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Csonka’s NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.14.18
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Csonka’s NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.14.18
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Ren Narita defeated Yota Tsuji @ 8:52 via submission [***]
– Yuji Nagata defeated Shota Umino @ 7:00 via submission [***]
– Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Tomoyuki Oka defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Mask IV, & Tetsuhiro Yagi @ 10:10 via submission [**¾]
– Suzuki-gun defeated Rocky Romero, Sho, & Yoh @ 11:05 via pin [*]
– Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano defeated Togi Makabe & Toa Henare @ 10:40 via pin [***¼]
– Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Michael Elgin & KUSHIDA defeated CHAOS @ 11:55 via pin [***½]
– Elimination Match: Suzuki-gun defeated LIJ @ 22:20 [***¾]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
– You can read my review of yesterday’s show at this link.
– We’re in Korakuen Hall again.
Ren Narita vs. Yota Tsuji: Tsuji is one of the new lions, who just debuted on the Lion’s Gate event. They work into some basic back and forth to begin, with Narita taking early control as he grounds the action. Tsuji, like Uemura who debuted yesterday, just looks like an asshole. He also has some nice and basic heel mannerisms already. Narita, like Yagi yesterday, is also doing a nice job of playing senior lion and leading things well here. Narita is dominating here, they trade big time chops, and then Narita gets a half crab. Tsuji escapes and cuts him off, laying in chops and a big hip toss for 2. Tsuji is fired up now, laying in strikes and kicks. Narita cuts him off with a dropkick, and follows with the crab. Tsuji fights, but Narita pulls him back center and Tsuji taps. Ren Narita defeated Yota Tsuji @ 8:52 via submission [***] Another good lions match, the current crop is so good.
Yuji Nagata vs. Shota Umino: These two recently tagged at the Lion’s Gate event,and this was set up on yesterday’s show. Umino is fired up right away, attacking with strikes and kicks. He then works ground and pound, and is lighting up Nagata. Nagata is pissed and has clearly had enough of this young man’s shit and lights him up with a series of kicks. Nagata attacks the arm and work into an arm bar until Umino makes the ropes. Umino lays in chops, but Nagata cuts him off. Blistering kicks follow as Nagata is just punishing Umino. Umino finally hits a dropkick, lays in forearms and then hits the missile dropkick. Nagata escapes an arm bar, but Umino hits a German. He heads up top and hits another missile dropkick. They trade strikes, but Nagata hits an XPLODER into the Nagata lock and Umino taps. Yuji Nagata defeated Shota Umino @ 7:00 via submission [***] This was your basic veteran vs. lion match, with Nagata again working with Umino, who they appear to be very high on as he’s taken the Kawato role as of late. This was another good match. There’s been a lot of good fire on the show so far.
Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Mask IV, & Tetsuhiro Yagi vs. Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Tomoyuki Oka: It’s dads take your kids to work day! Yagi and Oka start things off. They work a nice opening stretch until Tiger and Taguchi tag in. Taguchi fakes the fist bump and attacks. Taguchi hits an ass attack to all of his opponents, taking control until Tiger cuts him off with a back breaker. Tenzan tags in, lays in Mongolian chops, and covers for 2. Team Tiger works quick tags, isolating Taguchi and taking control. Tenzan hits a suplex, covering for 2. Taguchi fires up, hits an ass attack, and tags in Nakanishi. He and Tenzan trade strikes, Nakanishi hits a clothesline and does his little dance and another clothesline follows for 2. The spear follows and we get wholesale changes to Oka & Yagi. They trade strikes and Yagi hits a dropkick. Triple teams to Oka follow; Yagi hits a sack of shit slam and gets the crab. Oka fights and makes the ropes. Oka cuts him off and hits the belly to belly and it breaks down. Taguchi hits an ass attack to Tiger on the floor, while Oka hits a spinebuster and locks on the crab and Yagi taps. Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Tomoyuki Oka defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Mask IV, & Tetsuhiro Yagi @ 10:10 via submission [**¾] This was a pretty good match, with good energy and an invested crowd.
Rocky Romero, Sho, & Yoh vs. Iizuka, Taichi, & TAKA Michinoku: This sucked yesterday, hopefully it’s better today. In a shocking turn of events, Suzuki-gun attacks before the bell, with floor brawling and biting from Iizuka. Back in and Taichi works over Romero, but Romero cuts him off with a RANA and follows with forever clotheslines. Iizuka cuts him off, and we get more floor brawling. This absolutely crushes the momentum. More Iizuka biting follows. Romero makes his own comeback and tags in Yoh. He runs wild with dropkicks, and does the deal with a falcon arrow for 2. Taka cuts him off and tags in Taichi, Sho in and they work double teams. It breaks down, Iizuka hits the iron fingers on all three and Suzuki-gun beats down Sho. The pants are off and Taichi hits the superkick, finishing Sho. Suzuki-gun defeated Rocky Romero, Sho, & Yoh @ 11:05 via pin [*] I absolutely hate that Sho & Yoh have been reduced to background players as of late. I love Romero as a performer, but him being the focal player in these last few matches is just wrong. There are just so many things wrong with these matches, between the layout, the matches going too long, and fact that they are bad. Merry Christmas everyone, hope you like crap.
Togi Makabe & Toa Henare vs. Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano: The Ishii vs. Henare goodness will continue. Yano and Makabe start us off. Makabe works him over, and even mocks Yano. Henare tags in and he wants Ishii. Careful what you ask for young man. Ishii in and they brawl right away. They have really good chemistry; Henare is all fired up and takes Ishii to the floor. Back in and Ishii cuts him off, and Yano exposes the buckle, and shoots Henare into it. That allows them to take the heat, as Ishii chops him down. Henare keeps fighting, but Ishii is too much for him. Henare finally fires up, taking Yano down and tags Makabe in. Makabe runs wild, working over both Yano & Ishii. The clothesline by Makabe gets 2. Henare takes Ishii to the floor, and then beats on Yano. Ishii tags back in and lays in repeated chops on Henare. Henare hits a flying shoulder tackle, and he follows with chops and forearm strikes. Ishii is rocked, but Yano makes the save and Ishii hits a Saito suplex and locks on the crab. Makabe makes the save, and fires up with lariats. Henare up top and hits the flying shoulder tackle for a good near fall. Ishii absolutely kills him with a sick lariat, Henare counters the brainbuster and hits a spear for a great near fall. Ishii fires back, hits a head but and the brainbuster finishes Henare. Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano defeated Togi Makabe & Toa Henare @ 10:40 via pin [***¼] This was a good, back and forth tag, with the Ishii and Henare dynamic carrying the match, We NEED a single match with these guys and soon. It really feels like they are using Ishii to mentor Henare as the next bad ass on the roster.
Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Michael Elgin & KUSHIDA vs. Hirooki Goto, Jay White, YOSHI-HASHI, & Will Ospreay: This is part of the set up for Goto vs. Juice, Finlay vs. White, & Ospreay vs. KUSHIDA. Finlay and Ospreay to begin until White rushes in and attacks Finlay from behind. Finlay battles back with a dropkick and White powders. KUSHIDA and Ospreay in, they work into some slick counters and Ospreay dumps KUSHIDA. KUSHIDA back in and hits the tornado DDT and the ref checks on Ospreay. KUSHIDA then kicks him in the head and follows with chops. Elgin tags in and continues to work him over. Ospreay fights off a suplex, but Elgin hits a slingshot blockbuster for 2. Elgin then starts to destroy him with forearm shrikes and quick tags follow as they isolate Ospreay. KUSHIDA back in and they trade strikes and chops. KUSHIDA looks for the hover board lock, but HASHI makes the save. Ospreay battles back, hits the double PELE, and tags in Goto. Goto runs wild, suplexing KUSHIDA onto Juice. The Saito suplex follows for 2. Juice fights off Ushigoroshi, and hits a full nelson slam. Elgin & HASHI tag in, and HASHI hits the blockbuster. The draping dropkick follows and the cover gets 2. It breaks down, with HASHI being isolated and worked over. Ospreay flies in for the save as it completely breaks down, with White and Finlay going to the floor. Ushigoroshi by Goto on Juice. HASHI takes out Elgin, but Elgin cuts him off up top but Elgin catches him, buckle bomb and Elgin bomb, and that’s that. Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Michael Elgin & KUSHIDA defeated CHAOS @ 11:55 via pin [***½] This was a very good tag match, with great energy, and more importantly, advancing the build to the upcoming title matches.
– Post match, White lays out Finlay with the blade runner.
Elimination Match: Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI, & Hiromu Takahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, Davey Boy Smith Jr, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, & El Desperado: This is here to set up the upcoming tag title matches as well as Suzuki vs. Naito. Suzuki-gun attacks before the bell and in a complete shock, we get floor brawling. It would mean more if the under card Suzuki-gun goofs didn’t do the same thing. Back in and Suzuki and Naito battle. Suzuki tries to dump Naito, but BUSHI makes the save. Suzuki kicks his ass and Smith tags in. Naito fights him off, and EVIL tags in and hits a senton. Smith cuts him off with a Saito suplex, and we break down into floor brawling with the others. Suzuki beats on Naito with the bell hammer as KES double team EVIL. Suzuki tags in and lays in kicks on EVIL, and then starts working submissions. Naito makes the save, but Suzuki ends that quickly as they brawl back to the floor. Desperado tags in and rakes EVIL’s eyes, but then gets cut off with a side slam. Tags to Kanemaru and Takahashi, Takahashi picks up the pace and tags in BUSHI. Double teams follow and they cover for 2. Desperado in and makes the save, they work over BUSHI, and after a ref distraction, Kanemaru low blows BUSHI and pins him (5:45). LIJ double team Kanemaru and pin him (9:29). Suzuki makes the save, working a knee bar on Naito. Naito makes the ropes. Naito sets Suzuki up top and follows. Suzuki then drags him to the apron and they battle. Suzuki teases the Gotch, SANADA dropkicks Suzuki and Naito pulls Suzuki to the floor, eliminating them both (12:12). They continue to brawl on the floor and to the back. Back in the ring, Smith works over SANADA, but SANADA gets skull end. Smith powers out and looks to eliminate him. EVIL saves SANADA, but Archer attacks. SNADA then eliminates Smith over the top (14:18). He fights off Archer with dropkicks, Archer fights off the paradise lock, hits a pounce and dumps him (15:15). EVIL works over Archer, and hits the fisherman’s buster for 2. Archer battles back, hitting a black hole slam for 2. EVIL fights off the chokeslam, but Desperado saves Archer. Archer dumps EVIL (17:16). Takahashi is left all alone. He picks up the pace and attacks Archer, but Archer levels him with a lariat. Takahashi counters a choke slam, to the apron and Takahashi dropkicks Archer to the floor (19:33). Desperado is left and he attacks. The spinebuster follows and then Guitarra de la Muerta for 2. Takahashi fires up with strikes and clotheslines for the double down. Back to the feet and Takahashi hits a superkick and dynamite plunger for a good near fall. Desperado uses the ref as a Shield, and Kanemaru attacks Takahashi, allowing Desperado to get the cradle for he win. Suzuki-gun defeated LIJ @ 22:20 [***¾] Once we got past the usual bullshit, this turned into a very good match like yesterday’s main event. They are doing a good job of building to the upcoming title matches, everyone got time to shine, and the Suzuki vs. Naito interactions are absolutely tremendous.
– Desperado & Kanemaru beat down BUSHI & Takahashi post match.
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
