Csonka’s NJPW on AXS TV Review 5.19.17

Csonka’s NJPW on AXS TV Review 5.19.17

– Tetsuya Naito is the guest for interviews this week.

Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated SANADA @ 21:15 via pin [****½]: The first match (in the G1) was SANADA attacking the injured shoulder while largely avoiding the leg attacks of Tanahashi. In that match the younger SANADA was able to stay one step ahead of the Ace, leading to the big win. Nice back and forth here at the beginning, smooth mat work and nice counters on top of that. SANADA teased the dragon sleeper early, but Tanahashi would have none of that bullshit. It appeared that they were going to shake hands, but both guys tried for kicks. Would send Tanahashi to the corner, but Tanahashi hit the high cross and dropkick, sending SANADA to the floor. SANADA stalled so Tanahashi held the ropes open for him. Back in SANADA hit a dropkick and sent Tanahashi to the floor; SANADA hit the slingshot plancha and then they brawled up the ramp. SANADA hit a RANA on the ramp, and that led to the countout tease. SANADA took control, Tanahashi went for a dragon screw leg whip but SANADA countered into a head and arm submission. Much like the first match, SANADA is staying a step ahead. Both guys fired up, trading forearm strikes in the corner. Tanahashi would hit sling blade, and then the standing senton for a near fall. Tanahashi to the corner, SANADA cut him off and sent him to the mat. Tanahashi would then hit the dragon screw leg whip in the ropes, and then sling blade on the apron. TANAHASHI IS DONE FUCKING AROUND. He then went up top and hit the high cross to SANADA on the floor. Back in the ring, Tanahashi miss as charge and SANADA scored with a springboard missile dropkick. Tanahashi fought off the cutter, SANADA back flipped out of the German but was now favoring his knee. He hit the tiger suplex and then got the dragon sleeper, Tanahashi fought, SANADA let the hold go and then missed the moonsault. Tanahashi them missed high fly flow; SANADA went for another moonsault but landed on his feet, and dropped to the mat due to his knee. Tanahashi then went straight up assassin, attacking the knee and working the cloverleaf. SANADA made the ropes, but Tanahashi kept attacking the leg, just a relentless attack. High fly flow try by Tanahashi ate knees, and while SANADA saved himself he couldn’t follow up because of the knee. They went face to face, trading strikes center ring with neither man willing to give an inch. Tanahashi then slapped around the young punk, SANADA again got the dragon sleeper, Tanahashi escaped repeatedly but SANADA kept going back to it. They worked some excellent counters down the stretch based around the dragon sleeper; SANADA kept going for it, which was really his downfall as Tanahashi hit the dragon suplex for a near fall. High fly flow finally connected, and then another and SANADA was finally done. This was a pretty amazing match, on par with their G1 clash. Tanahashi is really one of the best big match performers I have ever seen, and did an excellent job of not only telling a story that played off of their first match, but also made SANADA look like a big time player. And that is the important thing here, they need to make guys like any promotion, and in two matches, Tanahashi has made SANADA look like a can’t miss main eventer. This was easily the best thing on the show.

IWGP Intercontinental Title Match: Champion Tetsuya Naito defeated Jay Lethal @ 24:30 via pin [**½]: Lethal sent Naito to the floor and hit the triple suicide dives a minute in. lethal controlled until Naito crotched him on the ropes and sent him to the floor. The fans LOVE Naito; they also know Lethal is there, but really don’t acknowledge him. Naito worked over Lethal on the floor, sending him to the barricade a few times. Naito took the heat, it was fine but felt lackadaisical. Naito felt like he was working a “Road to” show (or an ROH taping) and Lethal… is just there. We’re about 10-minutes in right now and I am begging for this to pick up. The crowd isn’t even into this all that much and they love Naito. Lethal hit the flatliner, and then rights and chops. Dropkicks followed as the pacing started to pick up; Lethal hit the spinebuster for a near fall. There has been no fire to this Lethal comeback, no sense of urgency; he’s doing moves. Naito hit his corner dropkick combo, and then the flatliner into the koji clutch. Lethal escaped, and hit the lethal combination. They teased getting the crowd into this but opted for a double down spot instead of even teasing the near fall. No need t show a sense of urgency or get the crowd excited. Lethal then hit some suplexes, set Naito up top and they fought for position and Lethal got sent to the mat. He came back with a dropkick, tried for a superplex and got it, the cover got 2. GO HOME PLEASE. Naito avoided lethal injection and hit the tornado DDT. Naito then hit the missile dropkick, set Lethal up top and hit the RANA. Gloria followed for the near fall. They did the double down spot. This led to them slowly trading strikes to little reaction; Naito then hit a brainbuster for the near fall. Lethal then hit an inverted Finlay roll and locked in the cross face. Naito made the ropes as this continues to go on. They worked to the apron, Lethal hit the suplex and then sent Naito back in. Lethal hit the top rope elbow for 2. Lethal shouted out to Elgin and hit the buckle bomb/Elgin bomb combo for a near fall. Naito countered the lethal injection, but Lethal countered destino. Lethal with the enziguri, but then Naito countered the injection and hit destino to thankfully end this. Lethal was really under whelming in Japan last year, and I was not a fan of the match these two had at the ROH PPV. There was no doubt that Naito was retaining here, so they had to give the illusion that Lethal had a chance and get at the very least that one near fall that you bite on and believe that Lethal is winning. This match was an extreme disappointment, there was no life, no emotion, no fire or sense of urgency here; they had a very average match that felt way too long and failed to deliver in the main event spot. Never once did I feel Lethal had a chance to win, Naito felt as if he mailed this in and while they had a lot to overcome (a lot of greatness before them) this felt average at best. I was hoping that with a rewatch after not seeing the match since it originally aired that I would like it more (because I really like both guys) bit I didn’t. This was simply a disappointment, and more than anything I just do not feel that they work well together at all.

– Post match, Tanahashi arrived and made the challenge for the IC Title at WrestleKingdom. Naito accepted, telling Tanahashi that it would be his last chance to shine. He then told him to go home, because the people wanted to hear him. Osaka loves LIJ.

– In the final interview, Naito noted that Tanahashi wasn’t the man anymore and that he’s on a big role and the Tokyo dome will be Tanahashi’s last big stage. He put over Lethal, but felt that the audience didn’t know him and that he should have come for some warm up matches so that he could have been better known. He hoped to face SANADA, but Tanahashi surprised him.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

I have absolutely no clue why you would feature Naito vs. Lethal over Tanahashi vs. SANADA, I can only assume that it was because Naito vs. Lethal was the main event of the show that these matches came from and it made sense due to the post match challenge from Tanahashi. Tanahashi vs. SANADA is must see, it reminds you of how great Tanahashi is and how great SANADA will be.