Csonka’s NJPW WTL (Day One) 11.17.18 Review

Csonka’s NJPW WTL (Day One) 11.17.18 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Juice Robinson & David Finlay defeated Ayato Yoshida & Shota Umino @ 8:55 via pin [***]
– Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima @ 12:20 via pin [**]
– Chuckie T & Trent defeated Adam Page & Yujiro Takahashi @ 10:30 via pin [**½]
– Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa defeated Togi Makabe & Toa Henare @ 12:10 via pin [**½]

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– Due to scheduling reasons, and for my sanity, I will only be focusing on the WTL matches.

Juice Robinson & David Finlay vs. Ayato Yoshida & Shota Umino: Finlay and Yoshida to start us off, Yoshida takes early control and tags in Umino for some double teams and that gets 2. Juice tags in, they work over Umino and start picking up near falls. Umino keeps firing back, but Juice cuts him off and then knocks Yoshida to the floor. Umino hits the dropkick, and tags in Yoshida. Yoshida fires away with strikes and a slam on Juice and then Finlay. The clothesline follows, misses the head kick and Juice fires back until Yoshida cuts him off. Juice stops that, tags in Finlay, but Yoshida fights them off and runs them together. Umino tags in and runs wild on both. Yoshida back in, they double team Finlay and the missile dropkick gets 2. The crab follows on Finlay, but Juice makes the save with strikes but Umino keeps the hold and is all fired up as Yoshida arm bars Juice. Finlay and Juice make the ropes and follow with dropkicks and an AWA special. They dump Yoshida, Umino fights with all he’s worth and gets a backslide for 2. The cradle follows for 2. The double flapjack stops that and the left hand of God and stunner finishes Umino. Juice Robinson & David Finlay defeated Ayato Yoshida & Shota Umino @ 8:55 via pin [***] This was good stuff. Juice & Finlay work well together and the lions showed great fire.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi: Nagata and Kojima to begin. They start trading strikes right away, and Kojima hits a shoulder tackle. Tenzan tags in and so does Nakanishi. They lock up, Tenzan lays in kicks and strikes. They trade shoulder tackles and Nakanishi takes him down and hits a running splash for 2. Tenzan cuts him off with Mongolian chops, tags in Kojima and he knocks Nagata to the floor. Nakanishi cuts him off, Nagata tags in and they double team Kojima. He follows with kicks, and the cover gets 2. Nakanishi tags back in and he follows with chops, taking Kojima down. Nagata tags back in, and starts attacking the arm. Nakanishi back in and hits a chop off the ropes. The slam follows, and Nakanishi misses the knee drop. Kojima hits the desperation DDT and tags in Tenzan. He hits shoulder tackles, Mongolian chops, and head butts on Nakanishi. The suplex follows and that gets 2. Nakanishi hits a clothesline, knocks Kojima to the floor, and hits another lariat for 2. Tenzan fight off the torture rack, Nagata in and Kojima makes the save and they slam Nakanishi off the top. Head butt by Tenzan and that gets 2. The anaconda vice follows but Nagata makes the save. he follows with kicks but runs into a mountain bomb. Kojima tags in with machinegun chops. The forearm follows and then the cutter. Kojima hits the brainbuster and Nagata kicks out. Nagata counters the lariat into the arm bar, but Tenzan makes the save. Nagata cuts of the Tencozy cutter, Nakanishi hits a spear and Nagata hits the justice knee and XPLODER for the win. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima @ 12:20 via pin [**] This was ok, the dads worked really hard, but it went way too long.

– Don Callis now joins commentary, arriving late due to travel issues.

Chuckie T & Trent vs. Adam Page & Yujiro Takahashi: Chuckie and Yujiro to begin. Yujiro attacks with strikes and chops, but Chuckie picks up the pace with a cradle for 2 and then hits the dropkick. Trent tags in, they hug and work double teams. Yujiro bites Trent and Page tags in. He hits a shoulder tackle, and then a dropkick. Page looks to slingshot in but Trent catches him with a northern lights suplex for 2. Page takes out Chuckie and hits the fall away slam and plancha. He then follows with a suicide dive. Back in and Yujiro tags back in. he lays in rights on Trent rakes the eyes, and the leg drop gets 2. Page back in and they follow with double teams on Trent and Page hits the standing shooting star press for 2. Trent hits the desperation lariat and tags in Chuckie. Chuckie runs wild, hits the missile dropkick and follows with a tope. Back in and he works over Page, and sliced bread follows for 2. Chuckie heads up top and misses the moonsault. Tag to Yujiro, but he walks into soul food. Trent in and the double team lawn dart connects for 2. Trent and Yujiro trade strikes, but Yujiro cuts him off with the sliding kick. Trent counters back with the tornado DDT, but Yujiro fights back and hits a German. Page hits buckshot lariat and Chuckie makes the save. Page takes out Chuckie on the floor, and back in, Page tags in and Trent fights them off for a bit, but Page hits a lariat and powerbomb for 2. Chuckie cuts off Page and strong zero finishes Yujiro. Chuckie T & Trent defeated Adam Page & Yujiro Takahashi @ 10:30 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid tag team match, that the crowd didn’t care about at all. They were so silent you almost forgot that they were there.

Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa vs. Togi Makabe & Toa Henare: Jado is out with the Guerrillas. Makabe and Loa to begin. They lock up, trade shoulder tackles, and Makabe attacks with strikes. Makabe takes him down with the shoulder tackle, but is quickly cut off as Tonga tags in. Henare with a cheap shot and they follow with double teams. Henare takes control, working the arm until Tonga lays in strikes. Henare hits another arm drag, but Tonga rushes him to the buckles but Henare hits a hip toss and arm drag. He follows with strikes, Jado hits a cheap shot with the kendo and Tonga dumps Henare. Tonga follows and whips Henare to the barricade. Back in and Loa tags in. He hits a suplex and covers for 2. The Guerrillas follow with double teams, and the cover gets 2. They slow the pace to a crawl, engaging in pure house show formula, which is problematic since this is the WTL main event of night one. Henare finally hits a desperation suplex. Makabe tags in, hitting corner clotheslines on both. He takes out Jado and the northern lights suplex follows for 2. Jado distracts Makabe, Tonga attacks, and tags in Loa. Makabe cuts them off with lariats, tags in Henare and they deliver corner strikes. They isolate Loa, and Henare hits the top rope shoulder tackle for 2. Loa cuts off the spear, and hits a German. Henare pops back up and he hits a German. Loa hits the blue thunder bomb and Makabe makes the save. It breaks down, Jado hits Makabe with the kendo and he eats a gun stun. Henare hits a pop up Samoan drop, and the cradle gets 2. Loa hits the big lariat for 2. Apeshit finishes Henare. Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa defeated Togi Makabe & Toa Henare @ 12:10 via pin [**½]This was a solid house show style match, with a hot closing two-minutes or so. Henare worked hard, Makabe wasn’t in the mood to bump, and Jado is annoying as fuck and will be so all tour long.

The Standings

* Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa: 2pts. (1-0)
* David Finlay & Juice Robinson: 2pts. (1-0)
* Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi: 2pts. (1-0)
* Chuckie T & Trent: 2pts. (1-0)
* EVIL & SANADA: pts. (-)
* Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi: pts. (-)
* Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Lance Archer: pts. (-)
* Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka: pts. (-)
* Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano: pts. (-)
* Michael Elgin & Jeff Cobb: pts. (-)
* Togi Makabe & Toa Henare: 0pts. (0-1)
* Ayato Yoshida & Shota Umino: 0pts. (0-1)
* Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima: 0pts. (0-1)
* Hangman Page & Yujiro Takahashi: 0pts. (0-1)

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Night one of the 2018 NJPW WTL got off to the start most expected, with perfectly average and lethargic wrestling overall, and the teams you’d expect to win, winning. Judging by night one, we’re in for a long tour. Only 88 more matches to go.