NJPW AXS TV Results
Mitchell’s NJPW AXS TV Results: New Year Dash 2019, Part 1!
NJPW New Year Dash coverage begins! After the shocking EIGHT title changes at Wrestle Kingdom 13, what will 2019 mean for all the championships?
Coverage of New Year Dash 2019 will be as aired on AXS TV.
Gifs can be found courtesy of http://frentique.tumblr.com/
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Best Friends VS David Finlay & Juice Robinson; Finlay & Robinson win, by disqualification.
- Six Man Tag: Will Ospreay, Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii VS Yuji Nagata, Kushida & Jeff Cobb; Ospreay, Goto & Ishii win.
- 10 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Suzuki-Gun; Suzuki-Gun wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
NJPW and AXS set the scene!
We move from 2018 into 2019 and the Wrestle Kingdom 13 aftermath! Los Ingobernables de Japon is completely golden with the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team, IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team and IWGP Intercontinental Championships now around their waists! But that just means it was an even worse night for Suzuki-Gun, with only one win coming in the form of Zack Sabre Jr. winning the Revolution Pro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship. However, just because one year ends doesn’t mean a grudge goes away. Suzuki-Gun looks for revenge in tonight’s massive 10 Man Tag match! Plus, there are many more new champions who will be eagerly awaiting new challengers! Who will have the better start to the New Year?
Best Friends VS David Finlay & Juice Robinson!
Chuckie T & Trent Beretta may not be tag team champions, but there are always opportunities. The same goes for #FinJuice as these good pals team up once again. Will someone earn an opportunity at the United States Champion on top of climbing the tag team ranks?
Finlay starts against the Kentucky Gentleman and they go around. They tie up and Finlay gets a waistlock. Chuckie counters with a drop toehold but Finlay gets a facelock. They stand and Finlay shifts to a headlock but Chuckie powers out. Finlay runs Chuckie over with a shoulder, then fires up with the fans as he runs again. Things speed up and both men show agility, but Finlay dropkicks Chuckie out of the ring. The Best Friends regroup and hug before Chuckie returns to the ring. Tag to Trent and Trent runs right at Finlay. Finlay dropkicks him down and Trent bails out. Trent goes to the crowd? Because he needs a hug from Mama Beretta. Chuckie gets jealous but Trent gives him a shove and says they already hugged. The Best Friends refocus and return to the ring.
Trent kicks Finlay low but Finlay powers out of the headlock. Juice tags and they double bulldog Trent down! Chuckie runs in but into double dropkicks! Finlay and Juice fire up and slingshot onto both Best Friends! Then they hug it out! Juice whips Trent and Finlay whips Chuckie, but both Best Friends reverse to send Finlay and Juice into barriers! Chuckie drags Finlay up and Trent takes aim, flying stomps onto Finlay! Best Friends put Finlay in the ring and Trent drags him up. Trent CHOPS Finlay off his feet, then forearms him to the corner. He fires off more forearms but stops at 4 to tag Chuckie. Chuckie snap suplexes Finlay then covers, TWO! Chuckie keeps his cool as he whips Finlay. He dropkicks Finlay down and enjoys the applause. Tag to Trent, and Trent climbs, big ax handles to Finlay’s back.
Trent kicks Finlay out to the apron but Finlay shoulder sin. Finlay slingshots but into a Northern Lights! Bridging cover, TWO! Trent stalks Finlay and brings him up for another CHOP! Finlay forearms back then runs, but into a back elbow. Trent tags Chuckie and Chuckie throws forearms on Finlay. Chuckie suplexes but Finlay slips out to hit a back suplex! Both men are down and fans fire up. They crawl for their corners, hot tags to Trent and Juice! The Flamboyant One and Trent brawl and trade chops! Juice chops, Trent chops, repeat! Trent gets an edge with those chops, but Juice ducks to start jabbing! Juice winds up but misses, Half ‘n’ Half suplex! Trent runs corner to corner for a back elbow, then hits a tornado but is denied the DDT!
Juice blasts Trent with a shotgun dropkick! He goes corner to corner for a cannonball! Juice fires up and hits Chuckie for good measure before going up top. Juice leaps, but has to roll through as Trent avoids him. Trent gets Juice fast, but Juice rolls through. Juice avoids the knee, and double clotheslines connect. Neither man falls but Trent intercepts Juice’s Left Hand of God! Trent aims, but Juice catches the knee into the LHoG! Juice underhooks Trent, but Trent pops out. Trent whips but Juice reverses only to get the shotgun knee! Both men are down but their partners return, hot tag to Finlay! Finlay intercepts Chuckie then bumps Trent on buckles. Finlay goes corner to corner for endless elbows! Urenage backbreaker, cover, TWO!
Finlay keeps himself fired up but Chuckie uses a chair!?
Winner: David Finlay & Juice Robinson, by disqualification
So much for being a gentleman! Chuckie T tees off on Finlay with that chair! Then he scoop slams Finlay onto the chair before going for more chairs! Chuckie stalks Finlay, armed with another of those chairs. Juice saves Finlay, but then Trent takes the chair. They start shoving, Chuckie throws a chair at Juice’s head! Trent stands by his Best Friend but he still doesn’t get Chuckie’s rage. He gets Chuckie to exit the ring, and they start heading out, but Chuckie suddenly gets back in the ring! Chuckie hits Finlay with the Awful Waffle piledriver on the chair!! What is going on with Chuckie T?!
Six Man Tag: Will Ospreay, Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii VS Yuji Nagata, Kushida & Jeff Cobb!
A few of the men in this match participated in the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship Contenders Gauntlet, but none of them were on the winning team. Meanwhile, the Stone Pitbull and the Time Splitter lost their respective title matches, while the Aerial Assassin came away the new NEVER Openweight Champion. Lines are still forming behind all those titles, which trio gets a leg up in the race?
The teams sort out and we begin with Ospreay and Kushida. These two know each other from their days fighting over the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, and fans are excited for this newest meeting. The two circle but evade, and fans duel for both fan favorites. They tie up and Kushida gets a waistlock. Ospreay switches but so does Kushida. Ospreay goes after the wrist but Kushida reverses to his own wristlock. Kushida wrenches but Ospreay spins through and snapmares. Ospreay wraps Kushida in a chinlock but Kushida slips right out to a wristlock. Ospreay tries again with the snapmare and chinlock, but Kushida slips right back out to another wristlock. They go again, and again, and again, and Kushida still ends up back in control of the wrist.
Ospreay rolls, handsprings and dropkicks Kushida down! Then Goto and Ishii rush the Taguchi Japan corner! Chaos goes after Kushida together with double whips corner to corner. Goto hits a clothesline, Ospreay an elbow, then they feed Kushida to Ishii’s shoulder! Goto kicks Kushida, Ospreay standing shooting stars! Cover, TWO! Kushida survives but Ospreay keeps on him with haymakers. Ospreay brings Kushida over, tag to Ishii. Ishii clubs Kushida down then throws forearms. Ishii CHOPS Kushida off his feet, then eggs him on. Kushida sits up and Ishii toys with him more. Kushida gets in Ishii’s face then starts chopping away. But Ishii isn’t bothered at all, so Kushida uses kicks instead! Ishii CHOPS Kushida off his feet again! Ishii grabs a leg and rolls Kushida over for the Half Crab.
Ospreay goes after Yuji but Blue Justice prevails! Yuji throws Ospreay out then kicks Ishii down! Kushida is free but Ishii now stares down Yuji. Ishii SLAPS Yuji and now it’s a brawl with the ropes between them. Goto keeps on Kushida with a chinlock while the ref is busy with Ishii and Yuji! Ospreay runs in and knocks Jeff Cobb down while Ishii headbutts Yuji! Chaos again isolates Kushida in their corner, tag to Goto. Goto hammers Kushida and snapmares him for a kick! Cover, TWO! Goto stomps Kushida then drags him up for clubbing forearms. He puts Kushida in a corner for stomps, then brings him out for a big hip toss! Cover, TWO! Goto keeps on Kushida with a chinlock, but fans build to a rally. Cover, TWO!
Goto keeps his cool as he stomps Kushida more. He drags Kushida up and whips to ropes, then elbows him down hard. Cover, TWO! Kushida survives but Goto bumps him off buckles. Goto goes to tag but Kushida fights back with fast hands and chops! Kushida backs Goto down but Goto hits back with a forearm. Goto runs in but into a boot! Kushida boots again but Goto blocks. Goto swings, misses, Kushida hits the PELE! Both men are down but fans rally up. Kushida crawls for his corner but Ishii tags in, Ospreay hits Cobb and Ishii hits Yuji. Then they double whip Kushida, but get handspring back elbows! Everyone’s down but Yuji returns! Hot tag to Blue Justice! And he goes right at Ishii with swift kicks!
Yuji whips Ishii corner to corner and hits a helluva kick! He snapmares Ishii to kick him in the abck, but Ishii is just annoyed. Yuji fires off forearms but runs into Ishii’s shoulder. Ishii kicks Yuji, but now Yuji is just as annoyed. They throw forearms over and over, then trash talk as they pick up speed. Neither man backs off but Ishii gets an edge, until Yuji rocks him with one! Blue Justice backs the Stone Pitbull down while we go to break.
NJPW on AXS returns as Ishii stands, only for Yuji to kick him down! Yuji keeps kicking and kicking and kicking, then rains down right forearms! Blue Justice is seeing red as he drags Ishii up. Ishii swings but into a Fujiwara Armbar! Yuji pulls back hard and his eyes roll back. But Ospreay attacks! Fans boo as Ospreay fires forearms, then he runs, but Yuji dumps him out! Ospreay manages to stay on the apron, and he hits Yuji away. Ospreay springboards but into an exploder! Goto helps Ospreay but Yuji’s on Ishii. Yuji gives Ishii a shoulder breaker, then runs. Ishii dodges but gets a boot. Yuji runs but into a powerslam! Ishii tags in Goto! Goto goes at Yuji with a whip but Yuji dodges and fakes him out! Yuji kicks a leg out, and tags in Cobb!
The ROH World Television Champion fires off on Goto! He whips but Goto reverses and redirects, only for Cobb to run him over! Cobb CHOPS Goto, then throws forearms, repeat! Cobb whips again and runs in for a BIG back elbow! Fans fire up with Cobb as he runs, but Goto follows. Cobb sees Goto coming and blocks the clothesline. Cobb runs but Goto blocks the clothesline. Goto dodges but gets scooped. He slips out, but Cobb denies GTR. Cobb suplexes but Goto slips out. Goto forearms Cobb down but Cobb’s right up to clobber Goto! Goto’s right up, both men hit clotheslines! Fans fire up as both men head for their corners. Hot tags to Ospreay and Kushida! The Super Juniors brawl again with forearms and kicks!
Ospreay blocks one kick to stomp the foot, but then things speed up and Kushida hip tosses and cartwheels. Ospreay handsprings but Kushida deflects the dropkick to hit his dropkick! Fans fire up as he handspring kicks Goto and Ishii away! Kushida runs corner to corner but into an enziguri! Ospreay rolls and Tiger Feint Kicks high! Ospreay springboards and hits the flying clothesline! Fans fire up as Ospreay takes aim. Ospreay springboards but Cobb saves Kushida and catches Ospreay! Cobb takes Ospreay for a ride in the swinging Athletic Plex! Ishii runs but gets a boot from Yuji! Cobb and Kushida combine for a wheelbarrow suplex splash! Cover, TWO!! Ospreay survives and Kushida cannot believe it!
A brawl breaks out on the outside as Goto fights Cobb and Ishii fights Yuji. Kushida keeps on Ospreay and his arm, wrenching through to a shoulder breaker. Kushida runs but into the dropkickflip! Ospreay enziguris but Kushida dodges. Kushida kicks at the arm but Ospreay gets out of the way! Kushida rolls and hits the satellite DDT! But he’s not done there, he rolls through but Ospreay knows Back to the Future too well, he counters with a stunner! Ishii adds his Sliding D! And is a step stool for Ospreay’s corkscrew moonsault! Ishii intercepts Yuji while Ospreay covers, but Cobb breaks it on the other end! Another brawl breaks out while Ospreay aims at Kushida again. Crescent Kick, underhook, Canadian Rack, STORMBREAKER!! Chaos wins!!
Winners: Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Will Ospreay, Ospreay pinning
The Aerial Assassin could’ve used that killer backhand that concussed Kota Ibushi, but he thought better of it. Even so, Ospreay has gotten a killer instinct that’s made him a champion. Who will step up to his Openweight Championship?
Wait, Ishii and Yuji aren’t done fighting! They start slapping each other in the ring! Teams and security try to keep these two from going any further but it doesn’t work. The forearms start flying, and tension even mounts between Cobb and Goto. Are we seeing some serious matches in the making?
10 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Suzuki-Gun!
It is no secret that Tetsuya Naito and his band of brothers do NOT get along with the Meanest Man in the World and his cohorts. They’ve had incredible fights and feuds before, but now we have a 5v5 war! Will the now golden ungovernables prevail with the power of Tranquilo? Or will Minori Suzuki and his sinister soldiers spoil the New Year for LIJ already?
But before the bell rings, Taichi SMACKS Naito in the head with a chair!! Naito goes down and a brawl breaks out! Suzuki-Gun throws LIJ out and Taichi grinds the chair into Naito’s head! The bell rings as Taichi stomps Naito in a corner. The rest of LIJ fights off Suzuki and his henchmen, but Taichi keeps his focus on Naito. Seems the Sliest Wrestler in the World is as sadistic as the rest of the faction as he drags Naito up for elbows to the head. Naito writhes and Taichi laughs. Taichi drags Naito up but Shingo Takagi blasts Taichi with a shoulder! The Muscle Dragon gets Naito to safety while teams finally go to corners. Bushi and Desperado tag in, but Desperado runs at Shingo. They collide shoulders but Shingo comes back with another shoulder!
Yoshibu Kanemaru runs in, but he gets a fast scoop slam! Shingo drags Desperado up and the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champions double whip him. Shingo gives Desperado a spinebuster, and then catapults him into Bushi’s haymaker. Desperado falls back against Shingo’s knees, and Bushi runs to add a basement dropkick! Cover, ONE! Bushi keeps on Desperado with stomps and a choke using his shirt! The ref counts and Bushi lets go at 4. Bushi stalks Desperado and bumps him off buckles. He whips corner to corner but Desperado reverses. Desperado runs but into Bushi’s swing kick. But Kanemaru kicks Bushi down! Another brawl breaks out and Naito is vulnerable to Taichi’s stomps. Meanwhile, Suzuki brings Sanada out to the crowd! There’s so much going on, it’s hard to know where the cameras should be!
Zack Sabre Jr. puts Evil in a sleeper hold while Suzuki brings Sanada around to the back. Suzuki chokes Sanada with red railing while Taichi throws Naito into spare tables! The referee doesn’t know what to do so the fighting just continues. Kanemura uses chairs to SMACK Shingo! Taichi chokes Naito with the frame of another chair! We go to break while officials try to rein this all in!
NJPW on AXS returns again as things slowly return to the ring. Desperado keeps the ref’s attention while Suzuki and ZSJ, the Rev-Pro Tag Team Champions, both go after Bushi with alternating leg locks! Bushi endures a heel hook and a toehold, then double kneebars! The referee finally gets them to stop and he won’t count Desperado’s cover, either. Suzuki-Gun regroups at the corner and Desperado stomps Bushi. Desperado bumps Bushi off Suzuki’s boots, then tags Suzuki in. The King of Pancrase has fun throwing body shots on Bushi. He toys with Bushi now, but Bushi CHOPS back! Suzuki doesn’t back down, he just boots Bushi down! Suzuki drags Bushi up for a heavy forearm, then tags in Kanemaru.
Kanemaru distracts the ref so that Desperado can pull at Bushi’s mask! He gets the laces loose but then he stops, as if to taunt Bushi with how easy it would’ve been to reveal him. Kanemaru grinds his feet into Bushi while the brawling breaks out again! LIJ gets thrown into barriers while Kanemaru rolls Bushi for a full Boston Crab. Then a Half Crab as Kanemaru pulls back more. Bushi endures and crawls for ropes while Suzuki laces Evil’s arms through barriers. Taichi again attacks Naito with chairs. Bushi gets a ropebreak and Kanemaru lets go, but he stomps Bushi more. Kanemaru whips but Bushi kicks him back. Bushi dropkicks but misses! Kanemaru toys with him, but runs into an enziguri! Desperado runs in to keep Sanada away. He whips Bushi but runs into a boot! Bushi hops up, huricanrana!
Bushi and Kanemaru crawl, hot tags to Suzuki and Sanada! Sanada and Suzuki brawl but Suzuki gets the edge. Suzuki whips but Sanada kicks the legs out. Kanemaru runs in but gets put into the Paradise Lock! Cold Skull takes his shirt off to dropkick Kanemaru out of Paradise. Suzuki kicks and whips Sanada but Sanada blocks the boot. Sanada trips Suzuki, and goes to put Suzuki in Paradise! But Suzuki counters to an armbar! Sanada reaches with his legs and gets the ropebreak! But Suzuki is on him with a whip. Sanada tumbles up and out and springboards in but Suzuki gets clear. Things speed up as Sanada hurdles. Suzuki sees it coming and gets a sleeper! Then he shifts to the Gotch Driver, but Sanada powers out!
Sanada runs, Suzuki follows, and gets another sleeper! Tag to ZSJ and hand-off to a vicious cravat! ZSJ napmares but Sanada handsprings through! Sanada hits a dragon screw! Fans fire up as both men slowly crawl for corners. Tag to Evil! Evil gets ZSJ but ZSJ European Uppercuts. They go back and forth with wristlocks and wrenches, but Evil blocks ZSJ’s kick. Evil hands that to the ref, so he can mule kick ZSJ! Evil CHOPS ZSJ, then adds the back senton! Fans fire up as Evil builds speed, but he runs into the abdominal stretch! Evil pops out and they go around and around, Evil gets the stretch! ZSJ goes after fingers! Then a hammerlock stomp! ZSJ drags Evil up and gets a full nelson, but Evil uses power to break free! Fisherman but ZSJ slips out to PELE the arm! ZSJ hops on for a guillotine and wristlock!
Evil stays on his feet but ZSJ twists the arm over and over! Naito has miraculously returned to the corner as Evil powers out with a fisherman buster! Both men crawl, hot tags to Taichi and Naito! Naito rallies on Taichi with fury! But Taichi boots Naito and stomps away on his head! Taichi throws elbows then runs, but into an arm-drag! Naito rallies again, dropkick to Taichi’s head. Naito brings Taichi up but Taichi back elbows. Taichi wants to suplex but Naito fights free. Naito baits Taichi in, tornado DDT! LIJ hits Suzuki-Gun back and they stomp away on Taichi. Shingo and Bushi put Taichi in a corner for double whips. Shingo hits a clothesline, feed to Naito’s kick, Bushi sunset flip and Naito basement dropkick!
Naito drags Taichi up and to the top rope. Fans are still concerned as Naito climbs up to join Taichi. Naito slips just a moment, and Taichi goes to powerbomb. But Naito manages to huricanrana through! Naito turns but into a big roundhouse! Taichi runs, and rabbit clotheslines to then front clothesline! Cover, TWO!? Taichi can’t believe Naito lives! But Taka Michinoku plays a part as he slips the IWGP Intercontinental Championship belt into the ring! Michinoku distracts the ref while Taichi fetches the belt. Taichi aims at Naito, and the rest of LIJ is intercepted by Suzuki-Gun. Naito stands for Taichi to CLOBBER! Taichi keeps going, to hit Naito with the Mephisto! Cover, Suzuki-Gun wins!
Winners: Suzuki-Gun, Taichi pinning
The Sliest Wrestler is the one to pin the new IWGP Intercontinental Champion! Taichi was notably furious that he wasn’t anywhere on the Wrestle Kingdom card, and now he’s going to make Naito pay for it. Taichi and the rest of Suzuki-Gun stomp and punch Naito, but LIJ comes back to try and save him. But that doesn’t work out, as Kanemaru hits Shingo with a flying DDT! And Desperado hits Bushi with the butterfly driver! Suzuki puts Sanada in another sleeper and ZSJ stomps Evil, before giving them simultaneous Gotch and Zack Drivers! Suzuki-Gun puts the belts LIJ owns on display as Taichi gets a mic.
“Hey, Naito. How does it feel to lose badly, the same way you won last night?” It seems Taichi’s a cut above Naito and Chris Jericho! Naito always says stuff like not needing the Intercontinental title, but was he ever really in control of it? He’s clearly just all talk. IfN aito doesn’t want the belt, just give it to Taichi. But it’s because Naito’s an idiot, and has a bunch of scumbag fans! All the LIJ fans are a disgrace! Just leave and never come back, morons! Suzuki takes the mic and laughs. “Suzuki-Gun, Ichiban!” This war of Suzuki-Gun and LIJ is far from over, who will be holding the gold at the end of it?!
My Thoughts:
What a crazy hour that set up a lot of good stuff for the coming year in NJPW, especially where titles are involved. Chuckie T’s sudden attack with chairs brings up the potential of a Best Friends break-up, but also a Heel Chuckie going after the IWGP US Championship and Juice Robinson. Both guys have come into their own through 2018, so a 1v1 match between them might be a lot of fun with their charisma. The Six Man was great, and while it is a good-bye to Kushida as he heads for WWE, it brings up two great rivalry ideas in Ishii VS Nagata and Goto VS Cobb. I’ve been wanting to see more Goto VS Cobb and it doesn’t even need a title, though Cobb obviously has ROH’s Television Championship. Ishii VS Nagata doesn’t have a championship but that can still be great on how stiff they hit.
The 10-Man was incredibly good, just on the chaos and the story between both factions. The coming title stories were made clear by who went after who. Taichi obviously wants payback on Naito for their past but also to get that Intercontinental Championship. ZSJ and Suzuki being the Rev-Pro Tag Team Champions, and ZSJ being THE Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion, they clearly want to be tag team champions in both NJPW and Rev-Pro simultaneously. And of course, Desperado and Kanemaru were not pinned in the Junior Heavyweight Tag title Triple Threat, so they want a rematch to prove they wouldn’t have lost to Shingo and Bushi. This is probably the best use of faction VS faction I’ve seen in a long time, I can’t wait to see it all happen, and hopefully on the same card.
My Score: 8.7/10
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NJPW AXS TV Results
Mitchell’s NJPW AXS TV Results: Power Struggle 2019 Part 2!
Even more gold is on the line!
The struggle for power and glory continues!
As the Super Junior Tag League wraps up, Will Ospreay defends his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship! Will Black Mask Bushi strike gold?
Coverage of Power Struggle 2019 will be as broadcast by AXS TV
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI VS Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi; Ibushi & Tanahashi win.
- Super Junior Tag League Finals: Roppongi 3K VS Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado; Roppongi 3K wins the 2019 Super Jr. Tag League.
- NEVER Openweight Championship: KENTA VS Tomohiro Ishii; KENTA wins and retains the NEVER Openweight Championship.
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay VS BUSHI; Ospreay wins and retains the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
PLAY BY PLAY
NJPW and AXS TV set the scene for Power Struggle’s second act!
Titles and tournaments are all on the line! After ruining the run in the tournament for the Birds of Prey, the Jet Black Death Mask wants his shot at Will Ospreay’s title! The Aerial Assassin will let Bushi be his third defense, but hopes to fly high to close out 2019! At the same time, the Openweight Division brings the Stone Pitbull back within reach of the Fang Revived. Tomohiro Ishii wants to take a bite out of Kenta for both payback in that Bullet Club betrayal and in taking back the NEVER Openweight title for a sixth time! But first, the Super Jr. Tag League finals see an epic rematch of Suzuki-Gun’s Kanemaru and Desperado and Chaos’ Roppongi 3K! Who will prove themselves the best in their division as we continue on the homestretch to Wrestle Kingdom?
Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI VS Kota Ibushi & Hiroshi Tanahashi!
Hold on! The Rainmaker and Golden Star aren’t going to just sit back and wait for Wrestle Kingdom 14’s epic IWGP Heavyweight Championship match! They each find a strong ally to join them in a tag team tune-up match! Will Okada and the Headhunter be trumped by Ibushi and The Ace?
NJPW on AXS jumps right in as Tanahashi has Hashi in the Cloverleaf! Tanahashi sits deep but Okada runs in to fight him off. Ibushi chases but runs into a gut wrench! Ibushi turns it around but Okada fights out. Tanahashi grabs Okada and helps Ibushi lift, but Okada slips out to double dropkick the down! Okada tells Yoshi-Hashi to finish this off! Hashi runs to AX BOMBER Tanahashi! Then he brings him up, fisherman scoop, KUMAGOROSHI! Cover, Okada anchors Ibushi, TWO!?! The Ace survives the Bear Cutter?! Hashi won’t stop now, he brings Tanahashi up, pump handle and half nelson, but gets TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! The spinning neckbreaker takes Hashi down and Tana fires up, to run into a CHOP! Hashi SUPERKICKS, whips, but Tanahashi reverses to a SLINGBLADE!
Okada and Ibushi are still fighting outside as Tanahashi goes up top. Tanahashi aims, HIGH FLY FLOW!! Cover, Tanahashi and Ibushi win!
Winners: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi, Tanahashi pinning
The champion and challenger were too busy with each other in the background, but the Once in a Century Talent gets it done! But with neither Ibushi or Okada in on the ending, who really has momentum going into their monumental main event?
But wait, the lights go down. And on the titantron, it’s someone beating up Tanahashi cosplayers. Who is this mysterious mugger? It’s CHRIS JERICHO!! The Painmaker gives Tanahashi a warning. “Wait and see what I do to you, January 5th in the Tokyo Dome!” Jericho VS Tanahashi, “It’s going to be a classic match.” And Tanahashi’s last! “Sayonara.” Y2J VS The Ace?! What an amazing match! Tanahashi grabs a mic to respond. “JERICHO! Good news! Next year, January 5th in the Tokyo Dome… I’m available.” And it’s official! Tanahashi is ready for that match, but will he be feeling the Judas Effect in the New Year?
Super Junior Tag League Finals: Roppongi 3K VS Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado!
Former Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions meet once again, and are once again ready to prove which duo is better. But even before getting in the ring, the Suzuki-Gun goons go right after Sho and Yoh from behind! Kanemaru and Desperado beat RPG3K down, and while Desperado beats Sho down, Kanemaru brings Yoh to ringside. Desperado gives Sho a back suplex on the ramp! Yoh is whipped into barriers, and both men writhe in pain. Kanemaru stomps Yoh down but the referee reprimands him and Desperado. Team Suzuki-Gun put Yoh in the ring while leaving Sho for dead. The bell rings and this match finally begins.
Kanemaru stomps Yoh then drags him into an open corner. He whips Yoh corner to corner but Yoh dodges! Yoh dropkicks Desperado but Kanemaru kicks low. Kanemaru whips but Yoh dodges and hits back with flying forearms! Fans fire up behind Yoh, and he blocks a kick from each man! Double dragon screws send Team Suzuki-Gun down! Desperado bails out so Yoh goes after Kanemaru. Sho is in view, crawling his way down the ramp, but Yoh throws hands on Kanemaru. Kanemaru boots back but Yoh dumps him out! Yoh PESCADO! Fans fire up with Yoh again as he stomps Kanemaru down more. Sho is getting closer as Yoh puts Kanemaru in the ring. Yoh drags Kanemaru up to throw forearms. Sho wills himself towards the ring as Yoh stomps away on Kanemaru. Yoh wrenches and whips corner to corner, then runs in, but Kanemaru puts Yoh on the apron.
Yoh forearms back but Desperado anchors a foot! Kanemaru boots Yoh down! Desperado brings Yoh up to whip into railing! Kanemaru keeps on Yoh while Desperado sees Sho. Kanemaru whips Yoh into railing, and with Yoh hanging over the edge, Kanemaru hops up to drop a guillotine leg drop! Yoh flops over and Desperado whips Sho hard into railing on the other end! Sho is writhing and screaming as the referee starts a ring count. Desperado mocks the RPG3K fans while hearing the ring count. Yoh hurries, he’s at ringside at 18, but in at 19.5! Kanemaru stomps and grinds Yoh down with his boot, but lets up at 3. He drags Yoh up to feed to Desperado’s boots. Desperado tags in now and “wonders” where Sho is right now. He drags Yoh up for a big scoop slam, but Sho finally makes it to the RPG3K corner. Desperado taunts Sho while grinding Yoh down.
Desperado sucker punches Sho! But Yoh fires back with haymakers! Desperado knees low and whips him into the Suzuki-Gun corner. Kanemaru tags in, scoop slams Yoh fast, then drags him up for a suplex! Cover, TWO! Yoh is barely hanging in as we go to break.
NJPW on AXS returns as Desperado tags back in. He drags Yoh up, but Yoh suplexes Desperado! Both men are down and fans are rallying up. Kanemaru runs in to boot Sho down! And then whip him into railings again! Yoh can’t do anything to save his friend, and then Kanemaru drags him down. Desperado stands on Yoh as Kanemaru dropkicks him! Desperado covers, TWO!! Fans cheer as RPG3K lives. Desperado drags Yoh up and tags Kanemaru. Team Suzuki-Gun mug Yoh then double whip. Yoh ducks, sends Desperado at Kanemaru, catches Kanemaru and kicks Desperado, DDT Complete Shot combo! Fans fire up and Sho is back on the apron! Sho and fans rally, Yoh crawls over, hot tag to Sho!
Sho fires off forearms on Kanemaru then whips. Kanemaru reverses but Sho reverses back to kick, kick and SUPERKICK! Sho hits Desperado down for good measure before going back to Kanemaru. Sho dead lifts Kanemaru in a waistlock! But Kanemaru elbows free! Kanemaru kicks and runs, but Sho runs him over! Sho grits his teeth to get through the back pain. He brings Kanemaru up to throw big forearms then whips, but Kanemaru reverses. Kanemaru grabs the ref to distract as Desperado gets a CHAIR SHOT in! Sho goes down hard and Kanemaru laughs as he tags Desperado back in. SPEAR takes Sho down! Desperado drags Sho up, Kanemaru dropkick-starts the side slam! Cover, TWO!! Sho survives but Desperado is right on the leg, STRETCH MUFFLER! Kanemaru whips Yoh into railing again as Sho suffers! Desperado keeps him from the ropes and just goes after that leg with ferocity!
But something is happening in the background! Someone goes crashing into more equipment, and as Sho goes for ropes, Kanemaru SPITS WHISKEY! The ref missed it! Yoh gets back in, but Kanemaru intercepts! Sho endures as Desperado also has an arm! Yoh powers up to barrel Kanemaru into them! Sho is freed but the damage is done. Desperado vows to end it as Yoh gets sent into more barriers. Desperado underhooks but Sho breaks out to use that super strength to back drop Desperado! Desperado comes back with stomps and a CHOP. He runs, but Yoh is back, RPG3K KNEES! Yoh drags Desperado up, suplex to Sho for the Canadian rack. Kanemaru trips Yoh and Desperado knocks Sho down! Desperado suplexes, Sho slips out and waistlocks! Desperado flails desperately, but Sho is just too strong!! German Suplex hits!!
Sho fires up and the fans do, too! Sho drags Desperado up again, powerbomb lift, pop-up BACKBREAKER! Sho crawls to the cover, but Kanemaru breaks it! Kanemaru stomps away on Sho then clubs him down. Kanemaru whips and corner clotheslines to then throw Sho down. Kanemaru hops up, Sho stands, but he gets clear! Yoh returns, Kanemaru turns around into 3K!! Fans are thunderous as Yoh fires back up. Desperado is alone as Yoh stomps it out. Fans rally and Desperado flounders over. But Desperado denies a 3K for him, kicking and throwing hands! He throws Sho into Yoh! But Sho blocks the clothesline, only for his clothesline to feed into an inverted half-nelson gutwrench! Spin-out Powerbomb!! Cover, TWO!?! Sho survives!? Desperado is furious! He drags Sho up again, underhooks, but Sho resists! Sho fights against Pinche Loco so Desperado knees low.
Sho fires back with forearm from all sides! But Desperado rakes eyes and ROCKS Sho with that right! Desperado runs, into Sho’s LARIAT! Sho powers up and Yoh returns. Sho drags Desperado up, tucks the arms under for double pump handles, but Desperado lands on his feet to headbutt back! But Yoh is back, 3K OUTTA NOWHERE! Cover, ROPPONGI 3K WINS!!
Winners: Roppongi 3K, Sho pinning; 2019 Super Jr Tag League Champions
That’s a THREE-PEAT! And they’re clearly emotional over this amazing and historic victory. They take the trophies, and with a win over the current Junior Heavyweight Tag Champions, they surely have a chance at the titles again! Will the New Year be golden for RPG3K? But speaking of the champions, El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori strike! Bullet Club won’t let Chaos celebrate! Fans boo as Bone Soldier drags Yoh up for ELP to SMASH with the belt! And then they do the same to Sho, with a punch to the balls! Ishimori Electric Chairs Sho and ELP says BANG, a FULL METAL DOOMSDAY! Wrestle Kingdom has their Junior Heavyweight Tag title match, but will Bullet Club put a stamp on their title reign?
NEVER Openweight Championship: KENTA VS Tomohiro Ishii!
This all started when it was revealed in treacherous fashion that Mr. Takeover was the newest part of Bullet Club’s arsenal. Bullet Club also helped Kenta take that title off the Stone Pitbull, which only soured the taste in the Pitbull’s mouth. Will Ishii bare his fangs against #FangRevived and get payback for it all?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and tensions already run high on this golden grudge match. Said match will begin after the break.
NJPW on AXS returns with the bell and fans are on Ishii’s side as he and Kenta tie up. They are in a deadlock but Ishii manages to get Kenta to ropes. Kenta turns it around, and SLAPS out of the break! But Ishii slaps back! And they start slapping back and forth! It’s a slap fight! Kenta steps it up to forearms but Ishii responds in kind. They talk trash and throw more forearms. Kenta turns, boots but Ishii rebounds to forearm. Kenta rebounds and boots, Ishii rebounds to forearm again. Ishii runs but Kenta follows to boot. Kenta runs but Ishii runs him over! Fans cheer as Kenta is sent rolling. Ishii toys with Kenta and drags him up to CHOP. And CHOP! Ishii whips but Kenta grabs ropes to bail out, but Ishii is right on him! Ishii puts Kenta in and rains down rights, which the fans like to see!
Kenta slips out to a corner and uses the ropes as a defense. Red Shoes tells Ishii to stay back, but Kenta pokes the eyes! Kenta kicks low and DDT’s Ishii down! Kenta rains down rights of his own then walks it off. Fans rally for Ishii but Kenta stomps him down. Kenta swiftly kicks Ishii in the chest and then the leg and back tot he chest. He boots Ishii to a corner and starts slapping. Ishii just eggs him on! Kenta slaps but Ishii wants more! So Kenta gives more. Ishii slaps back and the slap fight is on again. Kenta SLAPS Ishii down! And then more! Kenta goes corner to corner while Ishii flounders and falls. Kenta drags Ishii up and turns him for a neckbreaker, cover, TWO! Kenta drops knees over and over, then pulls down the knee pad, to hop over and scuff Ishii’s face. Fans boo the Low Sweet as Kenta stomps Ishii more.
Kenta toys with Ishii now, but Ishii just gets annoyed. Kenta kicks him around, but Ishii powers up to throw hands. Kenta knees low then runs, but Ishii stays up after the boot! Ishii dodges another boot and ducks the clothesline, but Kenta fights off the waistlock. Ishii forearms then ducks the clothesline to get Kenta into a suplex! Both men are down and Kenta goes to a corner. Ishii is up and after Kenta with CHOPS! He won’t let Kenta sit down, he stands him up for more CHOPS! And again he makes Kenta stand to take the CHOPS and forearms! Forearm, CHOPS, repeat! Then a whip corner to corner, and Kenta bounces off buckles into a spinning powerslam! Cover, TWO! Ishii keeps his cool as he keeps on Kenta. Ishii waistlocks but Kenta gets to ropes. Red Shoes calls for a ropebreak but Kenta has to elbow Ishii off.
Kenta gives Ishii forearms then eggs him on. Ishii forearms back and we have another back and forth. Ishii says he doesn’t feel Kenta’s shots! Ishii rocks Kenta then runs but into the kitchen sink knee! Kenta made him feel that one. Kenta kicks Ishii while he’s down then stomps him on the apron. Red Shoes reprimands Kenta so he lets up. Kenta brings Ishii up and through the ropes, for kicks to the chest. Then he has him draped, for the DDT! Ishii writhes but Kenta covers, TWO! Kenta is ice cold as he brings Ishii up. Ishii fires forearms again, but Kenta kicks away on the legs! Kenta back kicks then runs corner to corner, a soaring boot! And then corner to corner again, flying basement dropkick! Classic Kenta as he continues up top, DOUBLE STOMPS! Cover, TWO!! Ishii survives the coup de grace and we go to break.
NJPW on AXS returns and Kenta gives Ishii more swift kicks to the chest. But Ishii powers up again! Ishii just takes the kicks to feed off them! Kenta keeps trying but Ishii bluntly CHOPS Kenta down! Red Shoes reprimands, Ishii needs to watch how high he aims. Ishii goes after Kenta with CHOPS again but those are still up high! Ishii wants these to hurt! Red Shoes has to back Ishii off, but Ishii doesn’t care. Ishii drags Kenta up to hoist him to the top rope. Ishii climbs to join Kenta, and lifts him way up! He even holds him there before the SUPERPLEX! Cover, TWO!! Kenta survives but he’s spitting up a little bit of blood. Ishii keeps going, powerbomb lift but Kenta slips out. Ishii ducks Kenta’s back hand and gets a German Suplex! Kenta is up but gets another German! Ishii runs, Sliding D into an armbar! Kenta turns it over for Game Over!
Ishii endures the modified LeBelle Lock as Kenta cranks back! Fans rally but Kenta loses grip. Kenta goes after him again but Ishii refuses to quit. Ishii wriggles around, rolls Kenta over but now he’s in a triangle hold. Kenta then cranks back to get the Game Over again! Ishii endures, unable to see with Kenta’s hands over his eyes. But Ishii feels around with his legs and gets the ropebreak! Kenta lets go in frustration. Kenta backs off as Ishii crawls his way up the ropes. Kenta comes back to knee him into ropes! Then runs again, building up speed, but he sees Ishii’s counter attack coming and boots it away. Kenta also ducks the southpaw lariat to GERMAN SUPLEX! Kenta runs to Penalty Kick, but Ishii catches it! Only for Kenta to BOOT him with the free leg!
Both men are down again and fans build to a rally. Kenta aims from a corner, runs at Ishii, PSYCHO KNEE! But Ishii rises!? Kenta ROUNDHOUSES him down! But Ishii sits up again! Fans are firing up as Kenta runs and builds speed, another Psycho Knee! Cover, TWO!?! Ishii still lives and Kenta can’t believe it! Kenta drags Ishii up into the fireman’s carry, but Ishii pops out to a dragon sleeper! Kenta slips around and suplexes but Ishii fights that off. Kenta dodges the clothesline and fires forearms but Ishii spins to LARIAT! The southpaw hits but Ishii rests in the red corner. Kenta gets up to kick and forearm Ishii, then slap away on his head! Ishii stands right up to stare him down. Kenta forearms but Ishii just steps into them! Ishii backs Kenta down with every strike to then DECK Kenta!! That was as loud as it was hard!
Ishii wants Kenta to stand and Kenta slowly rises. Ishii runs in, corner clothesline to a whip to another clothesline. Kenta manages to reverse the whip but still gets a clothesline! Ishii drags Kenta up, lift and powerbomb! High stack, TWO! Ishii sits Kenta up, SLIDING D! Cover, TWO!! Kenta still lives but Ishii is firing up! Ishii drags Kenta back up, suplexes, but Kenta slips out to a sleeper! Ishii powers out, Kenta clotheslines back but Ishii doesn’t budge! Ishii clotheslines back but Kenta stays up. Both men run, Ishii’s clothesline takes out Kenta! Then the suplex, but it’s Kenta’s Falcon Arrow! Kenta is down and too tired to make a cover, but fans are rallying up again. Kenta rises first but Ishii follows. Ishii fires off elbows from all sides, but Kenta LARIATS back! Kenta drags Ishii up, Penalty Kick!
Kenta slashes the throat and fireman’s carries Ishii, for GO- NO! Ishii lands on his feet, suplexes, but Kenta slips out. Both men fight for suplex control, Kenta cradle counters, TWO! They both stand fast and Kenta back hands, but Ishii PELES! Kenta rebounds, Psycho Knee! Both men are down again but fans are still rallying. Both men stand and Kenta boots but Ishii blocks. Kenta gives the right hook then palm strike after palm strike. Ishii gives one back! Ishii runs into the fireman’s carry! GO TO SLEEP!! But Kenta doesn’t want to end it here?! He pulls the knee pads off and drags Ishii back up. Another fireman’s carry, GO TO SLEEP AGAIN!! Cover, Kenta wins!!
Winner: KENTA, by pinfall; still NEVER Openweight Champion
It wasn’t even about needing another, it was about wanting to do damage. The Bullet Club kept their hands clean of this match, and Kenta sends the Stone Pitbull to the back of the line by himself. Will #FangRevived continue to sink his fangs into NJPW?
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay VS BUSHI!
The Aerial Assassin and fellow Bird of Prey, Robbie Eagles, were on a great run in the Super Jr Tag League, but the masked wrestler of Los Ingobernables de Japon didn’t care about any of that. He spat the green mist that screwed Ospreay over and then staked his claim to this match. Will Bushi pay for the mist spray? Or will Ospreay define his reign with another win over another rival?
The introductions are made, but the belt isn’t raised before Ospreay shotgun dropkick blasts Bushi down! Red Shoes hurries to ring the bell as Bushi bails out, and the match officially begins with Ospreay’s PESCADO! Down goes Bushi and Ospreay fires up! Ospreay drags Bushi up, whips him into railing, and Bushi hits hard. Ospreay gets the fans fired up as he drags Bushi up again for big haymakers. Ospreay puts Bushi back in the ring and he drags Bushi up for forearms and CHOPS! Ospreay whips, Bushi holds ropes and boots back, then huricanranas Ospreay out. Bushi slingshots to huricanrana again! Bushi evens things up and catches his breath as we go to break.
NJPW on AXS returns as Ospreay has made his way to the gap. Red Shoes checks on him but he’s okay to continue. Bushi goes and fetches Ospreay to then whip into railing hard! Ospreay writhes but Bushi is ice cold as he stomps Ospreay down. Bushi puts Ospreay in the ring and finally takes off his shirt, to use it to choke Ospreay! Red Shoes reprimands but Bushi lets up with just one hand at 3. Ospreay gets to ropes so now Red Shoes counts the ropebreak, Bushi lets go at 3. Bushi drags Ospreay up to knock him down! Bushi hooks a leg for the STF! Ospreay endures as Bushi cranks back on the crossface portion of the match. Ospreay powers up but Bushi hooks his face! Ospreay still gets the ropebreak and Bushi lets go reluctantly.
Bushi stomps Ospreay then drags him up, but Ospreay fires forearms back. They brawl with forearms now, and Bushi clubs Ospreay down. Bushi runs into a BIG Pop-Up Flapjack! Ospreay can breathe and recover as Bushi crashes down. Fans rally and duel as Ospreay drags himself up by ropes. Ospreay drags Bushi up for forearms then whips but Bushi reverses. Ospreay dodges, handspring, flying enziguri! Cover, TWO! Ospreay doesn’t stop, he wants the fans to get loud. The fans respond and Ospreay heads to a corner. Ospreay springboards, Pip Pip Cheerio flying forearm! Cover, TWO! Ospreay keeps his cool as he drags Bushi up again. Ospreay reels Bushi in, underhooks and lifts but Bushi resists. So Ospreay kicks away, only for Bushi to catch a leg. Bushi rakes eyes, runs, but into the dropkick-flip and enziguri!
Bushi bails out and fans fire up as Ospreay builds speed! But Bushi gets in to block the Sasuke Special. Bushi drags Ospreay out through the ropes and jumps, BOOSTED draping DDT to the apron! Ospreay hits so hard but both men are down on the outside. Bushi gets up and leaves Ospreay behind in the 20 count. The count passes 10 as Bushi stomps Ospreay, but Bushi does put Ospreay back in at 13. Fans applaud Bushi doing this the right way, and Bushi stomps Ospreay before putting him in a corner. Bushi whips corner to corner then runs in for double knees! He pushes Ospreay down and hops up, missile dropkick sends Ospready down! Bushirooni! Bushi keeps going, fisherman swinging neckbreaker! Cover, TWO!! Ospreay lives and this match continues after the break.
NJPW on AXS returns and Bushi heads up top. Ospreay rises and Bushi leaps, but Ospreay gets under. Ospreay dodges Bushi in the corner but is hung up on the ropes! Bushi CHOPS then hops up again, to SUPER STEINER! But Ospreay lands on his feet?! Bushi swings into the Half ‘n’ Half! Ospreay fires himself up and the fans follow. Bushi is outside, Ospreay SASUKE SPECIALS! He just manages to hit his target! Ospreay grits his teeth to ignore the pain in his neck as he goes back to Bushi. He puts Bushi in and takes aim from the red corner. Bushi sits up, ROBINSON SPECIAL! The spin kick hits but Ospreay moves through his formula. Ospreay springboards, but Bushi blocks the cutter to shove Ospreay into Red Shoes! Ospreay checks on the ref but he has to continue the match.
Ospreay drags Bushi up, but Bushi wants to spit! Ospreay covers Bushi’s mouth! Then he kisses Bushi!? Because he steals the mist to spray at Bushi!! Bushi flails and Ospreay grins and winks. ROUNDHOUSE rocks Bushi! Red Shoes is reviving and Ospreay shouts for him to hurry. Ospreay springboards, but Bushi uses Red Shoes as a shield to take the OSCUTTER! Ospreay just assassinated the referee! And no one knows what to say! Ospreay looks around but where did Bushi go? He finds him by commentary, and drags him up. Bushi goes to low blow but Ospreay blocks and whips. Bushi reverses it but Ospreay stops himself. Ospreay and Bushi go to the ring, Ospreay gets Bushi with a springboard dropkick! Ospreay heads up top, aims at Bushi, SHOOTING STAR onto knees! And the BLACK MIST RETURNS! Bushi still had some left to use on Ospreay!
Fans rally as Red Shoes is still down. Another ref hurries in to take Red Shoes’ place, just as Bushi hits a DESTROYER! Cover, TWO!?! Ospreay lives and Bushi can’t believe it! But Bushi just heads up top again. He waits for Ospreay to stand, and leaps into a roundhouse! Both men are down again but a Young Lion gets Ospreay water. Ospreay splashes his eyes clean and then aims from a corner. HOOK KICK! Then the armband comes off, HIDDEN- NO! Bushi ducks the back hand, runs at Ospreay but his monkey flip is blocked! So Bushi springs up to SPIKE-RANA! Cover, TWO!! Ospreay escapes and blocks a kick, ducks the enziguri but not the rewind mule kick! Bushi runs, into a SPANISH FLY! Cover, TWO!! Now Bushi survives but Ospreay is not done yet! Ospreay slashes the throat, drags Bushi up and underhooks, but Bushi slips out to backslide! And bridge! TWO!!
The fans are thunderous as Ospreay pops Bushi up, but gets a CODE BREAKER! Bushi vows to end it and he goes up top again. Ospreay rises, Bushi leaps, MX!! Cover, TWO?!? Ospreay survives Bushi’s modified Code Breaker!? We pass 15 minutes as Bushi heads back to the corner. He’s up again, but leaps into a CUTTER! Cover, TWO!! Bushi survives but Ospreay takes aim from the corner. HIDDEN BLADE! Ospreay isn’t done with Bushi yet, he hops up the buckles, SUPER OSCUTTER! But he holds on?! And rolls Bushi around, underhooks, STORM BREAKER! Cover, Ospreay wins!!
Winner: Will Ospreay, by pinfall; still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion
A third defense on this run but Ospreay has run the table in 2019! Best of the Super Juniors, Super J Cup, Super Jr Tag League, what more is there for Ospreay to do? Perhaps we’ll hear from Ospreay after the break.
NJPW on AXS returns as Ospreay has the mic.
He wants to know, “Are you having fun?” Ospreay wonders if there’s anyone else who wants a shot at Ospreay. He beat Shingo Takagi, El Phantasmo, Ryusuke Taguchi, Rocky Romero, Sho and Yoh, Amazing Red, Bushi, and even his pal, Robbie Eagles. “God damn, I’ve beaten everyone.” Who is left in NJPW to challenge him!? Anyone from anywhere! This is your chance!! Ospreay hears fans wanting Hiromu but “he ain’t here.” So then, until someone steps up, “get a look, Osaka. Forever, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. Thank you very much.” The Aerial Assassin heads out but the lights go down! “TIME BOMB will blow up soon.” The Time Bomb is coming back?! The countdown says 62 days, but then the screen changes. That’s not Daryl but a very similar cat on screen. And he lights the fuse. A new countdown begins!
3, 2, 1! BOOM! Hiromu Takahashi IS BACK!! He and his cats head to the ring! But before he gets in, he makes sure the cats are under careful watch at commentary. Hiromu then has a ball running himself into the railing! And then up the ramp to take a tumble! “This is it!” This is what Hiromu has been missing. This is what Hiromu has been wanting! Ospreay puts the belt on the mat to welcome Hiromu back! Fans cannot believe what they’re seeing as Ospreay dares Hiromu to get in the ring. Hiromu hops up onto the apron, and walks into the ring, to get up on the ropes and soak up the adulation! But then he does turn his attention to Ospreay as he gets himself the mic. “I am Hiromu Takahashi!” And he thanks them all so much for waiting. “Now that I’m back, we’re gonna have even more, more, MORE fun in NJPW! You can rest assured of that.”
But surely they’re a bit worried, right? “Can he really do it?” “He just came back, isn’t he being a little cocky?” “He’s just gonna change his style anyway.” Heh. Hiromu grins as he says “Who besides me would challenge a beast like him!?” Fans agree, “Nobody, that’s who!” So just watch and see. Hiromu jumps and hits the mat with his back! Then runs into buckles and throws himself around, showing that he can still be as reckless as ever! He may be physically alright, but he still might not be mentally all there… But fans still support him as he bridges up. “Mic please.” Ospreay gets Hiromu the mic. “Congratulations, Will Ospreay. Now, you are the most strongest Junior Heavyweight wrestler.”
But then Hiromu sits up to say, “But Hiromu is back!” And he challenges Ospreay, for Wrestle Kingdom! If you didn’t do the math on that countdown, that’s where it was all headed. And then he licks the title…? Ospreay grins, one of his favorite rivals has returned. And even gives him a hug. And as Hiromu makes his way out, he has one more thing to say to Ospreay: “Thank you meow.” Will Ospreay remain the most dominant Junior Heavyweight when he finally gets a rematch against the most chaotic?
My Thoughts:
I did not realize this was going to be TWO HOURS when I started putting this together. But what a great two hours it was! We got the bonus tag match of Okada & Yoshi-Hashi VS Ibushi & Tanahashi. Looking at that match, it was obvious Hashi was taking the pin. And it was very smart to give the pinfall to Tanahashi. This way, Okada and Ibushi stay even because neither is gaining momentum off a finish. Then Jericho calling Tanahashi out, that is an instant classic right there. With two months to go, I really wonder if Jericho is still AEW World Champion by then. Much like how ROH didn’t let Jeff Cobb be world champion during the G1 to lose and make them look bad, I’m not sure AEW wants their top champion to look bad losing a non-title match. Even with Tanahashi being a great staple of NJWP, pretty sure Y2J won’t be Le Champeon by then.
The Super Jr Tag League finals were great! RPG3K and the Kanemaru-Desperado combo make for great rivals, and what a great achievement for RPG3K to be triple tag league winners. That is an amazing thing for those two. I still remember their excursion to ROH as the Tempura Boys, and those boys have grown so much since then. I would be really surprised and perhaps disappointed if they didn’t beat Bullet Club for those tag titles at Wrestle Kingdom. That would be big, and I think the Junior Tag Division could use something like that. The NEVER Openweight Championship was another great and stiff match for Ishii and Kenta, and that’s great. It was also telling that Kenta didn’t need to cheat. He is being allowed to be as strong as he deserves to be, so that’s a plus.
And then we get a double dose of greatness out of the main event. The match itself was incredible, so much story went into Ospreay VS Bushi. I love that black mist spot, I have never seen someone steal the mist like that! Ospreay winning makes a lot of sense, he has just been on a tear. Plus, it was the perfect set up for him to count his wins in 2019 and that cues the shocking and totally amazing return of Hiromu Freakin’ Takahashi! It is so great to see him again, to know he’s back in wrestling shape, and to get one more Ospreay VS Hiromu match at Wrestle Kingdom. As it stands, there is no predicting who wins. Ospreay has amazing momentum, but Hiromu never truly lost the title since he went out with injury. Either way, their match will be “even more, more, MORE fun,” as Hiromu put it, than everything up to this point.
My Score: 9.1/10
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NJPW AXS TV Results
Mitchell’s NJPW AXS TV Results: Power Struggle 2019 Part 1!
Does Hirooki Goto Breath with The Switchblade?
Is the Cutthroat Era rising again?
With everyone chasing the same goal of becoming a dual champion, Jay White has a head start as THE IWGP Intercontinental Champion! But does Hirooki Goto end that tonight?
Coverage of Power Struggle 2019 will be as broadcast on AXS TV.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Jay White VS Hirooki Goto; White wins and retains the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.
PLAY BY PLAY
NJPW and AXS TV set the scene for Power Struggle’s beginning!
The freshly minted IWGP Intercontinental Champion looks to hijack Tetsuya Naito’s destiny by becoming the first dual champion in NJPW first. However, for The Switchblade to usher in the new era, he must get through the Fierce Warrior of Chaos! The 2019 record between them is tied, so this tiebreaker is golden! Who leaves Osaka leading the race towards history?
IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Jay White VS Hirooki Goto!
There’s no point in delaying the inevitable! Does White’s journey to history begin now? Or does Goto deny it outright?
Introductions are made, the belt is raised, and this tiebreaker on the road to destiny begins after the break.
NJPW on AXS returns and fans rally up for Goto already. White and Goto circle, but then White slips out of the ring. The classic strategy is in effect already, and Goto demands White gets in. White takes his time returning, and circles with Goto to actually tie up. Goto puts White on the ropes but lets up, only for White to pie face and slip away again. White wants Goto to stay back and the ref keeps Goto in the ring. White gets up and in again, dodges a clothesline and headlocks. Goto powers out, but White grabs ropes and slips out a third time. White laughs until Goto gives chase. They go into the ring, White runs but Goto is ready and they bump shoulders. Neither budges so White tries again. Still nothing, so he tries a third time. White bumps Goto, Goto staggers back, but White gets out of the ring before Goto can return.
Goto gives chase again but White slips back in the ring. White stomps Goto as he slides back in then fires off clubbing forearms. White runs but Goto runs him over! Fans cheer this bit of karma on White. But White puts Goto in a corner to CHOP! Goto turns it around to fire off furious forearms! The ref backs Goto off but Goto throws White into buckles! Goto drags White up and snapmares him to a swift kick to the back! White scrambles but Goto drags him back for another kick! White writhes and Goto brings him up for ropes. Goto whips, White holds ropes again but he boots this time. Goto clotheslines White out anyway! Goto goes out but Gedo gets a cheap shot in! The ref reprimands Gedo but Goto glares at the traitor. White attacks from behind but the forearms barely do a thing. Goto DECKS White with a right!
Goto tells the ref to keep Gedo back, which he does. But this all distracts Goto from seeing White pick up a chair! White JAMS the chair into Goto’s back! White tucks the chair back under the ring and then plays innocent. The ref wants them to get this back in the ring, but White brings Goto up to RAM into railing! And again! The ref reprimands White but he just takes Goto around the way. White says hi to Katsuyori Shibata on Japanese commentary, before snap suplexing Goto into the railing! Shibata stands and the ref has to keep him at bay now. White hurries off into the ring to rest, and the ring count begins. The count climbs to 5, then 10 of 20. Goto stirs at 11 and crawls at 14. Goto rises at 17 and hops in at 18! But White is on that battered back with knee drop after knee drop!
White grabs a leg and turns Goto over for a Half Crab! Goto endures as White sits down deep. Fans rally up while Gedo taunts Goto. Goto powers up and crawls, reaches, and gets the ropebreak! But White holds on until the count of 4! Goto winces but White keeps the ref’s attention. Gedo yanks the blue corner’s buckle pad in the distraction! White whips Goto that way, and Goto hits bare buckles hard! Goto goes down, White covers, TWO! The Fierce Warrior won’t fall so easily, and we go to break.
NJPW on AXS is back and White is back on Goto with a chinlock. White digs his knee into Goto’s back, but Goto endures. Goto works his way up to his feet and fights back with body shots. White clubs Goto’s back to then throw him down by his hair! White drags Goto up but Goto blocks the suplex. Goto hits back with body shots again, but now White blocks the suplex. White clubs Goto’s back over and over, and over and over! But Goto fires up! Only for White to rake his eyes, and throw him down by his hair again! White soaks up the heat but Osaka rallies for Goto. White drags Goto up, dodges Goto’s retaliation and rocks him with a right. Goto stays on his feet, and dares White to hit him harder! White throws a BIG right forearm, but Goto still wants more! White throws another, and starts growing annoyed with Goto’s fighting spirit.
White throws forearm after forearm after forearm after forearm after forearm, but none of them slow Goto down! So White just keeps throwing more, and then adds European Uppercuts! Goto comes back with ONE BIG forearm and floors White! Goto whips White but White reverses, but Goto blocks the hip toss to give a hip toss! Osaka comes alive for Goto ash e runs at White. But White catches and EXPLODER SUPLEXES Goto out of the ring! The ref checks on Goto after he crashes and burns, but White adds on by whipping Goto. Goto reverses to send White into railing! Goto clotheslines White over! White is down in the gap but Goto goes after him. Goto drags White back to ringside, to whip into railing on the far side! White writhes but Goto won’t stop, he whips White back the other way! White falls to his knees but Goto drags him up to put into the ring.
Fans rally up as Goto catches his breath. Goto runs in, windmill kick in the corner! SAIDO SUPLEX! Cover, TWO! White survives but Goto is not deterred. Goto drags White up again but White clamps onto a leg. Goto clubs White then drags him up into a fireman’s carry. But White rakes eyes! White gets to the apron and holds onto the ref as he “apologizes.” Goto staggers over, White shoves the ref at Goto! Goto pushes the ref out of the way but White hotshots Goto! White slides in, DDT drops Goto! White watches Goto crawl while also getting himself to a corner. White runs corner to corner, BIG EuroUpper! Fireman’s carry, Death Valley DDT! Cover, TWO! White is frustrated but Osaka rallies up again.
White gives toying kicks and slaps to Goto, and then brings Goto up. Goto blocks the suplex and suplexes back, but his back holds him back. Goto still resists White’s suplex, spins out, but White forearms away! White whips but Goto reverses to reel White in, but White dodges to CHOP! White runs but Goto follows, White dodges to run again but Goto still follows. White dodges again, but Goto keeps going, only for White to follow now. Goto dodges now, only to run into a Complete Shot! DEAD LIFT GERMAN! White grits his teeth, but Goto is up to German Suplex him back! Goto keeps moving, LARIAT! Both men are down as we go to break!
NJPW on AXS returns as White drags Goto up. Goto elbows out of the sleeper, but White forearms him in the lower back. White grabs Goto again but Goto standing switches to throw White down by his hair, across Goto’s knee! Turnabout’s fair play! White and Goto crawl to opposite ends. Gedo is on White’s side but Osaka is on Goto’s. Goto runs in but misses in the corner, snap saido from White! White staggers and drags Goto over at the 20 minute mark. White hoists Goto up top and throws a forearm. White climbs to join Goto, but Goto resists the superplex with body shots. Goto headbutts White a few times, then drags White in. Goto stands up but White claws at his face! White clubs away on Goto, positions himself on the very top, SUPERPLEX! White rises fast and drags Goto up, but Goto gets him into the fireman’s carry, USHIGOROSHI!
Both men are down, but Osaka is rallying up again. Goto drags White up and into the dragon sleeper, but White drops to snapmare free. White clubs away on Goto, Goto fireman’s carries to the dragon sleeper! But White fights out with wild hands, only for Goto to suplex him up! White fights free, but swings into the dragon sleeper! White slips out, but Goto denies Blade Runner by pulling hair! Goto powers White down into position, headbutts away, but Gedo distracts the ref! LOW BLOW UPPERCUT! White sneaks it in and Osaka boos! Gedo backs off and White drags Goto up into the sleeper hold, SLEEPER SUPLEX! But White isn’t done there, he drags Goto up, only for Goto to HEADBUTT! And now, Goto drags White up, reels him in, fireman’s carry, but White elbows free. So Goto headbutts again! Goto has White up, for Reverse GTR!
But Goto is not done! He drags White up, suplexes, SHOTENKAI! Cover, TWO!? White survives and shocks Goto, but does not discourage him. Goto drags himself up as Osaka rallies again. Gedo distracts but gets DECKED! Goto has to catch his breath, but he fires up as he focuses his power. White ducks the kick, but walks into a fireman’s carry. White slips out again, has Goto in a dragon sleeper but flips him around, in position, but still no Blade Runner as Goto slips out! Goto has dragon sleeper, but White slips out, spins Goto around, SLEEPER SUPLEX! But Goto is up!? BUZZSAW! Fireman’s carry, G T W!! The fusion of Ushigoroshi and GTR! Cover, TWO!?! White survives?! But that only fires Goto up more! Dragon sleeper, TRUE GTR!! Cover, but Gedo YANKS the referee out!! Goto had this won and Gedo knew it!
Gedo laughs as he gets in the ring. He stalks Goto, but here comes SHIBATA! Shibata may not be an active competitor, but he can be an enforcer! Shibata gets rid of Gedo and tells Goto to finish this! Then he puts Gedo in a sleeper! Goto drags White up, but KENTA attacks!! The Bullet Club’s Fang Revived strikes while there’s no authority! He drags Goto up, fireman’s carry, GO TO SLEEP! Then he BOOTS Shibata on the way out! Fans boo but Bullet Club gets away with more shenanigans! The referee returns, and Kenta whips Shibata into railing! And then fires off vicious kicks! White drags Goto up despite being dead weight, for BLADE RUNNER! Cover, White wins!!
Winner: Jay White, by pinfall; still IWGP Intercontinental Champion
Or rather, Bullet Club won this match. Shibata risked a lot getting involved and paid for it at the hands of Kenta. White benefits the most by keeping his half of history going. Will White fight his way from here to another chance at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship? We will hear from The Switchblade after the break.
NJPW returns as Jay White speaks.
“Osaka~…!” The fans boo as White says he’ll keep this short. “I did what I said I was going to do, and Goto is done. Finished! Career over!” White promised this would happen. Goto lived up to be the embarrassment he always was. But White is the one who “single-handedly” sold out Madison Square Garden! White is the Last Rock ‘n’ Rolla, “and that’s rrrreeal!” White is still your IWGP Intercontinental Champion! “But wait, there’s more!” White again vows to be the first-ever dual Intercontinental AND Heavyweight Champion! And not the first night of Wrestle Kingdom, no, no. He vows to be on the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 14 to go right up against the winner of Kota Ibushi VS Kazuchika Okada! Which means Ibushi and Okada should “come on down!”
White waits, and wonders where the top two guys have gone. But wait, it isn’t Ibushi or Okada that comes out, it’s NAITO! Fans cheer as Tetsuya Naito walks to the ring. White thinks Naito is here to congratulate White on winning tonight and soon becoming the first-ever- Naito stops White right there by snatching the mic. Naito says, “Holding the IWGP Intercontinental and Heavyweight titles at the same time. The first man to accomplish this tremendous feat… Will be me.” So sorry about this, but Naito will need the Intercontinental Championship back. White understands what Naito’s up to and wants the mic back. But Naito isn’t giving it over. And now Ibushi heads out! The G1 Climax 29 winner, the Right to Challenge holder, and yet another man who declared himself the future historic dual champion, enters the ring!
Ibushi takes the mic to tell Naito and Jay that it’s been a while since he’s been in the ring with them. And Ibushi agrees about the double champion. Last January, Ibushi choose NJPW, “looking to change my life.” But there is someone out there who doesn’t agree with them. That is OKADA! Ibushi and Naito wait, but White “begs” Okada as an “old friend from Chaos” to appear. Well maybe Gedo should ask, he’s an older friend than White. Gedo doesn’t want to. But even so, Okada does appear! The Rainmaker makes his way to the ring, joining the three men who want his title as part of their mission. Okada gets on the mic to ask, “What did you say?” Ibushi wants to be a double champion, Naito wants to be a double champion and White wants to be a double champion. “What the hell are you thinking!?”
Okada holds up his belt, because he is proud to fight for THE IWGP title! THE title in NJPW! An IWGP Heavyweight Championship match, or a double title match? Okada repeats this question. Fans like the former, and aren’t so sure about the latter. So Okada asks again! IWGP Heayvweight Championship match? YAY~! Double Title Match? Boo~! Well, that’s still more than Okada expected. “So, on the subject of the Tokyo Dome… Naito, there was an election recently, wasn’t there?” Should they let the people vote for what they want to see? Naito considers it, and there’s a bit of a stand off. White takes up the mic and says, “That’s enough. All of you **** off, I want my confetti, this is my night!” Okada takes his leave, as does Ibushi. White refuses to accept Naito’s challenge. Naito reluctantly leaves and White says he wants to be announced as both the Intercontinental and soon to be FIRST-EVER DOUBLE CHAMPION! And then get the confetti!
But Naito stops on stage as Gedo explains to the ring announcer. The announcer does as White says, and White gets his confetti. Naito watches on, still aiming for his part of history. However, will that poll Okada mentioned go a way White doesn’t want? Is there going to be an even more historic match on the horizon?
My Thoughts:
A pretty good episode to start NJPW Power Struggle on AXS, though perhaps not the most exciting. Osaka wasn’t as loud as I would’ve expected, but as the usual order of AXS encores, the last part is usually first just to get the vies and ratings. Osaka might’ve been tired from action earlier in the night, but at the same time, the usual pace of a Goto and/or White match isn’t usually what excites. The story was all there, though. White is good at trolling and playing the long game, but things did liven up for the fans as the match reached the end. However, White beating Goto because of Bullet Club should’ve been obvious. It’s good ol’ fashioned Heel tactics, but perhaps too typical. Shibata getting involved was surprising, too. Is this them testing the waters to see if he’s getting better? It would be quite the amazing moment in wrestling if he came back from the head injury that took him out.
What was really intriguing was White being confronted by Naito but also getting the two men he wanted in Ibushi and Okada. Wrestle Kingdom 14 being two nights this year, there’s a chance we get both Naito VS White for the Intercontinental and Ibushi VS Okada for the Heavyweight title, and then each winner moves on to night two for THE historic match. Okada trying to get Osaka to respond to his question clearly took a couple times to get fans to respond, but I was really surprised NJPW fans weren’t as enthusiastic about a double championship match. I almost thought there’d be a Fatal 4 Way Winner Takes All, but NJPW doesn’t like matches that are more than 1v1 like that. The two separate title matches leading to the dual champion match is more likely, and would make for a good reason as to why WK14 is a two day event.
My Score: 8.3/10
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