arm, solid work here and he kept trying to break down Taguchi and keep him grounded. Taguchi tried to fire back with rights, selling the left arm the whole time. He then started into some ass attacks, because we established that his ass is very hard early on. Running ass attacks to O’Reilly connected, and the ass-based offense of Taguchi has gotten him back into the match. O’Reilly cut him off with some butterfly suplexes, but Taguchi hit two of the tree amigos, and then got the ankle lock. O’Reilly countered into a roll up for a near fall. Ass attacks again by Taguchi, and they did a double down off of that. After some counters, O’Reilly scored with the sleeper, but Taguchi countered and got the ankle lock out of that. He dropped won and got the grape vine, but O’Reilly managed to turn that into the sharp shooter. Taguchi got the ropes, they traded strikes and O’Reilly scored with the jawbreaker lariat. He hit the brainbuster for a near fall, tried for the arm bar but Taguchi countered into the ankle lock. O’Reilly fought hard, but Taguchi kept the hold and cranked on it, and O’Reilly had to tap. It was a good match overall, and some will like it way more than I did. When Taguchi gets too wacky and does too many ass attacks, it tends to take me out of things. He used it minimally against KUSHIDA, and they had a great match, and this match should have been more like that. Taguchi moves into a tie for first with a 4-1 record, while O’Reilly now goes to 3-2.

– After today’s matches, and if I have everything thought out correctly, it looks like Romero, BUSHI, Gedo and Finlay are mathematically eliminated.

BLOCK A STANDINGS:
* Ryusuke Taguchi (4-1) – 8 points
* Matt Sydal (4-1) – 8 points
* Kyle O’Reilly (3-2) – 6 points
* KUSHIDA (3-2) – 6 points
* Rocky Romero (2-3) – 4 points
* BUSHI (2-3) – 4 points
* David Finlay (1-4) – 2 points
* Gedo (1-4) – 2 points

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

 photo fe36ffd0-0da4-4e3b-a2d3-b026b341dd87_zps41ef5d61.jpg
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.3
The final score: review Good
The 411
Another good night of action, make sure to catch Sydal vs. Romero and Memphis Gedo vs. KUSHIDA if you’re short on time.
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