Csonka Reviews This Week’s Free NJPW & Impact Matches

Csonka Reviews This Week’s Free NJPW & Impact Matches

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– IWGP NEVER Openweight Champion Hirooki Goto defeated Juice Robinson @ 14:50 via pin [***¾]
– IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defeated Dragon Lee @ 18:40 via pin [****¾]
– Jade defeated Laurel Van Ness @ 6:50 via pin [**¾]

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from NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo: IWGP NEVER Openweight Champion Hirooki Goto vs. Juice Robinson: Robinson fired up and attacked right away, laying into Goto in the corner, hitting the cannonball and then the top rope head butt for the near fall in the first minute. Goto retreated to the floor, Robinson followed and they brawled on the floor, with Robinson keeping control. He then missed the cannonball against the barricade. Back in and Goto was not amused by Robinson and started to beat on him, focusing on the back. Good aggression by Goto here as he tried to destroy the back of Robinson, working the crab. Good fight shown by Robinson as he struggled for the ropes, but Goto maintains control. Robinson makes it to his feet and then clotheslines Goto to the floor. Robinson followed up with the slingshot senton, sent Goto back in but is slow to follow up due to his back. Robinson followed with a senton and a running splash for 2. They traded strikes center ring, Robinson escaped the ushigoroshi and then followed with jabs. Jump kick by Robinson cuts off Goto, hits the toss up gut buster and covers for the near fall. Robinson up top, but crashes and burns on the moonsault. Robinson looked to fight back, went up top and Goto cut him off. They traded strikes up top, Robinson slipped out and hit the powerbomb and covered for a great near fall. Robinson looked for pulp friction, Goto countered and hit a German (dumping Robinson on his head); Robinson fires up and they trade lariats. Robinson then leveled Goto and covered for a good near fall. Goto counters pulp friction, but Robinson counters the GRT. Goto hit a draping GRT, but Robinson kicks out! Goto with a kick to the chest, but Robinson again survives. GRT by Goto, and Robinson is finally done. IWGP NEVER Openweight Champion Hirooki Goto defeated Juice Robinson @ 14:50 via pin [***¾] This was a very good match, laid out just the way it needed to be. From Robinson‘s attack early on the champion, to his selling, to the fact that he scored believable near falls and survived some of Goto’s signature stuff before finally falling. Robinson continues to improve, looked really strong here and lost nothing in defeat. This performance gave Robinson a lot of confidence, and also allowed NJPW to give him his big chance against Naito; Robinson also lost that title match, but had a career best performance in that match. He really should be included in the G1 this year, with Shibata & Honma out, this year could be huge in terms of Robinson getting elevated up the card.

From NJPW New Beginning in Osaka: Champion Hiromu Takahashi vs. Dragon Lee: Takahashi has such star presence from the moment he comes to the ring. They go crazy fists at the bell, and then went rapid-fire offense. Some beautiful counter work here, playing off the fact that they know each other so well. This is their 15th meeting. Back in the ring, and Lee takes control, grounding Takahashi. He then picks up the pace, hitting the knee strike. Lee delivers kicks in the corner, to the floor and Takahashi hits a superkick and then hits a running sunset bomb to the floor. Takahashi then hits a running dropkick on the ramp, back in and covers for 2. Takahashi tries to rip off Lee’s mask. But Lee sends him to the apron and connects with a RANA to the floor. Lee follows with a great dive, rolls Takahashi back in and works knee strikes and then into rolling northern lights suplexes. Lee lights up Takahashi with chops and kicks, sets him up top, follows but Takahashi grabs at the mask to stop the double stomp. Lee back up top, but Takahashi pulls him off and tosses him to the floor. Fucks sake lads. Takahashi goes for a RANA to the floor, but Lee counters with the powerbomb. They tease the double countout, back in and Lee hits a snap German, they trade Germans, both fire up and Lee hits the standing Spanish fly for the near fall. They trade chops, Lee suplexes Takahashi into the corner; Lee tries for the RANA to the floor again, but Takahashi KILLS him with an apron bomb. He follows with the crazy senton to the floor. MY GOD. Lee beats the count; works into a crossface, but Takahashi rolls and looks to escape but Lee maintains the hold. Lee transitions into a rings of Saturn, but Takahashi makes the ropes. We get the ref bump, Takahashi rips of Lee’s mask an gets a near fall off of the inverted destroyer off the ropes. Lee gets his mask back, hits the dragon driver for a good near fall. Takahashi then counters the powerbomb into the destroyer! They trade slaps, fire up and trade chops; Lee hits the knee strike, runs into a superkick, but Takahashi hits ANOTHER destroyer for the near fall. Takahashi hits the DVD to he corner, hits the timebomb and retains. Champion Hiromu Takahashi defeated Dragon Lee @ 18:40 via pin [****¾] This was amazing, different than anything else on the New Beginning in Osaka show in the best way possible. Takahashi vs. Lee is something that always delivers, and even overcomes expectations as the feud continues. This was one of those matches where both guys knew that they had to throw everything at one another in order to win and they did. Takahashi is money as Junior champion, and for as much as I love KUSHIDA, Takahashi has brought new life to the title and has made it feel even more important. This is a must see match, just awesome.

From Impact Xplosion: Jade vs. Laurel Van Ness: Van Ness played to the crowd a bit, and then we got to action as they locked up and Jade targeted the arm. She ten worked into a series of quick pinning attempts before laying in kicks to the face of Van Ness; the Saito suplex followed for 2. Van Ness fought off a powerbomb and then laid in kicks and slaps on Jade. Mounted rights followed, and Van Ness then grounded Jade by working a chinlock and then delivering clubbing blows to the back, covering for 2. Van Ness then repeatedly slams Jade to the buckles, but Jade battles back with the tarantula. Van Ness cuts her off, hits knee strikes and draping DDT for 2. Jade fires up, hits kicks and a German suplex. A clothesline, superkick and dropkick all connect. The gut wrench suplex gets 2. Van Ness fights back, hitting a Russian leg sweep for 2. She then heads up top, hitting a missile dropkick and covers holding the ropes for 2. Van Ness argues with the ref, allowing Jade to sorta hit a missile dropkick for 2. The lionsault misses, but she avoids the curb stomp and hits the package piledriver, dethroning Van Ness as the queen of Xplosion. Jade defeated Laurel Van Ness @ 6:50 via pin [**¾] Pretty good match overall, as they worked really well together. Van Ness is a stronger character than wrestler so far, but has the ability to work up to the level of a better opponent. One thing was really clear here (although it was to me before this) and that is the fact that Jade is a huge loss to the division. This was a fun outing overall.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Really fun and strong collection of matches, and clocking in at under an hour and also being free, you can’t beat it.