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Csonka’s NJPW WrestleKingdom 12 Review 1.04.18
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Csonka’s NJPW WrestleKingdom 12 Review 1.04.18
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– THE NEW JAPAN RAMBO: Masahito Kakihara won @ 31:15 [**¾]
– IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match: The Young Bucks defeated Champions Roppongi 3K @ 19:00 via submission to become new champions [***¾]
– Never Openweight Six-Man Title Gauntlet Match: Trent, Yano, and Ishii defeated Champions Bad Luck Fale, Tanga Loa, and Tama Tonga vs. Taguchi, Juice, and Makabe, Hanson, Rowe, and Elgin, and Taichi, Iizuka, and Sabre @ 21:57 via pin to become new champions [***]
– Kota Ibushi defeated Cody @ 16:07 via pin [****]
– IWGP Tag Team Title Match: EVIL & SANADA defeated Champions KES @ 14:00 via pin to become new champions [***½]
– Hair vs. Hair NEVER Openweight Title Match: Hirooki Goto defeated Champion Minoru Suzuki @ 18:06 via pin to become the new champion [***½]
– IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Will Ospreay defeated Champion Marty Scurll, KUSHIDA, and Hiromu Takahashi @ 18:00 via pin to become the new champion [****¼]
– IWGP IC Title Match: Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Jay White @ 19:45 via pin [***]
– No DQ/No Countout IWGP US Title Match: Champion Kenny Omega defeated Chris Jericho @ 35:15 via pin [****½]
– IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: Champion Kazuchika Okada defeated Tetsuya Naito @ 36:30 via pin [****¾]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
– You can read my NJPW Fan Festa Review at this link.
– You can read my full WrestleKingdom 12 preview at this link.
– Business looks great tonight…
@voiceswrestling pretty good line to get in pic.twitter.com/liaUJedIVY
— THE_REAL_CH3 (@THE_REAL_CH3) January 4, 2018
Yuji Nagata claimed 32,500 tickets were sold as of last night. We're getting reports of some pretty long walk up lines. Looks like this show was a massive success.
— Voices of Wrestling (@voiceswrestling) January 4, 2018
Idea of the scale, those far end seats were tapped off last year #njwk12 pic.twitter.com/eUPr5cTSVj
— chris charlton (@reasonjp) January 4, 2018
– Attendance is 34,995, which is up over 8,800 from last year.
THE NEW JAPAN RAMBO: This is pin, submission, or over the top rope eliminations with one minute intervals. Kitamura & BUSHI start us off. BUSHI uses his speed, and then uses his shirt to choke out Kitamura. #3 is Lizard Man Delirious. Kitamura no sells the chops and lays the boots to Delirious. #4 is Leo Tonga. He goes right after BUSHI and then work over Kitamura. Leo looks to take over, but BUSHI hits a missile dropkick. #5 is Planet Nakanishi. He goes after Delirious, but BUSHI rakes his eyes as Kitamura works over Leo in the corner. #6 is honorary Samoan Chase Owens. Delirious attacks, raking the back and stomach. Owens cuts him off, hits the package piledriver and Lizard man is gone. Nakanishi works the rack on BUSHI and tosses him for the elimination. #7 is BLUE JUSTICE Yuji Nagata! He works over Leo with leg kicks, and hits an XPLODER on Owens. He and Nakanishi trade strikes, but Nakanishi hits the spear and #8 is TAKA ad Leo gets eliminated during his entrance. Nagata cradles Nakanishi for the elimination, but the rest pile on Nagata and eliminate him. Owens hits the package piledriver on Kitamura and he’s gone. We’re down to TAKA and Owens here. They trade back and forth as #9 is Kanemaru. Suzuki-gun has the 2-1 here, as they work over Owens. #10 is Desperado as Suzuki-gun now has a 3-1 advantage. Owens starts to fire back, but Kanemaru mists him and Owens is eliminated. #11 is BEAST GOD LIGER! Liger lays in shoteis and back breakers, and then a Romero special on Desperado, but gets cut off. They try to rip off Liger’s mask, and #12 Tiger Mask. He hits the ring and makes the save, but Desperado goes after his mask. Suzuki-gun has continually gone after both masks, but Tiger Mask fights back and starts ripping off Desperado’s mask. #13 is Gino Gambino. Tiger Mask and Desperado rip off each other’s mask and Liger, Tiger Mask, and Kanemaru get eliminated. Tiger Mask gets his mask back on as Gambino eliminated TAKA. #14 is Henare with new gear, possibly graduating from young lion status here. He works over Gambino and runs wild, hitting shoulder blocks. #15 is YOSHI-HASHI. HASHI works over Gambino and then Henare. #16 is David Finlay. Henare is in control as Finlay enters and he works over Gambino. The stunner follows and he and Henare cover and eliminate Gambino. HASHI eliminates Henare. Finlay then pins HASHI for the elimination. #17 is Yujiro. Finlay attacks right away, almost gets tossed, and then gets eliminated. Yujiro is left alone, celebrates and #18 is Cheeseburger. Yujiro attacks him on the floor, and works him over. In the ring they go, they trade strikes and Cheeseburger hits the bulldog and covers for 2. #19 is Kojima. He rushes in and Yujiro attacks, but eats a cutter. Yujiro hits a fisherman’s buster and attacks Cheeseburger. #20 is Tenzan. He and his gimpy ankle limp to the ring. Yujiro attacks, but Tenzan lays in chops. Yujiro cuts him off, and Kojima works over Cheeseburger and #21 is former UWF star Kakihara. Kojima kills Yujiro with a lariat for the elimination. Kojima and Tenzan attack Kakihara and Cheeseburger. Kojima lays in machinegun chops, hits the corner forearm but Cheeseburger rolls away from the attempted elbow drop. TenKozy accidentally collide, and Cheeseburger and Kakihara lay in strikes. Kojima and Tenzan are eliminated and Cheeseburger and Kakihara are left, and Kakihara pins Cheeseburger to win. Masahito Kakihara won @ 31:15 [**¾] Kakihara, a UFW legend, survived cancer and made the surprise appearance, picking up the unexpected and feel good win, beating cancer and winning the RAMBO. This was pretty good, with some fun booking of Owens, Suzuki-gun, Liger, and Tiger Mask.
– Post match, Kakihara put on a Takiyama shirt and sent support to his friend as he continues to recover.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Roppongi 3K (Sho & Yoh) w/Rocky Romero vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick): Sho and Matt start off. They talk some shit and push and shove. Matt hits a boot and shoulder block. He then goes for the sharpshooter, but Sho escapes and Matt makes the ropes. Matt and Yoh now locks on sharpshooters, and hen Matt and Yoh trade strikes and all four are in. Roppongi hit dropkicks and work double teams on Nick. Double teams follow, and then stereo dives connect as the champions run wild early on. Yoh is down, selling his back, he may have landed badly. The Bucks attack, hitting an apron German to take control. The Bucks lay out Romero with superkicks and then powerbomb him on the ramp. Back in and the Bucks take the heat on Yoh, working over his back. Matt hits an apron bomb, and Nick covers for 2. Yoh starts to fight back, sends Matt to the floor but Nick cuts off Yoh. Matt back in and tags out immediately to Nick. Nick continues the heat, laying the boots to Yoh. Matt tags back in and he slowly continues to work over Yoh, hitting a back breaker. Sho makes the save, but Nick is back in, hitting another back breaker on Yoh. Yoh then gets tossed to the floor. Matt drags Yoh to he ramp, but Yoh hits a backdrop and Matt is down. Yoh makes it back to the ring, but Nick sends him back to the floor, and accidentally dives onto Matt as Yoh moves. Sho gets the hot tag and runs wild on Nick and then Matt. Sho lays in kicks, covering Nick for 2. Matt tags back in, but eats Germans from Sho. Nick in and Sho Germans both! Roppongi now work double teams, covering for 2. Matt makes the save, cutting off 3k, but gets takes out. Nick hits superkicks, but runs into double teams. He hits a desperation DDT, escaping 3k, and runs wild with kicks and a lariat. Matt and Yoh back in and trading strikes, but matt attacks the back, and Yoh then attacks his back. Matt cuts off the suplex, and hits the buckle bomb. The assisted swanton from Nick gets 2. Matt locks on the sharpshooter, Nick holds of Sho and then hits an x-factor on Yoh and a moonsault onto Sho. Yoh makes the ropes. Roppongi cuts off more bang for your buck, leading to a near fall. Yoh works a single leg crab, as does Sho. The Bucks have been calling them young boys, and are trying to beat them with young boy moves. Nick and Sho trade strikes now, Nick follows with kicks as does Sho, torturing Matt and Yoh. Nick hits the superkick, sending Sho to the floor and follows with a corkscrew dive to wipe him out. It’s down to Matt and Yoh, Yoh fires up but eats a superkick. the Meltzer driver connects and then Nick locks in the sharpshooter for the win. The Young Bucks defeated Champions Roppongi 3K @ 19:00 via submission [***¾] the Bucks pick up their 7th tag titles in a very good match. It was worked very differently than expected, but had a good pace and the selling from Matt & Yoh was great, and played well into the finish. The closing stretch was really excellent. They also did some great callbacks to the Bucks vs. Roppongi Vice from last year. It also allows them to work a completely different match when they rematch.
Never Openweight Six-Man Title Gauntlet Match: Champions Bad Luck Fale, Tanga Loa, and Tama Tonga vs. Taguchi, Juice, and Makabe vs. Trent, Yano, and Ishii vs. Hanson, Rowe, and Elgin vs. Taichi, Iizuka, and Sabre: Taichi, Iizuka, and Sabre and Hanson, Rowe, and Elgin start things off. Suzuki-gun starts off attacking before the bell. Desperado, Kanemaru, and Taichi are at ringside. Elgin starts to fire back, hitting slams and a slingshot splash on Iizuka. Elgin doesn’t abide by War Machine protocol, refusing to paint up. The delayed suplex follows and Hanson tags in. he grounds Iizuka, but Iizuka bites him and Taichi is in and attacks with the bell hammer. Rowe and Sabre tag in, and Rowe pummels him with strikes. The knees follow, but Sabre attacks the arm but about gets knocked out by Rowe. Rowe hits a series of back breakers, but Taichi cuts him off. Hanson back in and slams Iizuka and heads up top, and the moonsault misses. PK by Sabre, but Rowe hits him with a knee strike. Thor’s hammer follows on Taichi, who pulls the ref to the floor. Suzuki-gun attacks, and Iizuka hit the iron fingers. Sabre locks in a triangle on Rowe, and the ref calls for the bell as Elgin and War machine are gone @ 6:30. Trent, Yano, and Ishii are in next. Suzuki-gun attack during their entrance, Taichi uses the bell hammer again. He works over Yano, but Trent makes the save. Yano gets a low blow and pins Taichi @ 9:20. Taguchi, Juice, and Makabe are now in, and hit the ring for the big brawl. Juice runs wild to begin with jabs, Yano tries to cut him off and eats a lariat. Makabe in and runs wild with clotheslines on Yano and Ishii, covering Yano for 2. Trent cuts him off with chops, nut runs into a powerslam. Taguchi in and they work over Yano with corner attacks, Taguchi calls the plays and then hits an ass attack and then another off the ropes, but Trent makes the save. Ishii in and Makabe takes he and Trent down. Juice hits a big plancha to the floor, Taguchi then gets rolled up by Yano for the elimination at 14:15. The champions are now in and are the final team. The champions immediately take control, with Loa hitting an apron DVD on Trent. Fale works over Yano, but Fale ends up running into the exposed buckle. Ishii in and runs wild on Loa and Tonga. He tries to suplex Fale, but Fale counters and slams Ishii to the corner. The splash misses, and Ishii follows with lariats, and a head butt and now Ishii hits the suplex. Trent tags back in but Fale cuts them off. Tonga tags back in and he and Loa look for double teams, but Trent fights them off, but eats guerrilla warfare. Tonga & Loa follow with double teams on Trent. Trent fights off Tonga, Loa attacks, and follows Trent up top. Trent knocks him to the mat, and Trent moonsaults into a gun stun! Yano makes the save. Ishii back in, but Fale takes him out. Tonga sets, stalks Trent and the gun stun is countered and Trent hits the dude buster and we have NEW champions! Trent, Yano, and Ishii defeated Champions Bad Luck Fale, Tanga Loa, and Tama Tonga vs. Taguchi, Juice, and Makabe, Hanson, Rowe, and Elgin, and Taichi, Iizuka, and Sabre @ 21:57 via pin [***] This was a pretty good match, and was focused on making Trent the star of the match, with the comeback and win, getting him his first heavyweight title. I am happy for Trent & Ishii.
– Kevin Kelly just mentioned on the English broadcast that ticket info for the Long Beach show in March will be released tomorrow.
Cody w/Brandi vs. Kota Ibushi: Cody stalls to begin. Back in and they lock up, Cody hits a shoulder block, but Ibushi kips up. Cody takes him down, misses the dropkick and Ibushi picks up the pacing. Cody takes Ibushi down and locks on a leg lock, Ibushi makes the ropes and Cody helps him up, but attacks because he’s a dick. Ibushi fights back hitting a RANA and sending Cody to the floor. Ibushi hits a plancha, and Brandi gets wiped out and Ibushi checks on her as he feels bad. Ibushi picks her up and Cody sucker punches him and we see Brandi is ok, IT WAS A TRAP. Cody hits the disaster kick back in the ring, covering for 2. Cody grounds the action, attacking the neck and covering for 2. Cody pulls Ibushi to the apron and continues to attack. Brandi gets Cody a chair, and he attacks Ibushi with multiple chair shots to he neck. The ref takes the chair, allowing Ibushi to fight back and he then hits the golden triangle moonsault to the floor. Back in they go, Ibushi hits a missile dropkick and then lays in rapid-fire strikes and a standing moonsault for 2. Cody fights off a suplex from the apron, Brandi tries to grab Ibushi’s leg, and Cody stuns Cody off the ropes. To the apron they go, trading strikes. Ibushi teases a powerbomb, lays in kicks and Cody hits cross Rhodes off of the apron and to the floor.
OMG!! CROSS RHODES TO THE FLOOR! #NJPW #njwk12 @CodyRhodeshttps://t.co/wRupFhxVAb pic.twitter.com/ib46MWPE0b
— LARIATOOOO!! (@MrLARIATO) January 4, 2018
Fucks sake Ibushi landed headfirst. Ibushi beats the count, and makes it back in. Cody is not happy. Cody is pissed. He sets Ibushi up top, follows him up and hits a springboard RANA for a good near fall. Cody looks for cross Rhodes again, but Ibushi lawn darts him to the buckles! Cody follows with rights, Ibushi trades with him center ring as they go crazy fists. Ibushi hits the last ride for a great near fall. Ibushi is fired up, looks for the knee strike, but Cody counters with a lariat for a good near fall. Cody misses the disaster kick, and Ibushi cuts him off, and hits a straightjacket German for a great near fall. Ibushi kills Cody with the knee strike and heads up top, hitting the Phoenix splash for the win! Kota Ibushi defeated Cody @ 16:07 via pin [****] This was a GREAT match, and the best on the card so far. I have been critical of Cody, but this was his best match since the Okada match last year, as he worked with great urgency and a nice sense of aggression, and mixing in his usual ballyhoo, and didn’t overdo it this time. His work of the neck was strong and this was a performance I really feel he needed. It was also the most invested a NJPW crowd has been in Cody so far in his run there.
IWGP Tag Team Title Match: IWGP Tag Team Champions The Killer Elite Squad vs. EVIL & SANADA: KES attacks before the bell, hitting the killer bomb on EVIL for a near fall as SANADA makes the save. KES takes him out and isolates EVIL, who looks dead on his feet. SANDA gets the tag, but Smith just tosses him to the floor and he follows him out as it’s all KES here, destroying young lions and working over the challengers. Archer chokeslams EVIL from the apron onto a pile of lions. Back in and Smith covers SANADA for 2 and then grounds him, taking the heat. KES works quick tags and double teams, just destroying LIJ like we’ve never seen before. Archer back in laying in clotheslines on SANADA, but misses the corner splash. SANADA hits an enziguri, and takes out Smith with a dropkick to the knee; Archer takes out EVIL, and chokes out SANADA with his shirt. More quick tags by the champions, Smith hits suplexes, and again covers for 2. SANADA can barely stand as Archer works over EVIL on the floor. More suplexes by Smith follow and he covers for 2. Archer follows with a uranage on SANADA, covering for 2. SANADA hits a desperation RANA and EVIL gets the hot tag. He hits the senton, and takes out Smith and then runs wild. Archer looks for a chokeslam, EVIL counters out and hits a lariat. He finally takes Archer down after three lariats. EVIL heads up top, Smith cuts him off, allowing Archer to attack and Archer hits a fucking Spanish fly off the top! SANADA and Smith tag in, SANADA runs wild, hitting dropkicks and gets cut of with a slam but SANADA hits the moonsault press into skull end. Archer makes the save, hitting a chokeslam, Smith hits a Saito suplex for 2 as EVIL makes the save. KES takes him out with a Hart attack. SANADA fires up, but eats a killer bomb, but SANADA kicks out! They looks for another, but EVIL makes the save and runs KES together and hits everything is evil. LIJ hits the magic killer on Smith for 2. SANADA hits the moonsault and we have new champions! EVIL & SANADA defeated Champions KES @ 14:00 via pin to become new champions [***½] This was a very good match, with a great layout that played to everyone’s strengths and had a tremendous closing stretch. This is what they tried to do with the WTL finals, but KES was better in the role than GOD. KES were the hated heels, the fans love LIJ so it worked to have them fight from the bottom and have to overcome in order to finally win the titles. The right team won for sure.
Hair Vs. Hair NEVER Openweight Title Match NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki vs. Hirooki Goto: CHAOS & Suzuki-gun are banned from ringside. Suzuki drops Goto early, and talks shit to him. Goto fires back, and they keep talking shit and trading strikes. Suzuki slaps Goto and locks in the sleeper, but Goto makes the ropes. Goto fights and escapes, but Suzuki locks in a hanging sleeper in the corner. Goto fades, and Suzuki drops him to the mat. The doctor checks on Goto, but Suzuki tosses him out. Goto is still down, Suzuki walks around and then kicks Goto in the head a few times. Suzuki drags Goto to his feet and lays in kicks before tossing him to the floor. Suzuki follows; slapping Goto around and then gets a chair. He beats on Goto with it, maintaining control on the floor. Suzuki keeps talking mad shit on Goto as he beats on him. Suzuki back in the ring as the doctor checks on Goto again. Goto makes it back in, selling death. Goto fires up with strikes, but Suzuki just laughs at him and drops him with ease. Goto keeps firing up, but Suzuki us there to cut him off every time. Suzuki looks for a PK, Goto blocks it but Suzuki slaps the shit out of him, Suzuki is aroused by his delivery of violence here. Goto hits the desperation spin kick and bulldog, and both men are down. Back to their feet and Goto hits a Saito suplex for 2. Suzuki counters the ushigoroshi into a guillotine and then the sleeper. The Gotch piledriver attempt follows, but Goto powers out, and hits ushigoroshi. TAKA & Desperado arrive at ringside, but the lions fight them off, Taichi sneaks in, but HASHI attacks him and Goto takes him out. Suzuki attacks Goto, hitting a dropkick. Suzuki follows with strikes, just fucking up Goto’s day. The sleeper follows, Goto starts to fade, Suzuki looks for the Gotch, but Goto escapes and hits a lariat. Goto sets Suzuki up top, follows with strikes, but Suzuki lays in head butts and locks in a guillotine on the ropes. Goto powers up and hits an ushigoroshi off the ropes, and covers for 2. Suzuki fights off GTR, Goto lays in strikes, but Suzuki answers back. Suzuki absorbs more strikes, but Goto keeps throwing and hits GTR, picks up Suzuki and hits GTR again! Goto wins! Hirooki Goto defeated Champion Minoru Suzuki @ 18:06 via pin [***½] This was a very good, dramatic match, worked in a hard-hitting, less is more style. The match was a reflection of Goto’s 2017, where he was continually owned by Suzuki and only started getting momentum at the end of the year. He had to fight through that all again as Suzuki made him earn everything, including the eventual win. This was completely different than everything else on the show.
– Post match, Suzuki takes a seat and shaves off his lovely locks.
今日を最後に武者修行に出るダリルJr.。2020年に凱旋予定との事。 pic.twitter.com/U0YkPiLHEf
— ミラノコレクションA.T. (@milano_c_at) January 4, 2018
Here comes the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion @MartyScurll #NJWK12 #NJPW #NJPWWorld pic.twitter.com/HKMpR9dT62
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubItal) January 4, 2018
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Marty Scurll vs. KUSHIDA vs. Will Ospreay vs. Hiromu Takahashi: Marty got to pop up though the stage and is sporting giant wings for his entrance. They all stare down as Marty bails to the floor. Ospreay takes out Takahashi and works back and forth with KUSHIDA. Marty makes a save on a pin, and KUSHIDA fires up and looks for a pin, but Marty breaks it up and again bails to the floor. Everyone in now, Takahashi sent to the floor and Ospreay hits back handspring kicks. RANAs follow and a dropkicks connects on Takahashi. Marty stomps the hands on Takahashi, and follows with an apron superkick. KUSHIDA sends Marty & Ospreay to the floor and KUSHIDA wipes everyone out with a dive. Back in and Marty gets some near falls on Ospreay, and then tapes Takahashi to the barricade and does the finger break spot, villain you see. Back in and Marty works up top with KUSHIDA & Ospreay and they do the finger break to him. KUSHIDA hits the rolling arm bar on Ospreay off the top. KUSHIDA transitions to a triangle, lays in elbows but Ospreay powers out and hits a buckle bomb. Marty attacks Takahashi on the floor, gets powder and blinds KUSHIDA. But KUSHIDA hits back to the future but Ospreay makes the save. Takahashi back in and Germans Ospreay and hits the sunset bomb to the floor! Back in and hits the dynamite plunger for 2. Superkick by Takahashi, Ospreay back and they work over Takahashi with superkicks. Takahashi battles back, tosses Marty and hits a missile dropkick on Ospreay. Takahashi hits an apron DVD on Marty but eats a sunset bomb from KUSHIDA! Ospreay hits the run up shooting star to the floor, back in and the inverted 450 connects, but Takahashi kicks out! Takahashi counters the Oscutter, hits a lariat and the timebomb gets 2 as Marty pulls out the ref. Umbrella shots follow, but Ospreay hits a Spanish fly and Oscutter for the win! Will Ospreay defeated Champion Marty Scurll, KUSHIDA, and Hiromu Takahashi @ 18:00 via pin to become the new champion [****¼] While there was a lot of trepidation regarding this match, I feel that they more than delivered and that they had a great match; it was a complete spectacle, and with the junior tag title match being worked in a more reserved pace and style, it was ok for these guys to cut lose and deliver fast paced, exciting and highflying action. They clearly positioned Ospreay as the star of the match and completed the story started at Power Struggle, getting revenge on long time rival Marty Scurll to get back on top of the mountain. I would have loved for Takahashi to win, but I feel he’s going to be the top seed to win BOTSJ this year.
IWGP IC Title Match: IWGP IC Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White: They lock up and work to the ropes. White looks to attack the injured knee, but breaks. They work some back and forth on the ground, and then lock up again. Back to the ground, working for position, and Tanahashi starts working the arm. He follows with strikes, and follows with a running forearm. He then sends White to the floor and misses a plancha, and immediately sells the knee. White shoves the ref away and starts attacking the knee, and then uses the barricade to continue his assault. Back to the apron as White continues to beat on the knee. Back in and White attacks with strikes and a suplex for 2. It’s all White here as he grounds the action, fully focused on the knee. Tanahashi finally makes the ropes, but as he tries to fire up, he collapses as his knee is shit. White goes right back to work on the knee, they trade strikes and White again goes back to the knee, but Tanahashi hits a dragon screw leg whip, cutting off White. Tanahashi lays in strikes, and hits a Russian leg sweep. White counters sling blade, attacking the knee but Tanahashi rushes him to the corner. Another dragon screw follows, and another in the ropes. White spills to the floor, and Tanahashi heads up top and hits a high fly flow cross to the floor, but he can’t follow up, due to the knee. They work back into the ring, White follows with chops, and then hits a dead lift German, and Tanahashi rolls to the floor. White hits an apron brainbuster, and rolls Tanahashi back in. White heads up top, but Tanahashi rolls away so he drops back down and kicks away at Tanahashi. White follows with knee strikes, talks shit to Tanahashi and tells him to show him the ace. That fires Tanahashi up, but White suplexes him to the buckles and then hits a Saito suplex. The running DVD follows for 2. White up top, but Tanahashi counters the missile dropkick and hits a dragon screw leg whip. The rolling neck breaker follows, and Tanahashi heads up top. White cuts him off, follows him up and looks for a superplex, but Tanahashi fights it off and hits a neck breaker off the ropes. White fires back, hitting a dragon suplex, but Tanahashi rebounds with a pair of sling blades for 2. Tanahashi follows with a high cross; heads back up top and the high fly flow MISSES! White then rolls into a crucifix and lays in elbow strikes. White now hits a kiwi krusher for a good near fall. Tanahashi hits a snapdragon suplex and bridge for 2. Tanahashi back up top, but White is up and starts to climb with him. Tanahashi knocks him off and hits the high fly flow to the back, and then hits the high fly flow proper to retain. Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Jay White @ 19:45 via pin [***] This was a good math overall, but easily Tanahashi’s “worst” dome effort in some time. This was a very paint by numbers Tanahashi match, and while Jay White worked hard, this ended up being the wrong time. While the thought process here was good and losing to Tanahashi is not a horrible thing, I think that having White’s big match at the dome ended up being a mistake. He worked hard, looked good and didn’t do anything wrong, but I feel he would have benefited from a program with someone ahead of Tanahashi, so that fans would have a real reason to care and treat him as a threat, which they didn’t here. Even if he lost, he should have looked more dominant and threatening to Tanahashi, and he didn’t. He also needed a feud to become more comfortable with his new character, which he really wasn’t here. I still think they would have been better off with White beating Tanahashi into submission and winning a shorter match, hopefully they have something planned for White on tomorrow’s show to start rebuilding him as a threat.
No DQ/No Countout IWGP US Title Match: IWGP US Champion Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho: The Bucks are out with Omega, like they are for all of his big matches. Jericho attacks before the bell and the lions have to separate them. The bell rings and they go crazy fists right away. Omega grounds Jericho and lays in mounted rights. Omega follows with chops, but Jericho rakes the eyes and follows with chops. He locks in the walls, but Omega makes the ropes. Jericho refuses to break, it is no DQ after all. Omega escapes; using kicks and sends Jericho to the floor. Jericho cuts him off, but gets shot to the barricade and over. Omega fires up and hits a springboard dive over the barricade, wiping out Don Callis (what a fucking trooper he’s been)! Jericho shoves the ref down and attacks some young lions and locks in the walls on one. Omega starts to fight back, hitting Jericho with chairs and a monitor. They brawl by the commentary tables, Omega takes him down and lays a table on him and then hits a double stomp off of the barricade. Jericho manages to fight back, hitting a suplex on the floor. They beat the count, and Omega fires away with rights. Jericho hits the springboard dropkick, sending Omega crashing to the mat as he was going for a springboard. Omega posted on his hand, and either he’s hurt or is just selling it well. Jericho sets up a table and then opts to powerbomb Omega on the floor. Jericho keeps control on the floor, grabs a camera and takes pics while flipping of the crowd. Back in they go, Jericho up top and flies in with an elbow, covering for 2. It’s all Jericho here, as he chokes out Omega in the ropes. Omega tries to fire up, but is immediately cut off. Omega now lays in chops, slaps and strikes. He’s cut off again as Jericho hits the lionsault for 2. Jericho celebrates a bit and lays the boots to Omega. Omega hits a desperation RANA and takes Jericho to the floor. Omega then wipes out Jericho with a beautiful tope. Back in they go, Omega continues to control, picking up a near fall. The neck breaker across the knee follows, and Omega looks for V trigger, but Jericho counters for he walls, but Omega gets a roll up for 2. Jericho escapes the snapdragon and counters into he walls. Omega crawls to the post and then gets the can of freeze spay and blinds Jericho with it. Omega is fired up, wedges a chair in the corner, but Jericho shoves the ref down and sends Omega into the chair. He slams Omega to the chair again and a third time. Jericho plays to the crowd, and slams Omega into the chair again. Jericho poses in the corner HBK style, very proud of himself. Omega is busted open now. He tries to fire back, but Jericho continues to dominate. He attacks the cut of Omega, laying in rights but Omega digs deep, firing back and hits the snapdragon. He hits another and then a spin kick. Jericho fights off the one winged angel, and bashes Omega in the face with the chair. More chair shots follow from Jericho as the chair breaks. Jericho to the 2nd rope and hits another chair shot off the ropes. He has a new chair now, heads up top but Omega dropkicks it into his face and then knees Jericho ff the ropes and through the table set up previously. Omega pulls Jericho up and rolls him back in. Omega is pissed and hits a knee strike. He hits another, and then the proper V trigger. The Tiger driver follows for 2. Omega hits another V trigger, killing Jericho. The one winged angel is countered and Jericho locks in the walls! Omega fights, crawls for the ropes, but Jericho pulls him back center ring, transitioning to the liontamer. Omega is fading, but rallies again and begs the ref to not stop it and makes the ropes. Jericho shoves the ref down, and the code breaker is countered, V TRIGGER! V TRIGGER! One winged angel, and Jericho JUST makes the ropes. Both men are down, Omega gets to his feet and heads up top. Jericho manages to crotch him, follows Omega up, but Omega slides out and slams Jericho to the buckles. Omega hits the Finlay roll, but misses the moonsault and Jericho hits the code breaker, but Omega kicks out! Jericho lays a chair on Omega, but Omega cuts of the lionsault and hits the ONE WINGED ANGEL on thee chair! Jericho is finally done. Champion Kenny Omega defeated Chris Jericho @ 35:15 via pin [****½] Let me get the one negatives out of the way, I hated the rope breaks in a no DQ match, as they started out paying the stip well and then just dropped it. I also think they went about 5-minutes too long as I feel they hit the peak, ran through it, and then went home. That being said, this honestly blew away every expectation I had. They played with all the tools that they had, and like I speculated, it made for a better match that just a straight up wrestling match. Jericho was motivated, working with purpose and great aggression, and like he had something to prove after all of the hype work he put into the match. At age 47, Jericho put in an absolutely great performance, the best he’s had in years. Bring motivated to show you can still goat a high level. Having freedom and working with one of the best guys in the business was all he needed to succeed. His work as the entitled veteran, looking down on this pretender to the throne was on par, Omega played a great babyface, and they kept the crowd interested the entire time. Had you told me that a 35-minnute Chris Jericho match in 2017 would have been pulled off this well, I would have asked you what drugs you were on. Nothing but praise and credit to both guys, but it was great to see Jericho deliver like this on such a big stage and away from WWE. I really hope that this motivates him to do some more with NJPW or other places, because I could get into more of Jericho outside of WWE without any handcuffs or restrictions.
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match: IWGP Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito: This crowd is rabid for Naito, the brother has peaked, the time is now. Okada is wearing new, long tights/pants. The bell rings and both are tentative early. They work some back and forth, with Naito taking early control and then hitting the traquilo pose. He then powders to the floor. When he rolls back in, Okada attacks right away. Naito quickly fights back, hitting a hip toss and dropkick. The corner dropkick combo is cut off and Okada dumps Naito to the floor. Okada follows and works over Naito, sending him over the barricade. Naito stuns him off the barricade and follows with a neck breaker over the barricade. Naito follows with an apron neck breaker, and missile dropkick back in the ring. Naito continues to control, working the neck. Okada starts to fire back, but Naito hits a reverse DDT and dropkick to the back of the head. Naito stays focused, continually attacking the neck and grounding Okada. Naito keeps control with a cravat, working that neck to set up destino. Okada picks up the pace, and finally cuts off Naito with a DDT. He follows with forearms, and then a back elbow. To the floor they go and Okada levels Naito with a lariat. He then spikes Naito with a draping DDT on the floor, now attacking his neck to soften Naito up for his new cobra clutch submission he’s been using. Back in the ring we go, and Naito cuts off Okada with a draping neck breaker. The inverted DDT follows for 2. Okada counters Gloria and hits a flapjack. The neck breaker across the knee follows, and Okada hits a slam, heads up top and the elbow drop connects. Rainmaker pose time, Naito counters out but Okada locks in the cobra clutch, Naito escapes but Okada lock sit in again, Naito rolls, but Okada keeps it locked in, grounding Naito. Naito starts to fade, and barely makes the ropes. Okada follows with forearm strikes, and then uppercuts. Naito cuts him of with kicks, and hits another draping neck breaker. Naito takes him up top and hits a SUPER REVERSE RANA for a great near fall. Naito hits Gloria and misses the stardust press. They trade strikes center ring, lighting each other up. Naito attacks the neck with elbows, and hits a rolling kick, but Okada cuts him off. Naito follows back, hitting a flying forearm. Naito lays the boots to Okada, sets him up top and lays in strikes. Okada fires back, and knocks Naito to the mat. The missile dropkick MISSES, no water in the pool. Naito hits a slam, heads up top but Okada cuts him off and drags him down and hits a huge German, he rolls and Naito counters the rainmaker, but then runs into one anyway for a great near fall. Okada drags Naito to his feet, but Naito fights off he tombstone. Naito misses an enziguri and is down. Okada pulls him up again and locks on the cobra clutch, but Naito counters into destino for the double down. They fight to their feet, trading strikes. Naito starts laying in repeated strikes, Okada starts to fire up and they trade again. They keep calling each other on and Naito drops Okada with a big old bitch slap. Okada looks for a neck breaker, but Naito hits a destroyer for 2. Okada then counters destino with a rainmaker, holds onto the wrist and drags Naito to his feet again. Naito counters, DESTINO but Okada kicks out at the final moment. Naito fires up, picks up Okada and eats uppercuts by Okada. Naito cuts him off with an enziguri, but Okada finally hits the dropkick. Okada looks pissed. The tombstone connects, Okada rolls Naito and the rainmaker is countered into DESTINO! Okada turns the second into a jumping tombstone, and the rainmaker kills Naito; Okada retains. Champion Kazuchika Okada defeated Tetsuya Naito @ 36:30 via pin [****¾] While I think that the decision was the wrong call, this was an absolutely amazing main event. Naito was ready, the fans were ready, but NJPW was too gun shy to pull the trigger here, and that’s a shame. Unfortunately that seems to be the nature of the beast in wrestling, making the right move at he wrong time. Naito is far from dead, but I feel he was at his peak and that now was the time to run with him. It MAY lead to a good storyline, but I feel it’s a questionable business move. But I loved, loved, loved this match. It was absolutely amazing, with a great pace great layout and just tremendous work from both in front of an absolutely electric crowd. The callbacks to their past encounters were played excellently, leading to an absolutely scintillating home stretch. While I may not be a fan of the decision, this clicked all the boxed for a big time main event match for me, and was a hell of a way to kick off the year.
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
