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Csonka’s NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Review 5.03.18
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Csonka’s NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Review 5.03.18
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Yota Tsuji & Shota Umino @ 5:30 via pin [**½]
– Ryusuke Taguchi, Jushin Liger, & Tiger Mask defeated Ren Narita, Tomoyuki Oka, & Yuji Nagata @ 7:15 via pin [**½]
– Sho, Yoh, & Rocky Romero defeated Iizuka, Lance Archer, & Davey Boy Smith @ 2:10 via pin [NR]
– CHAOS defeated Toa Henare, Michael Elgin, Togi Makabe, David Finlay, & Juice Robinson @ 10:25 via pin [***]
– NJPW Six Man Title Match: Marty Scurll & the Young Bucks defeated Champions Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga, & Bad Luck Fale @ 11:05 via pin [***]
– LIJ defeated Suzuki-gun @ 13:47 via pin [**¾]
– Will Ospreay & Kazuchika Okada defeated KUSHIDA & Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 16:15 via pin [***½]
– Cody defeated Kota Ibushi @ 23:35 via pin [**]
– Kenny Omega defeated Adam Page @ 18:25 via pin [**¼]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
– My preview for the show is at this link.
– How we got here…
– NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.13.18.
– NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.14.18.
– NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.23.18.
– NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.24.18.
– NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku Review 4.27.18.
– NJPW Wrestling Hi No Kuni.
– Today is the 5th anniversary of Bullet Club.
Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi vs. Yota Tsuji & Shota Umino: The lions are all fire dup and attack before the bell. Tsuji runs wild on Yujiro as Owens cuts off Umino. Tsuji hits a slam, and then lights up Yujiro with chops until Yujiro cuts him off. The big boot follows and Yujiro has had enough of Tsuji’s shit as he no sells the chops and tags in Owens, who maintains the heat on Tsuji. Tsuji finally hits a desperation dropkick and Umino tags in and runs wild on Owens. Great fire here as he hits the missile dropkick for 2. The crab follows; Yujiro breaks it up but eats a dropkick. Owens hits the jewel heist for 2. Umino gets a roll up for 2. Superkick by Owens and the gut buster follows. The package piledriver finishes it. Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Yota Tsuji & Shota Umino @ 5:30 via pin [**½] This was a solid, but short match to kick off the show. The lions showed good fire, and the crowd was into it.
Ryusuke Taguchi, Jushin Liger, & Tiger Mask vs. Ren Narita, Tomoyuki Oka, & Yuji Nagata: Liger and Oka start us off. They lock up, Oka overpowers him to begin and takes him to the ropes. They trade shoulder tackles, with Oka taking control. Liger cuts him off with a shotei, and lays the boots to him. Tiger tags in and hits a dropkick and another. He follows with a series of kicks, covering for 2. Liger cuts off Umino and takes him to the floor. Taguchi tags in and knocks Nagata to the floor and grounds Oka. A series of ass drops follow for 2. Tiger tags back in and Nagata cuts him off. Oka follows with a suplex, and Nagata gets the tag and lights up Tiger with kicks. The XPLODER follows for 2. Tiger cuts him off with a tiger bomb and tags in Taguchi. Ass attacks follow on Nagata, but Nagata cuts him off with kicks. Narita tags in and dojo dad and the kids triple team Taguchi. Narita hits a belly to belly and the crab. Tiger & Liger make the save and clear the ring. Taguchi hits an ass attack, covering for 2. The dodon finishes Narita. Ryusuke Taguchi, Jushin Liger, & Tiger Mask defeated Ren Narita, Tomoyuki Oka, & Yuji Nagata @ 7:15 via pin [**½] This was another solid match, with Taguchi starting to pick up wins ahead of the BOTSJ.
Iizuka, Lance Archer, & Davey Boy Smith vs. Sho, Yoh, & Rocky Romero: KES attacks at the bell, clearing the ring and we get floor brawling. Iizuka uses chairs as KES just destroys 3K. Archer works over Romero on the floor now, as Iizuka bites Sho in the ring. That’s all he does. Iizuka looks to attack the ref and Sho manages a roll up for the win. Sho, Yoh, & Rocky Romero defeated Iizuka, Lance Archer, & Davey Boy Smith @ 2:10 via pin [NR] Thankfully short, and thankfully 3K won. This result should make you believe in a higher power.
YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, Jay White, & Hirooki Goto vs. Toa Henare, Michael Elgin, Togi Makabe, David Finlay, & Juice Robinson: Elgin & Goto start us off. They lock up, and into the ropes and we get a clean break. Elgin then follows with chops and strikes. Goto fires back, trading center ring and then they trade shoulder tackles. Ishii & Makabe tag in and start running into each other like a pair of rams. They then trade strikes and chops, Yano distracts Makabe, allowing Ishii to take over. Makabe cuts that off with a powerslam and knocks the rest of CHAOS to the floor. Finlay tags in and hits dropkicks, but Ishii ends that. Yano removes the buckle pad and tags in, slamming Finlay to the exposed steel. White tags in and hits a snap Saito suplex for 2. Goto tags in and takes over, grounding Finlay. CHAOS continues to work quick tags, HASHI in but Finlay cuts him off with a back breaker. Hot tag to Juice, and he runs wild. He follows with jabs, hits a suplex on Ishii and continues to work over HASHI. Yano in and runs into a spinebuster. The cannonball to HASHI follows for 2. HASHI battles back with a lariat, it breaks down and we get wholesale changes to Henare and White. They trade strikes; Henare hits the shoulder tackle and follows with clotheslines. The top rope shoulder tackle gets 2. White is isolated and worked over, and Henare covers again for 2. Makabe hits lariats, we get planchas to the floor and Henare continues to work over White, covering for 2. White then hits a German, and blade runner finishes it. CHAOS defeated Toa Henare, Michael Elgin, Togi Makabe, David Finlay, & Juice Robinson @ 10:25 via pin [***] This was a good and energetic tag match, playing off of the established pairings well, and it was fun.
Champions Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga, & Bad Luck Fale vs. Marty Scurll & the Young Bucks: They shake hands and hug, Bullet Club is… fine? The bell rings and Scurll attacks Fale, which he immediately regrets. So he tags out and Nick is in. Tonga tags in and they work some fun back and forth until Tonga hits a dropkick. Loa tags in and they double-team Nick, Matt makes the save and the Bucks work double teams. Fale in and Scurll and the Bucks fail to take him down. The Bucks finally get him down with double teams and the challengers now run wild. Scurll tries to slam Fale, fails, and Fale dumps him. The champions take control on the floor as Loa works over Scurll back in the ring. The Bucks are down on the floor as the Guerrillas work double teams on Scurll. Loa continues the heat, with a slam and leg drop, covering for 2. Scurll finally fights back and tags in Nick. He and Matt lock on stereo sharp shooters on the Guerrillas, but Fale makes the save. Scurll again tries to attack Fale, snaps the fingers and the Bucks hit superkicks. Double teams to Loa follow, and then triple teams by the challengers follow for 2 on Loa. Nick takes out Fale, Loa fights off Matt as Tonga takes out Nick. The magic killer and splash gets 2 on Matt. Scurll manages to dump Fale, superkicks to Loa follow. Nick wipes out Fale & Tonga with a dive. More bang for your buck connects and we have new champions. Marty Scurll & the Young Bucks defeated Champions Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga, & Bad Luck Fale @ 11:05 via pin [***] This was an overall good match, with a needed title change. They worked well together, but it wasn’t anything special, and lacked in terms of crowd heat to make it anything other than just good. As expected, this will make tomorrow’s Bullet Club tag match very interesting, especially since they didn’t tease any issues here.
– Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga, & Bad Luck Fale presented the titles to the new champions without issue.
– Bone Solider is returning.
Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI, EVIL, SANADA, & Tetsuya Naito vs. Desperado, Kanemaru, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr, & Minoru Suzuki: Guys, you’re going to be fucking shocked here, but Suzuki-gun attacked LIJ before the bell rang in an instance of shitty sportsmanship, and it led to unsanctioned fighting on the floor. We settle into in ring action for a bit until Suzuki attacks Naito and takes him back to the floor for some revenge. Suzuki is not a happy man as he just destroys Naito with chairs and barricades, while everyone else brawls around ringside. Naito back in and Desperado works him over and Suzuki tags in and they all attack Naito. Suzuki & Zack work double team submissions, and then Kanemaru tags in and continues to attack the knee of Naito. Taichi in and chokes out Naito with his shirt. Zack in and starts working submission right away and Suzuki joins in, just torturing Naito. Suzuki absorbs some chops and then works the knee bar. Takahashi tries to make a save, but Suzuki fights him off. Naito tries to fire up with strikes, Suzuki smiles and they keep trading. Naito hits a desperation DDT and SANADA and Zack tag in. SANADA hits the dropkick, and ties up Kanemaru in the paradise lock. Zack cuts off SANADA, locking in the cobra twist. SANADA escapes, but Zack gets a hanging guillotine. SANADA escapes and tags in BUSHI. The missile dropkick follows. Suzuki-gun rushes the ring, and clears things out. BUSHI works over Kanemaru in the ring and EVIL gets the tag. Kanemaru uses the ref as a shield, Naito in and LIJ runs wild on Kanemaru. Everything is Evil finishes Kanemaru. LIJ defeated Suzuki-gun @ 13:47 via pin [**¾] This was pretty good, but really just more of the same we’ve been getting from the two factions. It lacks the overall heat and fun of the LIJ vs. CHAOS matches.
– The Bucks arrive to challenge EVIL & SANADA for the tag titles, and superkick the champions and then bail. EVIL then accepts the challenge.
KUSHIDA & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Will Ospreay & Kazuchika Okada: This is the final set up for tomorrow’s title matches. Okada and Tanahashi to begin. Okada attacks, but Tanahashi dumps him and hits a plancha. Back in and Tanahashi hits a slam, Okada fires back and teases a rainmaker. KUSHIDA & Ospreay tag in and immediately pick up the pace, working into a fun counter exchange. KUSHIDA cuts off the pose and attacks the arm. KUSHIDA grounds things and locks on a camel clutch. Ospreay makes the ropes, but KUSHIDA keeps attacking the arm. Ospreay counters back with a back handspring kick. Okada & Tanahashi brawl to the floor, with Okada controlling. Back in and Ospreay takes control, grounding KUSHIDA and then tagging in Okada. Okada lays in elbow strikes, and follows with a neck breaker for 2. Ospreay back in and KUSHIDA ties to fight back, but gets cut off with another neck breaker. Ospreay grounds things again, tags in Okada but KUSHIDA fights off the double teams and tags in Tanahashi. He runs wild, working over Okada. The slam and senton follows for 2. Okada counters sling blade with a flapjack, and then dumps Tanahashi. Tanahashi fights off the tombstone and hits a dragon screw leg whip. Back in and he hits another in the ropes. The cloverleaf follows; KUSHIDA takes out Ospreay and locks on the hover board lock. Ospreay manages to slam KUSHIDA into Tanahashi to save Okada. Okada hits a DVD, and we get wholesale changes to KUSHIDA & Ospreay. They trade strikes, going crazy fists. KUSHIDA then hits the cartwheel dropkick, but Ospreay fires back. KUSHIDA lays in knee strikes, but Ospreay counters back with Cheeky Nando for 2. KUSHIDA counters the springboard forearm into an arm bar. Tanahashi holds off Okada, Ospreay counters out and hits a head kick. KUSHIDA hits a PELE, but then runs into a Spanish fly. Okada tags in and knocks Tanahashi to the floor. The neck breaker on KUSHIDA follows, and Okada heads up top and the elbow drop follows. Tanahashi in and cuts off Okada, Ospreay takes him out, KUSHIDA counters the storm breaker and hits a draping DDT. KUSHIDA gets a RANA into a cradle on Okada for 2. KUSHIDA attacks the arm, but Okada counters the hover board lock into a tombstone. He dropkicks Tanahashi to the floor and the rainmaker finishes KUSHIDA. Will Ospreay & Kazuchika Okada defeated KUSHIDA & Hiroshi Tanahashi @ 16:15 via pin [***½] This was a very good match, easily the best thing on the show, with all four continuing to work well together. This was a very good final hard sell for tomorrow’s title matches, with Okada showing dominance once again over Tanahashi.
Cody vs. Kota Ibushi: This is a rematch of the handsome battle from WrestleKingdom 12, where Ibushi won. Cody is out alone here, no Brandi or Burnard today. Cody stalls a bit and they lock up and work to the ropes for a clean beak. Cody looks to ground things, but Ibushi kips back up, frustrating Cody. Cody powders and throws a chair into the ring. Cody back in and Ibushi lays in leg kicks. They lock up, and trade arm drags. Ibushi picks up the pace and follows with kicks. The snap suplex follows for 2. Cody now hits a dump suplex, and follows with rights. Cody now powders to the floor, selling his previous neck injury. It was a trap as he returns and attacks, Ibushi sends him to the buckles and Cody again sells the neck. He then stuns Ibushi of the ropes and hits an apron suplex. Cody now hits a step up dive to the floor. He continues the attack on the floor, laying in rights. He then spits water in Ibushi’s face. Back in and Cody covers for 2. He then stomps away at Ibushi, covering again for 2. They trade strikes and Cody follows with a head kick, and then celebrates. Cody now bites the hand of Ibushi, and locks on a figure four. Ibushi makes the ropes. Cody follows with uppercuts, and whips Ibushi to the buckles. The forearm attack follows, but Ibushi hits a desperation dropkick. Ibushi fires up with a flurry of kicks, and follows with a RANA. Cody rolls to the floor, and Ibushi hits the golden triangle to the floor. Back in and Cody hits a disaster kick for 2. Cody follows with rights; Ibushi fires up and they trade slaps and strikes. Ibushi then hits a vicious lariat for the double down. We get a fucking ref bump and Cody attacks Ibushi, and slides in a table. He sets it up and takes Ibushi up top, Ibushi fights, and Ibushi double stomps Cody onto the table, but I AM THE TABLE! Ibushi back up top and partially puts Cody through the table. Cody’s back is cut open and Ibushi hits the last ride for 2. Cody counters the knee strike into a cradle for 2. Cody counters the knee strike again, and crawls to the floor. Ibushi dives over the barricade to wipe him out. Back in and Cody hits cross Rhodes for 2. Cody hits a vertebreaker for the win. Cody defeated Kota Ibushi @ 23:35 via pin [**] This was a flat and boring match, devoid of all of the things that made their WrestleKingdom match so great; this was a huge disappointment.
– Cody and Page attack before the bell. Cody brings in a table, but Omega fights them off.
Kenny Omega vs. Adam Page: Omega is coming into the match with a groin injury, and has his leg wrapped. Omega hits a RANA on Page and follows with a plancha. Rise of the terminator follows, wiping out Cody. Page quickly fights back, hitting a German and moonsault to the floor. Page continues to work him over on the floor and hits rite of passage on the table on the floor. Back in and Omega is busted open, and page DDT him onto a chair. They go back to the floor with Page working over Omega with strikes. Omega fights back with a suplex, and hits a Finlay roll. Page avoids the moonsault, but Omega knocks him over the barricade. Page fires back with the buck shot lariat and back in hits a powerbomb for 2. He then lays the boots to Omega and chokes him out in the ropes. Omega fights off a suplex, lays in rights and they trade strikes now. This is really slow going, Omega fires up with chops, but Page hits a bridging slam for 2. Page follows with chops, and whips Omega to the buckles. Omega now lays in strikes, and follows with a DDT for 2. The Finlay roll and moonsault connect for Omega, and the cover gets 2. Omega hits a V trigger, but Page hits a jig n tonic for 2. Page takes Omega up top, and hits a top rope neck breaker for 2. Omega counters out of rite of passage, and hits a v trigger. Page hits an enziguri, but eats another v trigger. The one winged angel is countered, but Omega hits a snapdragon suplex. V trigger again, and Omega covers for 2 (page didn’t even really kick out there). Omega hits another V trigger, and hits the double under hook piledriver for 2. Page is out on his feet, eats another v trigger and one winged angel. Kenny Omega defeated Adam Page @ 18:25 via pin [**¼] Page was obviously not in the best shape to perform, due to his injury, and they used a lot of smoke and mirrors to cover it up. By NJPW main event standards, this was very sub par, and Page being knocked loopy didn’t help anything here. Unfortunately, this was another disappointing match.
– Kenny cuts the show closing promo.
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
