Csonka’s NJPW Road to Power Struggle 10.30.19 Review

Csonka’s NJPW Road to Power Struggle 10.30.19 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– TJP & Karl Fredericks defeated Yota Tsuji & Tomoaki Honma @ 7:35 via pin [**½]
– Titan & Volador Jr. defeated DOUKI & Desperado @ 9:10 via pin [**¾]
– El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori defeated Jushin Liger & Clark Connors @ 6:50 via pin [**½]
– Tetsuya Naito, Shingo, BUSHI, & SANADA defeated Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi, & Kanemaru @ 13:00 via pin [***¼]
– Bullet Club defeated Hirooki Goto, Big Tom Ishii, & Toa Henare @ 12:30 via pin [**¾]
– Super Junior Tag League Match: Roppongi 3K defeated Tiger Mask & Yuya Uemura @ 16:15 via pin [***½]
– Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Rocky Romero, & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI, Will Ospreay, & Robbie Eagles @ 16:05 via pin [***½]

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Yota Tsuji & Tomoaki Honma vs. TJP & Karl Fredericks: Yota and Karl begin with Yota firing up and hitting shoulder tackles. He follow with chops until Karl hits a dropkick. TJP follows with a senton atomico and covers for 2.Yota fires back, but TJP cuts him off and follows with the Muta lock. Honma makes the save, Karl tags back in and lays the boots to Yota. He follows with a slam for 2. Yota fights back and hits a slam. Tag to Honma, he follows with shoulder tackles and chops. The bulldog and kokeshi connect, he slams TJP and hits a kokeshi. Karl fires back, hits the corner splash and elbow drop for 2. TJP tags in and hits the springboard forearm. The wrecking ball dropkick connects, Honma fights off the detonation kick and hits a kokeshi. Yota tags in and follows with strikes and a big backdrop for 2. He works a stump puller, Karl makes the save and it breaks down, Karl hits a spinebuster and TJP hits the detonation kick for the win. TJP & Karl Fredericks defeated Yota Tsuji & Tomoaki Honma @ 7:35 via pin [**½] This was a solid opener with TJP outclassing everyone.

Titan & Volador Jr. vs. DOUKI & Desperado: Suzuki-gun attacks and take control at the start. The luchas quickly fight back with double teams, but get cut off as they spill to the floor. Suzuki-gun takes control, and back in, isolate Titan. DOUKI lays the boots to him and then follows with chops. Despy tags in and follows with a slam. Titan fires back, but Despy cuts him off and rips at his mask. DOUKI tags in and he attacks the mask. Into the tree of WHOA and double teams follow. Despy takes out Volador, Titan battles back, hits the springboard high cross, takes out DOUKI and tags in Volador. He runs wild with a head scissors, enziguri and missile dropkick for 2. DOUKI in and Volador hits the back handspring elbow, but Despy hits a spear. Volador fights off pinche loco with a superkick and Titan tags in with the high cross. He follows with kicks, covering for 2. He trades with DOUKI, DOUKI rakes the eyes and Despy joins in and the spinebuster follows as DOUKI hits a dropkick for 2. Volador makes the save, Despy takes the ref, but Titan hits a superkick, Volador hits a RANA and follows with the suicide dive. Titan follows with the Michinoku driver for 2. The springboard double stomp finishes it. Titan & Volador Jr. defeated DOUKI & Desperado @ 9:10 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good tag, but didn’t have a great energy to it.

El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori vs. Jushin Liger & Clark Connors: Connors and Phantasmo begin. Connors grounds things, and Phantasmo escapes. Phantasmo wants Liger, so Liger tags in. Phantasmo tags out to Ishimori. Ishimori attacks, picks up the pace and Liger cuts him off with a back beaker. The dropkick follows. Liger locks on the Romeo special, but Phantasmo makes the save. He tags in and lays the boots to Liger. Double teams follow and then the back rakes follow. Phantasmo grounds him, Liger fires back and then puts him in the tree of WHOA for the nut stomps. Liger battles back, hits a shotei and tags in Connors. He runs wild with shoulder tackles, and the powerslam follows for 2. He hits a corner splash, and transitions to the crab. Ishimori makes the save but then gets speared. Phantasmo cuts him off, but Connors follows with cradles for 2. CR2 then finishes it. El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori defeated Jushin Liger & Clark Connors @ 6:50 via pin [**½] Another solid tag with the expected winners.

Tetsuya Naito, Shingo, BUSHI, & SANADA vs. Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi, & Kanemaru: LIJ attacks first and they brawl to the floor. Taichi and Naito pair off, but just stare down each other BUSHI hits a missile dropkick on Kanemaru, Shingo attacks Suzuki and then works over Kanemaru. Suzuki cuts him off with the hanging arm bar, and we all brawl to the floor. Taichi whips Naito into the chairs as Suzuki took out commentary when he whipped Shingo into them. Suzuki-gun has control, and back in, Kanemaru isolates Shingo. Sabre tags in and starts attacking the arm of Shingo as Taichi tags in and continues the attack. Suzuki tags in and continues to punish Shingo. Shingo slowly fires back, Suzuki laughs at him and levels him with strikes. Shingo counters the PK, fights off the Gotch and follows wit a suplex. Sabre tags back in and gets the hanging guillotine, but Shingo counters into a suplex. Tag to SANADA, he clears out the heels and gets the paradise lock on Kanemaru. He dropkicks him to the floor, and then cradles Sabre for 2. Sabre counters paradise lock into a cradle for 2. SANADA follow with a dragon screw, and now Taichi and Naito brawl. firing up and they keep throwing. Naito beats him down, shoves down the ref and Taichi hits an axe bomber. Naito cuts him off with a neck breaker and dropkick. Combination cabrone follows. Taichi fights off Gloria, hits an enziguri and Kanemaru tags in. Suzuki-gun takes control, Taichi removes the trousers and the buzzsaw kick gets 2. Kanemaru looks for deep impact, but Naito avoids and Shingo attacks. LIJ works him over, but Kanemaru gets cradles for 2. Naito cuts him off, and destino finishes him. Tetsuya Naito, Shingo, BUSHI, & SANADA defeated Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi, & Kanemaru @ 13:00 via pin [***¼] This was good in building to Naito vs. Taichi and likely SANADA vs. Sabre as well as Shingo vs. Suzuki (which has been teased all tour long). The match was good and had a great intensity to it.

– Post match, Taichi attacks Naito and posts him. He then lays him out with a chair shot.

Hirooki Goto, Big Tom Ishii, & Toa Henare vs. Jay White, KENTA, & Yujiro Takahashi: Gedo is at ringside. They brawl at the bell with the faces actually attacking first and they all spill to the floor. Goto rolls in White and lays the boots to him. Goto chokes him out and follows wit elbow strikes. White fires back but Goto drops him with a right so he powders. KENTA tags in and Ishii joins him and starts pummeling him in the corner. Henare takes out Yujiro, Ishii and KENTA trade and KENTA fires back with kicks but Ishii hits a shoulder tackle. KENTA then cuts him off with knee strikes and a PK. The DDT follows and he dumps Ishii. They all brawl on the floor, double teaming Ishii. KENTA rolls Ishii back in and covers for 2. Yujiro tags in with elbow drops, a sliding dropkick and covers for 2. White tags in and maintains control. He works him over and tags in KENTA. KENTA follows with kicks, but Ishii hits a desperation German. White takes out Goto to stop the tag. Ishii battles back on Yujiro and hits the powerslam. Henare gets the tag, suplexes Yujiro and covers for 2. Yujiro cuts him off and tags in White. Goto rushes in and attacks, Gedo gets involved and White dumps Goto. Henare hits rampage on White and covers for 2. KENTA in and drops Henare with strikes, Ishii cuts off KENTA, White dumps him and dumps Goto and blade runner finishes Henare. Bullet Club defeated Hirooki Goto, Big Tom Ishii, & Toa Henare @ 12:30 via pin [**¾] The match was pretty good and did a fine job of continuing to build to White vs. Goto & Ishii vs. KENTA, it just lacked some energy at times.

Roppongi 3K vs. Tiger Mask & Yuya Uemura: Yoh and Tiger begin. They lock up and Yoh grounds the action. Tiger fights to his feet, follows with arm drags and they end in a standoff. Uemura tags in and Sho joins him. They lock up and Sho grounds the action, but Uemura pops back up and they work into counters. They trade shoulder tackles, Uemura dumps Yoh and lays the boots to Sho. 3K cuts him off with double teams and Sho lays in chops. Yoh tags back in and grounds the action. Uemura fights to his feet, but Sho tags in and cuts him off with a slam for 2. Uemura slowly fires back, they trade and Uemura rocks Sho but he gets cut off again. Uemura hits the desperation dropkick and tags in Tiger who follows with the high cross. He lays in kicks on Sho, and pulls a heel hook. Sho makes the ropes and Tiger follows with kicks and pulls a knee bar. Yoh makes the save, Tiger fights them off and the crucifix gets 2. He trades with Sho, and the knee strike follows. Sho cuts him off with a clothesline, tags in Yoh and the bridging suplex follows for 2, Tiger follows with a back breaker, kicks and tags in Uemura. Uemura runs wild with strikes, the back elbow and shoulder tackle. The elbow drop follows for 2. He locks on the crab but Yoh escapes and hits a dragon screw, 3K then follow with double teams. Uemura runs them together, hits a dropkick and Tiger joins in for double teams. The tiger driver follows and Uemura hits the overhead suplex. The crab follows, Yoh fights, but Uemura drags him back center ring. Tiger holds off Sho as Uemura transitions to a half crab. Sho finally makes the save, but Uemura murders him with a German. Yoh counters back but Uemura cradles him for 2. The backslide follows for a great near fall. Yoh cuts him off with a superkick and a dragon suplex for 2! He hits another and Uemura is finally done. Roppongi 3K defeated Tiger Mask & Yuya Uemura @ 16:15 via pin [***½] I think that Uemura‘s stock really grew here in the tournament, putting in quality performances and showing great improvement. The match was very good and thrived through its simplicity and execution.

So RPG 3K, BULLET CLUB, Suzuki Gun, Mega Coaches and BOP are all in the running Friday. If RPG3K, and Mega Coaches win their matches Friday we could have a four way final. #njpst

— chris charlton (@reasonjp) October 30, 2019

Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI, Will Ospreay, & Robbie Eagles vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Rocky Romero, & Ryusuke Taguchi: Robbie and Taguchi begin. They lock up and work into counters, with Robbie taking control. They trade arm drags and end in a stand off. Taguchi teases an as attack but Robbie powders. Will tags in and wants Romero. He tags in and they work to the ropes. Will attacks with kicks, Romero picks up the pace and follows with a RANA. Taguchi calls the plays and they isolate Will with corner attacks. Will gets slammed into Romero’s ass, but Will then whips Romero into Taguchi’s ass. Robbie tags in and grounds Romero with a dropkick and covers for 2. Okada tags in and works over his best friend. He attacks the injured hand of Romero, HASHI tags in and follows with chops. The draping dropkick follows for 2. Robbie tags back in and follows with chops. Romero fights off the Birds of Prey, hits the knee strike and tags in Ibushi. He takes out Okada, follows with kicks on Will and unloads with a flurry of kicks and the standing moonsault for 2. Will battles back, hits the back handspring kick and tags in Okada. He follows with the running back elbow on Ibushi. The corner elbow and DDT connects for 2. the slam follows, Okada heads up top and has to roll through and Ibushi hits the powerslam and springboard moonsault for 2. Okada fights back, they work into counters and Ibushi follows with the dropkick. HASHI tags in and Tanahashi works him over with rights, the high cross and HASHI fires back with chops. Tanahashi fires back, they trade and HASHI hits the blockbuster. Tanahashi cuts him off and Robbie tags in with the missile dropkick to the knee. Taguchi makes the save, the Birds of Prey then cut of Tanahashi with double teams. Robbie rolls through on the 450, dragon screw by Tanahashi and the cloverleaf follows. HASHI make the save, it breaks down and we get the big move buffet and Ibushi hits the PELE on Okada. Tanahashi counters turbo backpack and hits twist and shout. Sling blade follows. The high fly flow finishes it. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Rocky Romero, & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI, Will Ospreay, & Robbie Eagles @ 16:05 via pin [***½] This was a very good and tremendously fun main event with a good dynamic between all involved… and YOSHI-HASHI.

SUPER JR STANDINGS
* El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori: (5-1), 10pts.
* Robbie Eagles & Will Ospreay: (4-2), 8pts.
* Rocky Romero & Ryusuke Taguchi: (4-2), 8pts.
* Suzuki-gun: (4-2), 8pts.
* Roppongi 3K: (4-2), 8pts.
* Titan & Volador Jr: (3-3), 6pts.
* TJP & Clark Connors: (0-6), 0pts.
* Tiger Mask & Yuya Uemura: (0-6), 0pts.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 62. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Jeremy Lambert break down a great week four of the Wednesday Night Wars between NXT & AEW. The show is approximately 87-minutes long.

* Intro
* AEW Dynamite (10.23.19) Review: 5:25
* NXT Dynamite (10.23.19) Review: 43:35
* The Comparison/Who Won Week Four: 1:05:45

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

6.9

The final score: review Average

The 411

NJPW Road to Power Struggle 10.30.19 was a pretty standard Road to show with some good wrestling, some fun performances, and nice build to future matches, but nothing must-see; it did its job.