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Csonka’s NJPW on AXS TV Review 3.24.17 (Ep. 2)

March 24, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
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Csonka’s NJPW on AXS TV Review 3.24.17 (Ep. 2)  

Csonka’s NJPW on AXS TV Review 3.24.17 (Ep. 2)

Hiroshi Tanahashi is our guest for the interviews this week. Tanahashi spoke about making his return from injury from a torn bicep. He had to slim down and make his lower body stronger, hoping he could bounce back like he had in past years. If he could beat Okada, he knew he could still of with the best; when this match was over, he knew he still had it, even though he didn’t win.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada went to a draw @ 30:00 [*****]: The winner here takes the block, but if there is some form of draw, Goto wins. They went slow early, both teasing one another and then Tanahashi slapped the shit out of Okada. This fired up the champion, hit the neck breaker and top rope elbow. Went for the rainmaker, but Tanahashi got a near fall off of a roll up. Great sequence there. Okada kept control, hitting the slingshot senton and then working a pendulum submission. Tanahashi escaped, and then attacked the knee of Okada. Tanahashi continued his attack on the leg, looking to slow Okada. Okada fired back with a series of elbows, and then planted Tanahashi with a DDT. Okada took control, grounding Tanahashi after a good, but slowed comeback due to the knee. Tanahashi rebounded out of the corner to hit a flying forearm; they then traded forearm strikes center ring, which led to Okada hitting the corner dropkick and sending Tanahashi to the floor. Okada looked to work over Tanahashi on the floor, but Tanahashi fought back and worked Okada’s knee on the steel barricade. Tanahashi opted not to try for the countout and hit a high fly flow to the floor! It looked as if we were getting the countout tease, but Tanahashi foolishly went to the floor and Okada scooped him up and hit a desperation tombstone on the floor. They did the double countout tease, and with Goto’s situation that worked well. Okada struggled to go up top, but missed the missile dropkick and Tanahashi went right back to attacking the knee and working for the cloverleaf, but Okada got the ropes. Okada tried to battle back, but Tanahashi hit the arms trapped bridging German for a near fall. Tanahashi up top, but Okada cut him off with an uppercut. They battled up top, both fighting for position and Tanahashi sent Okada to the mat and then MISSED the high fly flow. Okada hit a pair of dropkicks and is not really selling the knee. Come on brother. Tanahashi hit the sling blade to counter the rainmaker and we got a double down. They fought to their feet, Tanahashi to the apron and trading forearms with Okada. The crowd is into every strike, Tanahashi caught a kick and stunned it off the ropes and then slammed it off of the apron. Tanahashi then got the cloverleaf locked in, Okada fighting as Tanahashi pulls him center ring but he manages to power to the ropes. Tanahashi looks totally frustrated here, looks to follow up and avoids the dropkick and hits a reverse sling blade. HIGH FLY FLOW CONNECTS! ANOTHER try but he eats knees. They worked to their feet, Okada fought off a suplex and then they did the tombstone reversal spot and Tanahashi planted Okada! Neck breaker by Tanahashi, up top. HIGH FLY FLOW countered by a dropkick! Rainmaker countered, GERMAN by Okada, rolls and Tanahashi slaps him to counter the rainmaker. Okada holds on and hits a rainmaker, but then Tanahashi hit s a dragon suplex for an INSANE near fall. Gotch style tombstone by Okada gets another near fall. Shit is getting real here kids, this is insane. Tanahashi counters the rainmaker, hits sling blade and then up top for the HIGH FLY FLOW. Back up top and Tanahashi hits another AND THE BELL RINGS AT 2 for the time limit draw! This was an absolutely amazing match; they played the time limit draw perfectly. The match beautifully built all the way to the finish, with great drama and the finish is awesome (a great play off of one of my favorite finishes between Windham and Flair). The emotion was off the charts and the crowd was insane for this, really adding to the great work from both. Okada had some lackluster performances in the tournament, but also delivered two of the tournament’s best matches. I love the wrestling, and this was another awesome chapter in the Okada vs. Tanahashi rivalry.

– Both men have to basically drag themselves to the back.

– In the final interview, Hiroshi Tanahashi said some thought 30-minutes wouldn’t be enough for them. He felt that it was and that they had to fight in a more dangerous way. He didn’t win the G1, and was disappointed but was glad to return and make it through the whole thing.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

10.0
The final score: review Virtually Perfect
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