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Csonka’s NJPW World Tag League (Night 9) 11.29.16

December 3, 2016 | Posted by Larry Csonka
5
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Csonka’s NJPW World Tag League (Night 9) 11.29.16  

Csonka’s NJPW World Tag League (Night 9) 11.29.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Block A Match : Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima defeated Henare & Manabu Nakanishi @ 9:50 via pin [**]
Block A Match : Juice Robinson & Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Leland Race & Brian Breaker @ 15:12 via pin [***]


Like the BOTSJ & The G1, I will be only covering the tournament matches.

Block A Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Henare & Manabu Nakanishi : Watching Manabu Nakanishi and Henare look like take your kid to work day. I think pairing an established star with a young lion for the tournament is a great idea, and you can see that Henare is improving. Unfortunately, it feels as if they want Henare to Manabu Nakanishi’s Mini-me, and that’s the exact thing they should avoid. Using an established name to help the young lion grow and to give him some credibility should all be goals, not cloning guys like Manabu Nakanishi. Anyway, this was far from bad, but just painfully bland and average. Henare ate the Kojima lariat and was pinned. Get used to that kid. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima defeated Henare & Manabu Nakanishi @ 9:50 via pin [**] While this lacked energy and fire down the stretch, I love Ten Koji in this tournament; two old friends fighting hard and scratching for one last shot at glory together. Nakanishi was Nakanishi, largely slow and planet like. It was fine.

Block A Match: Juice Robinson & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Leland Race & Brian Breaker : According to Dave Melzer and the WON, “The story on Leland Race being Harley’s son is apparently a bullshit wrestling story.” So my theory that Brian Breaker is really Harley’s kid still has some legs. The Juice Robinson & Hiroshi Tanahashi pairing has worked really well in the tournament; juice had been improving an getting better crowd reactions, but officially becoming Tanahashi’s little brother; he also fills the role of Tanahashi’s low level friend compared to Yoshitatsu. Robinson shows great fire, looks as if he’s having the time of his life when in the ring. Juice Robinson & Hiroshi Tanahashi work very well together, and Brian Breaker is easily the best part of his team. He works very well in the American bruiser role; his work is unrefined and chaotic in a good way. Juice picks up the win (which I love because he can’t only lose; Juiced hit pulp friction (unprettier) on Not Harley Race’s son for the win. Juice Robinson & Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Leland Race & Brian Breaker @ 15:12 via pin [***] This was a basic, but good tag. Basic is fine as long as it doesn’t get bland. The faces had great fire, Brian Breaker works really hard (like he is trying to make the most of this chance) despite being saddled with home dead weight. Juice Robinson & Hiroshi Tanahashi did their absolute best to make his a fun and good match, and if feel they succeeded.

BLOCK A STANDINGS
* Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan – 8pts
* Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa – 8 pts.
* War Machine – 6pts
* Tetsuya Naito & Rush – 6pts
* Brian Breaker & Leland Race -4pts
* Yujiro Takahashi & Hangman Page -4 pts.
* Hiroshi Tanahashi & Juice Robinson – 4pts.
* Manabu Nakanishi & Henare – 0 pts.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

 photo fe36ffd0-0da4-4e3b-a2d3-b026b341dd87_zps41ef5d61.jpg
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

5.0
The final score: review Not So Good
The 411
It wasn’t bad, just another show as we crawl towards the end of this year’s world tag league. Personally, I am getting more joy out of individual performances and seeing guys grow and overachieve or the opposite. I find it fascinating.
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