NJPW POWER STRUGGLE (11/9/2013) Review

DARK MATCH: CHAOS (Yujiro Takahashi, YOSHI-HASHI, Rocky Romero and Alex Koslov) vs. Manabu Nakanishi, Captain New Japan, KUSHIDA and BUSHI

This began with Koslov and KUSHIDA starting the match. And then Captain New Japan and YOSHI-HASHI tagged in. Jarring. CHAOS worked on Captain as you’d expect, before Nakanishi got the tag. Nakanishi managed a double northern lights suplex on Yujiro and YOSHI-HASHI and did his old man dive, before Forever Hooligans beat BUSHI with the Contract Killer. After the match Yujiro convinced a fan to kiss Koslov in what was perhaps the sole highlight.

Winners via pinfall (9:51): Yujiro, YOSHI-HASHI, Koslov and Romero (1/2*)

MATCH 1: IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Suzuki-gun (TAKA Michinoku and Taichi) (CHAMPIONS) vs. The Young Bucks

The Young Bucks, pretty surprisingly, won the recent junior tag team tournament to earn a shot at the titles, a tournament in which they were debuting with the company. Bit of an odd dynamic, as TAKA and Taichi are established baddies and the Young Bucks are part of Bullet Club, also notorious baddies. It’s a bit like if the Wyatt Family had gotten had a tag team title match against the Shield three weeks after debuting. Except with more superkicks.

TAKA and Taichi controlled at the start, before the Bucks cut off TAKA and showed off some of their trademark double teams. Which aren’t trademarks in Japan yet, so didn’t get huge reactions, but give it time. The crowd actually got behind Taichi when he got the tag, which doesn’t happen often. Or ever, really. The match picked up when Nick hit a somersault dive over the guard rail, followed by TAKA hitting his running springboard dive over the rail. TAKA and Taichi had the match won with a double team air raid crash, but Nick stopped the referee’s arm from counting three. The referee ended up getting knocked down, missing Matt tapping to the Just Facelock. After another referee divertion the Bucks hit a double superkick for two. Taichi broke up the pin after the double team tombstone, but the Bucks got rid of him and hit More Bang For Your Buck to, maybe more surprisingly than winning the junior tag tournament, win the Junior Tag Titles.

After the match Forever Hooligans came out and claimed they were the rightful champions, demanding to be next challengers. KUSHIDA interrupted Romero as he was screaming “forever” and challenged the Bucks as well, because Time Splitters would be coming (back) soon. Taichi and TAKA threw out a challenge as well.

Winners via pinfall and new champions (9:23): The Young Bucks (**1/2)

MATCH 2: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tomoaki Honma

Honma surprised Shibata with a lariat on the bell, giving him an early advantage. It didn’t last long as Shibata fired up and put a beating on Honma, which Honma tried to fire up against but couldn’t. Shibata went after the leg and almost won with a long figure four. Honma did mount a fight late on and blocked the PK kick, only for Shibata to slap him until he bled from the mouth. Honma came back with a lariat and got a two count off a brainbuster. Shibata avoided the headbutt off the top though and eventually put Honma away, with the Shouten, which is Hirooki Goto’s move. Chances are we’ll be getting that, again, at 1/4. If anything Honma hung around a bit too long here, considering this only existed to give Shibata a strong win. Entertaining for what it was though.

Winner via pinfall (9:44): Katsuyori Shibata (**1/4)

MATCH 3: Yuji Nagata and Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Takashi Iizuka and Toru Yano

Before the match, Iizuka handcuffed the forever unfortunate commentator and did this to him.

That’s commitment.

Yano and Iizuka jumped Sakuraba as he came out, but Nagata made the save before they could spray paint him as well. We got a few minutes of crowd brawling before the match itself actually started, which unsurprisingly was the most Dragon Gate thing about this match. Nagata got taped to the rail and spray painted with black paint during this, which left Sakuraba two on one. Liberal cheating from Iizuka and Yano throughout. Nagata got untied and tried to make a save but couldn’t, before the match finally turned into something resembling an actual tag team match and Nagata made a comeback. Sakuraba put on some MMA gloves and laid into Iizuka with punches before Yano and Iizuka used a chair and Iizuka tried to use the Iron Finger From Hell. However, Sakuraba used blue mist, which got a big pop, then Sakuraba and Nagata used a duelling kimura and arm bar, complete with eyes rolled back into the head, to tap Iizuka and Yano out.

Not much of a match in the traditional sense, but plenty of mayhem, a great finish and a perfect way to establish Nagata and Sakuraba as a team going into the Tokyo Dome. Give me this wackiness over the faux MMA any day. Sadly, Nagata and Sakuraba’s opponents on January 4th are two random Gracies, so don’t expect this kind of fun there.

Winners via submission (8:08): Yuji Nagata and Kazushi Sakuraba (**)

MATCH 4: IWGP TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP and NWA WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP, DOUBLE TITLE TWO FALL THREE WAY MATCH

Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima (IWGP CHAMPIONS) vs. Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer) (NWA CHAMPIONS) vs. Rob Conway and Jax Dane

This was set up on the NWA show in Texas that Tenzan and KES were on. Basically, the rules were like the Kurt Angle match at Wrestlemania 2000. The first fall was for the NWA Tag Team Championship and the second fall for the IWGP Tag Team Championship.

Bruce Tharpe was there to fly the flag, literally, for the NWA. If you haven’t seen Jax, imagine someone who likes chanting “Goldberg” at Ryback needed someone to chant “Ryback” at. The first fall was basically a brawl, which the NWA team ended up getting the better of. Kojima ran wild for a while and Conway took a TenKoji Cutter, but Tharpe distracted Kojima as he teased the lariat and Jax hit a spear, setting up the Ego Trip from Conway. KES attacked to start the second fall and hit the Killer Bomb but the pin was broken up. Davey Boy decided to put on his entrance mask for some reason. Kojima gave Conway a lariat and Davey Boy almost won with a powerbomb, before KES hit the Killer Bomb on Kojima and then Tenzan to win the (other) titles. This match will be remembered in the record books and nowhere else.

MATCH 5: Bullet Club (Prince Devitt and Bad Luck Fale) vs. Togi Makabe and Kota Ibushi

Makabe and Fale had a big man battle to start, which Fale got the better of, before Ibushi and Devitt squared off. Just as Ibushi was getting going, Devitt spat at Ibushi and tagged out, long enough to help Fale hit a shot to the gut, before tagging back in with Ibushi hurt. Great man. Makabe ran through Devitt when he got the tag but missed the King Kong Kneedrop. After hitting a double clothesline, Makabe set Fale and Devitt up for Ibushi’s triangle moonsault. In the end, after some near falls for Devitt and Ibushi, Makabe saved Ibushi from the T-Shock by Fale and Fale accidentally splashed Devitt in the corner. That lead to Ibushi hitting a Phoenix Splash to pin Devitt, which should lead to their inevitable title match at 1/4. Fale and Makabe brawled after the match to set something up between them as well.

Winners via pinfall (11:16): Togi Makabe and Kota Ibushi (**1/2)

MATCH 6: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii

This was the rematch of their G1 MOTYC from August 2nd. Tanahashi has about five of those contenders himself. And he’s, by all reports, been pretty beaten up for a while. His ribs were clearly taped here. Crowd seemed split at the start. Lots of forearms early and Ishii had the upper hand. Ishii caught Tanahashi coming off the ropes with a german suplex and Tanahashi sold his neck. He then took out Ishii’s leg and focused on that. But Ishii avoided a dropkick to the knee and took out Tanahashi’s leg in response. Ishii hit a delayed superplex and a powerbomb for two counts, before Tanahashi came back with a big slap that floored Ishii. Ishii survived a texas cloverleaf and kicked out of a german suplex. When Tanahashi went for the frog splash, Ishii prevented him from getting away by hooking his leg, then met him on the ropes. Tanahashi finally hit a High Fly Flow crossbody and a dragon suplex, only for Ishii to hit one of his own. Tanahashi immediately fired up and hit a Sling Blade, but Ishii then kicked out at one. Another superplex got a big near fall for Ishii. Tanahashi kicked out of a lariat at one and countered a second with one of his own. They exchanged headbutts, before Tanahashi hit a Styles Clash and the High Fly Flow for the win. This wasn’t quite on the level of the first match, but was never realistically going to be. Still very good stuff from both.

Winner via pinfall (17:39): Hiroshi Tanahashi (****1/4)

MATCH 7: NEVER OPEN WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP AND TOKYO DOME CONTRACT

Tetsuya Naito (CHAMPION) vs. Masato Tanaka

After winning the G1, Naito announced among other things his intention to avenge his loss to Tanaka in July at Kizuna Road. He beat Tanaka in September to win the NEVER Championship. Since then he’s been defending the belt and his title shot at the Tokyo Dome, earned by winning the G1. After some hard chops from both guys, Tanaka hit Naito with the kendo stick and put Naito through a table with a splash to the floor. The table broke in a really awkward place around Naito’s head, which cut open his forehead and his shoulder. Not fun.

This at least served to get the crowd behind Naito more, as Tanaka took control. Naito got back into the match until he took a lariat on the apron. Also not fun. Tanaka hit a big DDT and a brainbuster for two. Naito avoided a sliding lariat and hit a german, but Tanaka rolled through and hit the Sliding D to the back of the head. Naito came back again though and put together a flurry of moves, ending with the Gloria to set up the Stardust Press. But Tanaka rolled out of the way. An exchange of strikes lead to another couple of lariats by Tanaka for a near fall. A brutal sliding lariat got two, before Naito started to go for quick pins. He finally hit a couple of dragon suplexes, before winning with the Stardust Press. Naito couldn’t have took much more of a beating and he won, which should in theory stand him in some good stead for his Tokyo Dome main event run. The crowd weren’t too loud at the end though and there did seem to be one solitary person intent on booing him. Wrestling fans.

Winner via pinfall and still champion (15:47): Tetsuya Naito (***3/4)

MATCH 8: IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Shinsuke Nakamura (CHAMPION) vs. Minoru Suzuki

Stipulation here was if Nakamura lost, he’d have to leave CHAOS and join Suzuki-gun. After some mat work at the start, Nakamura tried a Boma Ye on the apron and went knee first into the ring post. Suzuki worked over the leg for much of the match. Nakamura fought back and a forearm exchange broke out. Nakamura countered the piledriver and escaped the choke a couple of times. Nakamura hit a Boma Ye off the second rope. Suzuki came back with a flurry of slaps but couldn’t get the piledriver. Suzuki countered a Boma Ye into a leg submission and sort of they teased a stoppage. Eventually Suzuki let go and tried the piledriver again. But Nakamura kicked his way free, hit two Boma Ye’s and got the pin. Crowd really weren’t that into this, especially for Osaka. Although to be fair, by Osaka standards they weren’t great all show.

After the match, Nakamura called out Tanahashi and agreed to a title match for the Tokyo Dome.

Winner via pinfall and still champion (19:05): Shinsuke Nakamura (***)

MATCH 9: IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Kazuchika Okada (CHAMPION) vs. “Machine Gun” Karl Anderson

Anderson had Fale, Devitt and The Young Bucks at ringside with him. Okada rejected a handshake to start the match and after it seemed like Anderson was fighting fair, he faked him out on a second handshake later, but Okada warded off any Bullet Club interference. Bullet Club eventually did get involved, as Anderson distracted the referee and both Okada and Gedo got attacked four on two. Anderson gave Okada a neckbreaker off the guard rail and worked on the neck. The crowd were behind Okada more than they were into most of the previous matches. Okada made a comeback and gave Anderson a draping DDT off the rail, then used a chair while the referee was keeping the Bullet Club back. When Okada teased the Rainmaker though the Bucks jumped on the apron, setting up a spinebuster from Anderson. Anderson got some two counts before mocking the Rainmaker pose. Okada countered the resulting Gun Stun though. As they fought on the apron Anderson took out the referee, allowing Fale to grab Okada and hold him for an Anderson boot. He then gave Okada a powerbomb on the edge of the apron. A second rope TKO got a near fall and a Bernard Driver got an even closer one straight after. Okada countered a running powerbomb into a modified neckbreaker to get back in it. Okada won a battle of forearms and after a series of Gun Stun and Rainmaker counters, Okada finally hit the Rainmaker. Only for Devitt to pull the referee out at 2. The Young Bucks hit a double superkick but ran into a pair of flapjacks. Gedo hit Fale with a chair to save Okada from the Grenade and Devitt took a dropkick as well. Left alone, Anderson then backed into a dropkick to the back of the head, took a tombstone and a second Rainmaker for the pin this time. This had less Bullet Club antics than the Devitt matches did but accomplished the same thing, so thumbs up.

Post match Gedo called out Naito, who came out to set up the Tokyo Dome main event. After a not so impressive reaction earlier, a few more people in the crowd joined in the booing of Naito here. It wasn’t more than a handful of people, but it was noticeable. And strangely similar to the reaction Okada got when he first challenged Tanahashi at the 2012 Tokyo Dome show. Clearly Okada’s the crowd favourite going into next year’s show and I wouldn’t be surprised if NJPW took note of this and turned Naito before January 4th.

Winner via pinfall and still champion (22:50): Kazuchika Okada (****1/4)

For an Osaka NJPW show, this would be a minor disappointment. But those are pretty lofty standards. The first half of the show in particular was, aside from a few noteable moments, just there. In the second half there were two standout matches, although if you’re a regular NJPW viewer, Okada and Anderson have probably had slightly better matches in the past, as did Tanahashi and Ishii in their one meeting so far. But, again, pretty lofty standards. Certainly both of those matches here were well worth watching, as was Naito and Tanaka. And now, it’s on to the Tokyo Dome. Okada versus Naito. And Tanahashi versus Nakamura.