Csonka’s NJPW Young Lion’s Cup Match Reviews 9.18, 9.19, & 9.20.19

Csonka’s NJPW Young Lion’s Cup Match Reviews 9.18, 9.19 and 9.20.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Young Lion’s Cup Match 9.18.19: Ren Narita defeated Yuya Uemura @ 8:37 via pin [**¾]
– Young Lion’s Cup Match 9.18.19: Alex Coughlin defeated Clark Connors @ 7:53 via submission [**¾]
– Young Lion’s Cup Match 9.19.19: Shooter Umino defeated Yota Tsuji @ 7:43 via pin [***]
– Young Lion’s Cup Match 9.19.19: Karl Fredericks defeated Michael Richards @ 6:20 via submission [**]
– Young Lion’s Cup Match 9.20.19: Alex Coughlin defeated Yuya Uemura @ 8:06 via submission [***]
– Young Lion’s Cup Match 9.20.19: Yota Tsuji vs. Michael Richards @ 6:45 via submission [**]

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Ren Narita vs. Yuya Uemura: They lock up, immediately working to the ground where Uemura makes the ropes. Narita then works a cravat, but Uemura counters out and looks to work the arm. He grounds things, Narita counters out and works the legs until Uemura makes the ropes. Narita stays focused on the legs, setting up for the possible leg lace later on. He then transitions to a deathlock variation, but Uemura makes the ropes. Narita lays the boots to him, follows with a slam and covers for 2. The half crab follows, but Uemura makes the ropes. Narita continues to control with strikes until Uemura follows with running uppercuts and chops. The corner dropkick connects and then he hits a shoulder tackle and elbow drop for 2. He looks for a crab, locks it in and pulls Narita center ring. Narita makes the ropes, they trade strikes and Narita follows with a dropkick, strikes but Uemura powers back with an overhead suplex. Narita fights off the half crab, they trade and the Narita special suplex finishes it.Ren Narita defeated Yuya Uemura @ 8:37 via pin [**¾] Despite having a poor record, Uemura has worked really hard and continues to grows as a performer. The match was pretty good overall, with Narita picking up the win to stay in the mix at the top.

Clark Connors vs. Alex Coughlin: They lock up and Coughlin grounds things, working the ankle until Connors escapes. Connors now takes him down, they scramble and Coughlin gets a slick takedown and looks to work the arm but Connors counters and takes control back. Nice counter work from both on the ground as Coughlin now works the arm as Connors makes the ropes. They work into a stand off, lock up and Connors powers him to the ropes ad they battle for position. Coughlin lays in chops, Connors is not amused and looks to ground him. Coughlin hits a shoulder tackle, follows with uppercuts and works him over in the corner. He follows with a hip toss, so Connors answers back with chops as they trade. They light each other up with chops, Connors then cuts him off with a spear and the crab follows. He sits down deep, but Coughlin powers up and makes the ropes. Connors follows with slaps, but Coughlin hits a bridging fall away slam for 2. He works into a deathlock, but Connors fights only for Coughlin to roll into a bridge for the surprising submission victory. Alex Coughlin defeated Clark Connors @ 7:53 via submission [**¾] The match was another pretty good outing as the LA Dojo lions continue to show great growth as performers and some new offense. Coughlin picks up a big win to keep Connors out of the mix at the top,.

Shooter Umino vs. Yota Tsuji: They lock up and Tsuji overpowers Umino to the ropes. He follows with chops, strikes and they then trade shoulder tackles. Umino finally takes him down and lays the boots to him. Tsuji fights back with a slam, kicks and then elbow strikes. The cravat follows, and he transitions into a camel clutch. The standing splash follows, and then Tsuji lays in strikes and chops until Umino catches him with a dropkick. Umino fires away with rights, a running forearm and a suplex for 2. Tsuji fights off a German, and then cuts him off with the spear. He follows with a backdrop and locks on a crab. Umino fights, and powers up but Tsuji pulls him center ring and sits down deep. Umino powers up again and keeps fighting, and makes the ropes. Tsuji lays in strikes, Umino fires back and they trade until Tsuji slaps him and Umino then counters into a dropkick. The spinebuster follows for 2. Umino then heads up top and hits the missile dropkick for 2. the fisherman’s suplex finishes Tsuji. Shooter Umino defeated Yota Tsuji @ 7:43 via pin [***] This was a good match, with a nice fire and intensity to it as Umino racks up another win to stay in the mix up top. Shooter is ready for excursion.

Karl Fredericks vs. Michael Richards: They lock up and Fredericks shoves him away. they lock up again as Fredericks grounds things, but Richards makes the ropes. Fredericks grounds things again, and they work to the ropes for a clean break. Lock up again and they trade shoulder tackles. Fredericks follows with kicks until Richards takes him down and lays the boots to him. He follows with strikes, a slam and covers for 1. Richard works him over in the corner, follows with chops, and a corner clothesline. He talks shit so Fredericks fires back with chops, they trade and Richards hits a slam for 2. He grounds things, but Fredericks fights to his feet and escapes with strikes. Richards follows with a clothesline for 2. He slaps Fredericks around, Fredericks lights him up with uppercuts ad a dropkick. The big boot follows and then the corner plash and hip toss. The elbow drop follows for 2. Richard fires back, but Fredericks hits a spinebuster into a half crab. Sits back deep and Richards taps. Karl Fredericks defeated Michael Richards @ 6:20 via submission [**] This was ok at best thanks to Fredericks, who has been really good. Richards didn’t look good at all and continues to show why he’s at the ass end of the lions standings. He’s just no good.

Yuya Uemura vs. Alex Coughlin: They lock up and work into grappling exchanges, with Coughlin taking control. Yuya counters out and starts attacking the arm, but Coughlin counters and attacks the legs with a deathlock variation. He transitions to a side headlock, until Yuya counters. They work to the feet and Coughlin follows with chops and lays the boots to him. The slam follows for 2. He lays in uppercuts, stomps away at Yuya in the corner and follows with chops. The hip toss follows for 2. Coughlin slaps him around, lays in clubbing strikes but Yuya cuts him off with a dropkick and follows with corner attacks and strikes. Chops follow and then the corner dropkick connects. The overhead belly to belly then gets 2. Yuya locks on the half crab, Coughlin fights and Yuya pulls him center ring. until Coughlin crawls to the ropes. Yuya lays the boots to him, but Coughlin fires back with chops and they trade. Good aggression here as the light each other up, Coughlin counters into a cradle and then the crab, and Yuya fights but has to tap. Alex Coughlin defeated Yuya Uemura @ 8:06 via submission [***] This was good stuff, with good and crisp work and a nice sense of urgency throughout,

Yota Tsuji vs. Michael Richards: They lock up and work to the ropes as Richards pie faces Yota. Lock up again and back to the ropes as Yota fires away with chops. Richards follows with strikes, working a headlock until Yota counters out and they trade shoulder tackles. They trade forearms, and Yota follows with a dropkick. He lays in chops, Richards fires back and Yota continues to lay in chops and follows with a hip toss and splash for 2. He then works a cravat, and grounds things. Richards cuts him off with a clothesline, and the suplex follows for 2. The belly to back suplex follows and that gets 2. Yota fights off the crab, but Richards lays in strikes and Yota is down. They trade, but Yota hits the spear. He follows with a slam for 2, swings Richards and locks on the crab. Richards fights but taps. Yota Tsuji vs. Michael Richards @ 6:45 via submission [**] This was ok, Yota was good but Richards continues to show why he’s at the ass end of the lions chain with another lackluster performance where he showed absolutely no fire.

YOUNG LION’S CUP STANDINGS
Karl Fredericks (5-1), 10pts.
Shooter Umino (5-1), 10pts.
Ren Narita (5-1), 10pts.
Alex Coughlin (4-3), 8pts.
Clack Connors (3-3), 6pts
Yota Tsuji (2-5), 4pts.
Yuya Uemura (1-6), 2pts.
Michael Richards (1-6), 2pts.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 52. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka as the guys will discuss Brock Lesnar returning to pull the plug on Kofi Kingston’s WWE Title run, review NXT’s two-hour debut, and then dive into coverage of the NJPW Destruction tour. The show is approximately 108-minutes long.

* Intro
* Lesnar Returns For a Brocktober Title Run: 4:20
* Breaking Down The NXT Two Hour Debut Show (9.18.19): 13:10
* Examining The Shane Taylor/ROH Worked Shoot Angle: 49:20
* NJPW Destruction in Beppu Review: 1:01:10
* NJPW Destruction in Kagoshima Review: 1:10:20
* NJPW Destruction in Kobe Preview: 1:29:15

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

The final set of Young Lion’s matches ahead of the finals in Kobe were a solid batch of matches overall, with the usual suspects shining, and the expected lions at the top.