wrestling / Video Reviews
Puro Review: Wrestle Kingdom 9
Loading...NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9
January 4th, 2015 | Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan | Attendance: 36,000
Coming into 2015, I had never laid eyes on a New Japan event. With the news that NJPW World was launching and the hype surrounding Wrestle Kingdom 9, I decided to order the service and watch the show. Now on that night, I watched with Japanese commentary and there were only a few matches that featured people I knew. Now, I really enjoyed the event but I think that re-watching it now with more knowledge of the company could certainly raise my love for this show.
This time around, I am watching with the English commentary provided by Jim Ross and Matt Striker.
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
reDRagon (c) vs. The Forever Hooligans vs. The Time Splitters vs. The Young Bucks
These four teams (swap out Alex Kozlov for Trent Baretta now) have been the entire Junior tag division from this show up to the time of this writing. Personally, my favorites are the Time Splitters, while I believe reDRagon are the best team in the world and here, they hold both the IWGP Junior belts and the ROH World Tag Team Titles. These matches are extremely fast paced so don’t expect play-by-play. After some mat work from KUSHIDA and Bobby Fish, the Time Splitters are first to use double team offense before mocking the Bucks and the Bullet Club. Kozlov comes in and does his weird Russian dance spot for a near fall. Striker discusses the polarizing Young Bucks while they have a miscue and Nick kicks Matt in the mouth. Only one man remains on the apron since everyone is down and that’s Rocky Romero. Kozlov tags him and he does good old fashioned hot tag style offense, including about fifty clotheslines. The Forever Hooligans work pretty well together and it’s surprising that Rocky found the same kind of chemistry with a new partner so soon after. We get the big “everyone dives outside” spot that is a staple of matches like this, capped by a KUSHIDA moonsault onto everyone. All of the teams continue to trade stuff as they have pretty much given up on the idea of tagging. The Bucks land on their feet after a double doomsday device and start busting out the superkicks. They hit the IndyTaker but the pin is broken up. I happen to hate that move by the way. The Champions have been relatively quiet to this point, but pick it up now. Top rope falcon arrows, exploders and Chasing the Dragon on Kozlov earns the 1-2-3.
Winners and Still IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: reDRagon in 13:01
Originally, this wowed me as it was athletic, fast paced and a blast. It still is those things but I’ve grown to see these teams compete against each other a ton since then. That made me think I’d like this less now but it wasn’t the case. It served as a perfect opener, giving you fast paced action. Also having so many teams involved allowed the Bucks to be tolerable to me. Every team got to shine in a well-executed opener. ***½
The Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Jeff Jarrett and Yujiro Takahashi) w/ Karen Angle and Scott D’Amore vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima and Tomoaki Honma
Together, Tenzan and Kojima make up Tencozy. I’ve grown to enjoy Honma, Kojima and even Fale on some occasions from what I’ve seen in New Japan. Honma is coming off of a G1 Climax where he not only put on a bunch of good to great matches but went winless. Despite this, he got the crowd behind him 100% and is one of the most popular guys on the roster. This starts as a brawl before breaking down and giving each guy a small chance to strut their stuff. Matt Striker does a good job in giving you backstory, discussing Honma’s G1 run, Tencozy being legends and Takahashi’s heel turn the previous year. Honma gets a hot tag and beats up on Takahashi. He misses the headbutt of course. Like its TNA or late WCW, Jarrett tries to use the guitar but Honma blocks it. Takahashi gets involved only to eat the guitar by mistake. Tencozy cleans house and tells Honma to go for Kokeshi. He actually nails it and earns the win as the place erupts.
Winners: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima and Tomoaki Honma in 5:36
The first time around, I didn’t care for this match. Knowing what I know now, this was pretty special. Tomoaki Honma got to actually pick up a win for once and did so on the biggest stage possible. The match itself still isn’t much to write home about, but dammit if it wasn’t such a feel good moment that it raises the score slightly. **¼
Naomichi Marufuji, TMDK and Toru Yano vs. Suzuki-Gun (Davey Boy Smith Jr., Lance Archer, Shelton X Benjamin and Takashi Iizuka)
Toru Yano found mystery partners for this match and got guys from Pro Wrestling NOAH. Suzuki-Gun attacks before the bell and it’s a pier six brawl from the start. The focus is on former partners Yano and Iizuka. Other guys get their chance to shine with the Might Don’t Kneel probably being my favorite part of this match. I’m sure they’ve wrestled in NOAH so I need to find some TMDK vs. KES matches. They both work well together throughout this match. Marufuji, a favorite of mine for a long time now is just great when he gets to come in, working with TMDK as a unit. He nails a big time knee strike on Iizuka for the victory.
Winners: Naomichi Marufuji, TMDK and Toru Yano in 5:14
About on par with the previous match. They seemed like matches to try and get as many people spots on the card as possible. The NOAH guys were certainly the highlight here. **¼
UWFI Rules
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Minoru Suzuki
The only way to win is by knockout, submission or referee stoppage. Minoru Suzuki is known for coming out in all black trunks with black hair but is wearing white and even has his hair dyed white here. This is more of a fight than a match, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It works for these two as they go for submissions early before trying for strikes. The fight moves to the ramp and they just come at each other with kicks and strikes. Sakuraba applies a Kimura on the ramp and the official contemplates stopping it as Suzuki is hurt but he goes back to the ring. Sakuraba gets in shots while Suzuki holds his injured arm but then he comes back with some big time strikes. There isn’t much to write about because it really is just two men beating the fuck out of each other. Suzuki applies a rear naked choke and the referee stops the match when Sakuraba passes out.
Winner: Minoru Suzuki in 9:21
This match isn’t for everyone but it worked for me. It came off as a real fight and was stiff in the best possible way. It told a simple story of two men trying to see who was better at what they both do so well. The arm work was not only well done, but pretty masterfully sold by Suzuki. Good stuff. ***¼
The two men embrace after the match out of respect for one another.
NEVER Openweight Championship
Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Togi Makabe
Similar to the junior tag team matches, I’ve now seen this match more times than I can stomach. Right from the bell, these two just wail away on each other. It’s what would expect from these two as they just go to war with each other. As Makabe pounds on Ishii, Ishii powers up and just takes all of the shots before coming back with some of his own. There haven’t been many moves up to this point, but a whole lot of strikes. Ishii’s shoulder is still taped up from the G1 and I kind of wish it would come into play more here because it made for compelling TV during the tournament. Makabe looks for the spider German suplex but Ishii fights him off. Makabe powers up, fighting back and then hitting a Samoan drop from the top for two. The sounds of some of the lariats are sickening. Ishii comes back with some of his own and both men end up only getting counts of one. Matt Striker tries to get JR to scream “LARIATOOO” which clearly wasn’t going to happen. Now, they hit lariats at the same time but Makabe ducks one and hits a dragon suplex for two. Now it’s time for the obligatory forearm exchange in the middle of the ring. This leads to headbutts and sledges. Makabe hits a lariat that looks like it broke Ishii’s neck but again only gets two. Makabe then goes up and hits the King Kong knee drop onto the back of Ishii’s skull to win the belt.
Winner and New NEVER Openweight Champion: Togi Makabe in 12:23
The first match that I would say nearly reaches great status. This was the war that you come to expect from these two and of all of their matches in 2015, I’d say this was the second best. It was brutal, stiff and violent though I do think the finish came off as a bit anti-climactic. ***¾
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship
Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. Kenny Omega w/ the Young Bucks
These are two of my least favorite performers in New Japan. Kenny Omega has phenomenal theme music though. Taguchi has had an issue with the Bullet Club for a while since his former partner, Prince Devitt, turned on him and formed the group. They go through some quick exchanges filled with Taguchi doing his weird “Funky Weapon” stuff. Omega sprays Taguchi with a strange spray to turn the tide. He goes after the eyes for a bit. Taguchi back drops Omega onto the Bucks and then follows with a dive. Inside, they go back and forth and Taguchi looks for a top rope move. Omega meets him in mid-air with a dropkick, following by a gutwrench powerbomb. Taguchi comes back and works an ankle lock but the Bucks get on the apron, only to have Omega thrown into them. They trade some more stuff until Omega hits a big German and a running knee. He finishes things with the One Winged Angel.
Winner and New IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion: Kenny Omega in 13:19
My least favorite singles match on the card. It wasn’t as bad as I remembered it, but it was still nothing special. Taguchi’s act just doesn’t entertain me and the same goes for Kenny Omega, though he wasn’t as over the top campy as he has become later in the year. **½
IWGP Tag Team Championship
Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson (c) w/ Amber O’Neal and Tama Tonga vs. Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata
I watched this show in January and didn’t get back into New Japan until around July (though I’ve gone back and watched). When I picked it up in July, I had no recollection that Goto and Shibata were the guys that competed in this match. They had come close on several times but were unable to win the big tag. Goto begins with Anderson and they start with some pretty fast paced stuff. Anderson gets the advantage and we start to see some good old fashioned tag work. They cut the ring in half and even O’Neal gets in a cheap slap. Goto knocks Gallows off his feet and tags Shibata, who comes in hot. He and Goto work some double team stuff but the champions use their own to get back in control. They hit a back suplex/neckbreaker combination for two. Goto blocks the Gun Stun a few times and hits a big neckbreaker followed by Shibata’s PK. They don’t try to win there though, allowing Gallows to come in. He falls into trouble when Goto and Shibata start double teaming him. They keep Anderson out of the ring as Goto puts Gallows on his shoulders and launches him into the knee of Shibata for an assisted GTS. Shibata uses the Penalty Kick and they finally win the big one.
Winners and New IWGP Tag Team Champions: Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata in 9:00
A really good tag team match here. I’ve always liked Goto and Shibata and I happen to think the Gallows/Anderson combination is good too. They worked well together, didn’t bore me at any point and the finishing sequence was pretty damn great. Unfortunately, NJPW would kill this moment by having them drop the titles right back in about a month. ***¾
AJ Styles vs. Tetsuya Naito
These two had a phenomenal, pun intended, match during the G1 Climax where AJ went total vicious heel and attacked a nasty cut on Naito’s head. AJ looks for the Styles Clash early a few times. That move has become something to fear since two of AJ’s opponents have broken their necks from that move. Both guys show off their athleticism on the outside during an exchange. Wisely, AJ starts to go after the leg, looking to take away Naito’s high flying offense. Naito starts a comeback while Striker mentions that Naito has lost his three previous Wrestle Kingdom matches, including an IWGP Heavyweight Title match the prior year. AJ hits his beautiful springboard forearm and then a sick neckbreaker. The neckbreaker worked because Naito couldn’t hit his move due to the leg work. Naito continues to have counters and uses a German for two. He looks for Stardust Press but AJ crotches him up top. AJ applies the Calf Killer, which is one of my favorite submissions and works perfectly in this match. Naito survives but is then hit with Bloody Sunday, a trademark of the original Bullet Club leader, Prince Devitt. Again, Naito avoids the Styles Clash and backdrops Styles outside for a countout tease. Naito sets Styles up top and looks for a top rope rana. AJ blocks it though and finally hits the Styles Clash off the second rope to be victorious.
Winner: AJ Styles in 14:25
This was better than I originally remembered and I thought it was great back then. Having the English commentary helped here as Ross and Striker did a good job in putting over how vicious the Styles Clash was. The leg work was well done and Naito was ready for the Styles Clash each time, until the finish, which was great. The second rope Clash was not only smart since Naito wasn’t prepared for it, but it also came off as the right kind of dangerous ending. ****¼
IWGP Intercontinental Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Kota Ibushi
The champion gets a fantastic entrance complete with a crown and cape. They go into trying to kill each other with strikes and when some of them connect, they are vicious. Kota Ibushi shows how brash he is when he doesn’t allow for a clean break. He continues that by knocking Nakamura down in the corner and mocking Nakamura’s signature boot and weird shake thing. I don’t know the name. Nakamura gets pissed and does it right back to him. Nakamura uses his knees for some big time offense that has Ibushi rattled outside. Inside, he’s in control as the veteran champion. Ibushi levels him a few times, but Nakamura arrogantly brushes each shot off before coming back with his own, including some disrespectful slaps to the face. Ibushi has the athletic advantage and uses it to land on his feet on a suplex and then snap off a rana. He sends Nakamura outside and follows with a gorgeous triangle moonsault. Ibushi’s high risk offense backfires when Nakamura greets him with a one legged dropkick. Nakamura follows with some stiff knees to the skull. Striker does a good job in reminding everyone of the concussion history of Ibushi. Ibushi comes back with a top rope for two. He hits a sick dragon suplex and standing corkscrew moonsault for another near fall. He nearly knocks out Nakamura with a huge kick that gets sold perfectly. Ibushi goes up and crashes and burns with the Phoenix Splash, leading to a Boma Ye to the back of the head. Nakamura is too hurt to cover though. Nakamura now just delivers stiff kicks to the head of Ibushi, who just SMILES! He comes back with some impressive strikes that send Nakamura reeling. Shinsuke shoves the official into Ibushi and then catches an Ibushi right hand by applying an armbar. Ibushi breaks it by just stomping on the face of the champion. The camera catches just how legit the stomp is. He then hits Nakamura with his own Boma Ye, only for Shinsuke to kick out at one! They trade shots, including hitting each other at the same time with two absolutely devastating slaps twice. Nakamura charges but Ibushi double stomps him to the ground. Showing that he is an absolute freak of nature, Ibushi stands on the second rope and DEAD LIFTS Nakamura into a massive German suplex. Nakamura headbutts out of another suplex attempt and brings elbow strikes. He hits a leaping knee strike from the second rope but Ibushi gets up with another smile. They charge at each other and have their knees collide. Nakamura hits a cradle shock like move followed by the Boma Ye and retains.
Winner and Still IWGP Intercontinental Champion: Shinsuke Nakamura in 20:12
I’ve now seen this match five times and it’s still breathtaking. The match never slows down and is absolutely phenomenal. Ibushi is the brash challenger that isn’t intimidated by the big stage or facing one of the top guys in the company, and Nakamura is the top guy that is taken to the limit but the young stud. This was a star making performance for Ibushi, though the company didn’t realize capitalize on it. That is how you put someone over in defeat. This was a masterful match from both guys and one of the best matches I’ve ever seen. It is what got me officially into New Japan. *****
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada w/ Gedo
These two have one of the greatest rivalries I’ve ever seen. I still have yet to see all of their matches, but I don’t have any of their encounter ranked under ****½. They met in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 7 two years prior, with Tanahashi retaining the belt. Coming into this, Okada has a 3-2-1 series advantage. Early on, there’s an extended feeling out process. It’s not the most exciting action but it makes sense given the history between the two. They know each other so well that they know how to prevent the other from getting in the driver’s seat. They fight outside where Okada hits a hangman’s DDT from the guardrail. They go up to the ramp where Okada looks for the tombstone. Tanahashi blocks it and picks up steam before charging at Okada. Okada catches him with an Attitude Adjustment like move that ends in a neckbreaker of sorts. Okada continues to hold serve for a bit. Tanahashi makes a slight rally and Okada hits some strikes, while slapping the champion, showing how cocky he is. Okada nails the diving elbow and does the Rainmaker pose. Tanahashi really hasn’t gotten out of the gates yet. Tanahashi counters the Rainmaker into a rollup for two. Tanahashi then goes right to the leg with a dragon screw. Okada rolls outside and is sent over the guardrail. Tanahashi climbs to the top rope and leaps from there onto Okada beyond the guardrail with High Fly Flow. That’s pretty insane. Back inside, Okada looks for the Rainmaker again but it is reversed into slingblade. Tanahashi hits another High Fly Flow to a standing Okada, who rolls through and tries the tombstone. Tanahashi counters and hits his own Tombstone. He then hits High Fly Flow to the back and one to the chest but somehow only gets two. The guys go back and forth again and Okada nails the Rainmaker but Tanahashi becomes the first man to ever kick out of it. They exchange strikes and Okada looks for the tombstone again but Tanahashi reverses into a rollup for two. They again go back and forth and Tanahashi has another counter for the Rainmaker with a dragon suplex for two. Okada then hits a German for two of his own. He holds on and tries the Rainmaker but that is reversed into another dragon suplex for two. Good lord. Okada hits the dropkick and Jim Ross is magnificent calling it. Another Rainmaker is blocked. Tanahashi hits High Fly Flow after some dragon screws. Okada is seated on the mat and Tanahashi hits another High Fly Flow. He climbs and nails a twisting one for the victory.
Winner and Still IWGP Heavyweight Champion: Hiroshi Tanahashi in 30:57
These two never fail to deliver together. This started a bit slow, though as I said, what they did made sense. The High Fly Flow spot to the outside was the highlight but the second half of this match was just insane. Okada being a dick and Tanahashi having to be one right back, Okada having a game plan to keep Tanahashi from getting started, Tanahashi having the Rainmaker and Okada in general scouted was all great. The false finish with the Rainmaker was masterful since it has been so protected as a finisher. Just an all-around awesome match. ****½
After the match, Kazuchika Okada is helped to the back by Gedo and is bawling his eyes out, showing how much the loss hurt him.
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