Csonka’s NJPW BOTSJ Night Two Review 5.19.18

Csonka’s NJPW BOTSJ Night Two Review 5.19.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Shota Umino defeated Yota Tsuji @ 7:25 via pin [***]
– Will Ospreay, Yoh, & YOSHI-HASHI defeated ACH, Tiger Mask IV, & Tomoyuki Oka @ 11:05 via submission [***]
– Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Flip Gordon & Toa Henare @ 10:45 via pin [**¾]
– SANADA & BUSHI defeated Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori @ 9:22 via submission [**½]
– Block B Match: Dragon Lee defeated Sho @ 17:45 via pin [****]
– Block B Match: Desperado defeated Ryusuke Taguchi @ 13:18 via pin [**¾]
– Block B Match: Chris Sabin defeated KUSHIDA @ 13:45 via pin [***½]
– Block B Match: Hiromu Takahashi defeated Marty Scurll @ 20:50 via submission [****¼]

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– You can read my night one review at this link.

Shota Umino vs. Yota Tsuji: Ren Narita is injured, and being replaced here by Yota Tsuji; it’s a big chance for Tsuji to impress on a bigger show. They work some basic back and forth and into a stand off. Tsuji has some attitude here today, and they start lighting each other up with chops. Umino quickly cuts him off and takes control. The half crab follows, good fight spot from Tsuji as he makes the ropes. He fires up with strikes, and gets the crab. Umino escapes, but Tsuji peppers him with strikes but gets cut of with a dropkick. The spinebuster follows for 2, and the crab follows; another great fight spot by Tsuji there. Unimo hits the missile dropkick and back to the crab to finish it. Shota Umino defeated Yota Tsuji @ 7:25 via pin [***] This was a good and tightly worked opener, with a nice sense of urgency from both. Umino continues to be a real standout, while Tsuji is rapidly improving and showing a ton of potential; his selling & fire was great here.

ACH, Tiger Mask IV, & Tomoyuki Oka vs. Will Ospreay, Yoh, & YOSHI-HASHI: Ospreay and ACH start things off. They lock up and work to the ropes, with Ospreay attacking. They pick up the pace and work into some counters and then into a stand off. Oka & HASHI tag in and HASHI takes control. Yoh in and grounds the action. Ospreay tags back in and he continues the heat, and works quick tags with HASHI. The draping dropkick follows for 2. CHAOS continues to work quick tags, as Yoh pummels Oka with strikes. Oka finally cuts him off and tags in Tiger who hits a high cross. The tiger driver follows on Yoh for 2. Yoh cuts off the butterfly superplex but Tiger gets an arm bar as Ospreay makes the save. Ospreay then tags in and hits an enziguri before running into a side back breaker. ACH back in and hits a double stomp and sliding dropkick. Ospreay cuts him off and hits an enziguri but ACH counters the oscutter into a German. Wholesale changes to HASHI & Oka. Oka works him over with suplexes, covering for 2. The STF follows, HASHI fights until Ospreay makes the save and dumps ACH. Tiger takes him out as HASHI superkicks Oka and hits a neck breaker for 2. The butterfly lock finishes it. Will Ospreay, Yoh, & YOSHI-HASHI defeated ACH, Tiger Mask IV, & Tomoyuki Oka @ 11:05 via submission [***] This was another good match with great pacing and some great interactions between the juniors who will be facing off next.

– Post match, Ospreay says, “ACH can fuck off to WWE once I’m done with him.”

Flip Gordon & Toa Henare vs. Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru: You’ll be shocked here, but Suzuki-gun attacked before the bell in an instance of shitty sportsmanship and they brawl to the floor. Suzuki immediately starts to torture Henare. Henare fires up and fights him off, tagging in Flip who dumps Kanemaru and follows with a tope. Back in and the springboard spear gets 2. They brawl to the floor as Suzuki beats on Henare with a chair and Kanemaru tosses Flip into the crowd. Suzuki is smiling, which is terrifying. Flip makes it back in and Kanemaru grounds him immediately. Suzuki back in and lays in chops on Flip. Earn your spot young man. Suzuki now starts working the arm, actually more tries to rip it off as Kanemaru dumps Henare. Flip barely makes the ropes. Kanemaru back in and fires away with chops. Flip cuts him off and makes the tag. Henare runs wild and hits a spear. He works over Kanemaru and heads up top, and the big shoulder tackle follows for 2. They work into a double down, and Suzuki tags in. Henare and Flip fire up and dump Kanemaru, isolating Suzuki. Henare hits a Samoan drop and Flip hits a running shooting star press for 2. He then follows with a plancha onto Kanemaru. Suzuki heel hooks Henare, Kanemaru holds off Flip, and Henare makes the ropes. He fires up with chops, Suzuki laughs him off, and they trade strikes. Suzuki sleeper, and Gotch piledriver, and Henare is done. Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Flip Gordon & Toa Henare @ 10:45 via pin [**¾] This was pretty good and had a nice intensity to it, everyone is fired up tonight. We had good interactions between Flip & Kanemaru, Henare was good and Suzuki was his usual menacing self. This was enjoyable.

SANADA & BUSHI vs. Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori: Ishimori & BUSHI start us off until Owens sneaks in and Bullet Club sends SANADA to the floor. BUSHI runs them together and hits a RANA, but Ishimori counters out and hits a dropkick. BUSHI cuts him off and tags in SANADA, who takes control. LIJ work quick tags and double-team Ishimori. Owens pulls BUSHI to the floor and slams him on the apron. He tags in and takes control, working over BUSHI in the corner. The toss-up gut buster follows for 2. Ishimori back in and continues the heat on BUSHI. BUSHI quickly fires back with a fisherman’s neck breaker and tags in SANADA. Dropkicks to Owens follow, but Owens tries the paradise lock, gets confused, and Milano from commentary tries to give him advice. Owens fails, allowing SANADA to attack. SANADA hits the tumbleweed, and then gets the paradise lock, and gives Milano a thumbs up. Liger finds this amusing. Owens battles back and hits a superkick as Ishimori joins him and they double team SANADA. SANADA fights off the package piledriver as BUSHI makes the save. Ishimori fights him off, but BUSHI then takes him out with a suicide dive. Skull end on Owens and that’s that. SANADA & BUSHI defeated Chase Owens & Taiji Ishimori @ 9:22 via submission [**½] This was a perfectly solid tag match, which did a good job of building to BUSHI vs. Ishimori.

Block B Match: Dragon Lee vs. Sho: This is a first-time singles match, they showed good chemistry in their tag match yesterday. They waste no time, trading strikes at the bell. Sho takes him down with a shoulder tackle, and they work into some fast-paced counters. We get a test of strength, they battle for position and Sho gets an arm bar until Lee makes the ropes. Sho then dropkicks Lee to the floor and follows with an apron PK. To the floor and Sho is targeting the arm of Lee. Back in and Sho lays in kicks on Lee. The abdominal stretch follows. Lee escapes, hits a RANA and tope. Back in and a neck breaker and sliding kick gets 2. He now works an arm bar, but Sho escapes. The dropkick follows and both are down. They fight to their feet and trade strikes, and Lee hits the cactus clothesline to the floor. They now brawl on the floor, trading strikes, and barely beat the count. They continue to brawl in the ring, and they trade Germans. Sho now hits back-to-back Germans, but Lee cuts him off with a Spanish fly for 2. Sho counters back into a backstabber, and locks on the arm bar. Lee struggles and makes the ropes. Sho keeps targeting the arm, but Lee counters out into an arm bar and has it locked on center ring; Sho with a great fight spot to make the ropes. Lee continues to attack the arm, but Sho get s a sleeper in the ropes. Lee escapes, but Sho counters the RANA into a toss powerbomb. He’s all fired up and dumps Lee on his head with a last lumbar check for 2. Fucks sake. The sunset flip into an arm bar follows, but Lee makes the ropes. Sho takes him up top, looks for a super German, but Lee fights that off and they trade strikes. Lee knocks him into the tree of WHOA and hits the double stomp for a GREAT near fall. They trade knee strikes and Lee counters into a dump suplex for thee win. Dragon Lee defeated Sho @ 17:45 via pin [****] This was a great match, a mix of hard-hitting action, grappling and fast-paced & flying action. Lee is a really great performer, and got to show off to a receptive crowd; there were some unrefined moments, but they weren’t sloppy, more real looking as they battled for positions and moves; less choreographed in a way. It’s fun to see Sho & Yoh evolve, Yoh was ahead of the game when they were lions, but since their return from excursion, Sho seems to be progressing more as an overall performer. Sho is going to be a star.

Block B Match: Ryusuke Taguchi vs. El Desperado: In a shocking turn of events, Desperado attacks before the bell and beats down Taguchi. Taguchi fights back, hits an ass attack and then chokes out Desperado with his shirt. He follows with a 619, but Desperado counters the second attempt and takes him to the floor. Desperado then rams a chair into Taguchi’s taint to take control. Desperado then uses a weapon of some sort to assault Taguchi’s ass.

Uh… pic.twitter.com/LK6PRNkLoi

— Ian (@theianhamilton) May 19, 2018

That’s right; Desperado has taken the heat by working a man’s nuts, taint, and ass. This is… something. Taguchi manages to hit a blue thunder bomb for a double down. He ass attacks Desperado to the floor and follows with a plancha and tope. Back in and Taguchi hits a missile dropkick and ankle lock. Desperado escapes and hits the spinebuster and then gets a stretch muffler. Taguchi makes the ropes, and they trade chops. Desperado fights off dodon but Taguchi counters back into an electric chair drop. Bum a Ye by Taguchi and Desperado kicks out. Taguchi fights off the low blow and gets a cradle for 2. The enziguri follows. Desperado hits a low blow and cradle for the win. Desperado defeated Ryusuke Taguchi @ 13:18 via pin [**¾] Despite the seemingly odd mature of the match, this was far from bad. Desperado working Taguchi’s ass is weird for sure, but considering it’s Taguchi’s primary weapon, it made complete sense and Taguchi sold it well. The crowd was also hot and into it, so it worked on some level.

Block B Match: KUSHIDA vs. Chris Sabin: This is more than a tournament match, this is a battle for Alex Shelley’s heart and to see who the superior Shelly tag partner really is. Sabin has lost the trash bag pants and is wearing trunks. KUSHIDA quickly grounds things, looking to work the arm. Sabin quickly escapes. They pick up the pace, and trade shoulder tackles and work into a stand off. KUSHIDA grounds the action, attacking the arm and taking control. he then transitions into a cattle mutilation, and pinning combo for 2. KUSHIDA then lays in kicks to the arm, but Sabin cuts him off and takes him to the floor. Sabin rolls him back in and grounds the action, working into his submission game, using some ZSJ like shit. Sabin now targets the arm, going into KUSHIDA’s world, which may be a mistake. The suplex follows for 2. Sabin goes right back to the arm and then works a modified Indian death lock. Sabin starts stringing together some really nice submissions here, showing off a part of his game that he doesn’t in ROH, which is cool. He follows with corner attacks until KUSHIDA hits a flatliner to the buckles. KUSHIDA picks up the pace, hating the cartwheel into the dropkick. The RANA into a cradle follows for 2. KUSHIDA starts to go back to the arm, they trade strikes and KUSHIDA cuts him off with a PELE. Sabin hit a superkick into a cradle for 2. KUSHIDA quickly transitions into a hover board lock; Sabin works to his feet and then makes the ropes. KUSHIDA now works a cravat and knee strikes, the arm punt follows and he counters the tornado DDT but Sabin hits it on the second try. KUSHIDA counters cradle shock, and dumps Sabin to the floor. KUSHIDA up top and Sabin back in and hits the super German; the cradle shock gets 2. All hail Sabin finishes it. Chris Sabin defeated KUSHIDA @ 13:45 via pin [***½] This was a very good match, and a reminder that Chris Sabin is a very good professional wrestler, which due to his injury issues over the years has been forgotten. It was grappling heavy, and allowed them to play into KUSHIDA’s strengths and to also allowed Sabin to show off more of his game. KUSHIDA is obviously an awesome top tier performer, and pairing him with Sabin worked very well here. This was very good and Sabin is off to a good start in his BOTSJ run, picking up a huge win; I hope he kicks ass, he deserves a good run.

Block B Match: Marty Scurll vs. Hiromu Takahashi: Takahashi is 2-1 all time against Marty. We have a hot crowd to start. They lock up and Marty takes him to the ropes and attacks with strikes. They work into some counters, and pose. Marty is upset that Takahashi is doing his bird gimmick. Takahashi lays in strikes and dropkicks him to the apron and looks for the sunset bomb, but Marty cuts him off and attacks the arm. The superkick follows. He continues the assault on the floor, as they brawl into the crowd. Back in and Marty covers for 2. Marty now stomps on the hands, maintaining control. They now work to the apron as Marty keeps beating on Takahashi. He grounds the action, focusing on the arms. Takahashi powers up, but Marty counters out and hits a backstabber. Takahashi fires back with an overhead belly to belly into the buckles. They trade strikes center ring, and Takahashi hits a RANA and Marty bails to the floor. Takahashi hits the apron dropkick, rolls him back in and heads up top and hits the senton attack, covering for 2. Marty goes back after the arm, hits the superkick and then runs into a sitout powerbomb. They trade corner clotheslines and work into a double down. Marty fires up and runs into a superkick but rebounds with a lariat. Takahashi then does the deal, hitting the falcon arrow for the double down. Takahashi up top, gets crotched, and Marty hits the reverse superplex and follows with the ghostbuster for 2. Marty gets his umbrella, but Takahashi hits the sunset bomb to the floor! They work back in and beat the count. Dynamite plunger by Takahashi gets 2. Back to the floor and Takahashi hits an apron dropkick and lands badly on the floor. Marty rolls him to the apron, and they trade strikes. Marty cuts him off with an enziguri and hits an APRON TOMBSTONE! Back in and Marty slowly covers for 2. He’s frustrated now, and yells at Takahashi. Takahashi fights of and counters out of the chicken wing. Marty gets it again, and then does the finger break. The superkick follows and another. Marty stomps the shit out of him and cradles him for 2. Takahashi hits a RANA and transitions into a triangle choke. Marty fights, powerbombs him, but Takahashi hangs on. Marty fades and the match is stopped. Hiromu Takahashi defeated Marty Scurll @ 20:50 via submission [****¼] This was an absolutely great match, and on night two, is the early leader in the clubhouse for match of the tournament. They started slow and told a good story of Marty being one step ahead of Takahashi the entire time, and for 20-minutes, slowly upped the intensity, the sense of urgency and the level of risk that they were willing to take. Marty seemingly had things in hand, but it was Takahashi‘s resilience and willingness to not only risk it all abut to adapt, introducing an alternate finishing move, that allowed him to overcome in the end. Make sure you catch this one.

BLOCK A:
* Tiger Mask: (1-0) 2pts.
* ACH: (1-0) 2pts.
* YOH: (1-0) 2pts.
* Taiji Ishimori: (1-0) 2pts.
* Will Ospreay: (0-1) 0pts.
* BUSHI: (0-1) 0pts.
* Flip Gordon: (0-1) 0pts.
* Kanemaru: (0-1) 0pts.

BLOCK B:
* Dragon Lee: (1-0) 2pts.
* Desperado: (1-0) pts.
* Chris Sabin: (1-0) 2pts.
* Hiromu Takahashi: (1-0) 2pts.
* Marty Scurll: (0-1) 0pts.
* KUSHIDA: (0-1) 0pts.
* Taguchi: (0-1) 0pts.
* SHO: (0-1) 0pts.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.6

The final score: review Good

The 411

Night two of the 2018 NJPW BOTSJ was an overall stronger and more consistent show than night one and a more than fitting follow up as the tournament is off to a really strong start. If short on time, catch Lee vs. Sho, Sabin vs. KUSHIDA, & Takahashi vs. Scurll.