NJPW New Year Dash coverage continues! Will Kazuhicka Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yoshi-Hashi get revenge on Jay White for all of his 2018 treachery?

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

• Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens VS Honma Tomoaki & Toa Henare; Takahashi & Owens win.
• NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Taiji Ishimori & The Guerrillas of Destiny VS Toru Yano, Togi Makabe & Ryusuke Taguchi; Ishimori & the Guerrillas of Destiny win and retain the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships.
• Six Man Tag: Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & YOSHI-HASHI VS Jay White, Gedo & Bad Luck Fale; White, Gedo & Fale win.

PLAY BY PLAY

NJPW and AXS TV set the scene!

Wrestle Kingdom Fallout continues! The Ace is the NEW IWGP Heavyweight Champion after defeating Kenny Omega, but the Switchblade promises to switch things up. The Bullet Club has been transformed in this Cutthroat Era after Jay White defeated the Rainmaker, but now he aims for the top. Will this new Bullet Club destroy the Ace Age once and for all? Or will its second coming mean a big defeat to start 2019?

Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens VS Honma Tomoaki & Toa Henare!

Bullet Club is also represented by Tokyo Pimp and the Crown Jewel as they go against The Innovator of Lighttube Deathmatches and the young New Zealand star. Will Bullet Club get a strong start to start the night? Or will they just be the first to fall?

The bell rings and Honma starts against Chase. The two circle and tie up. Chase pushes Honma to the ropes then wipes his hands. He pie faces Honma but Honma pushes him back. Chase goes to chop but Honma ducks and hip tosses. Honma whips but Chase reverses. Chase runs but misses in the corner, and gets another hip toss. Honma drops ax handles then drags Chase up for a scoop slam. Fans fire up as Honma runs but Chase dodges the falling headbutt. Chase gets all the way out of the ring then tags in Yujiro. Toa tags in and he circles with the Tokyo Pimp. They tie up and Toa pushes Yujiro to the ropes. Toa backs off but ducks the punch. Yujior ducks to kick and punch and pie face. Toa kicks him back then puts on a thrashing headlock. But Yujiro bites him!

Yujiro runs but into a CHOP! Toa chops and whips but Yujiro reverses and boots. Yujiro runs but Toa runs him over! Toa stomps Yujiro around then runs, but Chase kicks him! Toa swings on Chase but Yujiro boots Toa down. Yujiro hits Honma for good measure, then Chase whips Toa at the barriers. Yujiro keeps on Honma on the outside with stomps. Muffin even gets a SLAP on Toa! Chase puts Toa in the ring and Yujiro kicks him down. Yujiro drags Toa around to stomp the leg. Tag to Chase and Chase keeps on that leg at the ropes with a springboard sit-down! Chase gives another but the referee reprimands him. Chase drags Toa up for a scoop slam, then mocks Honma as he runs, falling headbutt! It hurts Chase as much as Toa, though. Chase tells Honma off then tags in Yujiro.

The Bullet Club mug Toa, then Yujiro drags Toa up. He puts Toa in a corner for a big boot, then snapmares him out for a corner. TWO, but Yujiro keeps his cool. Yujiro drags Toa up but Toa CHOPS back! Toa chops again, but Yujiro kicks the legs out. Yujiro snapmares again and dropkicks Toa down. Cover, TWO! Yujiro drags Toa up into a facelock, but Toa denies the fisherman. Toa lifts Yujiro for a BIG suplex! Fans rally up as both men crawl, hot tag to Honma! Honma rallies on Bullet Club and then he scoop slams Yujiro. He CHOPS Yujiro to a corner, then whips him corner to corner. Yujiro goes to boot but Honma blocks and clobbers him back. Bulldog, and falling headbutt misses! Yujiro shotgun dropkicks! Yujiro drags Honma up, Fisherman Suplex! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally up but Yujiro drags Honma back up. Yujiro wants to bomb but Honma blocks. Honma powers out but Yujiro slaps him. Yujiro runs but Honma runs him over, then hits the Kokeshi headbutt! Both men crawl, hot tags to Chase and Toa! Toa runs into forearms but he eggs Chase on. Chase keep shitting, then mule kicks. Chase whips but Toa dodges and hits a big shoulder tackle! Yujiro returns but Toa whips him to a corner. Toa hits a big corner clothesline to Yujiro, then one to Chase. Fireman’s carry, Toa uses Chase to hit Yujiro, then he drops Chase with a Death valley! Cover, TWO! But Toa keeps going, only for Chase to fight out of the urenage. Chase drags Toa up but Toa slips out. Chase victory rolls and rolls again to an ankle lock!

Toa endures while Yujiro intercepts Honma. Honma breaks through to attack Chase. Honma hits both Bullet Club members but gets drop toehold’d into a dropkick! Chase drags Toa but Toa counters to a backslide! TWO! SUPERKICK! Chase lifts, PACKAGE PILEDRIVER! Cover, Bullet Club wins!

Winners: Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi, Chase pinning

The Crown Jewel gets it down for the reinvented Bullet Club! Will this victory lead to bigger things for him and Tokyo Pimp as a duo?

NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Taiji Ishimori & The Guerrillas of Destiny VS Toru Yano, Togi Makabe & Ryusuke Taguchi!

The Bullet Club’s combination of the Bone Soldier Reborn, Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa have made quite the combination in defending these titles, but now they face quite a unique combination in the ring. The Producer, the Unchained Gorilla & The Funky Weapon joined forces in the Six Man Tag Gauntlet and won, earning the right to this match. Will they be able to shock the world with a victory? Or will Bullet Club be #TooSweet for them to beat?

Makabe starts against Tonga Loa at the bell. Fans are on Makabe’s side as he ties up with Loa. He powers out of a headlock and the two collide. Neither man falls and Loa even dances. They collide again and again, but neither man falls. Loa kicks low then runs, then dodges Makabe to run him over! Loa brings Makabe up for forearms and runs again, but now Makabe runs him over! Makabe tags to Yano and Yano fires up. Tama tags in and Yano’s fire goes out. Taguchi gives signals but they don’t make sense. Tama whips but Yano grabs the ropes. Yano dodges, and goes for the buckle pad! He gets it free but Tama clobbers him down! Tama laughs at the crown prince as he clubs him down. Tama gives Yano body shots then runs for a superman punch. He eggs Yano on and throws more hands.

Tama runs but Makabe grabs him! Yano runs, but Jado appears with a kendo stick! Tama gets free and runs Yano over. Tama remembers he’s a good guy now, so instead of raining down stomps, he puts Yano in the Bullet Club corner. He still throws big body shots, though. Tag to Taiji and Taiji grinds his boots into Yano. He lets up at 4, and Loa checks if Yano is conscious. Taiji drags Yano up for more body shots, then bumps him off buckles. Tag to Loa, and Loa brings Yano out for a headbutt. Loa taunts Yano, and lets him crawl towards his corner. But Loa stops him before he can reach for tag, covers, TWO! Loa drags Yano up and whips him to the bare buckles! Yano collapses while Tama scolds his brother. Loa stomps Yano at the ropes but Tama still wants them to play fair.

Loa drags Yano up and tags Tama in. Tama headbutts Yano and Loa clubs Yano down. Tama drags Yano and whips him to the safe corner. Then he snap suplexes Yano down, covers, TWO! Yano survives but Loa tells Tama to use the bad corner. Tama is torn, but he does bring Yano up. Loa says, “We came to win!” Tama whips but Yano reverses, Tama gets the bad buckles! Yano crawls but Tama follows to club him down. Tama whips but Yano reverses and pulls hair! BOth men are down and crawling for their corners. Loa runs in to blast Makabe, then coaches his brother up. Tama drags Yano up to whip but Yano reverses and pulls hair again! Both men are down, but we go to break.

NJPW on AXS returns as hot tags to Taiji and Taguchi! Hip attack hits Taiji! And then another! And then one for Loa! Taguchi fires up and hits Taiji with another hip attack. And then another, and another, and another! Taguchi does his best Nakamura, and dodges Taiji’s dropkick in the process! Taguchi drags Taiji up for a snap suplex. THat’s one amigo, then a second amigo. Taguchi goes for the third but Taiji slips out. Taguchi elbows out but runs into Jado’s SMACK! Jado cheats but Taji doesn’t care. But then Taguchi gets the ankle lock! Taguchi has it on tight, and drags Taiji from ropes. Taiji fights back and gets the ropebreak!

Taguchi keeps on Taiji with chicken wings, Dodon countered into a victory roll! TWO! Mule kick from Taguchi, but handspring enziguri from Taiji! Both men are down but headed for their corners. Taiji tags Loa, Loa goes right at Taguchi. Loa whips Taguchi to a corner but runs into a boot! Taguchi runs but gets an atomic drop on his funky weapon! Loa runs but still gets the hip attack! Fans fire up and Makage tags in! Makabe blasts Bullet Club then clotheslines Loa in a corner. Makabe climbs for corner punches! He laughs as he goes past 10, then goes to suplex. Loa blocks then runs, but Makabe clotheslines him down. Makabe drags Loa up for another clothesline! Cover, TWO!

Makabe drags Loa up again but Loa fights back with body shots and an uppercut. Loa runs but into a drop toehold. Yano jabs Loa with a chair! Makabe lariats Loa again! cover, but Taiji drags the ref out! Jado gets in but Yano gives him a low blow! Tama dropkicks Yano but Makabe is right on him. Loa hits Makabe, and GoD combine, only to get DOUBLE clotheslines! Makabe drags Loa up and scoop slams him. He hurries up top, but wait! Yujiro and Chase attack! Chase gives Makabe the Package Piledriver! Chase helps Loa get up and Loa finishes  Makabe with the gutbuster! cover, Bullet Club wins!

Winners: Bullet Club, Tonga Loa pinning; still NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions

Bullet Club is truly united as they continue to beat down Yano and Taguchi! Tokyo Pimp and Crown Jewel make it official with a Too Sweet salute, and Tama makes it official with a big hug. The club rolls deep, will they soon take over NJPW?

Six Man Tag: Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & YOSHI-HASHI VS Jay White, Gedo & Bad Luck Fale!

The Rainmaker, the Ace and the Head Hunter all want to get back at the Switchblade for everything he’s done to them. But White now has allies in Okada’s former mentor and all of the Bullet Club’s Firing Squad! Will White continue to do what he wants how he wants in his Cutthroat Era? Or will Okada and Tanahashi combined, with help from Yoshi-Hashi, finally get one over on White?

NJPW on AXS returns, and White starts against Okada in a Wrestle Kingdom rematch of sorts. White taunts Okada that he’ll just beat him again, but then Gedo attacks! Gedo throws Okada out while White goes after Tanahashi. They brawl in the ring while Okada baits Fale into running into Gedo! Okada then blasts Fale before getting back to the ring. Tanahashi throws forearms and uppercuts, then Okada boots White down! Tag to Yoshi-Hashi! Hashi wants payback for the bad shoulder and scarred head. Okada and Tanahashi double whip and elbow White down, Yoshi-Hashi adds a basement dropkick! Hashi covers, ONE! Fans cheer Hashi on as he stomps White around. Hashi drags White up for clubbing forearms and he stalks White to a corner.

Hashi CHOPS White against ropes, but he doesn’t let up. He drags White up for more clubbing forearms, then whips. White reverses but Gedo drags Hashi out! White blasts Tanahashi and Okada while Gedo beats Hashi down. Fale whips Okada into railing! White stomps Tanahashi on the other side while fans boo and jeer. White drags Tanahashi up and chokes him with a camera cord! Gedo uses a chair on Hashi’s bad shoulder! Gedo drags Hashi back over while White returns to the ring. Hashi gets thrown right into a post! Gedo waits until about 15 to put Hashi in for White. White drags Hashi up for a back suplex! Cover, TWO! Hashi survives the beatings but White won’t let up. White feeds Hashi to Gedo’s boot then tags Gedo in. Gedo taunts Hashi as he drags him up.

Gedo throws Hashi out and White goes right after Hashi. He and Fale throw Hashi into the railing! Gedo taunts Okada and Tanahashi as they do it again! White puts Hashi back in for Gedo, Gedo covers, ONE! Fans fire up for Hashi’s toughness, but Gedo rakes the eyes! Fans boo while Gedo toys with Hashi. Gedo slaps Hashi around but Hashi glares at him. Hashi throws forearms but Gedo rakes the eyes! Gedo tags Fale and now the Underboss clubs Hashi down. Fale stands on Hashi’s chest at the ropes! Fans boo and jeer but Fale lets up at 4. Fale toys with Hashi while fans rally up for him. Hashi grits his teeth but Fale drags him up to bump him off buckles. Fale throws body shots but Okada comes over to coach Hashi up. Fale sucker punches Okada then tags Gedo.

Gedo hits Tanahashi for good measure while Fale whips Hashi corner to corner. Hashi dodges Fale but runs into Gedo’s kick. Gedo drags Hashi up but Hashi kicks back! Fans fire up again and Hashi drags himself for his corner. Okada holds onto the broken tag rope as Hashi makes it! Hot tag to Okada and the string goes flying! The Rainmaker blasts White with a big elbow! Okada has Gedo, his treacherous mentor. Gedo pokes his eyes! Gedo whips but Okada runs him over with an elbow! Okada fires up with the fans as he whips Gedo corner to corner. Okada runs for a big elbow and Gedo staggers into a DDT! Rainmaker kip-up! Okada drags Gedo up for a big scoop slam, then goes up top. He aims at Gedo, but Gedo gets under.

Okada uppercuts him back, then whips. Gedo reverses but Fale kicks Okada down for him. Gedo crawls, tag to Fale. Fale walks into Okada’s forearms. Okada runs, but into a back drop! Cover, TWO! Fale drags Okada up to whip Okada to a corner. Fale runs in for a big corner splash! He grabs Okada but Okada dropkicks the Grenade away. Okada tries but he can’t scoop big bad Fale! Fale scoops but Okada slips out. Okada blocks the kick to a dragon screw! Tanahashi gives a thumbs up on that great move. Tag to Tanahashi, but Fale tags White. White hits Tanahashi, Tanahashi hits White. White CHOPS Tanahashi, but Tanahashi SLAPS White. Tananashi and White get forehead to forehead with trash talk and the brawl starts again with forearms!

Both men hit again and again as fans cheer The Ace on. Tanahashi backs White down then whips him corner to corner. White reverses and runs in but Tanahashi dodges. Tanahashi blocks the boot and drags White out for a dragon screw of his own! Okada returns the thumbs up. Tanahashi grabs the legs and ties them up but White fights out. White kicks Tanahashi away then ducks to a waistlock, saido suplex! But Tanahashi gets right up to Slingblade White down! Both men are down but fans fire up again. Tanahashi sits up and sees Hashi. Hot tag to the Head Hunter! Hashi goes right at White with strikes and chops! He whips but White reverses, only for Hashi to headscissor! Hashi fires up again and runs corner to corner for a CHOP! He drags White out for a suplex, to neckbreaker, but White fights out.

White misses on the clothesline and gets a block buster! cover, TWO! Okada goes after Fale and Tanahashi has Gedo on the outside. Hashi clubs White more then drags him back up. White punches but Hashi CHOPS. Fisherman but White blocks. White fights out but gets another CHOP! Hashi runs but into a waistlock. He elbows out but runs into an urenage!  White scrambles to his feet and slashes the throat. He drags Hashi right up, but Okada boots White down. Fale tackles Okada, but Tanahsahi dropkicks Fale’s legs out. White has Tanahashi, but Tanahashi reverses to Twist ‘n’ Shout! Hashi fires up with the fans, runs, BIG lariat! But that’s not all, Fisherman Buster 2.0!! Cover, TWO!? How?!

But Hashi doesn’t care, he keeps going! Pumphandle, but White grabs the ref! White fights Hashi off but runs into a SUPERKICK! Hashi pumphandles again, but White slips out, Half ‘n’ Half! White drags Hashi up, slashes the throat, BLADE RUNNER!! Cover, Bullet Club wins!

Winners: Bullet Club, Jay White pinning

And he looks right at Tanahashi. White tells The Ace that he’s coming for that title. Will Bullet Club take the top prize and make all of NJPW #BreathwiththeSwitchblade?

Jay White speaks.

Okada can keep walking, he was light work for White. But Tanahashi, “I want that belt.” White proved 2018 was his year. He told Okada he was better and he proved it at Wrestle Kingdom. But White’s also better than Tanahashi and will prove it. This isn’t the Ace Age, this is the Cutthroat Era! That will be White’s belt! Tanahashi starts walking back. The old man can barely walk, and he wants to prove White wrong? Tanahashi’s on his death bed, it’ll be so easy to take that belt. But Tanahashi is right at the apron as fans cheer him on. Tanahashi joins White in the ring again, but Tanahashi is surrounded! Gedo, Fale and White beat Tanahashi down! So Okada comes back to fight them off! But Fale hits him with the Grenade!

Fale looms over Okada while White circles Tanahashi like a shark. White drags Tanahahsi up, for a BLADE RUNNER! White picks up the mic and the belt and has Tokyo look at their stars. He beat one, he’ll be the other, and become the NEW IWGP Heavyweight Champion! “All you can do, is BREATH with the Switchblade in the New Year, in my new era!” White also makes sure commentary understands that when he says something will happen, it WILL happen! Is it only a matter of time before White ushers in the new age of NJPW?

My Thoughts:

A great bit of action to finish the New Year Dash coverage. It was also clearly a Bullet Club night, as Yujiro and Chase join up with the remaining “OG BC” faction. Yujiro and Chase win in a pretty solid 2v2 tag match, which perhaps means they might be the Bullet Club’s choice for tag titles down the line, given the Guerrillas of Destiny are in the NEVER Openweight Six Man Division. The GoD and Taiji Ishimori have a fun match with Taguchi, Makabe and Yano. They win in large part thanks to Yujiro and Chase officially rejoining them in Bullet Club, and can continue to dominate the NEVER Openweight Six Man Division. Taiji himself is the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and can have a great string of defenses, who knows who steps up to take that title from him.

The main event solidifies Bullet Club’s night as White, Fale and Gedo find many sneaky ways to help themselves win. White’s transformation over the last year has been incredible, probably one of the best in wrestling in a log time. It feels like he really could find a way, by hook or by crook, to take that title from Tanahashi and become THE champion. At the same time, the story would dictate Tanahashi overcoming the odds and remaining champion, no matter what White and Gedo and the Bullet Club as a whole tries. Tanahashi winning is the crowd pleaser but White winning is the shocker, so either could happen and NJPW would be just fine with either choice.

My Score: 8.4/10