Csonka’s NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku 4.23.19 Review

Csonka’s NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku 4.23.19 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Henare, Satoshi Kojima, & Yuji Nagata defeated Shota Umino, Yota Tsuji, & Yuya Uemura via pin [NR]
– Minoru Suzuki, Desperado, & Kanemaru defeated Ren Narita, Jushin Liger, & Tiger Mask @ 9:40 via pin [***]
– Suzuki-gun defeated Rocky Romero, YOSHI-HASHI, & Tomoaki Honma @ 11:05 via submission [**½]
– Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson, Toru Yano, & Togi Makabe defeated Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, Tanga Loa, & Tama Tonga @ 7:40 via pin [**¾]
– Dragon Lee, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Hirooki Goto defeated Jay White, Taiji Ishimori, & Hikuleo @ 11:10 via pin [**¾]
– LIJ defeated Sho, Kota Ibushi, & Big Tom Ishii @ 13:55 via pin [***½]
– Kazuchika Okada & Yoh defeated BUSHI & SANADA @ 15:55 via pin [***½]

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Henare, Satoshi Kojima, & Yuji Nagata vs. Shota Umino, Yota Tsuji, & Yuya Uemura: Kojima and Tsuji begin with Tsuji hitting a dropkick and shoulder tackle. He hits another, and lays in strikes. Kojima fires back, takes out the other lions, and then follows with chops. He lays the boots to Tsuji, Nagata tags in and follows with kicks. They brawl to the floor, and back in and Kijima gets the tag. Tsuji fires back, but Kojima takes him down. Machinegun chops follow, and Nagata tags in. And that’s where the power went out. Henare picked up the pin. Henare, Satoshi Kojima, & Yuji Nagata defeated Shota Umino, Yota Tsuji, & Yuya Uemura via pin [NR]

Minoru Suzuki, Desperado, & Kanemaru vs. Ren Narita, Jushin Liger, & Tiger Mask: The faces flip the script and attack before the bell, Liger focuses on Suzuki, but Des[y males the save. Liger cuts him off and Suzuki then drags him to he floor as things break down. Suzuki attacks with chair shots, and then chokes out Liger. He then stabs him with a pen, because Suzuki. Liger makes it back in and they trade strikes. Suzuki cuts him off and drops him with a big forearm strike. The knee bar follows, and transitions to the half crab. Liger fights and just makes the ropes. They triple team Liger, and then just beat him down. Kanemaru accidentally kicks Despy and Liger hits shoteis. Tiger tags in and hits dropkicks and kicks. He heads up top and hits the flying head butt for 2. He dumps Despy, and the backslide gets 2 on Kanemaru. Kanemaru takes out the knee and Despy tags in. Tiger cuts him off with a leg lariat, and tags in Narita. The overhead suplex follows, but he’s cut off and triple teamed. Liger makes the save, it breaks down and Narita hits the bridging suplex for 2 as Suzuki makes the save. The spear by Despy gets 2. Pinche loco finishes it. Minoru Suzuki, Desperado, & Kanemaru defeated Ren Narita, Jushin Liger, & Tiger Mask @ 9:40 via pin [***] This was a good match with good energy and more fun from Suzuki & Liger.

Rocky Romero, YOSHI-HASHI, & Tomoaki Honma vs. Taichi, Taka, & Zack Sabre Jr: Sabre and HASHI begin. HASHI lays in chops, and then takes out Taichi. Sabre grounds HASHI, starting to work submissions until HASHI makes the ropes. Taichi & Honma brawl into the crowd as Sabre focuses on the arm of HASHI. He rips off the shoulder tape and Taichi chokes out Romero with a cable. Back in and Sabre is right back to work on the arm. Taka tags in and lays the boots to HASHI, works the arm and kicks him to the floor. Taichi slams him to the barricade, and then back in, Taichi grounds HASHI. HASHI starts to fire back, but Taka tags back in and they isolate HASHI in their corner. Taka follows with knee strikes, but HASHI counters back with a suplex. Tag to Honma, the DDT follows and he then lays in chops. The lariat connects and the falling kokeshi misses. Romero in to make the save with forever clotheslines, Honma hit the bulldog and they hit falling kokeshis. Taka pokes the eyes, tags in Taichi, and he lays in kicks. Honma fires back with chops, and then the diving kokeshi. Tag to Romero, and he hits a RANA. Taichi fires back, the pants are off and Romero cradles him for 2. Taichi cuts him off, hits the kick and the stretch plum finishes it. Suzuki-gun defeated Rocky Romero, YOSHI-HASHI, & Tomoaki Honma @ 11:05 via submission [**½] This was solid with Taichi keeping momentum, but Honma really slowing things down.

– Sabre tries to rip off HASHI’s arm post match.

Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson, Toru Yano, & Togi Makabe vs. Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, Tanga Loa, & Tama Tonga: Jado is out with Bullet Club. They brawl at the bell with Bullet Club taking early control. Yano & Makabe fight back and work over GOD. Jado in with a kendo shot, and GOD makes the comeback, and dump Yano, while isolating Makabe. Tonga hits a slam and elbow drop, covering for 2. Owens tags in and works over Makabe in his corner. Loa tags in and hits a suplex for 2. Loa lays the boots to him, tags in Fale, and he lays in body shots on Makabe. Fale misses the charge, and Juice tags in. He and Nicholls run wild on Bullet Club, and the cannonball follows on Fale. Juice up top and flies but Fale cuts him off. Owens tags in and lays in a flurry of strikes. Juice then gets a cradle for 2. It beaks down, Fale gets dumped, and Owens cuts off Nicholls. Nicholls fights off the package piledriver, left hand of God by Juice and the Mikey bomb finishes it. Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson, Toru Yano, & Togi Makabe defeated Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, Tanga Loa, & Tama Tonga @ 7:40 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good outing, and did a nice job of adding to the build for the upcoming matches between the competitors.

BEST OF THE SUPER JR PARTICIPANTS:
* Dragon Lee
* Taiji Ishimori
* Sho
* Yoh
* BUSHI
* Shingo
* El Phantasmo
* Will Ospreay
* Taguchi
* Desperado
* Taka
* Fiip Gordon
* Robbie Eagles
* Jonathan Gresham
* Bandido
* Rocky Romero
* Kanemaru
* Marty Scurll
* Titan
* Tiger Mask

Dragon Lee, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Hirooki Goto vs. Jay White, Taiji Ishimori, & Hikuleo: They brawl at the bell with Goto going after White. White quickly fires back, lays in strikes, and follows with chops. Goto fires back with kicks, Taguchi tags in and Goto is like, fuck off I’m killing Jay White over here. Taguchi finally calls him off and hits ass attacks on White. Bullet Club rushes the ring and bodies spill to he floor as they take control. Ishimori tries to unmask Lee, as White slams a young lion onto Goto. Back in and White covers Taguchi for 2. Ishimori tags in, lays in knee strikes and covers for 2. Hikuleo tags in and just beats on Taguchi. He follows with a suplex for 2. Ishimori back in, Taguchi fights back, tags in Lee. He and Ishimori trade strikes, work into passes, and Lee hits the dropkick for 2. Ishimori hits the back handspring kick and tags in Hikuleo. Lee battles him off and hits the missile dropkick. Tag to Goto and he hits the spin kick and White then cuts him off with a Saito suplex. They double team Goto, White hits the twister, and Hikuleo hits a leg drop for 2. Taguchi flies in with an ass attack to make the save, White dumps him and Goto counters blade runner and dumps White. He and Hikuleo trade, ushigoroshi by Goto connects. The GTR finishes it. Dragon Lee, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Hirooki Goto defeated Jay White, Taiji Ishimori, & Hikuleo @ 11:10 via pin [**¾] This was another pretty good match, with the builds to Ishimori vs. Lee & White vs. Goto continuing. Hikuleo is slowly coming along and is starting to get out of that puppy with too big paws stage.

Sho, Kota Ibushi, & Big Tom Ishii vs. EVIL, Shingo, & Naito: Sho and Shingo begin. They push and shove, lock up and work to the ropes. They trade shoulder tackles, and then trade strikes. Naito tags in and Ibushi joins him. Naito attacks, raking the eyes, and then work into counters. Naito hits the corner dropkick combo as the others brawl to the floor. Naito follows with rights on Ibushi, and tags in Shingo who follows with chops. They trade, Ibushi fires back but Shingo hits a suplex for 2. EVIL tags in and lays in chops to Ibushi. He grounds things, and Ishii breaks it up. EVIL fires back and rocks Ishii to the floor. Naito tags in and dropkicks Ibushi for 2. Ibushi keeps fighting back and hits the desperation PELE. Tag to Ishii and he and EVIL start kicking the shit out of each other. EVIL takes him down with a shoulder tackle, and then they keep trading bombs. Ishii hits the Saito suplex, they work into counters and Ishii hits the powerslam, but EVIL pops up and hits a German. Wholesale changes to Sho & Shingo and they immediately enter ass kicking mode, and work into the double down. Tag to Naito, he works over Sho with a neck breaker, takes him up top and hits the RANA. Sho fights back and hits a bridging German for 2. Shingo back in and he and Naito work over Sho, The pumping bomber and destino finishes it. LIJ defeated Sho, Kota Ibushi, & Big Tom Ishii @ 13:55 via pin [***½] This was very good, with all three feuds clicking very well. I need all three singles matches right now.

– Ishii & EVIL brawl post match.

Kazuchika Okada & Yoh vs. BUSHI & SANADA: Yoh & BUSHI begin. BUSHI lays in chops, they trade and Yoh follows with uppercuts. The hip toss and dropkick follows. Yoh takes off his shirt and they trade chops again. SANADA now tags in and levels Yoh with chops. BUSHI back in and maintains control, covering for 2. LIJ work quick tags, as SANADA is back in. He takes Okada to the floor, allowing BUSHI to continue to work over Yoh. Yoh starts fighting back with dragon screws, tags in Okada and he runs wild on SANADA. The slam follows, Okada up top and has to roll through on the elbow drop, allowing SANADA to get the paradise lock. SANADA dropkicks him in the ass to free him but Okada cuts him off with the air raid neck breaker. Wholesale changes to Yoh & BUSHI, Yoh is fired up and attacks with back elbows. BUSHI cuts him off, lays the boots to him and they trade strikes. Yoh’s chest is a mess from all the chops. BUSHI hits the dropkick and follows with a suicide dive. Okada cuts him off, but SANADA attacks but Okada boots him into the crowd. They brawl into the crowd and Yoh flies out of the stands and wipes out LIJ. Everyone is down. Yoh drags BUSHI back to the ring and does the deal with the falcon arrow for 2. They work into counters, kicks by BUSHI but Yoh hits him with a superkick. Okada tags in and hits John Woooooooooo on BUSHI. SANADA returns, and hits the dropkick on Okada. Yoh dumps him and he and BUSHI brawl again. Superkick by Yoh, and Okada follows with the dropkick. The tombstone follows and the cobra clutch and rainmaker finishes it.
Kazuchika Okada & Yoh defeated BUSHI & SANADA @ 15:55 via pin [***½] This was another very good match, with a fun layout, an invested crowd, and paying proper attention to building the future matches.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 13. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka is joined by the returning Steven Jefferson Douglas Cook. On the show, the guys will discuss Bully Ray gaining power in ROH, the fickle fan reaction to the controversial AEW TV reports, WWE talent wanting out of the company, remembering Rick Rude and much more. The show is approximately 85 minutes long.

* Intro
* Bully Ray Gaining Power in ROH: 2:00
* AEW TV Controversy & Fickle Fan Reaction: 15:00
* Dolph Ziggler Last Wrestled at The Royal Rumble, Do You Miss Him?: 27:20
* Dark Side of The Ring: 34:50
* Remembering Rick Rude: 50:20
* If WWE Talents Want Out, Let Them Go: 63:00

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

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The return to Korakuen Hall gave today’s road to Dontaku tour a much-needed boost in energy, and not only continued the strong build to the upcoming matches but also gave us an easy to watch show like yesterday. The wrestling was mostly good, and overall they are building to the future matches very well. Plus the BOSJ lineup looks sweet.