Csonka’s NJPW DESTRUCTION in Tokyo Review 9.17.16

Csonka’s NJPW DESTRUCTION in Tokyo Review 9.17.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Rocky Romero & Barreta defeated David Finlay & Henare @ 5:55 via pin [**¾]
– Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan @ 6:37 via pin [**]
– Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Tiger Mask defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Jushin Thunder Liger @ 8:15 via pin [**¾]
– Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & Gedo vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Roa & Chase Owens @ 11:05 via pin [**½]
– Kyle O’Reilly defeated Juice Robinson @ 13:00 via submission [***¾]
– Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay defeated Kenny Omega, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi @ 11:35 via pin [***½]
– Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & EVIL defeated Michael Elgin, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi @ 13:30 via submission [***¼]
– IWGP NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Champion Katsuyori Shibata defeated Bobby Fish @ 16:48 via pin [****¼]
– IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship Match: BUSHI defeated Champion KUSHIDA @ 22:57 via pin to become the NEW Champion [***½]

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Rocky Romero & Barreta vs. David Finlay & Henare: If you missed the recent Road to show, Henare is the new young lion, here to eat the pin; Finlay is wearing new gear, leopard print, as he has graduated from young lion status. After some basic back and forth between Henare and Baretta, Finlay and Romero got into it pretty good with grappling. Finlay frustrated the veteran, who tried for his forever clotheslines, but Finlay cut him off with uppercuts and the lions worked the heat on Romero. Romero cut off Henare, got the tag and Barreta ran wild, chopping the hell out of Henare. Good fire from Barreta, hitting the tornado DDT and then the dude buster for the win. That was fun while it lasted, could have used a bit more time to really develop, but that’s not what the match was there for. Interesting post match here, and after Barreta (the junior member of the team) scored the win, he wasn’t all that enthused with doing the high five with Romero. We’ll see if that leads anywhere.

Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan: Yoshitatsu started a Twitter poll recently, asking if he should drop Captain New Japan, because he always loses. Yes, because that’s the real big problem here. Yoshitatsu is still cosplaying as Triple H. After some basic back and forth, Yoshitatsu though it would be a good idea to strike with Nagata, who lit him up for his troubles. Yoshitatsu got the tag to CNJ, they took control and sent Nakanishi to the floor. That didn’t last long, as Nakanishi tagged in and after some token offense, sent Yoshitatsu to the floor and worked over CNJ. CNJ survived the torture rack, and then after Nakanishi missed a knee drop got the tag to Yoshitatsu. He ran wild for a bit, Nakanishi cut him off and Nagata and CNJ tagged in. It’s every CNJ comeback ever, he teases some near falls, it breaks down and Nakanishi suplexes both of his opponents. Yoshitatsu is tossed, and after some double teams, Nagata hits an Xploder and that’s that. This was perfectly fine, if unspectacular. I didn’t hate it, and I usually loathe these Yoshitatsu tags. No fallout on the CNJ angle.

Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Tiger Mask vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Jushin Thunder Liger: Tenzan’s theme music makes me feel alive. We got the basic NJPW six-man opening sequence, where they work through the various pairings. There’s a lot of old man anger in this one, with Liger and Tiger Mask working well together as always. They are in the middle of an on again off again 12 2-year time of disagreement/friendship. Team Liger took the heat on Tiger Mask, Tiger mask had the audacity to nut up and try to fight through the Tenzan chops, which got him a brief beat down until he made the tag to Makabe. He and Tenzan worked together slowly, Tenzan fired away with the double chops and hit a suplex for the near fall. Makabe fire dup and they did a double down spot off of a lariat. Honma and Liger then got the tag; Honma missed a kokeshi and ate the palm strike and Liger bomb for a near fall. It broke down, leading to Team Liger working over Honma until we got another six-way brawl. Liger and Honma did some back and forth, and Honma hit the kokeshi off the top and pinned Liger. I was actually surprised that Honma pinned Liger, I was betting on Kojima getting the birthday win on Tiger Mask. They worked hard and this was pretty good overall, fine for it’s spot on the show.

Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & Gedo vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Roa & Chase Owens: This crowd gave ZERO FUCKS about the Bullet club scrub team here. Also, Tanga Roa is still a thing for some reason. Not much early on, we got some Memphis Gedo as he works his wacky southern jabs and eye pokes Bullet Club cleared the rest of CHOAS to the floor, and they took the heat. Ishii tried to make a save, but Tonga and Tanga Roa worked him over and put a stop to that. Gedo finally got the… room temperature tag to Goto, he put a beating on Tonga and Tanga Roa, hitting the backdrop suplex for a near fall. Tonga did his wacky rope running spot and then hit a cross Rhodes for the double down. Ishii finally got the… also room temperature tag, Tanga Roa cut him off right away and got a near fall off of the Samoan drop. This is laid out so oddly. They traded strikes; Tanga Roa got in way too much offense on Ishii here. Ishii looked for a powerbomb and Owens made the save with a superkick and Bullet Club cleared the ring and triple teamed Ishii. It broke down, Tanga Roa it a slam on Ishii for a near fall. Tonga in, Gedo made the save and fired up, but Owens but him off as we got the big move buffet, Ushigoroshi on Tonga, Tanga Roa shoved Goto into Ishii, but they over came the miscommunication and Ishii hit the brainbuster for the win. This was an average at best match, which did little to excite me. They got the crowd a little into it by the end, but it was a complete struggle, and went too long with Ishii selling way to much for these goofs. Also, the miscommunication spot with Goto and Ishii felt off, unless they are going somewhere with it. I’d actually dig a series of matches with them and the Briscoes.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Juice Robinson: The early portion was Robinson trying to avoid O’Reilly taking it to the mat, with Robinson getting some early control and hitting a running senton and staying a step ahead of O’Reilly. O’Reilly countered a sunset flip and then scored with the arm bar, but Robinson was too close to the ropes. O’Reilly then punished Robinson for daring to do move on him with strikes and stiff kicks. He then grounded Robinson and started his attack on the arm. Robinson tried to fire up, but O’Reilly just punished him more with strikes. Robinson actually challenged O’Reilly to hit him more, so O’Reilly did. After eating several strikes and kicks, Robinson scored with a desperation spinebuster. They traded strikes, with O’Reilly rolling to the floor and Robinson hitting a plancha. Back in Robinson hit corner clotheslines, and then the cannonball. The toss up gutbuster got a near fall. O’Reilly escaped the unprettier and wrecked Robinson’s day with a knee to the face. Robinson fought through a chokehold, but O’Reilly hit the capture Regalplex for a near fall. Robinson showed good fire down the stretch, hitting a great desperation lariat spot and then a powerbomb for a near fall, which got turned into a triangle choke by O’Reilly. Robinson powered up, but O’Reilly used a guillotine, into the brainbuster, and then into the arm bar for the win. On one hand I think that they gave Robinson a bit too much considering his position on the card and where they are going with O’Reilly, but Robinson worked his ass off here and they had a very good match here so no complaints. I’ve certainly been down on Robinson in the past, but performance like that make you really feel that he can be something. Good selling, good fire, he’s just delivering quality stuff. O’Reilly was really great here and gave Robinson a lot, O’Reilly is also clearly the best in ring guy ROH has. They need to lock him up because if not, NJPW will.

– We get another time bomb promo video. I believe that this will be revealed at he Power Struggle show in October.

Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi: They all brawled early, with the fight going to the floor and the emphasis on Okada and Fale as well as Omega and HASHI. Omega made fun of HASHI right to the camera, calling him pudgy and a fucking loser. Bullet Club worked the heat on Okada, keeping the Omega vs. Okada interactions to a minimum. Okada started to make a comeback, countering the grenade and then fighting off Omega. Ospreay got the hot tag, and did some flying until Omega cut him off with chops. Ospreay them hit a dropkick and sweet dive to the floor. He then hit the corner trapped superkick and Omega and twisting moonsault for a near fall. Omega countered the cutter and planted Ospreay with the dragon suplex. Ospreay then managed a desperation Spanish fly, and HASHI got the hot tag and worked over Omega. HASHI’s hair is really something these days. Omega countered a RANA and planted HASHI with a powerbomb, and then Bullet Club cleared the ring and worked over HASHI. It then broke down, and we ended up with HASHI and Takahashi until Okada and Fale returned. Dropkick from Okada, he and Fale to the floor and Omega snuck in, but HASHI avoided the one winged angel with the back stabber and planted Takahashi with the driver for the win. Okada and Fale brawled on the floor post match with the lions saving Okada from a bad luck fall on the floor. That ended up as a very good tag match, with HASHI getting the HASHI getting the win to get momentum as he heads into his match with Omega, and also adding heat to the Fale vs. Okada match. Well done.

Michael Elgin, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & EVIL: No mystery Los Ingobernables member here. Taguchi has a wacky mask and wiffle ball bat to mock SANADA. We got some SANADA vs. Tanahashi to begin, leading to Elgin fighting off Naito and EVIL by himself as they tried to double team him. This led to Taguchi attacking Naito with his ass, and even Tanahashi doing the same. Elgin even got in on the act. Los Ingobernables eventually cut off Elgin a SANADA took out his knee with a dropkick. Los Ingobernables took the heat from there, isolating Elgin and knocking his partners to the floor to stop the tag. He took out Naito with clotheslines and again looked for the tag, and got it to Tanahashi. He ran wild with clotheslines and dropkicks, and the senton off the ropes got a near fall on EVIL. EVIL finally cut him off, leading to SANADA and Tanahashi battling again and SANADA hitting a nice dropkick. SANADA got the dragon sleeper, Tanahashi escaped and Elgin returned for their double team splash spot, but SANADA got up the knees and Naito then took out Elgin’s knee. Taguchi got the tag and ran wild with ass based offense before locking in an arm bar on SANADA in an ode to Nagata. Naito made the save and Los Ingobernables isolated Taguchi and hit repeated offense on him, SANADA got the cutter while Elgin made the save, Los Ingobernables cleared the ring again to leave SANADA and Taguchi. SANADA cutoff the ass attack and scored with the dragon sleeper for the win. Post match, Los Ingobernables beat down Elgin and Naito worked the knee bar on him. This was a good tag match, with the post match making sense as they build to Naito vs. Elgin for the IC Title, and are creating doubt as to whether Elgin will be able to retain with the bad wheel.

NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Champion Katsuyori Shibata vs. Bobby Fish: Shibata is nursing a back injury and there is some speculation he may need time off. These two had a match that aired on ROH TV this week, and it was solid but a bit disappointing, hopefully they do better here. Fish has new snazzy non-reDRagon tights here. Slow beginning, with both guys looking to throw strikes, but Shibata took Fish down and grapplefucked him a bit before Fish could make the ropes. In shades of their ROH match, Shibata then worked the figure four early. Fish escaped and they worked the double knee bar spot, exactly like their ROH match. Fish attacked the knee of Shibata, slamming it off of the apron several times, hopefully he sells it better than n their ROH match. They went to the floor, where Fish worked the neck and shoulder of Shibata in the barricade. Fish continued the attack on the floor now targeting the neck of Shibata. Back in, Fish hit the slingshot senton onto the shoulder for a near fall. Fish worked nee strikes and a backdrop suplex, and again got a near fall. it’s all Fish as he works a guillotine and then elbows to the neck, showing great focus and aggression. Fish was demanding that the ref stop the match, and then went back to laying in the kicks as Shibata finger waved him off and demanded he keep kicking him. They traded corner kicks and knees, and then Shibata worked forearms and then the corner dropkick. Shibata worked an abdominal stretch, and then kicks. He got the hanging guillotine, which should be broken easier because of the work on the shoulder, but Fish powered into a spinebuster and then the heel hook. Shibata made the ropes, ran into a suplex and Shibata popped up and planted Fish with the German and the PK, but he dropped to the mat and couldn’t cover. Fish again scored with he heel hook, great fight spot from Shibata, but Fish pulled him back center. Shibata with another great fight and finally got the ropes. XPLODER by Fish into the backdrop suplex, but Shibata was not done and kicked out again. Shibata countered the suplex and head butted the fuck out of Fish and busted himself open, locked in the sleeper and then destroyed Fish with the PK for the win. That was an excellent match, using what worked with the ROH match and adding in the aggression and sense of urgency that the ROH match severely lacked. This was a tremendous co-main event, and would have been right at home as the main event.

– Post match, O’Reilly arrived and set up his match with Shibata as they went face to face.

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship Match: Champion KUSHIDA vs. BUSHI: The mysterious Los Ingobernables member is back. BUSHI is in his pimp as fuck all white gear. We got a nice, fast paced, back and forth here with BUSHI doing his sliding pose to frustrate the champion. They worked to the floor, with BUSHI sending KUSHIDA to the barricade. He then used a chair to keep the advantage. Back in the ring, BUHSI kept the heat, grounding KUSHIDA. BUSHI worked the figure four head scissors and skull fucker until KUSHIDA got the ropes. BUSHI kept control with an STF, while also trying to rip off KUSHIDA’s nose. The dropkick followed and then BUSHI choked out KUSHIDA with his shirt, but KUSHIDA hit a backdrop suplex to break that. The mystery man tripped up KUSHIDA, allowing BUSHI to set him on the ropes but KUSHIDA fired back and hit a hit a lariat. KUSHIDA sent BUSHI to the floor, but the mystery man again got involved and held KUSHIDA, but BUSHI ran into him and KUSHIDA hit a dive onto both. Back in the ring they went back and forth, with KUSHIDA getting a slick arm bar, only for BUSHI to make the ropes. KUSHIDA then started to attack the arm, and then we got a ref bump when BUSHI pulled the ref into a missile dropkick. MIST by BUSHI and KUSHIDA rolls to the floor. Naito is out now and holds KUSHIDA for a suicide dive from BUSHI. Naito and BUSHI work over KUSHIDA, but Elgin makes the save or his little buddy. Elgin hits the combo sack of shit/Samoan drop on then and beats Naito to the back. He lions hold back the mystery man as Elgin limps after Naito. Back in the ring, KUSHIDA mounts a comeback and hits a pretty moonsault for a near fall. BUSHI uses the ref for a distraction and scores with a backslide for 2. KUSHIDA counters the MX into a code breaker of his own, and we get a double down spot. They trade strikes from their knees, fight to their feet and KUSHIDA has had enough of this shit and punches BUSHI in the mouth but BUSHI keeps firing but KUSHIDA attacks the arm again. KUSHIDA then applies the hover board lock, BUSHI fights and crawls, but then BUSHI gets a roll up for 2. KUSHIDA jacks the jaw of BUSHI, scores with a PK to the arm, they do a sloppy counter spot and BUSH hits the Canadian destroyer for a great near fall. Both guys are spent here, BUSHI lands a kick and a standing MX. To the ropes and scores with the MX proper and KUSHIDA survives! BUSHI up top now, flies in and hits the MX off the top and finally puts KUSHIDA away. The match was strong, very good even, but disappointed in the main event. The run in came too early I felt, and took some steam away from the match. It added to the Naito vs. Elgin feud, which is fine and didn’t directly impact the finish. Also, they did not reveal the mysterious Los Ingobernables member, who felt like more of a distraction than anything else. The home stretch was really strong, but with a lackluster beginning and the interference taking away, it felt a bit flat in the main event spot.

– BUSHI celebrates his victory by misting the title and dropping it on the mat.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.3

The final score: review Good

The 411

NJPW DESTRUCTION in Tokyo is a good, but long show, clocking in at around 3.5 hours. It features a solid undercard, O’Reilly continuing his momentum as a heavyweight, a very good performance from Juice Robinson, a tremendous NEVR title match, nice build to future matches and a quality, but flat main event. Fish vs. Shibata is the only must see thing on the show, but O’Reilly vs. Robinson is also worth your time.