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Csonka’s NJPW BOSJ 26 Finals Review

June 5, 2019 | Posted by Larry Csonka
Jon Moxley NJPW Image Credit: NJPW
9.4
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Csonka’s NJPW BOSJ 26 Finals Review  

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Csonka’s NJPW BOSJ 26 Finals Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Shota Umino, Titan, and Dragon Lee defeated Ren Narita, Jonathan Gresham, and Bandido @ 8:25 via pin [***½]
– Bullet Club defeated Sho, Yoh, and Ryusuke Taguchi @ 9:30 via pin [***¼]
– Big Tom Ishii, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Jushin Thunder Liger, and Tiger Mask defeated Suzuki-gun @ 10:40 via pin [***]
– LIJ defeated Toa Henare, Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe, and Kota Ibushi @ 10:30 via pin [***¼]
– Kazuchika Okada & Rocky Romero defeated Marty Scurll & Brody King @ 10:40 via pin [***½]
– Jay White defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 19:40 via pin [****¼]
IWGP US Title Match: Jon Moxley defeated Champion Juice Robinson @ 25:15 via pin [****½]
NJPW BOSJ 26 Finals: Will Ospreay defeated Shingo @ 33:45 via pin [*****]


– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

Shota Umino, Titan, and Dragon Lee vs. Ren Narita, Jonathan Gresham, and Bandido: Umino’s hair game is on point tonight. Umino and Gresham start off, locking up and Umino hits the shoulder tackle. Gresham pops up and starts countering Umino. Bandido tags in and so does Titan. They go fast paced right away, working into counters and Titan hits a head scissors. Bandido cuts him off with a pop up cutter, and then starts working the arm and tags Gresham back in and he then tags in Narita and he works the arm. Bandido back in and hits the double stomp to the arm. Titan fights back, hits the dropkick and tags in Lee. Lee pummels him in the corner and hit the Shibata dropkick. They trade strikes, but Bandido counters desnucadora and hits a GTS. The 21-plex is countered with a German. They trade knee strikes but Bandido hits the fall away moonsault slam. Narita tags in and follows with corner attacks and a suplex for 2. It breaks down and Lee fights off his opponents until Bandido hits the draping 450 and Gresham hits the shooting star press. Narita hits the German for 2. It breaks down, they isolate and work over Narita, Lee hits an STO and the double team suplex follows. Titan hits the springboard splash for 2. Umino takes out Gresham, RANA by Titan on Bandido and then hits the moonsault to the floor. Lee cuts off Narita, but runs into the overhead suplex for 2. Lee hits the knee strike and drops the kneepad and hits another for the win. Shota Umino, Titan, and Dragon Lee defeated Ren Narita, Jonathan Gresham, and Bandido @ 8:25 via pin [***½] This was a very good, all action opener, and a great way to kick off the show.

Sho, Yoh, and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Robbie Eagles, El Phantasmo, and Taiji Ishimori: Bullet Club attacks, and takes control right away. Phantasmo steals Taguchi’s ruby attire and he and Eagles play ball. Phantasmo punts the ball into the crowd, and follows with chops on Taguchi. Taguchi cuts him off with an ass attack and he calls the plays as 3K hits the ring and they run wild on Phantasmo. They look to slam him into Taguchi’s ass, but Phantasmo sticks his thumb up Taguchi’s ass, and Eagles takes out Yoh and Phantasmo then sticks his thumb in Taguchi’s face, covering for 2. Eagles tags in and they double team Taguchi, and the cover gets 2. Phantasmo tags back in and they isolate Taguchi and Phantasmo does the rope walk, hits kicks and then follows with a RANA, covering for 2. Double teams follow as eagles and Ishimori follow with double knees. Phantasmo then stomps on Taguchi’s balls, and Eagles doesn’t approve. Eagles follows with kicks, cuts off the ass attack and he hits an ass attack. Taguchi cuts him off and tags in Yoh. He follows with dropkicks, they flying forearm but Eagles battles back and Sho tags in and double teams follow; Sho covers for 2. Phantasmo takes out Taguchi, but runs into knee strikes and 3K is countered as Eagles joins in and brawls with Eagles. Eagles lays in a flurry of kicks, but Sho hits a lariat. Eagles fights off shock arrow, and hits turbo backpack for 2. The 450 follows, but Phantasmo blind tags in, hits CR2 and pins Sho. Bullet Club defeated Sho, Yoh, and Ryusuke Taguchi @ 9:30 via pin [***¼] Good match, which likely sets up a junior tag title match and continues the teased Eagles face turn and break from Bullet Club.

DOUKI, Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Zack Sabre Jr, and Minoru Suzuki vs. Big Tom Ishii, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Jushin Thunder Liger, and Tiger Mask: I miss hype man Taka. Liger and DOUKI begin. They lock up and work to the ropes. DOUKI follows with strikes, but Liger hits the back breaker. The Romero special follows, but Kanemaru makes the save. DOUKI then lays the boots to Liger, Yano cuts him off and Kanemaru pulls Liger to the floor and we get mass brawling. DOUKI hits the insane senton onto the pile. Back in and DOUKI tries to remove Liger’s mask, and Kanemaru tags in and continues the heat on Liger as Ishii & Taichi brawl on the floor. Suzuki tags in and he and Liger trade strikes, Suzuki cuts him off with knee strikes, and locks on a kimura. Liger makes the ropes, and follows with a clothesline. Ishii tags in and Taichi joins him and they work into some back and forth and Ishii mows him down with a shoulder tackle. Taichi rakes the eyes, and follows with kicks, covering for 2. The pants are off, he follows with an enziguri and then runs into a German. HASHI & Sabre tag in and they trade strikes, HASHI connects with chops but Sabre counters into a kimura but HASHI hits a suplex. Sabre then cradles him for 2. The PK follows, and then the octopus hold from Sabre. Suzuki-gun rushes the ring, they work over HASHI, PK from Suzuki and the double stomp from DOUKI connects. It breaks down, the widow’s peak follows for 2. Suplex de la luna is cut off by Tiger, tiger driver on Kanemaru but Taichi cuts him off and low blows Ishii. HASHI works over DOUKI, hits the lariat and karma finishes him. Big Tom Ishii, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Jushin Thunder Liger, and Tiger Mask defeated Suzuki-gun @ 10:40 via pin [***] This was good as it continued the builds to Taichi vs. Ishii, Liger vs. Suzuki, & Sabre vs. HASHI.

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, BUSHI, and SANADA vs. Toa Henare, Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe, and Kota Ibushi: Ibushi & Naito begin. They lock up and work into some back and forth until Naito tranquilos. Naito fakes the lock up, and tags in BUSHI. Honma joins him and BUSHI attacks with strikes. Honma cuts him off with a shoulder tackle, and Henare joins in for double teams until Honma misses the kokeshi. LIJ takes control as BUSHI chokes out Honma with his shirt. Naito and Ibushi brawl into the crowd, EVIL tags in and he pummels Honma with chops and covers for 2. SANADA tags in and they trade strikes, SANADA hits an uppercut but Honma hits a back elbow and falling kokeshi. Makabe tags in and powerslams BUSHI. Clotheslines to SANADA follow, and the northern lights gets 2. SANADA fights off the German, but Makabe fights off the paradise lock and follows with a clothesline. Tags to Ibushi and Naito. Ibushi hits the powerslam and springboard moonsault for 2. He follows with a flurry of strikes and kicks, but Naito cuts of the moonsault and hits the dropkick. The tornado DDT follows and EVIL tags in. Ibushi counters the superkick, but EVIL rakes the eyes and then runs into a dropkick. Henare tags in and lays in chops on EVIL, and follows with the flying shoulder tackle. The delayed suplex follows, and then double kokeshis connect for 2. The rest brawl to the floor and EVIL cuts off the spear and LIJ then swarm Henare and EVIL covers for 2. BUSHI hits the suicide dive, and magic killer finishes Henare. LIJ defeated Toa Henare, Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe, and Kota Ibushi @ 10:30 via pin [***¼] This was good, with LIJ delivering again and continuing the build to Naito vs. Ibushi.

– Naito attacks Ibushi post match.

Kazuchika Okada & Rocky Romero vs. Marty Scurll & Brody King: King and Okada to begin. They lock up and work to the ropes and Okada breaks clean. He then follows with kicks, but King runs him over with a shoulder tackle and follows with chops. Okada trips him up and follows with the sliding dropkick. Romero tags in and lays in rights but King fires back and drops him. Marty tags in and grounds things, but Romero counters out and they work into slick exchanges until Marty attacks the arm. Marty follows with chops, but Romero hits a RANA and another. King cuts him off but Romero lays in leg kicks until King goes lucha with arm drags on Okada and Romero. To the floor and they isolate Romero; back in, and Marty covers for 2. Marty follows with a Romero special, and transitions into a pin for 2. King tags back in and the running splash follows for 2. King lays in chops, and then grounds Romero. Marty tags back in and they double team Romero. They trade strikes, and Romero hits the rewind kick and tags in Okada. Okada runs wild on Marty, hits the back elbow and the DDT follows for 2 as King makes the save. Okada slams him onto Marty, slams Marty, but Marty cuts him off with a tornado DDT. King tags in and double teams follow on Okada and King covers for 2 as Romero makes the save. Romero hits the RANA on King, slaps Marty and follows with forever clotheslines. King accidentally hits Marty, but then hits the black hole slam on Romero. The piledriver on Okada follows for a great near fall. Okada fights back with uppercuts, and the dropkick connects. The top rope elbow drop follows. The rainmaker finishes King. Kazuchika Okada & Rocky Romero defeated Marty Scurll & Brody King @ 10:40 via pin [***½] This was a very good match, with a hot crowd and King impressing again on the tour.

– We get a Chris Jericho video, asking Okada to come out and play. At Dominion, it’s rainmaker vs. painmaker, and Jericho will beat Okada to win the title. Okada cuts a promo, saying that the title isn’t a toy to be played with and asks, “what the hell is a painmaker anyway?”

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White: The series is tied at 2-2. Gedo is at ringside. White attacks before the bell as Tanahashi enters the ring. He dumps him to the floor and follows. Gedo distracts Tanahashi allowing White to whip the ace to the barricade. Back in and White follows with running uppercuts. White starts attacking the previously inured arm of Tanahashi, and then dumps him to the floor. White then slams him to the barricade and apron a few times, attacking the arm and just destroying Tanahashi. White then posts Tanahashi, staying focused on the arm and then works him over in the barricade and lays the boots to him. White now looks for the countout win, but Tanahashi makes it back in. White lays the boots to him as the crowd tries to rally their ace. Tanahashi fires back, but White attacks the arm and cuts him off and covers for 2. White follows with chops, and then keeps attacking the arm. The hammerlock Saito suplex follows for 2. White rips of the arm wrap, and continues his attack on the arm. Tanahashi fires back, lays in strikes, but White cuts him off until Tanahashi hits the desperation dragon screw. The flying forearm follows, and then dropkicks the knee of White. The somersault senton connects for 2. White counters sling blade, but Tanahashi keeps firing away and runs into the flatliner; White follows with a dead lift German. The running DVD follows for 2. White grounds the action; Tanahashi fights to his feet but runs into a uranage for 2. White looks for the kiwi krusher but Tanahashi counters into twist and shout. He hits another, but White fights off the third and then drops to the mat. Tanahashi follows with slaps but White pulls an arm bar, Tanahashi fights, but White keeps him down and locks in the other arm as well. Tanahashi fights, and manages to make the ropes. White looks for the sleeper suplex, but Tanahashi counters with strikes and hits another dragon screw. White counters sling blade, but Tanahashi rebounds and hits two sling blades and covers for 2. He heads up top and fights off Gedo, but White crotches him on the ropes. White looks for blade runner, countered, and Tanahashi hits the straightjacket German for 2. Gedo is in, Tanahashi fights him off, low blow by White but Tanahashi then low blows him in return and cradles him for 2. The dragon screw follows, but as he looks for the cloverleaf, White attacks the arm and cradles him for the win. Jay White defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 19:40 via pin [****¼] I really enjoyed this and felt it was their best match together so far. White’s aggression here was absolutely outstanding and something he’d been missing, and while Tanahashi is seemingly falling apart, there are few who can still deliver like he does, especially as a babyface fighting from the bottom and showing tremendous fire. This was great stuff with the finish playing into the am wok earlier in the match and allowing White to sneak away with the win ahead of the G1.

IWGP US Champion Juice Robinson vs. Jon Moxley: Moxley is actually wearing tights, no jeans for the death rider. Juice is all business here, sporting a new haircut, losing the locks. They brawl at the bell, trading strikes and chops. Moxley follows with a knee strike and dumps him to the floor. The suicide dive follows. They brawl by the announcers and into the crowd. Moxley pummels him with strikes, he shoves the lions around but Juice fights off the piledriver. Juice heads into the crowd and onto the entrance and follows with a senton onto Moxley and the lions (who really didn’t catch him). Juice continues to attack, drags him back ringside ands lams him off the barricade. Juice now looks for the cannonball but only hits barricade as Moxley moves. Back in the ring and Moxley chop blocks the knee as Juice is busted open. Moxley post the knee, and follows with a neck breaker for 2. Grounded strikes and biting follows. He locks on the half crab, and transitions to the STF. Juice bites his way out, but Moxley follows with strikes. He then runs into a spinebuster, and Juice rains down with strikes. He follows with more strikes, and follows with a plancha to the floor. The lariat follows. Back in and Juice hits another lariat, and connects with the juice box, but he can’t follow up as he grabs at his knee. Juice rallies; heads up top, but Moxley shoves him to the floor. He gets a table, sets it up and then follows with chair shots. He lays Juice on the table, follows with strikes, and grabs the chair and hits the cactus elbow drop. He then suplexes him through the table. Moxley looks for the countout, but Juice makes it back in. Moxley follows with a dump suplex, covering for 2. Moxley posts the knee again, and follows with the posted figure four. Moxley grabs a chair and looks to Pillmanize the knee but Juice hits a smash mouth with the chair. Juice fires up and hits the clothesline but the cannonball is cut off with a lariat. They trade strikes, lighting each other up and Moxley hits a head butt but Juice just fires up and absorbs the strikes and follows with jabs but Moxley cuts off the left hand of God and they spill to the floor. Moxley grabs another table, sets it up against the barricade, but Juice hits the left hand of God and follows with the cannonball crushing Moxley on the table. Juice sets the table, promising to break it, and powerbombs Moxley through it. Back in and Juice locks on the Tenzan style crab, but Moxley counters out and hits the dragon screw and locks on the cloverleaf. Juice fights, but Moxley drags him back center ring. Juice counters out and hits the left hand of God. Pulp friction is countered but Juice cradles him for 2. They trade clotheslines, and Moxley hits dirty deeds/death rider for a great near fall. Moxley now hits an elevated version and Juice is finally done. Jon Moxley defeated Champion Juice Robinson @ 25:15 via pin [****½] This was an excellent and intense battle, with Moxley looking VERY motivated, in great shape an delivering the goods in his debut. His intensity was off the charts here, and was beautifully juxtaposed against Juice’s babyface fire. Juice has been in dead end feuds over the US Title, but finally got someone to dance with here and while he lost, out in a tremendous effort. This was a beautiful plunder filled brawl and was so different than anything else on the show it really stood out. A reinvigorated Moxley is great so far.

BOSJ 26 Finals: Shingo vs. Will Ospreay: Ospreay carries a sword to the ring with him, he’ll likely need it to beat Shingo. They lock up and Shingo overpowers him to the ropes. They break and Shingo is not amused. They lockup again, Shingo looks to overpower him again but Ospreay counters out. Shingo attacks the arm, but Ospreay counters out as he picks up the pace but Shingo mows him down with a shoulder tackle; Ospreay pops back up and they work into a series of counters teasing finishers, and end in a stalemate. They lock up again, Ospreay powers Shingo to the buckles but Shingo lays in chops. The cravat follows, Ospreay fights out and he lays in chops. The RANA follows and then the superhero pose as Shingo powders. Back in and Ospreay attacks with kicks and strikes. Shingo follows with chops, but Ospreay catches him with the dropkick and then a plancha. Ospreay lays in strikes, chops, but Shingo rakes the eyes. Shingo then slams him off the apron. They work to the apron, trading strikes, and Ospreay follows with an enziguri but Shingo wipes him out with he tope con HELLO. Back in and Shingo maintains control, stomping away at Ospreay. Knee strikes and a shoulder tackle follow. Ospreay tries to fire back, but Shingo drops him with a forearm. The backdrop follows, and then hits the corner clothesline. He lays in jabs, chops, but Ospreay fires back and then runs into the pop up DVD and Shingo covers for 2. Shingo grounds things, lays in elbow strikes, and starts targeting the neck of Ospreay. They trade strikes and Ospreay hits the back handspring kick and Shingo is down. The enziguri follows and then the 619 and corner dropkick lands. The running shooting star press follows for 2. Ospreay now fires up and hits the Sasuke special. Back in and Ospreay hits the springboard clothesline for 2. Storm breaker is countered, but Ospreay hits the hook kick but Shingo levels him with a jab and lariat combo platter. Shingo lays the boots to him, they trade strikes, and Shingo flips Ospreay onto his face and hits the sliding lariat for 2. Noshigami is countered and Ospreay cradles him for 2. Shingo counters storm breaker, but Ospreay counters the suplex into a stunner and both men are down. Ospreay charges in with a running boot, and Cheeky nandos connects. Ospreay heads up top and looks for a super storm breaker, Shingo fights him off, they trade strikes and Ospreay hits an enziguri. Shingo cuts him off and hits the super DVD, covering for 2. Shingo is fired the fuck up and follows with clotheslines, and counters oscutter, but Ospreay catches him with kicks, but Shingo counters into noshigami. Ospreay counters the pumping bomber into the powerbomb for a great near fall. Ospreay misses the Robinson special, and Shingo Germans him to the buckles. They work to the apron; hook kick by Ospreay and the oscutter connects on the apron! They spill to the floor. They struggle to get back into the ring, and Ospreay goes coast to coast with the missile dropkick for 2. The 630 shooting star press follows and then hits the shooting star press follows for another great near fall. The Robinson special follows and the oscutter gets 2. NOT TODAY MOTHERFUCKER! Ospreay sets for storm breaker, but Shingo powers out and they trade strikes. Ospreay follows with kicks, stares down Shingo and continues to pummel him until Shingo head butts him. He follows with strikes, they trade, and light each other up with bombs. Jab by Shingo, hook kick by Ospreay and then storm breaker is countered and last of the dragon connects and OSPREAY KICKS OUT. Fuck me. Shingo fires up, PUMPING BOMBER! He then decapitates Ospreay with another and ONLY GETS 2! Sweet Christ almighty. Shingo is pissed, but Ospreay counters last of the dragon with a reverse RANA! They trade head butts from their knees, Shingo follows with clotheslines and Ospreay is staggered but hits the desperation Spanish fly for another great near fall. The hook kick and hidden blade connect from Ospreay, and the top rope oscutter follows and storm breaker finishes it! Will Ospreay defeated Shingo @ 33:45 via pin [*****] This was a battle of two of the very best in the world delivering in the main event spot and maybe even surpassing the lofty expectations many had for this. This was an amazing match, and if Shingo had to lose, this was the way to do it as Ospreay had to empty his entire arsenal and then some just to keep up with him and survive long enough to have a chance to win. They obviously have huge plans with Ospreay and Shingo loses nothing after that amazing effort, and still has a title shot in his pocket due to beating Lee during the tournament. The pacing was tremendous, the drama was great and the crowd added a ton to this match. It was a match that had such high expectations that it could have disappointed in some way, but these two said not today and just destroyed each other in a beautiful war that constantly got better the longer it went along. This was absolutely off the charts and a more than fitting end to what is the best BOSJ tournament I’ve ever covered. This is in the clubhouse for my MOTY right now.

– Post match, Ospreay announces that he’s moving to Japan sand thanks those that came before him and adds that he misses Hiromu. He wants to take NJPW worldwide and will face anyone to do so.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 25. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka; the guys will discuss whether or not Jon Moxley is the biggest star in wrestling, break down NXT Takeover 25 and then preview the show that will allegedly be equal to or greater than WrestleMania, WWE Super Showdown 2019. The show is approximately 123-minutes long.

* Intro
* Is Jon Moxley The Biggest Star in Wrestling Right Now?: 2:20
* AEW Double or Nothing Does 98,000 Buys: 22:10
* The Most Frustrating Aspect of an NXT Takeover Special: 28:30
* WWE Counter Programming All Out & NJPW in London: 50:30
* NXT Takeover 25 Review: 55:35
* WWE Super Showdown 2019 Preview: 129:15

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

9.4
The final score: review Amazing
The 411
The NJPW BOSJ 26 Finals was an absolute homerun of a show, with a good to very good undercard, and an absolutely tremendous closing stretch, including the excellent debut of Moxley, and closing with an all rime classic finals match.
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