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Csonka’s NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.23.18
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Csonka’s NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.23.18
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Yuya Uemura vs. Yota Tsuji went to a time limit draw @ 10:00 [**¾]
– Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka, & Ren Narita @ 11:30 via submission [**½]
– Rocky Romero, Sho, & Yoh defeated Iizuka, Taka Michinoku, & Taichi @ 10:15 via DQ [*]
– CHAOS defeated Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, Juice Robinson, Toa Henare, & KUSHIDA @ 13:20 via pin [***]
– Hiroshi Tanahashi, David Finlay, & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, & Gedo @ 10:20 via pin [**¾]
– Suzuki-gun defeated LIJ @ 12:50 via pin [***]
– IWGP Jr Tag Title Match: Champions Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Desperado defeated BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi @ 25:05 via pin [***¼]
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– We’re in Korakuen Hall.
Yuya Uemura vs. Yota Tsuji: Due to Yagi suffering an injury, we’ve had some shuffling of the card. These are the two newest lions, who just recently debuted, working what will be the first of many matches against each other. They worked a nice back and forth stretch to begin, both guys have really good fire and at the same time, have a great asshole vibe. We got a nice stretch of grappling, with really deliberate and clean work as you’d expect from the lions. Yota was able to use his size early on until Yuya cut him off with a dropkick and grounded the action, working the arm. Yota then locked in the crab; we got a good fight spot and the break. They then worked into a good series of near falls and submission spots down the stretch and then got a draw. Yuya Uemura vs. Yota Tsuji went to a time limit draw @ 10:00 [**¾] This was a pretty good opener, with the new lions continuing to look good and show a ton of potential.
Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka, & Ren Narita: Oka and Nakanishi start off, working into power spots right away. Nakanishi takes him down and the lions rush the ring and triple team Nakanishi. Nakanishi fires back, trading chops with Oka, and takes him down. Tenzan tags in and so does Umino. They trade strikes, but Tenzan takes him down with chops until the lions rush the ring again. They lay the boots to Tenzan, with Narita tagging in. he chops away at Tenzan, who fires up and levels him with a lariat. Nagata tags in and Narita takes him down, but Nagata gets an arm bar until the lions clear the ring. Nagata fights them off, trades strikes with Nagata, and Nakanishi tags in. he follows with chops and a slam. The splash follows for 2. Tenzan in now, he lays in head butts and follows with a suplex. Nagata takes out Oka as the dads clear the ring. Narita hits the dropkick and tags in Oka. He runs wild on the dads, slams Tenzan and hits a senton. Oka covers for 2. Tenzan cuts him off with chops, and a spin kick. Nagata tags in and lays in kicks on Oka. Oka cuts him off and tags in Umino. He picks up the pace and hits a corner attack and missile dropkick for 2. It breaks down, the lions work over Nagata, and Umino hits another missile dropkick for 2. The lions get a trio of crabs on the dads, but the dads escape and Umino and Nagata trade strikes. Nagata cuts him off, hits kicks and covers for 2. The Nagata lock finishes it. Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka, & Ren Narita @ 11:30 via submission [**½] This was a perfectly solid and fun scrap between the dads and lions. Umino was the stand out of the lions here.
Rocky Romero, Sho, & Yoh vs. Iizuka, Taka Michinoku, & Taichi: Suzuki-gun attacks before the bell, with Iizuka biting Yoh’s ass. This leads to floor brawling and more Iizuka biting. Back in and 3K works over Taichi and then Iizuka & Taka with double teams. Romero in and he hits forever clotheslines, and then a RANA to Taichi. Iizuka chokes him out with his rope, and we go back to floor brawling. Suzuki-gun uses chairs and umbrellas to aid in their attack. Back in and they triple team Romero, Iizuka in for some enthralling choking and biting on everyone. Taichi tags back in and covers Romero for 2. He talks shit as Romero tries and fails to fire up with strikes. Taichi hits a clothesline for 2. The pants are off, but Romero hits a desperation spin kick and tags in Yoh. He runs wild with dragon screws and dumps Iizuka. He follows with a whisper in the wind on Taichi for 2. Taichi cuts him off, and Iizuka is back for more biting. Taka tags in and pokes him in the eyes. Yoh tags in Sho, and 3k work double teams. Sho then hits a German as it breaks down. 3k then isolates Taka, and Taichi makes the save until Romero wipes him out with a dive. Iron fingers by Iizuka gets the DQ. Rocky Romero, Sho, & Yoh defeated Iizuka, Taka Michinoku, & Taichi @ 10:15 via DQ [*] This was another bad outing from these two trios, who continue to face for absolutely no reason.
Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, Juice Robinson, Toa Henare, & KUSHIDA vs. Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, & Will Ospreay: This is setting up the following upcoming matches: Goto vs. Juice, KUSHIDA vs. Ospreay, and Ishii vs. Henare. Ishii and Henare brawl right away. They are all fired up and Henare connects with a pair of shoulder tackles, and Ishii fires up and lays in chops. Ospreay and KUSHIDA tag in and trade strikes, working into a great counter exchange. Ospreay hits a RANA, and KUSHIDA dumps him as CHAOS rushes the ring and takes control. We get some floor brawling, as Ospreay works over KUSHIDA in the ring. HASHI tags in, continuing the heat on KUSHIDA. Yano tags in and undoes the buckle pad. KUSHIDA fights him off, knocks Ospreay to the floor and sends Yano the exposed buckle, but has no one to tag. KUSHIDA makes his comeback and tags in Juice. Henare and Juice work over Ishii, and Juice then lays in jabs on Goto. The clothesline follows, and then the cannonball. Elgin takes out Yano, Goto counters pulp friction, and hits ushigoroshi. HASHI in Juice cuts him off with a gut buster. Elgin tags in and Germans Ospreay out of his boots. He lays in clotheslines on HASHI, and hits a tornado DDT on Ishii. He lays in forearms on HASHI, but HASHI escapes the buckle bomb, hitting a superkick for 2. Elgin then hits a press into a powerslam for 2. Wholesale changes to Makabe and Yano, Makabe works over Yano & Ishii, Yano rakes his eyes, but runs into a lariat for 2. Ishii makes the save, and it breaks down into the big move buffet. Elgin and Makabe work over Yano until HASHI makes the save, but is immediately taken out by Makabe. Yano low blows him and steals the win with a cradle. CHAOS defeated Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, Juice Robinson, Toa Henare, & KUSHIDA @ 13:20 via pin [***] This was a good back and forth match that did a good job of continuing the build to the upcoming matches.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, David Finlay, & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, & Gedo: This is part of the build to Tanahashi vs. Okada & White vs. Finlay. White and Finlay start us off. White hides behind the ref and attacks with cheap shots. Finlay quickly fights back, hitting a belly to back suplex and tags in Taguchi. Taguchi calls the plays as they triple team White in the corner. White then slams Finlay into Taguchi’s ass, and CHAOS attacks Taguchi after clearing out the others. White hits a snap Saito suplex for 2. Gedo tags in and works over Taguchi, and then tags in Okada. Okada then dropkicks him in the ass. The senton atomico follows. White tags back in and he attacks the ass of Taguchi as well. He follows with a cool neck crank submission, and then tags Gedo back in as Finlay attacks and he and White spill to the floor. Gedo counters an ass attack, but Taguchi connects with the second and we get wholesale changes to Okada & Tanahashi. Tanahashi runs wild, hits twist and shout, and then counters the rainmaker and dropkick. Okada finally hits the dropkick and plants Tanahashi with a tombstone. Finlay makes the save and tags in, White in and Finlay connects with uppercuts. The German follows for 2. White cuts him of with a uranage and tags in Gedo. Finlay hits him with the stunner and wins! Hiroshi Tanahashi, David Finlay, & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, & Gedo @ 10:20 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good match, overall with more good work done to set up Tanahashi vs. Okada & White vs. Finlay. Finlay has really stepped up, but he’s in desperate need of a better look.
– Bone Solider will return.
Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, & SANADA vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, & Davey Boy Smith Jr.: This is part of the setup for the title matches on Sunday’s NJPW Wrestling Hi No Kuni event. Suzuki-gun attacks before the bell leading to floor brawling. Again, this would mean more if the Suzuki-gun scrubs didn’t do the same act. In the ring, SANADA works over Archer until Suzuki cuts him off. Smith takes out the others, while Suzuki and Naito brawl into the crowd. Back in the ring and Archer works over SANADA as Smith tags in. He hits a delayed suplex, covering for 2. Archer in and KES work double teams for a near fall. Suzuki in and he kicks Naito to the floor and laughs off SANADA’s chops. Suzuki lights him up with kicks, avoids a dropkick, but SANADA takes out the knee. Naito tags in and starts working over Suzuki, but that just pisses Suzuki off. They trade strikes, and Suzuki is not amused. He locks on knee bar as KES takes out the others. Naito fights, tries to break the hold and then makes the ropes. Suzuki slaps him around, looking generally annoyed. Naito hits the desperation tornado DDT and EVIL tags in. he works over Smith, and hits the senton for 2. SANADA in and they dump Archer, and double team Smith. They go for Magic killer, but Archer makes the save and his the black hole slam. The killer bomb follows on SANADA, EVIL fights them off but eventually eats a killer bomb but Naito makes the save. Suzuki locks on the knee bar, as KES hits EVIL with the magic killer for the win. Suzuki-gun defeated LIJ @ 12:50 via pin [***] This was good, with the build to Suzuki vs. Naito continuing to be great and KES being built as legit threats to the tag titles.
Champions Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Desperado vs. BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi: Kanemaru & BUSHI start us off. They lock up, Kanemaru rakes the eyes, but BUSHI picks up the pace and takes him down. Desperado tags in and so does Takahashi. They trade strikes and chops, Desperado grabs the hair and then hits a shoulder tackle. Kanemaru in and Takahashi fights them off. BUSHI in and they double-team Desperado. Takahashi lays in chops, but Kanemaru pulls him to the floor and works him over. He then works over BUSHI, DDTing him on the floor. Desperado joins in and the champions take control on the floor, working over the challengers with chairs. They post Takahashi, but he beats the count. Back in and Kanemaru maintains the heat on Takahashi. He dumps him, allowing Desperado to attack on the floor. Back in and Desperado tags in and hits a slam for 2. Kanemaru back in and works a camel clutch as Desperado plays defense. Takahashi runs the champions together and then hits a suplex on Desperado. Kanemaru pulls BUSHI to he floor to stop the tag, allowing Desperado to attack and then tag Kanemaru back in. he rakes the eyes, but Takahashi hits a dragon screw and tags in BUSHI. BUSHI hits a RANA, but Desperado is in. BUSHI fights them both off, hitting a double RANA. The missile dropkick and BUSHAROONIE follows. The fisherman’s neck breaker gets 2. Kanemaru cuts him off and tags in Desperado, and he locks on the stretch muffler. Kanemaru takes out Takahashi, as BUSHI makes the ropes. The champions work double teams until Takahashi takes out Kanemaru on the floor. BUSHI hits a DDT in Desperado and Takahashi gets the hot tag. He runs wild, hitting a lariat, and dropkicks Desperado to the floor. He then hits an apron dropkick on Kanemaru and then on Desperado. Back in and Takahashi covers Desperado for 2. The clothesline and dropkick follows, but Desperado fights of the sunset bomb to the floor. BUSHI takes him to the floor and Takahashi hits his wild senton onto the pile on the floor. Back in we go, and LIJ looks for the doomsday MX, but the champions fight it off. Takahashi hits a pop up powerbomb and then eats a spear; everyone is down. Desperado and Takahashi are alone in the ring, they trade strikes, Desperado lays in head butts but runs into stereo superkicks. The double team code breaker gets 2. Kanemaru mists BUSHI, breaking up the doomsday MX and Desperado covers Takahashi for 2. Takahashi fights off Desperado, hits a superkick and another. BUSHI mists Kanemaru and takes him to the floor. The challengers double team Desperado, BUSHI hits a dive, and the dynamite plunge gets 2 on Desperado. Takahashi hits the Blu-ray and Desperado uses the ref to escape the time bomb. Ref bump, belt shot, pinche loco, and that’s that. Champions Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Desperado defeated BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi @ 25:05 via pin [***¼] This ended up being a good match, which was hurt by the overbooked and quite frankly, shit finish. It started slow, picked up nicely and I felt that they were headed to a really hot finish, until it… just didn’t.
– Post match, Suzuki-gun beats down BUSHI & Takahashi. Suzuki-gun Ichiban.
Join me tomorrow morning for more NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku coverage.
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
