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Csonka’s NJPW Power Struggle 2019 Review
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Csonka’s NJPW Power Struggle 2019 Review
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Volador Jr., Titan, TJP, & Clark Connors defeated Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Yuya Uemura @ 6:00 via pin [**½]
– Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo defeated Robbie Eagles & Rocky Romero @ 8:45 via pin [***]
– EVIL, SANADA, & Shingo vs. Zack Sabre Jr, Minoru Suzuki, & Lance Archer @ 9:15 via pin [***½]
– Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI @ 9:35 via pin [***½]
– Tetsuya Naito defeated Taichi @ 13:05 via pin [****]
– Super Junior Tag Team Tournament Finals: Roppongi 3K defeated Suzuki-gun @ 14:30 via pin [****]
– NEVER Title Match: Champion KENTA defeated Big Tom Ishii @ 20:10 via pin [****½]
– Junior Heavyweight title match: Champion Will Ospreay defeated BUSHI @ 16:20 via pin [****½]
– IC Title Match: Champion Jay White defeated Hirooki Goto @ 27:45 via pin [***¾]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Yuya Uemura vs. Volador Jr., Titan, TJP, & Clark Connors: Liger & Connors begin with a lockup, working to the ropes and Connors follows with chops. They trade shoulder tackles, Liger follows with chops and then slaps him. Tiger & Volador in, Volador hits a superkick, gets dumped and then back in, attacks Tiger. Titan tags in and double teams follow for 2. Tiger cuts him off with a back breaker. Taguchi in with B triggers and then follows with an ass attack. Yuya & TJP tag in, Team TJP take control, clearing the ring and isolating Yuya until Yuya fights back but TJP cuts him off. The luchas follow with dives as it breaks down and they finish Yuya as TJP hits the detonation kick. Volador Jr., Titan, TJP, & Clark Connors defeated Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Yuya Uemura @ 6:00 via pin [**½] This was a solid opening tag, more TJP in NJPW please.
Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo vs. Robbie Eagles & Rocky Romero: Ishimori & Robbie begin. They lock up and work to the ropes, Ishimori follows with strikes and they pick up the pace as Robbie follows with a RANA, and then a dropkick on Phantasmo. Romero tags in and double teams follow. Robbie hits a RANA on Phantasmo, Romero works over Ishimori and double teams follow until Phantasmo takes out Phantasmo. Ishimori works over Romero, they all spill to the floor until they roll Robbie back in and follow with the tree of WHOA nut stomps and Phantasmo covers for 2. Phantasmo stomps on the fingers and the ropewalk follows, Romero follows him up but Ishimori cuts him off as Phantasmo grabs him on his shoulders and keeps walking and follow with a DVD onto Robbie. Robbie battles back, hot tag to Romero and he runs wild with forever clotheslines on both. The draping dropkick follows for 2. Ishimori makes the save, get cut off by superkicks and a DDT. Sliced bread follows on Phantasmo. Robbie hits a dive as Romero hits another sliced bread for 2. Phantasmo counters another sliced bread into the Argentine cutter for 2 as Robbie flies in to make the save. Robbie follows with kicks on Phantasmo but Ishimori cuts him off. Bloody cross & CR2 finish Romero. Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo defeated Robbie Eagles & Rocky Romero @ 8:45 via pin [***] This was a good and fun tag match with the champions winning clean to rebound from their recent loss to Roppongi 3K.
EVIL, SANADA, & Shingo vs. Zack Sabre Jr, Minoru Suzuki, & Lance Archer: Suzuki-gun attacks as EVIL & Archer immediately pair off. Archer fights off a suplex and follows with a cross body. Sabre works over SANADA while Suzuki pummels Shingo with chairs and barricades. EVIL fires back on Archer, but Archer easily cuts him off with one shot. Suzuki tags in and slaps EVIL around, EVIL fires back and Suzuki likes it and they trade. Sabre tags in and grounds the action. Archer back in and follows with a clothesline for 2. He follows with strikes in the corner, clotheslines but EVIL fires back and hits the fisherman’s buster. EVIL cuts off Suzuki, and tags in Shingo. Sabre in and Shingo cuts him off and hits clotheslines on both and then suplexes Suzuki. Suzuki slaps him and they trade center ring. Suzuki likes it and they keep throwing. Shingo rips off his shoulder tape and lights up Suzuki. Suzuki laughs and fires back, Shingo laughs and they just fuck each other up. Shingo fights off the Gotch, and follows with a lariat. Tag to SANADA. Sabre joins him and SANADA dropkicks the knee. Sabre counters into a cobra twist, SANADA escapes but Sabre gets an arm bar. They work into counters, it breaks down and Shingo pulls Suzuki to the floor as SANADA & Sabre trade cradles and SANADA wins. EVIL, SANADA, & Shingo vs. Zack Sabre Jr, Minoru Suzuki, & Lance Archer @ 9:15 via pin [***½] This was really good, advancing Shino vs. Suzuki & SANADA vs. Sabre (for an upcoming title match). Also, post match, Archer challenged Finlay for a US Title match in San Jose.
Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI: Okada & Ibushi begin, locking up and working to the ropes. Ibushi attacks and Okada powders. Back in and Tanahashi and HASHI tag in. Thy work to the floor as HASHI follows with chops. Back in and Okada tags in, and dumps Tanahashi. HASHI then hits the draping dropkick and covers for 2. Ibushi and Okada back in, and Okada hits the flapjack. HASHI in and follows with kicks, and Ibushi cuts him off with a dropkick. Tanahashi tags in, hits the forearm and elbow drop. The senton follows for 2. HASHI fires back, but Tanahashi hits dragon screws, and follows with the cloverleaf. Okada makes the save, and dropkicks Tanahashi & Ibushi. HASHI fires up and hits a lariat on Tanahashi, kumagoroshi follows for 2. Tanahashi counters karma into twist and shout. HASHI cuts off sling blade with chops, but Tanahashi rebounds with sling blade. The high fly flow finishes it. Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI @ 9:35 via pin [***½] This was really good with everyone, HASHI included, working hard and looking good.
– Post match, we get a video mocking Tanahashi, and it’s CHRIS JERICHO. He challenges Tanahashi for January 5th at the Tokyo Dome, promising a classic match as well as Tanahashi’s last match. Tanahashi takes the mic and accepts.
Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi: Naito wastes no time and attacks right away. They brawl, shove the ref down and Taichi dumps Naito to the floor. Naito counters and whips him to the barricades, chokes him out with cables and slams him on an announce table. They work into the crowd, as Naito gets whipped into the chairs. Taichi drags him ringside and posts Naito. Back in the ring and Naito fires back, hits a basement dropkick and another in the corner. They work up top and Taichi counters the RANA into a superbomb for 2. Taichi talks some shit to him and the ref checks on Naito. Naito starts to fire back, but Taichi takes it and fires back. Naito slaps him and follows with a poison RANA. Gloria follows and destino is countered and Taichi follows with the backdrop driver. They work into counters and Taichi hits another backdrop diver for 2. The enziguri follows, Naito counters the last ride and gets mowed down with an axe bomber. The last ride follows for 2. The trousers are off, but Naito counters the superkick and follows with a dragon suplex and destino for 2. The northern lights bomb follow for 2. Taichi counters destino but Naito counters out of black mephisto and destino finishes it. Tetsuya Naito defeated Taichi @ 13:05 via pin [****] This was really great, there was no bullshit, it was all action and violence and followed the build really well as dangerous T came to play. Even more important than the no bullshit was the fact that it didn’t overstay it’s welcome and the finishing stretch delivered as they went home at the right time.
Super Junior Tag Team Tournament Finals: Roppongi 3K vs. Suzuki-gun: Suzuki-gun attacks during 3Ks entrance and kick the shit out of Sho on the ramp. The match officially starts as they now isolate Yoh in the ring, Yoh fights back, hits dragon screws and lays the boots to Kanemaru. He dumps him and follows with a plancha. Yoh is doing surprisingly well so far, hat is until they double team and cut him off. Despy whips him to the barricade, and Kanemaru follows with the draping leg drop. Sho makes it ringside but is immediately whipped to the barricade. Yoh barely beats the count, and gets double teamed right away. Kanemaru follows with slams, and the suplex follows for 2. Yoh battles back with a suplex, but Kanemaru cuts off the tag, slamming Sho to the barricade. They double team Yoh, but he manages to cut them off and tags in Sho. He follows with kicks on Kanemaru, dumps Despy and follows with a shoulder tackle n Kanemaru. Kanemaru takes the ref, chair shot to the back of Sho by Despy and the spear follows. Double teams follow for 2. The stretch muffler follows, Sho fights, Kanemaru takes out Yoh and Kanemaru mists Sho. Sho fights and Yoh makes the save. Despy looks for pinche loco, but Sho escapes. Despy follows with chops but 3K follow with the stereo knees. Kanemaru cuts off the double teams, but Sho manages a desperation dead lift German. Project Ciampa follows and Sho slowly covers for 2 as Kanemaru makes the save but Yoh returns and they hit 3K on Kanemaru. Despy runs them together and follows with angel del oro for 2. Sho counters pinche loco and follows with strikes, Despy rakes the eyes but Sho cuts him off with the lariat. Shock arrow is courted, but Yoh returns and 3K finishes it. Roppongi 3K defeated Suzuki-gun @ 14:30 via pin [****] This was good old Jim Crocket promotions/Rock & Roll Express booking here, taking out a babyface and allowing the heels to dominate until the faces can mount the big comeback. It was great stuff, played off of 3K’s tournament story well, and solidifying 3K as the top junior team ahead of their attempt to win back the titles.
– Ishimori & Phantasmo arrive and lay out 3k with belt shots and low blows. The doomsday belt shot follows. They then steal the trophies; Phantasmo needs to go Owen Hart with his Slammys with hose things.
NEVER Openweight Champion KENTA vs. Big Tom Ishii: They lock up, working to the ropes and start slapping the shit out of each other. Ishii finally mows him down with a shoulder tackle, and then follows with chops until KENTA powders. Ishii chases and v hits an eye poke and kicks. He follows with ground and pound; body kicks and then slaps the shit out of Ishii in the corner. Ishii is down, and KENTA follows wit a neck breaker for 1. He follows with knee drops, kicks but Ishii fires up and hits a suplex. He follows with chops, just beating down KENTA in the corner while talking mad shit. The powerslam follows for 2. They trade, Ishii dares him to throw more and KENTA finally cuts him off with the running knee. The draping DDT follows for 2. KENTA follows with a flurry of kicks and the corner dropkick. He heads up top and the double stomp connects for 2. He calls for go to sleep, Ishii fights it off but KENTA catches him with a DDT for 2. KENTA follows with more kicks while mocking Ishii, but Ishii absorbs the kicks fires up and chops him in the throat. He unloads with more throat chops in the corner, they work up top and Ishii hits the delayed superplex for 2. KENTA counters a powerbomb, but Ishii starts landing Germans, the sliding lariat I attempted but KENTA counters that into game over. Ishii powers up but KENTA keeps the hold and drags him back down until Ishii makes the ropes. V follows wit a knee strike and German, but Ishii catches the PK and KENTA counters into an enziguri. The busaiku knee follows but ISHII POPS UP and is PISSED! KENTA hits another busaiku knee and only gets 2. Ishii counters go to sleep and hits a lariat. KENTA slaps away at Ishii, but Ishii takes his fucking soul with a forearm strike. He follows with clotheslines, they trade and Ishii follows with the powerbomb for 2. The sliding D follows for 2. Ishii looks for a brainbuster, but KENTA counters into a sleeper but Ishii escapes, hits a lariat but KENTA counters back, doing the deal with a falcon arrow. He follows it a lariat and then a PK. Ishii counters go to sleep, and KENTA then cradles him for 2. Ishii counters back with an enziguri but KENTA follows with another busaiku knee. KENTA follows with strikes and slaps, and hits go to sleep but doesn’t go for the cover. He drops the kneepad and hits another and Ishii is done. Champion KENTA defeated Big Tom Ishii @ 20:10 via pin [****½] This is everything I wanted from this match, a dramatic hard-hitting brawl with KENTA being KENTA, Ishii delivering like he always does in big matches, and no bullshit at all. KENTA doesn’t need the Bullet Club bullshit to be a great and ruthless heel, I have said it for months and he proved that here. I thought that this was excellent, and not only was it KENTA’s best NJPW match so far, but after showing signs of it, actually felt like KENTA again.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay vs. BUSHI: Will attacks with John Woooooo and a plancha to start. He whips BUSHI to the barricade, and backing follows with strikes. BUSHI fights back and dumps Will and follows wit a RANA on the floor. BUSHI then cuts Will off as he looked to dive off the barricade. He then starts whipping him to the barricade. And back in, chokes him out with the shirt. The STF follows, but Will escapes and cuts him off. He follows with strikes and the back handspring kick for 2. He heads up top and the flying forearm follows for 2. BUSHI fights off storm breaker, rakes the eyes but Will follows with an enziguri and BUSHI cuts of the Sasuke special with an apron DDT (a call back to BOSJ). Back in and BUSHI follows with double knee and the missile dropkick. The fisherman’s neck breaker follows for 2. He looks for MX, Will counters that and a RANA and follows with the Sasuke special. Back in and the Robinson special follows. The oscutter is countered and we get a ref bump. BUSHI tries to mist him, Will blocks it and steals it and mists BUSHI. BUSHI gabs red shoes and Will accidentally oscutters the ref. Will follows with coast to coast, and the shooting star press eats knees, MIST by BUSHI. The destroyer follows and the new ref counts 2.MX is countered by a head kick, Will cleans his eyes out and follows with a hook kick but BUSHI gets the RANA into a cradle for 2. Will hits the Spanish fly for 2. Storm breaker is countered into the BUSHI roll for 2. The crowd is going nuts for this. BUSHI hits MX and covers for a GREAT near fall. BUSHI up top and the MX is countered with an oscutter for 2. Hidden blade follows and the super oscutter and storm breaker finishes it. Champion Will Ospreay defeated BUSHI @ 16:20 via pin [****½] I am not a fan of bullshit in matches generally as they tend to take away from what could be really good matches, but I felt that this was a rare occasion where it actually added to the match, got the crowd hotter and had them buying into BUSHI actually stealing the win here. The crowd was amazing, they delivered an excellent match and Will delivered again as BUSHI had his best effort here in forever. The match had tons of inventive stuff and some really dramatic moments down the stretch and exceeded all expectations.
– Post match, Will grabs the mic and asks if there is anyone else to challenge him, and runs down everyone he’s beat and says there is no one left. He will be champion forever… BUT WAIT… A HIROMU FUCKING TAKAHASHI VIDEO RUNS AND SAY HE’L BE BACK IN 62 DAYS… JANUARY 4TH! HIROMU IS HERE! HE RIPS OFF THE NECK BRACE AND CHARGES THE RING. He takes a bump into the barricade and is fired the fuck up. Will lays down the belt and Hiromu enters the ring. He thanks the fans for waiting for him and wants to make the junior division more fun. Hiromu says he won’t take it easy, because no one else can beat Will. He takes some bumps and does neck bridges. Will holds the mic for him and says that Willis the best right now, but he is back and challenges him for WrestleKingdom. THANK YOU GOD, JESUS, AND HIROMU! He hugs Will and leaves.
IC Champion Jay White vs. Hirooki Goto: Gedo is at ringside. White powders and stalls to begin. They lock up, work to the ropes and White powders again. Back in and White powders. Goto chases and they trade shoulder tackles until White powders and then attacks backing the ring. Goto cuts him off and follows with grounded kicks. Goto dumps him to the floor and follows. Gedo attacks allowing White to hit Goto with chair shots. He slams him to the barricade and then suplexes him to the barricade. White then talks shit to Shibata, who is on commentary. Back in and White follows with the half crab. Goto fights and makes the ropes. Gedo removes a buckle pad and White whips Goto to the exposed buckle, covering for 2. White grounds the action. He follows with strikes, rakes his eyes and slams him down. White follows with strikes as Goto challenges him to keep throwing so White lights him up. Goto fires back, but White dumps him to the floor and follows him out. Goto counters and whips him to the barricade, and then again. Back in and Goto follows with the spin kick and Saito for 2. White stuns him off the ropes and follows with a DDT for 2. He follows with strikes, chops and the complete shot and German. Goto hits a German and lariat, and both men are down. Goto follows with strikes, rocking White. White tries to keep firing back but Goto keeps knocking him down. White counters ushigoroshi and they trade clotheslines. They work into counters and White dumps Goto. Back in and the uranage follows. The kiwi krusher follows for 2. Goto keeps fighting back, hits a knee strike but White counters back with a snap Saito. They work up top and White follows with the superplex. Goto fights back and hits ushigoroshi, but he can’t cover. White counters GTR, they work into a long series of counters and Gedo takes the ref as White follows with a low blow. White dumps Goto on his head with a sleeper suplex, but Goto hits a desperation head butt. The reverse GR follows, and shouten kai connects for 2. Goto takes out Gedo, they work into counters and White hits a sleeper suplex but Goto pops up and hits GTW. The GTR follows for 2 as Gedo pulls out the ref. Shibata attacks Gedo and takes him out, locks on the sleeper and KENTA arrives, go to sleep on Goto and he attacks Shibata. He follows with kicks as White hits blade runner for the win. Champion Jay White defeated Hirooki Goto @ 27:45 via pin [***¾] the main event was really good, if s bit long and we got the expected winner and more teases of Shibata wrestling tat WrestleKingdom.
– Post match, White gloats about his victory, and the crowd hates him. He did what he said he would do and Goto is done, career over. Goto is an embarrassment and he is the man that sold out MSG and the last real rock and roller. He will soon add the IWGP title to his IC Title, and will face the winner of Okada & Ibushi on January 5th. He calls them out but Naito arrives. He challenges White to an IC Title match on January 4th, because holding both titles was his idea. Kota Ibushi arrives and says it’s been a while since he’s seen then, and he has the same idea. Okada arrives and asks what the hell they are talking about. They all want double titles but what the hell is it all about? He’s proud to be IWGP champion and his belt is THE belt. He proposes a fan vote on the situation, and White says that everyone can fuck off, because he wants his confetti because it’s his night.
The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 63. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Jeremy Lambert break down week five of the Wednesday Night Wars between NXT & AEW, and preview MLW Superfight. The show is approximately 96-minutes long.
* Intro
* AEW Dynamite (10.30.19) Review: 2:45
* NXT (10.30.19) Review: 34:45
* The Comparison/Who Won Week Five: 54:45
* MLW Superfight PPV Preview: 1:02:45
* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
