wrestling / TV Reports
Csonka’s NJPW King of Pro Wrestling Review 10.10.16
Csonka’s NJPW King of Pro Wrestling Review 10.10.16
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay defeated Adam Cole, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi @ 8:58 via pin [***]
– Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Ryusuke Taguchi & Bobby Fish defeated Toru Yano, Jado, Barreta & Rocky Romero @ 8:13 via pin [**½]
– Go Shiozaki, Maybach Taniguchi, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Masa Kitamiya defeated Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Manabu Nakanishi @ 11:50 via pin [***¾]
– IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Championship Match: Champions The Young Bucks defeated Ricochet & David Finlay @ 12:50 via pin [***¾]
– IWGP Tag Team Championship Match: Guerillas of Destiny defeated Champions The Briscoes @ 14:13 via pin to become the new champions [**¾]
– Tanahashi and Friends defeated Los Ingobernables @ 11:47 via pin [***½]
– NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Champion Katsuyori Shibata defeated Kyle O’Reilly @ 18:10 via submission [****¼]
– Tokyo Dome Championship Opportunity Match: Title Match Holder Kenny Omega defeated Hirooki Goto @ 22:30 via pin [****¼]
– IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match: Champion Kazuchika Okada defeated Naomichi Marufuji @ 28:12 via pin [****¾]
Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay vs. Adam Cole, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi: Bullet Club attacked before the bell, leading to Fale running wild early and Bullet Club taking the heat on HASHI. Corino is in rare form tonight, making jokes about Fale “running the train” on his opponents. HASHI finally hit the desperation neck breaker; Ospreay got the hot tag and brought a ton of fire to the match as he ran wild on Cole. Cole cut his off as he tried to springboard at him, hitting the superkick. They did a double down and then Ishii and Takahashi tagged in. Ishii took out Fale and tossed Takahashi around. Takahashi raked the eyes and it broke down as Bullet Club sent the other faces to the floor and triple teamed Ishii in the corner. We go the big move buffet, Fale got dumped to the floor and Ospreay hi the big dive to the floor. Ishii ended Takahashi with a lariat and brainbuster. Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay defeated Adam Cole, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi @ 8:58 via pin [***] That was a really fun opening tag, with everyone getting some chance to shine, an invested crowd and very little down time. That was a good way to get things rolling.
Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Ryusuke Taguchi & Bobby Fish vs. Toru Yano, Jado, Barreta & Rocky Romero: Before the match started, Yano sprayed water on Makabe, who was not pleased. Jado and Taguchi started, with Jado doing his Flair comedy spots. Yano did some comedy spots with Makabe, and then ran away and tagged Romero. Barreta and Romero attacked, and then we got the big floor brawl. Yano of course took the time to remove a turnbuckle pad. CHAOS took control, working the heat on Makabe. Makabe eventually fought back with a lariat, and got the tag to Fish. Fish got to run wild, clearing the ring and scoring a near fall on Barreta. Barreta hit the desperation DDT, and then Honma and Romero tagged in. Honma took control and then it broke down and CHAOS worked him over. We got brawling to the floor; Romero hit the forever clotheslines on Honma but then ran into the kokeshi. It broke down into the big move buffet, Honma hit the slam on Romero and then the kokeshi and that was that. Post match Makabe attacked Yano as he tried to leave. Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Ryusuke Taguchi & Bobby Fish defeated Toru Yano, Jado, Barreta & Rocky Romero @ 8:13 via pin [**½] This was a solid match overall, but didn’t quite have the energy or flow of the opener. Honma gets the win as he and Makabe have been building momentum, while Romero drops another match and we get some tension (again) between he and Barreta. It also appears that they may have been setting up Honma and Makabe for a possible shot at Yano & Marufuji’s GHC title with the pre & post match interactions.
#NJPW #njkopw pic.twitter.com/m4IrmQYqjY
— LARIATOOOO!!! (@MrLARIATO) October 10, 2016
Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Go Shiozaki, Maybach Taniguchi, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Masa Kitamiya: NEW JAPAN DADS vs. NOAH. They wanted no time and started brawling to the floor. Tenzan and Kojima then took control, working over Taniguchi. Kojima lit him up with the rapid-fire corner chops, team NOAH charged the ring and tossed the dads to the floor and worked over Kojima. Nakajima tagged in as Team NOAH continued the heat, and was beating on Kojima like he owed him money. NOAH kept sending the rest of the dads to the floor as they word over Kojima. Kojima finally got the got tag to Nagata and Nakajima ran away from him as Nagata started to run wild. Nagata finally got his hands on Nakajima, he kicked the hell out of him and then scored with the arm bar as the rest of the dads took the fight to the floor. Kitamiya made the save for Nakajima, and then they double teamed Nagata. Nagata fought off the brain buster and Nakanishi got the hot tag. He and Shiozaki traded chops back and forth, Nakanishi then hit the shoulder block and the dads cleared the ring and beat down Shiozaki. Nakanishi hit the big lariat, but Shiozaki survived. Back breaker by Nakanishi followed, it got broken up and Nakajima took out Nakanishi. It broke down, with Taniguchi and Shiozaki hitting a double team reverse 3D on Nakanishi for 2. Shiozaki then hit the stalling brainbuster for the near fall as it broke down again. Shiozaki finally put away Nakanishi with the lariat. We got the post match brawl, with Nagata and Nakajima pairing off again to hype that match. Go Shiozaki, Maybach Taniguchi, Katsuhiko Nakajima & Masa Kitamiya defeated Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Manabu Nakanishi @ 11:50 via pin [***¾] This was a very good tag match, with great heat as the NEW JAPAN DADS vs. NOAH feud continued to deliver the fun. The feud has great crowd heat, the New Japan Dads look revitalized, everyone is working smart and gets to shine; having them work these big tags is a great use of them. I want to see Nakajima and Nagata try to kill each other so bad.
#NJPW #njkopw pic.twitter.com/J5yjNkhFSo
— LARIATOOOO!!! (@MrLARIATO) October 10, 2016
IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Championship Match: Champions The Young Bucks vs. Ricochet & David Finlay: Ricochet & David Finlay are part of the NEVER Openweight six-man champions with Kojima. When they won the titles after Matt Sydal was trapped in “Hawaii,” they challenged the Bucks for the Jr straps. The Bucks ran down young Finlay, calling him a young boy and telling him that his dad sucked at wrestling. Ricochet and Nick did a really fun and athletic back and forth, doing some really wild and smooth shit. Ricochet and Finlay then cleared out the ring, with Ricochet and the Bucks teasing some dives and then Finlay eating a double serving of superkicks. That allowed the Bucks to take the heat. Finlay got some good fire up spots, but the Bucks would cut him off. Matt pulled Ricochet off the apron and then hit the apron bomb to take him out of action for a bit so that they could continue to work over Finlay. Finlay eventually flipped out of the back suplex and got the hot tag to Ricochet. He ran wild, avoiding the double teams and sending the Bucks to the floor. Ricochet then hit a sweet dive, and worked over Nick back in the ring, hitting a Regal-plex for 2. It broke down, with the Bucks isolating Finlay and dropping him with a superkick. Superkicks to he and Ricochet followed, and that got the near fall. Nick then hit the senton off the top for a near fall as they continued to work over Finlay. Ricochet then cut off the Meltzer driver by catching Nick and then he and Finlay started to double team Nick with a double team back stabber, which got a near fall. Finlay and Ricochet tried a version of more bang for your buck, but Ricochet ate knees and Finlay was left alone. He delivered uppercuts and then ate a superkick. Ricochet again cut off the Meltzer driver, but he got taken out and Finlay ate more bang for your buck and the champions retained. Champions The Young Bucks defeated Ricochet & David Finlay @ 12:50 via pin [***¾] That was on the level of the previous match, but worked in a completely different style. It also felt a bit different from the usual Bucks match, in a refreshing way. I love that Ricochet seemingly has the answer to the Meltzer driver, as he is the one that keeps cutting it off. In the end, The Bucks isolated Finlay and used their experience edge to retain.
IWGP Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Briscoes vs. Guerillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa): For some reason Steve Corino is focused on Haku and Mrs. Haku having sex to Boyz II Men, likely more entertaining than watching the Guerillas wrestle. After some basic back and forth, the Briscoes took control and showed some great fire. The Guerillas worked over Jay for a bit, Mark then got a hot tag and ran wild until Ro caught his attempt at a moonsault. Roa hit the powerslam and the Guerillas took the heat on Mark. The heat was rather bland, with the crowd not really caring. Jay got the hot tag and ran wild on the Guerillas, hitting a great suicide dive on Tongo, while Mark hit the blockbuster off the apron onto Roa. Jey then destroyed Tongo with a lariat for a near fall. The Briscoes started to work double teams on Tonga, it broke down, with the Briscoes hitting a razor’s edge/neck breaker combo for 2. The Guerillas fought off the doomsday device, and ht the powerbomb/neck breaker combo for a near fall. Jay made the save as the Guerillas tried for a double superplex on Mark, but the Guerillas countered the doomsday device again. The double team gun stun followed, and then Guerilla warfare put Mark away. Guerillas of Destiny defeated Champions The Briscoes @ 14:13 via pin to become the new champions [**¾] While not great, that was one of the better Guerillas of Destiny matches. No one cares about them, but they wee better here and the Briscoes worked their asses off. The title change is only happening because the WTL happens when ROH has Best in the World, and the Briscoes won’t miss that, and NJPW wants the tag champions in the WTL. I don’t think you need them in there, but that’s why it happened.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin, KUSHIDA & Jay Lethal vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI: So we have Tanahashi and Friends vs. Los Ingobernables here, with the big brawl kicking things off. Lethal got some run early, but then Los Ingobernables cut off Tanahashi and worked him over in their corner. For some reason, Kevin Kelly and Corino went into business for themselves and put over the Corino/Kevin Sullivan angle and then tried to connect it to Los Ingobernables. No one cares about the horrible Corino angle. Fun heat on Tanahashi, with SANADA going for the dragon sleeper, but Tanahashi countering out and tagging in KUSHIDA. KUSHIDA was running wild, Naito tried to trip him, leading to KUSHIDA hitting the dive onto BUSHI and Naito. After BUSHI and KUSHIDA had some fun back and forth, Naito cut off KUSHIDA, who appeared to really hurt his arm. Elgin ran in and took out Naito and dragged KUSHIDA to his corner. KUSHIDA got checked at ringside as Elgin ran wild on Los Ingobernables. He did his double slam spot on BUSHI and Naito, and that got a near fall. EVIL finally helped to cut off Elgin, leading to Naito hitting the tornado DDT. Los Ingobernables isolated Elgin and worked him over. Elgin is a one-man team here, making the big comeback and then Tanahashi returned and so did Lethal as we got the big move buffet. Lethal injection on Naito, and then the buckle bomb and Elgin bomb by Elgin connected and he picks up the big win as he heads towards a rematch for the IWGP IC Title. Tanahashi and Friends defeated Los Ingobernables @ 11:47 via pin [***½] This was good stuff coming out of the intermission, everyone got some chance to shine and they hit all of the notes they needed to as they move forward. This was a great match in terms of storytelling and setting things up for down the road, as Naito will have to give Elgin a rematch and Lethal beat him at the ROH PPV and will likely get a match. I also think we’re heading for Tanahashi vs. Naito at the dome, but Tanahashi and SANADA still have unfinished business to deal with first. And of course, BUSHI and KUSHIDA will be rematching eventually over the junior title.
– Post match EVIL wrapped a chair around KUSHIDA’s head and then did the baseball bat swing with another chair as Elgin and Lethal just stood in the ring like bad partners, Tanahashi was being held back. BUSHI then hit the code breaker with the chair on KUSHIDA for the big injury angle.
NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Champion Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kyle O’Reilly: Commentary discussed the “rumored injury” to Shibata’s neck as well as O’Reilly’s transition to a heavyweight. O’Reilly holds a win over Shibata in ROH. They did a lot of back and forth grappling early. Shibata tried to work the arm, but O’Reilly out grappled him and he went to work on the arm, and got the arm bar but Shibata got the ropes. Shibata took a powder to the floor, but when he returned O’Reilly continued the attack on the arm. Shibata would start to fight back, and then O’Reilly cut him off by attacking the leg. O’Reilly laid in a series of kicks and Shibata demanded he keep kicking him and then fired up with a forearm strike. They then traded running kicks, leading to Shibata hitting the comer dropkick. Shibata worked the octopus hold, and pulled O’Reilly to the mat, but O’Reilly rolled to the ropes. O’Reilly avoided the PK, and then they just kicked each other in the face. Shibata worked a guillotine, but O’Reilly escaped and ht the capture suplex for the near fall. Shibata fought off the brainbuster attempt, but O’Reilly choked him out and then hit the brainbuster for the near fall; O’Reilly quickly transitioned into the arm bar and then the triangle. Shibata struggled and powered up but O’Reilly got the arm bar, and Shibata had to get the ropes. Shibata then go the sleeper, O’Reilly made the ropes and then they traded SICK suplexes and Shibata hit the PK and BOTH men were down. That was a sick exchange. They traded strikes from their knees, worked to their feet and did a double down. O’Reilly hit the lariat but Shibata kicked out at 1, O’Reilly hit the PK and then got a near fall. Both men are spent, O’Reilly worked knee strikes and kicks, but Shibata hit a backhand slap and the sleeper. O’Reilly tried to fight it off but Shibata kept the hold, hit the PK and then locked in the rear naked choke. O’Reilly passed out and Shibata retained. Champion Katsuyori Shibata defeated Kyle O’Reilly @ 18:10 via submission [****¼] That was the best match on the show so far. The style isn’t for everyone, but I felt that they worked an awesome hard hitting match that felt different than anything else on the show. This was just excellent stuff, O’Reilly had previously delivered as a junior, but this felt like his coming out party as a heavyweight. He suffered nothing in loss here.
– Post match Shibata shook hands with O’Reilly and Fish. Go Shiozaki appeared and set up himself up as the next challenger. As he left, EVIL attacked and laid out Shibata, and set himself up as a challenger. He beat Shibata in the G1, so this makes sense as well.
Tokyo Dome Championship Opportunity Match: Title Match Holder Kenny Omega vs. Hirooki Goto: Goto is getting a chance here because someone needs to lose to Omega, and he’s great at losing the big match. The pre-match video was awesome as Omega buried Goto and told him after he lost again he could go back to the midcard. HASHI is with Goto and the Bucks and a trashcan full of weapons are with Omega. Goto attacked before the bell and attacked Omega with the briefcase, which the crowd did not like. Goto took out the Bucks and he and Omega brawled to the floor. It was all Goto early as he hit the elbow drop off the top for a near fall. Omega started to make a comeback and sent Goto the floor, where he ate a superkick. Omega then slammed him to the apron, and the Bucks pulled out a table. Matt laid it on Goto and Omega hit a double stomp off the apron. HASHI is a shit corner man. Back in, Omega hit the missile dropkick and got a near fall. Omega took the heat, grounding Goto as Matt Jackson took pictures at ringside. Goto kept trying to fire up, Omega would cut him off and keep control. Omega then ht the Finlay roll into the moonsault and that got a near fall. Omega hit a RANA and sent Goto to the floor. Terminator time as Omega scores with a beautiful dive. The Bucks set up a table and laid Goto on it, but HASHI finally made the save. Omega and Goto battled on the apron, the Bucks and HASHI brawled to the back, and Omega and Goto fought up top. Goto fought him off, and hit the code red off the top, planning Omega nearly on his head for a near fall. Omega blocked the kick and hit a pump handle back breaker. Omega looked to powerbomb Goto to the floor, Goto escaped and Omega went for a springboard and Goto shoved him off the top and Omega flew through the table!
OH, FUCK!! #NJPW #njkopw pic.twitter.com/Bysa6SBLrL
— LARIATOOOO!!! (@MrLARIATO) October 10, 2016
Goto stopped the ref from counting and pulled Omega back in the ring. Goto decapitated Omega with the lariat, the ushigoroshi followed and Goto got the near fall. Omega fought off the sleeper, climbing up the ropes and Goto slipped out and hit another ushigoroshi. They worked into a counter sequence, and Goto hit the shouten kai, but Omega survived. That was a great near fall. Goto fire dup and laid in kicks to Omega, but Omega got a roll up for 2. Snap dragon suplex by Omega and both men are down. They traded strikes center ring, Omega then dropped Goto with a knee strike but Goto fired up again only to eat a running knee strike. Omega then hit the fisherman’s buster to the knee, but Goto somehow survived to a great reaction. Omega with the running knee strike, one winged angel connects after Goto tried to fight it off and Omega retains his title shot. Title Match Holder Kenny Omega defeated Hirooki Goto @ 22:30 via pin [****¼] And with the victory, Omega is now officially the challenger for WrestleKingdom as this was his last scheduled defense of the briefcase. This was a rematch that I had no desire to see, but to their credit they made it work. Omega is awesome working with Goto, and while we all new Goto was losing the key here was working something that made you believe that he had a chance to win. And that’s exactly what they did here, they worked a great match, the crowd was into it big time and the closing stretch was awesome. Commentary was heavy on the story that Goto once again lost the big one.
IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match: Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. Naomichi Marufuji: Marufuji beat Okada in the G1, which is how we got here. Okada looked to use his size advantage early, but Marufuji was all about his speed and was able to counter out. He flashed the high kick, which Okada avoided and after some back and forth Okada hit the big backdrop. Okada slowed the pacing and took the match to the floor, where Marufuji fought back with the bulldog over the barricade. He connected with the heel kick and as they retuned to the ring, Marufuji took the heat, delivering chops to Okada. Okada tried to fire up with some weak ass forearms, so Marufuji lit his ass up with more chops and told him to take that weak sauce back home. Marufuji then started to target the arm, looking to take out the rainmaker. Marufuji then continued to break down Okada with chops in the corner. Okada finally hit a big boot and then a running elbow to stop the offense of Marufuji. Okada then planted Marufuji with a DDT and then dropkicked Marufuji to the floor. They brawled on the floor, Marufuji ht the head kick, but Okada followed with a running high cross over the barricade and into the chairs. We got the countout tease from that, Okada rolled Marufuji back in and Marufuji fought him off with kicks and strikes, which led to the double down. They fought to the feet, Marufuji laid in more kicks and then the dropkick. They fought to the apron and Marufuji hit a PILEDRIVER on the apron!
GodDAMN!! Piledriver on the apron from Marufuji! #NJPW #njkopw pic.twitter.com/SJ39E19DcB
— LARIATOOOO!!! (@MrLARIATO) October 10, 2016
Okada made it back in to break the cont but ate a springboard dropkick for a near fall. Okada managed to cut off Marufuji with a flapjack, they worked into a series of counters, with Okada hitting the neck breaker. Okada up top and hits the elbow drop. RAINMAKER POSE. Marufuji countered the rainmaker and rolled into a version of the koji clutch. The ref checked the arm, but Okada fought to his feet. Marufuji went for Shiranui, countered and Okada sent Marufuji to the corner with a shotgun dropkick. Both men struggle to their feet, and Marufuji with more chops as Okada connected with forearms. My God Marufuji is sick with these chops. They continued to battle back and forth, Okada challenged Marufuji to throw more so he did and just continued to light him up and Okada dropped to his knees. Marufuji kept firing away, avoided the dropkick the first time but then ran right into it. Marufuji escapes the tombstone and hit the head kick, Okada countered Shiranui with a German, but Marufuji countered the rainmaker with a jumping knee strike! Marufuji avoided the charge and absolutely killed Okada with another knee strike in the corner. Shiranui connects, but Okada survives. Marufuji went for the emerald flowsion, Okada countered but ate another kick to the head. Marufuji went for Shiranui again, but Okada countered into a rainmaker! Okada held onto Marufuji’s wrist as they laid on the mat, pulled himself up but Marufuji scores with the small package for 2. Marufuji laid in the series of kicks and knees, but Okada snatched him up and hit the tombstone! THIS FUCKING MATCH! Okada then hit the emerald flowsion, and decapitated Marufuji with the rainmaker and retained. Champion Kazuchika Okada defeated Naomichi Marufuji @ 28:12 via pin [****¾]
This was an amazing battle, with the champion having to dig deep to put away a fellow champion and man that had previously defeated him. This was everything I wanted from this match and more, and more than delivered as the main event to an overall amazing show.
– Post match Gedo called out Omega for the big face to face between champion and challenger. Omega says Okada has been given everything by Gedo and NJPW. Omega says Okada has been good and protected the company, and is the symbol of New Japan. Omega says he has taken everything he has, and will take everything Okada treasures. He will win at WrestleKingdom and treat Okada like a bitch, like they did when Okada was in America.
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
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