NJPW’s King of Pro Wrestling is now in the history books and it has been one of the best shows of the entire year despite a lot of mishaps and changes in the card. Here is my review of the recently concluded event.
Match #1 – Tag Team Match (El Desperado Comeback):
El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru def. Roppongi 3K
So this was originally supposed to be a six man tag featuring DOUKI on the Suzuki-Gun team and Taguchi with RP3K but the card changed as well as other matches due to some travel issues that we’ll get onto later.
This was Desperado’s first match back since his recovery from a jaw injury suffered at the hands of Jun Kasai in an independent show. Boy did he looked great! He did not miss a step and looks to be in better shape. Plus he wore the same attire that still got the blood during the aforementioned match where he suffered the injury. As expected from these two rival teams it was a fast-paced action that saw Desperado get the win over SHO with a Pinche Loco at the 10 minute and 44 second mark. A solid way to open up the show.
Match #2 – Tag Team Match (Tanahashi’s 20th Anniversary Match):
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomoaki Honma def. Most Violent Players
Let’s just appreciate Hiroshi Tanahashi’s greatness for a moment. The Ace has been going at it strong for two decades straight now and has dedicated his life to New Japan Pro Wrestling. To me, he will always be the greatest of all time in the company’s history.
With that out of the way, I thought this was a pretty good match considering all the men involved. Makabe actually took some bumps if you can believe it, Yano did his thing, and Honma was okay for a man who was nearly crippled. Overall it was just a fun little match that did not overstay it’s welcome. Tana got the pin over Yano with his signature High Fly Flow at the 9 minute and 43 second mark.
The rumor of Chris Jericho returning and attacking Tana to set up a match at Wrestle Kingdom did not take place, if this was true then it was probably interfered by the super typhoon Hagibis as well.
Match #3 – Tag Team Match:
Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi vs. Taichi & DOUKI
Another change on the card, originally a six man tag ft. LIJ’s Naito, Shingo, and BUSHI against Suzuki-Gun’s ZSJ, Archer, and Taichi. Unfortunately for Zack he wasn’t able to travel in time so DOUKI replaced him and this got turned into a tag-team match because Lance Archer was moved into the US Title match which we’ll get more into later.
This was just a typical tag match. Nothing noteworthy really. Ended in a disqualification when the Suzuki-Gun members attacked everyone on sight with foreign objects. Taichi would then berate Naito after the match setting up a special bout between the two at Power Struggle. I honestly am not sure where this rivalry leads to but it sucks to see Naito on midcard feuds right now as a fan of his but I’ve already complained enough.
Match #4 – Special Singles Match:
Minoru Suzuki def. Jushin “Thunder” Liger
To me and possibly a lot of other fans, this was the most anticipated match of the night. Months and months of buildup went into this. I’d say it was all worth it.
Suzuki and Liger are pretty much legends at this point but this match proved as to why. Personally when I usually watch matches I sometimes check my phone or open up a new tab in the PC or whatnot but not in this one. I was glued into my eyes for the whole 17 minute match and every move whether it’s a simple submission hold or a strike fest feels like it meant something. It speaks volume to the greatness of these two when it comes to controlling the crowd even beyond those who are live in attendance.
As for the match itself though these two have seemingly built up a lot of hatred through the months getting into this. We were promised a fight, a blood bath even. What we got though was a straight up wrestling match reminiscent of the days of Pancrase. At least that’s how it felt to me. Very UWF-esque if you will, add in with some modern day strong style. I actually liked it although I would understand the disappointment of some expecting a more death match style but honestly, this was as perfect as any match two men in their 50’s could give. Some are also expecting another appearance of Kishin Liger and I thought he’d return too but we got “Fighter Liger” which I thought worked fine. Kishin is supposed to appear rarely, it is like mythology. The version of Liger we saw is like a superhero finally taking on the super villain.
In the end though, Suzuki got the win after a hard fought battle between the two with a Gotch Style Piledriver. For a moment I thought Liger would be the first one to kick out of that move but nobody ever will it seems like. It all concluded greatly and I got chills for real, with Suzuki bowing to his arch nemesis. Proving that there will always be respect between these two icons of pro wrestling. Will possibly go down as my favorite moment of the entire year.
Match #5 – IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship:
Will Ospreay def. El Phantasmo
Let me go ahead and say it, this was El Phantasmo’s best match in his NJPW run so far and possibly of his entire career, while for Ospreay? Well with his body of work this was just another 4-star+ level match for him. This is only Ospreay’s second defense of his third reign as IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, funnily enough the first one was against Robbie Eagles in the Australian tour whom he has been since recruited to CHAOS from Bullet Club.
This was just a fantastic match from top to bottom, especially if you’re a fan of the highflying style. For most of Phantasmo’s matches in New Japan, he seems to be more into his character more than anything. Taunting the opponents and the fans but this time it’s different. It was all serious business with him for the most part. Even the interferences from their respective partners (Eagles & Ishimori) added to the story of the match. I really enjoyed this and from a technical perspective this is easily match of the night but from a sentimental point of view I still give the edge to Liger and Suzuki.
I thought they would’ve gone all in to Phantasmo having been dominant since his debut at BOSJ, winning the Super J Cup and the Junior Tag Titles but Ospreay is still alive as champion and will likely enter Wrestle Kingdom with the belt.
Match #6 – Six Man Tag Team Match:
Goto, Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI def. Jay White, KENTA, & Yujiro
This was more of a “breather” match before the final three title matches. Building up the Power Struggle matches between Jay White vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, and the rematch between Tomohiro Ishii and KENTA for the NEVER Openweight Championship. Not much to say other than it was your standard six man tag. All men involved got their stuff in and didn’t really clogged a lot of the match time which was fine. A GTR to the Tokyo Pimp got the CHAOS trio the victory.
Match #7 – IWGP US Heavyweight Championship (Vacant):
Lance Archer def. Juice Robinson
As you all know originally Jon Moxley was set to defend the US Heavyweight Title against his rival Juice to possibly conclude the feud here. But alas, typhoon Hagibis came to play and had to interfere what would’ve been one helluva match. Mox was not able to travel from the States to Japan and NJPW were forced to relinquish the belt from him and vacate it temporarily. The man who replaced him though is Suzuki-Gun member: Lance Archer who had a resurgence for his singles career this year with the company.
The match went on with its No DQ stipulation, it was just an all out chaotic brawl but didn’t last too long. Archer dominated for the most part but Juice still managed to get some hopeful comeback spots. In the end though the dominant big man got the win and his first singles championship in his New Japan run. All the work Archer has put through has totally been worth it and I’m glad it’s getting paid off with this solid victory! As for Juice though you gotta feel bad, he was probably set to win the belt over Mox to get his win back but alas natural disasters got in the way and a new champion was crowned, it wasn’t him though. Pity.
We got a return after the match though, David Finlay (son of Fit Finlay) is back after months of recovery from injury as well! Him and Juice have formed a bond being school mates in the dojo before, Finlay attempted to rescue Juice from Archer after a post-match beatdown but he himself faced the wrath of Archer. Personally, I’m not the biggest David Finlay fan in the world, I think he needs a new gimmick other than being a fourth generation wrestler, but we’ll see where he goes from here. Other than the obvious World Tag League run with Juice down the line.
Match #8 – IWGP Heavyweight Championship No. 1 Contender Match:
Kota Ibushi def. EVIL
It was Light vs. Darkness. What else is there to say? Ibushi also had a solid run so far this year, possibly one of, if not the best, year of his career. EVIL continues to prove why he is such an underrated talent. Put all of those factors together and you got yourself a great match.
We’ve witnessed a solid back-and-forth between the two. As usual though in the middle of the match, EVIL was dominating for the most part before Ibushi went on to have a babyface comeback only he can deliver and ending up getting the win after a Kamigoye at the 24 minute mark.
The only thing I’d say “bad” about it, was that I enjoyed their G1 Climax match earlier this year just a tad bit better. Obviously this was still top notch performance, but there was something about that match that I just enjoyed a little bit more than this one. Probably the result. Other than Ibushi successfully retains and this won’t be the last time we’ll see him in the night.
Match #9 – IWGP Heavyweight Championship:
Kazuchika Okada def. SANADA
193 days as champion in his fifth reign. This is defense number four for Okada and his best one yet in terms of emotion. As usual we get the slow start that would pick up the pace as we go through the climax and conclusion. It’s the formula for an Okada match at this point and it still works for me and for a lot of fans too. It can be polarizing but hey, as long as it is not broken, don’t fix it as they say.
A lot of callbacks from their previous matches, and as soon as the pace started to go faster everything went smoothly. The only thing I’d hope though is that this is the last time we’ll see these two for now. Keep the “friendly rivalry” going but once SANADA truly breaks out as a singles star (being gone from Naito’s shadow in LIJ) then you can come back to this. Because that’s the thing, I’m not as invested into this match unlike their previous ones first at the New Japan Cup finals and at Wrestling Dontaku.
Anyway, instead of going all out with the Skull End submission hold, SANADA decided to go for theatrics and attempted a Mutoh Moonsault in tribute to his senpai but it cost him the match. One Rainmaker was all it took for Okada to successfully defend the championship once more. An emotional SANADA was in tears post match and man it truly made you feel for him. Another “failure” in his book after having just built up some momentum. We’ll see where he goes from here.
After the match, Kota Ibushi officially challenged Okada for the main event of Night 1 at Wrestle Kingdom 14. It was accepted and it has been set. Okada vs. Ibushi at the Tokyo Dome. It’s going to be fantastic!
