Csonka’s NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis Review 3.30.18

Csonka’s NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis Review 3.30.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Tetsuhiro Yagi vs. Ren Narita went to a draw @ 15:00 [***½]
– Yuji Nagata defeated Shota Umino @ 6:45 via submission [**¾]
– Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi, & Tomoyuki Oka @ 8:51 via pin [**½]
– CHAOS defeated Juice Robinson, David Finlay, & Toa Henare @ 11:25 via pin [***¼]
– CHAOS defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, KUSHIDA, & Tiger Mask IV @ 9:40 via pin [**¼]
– LIJ defeated Suzuki-gun @ 17:40 via pin [***½]
– Zack Sabre Jr & Taichi defeated Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI @ 17:20 via submission [***]

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– Kevin Kelly, Don Callis, & Rocky Romero are on commentary.

– We’re in Korakuen Hall.

Tetsuhiro Yagi vs. Ren Narita: They lock up, quickly working into a grappling exchange. Narita takes early control, Yagi powers out and takes control. He starts working the arm, Narita counters out and locks in a side headlock. He transitions to a head scissors, and then works more of a neck crank. Narita escapes, hitting a shoulder block for 2. They not light each other up with chops and trade charging elbows. Yagi hits a slam and then lays the boots to Narita. More chop trading and the crowd loves this. Narita hits a hip toss, covering for 2. The back elbow follows for another 2. Narita follows with a backdrop and picks up another near fall. Yagi follows with chops, and they trade strikes and Yagi hits a dropkick. He then lays the boots to Narita, and destroys him with chops. Yagi hits a slam, back elbow and covers for 2. Yagi looks for the crab and locks it in. Narita fights and makes the ropes. Yagi continues to control. laying in more hard chops. Narita finally cuts him off with a dropkick. They trade strikes center ring, and Narita hits a belly to belly for 2. He follows with forearms and slaps but Yagi lights him up with more chops and gets the crab again. Narita fights for the ropes… and makes it again. Yagi continues to attack as we hit the final minute. Narita hits a big slap, covering for 2. He locks on the crab, Yagi fights but Narita pulls him back center Tetsuhiro Yagi vs. Ren Narita went to a draw @ 15:00 [***½] This was a very good, and energetic opening match. The work was very strong and they had a great crowd; the lions delivered here.

Yuji Nagata vs. Shota Umino: They immediately work into a grappling exchange, Nagata hits a suplex and follows with leg kicks. Umino fires up with chops and Nagata is pissed. He cuts him off with knee strikes and kicks, and follows with a Nagata lock. Umino makes the ropes. Nagata follows with kicks, and then starts working the arm. The key lock follows, and Umino makes the ropes. Umino follows with rights, but Nagata lays in a series of kicks but Umino lights him up with chops. Nagata keeps firing back with kicks, but Umino fires up and hits a dropkick. Charging elbows follow, and then a missile dropkick. Which gets 2. Nagata answers back with knees, but Umino cuts him off and heads up top and hits another missile dropkick for 2. Umino locks on the crab, but Nagata escapes. Lays the boots to him, but Nagata fires up and they trade strikes. Nagata follows with the knee strike and kicks, covering for 2. The XPLODER follows and back to the Nagata lock and Umino taps. Yuji Nagata defeated Shota Umino @ 6:45 via submission [**¾] This was a pretty good match, with Umino showing great fire before losing to Nagata.

– Romero reveals that he will no longer be Roppongi 3k’s coach moving forward, because they don’t need him anymore.

Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi, & Tomoyuki Oka: Nakanishi and Taguchi start us off. Taguchi fakes a knee injury and rolls up Nakanishi for 2. Taguchi then lays the boots to him, and hits an ass attack. He then rubs his ass in Nakanishi’s face. Nakanishi cuts him off and tags in Oka, who follows with forearms to the ass. The slam follows for 2. Tenzan tags in and works over Taguchi with Mongolian chops. The corner clothesline and suplex follows, and the cover gets 2. He knocks Elgin & Makabe to the floor. Tenzan follows with head butts; Taguchi cuts him off with the ass attack, and tags in Makabe. He runs wild, laying in forearms but Nakanishi cuts him off. Makabe ends that and hits corner clotheslines to both. Tenzan cuts off the suplex, and lays in Mongolian chops. He and Makabe trade clotheslines, and Tenzan hits the mountain bomb. Oka & Elgin tag in, Elgin lays in chops and forearms. Oka fires up with a shoulder tackle, but Elgin cuts him off with a German for 2 It breaks down and Makabe takes out Tenzan and Nakanishi. Oka fights off the powerbomb, and follows with a belly to belly for 2. Elgin fights off the crab, hits an enziguri and hits a lariat for 2. The buckle bomb & Elgin bomb finishes him. Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi, & Tomoyuki Oka @ 8:51 via pin [**½] This was a solid match, with Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, & Ryusuke Taguchi picking up a win ahead of challenging for the trios titles on Sunday.

Juice Robinson, David Finlay, & Toa Henare vs. Hirooki Goto, Jay White, & Tomohiro Ishii: White & Finlay start us off. They work into basic back and forth and Finlay then follows with strikes and lays the boots to White. White quickly cuts him off, but Finlay hits a dropkick and tags in Henare. He follows with strikes on White, and knocks Ishii to the floor. White hits the dropkick, Goto in and CHAOS clears the ring with Ishii kicking the shit out of Henare on the floor. He lays in some chair shots, and drags him back into the ring. White covers for 2. Ishii tags in and lays the boots to Henare, and then follows with chops. Henare fires up, lays in chops and strikes, but Ishii no sells him and takes him back down. Goto tags in, and continues the heat on Henare, grounding the action with a half crab. Henare escapes, hitting a shoulder tackle and tags in Juice. They trade strikes and Juice hits a backdrop suplex. The clothesline and cannonball connects and the full nelson bomb gets 2. Goto fires back, they trade clotheslines and Goto hits the spin kick, Juice cuts off the Saito suplex and looks for pulp friction, but Goto hits ushigoroshi. Finlay makes the save, but White hits him with a Saito suplex. Wholesale changes to Henare & Ishii, they trade strikes center ring and just light each other up. Henare finally rocks Ishii, and hits a shoulder blocks. The Samoan drop follows for 2. Ishii cuts him off, lays in chops and strikes in the corner. Finlay makes the save, hits a back breaker on White, but Goto makes the save. It breaks down with Juice back in and Henare spears Ishii. Ishii kills him with a lariat for 2. The brainbuster is countered, and Henare hits a lariat for a great near fall. Ishii and Henare trade head butts and strikes, and the brainbuster finishes it. CHAOS defeated Juice Robinson, David Finlay, & Toa Henare @ 11:25 via pin [***¼] This was a good and fun tag match, with good build to Juice/Goto & White/Finlay. The Ishii & Henare interactions continue to be great, we need a singles match between the two soon.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, KUSHIDA, & Tiger Mask IV vs. Toru Yano, Sho, & Yoh: Yano & Tiger start us off. Yano quickly tags out to Sho and bails to the floor. Yano attacks from behind, leading to Sho accidentally hitting him. Sho and Tiger both look for running cross bodies, and Yoh & KUSHIDA tag in. They work some back and forth, KUSHIDA cuts off the head scissors and KUSHIDA attacks the arm. Sho in and they double team KUSHIDA, and take out Tanahashi and Tiger. KUSHIDA fires back on Yoh, but Yoh cuts him off and tags in Sho. Chops and knee strikes follow, and Sho covers for 2. Yoh tags back in, laying in forearms on KUSHIDA. KUSHIDA fires up, and tags in Tanahashi. He knocks Yano to the floor and works over 3k. Tanahashi hits slams and elbow drops, but eats a superkick as he looked for sling blade. Yoh looks for a suplex, but it’s countered by twist and shout. Tiger tags in, laying in kicks, and the tiger driver for 2. He takes Yoh up top, Yoh knocks him back to he mat, but Tiger hits a kick and transitions into an arm bar. Yano makes the save, but Tanahashi cuts him off and they brawl to the floor. 3k cuts off Tiger, Yano tags in, undoes the buckle pad and has it taken away. Tiger slams him to the exposed buckle, and Tiger follows with a high cross for 2. The crucifix gets 2 as 3k makes the save. It breaks down, Yano scores with low blows and cradles Tiger for the win. CHAOS defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, KUSHIDA, & Tiger Mask IV @ 9:40 via pin [**¼] This was ok, but the weakest match on the show so far, there was just no real fire here.

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi, & BUSHI vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, Davey Boy Smith Jr, El Desperado, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru: This is EVIL’s return match after missing time following a broken orbital bone; he got a great reaction. This is set up for the upcoming junior tag title match on Sunday, as well as KES vs. EVIL & SANADA and Naito and Suzuki, both of which have been built over the last month, and are likely for the Dontaku shows at the end of April. Takahashi and Desperado to begin. They trade strikes right away, and then Takahahshi lays in chops. Kanemaru cuts off Takahashi and Takahashi fights off the double teams and BUSHI is in. They double-team Desperado, and EVIL tags in. he works over Desperado and tags in SANADA. Naito tags in, he mocks Suzuki and works over Desperado with a neck breaker and spits on Suzuki. Suzuki returns and it completely breaks down into the floor brawl. Suzuki beats on Naito with a chair as Suzuki-gun takes control. Suzuki also beats on a young lion. Archer tags in and works over Naito, working his power game. Smith tags in and continues to work over Naito until Suzuki works the hanging arm bar in the ropes. Smith then continues the heat on Naito, hitting a belly to belly for 2. The slam follows, and Kanemaru tags in. He works him over and tags in Suzuki. The PK and knee bar follows, Naito fights and finally makes the ropes. Suzuki locks in the sleeper, goes for the Gotch, but Naito fights it off and escapes. The enziguri follows but LIJ is taken out on the floor. Naito hits a flying forearm and tags in SANADA. Archer in as well, SANADA takes out Smith and dropkicks Archer. Archer fires back, but misses a charge and SANADA slams him down. Archer fights off the paradise lock, and hits a pounce. Naito pulls Suzuki to the floor and works him over. RANA by SANADA on Archer and he tags in BUSHI. Kanemaru also tags in, they trade strikes and BUSHI hits a RANA. BUSHI fights off Desperado, and Takahashi returns and they double-team Kanemaru. BUSHI looks for MX, Kanemaru avoids and it completely breaks down. Takahashi tossed to the floor, BUSHI and Kanemaru are left in the ring and Naito and Suzuki brawl into he stairwell as EVIL tags in. He works over Kanemaru, but Kanemaru attacks the eye. SANADA makes the save, and the magic killer connects, KES make the save, EVIL fights off the killer bomb and SANADA hits a big dive. EVIL finishes Kanemaru with everything is evil. LIJ defeated Suzuki-gun @ 17:40 via pin [***½] This was a very good and heated tag match, which did a great job of adding to the build of all of the upcoming matches.

Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Zack Sabre Jr & Taichi: Taka & Gedo do into for their guys. This is the final build to Sunday’s Okada vs. Zack match. They start things off, working to some grappling, with Zack easily escaping. Okada looks to ground things, Zack easily escapes again and works a cravat. He grounds things, but Okada takes him to the ropes and we get a clean break. Okada works into some lucha style grappling, Zack escapes and HASHI tags in. Taichi also tags in. They trade strikes and kicks, Taichi attacks the injured shoulder of HASHI, but HASHI hits a RANA and running blockbuster. Okada in and Zack cuts him off with an octopus as Taichi drags HASHI to he floor. Zack takes Okada to the floor, and the attack of the arm starts by Zack. Taichi beats on HASHI with a chair. Zack is working the rainmaker arm of Okada, slamming him to the post and barricade. Back in and Taichi works the injured arm of HASHI, and tags in Zack. He continues the assault on the arm, just torturing HASHI. Taichi back in, he lays the boots to HASHI, and then knocks Okada to the floor. HASHI tries to fire back, but the arm is too gimpy, and Taichi starts delivering kicks, and takes him down. The pants are off. HASHI counters the superkick, but Taichi takes him down. HASHI hits a desperation spin kick and Okada tags in. He runs wild on Taichi, hitting the DDT for 2. Zack cuts off Okada and that allows Taichi to hit a lariat. Zack tags in, they trade strikes, Zack escapes the cobra clutch and into a cobra twist. Okada makes the ropes. Okada sets Zack up top, but Zack counters into a guillotine and then the double arm lock, Taichi dumps HASHI. Okada blocks the PK, Zack counters the rainmaker, but Okada scores with the dropkick. HASHI tags in, runs wild for a bit on Zack, hits the draping dropkick and that gets 2. Okada in and they double team Zack, and HASHI covers for 2. HASHI follows with a neck breaker, covering for 2 as it breaks down. Zack counters out of karma, but eats a lariat and HASHI covers for 2. Zack counters the powerbomb into an octopus hold. Okada makes the save, but Taichi cuts him off with a backdrop driver. Zack drags HASHI to the mat and submits him. Zack Sabre Jr & Taichi defeated Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI @ 17:20 via submission [***] This was a good main event, with Zack picking up a win to keep his momentum. I love that NJPW protects their champions so much, but either here or Strong Style Evolved would have been a great chance for Zack to beat Okada, really hammering home his push and make it clear that he had a legit chance to win on Sunday. I did love the attack on the arm of Okada, which should play well into Sunday’s match.

– Post match Zack attacks, working submission on the rainmaker arm of Okada. He then works over Gedo.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Today’s NJPW Road to Sakura Genesis was a good show, with a lot of good wrestling, the young lions continuing to shine, setting the stage for Sunday’s show, and also for the Dontaku shows in late April.