Wrestle Kingdom XVII
Date: January 4, 2023
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton, Gino Gambino

It’s time to go back to New Japan for a promotion that I have not looked at since last year’s Wrestle Kingdom. As tends to be the case with this show, I’m coming in mostly blind, save for knowing the wrestlers involved. The main event is Jay White defending the IWGP World Title against Kazuchika Okada, who he took the title from back in June. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Boltin Oleg vs. Ryohei Oiwa

This is a three minute exhibition and Oleg, an amateur champion, is making his debut. They go with the grappling to start and Oleg powers him down, followed by some over the shoulder armdrags. Oiwa cranks on the arm and an armbreaker sends Oleg to the rope. Back up and Oleg grabs a slam as we go to the draw at 3:02.

Rating: C. Even commentary was saying “this is meant to go to a draw” so it is kind of the definition of getting your feet wet. I’m fine with something like this as nothing more than a warmup as Oleg seems to have some name recognition based on his amateur credentials. It’s three minutes, it came and went, no one pretended it mattered. That’s an easy way to start the night.

Pre-Show: New Japan Ranbo

This is the Royal Rumble (minute long intervals, pin/submission/over the top eliminations), with the final four moving on to a match at New Year’s Dash to crown this year’s Provisional King Of Pro Wrestling Champion. Sho is in at #1 and Hikuleo is in at #2, leaving Sho looking nervous. The forearms have little effect on Hikuleo so Show bails to the floor for some regrouping.

Evil (with Dick Togo) is in at #3, meaning Hikuleo gets to beat up two people instead of one. Tomohiro Ishii is in at #4 and stares down Hikuleo before helping Evil beat him down. Great-O-Khan is in at #5 and takes his sweet time getting to the ring as Ishii and Hikuleo fight. With Khan taking forever to get in, Douki is in at #6 and helps clear the ring without eliminating anyone.

Evil and Togo try to get rid of Ishii but Rocky Romero is in at #7 for the save. Romero gets rid of Evil and the Forever Lariats have Sho in trouble. Kenta is in at #8 and gets in a brawl with Ishii until Yoshinobu Kanemaru is in at #9. With more brawling ensuing, Aaron Henare (he’s big) is in at #10 and slugs it out with Ishii to limited avail. Ryusuke Taguchi is in at #11 and helps Henare get rid of Ishii.

Taguchi and Romero (former team) go after Henare but Jeff Cobb is in at #12 as Hikuleo gets rid of Douki and Kanemaru. Shane Haste is in at #13, with Romero countering his powerbomb attempt. Mikey Nicholls (Haste’s partner) is in at #14 and Romero is out fast. Haste and Nicholls (The Mighty Don’t Kneel) double team Taguchi for the pin as Yujiro Takahashi is in at #15.

Cobb whips Khan into Hikuleo, who gets clotheslined out as a result. Toru Yano (who has dominated a lot of this title’s history) is in at #16 as Cobb is tossed as well. There goes Haste, followed by Nicholls, leaving Khan and Henare to stand tall. El Phantasmo is in at #17 and starts raking backs (as the Dermis Destroyer). A nipple twist (yep) gets rid of Henare and it’s Taichi in at #18.

Everyone but Taichi (including some eliminated names) fight on the floor and it’s Shingo Takagi (last year’s champion who reportedly doesn’t want to be here) in to go after Taichi. I believe (as there are a lot of people outside) that leaves us with Sho, Khan, Taguchi, Takahashi, Yano, Phantasmo, Taichi and Takagi as the final group (remember the final four advance).

A bunch of people get together to dump Taichi and there goes Takahashi. Phantasmo is knocked off the apron but lands on the barricade, where Kenta (who was apparently eliminated somewhere in there) and Takahashi help him back to the apron. Takagi joins him out there and Sho accidentally knocks Phantasmo out, meaning Khan, Takagi, Sho and Yano win to advance at 30:35.

Rating: C+. This is the Wrestle Kingdom “get everyone on the show” match and it still works. What amazes me every year is that this match always flies by and it did so again here, with thirty minutes feeling like it was less than half that. It’s a fun match that gives the fans something to cheer about while also setting up something for the future. That’s more than you get on most Kickoff Show style matches so well done.

A woman tells the fans to vote for something.

Pre-Show: Yuji Nagata/Satoshi Kojima/Togi Makabe vs. Tatsumi Fujinami/Minoru Suzuki/Tiger Mask

This is the Antonio Inoki Memorial Six Man Tag and Tiger Hattori is special referee for a real bonus. Nagata and Fujinami start things off with an exchange of wristlocks. That goes nowhere so Nagata shoulders him down, only to get dropped as well. Suzuki comes in to slug it out with Nagata.

Tiger Mask gets in a few kicks and it’s Nagata getting beaten down in the corner by a rotating cast. Nagata manages a suplex so Kojima can come in to chop Suzuki in the corner. This proves to be rather stupid as Suzuki glares at him and laughs at the idea of a forearm off. Tiger Mask comes in for the tiger driver and a near fall, only to get caught in the Kojicutter.

It’s off to Makabe as everything breaks down, with Nagata and company getting caught in stereo holds. All of those are broken up until Tiger Mask crucifixed Makabe for two. Suzuki catches Makabe on top so Tiger Mask tries a…something that doesn’t work, allowing Makabe to cradle him for the pin at 9:07.

Rating: C. Much like the other two matches, I don’t think this one was entirely meant to be taken seriously. This was much more about getting some legends in there for the sake of honoring the most important person the company has ever seen. That is completely understandable so soon after Inoki’s passing and the match was certainly watchable, if a bit formulaic.

Post match, Fujinami welcomes the fans to the show and honors Inoki.

We start with a tribute to Antonio Inoki, as you had to know was coming.

The opening video, if you can call it that, runs down the card, in order. As per tradition, I’m still not sure if I like that or not.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Catch 2/2 vs. LiYoh

Catch 2/2 (TJP/Francesco Akira), of the United Empire, is defending against Lio Rush/Yoh (who are an unlikely team that managed to win the Super Junior Tag League to get this shot). It’s a wild fight to start with Rush dropping TJP and taking Akira up the ramp, where Akira plants him face first on the steel ramp. Back in and Yoh fights them off for a bit, only to get caught in the wrong corner.

Akira hits a rope walk Tree of Woe dropkick to send Yoh outside, setting up Take A Picture (kind of a toss from the apron hip attack). The busted open Rush is picked up as TJP hits a Shinjiro Otani to Yoh but Rush cuts him off with a spear. Rush comes in off the tag and picks the pace way up, including the Tajiri handspring elbow to both champs. Suicide dives take out both of them again and it’s back to Yoh, whose superkick is cut off. Everything breaks down and everyone but TJP is knocked down.

Back up and a powerbomb/suplex combination drops Yoh but Rush makes the save with the Final Hour. The 3K (3D into a Downward Spiral) connects on Akira, only to have TJP come in with the Mamba Splash for the save. The Detonation Kick gets two on Yoh but the Leaning Tower is countered with a poisonrana. Another 3K gets another two but TJP is right back with a small package to pin Yoh and retain at 10:31.

Rating: B-. That’s a smart way to open the show as it was all energy and they didn’t bother wasting time with anything fancy. 2/2 is a good team and they did their thing here. Rush’s eye being busted open is what is going to be remembered here as it was a gusher, but other than that you had a ten minute match which I feel like I’ve seen several times before.

IWGP Women’s Title: Kairi vs. Tam Nakano

Kairi (formerly Sane) is defending and this is Stardom’s portion of the show. Kairi is in her pirate gear, complete with…Grim Reapers? They fight over a lockup to start until Nakano grabs a headlock. A basement dropkick puts Kairi down and Nakano gets to give her what might be described as a cute stare.

Back up and Kairi sends her into the corner for the sliding forearm but charges into a spinning kick to the face. With Kairi outside, Nakano hits a dive (left a bit low), followed by a Steiner Screwdriver for two back inside. That’s quite the kickout move less than five minutes in but Kairi is back up with a spinning backfist for two of her own. The Insane Elbow retains the title at 5:57.

Rating: C+. They went through this as fast as they could as they didn’t have much time here. Kairi is still rather good in the ring and I’ve heard good things about Nakano. The Screwdriver was weird and felt like something they were trying to squeeze in whether it fit there or not. For a fast match though and what I believe is the first women’s match ever at Wrestle Kingdom, it went well.

Post match the lights go out and Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) debuts, shocking….I’m sure there is someone there who didn’t know this was coming. Thankfully commentary acknowledges that it wasn’t a surprise as they have the staredown with Kairi holding the title in the air.

Mone pulls her into what looked like a Gory Stretch spun into a faceplant (or it might have been some kind of an armbar that didn’t go right). That leaves Mone to introduce herself as the CEO of the women’s division. She’s coming for the title in San Jose next month and you can bank on it. That was certainly a debut but it didn’t quite blow the roof off.

IWGP Tag Team Titles: Bishamon vs. FTR

Bishamon (Hirooki Goto/Yoshi-Hashi of Chaos) are challenging and commentary tells us about FTR’s travel issues getting here. Hashi shoulders Wheeler down to start so we’ll try Harwood vs. Goto instead. That doesn’t last long as Hashi comes back in for the double team, only to have it broken up just as fast.

The champs send them outside for a dive, setting up the PowerPlex for two on Goto. A powerbomb into a bridging dragon suplex gets two with Hashi making the save. The Big Rig is broken up though and Goto hits the fireman’s carry backbreaker for a breather. Harwood comes in off the blind tag and gets taken down with a running neckbreaker.

Bishamon’s Sho Tow (I think?) finisher is broken up and it’s a Big Rig for two on Goto. Wheeler and Hashi suplex each other to the floor, leaving Goto to fight out of a piledriver attempt. Another piledriver attempt works just fine, followed by the spike piledriver for two with Hashi making the save. Another Big Rig is broken up and it’s Sho Tow to Harwood for the pin and the titles at 10:05.

Rating: B-. And thus FTR’s downfall continues as they are now out of titles after holding a bunch of them for several months. The good thing is that they lost them in another solid match, which shouldn’t be a surprise in the slightest. Bishamon winning the titles is fine as commentary hyped them up as the best team in Japan. Give them the titles so FTR, who seem to be more guest stars than anything else, can head back to AEW and sit around some more.

TV Title: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ren Narita

Tournament final for the inaugural title with a fifteen minute time limit, meaning a draw will require a rematch at a later date. They both fight for a cross armbreaker attempt to start before Sabre’s penalty kick misses, giving us a standoff. Narita kicks him down but Sabre is right back up with a twist of the arm.

A belly to belly gets Narita out of trouble for a few seconds but he can’t hook an abdominal stretch. They trade kicks to the back, with Narita sitting down so Sabre can hit his own. An exchange of kicks to the chest goes to Sabre but Narita goes after Sabre’s arm for a change and a double knockdown.

Back up and a bridging t-bone suplex gives Narita two but Sabre pulls him down by the leg. Sabre can’t get a triangle choke so Narita hits him in the face. They trade snap German suplexes but Narita misses a running spinwheel kick. Back to back German suplexes are no sold so they fight over another abdominal stretch, only to have Sabre switch to an armbar for the tap at 10:30.

Rating: C+. I wasn’t feeling this one very much as it was a lot of both guys doing the same thing and often popping up right after. Sabre is good at tormenting people with his holds but that wasn’t really on display here. Narita is someone who has come a long way in a short amount of time, but it wasn’t exactly an awesome showcase.

Post match the Mighty Don’t Kneel come out to offer Sabre a spot on the team and the shirt goes on.

Never Openweight Title: Karl Anderson vs. Tama Tonga

Tonga, with Jado, is challenging and gets decked before the bell. Anderson drops him on the barricade and throws him over before going back inside to pose a bit. The Burner (Rikishi) Driver on the ramp knocks Tonga silly again, leaving Anderson to chant his own name. Tonga blocks a Gun Stun on the ramp though and they fight to the apron for a slugout.

They slug it out on the apron with Tonga getting the better of things before hammering away in the corner. A charge misses though and Anderson hits the HI YAH kick. They head up top with Tonga knocking him down, setting up a top rope clothesline. Supreme Flow gives Tonga two and they run the ropes, only to have Anderson’s Gun Stun blocked. A middle rope Gun Stun to Anderson sets up a regular one (with Tonga slipping off, making it look like Anderson shoved him off) to give Tonga the pin and the title at 9:33.

Rating: C. This felt like a match that had a lot more history behind it and if that is the case, fair enough. Tonga winning makes sense as Anderson is in WWE full time so put the title on someone who is going to be around. Good enough match here, but that ending didn’t exactly do it any favors.

Keiji Muto/Hiroshi Tanahashi/Shota Umino vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon

This is Muto’s (Great Muta, but in normal form) final New Japan match. Muto and Sanada start things off with a teased Too Sweet but Sanada takes out the bad knee. A springboard dropkick takes Muto down again, only to have Muto grab a backsplash. The moonsault is loaded up but Tanahashi calls Muto off for the sake of his knees.

Instead Muto snapmares him down and hits the Power Drive elbow. Tanahashi comes in for the springboard spinning crossbody but Naito takes him down. A basement dropkick rocks Tanahashi again and we slow things down. Bushi’s neckbreaker gets two but Tanahashi gets in a dragon screw legwhip on Naito. That’s enough for the tag off to Umino to pick the pace way up and clean house.

Everything breaks down and Los Ingobernables get caught in triple submissions but a rope break leads to the triple escape. Bushi missile dropkicks Umino and Bushiroonis (just go with it) up. Tanahashi comes back in with some Twists and Shouts, setting up Muto’s Shining Wizard on Bushi. Umino adds the Death Rider for the pin at 9:21.

Rating: C+. This was rather formula until the end when everything broke down and the good guys dominated, as they should. There was a grand total of no way that Muto’s team was going to lose in his last match in the promotion so the result was little more than waiting for the obvious ending than anything else. Giving Umino the pin was a nice moment and it isn’t like there is any shame in losing to Muto in his last match around here.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Master Wato vs. El Desperado vs. Taiji Ishimori

Ishimori is defending and this is one fall to a finish. They start fast (I sense a theme beginning here) with Takahashi and Desperado running Wato over. An exchange of rollups give us a big standoff as we hear about a fight backstage, possibly involving Tetsuya Naito. Ishimori bails to the ramp for a breather and that’s not cool with everyone else, meaning the chase is on. That’s fine with Ishimori, as the fight breaks out on the ramp and Ishimori is the only one to get back inside unscathed.

Back in and Desperado goes after Ishimori’s knee but the other two make a save. Wato strikes away at Takahashi and sends him outside, meaning it’s time for the string of dives. Takahashi caps it off with a huge dive off the top to put everyone down before they all head back inside. A series of strikes leads to Desperado hitting something like a Blue Thunder Bomb on Ishimori.

Desperado punches Wato down and everyone is on the mat as we hear about Los Ingobernables getting in a backstage fight with the Kongoh stable of Pro Wrestling Noah (right before the New Japan vs. Noah show as luck would have it). The four way chop off is on until Takahashi and Desperado are sent outside. Wato kicks Ishimori down and goes up top, only to get pulled down in a Tower of Doom as Takahashi comes back in.

Desperado joins everyone else and goes after Takahashi, setting up an Angel’s Wings for two. Takahashi grabs the Time Bomb for two of his own but Wato is back in with a tiger suplex into a crucifix for two more as Ishimori pulls the ref. Back up and a SCARY German suplex gives Wato two on Takahashi, who is right back up with the Time Bomb II for the pin at 16:39.

Rating: B. They were flying through most of this and it didn’t feel nearly as long as it was, but there were quite a few times where they stopped, which stood out a bit. That being said, I’d call it more than acceptable when they were going that fast. All that being said, this is the fourth time Takahashi has won the belt at Wrestle Kingdom, to the point where I was actually thinking “Really? Again?” when he won here. Very good match, but maybe let someone else get this spot next time.

IWGP United States Title: Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay

Ospreay, with the United Empire, is defending and this is a pretty long time in the making. Don Callis joins commentary (great) as Ospreay headlocks him to the mat. Ospreay tries to pick up the pace but gets knocked off the apron, sending him hard into the barricade. Back in and Omega kicks him down and rips off a turnbuckle pad. Omega hits a hard backbreaker to cut Ospreay off again, only to have him come back with a hot shot.

A big boot and cutter drop Omega and a Phenomenal Forearm does it again. Ospreay kicks him to the apron for a strike off, only to miss the middle rope Oscutter. Omega puts a table on top of Ospreay on the floor and strikes away even more. That’s fine with Ospreay, who knocks him away and goes up top for a Sky Twister to drop Omega again. Back in and the Hidden Blade gives Ospreay two but he still can’t hit the Oscutter.

Omega is fine enough to grab the Snapdragon for two and they’re both a bit winded. Back up and Omega takes him up top but Ospreay flips out of the top rope dragon superplex. The Oscutter finally connects for two and there are some HARD Cheeky Nandos kicks to keep Omega in trouble. Ospreay goes up again but this time Omega DDTs him onto the exposed buckle, drawing a good deal of blood. There is blood all over the floor as Omega hits the Rise of the Terminator.

Ospreay is sent head first through the table (leaving a big hole in the middle) before the beating continues back inside. There’s the Snapdragon into a V Trigger, with Callis complaining about a slow near fall. Omega goes up top but Ospreay stumbles into the ropes to crotch him down. Ospreay goes up as well but gets dropped face first into the buckle again (ouch).

Another V Trigger looks to set up a super One Winged Angel. Since that would, you know, kill Ospreay, it’s a super German suplex instead. Another V Trigger seems to wake Ospreay up as he strikes away, including a big shot to drop Omega. The Hidden Blade gets two on Omega, followed by a Styles Clash for the same. Another Hidden Blade misses and they strike each other down while holding wrists. More strikes set up a V Trigger and the One Winged Angel to give Omega the pin and the title at 34:38.

Rating: A-. This was a different match than I was expecting as they didn’t go as nuts with the flying and instead focused on the hard hitting fight. Omega is a lot easier to watch around here, as he goes a lot more serious and actually feels like he is having a match instead of a performance, making it that much better. Ospreay got in some of his high flying to go with the strikes, but that blood is what is going to be remembered. Heck of a match here and it felt worthy of Wrestle Kingdom.

We recap Kazuchika Okada challenging Jay White for the IWGP World Title. White took the title from him last year and now Okada wants it back. Game on.

IWGP World Heavyweight Title: Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada

White, with Gedo, is defending and Rocky Romero is on commentary. They glare at each other to start until Okada shrugs off a chop. Okada takes him down but Gedo pulls White away from a running something. White gets in a shot of his own though and we hit the chinlock. A DDT gives White two and he drives Okada into the barricade for two, which he shouts over and over again.

After some chops, he adds a SWEET, only to have Okada come back with a DDT of his own. Okada grabs a flapjack and dropkicks White off the top to send him outside. Back in and a missile dropkick sets up the Money Clip, which is broken up just as fast. White is back with a swinging suplex, leaving commentary thinking White wants the fans to cheer him. The chinlock goes on before White goes after the knee for a change.

The knee is fine enough for Okada to hit his dropkick though, followed by the spinning Tombstone. White is sent outside for a top rope flip dive but he’s smart/beaten up enough to drop to the ground before the Rainmaker. Okada tries it again but this time White spits in his face, setting up a swinging Rock Bottom to put Okada down for a change. Back up and Okada grabs the arm for back to back clotheslines, only to have the Rainmaker countered into the Blade Runner.

Another Blade Runner is blocked so White hits his own standing clotheslines. Now it’s White doing the Rainmaker pose, allowing Okada to hit the real thing for a close two. White wins a strike out and says Okada isn’t taking this from him. They slug it out until Okada hits his own Blade Runner, followed by a Cobra Flosion. The Rainmaker gives Okada the title back at 33:04.

Rating: A-. Another very good match as White continues to feel like a star. Then you have Okada who is….well he’s Okada, and that is about all you need to say about him. This didn’t quite hit the top level that some Wrestle Kingdom main events have reached in the past, but I’ll take a near classic to close out the show any day. Much like Takahashi winning again though, seeing Okada win the World Title again isn’t the most exciting result. Great match though and that’s all that matters.

Post match White pulls himself up and actually seems to show some respect. With White gone, Shingo Takagi comes out to issue the challenge for February 1 (commentary seems a bit confused by Takagi picking that date). With Takagi gone, Okada asks if Antonio Inoki saw the matches and thanks the fans to wrap things up. Actually hang on, as we’ll get in one more Inoki chant to really finish it off.

Commentary talks a lot, as tends to be the case.

Overall Rating: A. It’s not quite at the same level as previous Wrestle Kingdoms but how can you complain about something this good? The last two matches were both great and there was more than enough that was either solid to near awesome throughout. Nothing was bad, but perhaps more importantly, this FELT like a Wrestle Kingdom. Maybe it’s the fans cheering or maybe it’s having the show on one night again, but this was another blast, as tends to be the case with Wrestle Kingdom.

Results
Boltin Oleg vs. Ryohei Oiwa went to a time limit draw
Great-O-Khan, Shingo Takagi, Sho and Toru Yano won the New Japan Ranbo
Togi Makabe/Yuji Nagata/Satoshi Kojima b. Tatsumi Fujinami/Minoru Suzuki/Tiger Mask – rollup to Tiger Mask
2/2 b. LiYoh – Small package to Yoh
Kairi b. Tam Nakano – Insane Elbow
Bishamon b. FTR – Sho Tow to Harwood
Zack Sabre Jr. b. Ren Narita – Armbar
Tama Tonga b. Karl Anderson – Gun Stun
Keiji Muto/Shota Umino/Hiroshi Tanahashi b. Los Ingobernables de Japon – Death Rider to Bushi
Hiroshi Takahashi b. Master Wato, El Desperado and Taiji Ishimori – Time Bomb II to Wato
Kenny Omega b. Will Ospreay – One Winged Angel
Kazuchika Okada b. Jay White – Rainmaker

 

 

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Pro Wrestling NOAH 20th Anniversary: Chronicle Volume 4
Date: November 22, 2020
Location: Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan

I’m going to make this very clear: this is likely to be a disaster. A commenter on a site I contribute to thought I would like to try some Japanese wrestling outside of New Japan so here I am with a 4+ hour show with only Japanese commentary and a bunch of wrestlers I don’t know. This is going to be completely based on the action and whatever I can pick up out of any videos they might have. Hold on because let’s get to it.

If it wasn’t clear, I’m coming into this completely blind and have no idea of any stories, characters or really any names save for a look at the card.

Commentary welcomes us to a mostly empty arena. I’m not sure if this is a pre-show or if there are no fans allowed but it appears to be a rather small (though good looking) arena. There are a few fans sprinkled throughout the building so I’m assuming some very limited attendance limits.

Commentary talks for a bit until one of them holds up a chart. I’m not sure what it means but it is divided into a bunch of sections with pictures of wrestlers inside. There are graphics included so I’m thinking this is a chart of stables maybe? Some of the sections have titles and the commentator moves them around, which I guess are his predictions? I’m probably wrong on all of this but this doesn’t seem to be the most serious part of the show.

We look at some clips of someone being beaten down by two people, costing him a match in the process. If the chart idea is right, this might have been someone being kicked out of a stable.

Commentary talks about the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title match and messes with the charts a bit more.

The chart is put away….and the commentator pulls out another one with a completely different set of wrestlers, belts and sections.

Here’s a tweet of a wrestler with what looks to be the female commentator.

We see a clip from two weeks ago with a champion (or at least someone holding a belt) shouting at someone down on the floor. Commentary finds this funny and that might be the main event tonight.

The female commentator holds up a sign with an M on one side and hearts on another. The M seems to be a faction logo.

Masahiro Chono says I AM CHONO.

Now it’s on to the Tag Team Title match.

I think we move onto the World Title match, which is apparently chronicled (Maybe?) in something called AXIZ Photobook.

We look at what seems to be English commentary. I bet they couldn’t work a chart like the Japanese team.

The bell rings and the lights go out, sending us to the real opening video. The main focus is GHC Heavyweight (World) Champion Go Shiozaki and Katsuhiko Nakajima, as it should be. Other matches get some attention as well.

We run down the card, I believe in the order it will air ala New Japan.

Hajime Ohara/Seiki Yoshioka/Yo-Hey/Mohammed Yone vs. Junta Miyawaki/Kinya Okada/Yasutaka Yano/Yoshiki Inamura

Oh yeah because I’ll be able to figure out eight different people. Ohara/Yoshioka/Yo-Hey are part of the Full Throttle faction. I believe it’s Ohara vs. Yano starting things off with a headlock takeover not doing much on Yano, who is right back up with a bunch of forearms. Okada comes in for a shoulder and a kick to the chest, meaning it’s Yo-Hey coming in to take Ohara’s place.

Miyawaki comes in to forearm away and runs the ropes into a wristdrag. A dropkick puts Yo-Hey down but he’s right back up with one of his own, drawing in all of his partners for the quadruple teaming. Yone comes in to knock Miyawaki silly with a forearm and drops a leg for a bonus. We hit the neck crank, with Yane spinning him around the ring for a change of pace. The Figure Four necklock sends Miyawaki over to the ropes for the break but he’s back up to slug away.

That earns him another forearm for a big knockdown but Miyawaki is back with a running elbow. The hot tag brings in Inamura (the big man on the team) to clean house, including knocking Full Throttle off the apron. Some splashes in the corner and another on the mat get two on Yane but he’s back with a kick to the face. It’s off to Yoshioka to kick away until he gets caught in a belly to back suplex. Okada comes back in for a dropkick and backbreaker, plus some shouting.

Yoshioka kicks him in the chest and then the back of the head, allowing Ohara to come back in. The STO plants him in a hurry and it’s back to Yano as everything breaks down. Everyone gets together to shoulder and suplex Okada with Yoshioka having to make a save. A double dropkick puts Inamura on the floor and Yo-Hey hits a big flip dive to send him into the barricade. Back in and Ohara puts on a kind of half crab Liontamer (pulling from underneath instead of from above) to make Yano tap at 10:39.

Rating: C+. This was fun and a nice way to open things up (thankfully with graphics, including the Twitter handles, when people came in to make things a lot easier) as starting with a bunch of people having a fast paced match is a good way to go. Yo-Hey had a lot of charisma and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was the star of the team. Rather fun opener here and the show is off to a nice start.

Haoh/Tadasuke vs. Kotaro Suzuki/Salvahe De Oriente

I think Haoh/Tadasuke are called Kongo. Oriente, who might be a mystery partner, starts with Haoh as this seems to be a junior heavyweight match. Haoh gets armdragged down to start and a dropkick puts him on the floor. Tadasuke gets double teamed and a basement dropkick sends him outside as well. Suzuki hits the big running flip dive and Haoh is sent back inside so Oriente can put on something like an Octopus hold.

Haoh comes back with something like a hurricanrana into a running kick to Suzuki’s face. It’s back to Tadasuke to run over both of them, setting up a delayed suplex to drop Suzuki. Suzuki comes back up and snaps off some strikes to the face, setting up the handspring elbow. That allows for the tag off to Oriente who hits a DDT, only to walk into one from Tadasuke. Haoh comes back in for a running headscissors, meaning it’s time for some running shots to Oriente in the corner.

Back up and Haoh tries a super hurricanrana on Oriente but Suzuki runs in with a dropkick on the way down. They seemed to mistime the heck out of that one as I had to rewind it to see what they actually did. Anyway a 619 into a Falcon Arrow drops Haoh for two, with Tadasuke making a save. Suzuki plants Tadasuke with a spinning Tombstone and Oriente gives Haoh a double underhook into double knees to the chest for the pin at 6:01.

Rating: C. This was fast paced and a fine way to keep things going. I’m going to assume that the one with the long blond hair (Tadasuke) was on the heel team here, though this felt like it was more about flying around at a pretty fast pace. You can always use a cruiserweight tag match on a show like this and it worked well enough here.

Kongo vs. Sugiura-gun

That would be Manabu Soya/Masa Kitamiya/Nio vs. Kazuyuki Fujita/Kendo Kashin/Nosawa Ronagi, because the idea of a singles match is an evil concept around here. Kongo jumps them before the bell and the beating goes straight to the floor. Back in and Kitamiya stomps on Nosawa, setting up a string of Kongo elbows. Kongo’s posing is broken up by Kashin, who gets the same treatment, but with backsplashes added in before the posing.

Soya comes in and whips Nosawa around some more, with Kitamiya coming in to help. Nosawa finally dropkicks Soya’s knee out though and the hot tag brings in Fujita to trade the big man shoulders with Soya. For some reason Soya tries to strike it out and gets beaten down like he owes Fujita money. They take turns no selling suplexes and then clothesline each other down to keep things mostly even.

Kashin comes in but gets dropkicked down by Nio, who connects with a Lionsault for two. Kitamiya and Soya come in for a running clothesline from both sides but Nio’s top rope splash hits raised knees. Back up and Kashin rolls Soya around to set up a cradle for two. With that not working, Kashin cranks on the leg to make Soya tap at 6:45.

Rating: D+. I wasn’t feeling this one as it felt like one of Sugiura trying to beat up the trio at once and then repeating the process with someone else. Kongo felt like they worked well together, but people kept coming and going from the match so much that it didn’t get to flow at all. Not terrible, but it was pretty messy.

Keiji Muto vs. Shuhei Taniguchi

Well at least I recognize him. It’s bizarre to see him as the angry old man without the pain but I think he’ll be fine. They go with the grappling to start with Muto working on a headlock but having to go to the ropes to save his arm. Muto takes a breather on the floor but comes back in…and gets taken down into a bodyscissors. That earns Taniguchi a kneebar, meaning it’s time to even up the rope breaks.

Taniguchi is back with a headlock into a chinlock to slow things down a bit. Muto slips out in a hurry but gets suplexed down, meaning it’s time to go to the apron. Another shot takes Muto down and Taniguchi starts working on the leg on the floor. Back in and Muto shows him how it’s done, with a dropkick to the knee and a dragon screw legwhip. A hanging swinging neckbreaker drops Taniguchi again and a half crab into an STF makes it even worse. Make that a Crossface, as I’m assuming Samoa Joe is a Muto fan.

The Power Drive elbow into a cross armbreaker has Taniguchi in even more trouble but he rolls to the rope, at least somewhat in desperation. There’s another dragon screw legwhip but the Shining Wizard is blocked by a forearm to the knee. Back up and Taniguchi hits an ax handle to the chest for two but Muto kicks out the knee again. They strike it out until Taniguchi hits a German suplex into a chokeslam for two.

What looked to be Punt to the arm keeps Muto in trouble and a pair of top rope splashes give Taniguchi two more. Muto is right back with another pair of dragon screw legwhips and the Shining Wizard connects. This time it’s Taniguchi up first but Muto kicks his way out of another chokeslam. A Shining Wizard to the back of the head sets up a regular version to pin Taniguchi at 13:53.

Rating: B-. Muto looked old, but there was something to the idea of him using the classic offense that got him here, even against a younger guy like Taniguchi. There is always something to be said about the old dog having one more big win in him, and given that he would win the World Title soon after this, that seems to be the story they were telling. Muto was a little repetitive in there, but what are you expecting from someone pushing 60?

GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Stinger vs. Momo No Seishun Tag

That would be Stinger (Hayata/Yoshinari Ogawa) challenging Momo No Seishun Tag (Atsushi Kotoge/Saisuke Harada) and egads I’m never going to keep this straight. I believe Harada is also the Junior Heavyweight singles champion, or at least he has another title with him. Stinger jumps the champs before the bell and Kotoge hits a Side Effect for two on Hayata. That’s enough to send Hayata to the floor but he comes back in for the slugout with Harada.

Everything breaks down in a hurry and the champs nail stereo elbows in the corner. Some running kicks put Hayata on the floor as Momo, who seem to be the faces here, are starting very fast. Stereo dives put Stinger down on the floor again and it’s Hayata being thrown back in for two. A toss into the air leaves him crashing back down so Ogawa tries his luck for a change. That means another trip out to the floor for all of two seconds, followed by Harada hitting a discus forearm back inside.

Kotoge adds a missile dropkick for two and it’s a figure four necklock over the ropes to keep Ogawa in trouble. With that broken up, Hayata comes in and it’s time to start working on Kotoge’s arm. Ogawa drives in some knees to the arm to set up a hammerlock as things slow down for the first time. The arm is wrapped around the rope so Ogawa can get in a chop, followed by Hayata’s jumping kick to the arm.

They head outside with the arm going into the barricade as the target is fairly clear at the moment. Back in and Hayata grabs the keylock so Kotoge gets a foot on the rope. Hayata puts on a short armscissors as Ogawa holds Harada back in a smart move. A rope is finally reaches and Kotoge suplexes his way to freedom. That’s not enough for the tag though as Ogawa is right back in to send the bad arm into the corner, followed by the post for a bonus. The seated armbar goes on and this time it’s Hayata cutting off Harada. Dang that is going to be a heck of a hot tag after this much build up.

Harada finally breaks free and makes the save, allowing Kotoge to score with a superkick. Kotoge comes out of the corner with a running knee and that’s enough for the hot tag off to Harada. House is cleaned with a variety of running forearms and Harada has to fight both of them off at once. Ogawa grabs the referee to block a suplex and kicks Harada down but he’s right back up with a shot to the ribs.

Harada goes up but dives into a knee low, allowing the tag off to Hayata for two off a middle rope moonsault. Hayata’s rather complicated rollup gets two but Harada catches him in a belly to back suplex. The hot tag brings in Kotage to start cleaning house (it’s rather dirty this match) but gets in a strike off with Harada.

Back up and Harada pulls him into a snap DDT for a breather but Ogawa comes in with a DDT of his own. Everything breaks down again and it’s Ogawa getting double teamed, including a kick to the head into a Samoan driver for two. Hayata gets kneed in the face and it’s a top rope elbow into a top rope splash. Kotage hits a knee to Hayata but Ogawa is right there to tie the legs up for the pin and the titles at 23:29.

Rating: B. This got the time and built up throughout, making a heck of a title match and change. I liked the ending a lot, as Ogawa didn’t really so much beat Kotage as much as he caught him, which makes sense given what they were doing here. This was the best match of the show so far by a good while and felt like a special moment with the title change. Good stuff here, as both teams were feeling it by the end.

Post match here is Sugiura-gun for what seems to be a brawl and a challenge to the new champs.

We get a video on I believe the next match. This aired earlier in the night.

National Title: Kenoh vs. Kaito Kiyomiya

Kenoh is defending and has a bunch of people in red shirts behind him (seems to be part of Kongo). They go straight to the slugout to start and trade some strikes to the face for one counts, meaning it’s an early standoff. Kaito works on a headlock and hangs on despite a top wristlock attempt. A slam into a jumping elbow has Kenoh in trouble so they head outside, where Kenoh whips him hard into the barricade. A suplex brings Kaito over the barricade and they head back inside for a reverse chinlock.

Kenoh drops some knees on the back for two but Kaito is right back with a running clothesline. A spinning middle rope shot to the face drops Kenoh again and the fans approve, though not as much when Kenoh is sent outside. The really big flip dive has Kenoh in more trouble but Kaito is down with him. Back in and Kaito’s missile dropkick gets two but a dropkick to the knee is countered into a jumping stomp to the ribs (that was sweet).

That puts them both down again but it’s Kenoh up first with a running dropkick to the back of the head. Kaito flips over to the apron and comes back in with a slingshot shoulder to the back of the knee to get creative. There’s a belly to back suplex for two but it’s time to strike it out and glare at each other a lot. An exchange of forearms goes to Kaito but Kenoh nails an enziguri to set up an ankle lock. That’s broken up so Kenoh hits some middle rope moonsault knees (freaking ow man) into a top rope double stomp for another near fall.

That means it’s time to go up again but this time, Kaito dropkicks him out of the air. Kenoh grabs a sleeper but Kaito breaks that up as well and they’re both down. A spinning kick to the head rocks Kaito but he’s right back up with a dropkick. The running knee rocks Kenoh and a German suplex drops him again. A tiger suplex gets two and Kenoh is done. Kaito slowly picks him back up but gets pulled into a sleeper with Kenoh on his back. It doesn’t take long to put Kaito down and he taps out at 19:28.

Rating: B. Another good match here with both guys feeling like they had a game plan until one of them actually worked. Kaito looked like he was trying to pick Kenoh apart while Kenoh was looking for an opening to steal a win. It was another hard hitting match where you could figure out what is going on throughout. On top of that, it was nice to have the other Kongo guys just stand there instead of get involved. They were there and then they didn’t do anything but watch. How nice is that?

We recap the Tag Team Title match. The champs were challenged and they accepted. Then we get a Masahiro Chono cameo where he shouts I AM CHONO. Again, this aired earlier.

Tag Team Titles: Sugiura-gun vs. M’s Alliance

The Alliance (Masakatsu Funaki/Naomichi Marufuji) is challenging Kazushi Sakuraba/Takashi Sugiura. The Alliance also has a woman and two older men with them and they don’t get their Twitter graphics. Chono is here with the champs (I would know those sunglasses anywhere) along with another guy not important enough to get a graphic. Funaki and Sakuraba go to the mat to start with Funaki getting the better of things, including getting a bodyscissors and trying a choke.

A cross armbreaker is countered as well so Sakuraba goes to the ropes to avoid a kneebar. Sakuraba goes for an armbar (which seems to be a big deal), sending Funaki to the ropes for a change. Back up and Funaki hits him in the face, which draws quite the gasp. Sugiura comes in to slap Funaki in the face so Funaki strikes away and grabs a rear naked choke. The ropes save Sugiura as well so it’s off to Marufuji and his shiny pants.

The MMA style ends in a hurry with a piledriver onto the apron to knock Sugiura silly. Sugiura pulls himself up for the slugout but it’s off to Funaki for some kicks in the corner. Something like a crossface chickenwing sends Sugiura to the ropes so Marufuji hits a running double stomp for two. It’s back to Funaki to strike away until Sugiura snaps off a German suplex to a very positive reaction. Sakuraba comes back in to choke Funaki but gets dropped on his head instead.

Marufuji comes back in to chop Sugiura, who is right back with a release gordbuster. A delayed superplex plants Marufuji for two as Sakuraba and Funaki fight to the floor. Marufuji grabs a short armscissors but gets reversed into a guillotine to put him in even more trouble. Funaki is back in with a chinlock to break it up (that’s kind of a new one) and Marufuji grabs Sliced Bread for two more.

Not to be outdone, Sugiura nails a spear and they’re both down for a bit. Sakuraba comes back in to knock Funaki off the apron and prevent a tag, like a good partner should. We get the big Marufuji vs. Sakuraba chop off with Marufuji kicking him down. A big kick to the face gives Marufuji two but Sakuraba is back up with a pretty nasty (and weird) leglock on Marufuji. It’s switched into a more traditional kneebar and Marufuji taps at 21:23.

Rating: B. Another good and hard hitting match with both teams feeling a lot more serious than in other matches. This definitely had more of an MMA feel to it and that made for a rather intense match. What we got here worked, though I have no idea what the deal was with Chono etc. The good thing is that it didn’t seem to mind, which is the sign of a pretty good match. Nice stuff here, again.

Post match Chono gets in the ring and orders the woman and older man who came to the ring with the Alliance to come inside. Chono yells at them but shakes the woman’s hand and they all pose. The older man tells the woman something and she slaps Chono in the face. The two of them leave but Chono poses with the champs and seems rather pleased. More posing ensues.

We recap the main event, which seems to involve challenger Katsuhiko Nakajima winning a competition of some sort to become #1 contender. Go Shiozaki seems ready for the challenge.

GHC Heavyweight Title: Go Shiozaki vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima

Shiozaki is defending and Nakajima (I believe part of Kongo) sits on the turnbuckle during the Big Match Intros. They start rather slowly as we see Shiozaki’s taped up shoulder. Nakajima is backed into the ropes for a clean break, complete with a hard stare. A charge into the corner sends Nakajima bailing to the floor for a breather as they seem to have a lot of time here.

Back in and Shiozaki hits a flying shoulder for the first big knockdown and a chop gives him the second. Another missed charge lets Nakajima score with a superkick in the corner though and it’s time to choke on the apron. Shiozaki blocks a kick though and snaps off an exploder suplex, with Nakajima landing head first on the apron for the terrifying crash. Kongo checks on Nakajima and thankfully he gets back inside.

Nakajima manages to knock him outside for a needed breather and a running kick from the apron drops Shiozaki again. There’s a hard whip into the barricade and Shiozaki makes it worse by chopping the post. Back in and….they head outside all over again so Nakajima can wrap the bad arm around the barricade. The arm goes into the post and Shiozaki has to dive back in to beat the count. Nakajima kicks at the arm some more and the seemingly not that bright Shiozaki uses the bad arm to chop.

This manages to put Shiozaki down and the cross armbreaker has him getting straight to the rope. Back up (as we are somehow fifteen minutes into this) and Shiozaki hits a boot in the corner, followed by a middle rope shoulder. The rapid fire chops (with the bad arm) set up a clothesline for two and a fisherman’s buster gets the same. Nakajima manages an abdominal stretch but Shiozaki makes the rope and comes back with a hard clothesline. Another clothesline drops Nakajima again and they both need a breather.

They get up and chop it out again with Shiozaki starting to Hulk Up. Shiozaki’s chops stagger Nakajima, who comes right back with some hard kicks to the chest. You can see Nakajima’s chest breaking up and they trade suplexes, with Shiozaki getting the better of things. They get back up for another strike off but you can feel the energy going down. It’s Nakajima bending first this time off a big chop but he says bring it on and they pick up the pace until an exchange of strikes put both of them down again.

Back up again and Nakajima hits some superkicks, only to have Shiozaki hit something like a suplex into a Rock Bottom. Nakajima gets smart by taking him down into a seated armbar, which he switches into a cross armbreaker with Shiozaki’s other arm trapped underneath. That’s countered as well so Shiozaki goes up, earning himself a spinwheel kick to the face.

Nakajima’s super hurricanrana is blocked but they nearly crash to the floor anyway. Another whip sends Shiozaki into the barricade but he bounces back with a hard lariat to put them both down on the floor. Back in again and Shiozaki hits a spinning slap to the head and something like an arm trap belly to back gets two. The moonsault hits raised knees and Nakajima kicks him in the head for a rather dramatic knockdown.

Something close to a Punt knocks Shiozaki even sillier and Nakajima rains down hard forearms. The referee checks on Shiozaki but he pulls himself up, only to get brainbustered back down for two. Nakajima can’t believe the kickout and somehow Shiozaki manages a cobra clutch suplex.

There’s another lariat for two on Nakajima and now the moonsault connects, but Shiozaki bangs up the arm so the delayed cover is only good for two. Another lariat drops Nakajima again and he looks a little spent. Yet another lariat gets two, with Nakajima needing the ropes for the save. Shiozaki is just done with this and picks Nakajima up for a standing lariat to retain at 42:40.

Rating: A-. The word that kept coming to my mind here was “struggle”. This felt like a fight until one of them could no longer stand up and that made for a heck of a showdown. The exchange of strikes with both of them slowly being broken down got me pulled into the match and Shiozaki came off like the one who survived in the end. The arm being used so much was a bit much, but other than that, this was a heck of a fight and I wanted to see how it was going to end.

Post match we get a staredown between I believe Kazushi Sakuraba and Kenoh from earlier but they both leave. A guy in a black shirt stays and seems to praise Shiozaki, which the fans appreciate. Shiozaki says something and they shake hands, with the guy in the black shirt leaving. I believe Shiozaki thanks the fans and shouts NOAH a lot to wrap it up.

Commentary talks for a few minutes to wrap up the show.

Overall Rating: A-. This didn’t start off great but they hit a stride and got into a heck of a groove a little over halfway through. The action was mostly awesome and while I have almost no idea what is going on here (though I could get the gist of things through the videos), I had a good time with a show which didn’t feel as long as it was. Noah isn’t exactly the top level promotion, but this was a very good show with all kinds of action. The main event was a blast, which doesn’t surprise me given what I’ve seen from Shiozaki before. Rather awesome show here, assuming you can find it.

 

 

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