WWE Week begins on USA Network!

For the next THREE weeks, WWE dominates USA Network, and it all starts with this Raw Season Premiere! But who wins big to face Bron Breakker for the Intercontinental Championship?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Mixed 8 Person Street Fight: The Wyatt Sick6 VS Team American Made; win(s).
• Dominik Mysterio VS Dragon Lee; wins.
• Six Woman Tag: Pure Fusion Collective VS Zelina Vega, Lyra Valkyria & ???; win(s).
• WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill VS Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn; win and
• WWE Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 4 Way: Jey Uso VS Pete Dunne VS Ilja Dragunov VS Braun Strowman; wins and will challenge Bron Breakker for the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

This season premiere’s first hour will be COMMERCIAL FREE!

Mixed 8 Person Street Fight: The Wyatt Sick6 VS Team American Made!

Bo Dallas has been trying to get Chad Gable to see the error of his ways, but to error is human. So Uncle Howdy had to step in. He has brought back the family back to laugh, and now Sister Abigail, Ramblin’ Rabbit, Huskus the Pig Boy & Mercy the Buzzard shall bring a reckoning to Gable, Ivy Nile & The Creed Brothers! Will Gable’s “new family” survive the sins of their “father?” Or will being “American Made” not be enough to avoid the consequence?

Will Yota Tsuji have his 15 minutes of fame?

As NJPW heads for Kobe, we will be getting title match main event after title match main event, and Jeff Cobb VS Yota Tsuji will set the tone! But will the Imperial Unit’s season continue? Or will this become The Gene Blast Show?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Kickoff – Masatora Yasuda VS Daiki Nagai; Time Limit Draw.
• Six Man Tag: The United Empire VS Tiger Mask, Shoma Kato & Katsuya Murashima; The United Empire wins.
• Shota Umino & Jado VS Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru; Ren & Kanemaru win.
• Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma VS Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee; Gabe & Jake win.
• 8 Man Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Boltin Oleg & Ryusuke Taguchi VS The House of Torture; The House of Torture wins.
• DOUKI & Taka Michinoku VS Taiji Ishimori & Gedo; Taiji & Gedo win.
• Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita; ZSJ & Fujita win.
• Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi VS HENARE & Francesco Akira; Hiromu & Takagi win.
• NJPW World Television Championship: Jeff Cobb VS Yota Tsuji; Time Limit Draw, Cobb retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita!

While the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship will be on the line in Kobe, the Uncontrollable Charisma is willing to give a free sample of what could be! Will Los Ingobernables de Japon keep things tranquilo on this Road to Destruction? Or will The Front Man and Ichiban Young Punk prove The Mighty Don’t Kneel?

The teams sort out, and while LIJ fist bumps, TMDK, uh, start the fire? The fans applaud the low finger wiggling, but then ZSJ trolls Naito but letting Fujita start! Naito asks for ZSJ, “onegaishimasu.” ZSJ says alright and he steps in. The bell rings and the fans cheer as we get the showdown of World Heavyweight Champion and G1 Climax winner! The two circle, the fans duel, and it is already red hot in Korakuen. Naito and ZSJ slowly feel things out, but then Bushi attacks! Naito sucker punches Fujita, the fans are torn, but LIJ whips. ZSJ wrenches them both to DOUBLE PELE the arms! ZSJ UPPERCUTS Bushi out of the ring!

Naito catches ZSJ, spins him, but ZSJ dodges the lariat to BOOT Naito down! The fans cheer, and ZSJ tags Fujita in. Fujita brings Naito up, CHOPS, then whips. Naito reverses but Fujita ducks ‘n’ dodges, to RANA! Naito tumbles out, the fans fire up, and Fujita builds speed. Naito moves, but Fujita goes to the apron! PENALTY KICK! The fans fire up again while Naito falls! Fujita drags Naito up, puts him against railing, and CHOPS! Naito staggers away but Fujita follows, to CHOP him again. Fujita puts Naito in, waistlocks and deadlifts, but Naito fights with elbows! Fujita ducks an elbow to CHOP! Fujita runs, but Naito kicks low!

Bushi runs in and he sunset flips Fujita, and then rewinds him into Naito’s basement dropkick to the leg! Bushi dropkicks ZSJ’s legs out, too! Naito brings Fujita around by his leg, tags in Bushi, and LIJ splits the wishbone! Fujita writhes, but Bushi brings him up to bump off buckles. Bushi DOUBLE CHOPS, puts the bad leg in ropes, then DROPKICKS the leg! Bushi pushes Fujita over, covers, TWO! The fans applaud but Bushi drags Fujita up to snapmare, and KICKS him in the back! Fujita writhes but Naito tags in to grab the leg. Naito steps through, FIGURE FOUR! Fujita endures, the fans rally, and Fujita fights around.

ZSJ coaches Fujita on, but Naito puts on the pressure! Fujita drags Naito along to the ROPEBREAK! Naito claims he needs help, so the ref helps undo his figure four. Naito then drags Fujita up, but Fujita fires a forearm! It doesn’t do much, so Fujita throws more forearms. Then a CHOP! Naito SPITS at Fujita, then kicks his leg out! And kicks it again! Naito grabs the leg, but Fujita fights the lift with a headlock. Fujita throws elbows but Naito ROCKS him. Naito whips, Fujita reverses and GAMANGIRIS! Naito falls and the fans fire up! Fujita crawls over, hot tag to ZSJ! The fans fire up as ZSJ runs up to BOOT Naito!

ZSJ whips, Naito reverses, but ZSJ catches Naito to a COBRA TWIST! The fans fire up, Naito powers out to HIP TOSS! Naito grabs at ZSJ but ZSJ bridges up, snapmares, and NECK TWISTS! ZSJ dropkicks Naito, then mocks Naito’s pose, adding deuces to it. ZSJ taunts Naito as the champion, then UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS again! ZSJ scoops but Naito fights free! Naito arm-drags, then sidesteps ZSJ to ELBOW him down, and basement DROPKICK! Naito brings ZSJ around, holds on, and then NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up, but Naito kicks ZSJ around.

ZSJ stands, but Naito throws those heavy elbows! ZSJ shakes his head, and he dodges an elbow, but Naito avoids the Pele! ZSJ avoids the enzigiri and body scissors Naito into the JAPANESE LEG CLUTCH! TWO!! Naito escapes but ZSJ PENALTY KICKS! ZSJ whips, Naito reverses, TORNADO DDT! The fans fire up while both men are down! Naito crawls, hot tag to Bushi! Bushi storms up to CLUB ZSJ. Bushi whips, dropkicks ZSJ’s legs, but Fujita is in! Fujita kicks, CHOPS and whips, but Bushi reverses to dropkick the legs out! Bushi BLASTS ZSJ off the apron, then builds speed! Bushi DIVES and ZSJ hits railing!

The fans fire up and Bushi encourages them to get louder. The fans do rally harder, and Bushi puts ZSJ in. ZSJ goes to a corner so Bushi whips corner to corner. Bushi runs up to ELBOW ZSJ, then FISHERMAN- NO, ZSJ spins through the screw to GUILLOTINE FACELOCK! Bushi endures, but he is caught in body scissors! Naito storms in to step on ZSJ’s face! ZSJ still holds on, and Fujita springboard MISSILE DROPKICKS! ZSJ drags Bushi up, scoops, ZACK- NO, Bushi slips free to backslide! ZSJ rolls through, Bushi avoids the kick to dropkick legs! Bushi trips ZSJ, ties the legs, FABLE, but ZSJ turns right over! BOW ‘N’ ARROW HYBRID!

Bushi endures, reaches out, but then ZSJ adds a CROSSFACE! Bushi TAPS, TMDK wins!

Winners: Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita, by submission

The Submission Master continues to innovate, even in a split second moment like this! Will such savage creativity ensure he becomes the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, no matter who meets him in Ryogoku?

Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi VS HENARE & Francesco Akira!

Speaking of coming title matches, The Ticking Timebomb is going to battle the Face of Fury for his NEVER Openweight Championship tomorrow night! Will the Rampaging Dragon help the Best of the Super Juniors build some momentum? Or will The United Empire show LIJ what’s in store for them this week?

LIJ fist bumps, the teams sort out, and Hiromu starts against Henare. The bell rings and the two run in to RAM shoulders! Hiromu staggers back but Henare gets moving! Hiromu ducks ‘n’ dodges to RAM Henare, but he bounces right off! Henare eggs Hiromu on but Hiromu just grins. Hiromu CHOPS, but Henare ROCKS him in return! Hiromu CHOPS again, Henare forearms again, repeat! Hiromu fires up, the fans rally, and Henare eggs him on. The CHOPS and forearms keep going, and Hiromu staggers back. Henare eggs Hiromu on, so the CHOPS and forearms just start again! Hiromu staggers, but he comes back for more!

Henare fires up now, and he ROCKS Hiromu! Hiromu CHOPS, Henare ROCKS, repeat! The two go forehead to forehead, then they BLAST the tag partners! Then they RAM into each other! Hiromu staggers to ropes while Henare flexes. Hiromu steps up to CHOP, but Henare ROCKS him again! The CHOPS and forearms keep going, and now Hiromu wobbles! Hiromu still CHOPS, CHOPS and CHOPS! Henare KICKS! The fans fire up while Hiromu staggers to ropes. Hiromu comes back to CHOP, CHOP and CHOP! Henare just snarls, then KICKS! Hiromu staggers around again, but he still comes back to CHOP, CHOP, and CHOP!

Hiromu eggs Henare on now, and Henare grits his teeth. Hiromu blocks the kick, and the haymaker, to DRAGON SCREW! The fans fire up and Hiromu smiles as he hurries to tag Takagi. Takagi brings up Henare to put the bad leg on ropes. Takagi kicks that leg, then lets off to CHOP! And JAB! And whip corner to corner, for a LARIAT! Takagi snap suplexes, then drops a BIG elbow! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up as Takagi brings Henare around. Takagi facelocks Henare, tags Hiromu, then Takagi BLASTS Akira! Hiromu CHOPS, CHOPS, and Takagi JABS! LIJ double whip to DOUBLE SHOULDER TACKLE!

The fans fire up as Takagi and Hiromu flex! Hiromu drags Henare up to CHOP! Henare goes to a corner, Takagi JABS him again. LIJ double whips Henare corner to corner, Hiromu runs in, but Henare dodges him! Henare RAMS Takagi, then fireman’s carries Hiromu! Henare SMACKS Takagi with Hiromu, then WASTELAND SLAMS and SENTONS! The fans fire up, and Henare drags Hiromu back up. Henare whips Hiromu hard into the corner and Hiromu bounces off buckles! Tag to Akira and the fans rally up. The clean shaven Fireball drags Hiromu up, but Hiromu CHOPS! And CHOPS! Akira CHOPS back!

Akira brings Hiromu up onto the top rope, puts him in a Tree of Woe, and while the ref reprimands him, he sneaks mule kicks! The fans are torn but the ref gets Akira to stop. Akira runs corner to corner to basement DROPKICK! The fans fire up and Akira dumps Hiromu out of the Tree. Cover, TWO! Akira drags Hiromu up while fans rally, and Akira tags Henare. Henare brings Hiromu up to fireman’s carry, and SAMOAN DROP! Cover, TWO! Hiromu stays in this, the fans rally up, but Henare DECKS Takagi! The ref reprimands but Henare goes to a corner. Henare aims, roars, and stomps the mat! Hiromu rises, Henare runs up, into a KICK!

Henare takes swings, Hiromu bobs ‘n’ weaves and mule kicks! Hiromu whips, Henare comes back, RAMP- DDT! Hiromu crawls, Henare drags him back! Hiromu dodges to wheelbarrow and COMPLETE SHOT! The fans fire up while both men are down! Henare and Hiromu crawl, hot tags to Akira and Takagi! Takagi runs up, Akira dodges to BOOT then ENZIGIRI! Akira runs to LARIAT! Then he comes back to UPPERCUT! Akira whips but Takagi blocks! Takagi breaks free, Akira fires forearms, but Takagi eggs him on! Akira mule kicks, whips, but Takagi blocks again! Takagi reverses, KNEES low, then runs.

Akira dodges Takagi to RANA! The fans fire up as Takagi bails out, and Akira PLANCHAS! The fans fire up again, and Akira puts Takagi in. Akira says, “Korakuen, IKU ZO!” The fans fire up as Akira goes up and up, to CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up and Akira rises. The fans rally for “A! KI RA! A! KI RA!” Akira is copying Takagi as he looks around for cameras. He tells Korakuen, “Akira wa… TOKI GA KITA!!” The fans fire up but Takagi is mad! Takagi fireman’s carries, but Akira fights free! Akira CLUBS Takagi, shoves, follows, but into an ELBOW! JAB! YUKON feint and DDT! Hiromu runs in to BOOT Henare!

The fans fire up, Hiromu CHOPS Akira to a corner, and Takagi joins in. The fans rally as LIJ double whips Akira corner to corner. Hiromu runs in to LARIAT! Takagi runs in to LARIAT! Takagi feeds Akira to a SUPERKICK! Then Takagi PUMPING BOMBERS! Cover, Henare breaks it! Henare blocks a superkick, Hiromu ducks ‘n’ dodges haymakers, then SHOTGUNS! Down goes Henare and the fans fire up again! Takagi starts up the “OI! OI! OI!” and he powers up. Pump handle, but Akira fights the lift! Takagi knees low, but Akira victory rolls, STOMP 182! The fans fire up again and Akira sits Takagi up.

Akira roars, runs, but Takagi LARIATS! Takagi runs, but Akira slips around! Takagi stays up in the crucifix, but Akira shifts to SUNSET BOMB! Cover, TWO!! Takagi rises, into a SUPERKICK! ROUNDHOUSE! Takagi staggers back, swings, but Akira dodges! Only to run into a POP-UP DEATH VALLEY! And PUMPING BOMBER!! Cover, TWO?!? Akira survives and the fans fire up! Takagi roars and says “TOKI GA KITA!” Now it’s Takagi’s time as he pump handles and lifts, MADE IN JAPAN!! Cover, LIJ wins!

Winner: Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi, by pinfall

The Rampaging Dragon was fireproof and he takes down Akira! But Henare still taunts Hiromu with the NEVER Openweight Championship. Who will stand tall with that belt in just under 24 hours?

NJPW World Television Championship: Jeff Cobb VS Yota Tsuji!

When The Imperial Unit finally took this title from Zack Sabre Jr, it proved that third time’s the charm. However, The Gene Blast has been on the doorstep of making history quite a few times already. Will this be when Yota knocks down the door? Or will Cobb make sure Yota’s 15 minutes of fame end with him?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and time to see who’s the star of the show!

The bell rings and we’re on the clock! The fans rally as “YO~TA! YO~TA!” grins at “COBBU! COBBU!” Cobb and Yota, circle, approach, and Yota dodges to kick. Yota whips, Cobb reverses, but Yota flips to RANA! The fans fire up as Cobb goes to a corner. Yota runs in, but Cobb avoids the splash! Cobb comes back, Yota BOOTS him, then goes up to FLYING RANA! Cobb tumbles out of the ring, the fans rally up, and Yota encourages them. The fans get a little louder, then Yota builds speed. Yota DIVES, and he sends Cobb into and over railing! The fans fire up as the front row gets Cobb in their laps! Yota takes a lap to get the fans even hotter!

Yota comes back for Cobb, drags him up and over, and then drags Cobb up to put in the ring. Yota fires up and the fans cheer, but Yota has to remember the time is running. Cobb BODY BLOWS at the ropes! Cobb frowns and he drags Yota up. Cobb suplexes but Yota slips out! Yota ducks ‘n’ dodges, tilt-o-whirls and arm-drags! Then he RUNS Cobb over! The fans fire up again and Yota paces. Yota covers, ONE! The fans applaud as Cobb stays in this, and Yota drags him up. Yota wrenches to wristlock. Yota YANKS the arm, then clamps onto the other arm for a motorcycle stretch! Cobb endures and the fans rally up.

Cobb powers up, but Yota pulls him into a BACKSTABBER! The fans rally while Yota paces, and he grins. Cobb eggs Yota on, and Cobb fires body shots! Yota ROCKS Cobb, and then drags him up. Cobb fights the suplex, Yota still tries, but Cobb suplexes Yota! To then TOSS him! The fans fire up at the feat of strength, but Cobb clutches his shoulder. That might’ve taken a bit out of him, too. Cobb goes to Yota, drags him up, and ROCKS him with a forearm! Then CHOPS him to the corner. Cobb pulls Yota’s hair, to then CLUB him down! Red Shoes reprimands but the fans rally up. Cobb drags Yota up, but Yota fires forearms!

We pass five minutes as Cobb knees low. Cobb whips, scoops, and ATHLETIC- ARM-DRAG! Yota turns things around, kicks low, then runs, but he fakes Cobb out! Cobb’s dropkick gets nothing but air, and Yota jackknife bridges! TWO as Cobb tips to one side! Yota pushes Cobb down, TWO as Cobb tips the other way! Yota powers him down again, TWO as Cobb bridges up! The fans fire up and Cobb spins Yota around to backslide! Yota rolls through, but Cobb blocks the knee! Cobb CLUBS Yota’s leg, then jumps up to DROPKICK! The fans fire up for the athleticism, and Yota tumbles out of the ring!

The fans rally up, Cobb goes out to fetch Yota, and he CLUBS Yota hard on the back! Yota staggers around the way but Cobb pursues, to CLUB him again! Yota barks in pain as he goes around the corner again. The ring count starts, Cobb HEADBUTTS Yota in the back, and then stands on Yota’s back! Cobb uses Yota to surf, and he says crowns up to Great-O-Khan on commentary. Khan applauds his teammate, and Cobb even crosses his arms like Khan. Cobb hears the count hit 13 of 20 and hurries back inside. Cobb then goes back out, refreshing the count. Cobb says he’ll get Yota in the ring, choto matte! <Just wait!>

Cobb puts Yota in, the fans applaud, and he drags Yota up. Cobb fireman’s carries, then he puts Yota up top. Cobb HEADBUTTS Yota in the side again and again, then climbs up after him! The fans rally as Cobb gut wrenches! SUPER GUT WRENCH PLEX! The fans fire up while both men are down! Cobb crawls his way over to cover, TWO! The fans cheer as Yota stays in this, and Cobb reminds Yota that he has to beat Cobb. Cobb stands on Yota’s hand, but lets off as Red Shoes reprimands. Yota still coughs and sputters, but Cobb steps up. Yota fires body shots, but Cobb HEADBUTTS him back down!

The fans rally while Cobb paces around. Cobb stands on Yota’s chest, Red Shoes says that’s not a cover, so Cobb steps off and apologizes. Cobb wrenches Yota, then short arm LARIATS! Cover, TWO! Another cover, TWO! Cobb is annoyed so he wraps on a rear bearhug! We pass 10 minutes so time is on Cobb’s side! Cobb sits Yota up to KNEE him in the side, then he stands Yota up, only for Yota to fire forearms! Cobb ROCKS Yota back, eggs him on, and the forearms start flying! The fans rally up and Yota gets the edge! But Cobb fires a flurry in return! Cobb locks ‘n’ loads, but Yota catches him to BACKBREAKER! FLATLINER! CURB- NO! Cobb stays up!!

The fans fire up as Cobb denies the Gene Combination, but Yota KICKS Cobb in the face! Then Yota runs to basement dropkick! The fans fire up while both men are down again! Yota catches his breath, heads over and fires up. Yota reels Cobb in, and manages to suplex high and hard! Cover, TWO! Cobb stays in this but Yota fires up more! The fans rally, but time is still ticking away. Yota storms back up to Cobb, brings him up, and puts him right up top! Yota CHOPS Cobb, then climbs, and the fans rally again. But Cobb fires body shots at the three minute warning! Cobb slips under Yota, to AWESOME- RANA!!

The fans are thunderous as Yota gets up, to GENE TRIGGER! And then fireman’s carry!? 17 CROSS! Cover, TWO!! The fans are thunderous again, and Yota drags Cobb over to a corner. Yota goes up and up for MARLOWE- Cobb catches him!?! ATHLETIC PLEX!! The fans are thunderous and Cobb stalks Yota. We hit the two minute warning and Cobb decides to go up and up, and steal MARLOWE CRASH!! Cover, TWO!! Yota survives Cobb’s take on his move, so Cobb tries the other! Cobb powers up, runs up, GENE- ROLL THROUGH! And deadlift into a Canadian Rack! But Cobb slips free, to GENE BLASTER!!

The fans are electric while both men are down again! Cobb crawls his way over, covers, TWO!!! Yota survives Cobb’s parody, and we’re under 60 seconds! Cobb whips, scoops, TOUR OF- CRADLE!! TWO!!! Cobb escapes, but Yota runs up! INTO A LARIAT!! Cobb hurries to drag Yota up! 30 seconds, Cobb whips, GENE- BOOT!! Cobb stops the blaster at the last second! But Yota rises!? 20 seconds!! POP-UP into F5 THOUSAND!!! TEN SECONDS!! Cobb crawls, covers, TWO?!?! AND TIME’S UP!!

Time Limit Draw; Jeff Cobb retains the title

The fans are still thunderous, even as this battle uses up all 15 minutes! Cobb survives, this is still his show, but he isn’t satisfied. Will he and Yota give us a sequel in the near future? WAIT, REN NARITA RUNS IN!! DOWN2DIE!! The wicked knee drop drops Cobb! The fans boo but this Souled Out Son of Strong Style continues to be an S O B! And he uses his pushup bar to CLOBBER Yota!! Ren ruins the moment, and he takes the mic for his own. “Oi, Jeff… I beat you in the G1, but you gave him a title match first? Don’t screw with me!” Ren picks up the NJPW World TV Championship and the fans boo more than before.

The fans now tell Ren to go away, go home, get outta here! But Ren tells Cobb, “Listen up. This belt rightfully belongs to ME, dumbass!” Ren drops the belt on Cobb, then “puts one out” before leaving. The fans boo more, but Cobb sits up. The fans cheer as Cobb grabs the mic, and Cobb says, in Japanese, “Yota… Happy Birthday.” The fans applaud, it’s the thought that counts. And then Cobb tells Narita, also in Japanese, “I will CRUSH you!!” Mic drop and the fans cheer that idea! When and where will the Imperial Unit take Ren on a Tour of the Islands?

My Thoughts:

Another great night for NJPW with… Actually, this is the second night of Road to Destruction, but the very first night was all just fun tune-up tag matches, and then they had Takagi’s 20th Anniversary night. But here, the real Road to Destruction begins as we get a title match and some more build. Good stuff in the matches I skipped, but very easy results to call. There are almost always “fall guys” in those matches, because they take the loss and all that. I probably could’ve made time for Douki & Taka VS Taiji & Gedo since that feeds the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match in a few days, but even then, Taka was the “fall guy” and Taiji has momentum. Douki & Taka can probably even things in another tune-up, keeping us guessing on the math going into their title match.

Very good matches that followed, as well. ZSJ was of course winning to keep his momentum going from the G1 Climax win, but likewise, Naito can turn things around before he faces Khan in three weeks. Actually, I feel like we should be getting a rotation of such tag matches. Naito & Bushi VS Khan & Akira, then Khan & Akira VS ZSJ & Fujita. And speaking of Akira, he of course took the loss for his team, that keeps Takagi strong, and then Hiromu and Henare are fairly even going into tomorrow’s title match. It would be pretty big if Hiromu won the NEVER Openweight title, but it doesn’t feel like that’s happening here.

And great NJPW World Television Championship match. It was a great move to go with the time limit draw, that protects both guys and leaves things open for more later. After all, Cobb had a time limit draw with ZSJ and that only made us want more, which we eventually got. Ren of course had to interject, but I’m pretty sure Cobb wins within the time limit there. Though, the House of Torture probably throws as many cheats as they can in those 15 minutes and that’d oddly be a lot of fun.

My Score: 8.8/10