Csonka’s NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku 4.14.19 Review

Csonka’s NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku 4.14.19 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Yota Uemura defeated Yota Tsuji @ 7:20 via submission [**¾]
– YOSHI-HASHI defeated Shota Umino @ 9:35 via pin [***]
– Suzuki-gun defeated Ren Narita, Yuji Nagata, & Satoshi Kojima @ 11:40 via pin [***]
– Bullet Club defeated Henare, Mikey Nicholls, & Juice Robinson @ 9:45 via pin [**½]
– Bullet Club defeated Taguchi, Yano, Makabe, & Goto @ 11:00 via pin [**¾]
– Zack Sabre Jr, Taichi, & Taka defeated Jushin Liger, Kota Ibushi, & Honma @ 12:10 via submission [**¾]
– LIJ defeated CHAOS @ 14:25 via submission [***½]

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Yota Tsuji vs. Yota Uemura: Tsuji is all fired up after finally beating Uemura. They lock up and work to the ground right away and then work into a stand off. Tsuji works a side headlock, and follows with a shoulder tackle. He hits a slam and covers for 2. Tsuji lays in chops, and then strikes to the back. He then humbles Uemura with a camel clutch. Uemura fights and rolls, but Tsuji locks on a rear naked choke. Uemura makes the ropes, so Tsuji lays the boots to him. They trade strikes, and Uemura connects with the dropkick. He follows with another, and covers for 2. Tsuji fights off a slam, and hits one of his own. They trade strikes again, firing up and really unloading. Tsuji then hits a backdrop, and the powerslam follows for 2. Tsuji lays in chops, but Uemura cuts him off and hits an overhead suplex for 2. The crab follows, and Tsuji fights, but Uemura sits back on the hold. Tsuji powers up and fights but can’t get the ropes and has to tap. Yota Uemura defeated Yota Tsuji @ 7:20 via submission [**¾] This was a pretty good opener, with the series once again tied at 1-1-24.

YOSHI-HASHI vs. Shota Umino: They lock up and HASHI takes early control. Umino tries to fire up but HASHI drags him down with a headlock. They then trade shoulder tackles, with Unimo taking HASHI down. He follows with kicks and strikes, but HASHI cuts him off and lays in kicks. HASHI follows with chops, and hits the draping dropkick for 2. HASHI slaps him around, so Umino fires back and calls his bitch ass bluff. They trade, and Umino hits the dropkick to cut off HASHI. He follows with strikes, but HASHI fires up, only to be leveled by an Umino forearm. The suplex follows for 2. Umino up top and the missile dropkick connects for 2. HASHI fights off the fisherman’s suplex, hits the superkick and neck breaker, covering for 2. The crab follows, and Umino fights but HASHI sits down on the hold, liontamer style. Umino powers up, fighting for the ropes and finally makes it. He then cradles HASHI for 2. He rolls for an arm bar, gets it and HASHI makes the ropes. Big bitch slap from Umino. But HASHI levels him with a lariat. The Kumagoroshi by HASHI finishes it. YOSHI-HASHI defeated Shota Umino @ 9:35 via pin [***] This was a good match with Umino continuing to impress as top of the young lions class. The good brother also has quite the Tanahashi like head of cabbage going for him.

Ren Narita, Yuji Nagata, & Satoshi Kojima vs. Minoru Suzuki, Desperado, & Kanemaru: Suzuki-gun, in an act of complete cowardice, attacks before the bell to take an unsportsmanlike advantage in this grappling contest. I for one am shocked and appalled… Wait a God damn minute, the babyfaces were actually smart this time and turned the tables on the heels and they attacked. Nagata runs wild on Kanemaru as the rest brawl on the floor. Blue Justice tries to rip his arm off and then tags in Narita. He hits a shoulder tackle, lays in strikes, but Suzuki-gun rushes the ring and takes the fight to the floor. Suzuki beats on Nagata with a chair for stealing his gameplan, and then whips Kojima to the barricade. Back in and Despy works over Narita, attacking the knee. He and Kanemaru follow with double teams, and Suzuki tags in to torture the young lion. Suzuki fucks his day up with kicks, and then a knee bar. Narita fights, but Suzuki transitions to a half crab. Despy & Kanemaru fight off the dads, and Narita makes the ropes. He then lays in strikes on Suzuki, but Suzuki smiles and absorbs them and then drops Narita with one strike. They then work into a double down and Narita then follows with a dropkick and gets the hot tag to Kojima. It’s CHOPPIN TIME on Suzuki. Kojima fires up and lays in strikes, and a DDT for 2. They trade strikes, just lighting each other up. OLD MAN FIGHTNG RULES. Suzuki gets the sleeper, Despy tags in and gets caught with a cutter. Tag to Narita, he works over Despy and hits the suplex for 2. The faces work over Despy, but Suzuki-gun makes the save and it breaks down. Narita locks on the crab, but Kanemaru makes the save. Sleeper by Suzuki, spear by Despy and that only gets 2. Pinche loco finishes young Narita. Suzuki-gun defeated Ren Narita, Yuji Nagata, & Satoshi Kojima @ 11:40 via pin [***] This was a good, fun, and hard-hitting match.

Henare, Mikey Nicholls, & Juice Robinson vs. Taiji Ishimori, Chase Owens, & Bad Luck Fale: No Jado tonight. Juice and Fale begin. Juice looks for a slam, which fails and Owens and Ishimori rush in as things break down right away. The faces clear the ring and Fale falls on Juice as he looked for a slam. Fale starts attacking the back, laying in strikes, and tags in Owens. They stomp away on Juice’s back, working the Tongan massage parlor. Fale then beats on Juice down on the floor. Back in and Bullet Club continues to isolate Juice, working his back over and picking up near falls. Bullet Club works quick tags, but Juice avoids a Fale charge and works over Owens with jabs. The full nelson slam follows and Nicholls gets the hot tag. The spinebuster follows and then the sliding lariat gets 2. Owens cuts him off, hits the running knee strike and covers for 2. Henare tags in, lays in chops on Owens, and then a shoulder tackle. He works over Owens & Ishimori, but Owens cuts him off and Fale tags in. Bullet Club isolates Henare with triple teams, Nicholls makes the save and it breaks down, Juice saves Henare and hits the left hand of God on Fale, head butt by Henare and the lariat follows for 2. Henare up top, but leaps into the grenade and he’s done. Bullet Club defeated Henare, Mikey Nicholls, & Juice Robinson @ 9:45 via pin [**½] This was a solid match that did a fine job of helping to build to Juice vs. both Fale & Owens as well as Fale vs. Nicholls later in the tour.

Taguchi, Yano, Makabe, & Goto vs. Hikuleo, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, & Jay White: Jado is at ringside and attacks with the kendo, allowing Bullet Club to take the early control on the floor. Back in and GOD stomps away at Yano. Yano goes after the buckle pad, but gets cut off. White tags in and continues the attack on Yano. Hikuleo tags in and lays in chops. Poor Yano. Hikuleo follows with a neck breaker, and whips Yano to the exposed buckle. Loa tags in and does the same. White in and he sends Yano to the exposed buckle. Tonga in but Yano sends him to the buckle. He runs Loa into Jado and tags in Makabe, he runs wild with clotheslines and Loa cuts him off with a powerslam for 2. Makabe fires up and hits a lariat. Tag to Goto and White joins him, Goto hits the lariat, corner kick and Saito suplex. White fights off ushigoroshi, hits a snap Saito and it breaks down on the floor. White then hits the twister for 2. Goto counters blade runner, Taguchi tags in and hits the flying ass attack. He and Goto work double teams, but White counters dodon and Taguchi cradles him and gets the ankle lock. White counters out and hits blade runner for the win. Bullet Club defeated Taguchi, Yano, Makabe, & Goto @ 11:00 via pin [**¾] This was here to build to Yano & Makabe challenging for the tag titles and to also add to the build to Goto vs. White. This was pretty good overall.

– Yano tries to steal the tag titles again, but catches a beat down as GOD steal the trios titles.

Zack Sabre Jr, Taichi, & Taka vs. Jushin Liger, Kota Ibushi, & Honma: Liger and Taichi begin. Taichi stalls, Liger yells at him and Taichi powders. Back in and more stalling. Liger finally attacks, lays in knee strikes and Taichi powders but Liger hits a dropkick. The shotei follows, but Sabre cuts him off as it breaks down. Sabre grounds Ibushi, while the others brawl on the floor. Sabre then works over Ibushi on the floor, as Taichi rolls Liger back in. Taka tags in and stomps on Liger. He then grounds the action, slowing things to a snail’s crawl. Sabre tags in and follows with kicks. Taichi tags in and attacks Liger’s mask. Liger fights him off, but Taka tags in and lays the boots to him. Liger fires back with kicks, and the shotei follows. Ibushi gets the tag and flies in with a missile dropkick. Sabre cuts him off, but Ibushi catches him with a RANA. The standing moonsault follows for 2. Sabre locks on a guillotine, and transitions into an omoplata. Ibushi fights and makes the ropes. He fires back with strikes and follows with a dropkick. Hot tag to Honma, he lays in chops, and bulldog. The falling kokeshi connects, and the suplex gets 2. The faces isolate and work over Sabre. Honma misses the kokeshi off the ropes, allowing Taka and Taichi to attack. PK by Sabre and Liger & Ibushi make the save. Honma fights off the Zack driver but gets the octopus hold, drags him to the mat and Honma taps. Zack Sabre Jr, Taichi, & Taka defeated Jushin Liger, Kota Ibushi, & Honma @ 12:10 via submission [**¾] This was pretty good with the right man winning, The Ibushi vs. Sabre stuff was really good and I am really looking forward to their upcoming match.

Kazuchika Okada, Sho, Yoh, Rocky Romero, & Tomohiro Ishii vs. BUSHI, EVIL, SANADA, Naito, & Shingo: BUSHI & Yoh begin. They trade chops right away, Yoh rips off BUSHI’s shirt, they work into counters and Yoh hits a flying forearm. Ishii tags in and EVIL joins him and the lads start running into each other, trading strikes and Ishii fires up and hits the shoulder tackle. He follows with strikes, Romero in and attacks, but EVIL no sells him. Naito in and Romero hits a head scissors, but Shingo & BUSHI cut him off and the brawl spills to the floor. LIJ takes control as the appropriate parties pair off (Big Tom vs. EVIL, Okada vs. SANADA & 3k vs. Shingo & BUSHI). Back in and EVIL & SANADA work quick tags, isolating Romero. SANADA gets the paradise lock, and then breaks it with the dropkick to the ass. Shingo tags in and lays in strikes on Romero. He then runs him over with a shoulder tackle, and Naito tags in, and grounds the action. LIJ then clears out the others and double-team Romero, covering for 2. Romero fires back on Naito, hits the RANA and tags in Okada. Okada runs wild on SANADA, hits the flapjack and that gets 2. The slam follows, but SANADA cuts him off with the dropkick. Okada lays in strikes, but SANADA hits a basement dropkick and tags in Shingo. He follows with clotheslines, but Okada hits a desperation DDT and tags in Sho. They trade strikes, but Sho hits a lariat and covers for 2. 3k then hits the double knee strikes, but BUSHI saves Shingo from 3k. Lariatoooooooooo by Shingo on Sho and EVIL and big Tom Ishii tag in. LIJ quickly clears the ring, but Sho fights off Shingo and BUSHI. It breaks down into the big move buffet, Sho fights off EVIL & SANADA, but they cut him off and look for magic killer, and Ishii makes the save, only to run into everything is evil. Sho fights off EVIL but then runs into a lariat. The sharpshooter follows and Sho taps LIJ defeated CHAOS @ 14:25 via submission [***½] This was about adding to the build for Big Tom vs. EVIL, Okada vs. SANADA & 3k vs. Shingo & BUSHI. Like most LIJ vs. CHAOS tags, this was very good and a ton of fun.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 11. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka is joined by former 411 contributors Jerome Cusson and Ryan Rozanski to discuss the weekend that was in non-WWE WrestleMania weekend action in an absolutely loaded show. The show is approximately 3.5 hours long.

* Intro, WrestleMania Weekend Talk
* Beyond Wrestling’s attempt at a weekly streaming show: 50:00
* Independent Wrestling TV’s Family Reunion: 66:00
* wXw’s Amerika is Wunderbar: 79:00
* Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport: 87:00
* CHIKARA: 97:00
* Black Label Pro’s Adventures in Wrestling: 132:15
* Joey Janela’s Spring Break 3 (Part One): 167:00
* G1 Supercard: 180:00
* Joey Janela’s Spring Break 3 (Part Two)

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the
above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

6.8

The final score: review Average

The 411

Night two was a better showing than night one, with some better wrestling and strong build for the rest of the tour.