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Csonka’s NJPW WTL (Night 1) Review 11.18.17
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Csonka’s NJPW WTL (Night 1) Review 11.18.17
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Hirai Kawato & Shota Umino defeated Tetsuhiro Yagi & Ren Narita @ 5:50 via pin [***]
– Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Leo Tonga defeated War Machine & Tomoyuki Oka @ 8:48 via pin [***]
– Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Trent & Chuck Taylor defeated Michael Elgin, Jeff Cobb, David Finlay & Katsuya Kitamura @ 10:54 via pin [***]
– Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens, Hangman Page & Yujiro Takahashi @ 10:03 via pin [**½]
– Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Henare vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr, Lance Archer & El Desperado @ 9:27 via pin [**¾]
– Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay & Gedo @ 12:35 via pin [***¼]
– World Tag League A Block Match: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka @ 13:15 via pin [**¾]
– World Tag League A Block Match: Juice Robinson & Sami Callihan defeated EVIL & SANADA @ 19:34 via pin [***½]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
Hirai Kawato & Shota Umino vs. Tetsuhiro Yagi & Ren Narita: The lions were all fired up before the bell, leading to an immediate brawl and everyone working with some great intensity. There was no wasted motion as Umino and Kawato took control right away. They are working a basic match here, but are doing o with excellent and crisp execution, and the crowd is into it. Unimo hits a missile dropkick, and Kawato gets the hot tag, and runs wild while picking up near falls. It breaks down, Umino hits a dropkick while Kawato hits a missile dropkick for the near fall. Kawato hits trouble in paradise and picks up the win. Hirai Kawato & Shota Umino defeated Tetsuhiro Yagi & Ren Narita @ 5:50 via pin [***] This was an overall good back and forth match, with some clean and great execution and an invested crowd. The young lions are coming along very well.
War Machine & Tomoyuki Oka vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Leo Tonga: Oka is adhering to War Machine protocol and is painted up. Oka and Leo start off, working strikes and power moves. It breaks down early with War Machine and the Guerrillas brawling to the floor. This allows Leo to work over Oka in the ring, as he beats him down in the corner. The sons of Haku maintain control, working quick tags, and keeping Oka grounded in their half of the ring. Oka cuts off Loa and tags on Rowe, he runs wild with knee strikes and Hanson in and cuts off the Guerrillas, hitting forever clotheslines. The crowd loves the big man here, Oka tags back in and we get triple teams on the Guerrillas, as Rowe slams Oka and Hanson onto Loa. The sons of Haku cut off Oka, War Machine is sent to the floor, allowing Loa to hit a Michinoku diver for a near fall. The Samoan driver finishes Oka. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Leo Tonga defeated War Machine & Tomoyuki Oka @ 8:48 via pin [***] This was another good, back and forth tag, with a good energy and the crowd was into it. Leo is getting more confident in his work, while Oka has been really turning it up as of late, and looked like he belonged in there as War Machine’s equal.
Michael Elgin, Jeff Cobb, David Finlay & Katsuya Kitamura vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Trent & Chuck Taylor: Taylor and Cobb are making their NJPW debuts here. Yano and Elgin begin, and as Yano tries to get cute, Elgin just runs him over. Elgin follows with a slingshot splash, and Finlay and Trent tag in. They work some fun back and forth, with Finlay hitting a dropkick and spinning elbow. Trent cuts him off with the double stomp. Taylor tags in, hits the slam and tags in Trent. They work double teams and hug. Yano exposes the buckle and Finlay gets slammed to it a few times. Ishii tags in and lays in chops to Finlay. Finlay lays in strikes and hits the belly to back suplex, and tags in Cobb. Cobb runs wild with suplexes and slams, and the crowd already loves the big man. He lays in strikes to Ishii, they battle for a suplex, and Ishii finally hits it, covering for 2. Cobb rolls through and powers Ishii up into a suplex and hits the standing moonsault for 2. Yano trips him up, Elgin into make the save. he and Cobb attack Ishii, take out Yano and Elgin hits a dropkick off the second rope. Kitamura and Taylor get tags, Kitamura works him over with chops and shoulder blocks. The spear follows for 2. Taylor hits sole food, Trent tags in and the best friends double chokeslam Kitamura. It breaks down with brawling on the floor, and the awful waffle on Kitamura connects , and Taylor picks up the win. Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Trent & Chuck Taylor defeated Michael Elgin, Jeff Cobb, David Finlay & Katsuya Kitamura @ 10:54 via pin [***] This was another good, and fun match. Cobb got to toss people around, looking like a beast, and Taylor picked up the pin; that was great in terms of introducing the new guys.
Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens, Hangman Page & Yujiro Takahashi: Tenzan and Yujiro in to begin, Tenzan quickly lays in the Mongolian chops, Yujiro bails and tags in Fale. Nakanishi also tags in, Fale wants a test of strength, but cheap shots Nakanishi. They trade strikes and chops, and then collide a few times center ring. Fale misses a charge, Nakanishi teases the torture rack, but Fale was too big. It breaks down a bit, but stays with Fale and Nakanishi, with Fale grounding the action. Owens tags in and mocks Tenzan by doing the Mongolian chops. Yujiro tags in, works over Nakanishi and then tags in Page. Bullet Club clears out the dads and work corner attacks on Nakanishi. Nakanishi tosses most to the floor, but Fale cuts him off. Nakanishi fights off Page and Yujiro, suplexing both at the same time and Nagata gets the hot tag. Page fights off the XPLODER, and hits the buckshot lariat. He and Yujiro look for double teams, but they have communication issues and Nagata hits an XPLODER. Kojima tags in, Owens mocks him with machinegun chops, but Kojima cuts him off, hits chops and the corner elbow attack. Bullet Club again clears out the dads, they work over Kojima but Tenzan makes the save. Owens then eats a TenKoji cutter and lariat, he’s dead. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens, Hangman Page & Yujiro Takahashi @ 10:03 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly fine match, but came off as lethargic and not very smooth compared to the prior matches.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Henare vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr, Lance Archer & El Desperado: Tanahashi’s arm must begetting better, no sleeve today, just an ace wrap. Henare is returning from an Achilles injury. Smith and Henare start things off, with Smith getting the better of things early. The Saito suplex connects as Archer and Desperado take the others to the floor. Desperado tags in, and attacks the previously injured leg of Henare. The Suzuki-gun boys work quick tags, maintaining the heat and keeping Henare grounded, attacking the previously injured leg. Archer hits the running corner attack, Henare fires back, avoids the charge and tags in Makabe. Makabe fights off KES, clotheslines follow until Archer hits a lariat for 2. Archer takes him up top, Makabe counters out, hitting a lariat. Tanahashi gets the hot tag, runs wild and attacks the knee of Desperado. Archer cuts him off, and Suzuki-gun attacks, teases the killer bomb, but Makabe makes the save and dumps KES to the floor. Henare takes out Desperado with a shoulder block off the top, sling blade by Tanahashi and the high fly flow finishes Desperado. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Henare vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr, Lance Archer & El Desperado @ 9:27 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good match overall, with the heels attacking Henare’s previously injured leg. Get ready for more of that, as it will likely be a theme for the tour.
Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay & Gedo vs. Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi: Okada and Naito start things off. Naito breaks clean in the ropes, but BUSHI chokes out Okada with his shirt. Okada battles back, tagging in Gedo and they wok double teams on Naito. LIJ swarms Gedo, knocking Okada and Ospreay to the floor. Naito grounds Gedo, and tries to rip off his beard. BUSHI tags in, hits a missile dropkick, and continues the heat on Gedo. Takahashi in, hits a series of dropkicks, and tags Naito back in. They work a long heat on Gedo, good isolation by LIJ. Gedo eye pokes Tanahashi, Ospreay gets the hot tag and runs wild on everyone. Superkick and emerald frosion on Takahashi gets a near fall. he and Takahashi work so well together. Naito gets the tag, Naito avoids the springboard attack, but runs into a dropkick. Okada tags in, he and Naito battle back and forth until Okada hits the flapjack, covering for 2. Naito fights off the tombstone, and the tornado DDT connects. The others brawl to the floor, Okada counters the corner dropkick combo, but Naito hits the flying forearm. Okada counters Gloria and then follows with a dropkick. Wholesale changes to Gedo & BUSHI, they work a fun little stretch until it breaks down with Ospreay and Takahashi in. BUSHI hits MX on Gedo and picks up the win. Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay & Gedo @ 12:35 via pin [***¼] This was your usual good LIJ vs. CHAOS match, with some great exchanges from Ospreay & Takahashi as well as from Okada & Naito. Good stuff.
– Post match, Naito beats down Okada with the briefcase.
World Tag League A Block Match: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka: You will be completely shocked by this, but Suzuki-gun attacked before the bell and they brawled on the floor. Goto and HASHI quickly battled back, ultimo Suzuki attacked the arm of Goto and pulled him to he floor, whipping him to the barricade and attacking him with a chair. Iizuka worked over HASHI on the floor, also using a chair. This led to the Gedo special countout tease. Back in, Suzuki-gun worked over Goto, with Suzuki trying to rip his arm off. Iizuka tags in for a snack, biting away at Goto. Iizuka then sends HASHI to the floor, and tags in Suzuki. Goto tries to fire up, but is immediately cut off. Iizuka tags in and chokes out Goto, keeping him in his half of the ring. Iizuka then bites his foot, but Goto hits a desperation lariat and tags in HASHI. HASHI sends Suzuki to the floor, hits a code breaker on Iizuka and then drapes him over the ropes, and hits the dropkick, covering for 2. Iizuka fights off the powerbomb, and we get wholesale changes to Goto and Suzuki, with Goto hitting the elbow drop for 2. Suzuki hits the running kick, and PK, covering for 2. Goto counters out of the arm bar, and trades center ring with Suzuki. Suzuki lays in rapid-fire strikes, HASHI and Iizuka battle to the floor. Suzuki works a sleeper, HASHI makes the save but gets his ass beat by Suzuki. Iizuka gets the iron fingers, but HASHI cuts him off. It breaks down, CHAOS double teams Iizuka and Goto attacks Suzuki. But Suzuki gets the sleeper, HASHI hits him with a superkick and Goto hits the ushigoroshi. The GTR finishes Suzuki. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka @ 13:15 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good match overall, with the Suzuki-gun stuff toned way down, and Goto picking up a big pin on Suzuki; with Suzuki having no dance partner for January 4th, that could be some foreshadowing.
– Post match, Suzuki is pissed and kills some young lads with chair shots.
World Tag League A Block Match: Juice Robinson & Sami Callihan vs. EVIL & SANADA: Juice and SANADA begin. They work a fun, fast paced opening stretch, and now Sami tags in. EVIL in, Sami spits at him and they brawl. Sami fights off the double teams, tags Juice back in and he rakes EVIL’s eyes, but EVIL dumps Juice and Sami to the floor. Everyone hits the floor for brawl time. EVIL wraps a chair around Sami’s head and uses another chair for the baseball swing attack. Back in and LIJ takes the heat on Juice, working double teams and going for covers. Juice fires up with strikes, but EVIL quickly shuts that down, and SANADA is back in. They double team Juice, and pick up another near fall. Juice manages a desperation spinebuster on SANADA, and tags in Sami. Sami runs wild, and sends EVIL to the floor and follows with a suicide dive. The sliding forearm follows, and Sami covers for 2. EVIL fights off the powerbomb, hits the side slam and tags SANADA in. SANADA ties Sami up in the paradise lock, and follows with a dropkick, covering for 2. SANADA lays in kicks, Sami says fuck you bitch and they brawl until Sami tags in Juice. Juice lays in jabs and chops, and then decapitates SANADA with a lariat. Juice up top, hits a high cross, and that gets 2. Juice and Sami work double teams, and the cannonball from Juice follows for 2. SANADA looks for a RANA, but Juice turns it into a powerbomb for a good near fall. SANADA counters pulp friction into skull end, and after a series of counters, SANADA hits a missile dropkick and tags EVIL in. EVIL hits the big lariat, covering for 2. Another follows, and that gets another good near fall. SANADA takes out Sami, and it breaks down with all four in, Juice hits a pop up gut buster and everyone is down. Sami and Juice try to regroup, Sami slaps Juice to fire him up and get ran together. LIJ then hits… the magic killer (!) on Juice, which got a good near fall as Sami made the save. SANADA tosses Sami and wipes him out with a plancha. Darkness falls on Juice by EVIL gets another good near fall. EVIL looks for everything is evil, but Sami makes the save and Juice hits the KO shot on EVIL. They take out SANADA; Sami hits a shoulder breaker, and Juice hits pulp friction to pick up the win. Juice Robinson & Sami Callihan defeated EVIL & SANADA @ 19:34 via pin [***½] I’d call Juice Robinson & Sami Callihan winning a slight upset, not surprising as NJPW likes to make the new guys look important right away, but LIJ is a regular unit, and Juice Robinson & Sami Callihan were tagging for the first time. This was a very good main event, tons of fun, all action and the crowd was into it the whole time They love LIJ, are always into Juice and got into Sami’s act as the match went on. It was a ton of fun.
– Juice gets the show closing promo, “I love you mother fuckers.” Juice says he and Sami will win the A Block, win the tournament, and then face “who ever the fuck holds the titles” at the dome.
A Block:
* Juice Robinson and Sami Callihan: (1-0) 2pts.
* Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI: (1-0) 2pts.
* SANADA and EVIL: (0-1) 0pts.
* Minoru Suzuki and Takashi Iizuka: (0-1) 0pts.
* Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi: (-) pts.
* Yujiro Takahashi and Hangman Page: (-) pts.
* Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima: (-) pts.
* Chase Owens and Bad Luck Fale: (-) pts.
B Block:
* Killer Elite Squad: (-) pts.
* War Machine: (-) pts.
* Jeff Cobb and Michael Elgin: (-) pts.
* Baretta and Chuck Taylor: (-) pts.
* Henare and Togi Makabe: (-) pts.
* Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii: (-) pts.
* Guerrillas of Destiny: (-) pts.
* Katsuya Kitamura and David Finlay: (-) pts.
-Thanks for reading.
– End scene.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
