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Csonka’s NJPW Fan Festa Review 1.03.18
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Csonka’s NJPW Fan Festa Review 1.03.18
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Lion’s Gate Special: Tiger Mask & Ren Narita defeated Jushin Liger & Tetsuhiro Yagi @ 9:35 via pin [***]
– Lion’s Gate Special: Satoshi Kojima & Katsuya Kitamura defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tomoyuki Oka @ 10:10 via pin [**½]
– Lion’s Gate Special: Yuji Nagata & Hirai Kawato defeated Manabu Nakanishi & Shota Umino @ 11:00 via pin [**¾]
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– You can read my full WrestleKingdom 12 preview at this link.
– They announced that the company will be part of the PlayStation 4 release of “Fire Pro Wrestling World”. The game will release on PlayStation 4 this summer and will feature the stars of New Japan as well as a Young Lion story mode. This is the first time in Fire Pro history that they have officially licensed a wrestling promotion for their game.
– Of note, Marty Scurll & Jay White killed it on their promos, hyping up their title matches. Scurll went scorched Earth on Ospreay; calling him a loser, and that no matter where they go around the world he beats him and proved he’s the best. White flat out told Tanahashi, “I’m gonna fucking rip you apart tomorrow, old man.”
– We also had some matches, featuring a, “dads take the young lions to work” theme…
Jushin Liger & Tetsuhiro Yagi vs. Tiger Mask & Ren Narita: Narita is a fired up little shit tonight, attacking Liger before the bell. He then takes Liger to the corner and lays the boots to him. The action spills to the floor and then quickly back in as Narita is showing great fire here. Liger fires back with a lariat and Tiger Mask tags in. Liger wants Narita back in, but Tiger Mask refuses. Yagi tags in and attacks right away, he’s been more fired up since his involuntary hair cut at the hands of Suzuki. Tiger Mask cuts him off, lays in kicks and grounds the young lion. Liger then kicks Yagi, demanding he fire up. Yagi does and hits the dropkick. Liger tags in, and takes Tiger Mask to he floor. Yagi rolls him back in as Liger hits a Shotei, and follows with a Romero special. Narita makes the save, but Liger tosses him to the floor and shoots him to he barricade. Yagi works over Tiger mask, looking for a kimura and then covering for 1. Liger tags back in, maintaining control and laying in chops. Tiger mask makes the comeback and we get a double down. Wholesale changes to the lions as they duke it out center ring. Yagi lays in big time chops but Narita battles back with kicks. Yagi then slaps him in the face, follows with chops and they are lighting each other up. Yagi follows with a dropkick, and another. Tiger Mask is in and Yagi continues to roll, hitting a slam and the crab. Narita makes the save, as he and Tiger Mask double team Yagi and pick up a near fall. Tiger mask locks in an arm bar, Yagi fights as Narita blocks Liger from the save. Liger finally gets in, dumps Narita and follows him to the floor. Yagi rolls up Tiger mask for 2, but eats kicks and a tiger bomb for the win. Tiger Mask & Ren Narita defeated Jushin Liger & Tetsuhiro Yagi @ 9:35 via pin [***] This was a good back and forth match, with a great sense of aggression from the lions. Liger and Tiger Mask were largely there to lead the way and ad the name value, and allowed Yagi and Narita to work the majority of the match and shine.
– Post match, Narita gave Liger the stink eye and got his ass beat for it.
Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tomoyuki Oka vs. Satoshi Kojima & Katsuya Kitamura: Tenzan & Kojima are long time friends and tag partners, while Kitamura just won the young lions cup, and along with Oka are the chosen ones among the lions. They have been positioned as sometime partners and also rivals. Tenzan and Kojima kick things off. They work a basic back and forth and then work into shoulder tackles. Kojima rakes the eyes and takes Tenzan down. Tenzan fires back with Mongolian chops, as Kitamura tags in, Oka is in as well. They lock up and look to work power vs. power to begin. They trade strikes and chops, off the ropes and Kitamura hits a shoulder block. They yell at each other, and trade strikes once again and Oka takes Kitamura down with a shoulder tackle. Kitamura fights off the belly to belly, and hits a gut wrench suplex. Kojima tags back in and they double team Oka. Kojima takes control, isolating Oka and Kitamura tags back in. The hip toss follows for 2. Kitamura follows with a slam, covering again for 2. Oka fires up and hits the belly to belly and tags in Tenzan. Tenzan takes Kojima to the floor, and lays in chops on Kitamura. Head butts follow as he beats Kitamura down. The corner clothesline connects and then the suplex, and the cover gets 2. Tenzan locks on the anaconda vice, but Kojima makes the save, but gets sent to the floor. Kitamura lays in chops and strikes, and the spear follows. Kojima tags in, he lights up Tenzan with strikes and chops. But Kojima runs into the mountain bomb. Oka tags in and hits shoulder blocks, but Kojima hits the machinegun chops in the corner. The running forearm follows, but Oka cuts off the top rope elbow drop. Oka hits a running powerslam and crab on Kojima, but Kojima quickly escapes. The cutter follows for 2. Kojima drops the elbow pad and hits the lariat, and Oka is done. Satoshi Kojima & Katsuya Kitamura defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tomoyuki Oka @ 10:10 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid tag match, albeit slower paced than the opener, and the lions didn’t get the same chance to shine here.
Yuji Nagata & Hirai Kawato vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Shota Umino: Nagata and Nakanishi start things off. Nagata lays in some leg kicks, but Nakanishi quickly over powers him. Nagata goes back to the kicks, and starts to work the arm but Nakanishi escapes and hits the shoulder block. Nagata follows with strikes, but Nakanishi cuts him off with chops. Umino tags in, they double team Nagata and Umino fires up and lays in strikes. Nagata is getting pissed, fires back and lays in knee strikes and kicks. Umino fires up but gets cut off as Nagata sends Nakanishi to the floor. Kawato and Kawato double-team Umino and Kawato takes the heat. He grounds Umino, laying in kicks and tags in Nagata. Nagata maintains the heat, working over Umino with strikes and knee strikes, before sending Nakanishi to the floor. Nakanishi is properly pissed, and keeps trying to get in the ring, but that just allows Nagata to punish Umino even more. Umino tries to fire up, but eats a series of kicks from Nagata. Umino then hits the desperation dropkick, and tags in Nakanishi. Nakanishi strolls mildly, taking control with chops on both Nagata & Kawato. The corner clothesline follows and then another. The slam and splash connect but Kawato makes the save, but is tossed to the floor. Nakanishi does his little dance and spears Nagata. He looks for the rack, but Nagata escapes and hits an XPLODER. Wholesale changes to the lions, Umino hits the second rope dropkick and corner charge. The cover gets 2. Umino hits the top rope fall away elbow drop. Nakanishi makes the save and he and Umino fire up and lock in a crab and rack for the double submission attempt. Nagata & Kawato escape, Nagata and Nakanishi brawl to the floor and allow the lions to work back and forth, Kawato locks on a crab, Umino fights as Nagata keeps Nakanishi on the floor. Kawato up top and hits the springboard missile dropkick, and Nakanishi makes the save. Nagata locks on the crossface as Kawato hits trouble in paradise on Unimo for the win. Yuji Nagata & Hirai Kawato defeated Manabu Nakanishi & Shota Umino @ 11:00 via pin [**¾] Hirai Kawato is the #3 young lion, behind Oka & Kitamura, so it made sense for him to pick up a win and look good here. He has amazing babyface potential, and could develop into a future light heavyweight star if he keeps progressing as he has so far. This was a pretty good little match, with Kawato & Umino continuing to work well together, and the Nagata/Nakanishi dynamic keeping the crowd invested.
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
