Csonka’s NJPW Kizuna Road Review 6.17.18

Csonka’s NJPW Kizuna Road Review 6.17.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura ended in a draw @ 10:00 [**¾]
– Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Tomoyuki Oka and Shota Umino @ 9:06 via submission [***]
– Taiji Ishimori and Yujiro Takahashi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Ren Narita @ 7:14 via submission [**½]
– Taguchi Japan defeated CHAOS @ 11:11 via pin [**¾]
– LIJ defeated Suzuki-gun @ 10:21 via pin [**½]
– Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, and David Finlay @ 13:20 via pin [***½]
– NEVER OPENWEIGHT Title Match: Hirooki Goto defeated Champion Michael Elgin @ 30:55 via pin [****]

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APOLOGIES FOR THE DELAY, MYDAUGHTERS TOOK ME OUT FOR A FATHER’S DAY BREAKFAST.

Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura: These two have developed quite the rivalry early on in their young lion runs. They work into a quick grappling exchange, and Uemura looks to wok the arm. He takes Tsuji down and works a crisp hammerlock. He transitions for an arm bar, Tsuji blocks and rolls, countering into a leg lock but Uemura makes the ropes. Tsuji now takes control, working the leg, grounding Uemura. Tsuji is really twisting him up here, and looks for a half crab, but transitions to a knee bar. Uemura fights, and makes the ropes. Tsuji maintains control, and fires away with chops and kicks in the corner. Uemura finally fires up and cuts him off with a back elbow strike, covering for 2. The slam follows and he covers for 2. He goes back to the arm, grounding the action and looking for submissions but Uemura makes the ropes. Uemura fires up with a dropkick and hits a slam for 2. He hits repeated slams now and again covers for 2. The half crab follows, and Tsuji has to fight for the ropes, but Uemura cranks back only for Tsuji to make the ropes. Tsuji is hobbled so Uemura attacks the knee, but Tsuji manages to hits a desperation dropkick for 2. Tsuji looks for an arm bar, they fight over it and Uemura makes the ropes and time expires. Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura ended in a draw @ 10:00 [**¾] The feud continues s they fight to another draw. This was a pretty good opener, with clean work, but lacked the intensity of their previous bouts.

Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi vs. Tomoyuki Oka and Shota Umino: Dojo dads vs. young lions tag team action time. Oka’s sporting a new tough guy bard and starts off with Nakanishi. They immediately go power for power, but Nakanishi gets the better of things. Nagata tags in and so does Umino, as there’s been a bit of a rivalry between the two. They trade strikes and kicks; Nagata gets annoyed and beats on Umino, who fires back with a dropkick for 2. Nagata fights off a sleeper and attacks the arm of Umino, and then locks on a half crab. Oka makes the save, but Nagata tosses him and tags in Nakanishi. They work double teams and quick tags, punishing young Umino. Nakanishi hits a slam but misses the knee drop. That allows Umino to fire up and hit a dropkick. Hot tag to Oka and he runs wild on Nakanishi with corner attacks. The butterfly suplex follows for 2. Nakanishi fights off a belly to belly, but Oka hits a big suplex and that gets 2. Nakanishi hits the desperation spear and Nagata tags in and fires away with kicks on Oka, but Oka cuts him off with a belly to belly. Tag to Umino and he’s all fired up and laying in strikes on Nagata. He heads up top and hits the missile dropkick for 2. he looks for an arm bar, Nakanishi makes the save and he and Oka work to the floor. Nagata cuts off Umino and lights him up with kicks, covering for 2. The XPLODER follows into the Nagata lock and Umino taps. Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Tomoyuki Oka and Shota Umino @ 9:06 via submission [***] This was a good dads vs. lions match, with the lions again looking good before finally falling to their dojo dads in front of an invested crowd.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Ren Narita vs. Taiji Ishimori and Yujiro Takahashi: Yujiro and Tenzan to begin. Yujiro uses dirty trick to overcome the power game of Tenzan, but fails and Tenzan hits a lariat and Mongolian chops. Yujiro rakes the eyes but Tenzan takes him down. Narita & Ishimori tag in, Ishimori picks up the pace and hits the seated senton before dumping Tenzan to the floor. Bullet Club follows with double teams as Yujiro is back in and works over Narita. The crab by Yujiro follows, and Tenzan makes the save. Yujiro now hits a big boot on Narita, but Narita fires back with the desperation dropkick. Tenzan tags in and works Mongolian chops and head butts. The suplex follows and gets 2. Yujiro cuts him off and hits the fisherman’s suplex. Tenzan then cuts him off with a slow motion spin kick and tags in Narita. Ishimori joins him and Narita runs wild, and gets the crab. Ishimori makes the ropes, and fires back with the springboard kick. Ishimori then locks on the crossface and Narita taps. Taiji Ishimori and Yujiro Takahashi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Ren Narita @ 7:14 via submission [**½] This was a perfectly solid little tag with the right team winning.

Togi Makabe, Jeff Cobb, Toa Henare, KUSHIDA, and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Rocky Romero, Sho, and Yoh: Sho and KUSHIDA to begin. They immediately work into some grappling, and then Sho hits a shoulder tackle and looks for an arm bar, but KUSHIDA counters out. Taguchi and Yoh tag in, they dance a bit and Taguchi offers him knux and Yoh attacks. Taguchi cuts him off with an ass attack, and it breaks down with CHAOS taking control and making Taguchi run the ropes until exhausted. HASHI in and he runs into an ass attack. Taguchi Japan clears the ring and works over HASHI with corner attacks. CHAOS finally isolates Henare as they clear out Taguchi Japan and brawl to the floor. Yano tags in and works over Henare, Henare finally fights him off and tags in Makabe. Makabe runs wild and works over Yano & HASHI. Taguchi joins in and they wipe them out. Ass attacks follow, and then double teams on Yano gets 2. Yano gets the hair pull and now Cobb gets the hot tag. Poor Romero is in with him and he fires up but Cobb no sells him and catches the RANA but 3k charges in and attacks. Romero huts forever clotheslines but Cobb tosses him across the ring with a belly to belly and hits a tending moonsault for 2. Cob then finishes him with the tour of the islands. Taguchi Japan defeated CHAOS @ 11:11 via pin [**¾] This was pretty good, with some fun portions and Cobb getting reintroduced to the audience.

THE G1 ENTRANTS ARE REVEALED – BE A SURVIVOR

* Kenny Omega
* Michael Elgin
* Jay White
* Hiroshi Tanahashi
* Togi Makabe
* Juice Robinson
* Kazuchika Okada
* Hirooki Goto
* Tomohiro Ishii
* Toru Yano
* YOSHI HASHI
* Bad Luck Fale
* Tama Tonga
* Hangman Page
* Tetsuya Naito
* EVIL
* SANADA
* Minoru Suzuki
* Zack Sabre Jr.
* Kota Ibushi

– The blocks will be announced tomorrow. Every G1 show will air live and have English commentary.

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI, and Hiromu Takahashi vs. Takashi Iizuka, Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado, and Taka Michinoku: You guys won’t believe this, but Suzuki-gun attacked before the bell in a display of shitty sportsmanship and turned this professional grappling bout into a brawl. Back in the ring, EVIL makes a comeback, working over the juniors and taking control. Naito in and works over Kanemaru. Taichi then hits him with the mic stand, as we go back to the floor brawl. Suzuki-gun back in control s Desperado & Takahashi pair off ahead of tomorrow’s title match. Back in and Taichi works the heat on Naito and Iizuka tags in for biting. After biting and eye rakes for what felt like hours, Naito fights back and tags in SANADA. Paradise lock for Kanemaru and a dropkick for Taichi follows. Taichi fights back, the pants are off and SANADA gets skull end but Iizuka bites him for the save. Takahashi and Desperado tag in and try to bring some fire to this match as they wildly brawl. Desperado hits the big spear but Takahashi hits the overhead toss to the buckles. BUSHI & Taka tag in and Iizuka and Kanemaru quickly follow as they isolate BUSHI. Naito makes the save, it breaks down again and BUSHI hits MX on Taka for the win. LIJ defeated Suzuki-gun @ 10:21 via pin [**½] This was fine as part of the set up for tomorrow’s Takahashi vs. Desperado match, but was really the same solid tag they always work. I much prefer the LIJ vs. CHAOS matches over these.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, and David Finlay vs. Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, and Tomohiro Ishii: This is here for the build to Juice vs. White in July on the US show. Juice & White start us off. They work into some basic back and forth. White takes it to the ropes and tries to hide behind the ref, but Juice takes him down and hits a senton. Finlay in and they work double teams on White. Finlay lays in uppercuts but White cuts him off and tags in Okada. Finlay quickly cuts him off and tags in Tanahashi. They trade strikes, Tanahashi hits a slam and Okada fights back with a flapjack as CHAOS clears the ring and Juice & White brawl to the floor. Okada hits a senton atomico on Tanahashi and Ishii tags in and chops away at Tanahashi. Tanahashi lays in chops now bit Ishii stares him down and them beats his ass. Tanahashi stupidly tries to head butt him, so Ishii continues the ass kicking. White tags in and works a Muta lock on Tanahashi. Okada back in and grounds Tanahashi for a bit, but Tanahashi hits the dragon screw to cut him off. One for Ishii follows and he kicks Okada away and we get wholesale changes to White & Juice. Juice is all fired up and lays in the jabs and then chops. White tries to battle back but Juice cuts him off and heads up top and misses the high cross. White follows with a snap Saito suplex, Juice keeps fighting, taking out White and tagging in Finlay. He runs wild on Ishii, hits a belly to back suplex nit Ishii fires back with strikes and it breaks down. Okada & Tanahashi brawl, and Tanahashi hits twist and shout. Finlay works over Ishii, but White makes the save. Juice back in and cannonballs onto White. Ishii fights off the Finlay stunner but Finlay picks up some near falls on cradles. Ishii again counters the stunner, this time with a German; the lariat follows for 2. The brainbuster finishes it. Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, and David Finlay @ 13:20 via pin [***½] This was a very good and tremendously fun tag match. They hyped White vs. Juice well, the Tanahashi vs. Okada interactions are always fun, Ishii got to be a beast and Finlay got to look good. This was very enjoyable.

NEVER OPENWEIGHT Title Match: Champion Michael Elgin vs. Hirooki Goto: Elgin won the title at Dominion, but pinned Taichi to do so. Goto was not pinned to lose the title and gets his rematch here. They lock up and immediately try to out power each other before working into a stand off. they trade some strikes now, and then shoulder blocks. They start colliding like a pair of rams and Elgin hits a Saito suplex to take Goto to the floor. Elgin then follows with a double stomp to the floor. Back in and Elgin hits a slingshot double stomp for 2. The buckle bomb follows, but Goto fights back with an ushigoroshi to counter the Elgin bomb. Goto looks for a sleeper but Elgin counters out and hits a German and then an XPLODER for 2. They now trade chops, unloading on each other. Hoses doing hoss things until Elgin hits a beautiful dropkick to cut off Goto. He follows with chops, and then hits a delayed vertical suplex for 2. Elgin follows with a slam and senton off the ropes covering for 2. Goto fires back with kicks and decapitates Elgin with a lariat. The corner spin kick and Saito suplex follow for 2. Elgin escapes an ushigoroshi, lays in chops and clotheslines in the corner, and then hits a press into a powerslam for 2. Elgin starts laying in clotheslines, but Goto hits an ushigoroshi to cut him off and both men are down. We then get a ref bump and Elgin does the deal with a falcon arrow. Taichi arrives and takes out Elgin with the mic stand shot. He then lays out Goto and beats down Elgin. Fuck you Taichi. Jeff Cobb arrives and runs him off. Elgin and Goto slowly make it to their feet, trading strikes and Goto hits a German. Elgin fires back with an enziguri and superkick and Goto is down. Elgin slams him and heads up top. Goto cuts him off and lays in rights. Goto tries to suplex him back in, Elgin pulls him to the apron and they trade strikes. Goto fights him off and knocks him to the floor and Elgin snags him up and suplexes him to the floor. Elgin then rolls him back in and Elgin heads up top and hits the big splash for 2. Goto fights off the powerbomb, they trade clotheslines and forearms. Elgin drops the pad and destroys Goto before chokeslamming him for 2. Elgin takes him up top and Goto fights, Elgin wants the burning hammer, but then opts to clothesline him off the ropes and to the mat. Elgin takes him back up top and follows and Goto fights him off with elbows. Elgin hits an enziguri and lays in chops. He follows him up but Goto head butts him several times and hits code red off of the ropes for a great near fall. Goto drags Elgin to his feet, but Elgin cradles him for 2. Head butt by Goto and the shouten gets another good near fall. Goto struggles back to his feet, but Elgin catches the kick and drops him with a forearm strike. Goto fights back and gets a sleeper. Elgin fires up and powers out. The lariat follows and another turns Goto inside out, and the sitout powerbomb gets 2. Elgin hits the buckle bomb but Goto fires up with a lariat and head butt. Another lariat about kills Elgin for 2. Elgin counters GRT but Got escapes the burning hammer and hits a PK. He follows with knee strikes, and hits GTR. He sets for another and hits it and covers for the win. Hirooki Goto defeated Champion Michael Elgin @ 30:55 via pin [****] This was an absolutely great, shit kicking main event worked in the style that made the NEVER title matches so popular among many. They worked extremely well together and created a great atmosphere, with great near falls and a hot crowd. It was on its way to being a great match and possible low end MOTY contender, but the ref bump hurt things and served no real purpose as far as the match structure went, and it stalled momentum that theyhad to fight to get back. It made sense post match with the Cobb save for the post match. Also, Goto winning back the title so soon really makes the Dominion title change a title change for the sake of doing a title change.

– Jeff Cobb arrives, checks on Elgin and then faces off with Goto. He then challenges Goto for a shot at the title. Goto accepts.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Today’s NJPW Kizuna Road was an overall good show, advancing some angles and providing some solid to great wrestling. Although the main event could have been so much more without the overbooking.