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Csonka’s NJPW Invasion Attack Review 4.05.15

April 5, 2015 | Posted by Larry Csonka
8.1
The 411 Rating
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Csonka’s NJPW Invasion Attack Review 4.05.15  

Introduction
As a reminder, this will not be another traditional recap, but instead it will be a mash up of the Rs, Instant Analysis and my usual Twitter ramblings I would do during the shows; completely uncensored and as the ideas flow unfiltered to the old keyboard. Remember, this is a review; and I am here to review the show. As always, I encourage discussion and even disagreement, just do so in a respectful manner. I will be doing the review for Raw and most PPVs and iPPVs going forward.

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NJPW Invasion Attack 4.05.15

OFFICIAL RESULTS
~ Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA), Captain New Japan, Yohei Komatsu & Yuji Nagata defeated Jushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi, Sho Tanaka & Tiger Mask via pin [***]
~ Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma defeated Cody Hall, Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi via pin [**]
~ IWGP Jr Tag Title Match: Roppongi Vice (Beretta & Rocky Romero defeated Champions The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) via pin to become the NEW CHAMPIONS [****]
~ IWGP Jr heavyweight Title: Champion Kenny Omega defeated Mascara Dorada via pin [***½]
~ IWGP Tag Team Title Match: The Kingdom (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven) defeated Champions The Bullet Club (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) via pin to become the NEW CHAMPIONS [**]
~ Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito & Togi Makabe defeated Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI via pin [***½]
~ Kaszushi Sakuraba & Toru Yano defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuyori Shibata via pin [***]
~ Kazuchika Okada defeated Bad Luck Fale via pin [***½]
~ IWGP Title Match: Champion AJ Styles defeated Kota Ibushi via pin [****]


Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA), Captain New Japan, Yohei Komatsu & Yuji Nagata defeated Jushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi, Sho Tanaka & Tiger Mask: This was your garden variety NJ multi-man tag team opener. There were some names you know really well, you had the young boys in there (because someone had to job) and every one worked well together to provide an entertaining opening match. Tanaka took the loss for his team, and overall this was a fun opener that did its job. No complaints.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Tomoaki Honma defeated Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi: This was a very basic tag involving the lower tier Bullet Club members. The work was solid, but outside of Honma hitting Kokeshis on people I just did not care about the match or the work. Young Cody Hall ate a 3D and the Kokeshi for the pin. It was a match, with a super fun finish.

Roppongi Vice (Beretta & Rocky Romero defeated Champions The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson): And now business has picked up, because this was really good as I had hoped. These guys had worked together well the other night in a six-man tag, and when they got the chance to shine tonight they took it. The Bucks are great and always work to steal the show, and the new Roppongi Vice team is a nice addition to the juniors division, which needs it because they often times pick three or four teams and focus on them and it gets stake. The Hall was not kind at first, with not a lot of heat for the match but they overcame and worked a great match and a super hot closing stretch. Roppongi Vice escapes more bang for your buck and hits an Omori Driver/Dropkick combo to score the win and the titles. More of this please.

Champion Kenny Omega defeated Mascara Dorada : I was really interested to see the match here, as they have had some chances to work together in tags and their interactions have been really good. They didn’t have a great match, but I feel that they worked hard and had a good match that can be built on if they rematch in the future. Dorada’s early stuff looked excellent, the guy is smooth and makes most of what he does look completely effortless. Some fun lucha from Dorado, some wild moves to the floor (like the RANA onto Omaga off of the apron) and it was really enjoyable. Omega made his comeback, scored with the dragon suplex and then the one winged angel to retain the title. Post match he cut a promo about “cleaning out the Japanese and Mexican garbage” and then they set up a match with Shelley, who won in our opener and was attending to Dorada. STAREDOWN.

The Kingdom (Mike Bennett & Matt Taven) defeated Champions The Bullet Club (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson): The word for some time has been that New Japan is high on Bennett and loves Maria, so the push of The Kingdom was set to start as soon as they returned to the promotion. They worked a rock solid tag team match, but unfortunately the crowd did not give a single, solitary fuck. In many ways I didn’t find much wrong with the match, but the lack of reaction and the fact that it was solid, but average, just resulted in a match that existed. Bennett and Taven scored the win with a sloppy spike piledriver to take the titles.

Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito & Togi Makabe defeated Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI: Now this is more like it, we returned to good action with an invested crowd. This was a well done and fun tag team match, with the goal being to set up Goto and Nakamura for the IC Title. They teased this at the last “Road to” show I reviewed, and then paid it off here. The ending featured Goto and Nakamura; Nakamura missed the boma ye, and that allowed Goto to eventually score with the shouten kai for the win. We had a good match and then a finish, which leads to the next IC Title feud, and Makabe vs. Ishii; well-done lads.

Kaszushi Sakuraba & Toru Yano defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuyori Shibata: This was another good and entertaining match, that ended up focusing more on Shibata and Sakuraba as we saw Sakuraba tap out Shibata for the win. The thing about this match is that while the action wasn’t nearly as good as dome of the previous matches, I feel that they did a good job of setting up Shibata and Sakuraba and continuing the Tanahashi vs. feud. This was a good match for it’s place on the card and accomplished what it needed to.

Kazuchika Okada defeated Bad Luck Fale: Kazuchika Okada finally scored the big win over Bad Luck Fale, in a feud that many have not enjoyed because they feel that it had devalued Okada. I’m personally not a big fan of it myself, but I also understand that we have to move guys up and down from time to time, and having Fale work with Okada isn’t the worst thing. I mean, between Okada and Nakamura, Fale had to learn SOMETHING right? RIGHT? Anyway, this was easily one of their better efforts. Okada tried to run wild early, and got cut off allowing the big man to dominate most of the match. They did some really nice counters of their finishes, but after many teases, Okada finally hit the tombstone and then the rainmaker to score the win.

Champion AJ Styles defeated Kota Ibushi: This is the first time in forever that NJPW sold out Sumo Hall for a non-G1 show. Some of that is being attributed to the booking of Styles, but Ibushi is getting a ton of credit as he draws in a large female fan base that tends not to attend the regular shows. Whatever the case, it’s good news for the promotion. They worked a more methodical open, feeling each other out since this is a first time meeting. From there they really picked up the energy, trading near falls. They did some fun spots, trading PELE kicks and counters of signature moves. Ibushi took a sick bump off of a clothesline, landing on his head; I appreciate the selling but damn son, calm down. Ibushi had Styles down late and went for the Phoenix splash to finish him off, but Kenny Omega got up on the apron. Omega didn’t actually do anything (selling that he was torn, as he is Bullet Club, but also former friends with Ibushi) but his distraction was enough for Styles to get to his feet, CATCH Ibushi as he come down with the splash and then hit the styles clash for the victory. Overall they worked a really good match, they delivered a great finish and I was really into the match by the end. Post match Okada ran in and started to lay out the Bullet Club, and finally hit the rainmaker on Styles. The crowd loved this, and now that he has dealt with the monster, Okada looks to regain his title.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

8.1
The final score: review Very Good
The 411
Overall a very good show from New Japan. While we didn’t have a true MOTY candidate or anything close, we had a lot of good wrestling up and down the show and two standout matches. They set up Goto vs. Nakamura, Makabe vs. Ishii, Shelly vs. Omega and Okada vs. Styles; all likely for the Dontaku show next month. On top of that there is Shibata vs. Sakuraba and Tanahashi vs. Yano, along with the tag title feuds going on underneath. This show gets an easy recommendation from me. Especially if you already pay for New Japan World (FOR ONLY 999 YEN)!
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