Coverage
Mitchell’s NJPW WrestleKingdom 15 Results & Report! (1/5/21)
WrestleKingdom 15, Night 2!
NJPW’s massive new year event is wrapping up!
Night One was big but Night Two will be even bigger! Will Sanada settle things with Evil? Will Jay White once again be on top of NJPW?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- KOPW 2021 Fatal 4 Way: Toru Yano VS Bad Luck Fale VS Chase Owens VS BUSHI; Yano wins and is the provisional Mr. KOPW 2021.
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru VS Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato w/ Hiroyoshi Tenzan; Desperado & Kanemaru win and retain the titles.
- NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi VS Jeff Cobb; Takagi wins and retains the title.
- SANADA VS EVIL; Sanada wins.
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori VS Hiromu Takahashi; Hiromu wins and becomes the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
- IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Double Championship: Kota Ibushi VS Jay White w/ Gedo; Ibushi wins and retains the titles.
PLAY BY PLAY
KOPW 2021 Fatal 4 Way: Toru Yano VS Bad Luck Fale VS Chase Owens VS BUSHI!
Mr. KOPW 2020 is back in the hunt! But with two Bullet Club members in this match, are the odds against him? Or will the Producer find a way like he always has?
Yano is wary as Owens and Fale wait for him at the ropes. They hold the ropes open for him to enter but he wants them to back off. The ref tells Bullet Club to back away but they tell the ref to shut up. Bushi also stays out for the moment, much like he did during the New Japan Rambo. The bell rings so this match is starting as it is. Owens and Fale figure this is every man for himself, and they throw up the Too Sweet, but Fale makes it an eye poke! Cover, but Bushi and Yano both get in to break it! Not quite the finger poke of doom but it was close! Fale goes after Yano, Owens goes after Bushi! Fale throws Yano out then pursues while Owens keeps on Bushi.
Fale whips Yano hard into railing while Owens runs Bushi over. Bullet Club regroups and goes after Bushi in a corner. They double whip Bushi corner to corner, but Bushi boots Owens away, then boots Fale. Bushi hops up to leap and double missile dropkick! Owens falls, Fale staggers, Bushirooni, but Yano rolls Bushi up! TWO, and Bushi kicks to whip Yano. Yano reverses, to undo the buckle pad! Yano then dodges Bushi to send him into bare buckles! The ref reprimands but there’s no stopping Yano now! Except Owens grabs the pad and takes it away. Bushi kicks Yano low, whips him to Owens to SMACK! Home run for Owens!
Owens throws up the Too Sweet to say good job, but Bushi rakes his eyes! Bushi whips Owens, Owens reverses but Bushi huricanranas Owens out! Bushi runs but Fale trips him and drags him out hard! Owens clubs Yano, then puts him in and Fale is there. Yano is afraid and begs for mercy but Fale stomps him down! Owens and Fale split the wishbone on Yano! Who gets the wish? Fans rally up but Fale and Owens put Yano at the ropes for the “back massage,” aka standing on Yano with their combined weight! Fans still rally for Yano but Fale tells them to shut up. Fale and Owens mug Yano with kick after kick.
Fale covers but he holds the ropes. The ref won’t allow that, but Owens stands on Yano’s hand so he can’t reach. Fale and Owens double whip, body shot to knee lift to LARIAT! Owens covers, but Bushi breaks it! Fale stomps Bushi, then he and Owens drag Bushi up to whip corner to corner. Bushi hits bare buckles, but he dodges Owens to put him into those same buckles. Bushi boots Fale, then BULLDOG DROPKICK COMBOS! Fans fire up as Bushi baits Fale and dumps him out! Bushi builds speed but has to stop as Fale staggers. Bushi PLANCHAS instead! Direct hit, but then Bushi runs to DIVE onto Owens! Direct hit into railing!
Bushi fires up and puts Owens in and fans fire up with him! Bushi FISHERMAN SCREWS Owens, covers, but Yano breaks it! Yano drags Bushi up, and whips him into the bare buckles! But Fale runs Yano over! Fale whips Yano, Yano holds ropes then dodges Fale to SLAP him! Yano scoops but falls over with Fale’s weight! Cover, Bushi breaks it! Fale whips Bushi but Bushi dropkicks the leg out! Owens runs in but Bushi dodges and the BOOT hits Fale! Bushi runs but Owens spins him to a backslide. Bushi slips out, Owens tries to tuck him in but Bushi fights out. Owens ducks the enziguri but not the mule kick! BACKSTABBER! Bushi goes up and fans fire up, MX- BLOCKED!
Owens bell claps Bushi, reels him in and tucks the arms, but Bushi fights out to back drop! Owens sunsets but Bushi sits down, TWO! Bushi knees low, runs but into the JEWEL TRIGGER! Owens calls to Fale and they combine, GRENADE GERMAN! Bridging cover, but Fale sweeps Owens’ legs! Fale takes the cover, but Owens breaks it! Bullet Club is arguing over who gets to win! “I win, we win!” “No, you win, you win. If I win, we win!” The ref tries to get them to stop arguing, but they both go after him! Yano sneaks in to DOUBLE LOW BLOW Bullet Club! Then he covers Bushi! Yano wins!!
Winner: Toru Yano, by pinfall (provisional Mr. KOPW 2021)
See? Yano found a way to win! But he only had to be Mr. KOPW 2020 for a few months. Will Yano be able to hold onto this new trophy for an entire year?
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru VS Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato w/ Hiroyoshi Tenzan!
Suzuki-Gun’s Rogue Luchador was so close to being Best of the Super Juniors, but he and the Heel Master still have a prize to defend! Will they thwart the Funky Weapon and Way of the Grandmaster to open the new year?
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and the teams sort out. Desperado starts against Wato, and Wato starts with a BIG shotgun dropkick! Desperado knocks into Kanemaru and then Wato stomps Desperado down! Wato throws forearms, knees, and more forearms! Desperado is on the ropes and he wants time, but Wato throws more forearms and stomps. Wato whips, Desperado reverses but Wato BOOTS Kanemaru! Wato dodges Desperado, but Desperado boots back! Desperado CHOPS, runs, but Wato puts him on the apron. Wato sweeps the legs, fans fire up with him as he builds speed, and Wato TORNILLOS! Direct hit and Desperado is sent into railing!
Fans fire up as Wato puts Desperado in the ring and stomps him down. Wato throws a big forearm and puts Desperado in the corner. Tag to Taguchi and Wato brings Desperado up. Taguchi is up top and he drops an ax handle on Desperado’s arm. Taguchi gives Desperado point blank hip attacks, then runs, but Desperado runs the other way. Taguchi runs, and dares Desperado to crisscross with him. Desperado just watches Taguchi go back and forth over and over, until Kanemaru trips Taguchi up! Desperado sucker punches Wato, Kanemaru whips Taguchi into railing! Kanemaru wraps Taguchi’s leg around railing and BOOTS it!
Desperado drags Wato up and whips him into Tenzan! Kanemaru clubs Taguchi down then stomps the leg. Kanemaru drags Taguchi up and puts him in, and Desperado goes after the leg with a knee drop! Tag to Kanemaru and Kanemaru stomps Taguchi’s leg. Kanemaru YANKS on the leg, then Desperado gets in with a chair! The ref tells Desperado to go to the corner but Desperado distracts the ref. Kanemaru drags Taguchi over to the chair to SMASH the knee down on it! Taguchi writhes and Desperado taunts Wato but the ref keeps Wato back. Kanemaru tags Desperado and Desperado covers, TWO!
Desperado stomps Taguchi’s leg, talks trash then drags him up, but Taguchi CHOPS back! And CHOPS again! And again! Desperado kicks the bad leg, then sucker punches Wato! Tag to Kanemaru and Kanemaru drags Taguchi up to whip to ropes, and dropkick the legs out! Cover, TWO! Taguchi rolls away but Kanemaru stomps his leg down. Kanemaru talks trash as he keeps stomping, then he runs, only for Taguchi to block the kick! Taguchi throws forearms but Kanemaru rakes eyes! Kanemaru whips, Taguchi reverses, but Kanemaru holds ropes to deny the hip attack! Fans rally as Kanemaru runs, Taguchi somersaults to HIP ATTACK! Hot tag to Wato!
Wato DECKS Kanemaru, DECKS Desperado, then gets around Kanemaru for a SLINGBLADE! Fans fire up as Wato goes to the apron. Wato springboards in, FLYING UPPERCUT! Cover, TWO! Wato keeps focus as he drags Kanemaru up. Wato wrenches, reels him in, but Kanemaru holds off the Mouse Trap! Wato knees low, runs, but the ref is used as a shield! Kanemaru BOOTS, whips and runs in at the corner, but Wato elbows him away. Wato runs, the ref is used as a shield again, and Kanemaru rakes eyes! Wato still back kicks, and he runs again, but again the ref is used as a shield!
Wato shoves the ref back at Kanemaru, Kanemaru shoves him away, and Kanemaru ducks the Dreamcast Kick! Kanemaru pushes the ref yet again, and he ENZIGURIS Wato down! Fans cheer that creative exchange and Kanemaru tags Desperado. Desperado talks trash as he stomps Wato, but Wato kicks! Desperado blocks it to elbow the leg, then he reels Wato in for a suplex. Wato slips out, spins Desperado and KICKS him down! Fans fire up as Wato goes to his corner, tag to Taguchi! Taguchi aims and runs, but into an atomic drop! Desperado pushes Taguchi to a corner but Taguchi goes up the corner and headscissors.
Desperado blocks the throw, so Taguchi reels him into the Funky Weapon! Taguchi rams Desperado into his own ass again and again and again! And again! Fans fire up and Taguchi runs, HIP ATTACK! Fans fire up even more and Taguchi drags Desperado back up. Taguchi suplexes, uno amigo! Dos amigos! THREE A- NO! Desperado blocks to suplex but Taguchi fights that off, THREE AMIGOS! Cover, TWO! Desperado survives but Taguchi keeps his cool. Taguchi drags Desperado back up, hooks the arms but Desperado fights out to Guitarra, but Taguchi slips out! Taguchi gets Desperado in the inverted Gory Especial, but Desperado fights out of the Vertebreaker to torture rack!
Taguchi fights that off, ducks the straight right, to INVERTED EXPLODER! And KIP UP! Fans fire up as Taguchi calls upon the powers of Strong Style! “ORAYO!” BUM- Kanemaru dropkicks the legs out! Wato is back but Kanemaru DECKS him! Desperado gives Taguchi a SHIN BREAKER, and Kanemaru dropkicks the leg! STRETCH MUFFLER! Kanemaru keeps Wato down with a headlock, but Taguchi moves around! Desperado gets NUMERO DOS! Fans rally, Taguchi rolls but Desperado holds on! Wato gets in to CLUB Desperado down! Taguchi is free but damage has been done. Kanemaru drags Wato out to ROCK with haymakers!
Desperado fires up, reels Taguchi in, but Taguchi fights off the lift! Desperado kicks the bad leg, tries again, but Taguchi trips him to OH MY GAH ANKLE! Desperado flails, reaches around, but Taguchi drags Desperado away. Wato is in, they put Desperado on ropes, Wato hits 619! Taguchi chicken wings Desperado, DODON BUSTER! Cover, but Kanemaru gets past Wato to break it! Wato throws Kanemaru out, then coaches Taguchi up. Taguchi drags Desperado up while Wato climbs but Kanemaru anchors Wato! Taguchi throws Desperado away to DECK Kanemaru! ENZIGURI for Desperado!
Taguchi drags Desperado back up, chicken wings again, DODON- VICTORY ROLL! TWO!! Wato was a split second behind breaking it, but he spins Desperado to the MOUSE TRAP DRIVER!! Then Taguchi hits BUMAYE!! Cover, TWO!?!? Kanemaru CLOBBERS Wato on the outside but Taguchi drags Desperado up. Desperado reaches for ropes, Kanemaru rushes in with his whiskey bottle, but Taguchi shoves Desperado into Kanemaru! Taguchi brings Desperado up but STRAIGHT RIGHT! PINCHE LOCO!! Cover, Suzuki-Gun wins!!
Winners: El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru, by pinfall (still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions)
Taguchi was so close but still so far from having the tag titles! Will Desperado & Kanemaru hold onto these titles for a long, long time? But when Kanemaru goes to add insult to injury, Tenzan runs him and Desperado off! Will Kanemaru & Desperado have to be very careful who they bully?
NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi VS Jeff Cobb!
The Last Dragon and the Hawaiian Hulk threw down in World Tag League 2020, and weren’t satisfied with how it all ended. Now they throw down on the biggest stage of NJPW’s calendar, who will be on top of NJPW’s most versatile division?
Fans cheer and rally as the two stare down from across the way. Takagi approaches, Cobb follows and they tie up. Cobb shoves Takagi away, they tie up again and Cobb shoves Takagi away again. They get forehead to forehead, shove back and forth, then the forearms fly! Fans fire up as they’re fast and furious already! Neither man is backing down but Takagi gets the edge. Takagi headlocks, Cobb powers out and the two collide. Neither falls so Takagi runs again. Takagi rams Cobb, Cobb rebounds but blocks the hip toss! Takagi keeps trying but Cobb throws a body shot. Cobb swings but Takagi ducks and they collide again.
Cobb rebounds, rams Takagi to a corner, but Takagi dodges as Cobb runs in. Takagi hits that hip toss! Fans fire up as Takagi keeps moving, and Takagi runs Cobb over! Cover, ONE!! And with power enough to send Takagi to ropes! Takagi is surprised but he keeps moving. Cobb drops, hurdles and dropkicks Takagi down! Fans cheer the insane athleticism from Cobb! Cobb whips Takagi out hard, and fans rally up as Cobb goes out after him. Cobb CLUBS Takagi hard in the back! And then headbutts him in the back, too! Cobb brings Takagi around, and whips him into railing! The ref wants this to return to the ring but Cobb CHOPS Takagi, then whips him again.
Takagi reverses but Cobb blocks to reverse again! Cobb sends Takagi into railings, but Takagi comes back, only to run into an OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY! Fans cheer the superhuman strength! The ref checks on Takagi but he’s somehow okay to continue. Cobb goes to the ring as fans rally, “TA-KA-GI!” A ring count begins and climbs but Cobb goes out to fetch Takagi. Cobb puts Takagi in to win this properly and fans cheer. Cobb stomps Takagi, knees him against ropes, then CLUBS him on the back. Cobb whips Takagi to ropes then elbows him down hard! Cover, TWO! Another cover, TWO! Takagi refuses to stay down and Cobb grows frustrated.
Cobb drags Takagi up, wraps him in a bearhug, but Takagi endures. Takagi bell claps over and over until Cobb lets go. But Cobb still suplexes Takagi up and over! Cover, TWO! Cobb slaps Takagi around and eggs him on. Takagi gets up, wraps arms around Cobb, but Cobb elbows free. Cobb runs but into Takagi’s elbow! JAB! LARIAT- Cobb stays up!? Cobb shoves Takagi to elbow, JAB, and- No, Takagi catches the clothesline into a waistlock! Cobb resists the lift, they go to ropes, and Takagi uses the rebound for the SAIDO! Fans fire up while Cobb tumbles to the ropes. Fans rally behind Takagi as he goes over to Cobb on the apron.
Takagi drags Cobb up and fireman’s carries, but Cobb blocks! Cobb shoves Takagi away, Takagi elbows back but Cobb CLUBS him! Cobb reels Takagi back in, hoists him up top, then gets him for a crucifix! Takagi slips free, runs and BLASTS Cobb off the apron! Takagi keeps moving to FLY!! The somersault tope takes Cobb down at the ramp! Fans fire up again as Takagi gets to his feet first. The ring count starts, Takagi takes a moment but puts Cobb in at 8 of 20. Cobb gets up, Takagi runs in at the corner, corner clothesline to DDT! Takagi goes up top?! FALLING ELBOW! Cover, TWO! Takagi keeps focus as fans continue to rally up.
Cobb rises, Takagi brings him up, but Cobb resists the Gory Especial! Cobb swings Takagi to a corner, runs in but into boots! Takagi runs but into an ATHLETIC PLEX! Both men are down and fans fire up! Cobb and Takagi go to opposite corners, Cobb runs in and leaps for the big uppercut! Takagi wobbles into the gut wrench suplex! Cobb rolls through to keep the gut wrench and suplex again! Cobb isn’t done there, but Takagi holds off the third. Cobb shifts to a powerbomb but Takagi RANAS?! Cobb staggers into the Gory Especial! That’s a lot to lift, though! Cobb turns things around to get the crucifix! SIT-OUT RAZOR’S EDGE!! Cover, TWO!! Takagi survives and fans are thunderous!
Cobb gets up first and drags Takagi up to whip. Takagi holds ropes and then BOOTS Cobb! Takagi runs but Cobb LARIATS! But Takagi fireman’s carries to a DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Fans fire up again as both men slowly rise. Cobb goes to a corner, Takagi fires up with “OI! OI! OI!” and fans clap along! Takagi runs in at the corner, BIG clothesline! Takagi hoists Cobb up top, climbs up to join him, and goes way up, for a SUPERPLEX! Fans are thunderous again as Takagi says that’s still not enough! Takagi drags Cobb back by his legs, wheelbarrow GERMAN! But again, Takagi knows that’s not enough to stop Cobb, so he brings Cobb back up.
Takagi runs, SLIDING- Cobb stops Takagi cold! And hits an EXPLODER! Takagi gets up, and he gives Cobb an EXPLODER! Cobb is dazed but sits up and Takagi shouts at him. The two titans head for each other, they give junkyard dog headbutts, then start giving SLAP after SLAP! And forearm after forearm! Cobb gets the edge, but Takagi gives it back from all sides! Takagi eggs Cobb on, Cobb ROCKS him! Cobb talks trash, Takagi JABS back! Cobb SUPERKICKS, Takagi LARIATS! Cobb stays up to DEAD LIFT GERMAN! But Takagi PUMPING BOMBERS! Takagi hits Cobb so hard, TAKAGI falls out of the ring! Fans rally up as both men are down and a ring count starts.
Takagi stirs, drags himself up at 8 of 20, but flops back down. Takagi gets back up at 12, staggers at 14, still flounders at 17, but jumps in at 19.9! Into a PILEDRIVER!! Cover, TWO!?!? Fans are thunderous again as Takagi survives! Cobb stalks Takagi to ropes, drags him up, whips him to ropes, but Takagi flops over! Cobb hauls Takagi back up, reels him in, but Takagi slips out to CHOP BLOCK the leg! Cobb hobbles, Takagi gets the leg, DRAGON SCREW! Takagi isn’t done there, he roars and pump handles Cobb, for MADE IN JAPAN!! Cover, TWO?!!? Cobb survives but Takagi is too sore to be frustrated. Fans rally back up, Takagi drags himself over to drag Cobb back up.
Takagi point-blank lariats, and again, but Cobb stays up. Takagi keeps trying, but Cobb headbutts! Cobb runs, Takagi clotheslines him at the ropes! Takagi runs, Cobb dodges, GERMAN! Cobb whips, scoops, TOUR OF THE ISLANDS! But Cobb can’t cover, his leg holds him back!! His leg couldn’t support the weight that long! Cover, ROPEBREAK! Cobb gets that leg for another cover, TWO!!! Takagi survives again and Cobb is shocked! Takagi sits up in a daze but Cobb hobbles over. Cobb brings Takagi to the corner, climbs up, and dead lifts! Takagi stops the superplex halfway but Cobb throws forearms and headbutts!
Takagi resists the scoop, headbutts back, then bumps Cobb off the buckles! Takagi goes around to bring Cobb off the corner for a POWERBOMB! Both men are down but the fans are still fired up! Takagi gets back to the corner and he shouts at Cobb. Cobb rises slowly as the fans rally up. Takagi powers up and runs, PUMPING- No, Cobb elbows, JABS and LARIATS! Whip and scoop, but Takagi pulls hair to resist the Tour! Cobb shoves Takagi and scoops him, for a FALL AWAY MOONSAULT?! Cobb drags Takagi up, whips again, PUMPING BOMBER! Cobb stays up and fans are thunderous, as Takagi runs in again! Double clotheslines collide, but neither falls!
Another collision, Takagi headbutts, JABS, then HEADBUTTS! Takagi has fans fire up as he scoops Cobb, to EXPLODER Cobb again! Fans clap with “OI! OI! OI!” for Takagi as he gets back up. Cobb flounders into PUMPING BOMBER!! But Takagi can’t cover, and Cobb is floundering around again! Takagi reels Cobb in, pump handle and rack, LAST OF THE DRAGONS!!! Cover, Takagi wins!!
Winner: Shingo Takagi, by pinfall (still NEVER Openweight Champion)
That was beyond superhuman from both men! But in the end, The Dragon slays the Hulk! But it seems Cobb did win Takagi’s respect. Is it only a matter of when, not if, we see these two battle for this title again?
SANADA VS EVIL w/ Dick Togo!
The Cold Skull and King of Darkness were an incredible tag team, having won back-to-back World Tag League tournaments, and winning the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships multiple times. But it would seem individual ambition motivated Evil into turning his back on his friends. Will Sanada make Evil regret leaving everything behind?
The elaborate ring attire is put aside, Evil and Dick give a Low Sweet, and the bell rings. Sanada and Evil stare down as fans rally up already. Fans clap “SA-NA-DA!” as he and Evil slowly circle. They approach, feel out the grapple, and Evil kicks low to throw Sanada out. Sanada gets in right as Evil goes out, and fans cheer. Evil wants Sanada to stay back while he goes around the way, then Evil slides in. Sanada rushes in, Evil catches him but Sanada narrowly avoids the STO! Sanada dragon sleepers, Evil spins it around to a dragon sleeper of his own, but Sanada wants the STO! Evil gets away and fans cheer as these two show just how familiar they are with each other.
Fans rally as the two circle again, and they both kick! They both block and then argue who lets go first. They both put the other’s foot down, but Evil holds on! Evil gives the foot to the ref but Sanada has the ref let go. Sanada gets Evil’s foot, trips him up, and ties him up! Sanada puts Evil in Paradise! Fans cheer and Sanada encourages them to get louder. Fans do get louder, and Sanada is satisfied but Dick protests. Sanada runs and dropkicks Evil out of Paradise! Evil bails out, Sanada builds speed, but Evil ducks so Sanada tumbles. Sanada moonsaults, Evil dodges but Evil blocks the kick! Evil RAMS Sanada into railing and the timekeeper’s area! Abe-san suffers at Evil’s hands again!
Evil leaves the wreckage behind to go looking under the ring. Evil finds chairs and puts them down for a moment to go fetch Sanada. Evil grabs a chair, wraps it around Sanada’s head, then gets the other! HOME RUN!! Sanada clutches his neck but Evil goes around and tells the ref to shut up as he goes looking for more. Evil brings out a table! Evil and Dick set the table up, the ref sees that but Evil tells him to shut up already. Evil goes back to Sanada, drags him up and around, puts him in the ring, and has a cocky cover. TWO, and Evil is upset with the ref. Evil stands on Sanada’s head as fans rally up. Evil brings Sanada up but Sanada CHOPS back! And CHOPS again! And again!
Evil whips Sanada into bare buckles!? Dick must’ve undone the blue corner, as is the Bullet Club style! Evil drags Sanada up, throws him back out, and then RAMS him into the timekeeper’s area again! Can’t they just move the table to somewhere else?! Evil drags Sanada back up and in, but then Dick gets in and CHAIR SHOTS Sanada! No one saw that, but Evil wants the ref to count. Cover, TWO! Another cover, TWO! Another, TWO!! Evil is furious with the ref but the count is the count. Evil drags Sanada up, reels him in, fisherman but no buster as Sanada fights it off! Sanada resists the next attempt, and then he suplexes.
Evil fights that off, suplexes again but Sanada slips out to waistlock. Evil switches and shoves to then go the other way, but Sanada dropkicks the legs out! Again, they know each other so well! Fans rally up as Sanada goes after Evil. Dick distracts so Sanada DECKS him! Evil whips, Sanada reverses to hurdle, hurdle and dropkick! Then PLANCHA! Sanada goes back in and PLANCHAS Dick, too! Fans fire up and Sanada encourages them to get even louder. The fans get louder and louder until Sanada is satisfied, and he goes to fetch Evil. Sanada puts Evil in, covers, TWO! Sanada drags Evil up to fireman’s carry, but Evil rakes eyes to get free!
Evil whips Sanada but Sanada stops himself from hitting bare buckles. Sanada elbows Evil away, jumps up and over, ducks and dodges, but Evil distracts the ref as Dick trips Sanada up! Dick positions the table closer to the ring, Evil brings Sanada over, and the ref reprimands but Evil drags Sanada up. Fans rally up, Evil brings Sanada up, but Sanada fights off the urenage! Sanada fireman’s carries, Evil holds ropes and slips off! Evil swings but Sanada forearms! Sanada springboards but Evil dodges! The ref is used as a shield, Evil kicks low and uses the ref to prop Sanada up!
Sanada slips off to deny Magic Killer, and tries to suplex Evil to do the same, only for Evil to cradle counter! Sanada drags Evil back up, to hit MAGIC SCREW! Both men are down but fans fire up again! Sanada rises, drags Evil back up and chicken wings, TIGER SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Sanada gets Evil in the dragon sleeper but Evil fights back! Evil pulls on Sanada’s ear, but Sanada gives him a SKULL SWING! To SKULL- No, Evil rolls back and reels Sanada in, but Sanada slips out to another dragon sleeper! Evil spins around to RAM Sanada into the bare buckles! Both men are down again and fans rally back up. Evil drags himself over to ropes and then gets up.
Evil drags Sanada up and scoops him for a backbreaker! Sanada writhes and goes to ropes but Evil mocks the applause from fans. Evil drags Sanada up, hoists him to the top rope, then climbs up to join him. Evil brings Sanada up for the SUPERPLEX! Evil gets the legs, steps through, SHARPSHOOTER! Sanada endures as Evil sits deep, fans rally up, and Sanada powers up! Sanada crawls for ropes but Evil sits deeper! And Dick even pulls the ropes back to keep them from Sanada! Sanada still endures, powers up again, and gets the ropebreak! The ref counts, Evil lets go at 4! Evil is annoyed, but he mocks the fans clapping “SA-NA-DA!” before he drags Sanada up.
Evil fireman’s carries, for DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO!?!? Sanada narrowly avoids losing and Evil is frustrated! Evil slashes the throat and drags Sanada back up. Evil spins Sanada around, but Sanada fights the STO off! Sanada staggers, but he baits Evil into the bare buckles! BIG BACK SUPLEX! Both men are down, fans fire up and Sanada rises first. Sanada drags Evil up to a fireman’s carry, TKO! Cover, TWO! Sanada brings Evil back up, scoops him for a backbreaker, then he goes to the top rope. MOONSAULT, but Sanada has to bail out as Evil moves! Sanada hobbles, Evil runs in but into a fireman’s carry! Sanada throws Evil into the dragon sleeper!
Evil spins out, blocks a kick and rakes eyes! Evil throws the foot into the ref! The ref goes down this time, and Dick gets in with a chair! Dick JAMS Sanada low, then rains down fists! Dick stomps Sanada, Evil gets up, and they double whip Sanada to the corner. Dick runs in to corner clothesline! Evil runs in to clothesline, then he and Dick hit MAGIC KILLER on Sanada! Evil drags Sanada over to the drop zone, Dick climbs up, but Sanada kicks Evil into the ropes! Dick lands on his namesake then falls out of the ring! The ref recovers while Evil shouts to Dick. Dick’s down and Sanada cradles Evil! TWO, and Evil runs into an elbow. Sanada Quebrada to the SKULL END!
Evil is caught, starts to fade, but he pulls at hair. Sanada squeezes tighter, Evil keeps going after hair and ears and whatever he can find, but Sanada isn’t letting go! Evil fades more, the ref checks on him, but Sanada lets go to put Evil in a drop zone. Sanada goes up, ROUNDING BODY PRESS! And then ANOTHER, onto KNEES!! Evil saves himself at the last second! Evil goes to a corner while Sanada writhes and clutches his legs. Sanada manages to stand, and he runs in at Evil, but into a boot! Sanada staggers, runs back in but into more boots. Evil runs in, Sanada spins him, SHIRANUI, to SKULL END! But Evil slips out, grabs the ref, and they all back up, and Dick uses the CHOKER!!
Evil keeps the ref from seeing, but Sanada powers out of the choker! Sanada dodges Evil, Evil stops from hitting Dick, but Sanada dropkicks Evil into Dick! Dick falls through the table!! Evil is in shock after what happened to Dick, and Sanada waistlocks to O’Conner Roll, BRIDGING! TWO!! Evil survives, Sanada swings but into a shove! Evil HALF ‘N’ HALF, then LARIATS! Cover, TWO!! Sanada survives and fans are thunderous again! Evil slashes the throat and drags Sanada up. Sanada again avoids the STO to dragon sleeper, but Evil brings the ref in! Sanada blocks the low blow, Evil rakes eyes, but Evil swings into EVERYTHING IS EVIL!!
Sanada steals Evil’s move but he isn’t done! Fans are fired up as Sanada whips Evil to pop him up for the TKO! Sanada goes to the corner, ROUNDING BODY PRESS!! Cover, Sanada wins!!
Winner: SANADA, by pinfall
The grudge match is over, and the Cold Skull stands tall! Will Sanada move on from his past to have a bright future?
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Taiji Ishimori VS Hiromu Takahashi!
The Bone Soldier Reborn already lost to the Timebomb in Best of the Super Juniors 27, so he’ll do everything in his power to keep it from happening again. But Hiromu already beat El Phantasmo, will he sweep at WrestleKingdom to prove who is truly THE best Junior Heavyweight today?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and this rivalry continues with a new chapter!
The fans rally up as Ishimori and Hiromu slowly circle. They approach, tie up, and Ishimori puts Hiromu on the ropes. Red Shoes calls for the break, Ishimori fakes the chop to kick low. Ishimori whips, Hiromu reverses, Ishimori handsprings but Hiromu dodges. Ishimori dodges Hiromu’s swing and then holds ropes to bait Hiromu in and dump him out. Ishimori keeps moving, Hiromu gets back in and blows past, but Ishimori gets around to waistlock. Hiromu switches, Ishimori switches, repeat, but Ishimori wrenches the arm to throw Hiromu back out. Fans cheer as Ishimori goes to the corner and goes up, but Hiromu intercepts with a waistlock!
Ishimori fights him off but Hiromu SUPERKICKS back! Hiromu goes in, runs, and sunset flips! Ishimori holds on, back flips through, but runs into an APRON POWERBOMB! Hiromu already has ELP counter him yesterday, he wasn’t going to let it happen today! Fans cheer but Ishimori writhes and Hiromu takes his time stalking him to the ramp. Hiromu mocks Ishimori’s pain and asks if he’s okay. Hiromu drags Ishimori up and scoops him for a slam! Fans cheer as Hiromu goes up the ramp to get some space. Hiromu gets a LOT of space, and they clap along as he goes to the very top of the ramp. Hiromu builds speed all the way down, to JOHN WOO, INTO A SLAM!!
Ishimori was ready for Hiromu running down, perhaps Hiromu could’ve stopped a bit closer… Ishimori goes to the ring and unties the blue corner pad while the ring count climbs. Hiromu gets up and crawls at 13, makes it to the ring at 15, but Ishimori MOONSAULTS out onto him! Ishimori drags Hiromu up and puts him in. Ishimori looms over Hiromu, stomps him down, then drags him back up. Ishimori whips Hiromu into the bare corner! Red Shoes reprimands but the damage is done. Fans rally while Hiromu writhes but Ishimori drags him back up. Ishimori wrenches, hammerlocks, and RAMS Hiromu into the bar buckles! Hiromu falls over again and clutches the shoulder!
Ishimori grins as he hears the fans rallying again. Ishimori kicks at Hiromu, Hiromu gets up and CHOPS! But that was his bad arm! Ishimori goes after the fingers, Hiromu throws forearms! Ishimori elbows the bad arm, hammerlocks the good arm, then reaches across to YANK the bad arm! Hiromu writhes but Ishimori drags him up to gut wrench. Hiromu fights out and shoves Ishimori at the bare corner! Ishimori stops himself, elbows back and whips Hiromu away. Ishimori blocks boots, puts Hiromu in the ropes and enziguris! But Hiromu gets out of the ropes to intercept Ishimori with a RANA! Both men are down and fans fire up!
Hiromu gets up, still clutching the bad arm. Ishimori runs in, but into BOOTS! Hiromu hits a DRAPING HEADSCISSOR HOLD! Hiromu lets go at 4, drags Ishimori out in a wheelbarrow, for a FACEBUSTER to the floor! Hiromu grins as he goes to the apron and takes aim. Ishimori gets up, for Hiromu to SHOTGUN dropkick him into railing! Hiromu puts Ishimori in, drags him up and suplexes for the FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up while Hiromu catches his breath and gets the bad arm moving. Hiromu drags Ishimori up, fireman’s carries, but Ishimori slips out before the Death Valley.
Ishimori blocks boots, spins Hiromu and enziguris, to run and hit the SLIDING GERMAN! Ishimori gets to the corner, springboards up and 450’s THE ARM!! And then rolls Hiromu to the YES LOCK! Hiromu endures, fans fire up, but Ishimori cranks back on the crossface! Hiromu still reaches and gets a leg for the ropebreak! Ishimori lets go, but he drags Hiromu back up. Ishimori gut wrenches but Hiromu turns that around, only for Ishimori to turn it back. But Hiromu headscissors out and pops Ishimori up, only for Ishimori to RANA! Hiromu goes to a corner, Ishimori runs in, bu Hiromu throws him OVERHEAD into the buckles! Fans fire up as both men are down!
Hiromu rises, drags Ishimori up, but Ishimori blocks the fireman’s carry. Hiromu still gets him up, Ishimori fights out, ducks the strikes, but Hiromu wheelbarrows to the COMPLETE SHOT! Hiromu gets up, drags Ishimori up and fireman’s carries again, for a CORNER DEATH VALLEY! Hiromu keeps Ishimori in the fireman’s carry for the RUNNING DEATH VALLEY! Fans fire up with Hiromu as he drags Ishimori back up. Hiromu fireman’s carries again, spins, but Ishimori slips free! Ishimori blocks the kick, Hiromu blocks the knee, Hiromu SUPERKICKS! Hiromu runs into a BOOT! Ishimori whips but Hiromu reverses. Ishimori handsprings into a GERMAN!
Hiromu runs, but Ishimori dodges and runs to DESTROYER!! Hiromu sits up in a daze and slowly falls over! Fans are thunderous as both men are down again, but stirring. Ishimori crawls over to Hiromu and Hiromu crawls over to him. Ishimori sits Hiromu up to throw a forearm, but Hiromu forearms back. Ishimori forearms again, Hiromu laughs and he forearms Ishimori back. Ishimori grins, throws another forearm, and the two start to rise. Hiromu throws another forearm, Ishimori gives it back. Hiromu forearms, Ishimori forearms, repeat! Ishimori gets the edge, but Hiromu DECKS him with one!
Hiromu grins as he brings Ishimori back up. Ishimori fires off fast hands, ROCKS Hiromu, then ROCKS him again! And again! And again! Hiromu keeps trying but Ishimori keeps hitting! Hiromu wobbles into another forearm, and then another! Ishimori keeps hitting, and DECKS Hiromu! Hiromu still gets up!? Ishimori ROCKS him again and Hiromu leans against ropes! Fans rally for Hiromu and he pushes himself back up. Ishimori throws more forearms, but Hiromu isn’t backing down this time! Ishimori just keeps throwing forearms, Hiromu wobbles and sways and Ishimori DECKS him again! Hiromu springs up but Ishimori just keeps hitting him back down!
Ishimori brings Hiromu up so he can keep hitting him! Ishimori sits Hiromu up to DECK him! Fans continue to rally as Ishimori looks to a corner. Ishimori drags Hiromu up, and POSTS him! Ishimori drags Hiromu back, hammerlocks and scoops, for a SHOULDER BUSTER! Ishimori goes to the corner to watch Hiromu writhe and clutch his shoulder. Hiromu slowly gets back up, and Ishimori runs in, tilt-o-whirl takedown! YES LOCK!! Hiromu endures, crawls around, and fans rally up behind him! Hiromu reaches, Ishimori rolls him away, and has the Yes Lock back on! Ishimori cranks back on the hold, Hiromu moves around, and Hiromu reaches out!
Ishimori gets the other arm and pulls back, but Hiromu uses his foot for the ropebreak! Ishimori lets go in frustration but fans rally up for Hiromu. Ishimori drags Hiromu back up, gut wrenches, but Hiromu fights out. Ishimori throws elbows, slides back and pump handles Hiromu to the gut wrench! CIPHER UTAKI! Cover, TWO!! Hiromu survives and Ishimori is furious! Ishimori goes to ropes, aims and says BANG, before he brings Hiromu up. Hiromu arm-drags out of the half hatch but Ishimori JUMPING KNEES! Ishimori runs in, tilt-o-whirls, but Hiromu blocks! Hiromu suplexes for VICTORIA! Cover, TWO!! Ishimori survives but Hiromu is too tired to be upset.
Hiromu gets up and fans rally behind him as he shouts at Ishimori. Hiromu drags Ishimori up, runs, and LARIATS! Then a fireman’s carry, to CORNER DEATH VALLEY! Into the bare buckles!! Hiromu fires up more and he drags Ishimori up to a fireman’s carry, TIMEBOMB!! Cover, TWO!?! Ishimori survives but Hiromu won’t stop there! Hiromu drags Ishimori up, dragon sleepers and suplexes, then tucks him in, but Ishimori fights out to snapmare Hiromu into his own dragon sleeper! Ishimori lifts, Hiromu arm-drags free and then rolls to get the fireman’s carry back! Hiromu throws Ishimori into the dragon sleeper but Ishimori fights off the lift!
Hiromu still tries but Ishimori wrenches in mid-air, to the BONE LOCK!!! Hiromu endures as Ishimori cranks on the hold, and fans fire up as Hiromu moves around. Hiromu reaches but Ishimori drags him away again! Ishimori brings Hiromu, BLOODY- NO! Hiromu slips out, suplexes, VICTORIA!! Ishimori flounders around, Hiromu fires himself up again, and fans fire up with him! Hiromu drags Ishimori up into the dragon sleeper, then the suplex, TIMEBOMB MK. II!! Cover, HIROMU WINS!!
Winner: Hiromu Takahashi, by pinfall (NEW IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion)
The Best of the Super Juniors winner, who beat the Super J-Cup winner, has now beaten the Junior Heavyweight Champion! He stands up, belt on his shoulder and trophy in hand! Is Hiromu truly the best Junior Heavyweight in the world?!
IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Double Championship: Kota Ibushi VS Jay White w/ Gedo!
The Golden Star has finally reached the top of the mountain! But the Switchblade promises to be there to knock him back down every single time. White already stole the G1 Climax’s Right to Challenge Contract, will he still Ibushi’s claim to being the wrestling god of NJPW? Or is destiny, true destiny, undeniable?
The introductions are made, Gedo hands Red Shoes the Right to Challenge contract on behalf of White, and Ibushi gives over both belts. All three are presented together, and this historic main event begins!
White and Gedo Low Sweet, fans rally up, and the bell rings. White and Ibushi stare down as the rallying continues, but then White bails out. White mocks the clapping but then goes back to the ring, only to slip right back out. Gedo applauds but Ibushi gets impatient. White has Ibushi stay back as he has the fans clap again. White slips in, approaches Ibushi and gets face to face with him. White says this happens on his schedule, and the two circle. But Gedo gets on the apron, only for White to tell him to stay down. Gedo backs away, White and Ibushi tie up, and are in a deadlock. Ibushi powers White back, White turns things around to put Ibushi on the ropes.
Red Shoes calls for the break, White backs off but Gedo grabs at Ibushi’s feet! White CLUBS Ibushi from behind! White stomps Ibushi down while defending Gedo’s innocence. White brings Ibushi up, headlocks and hits the takeover, but Ibushi keeps his shoulders up. White traps an arm, Ibushi hits White with his free arm, but White shifts position. They get up, White hits another takeover, and he grinds Ibushi down again. White again traps an arm, but Ibushi uses his legs to move around. They get up again, Ibushi tries to power out but White pulls on Ibushi’s ears! White reels Ibushi back into the headlock takeover!
White grinds Ibushi down, but Ibushi fights his way up again. Ibushi powers out of the headlock this time but White runs him over, only for Ibushi to kip up! White ducks the roundhouse and scrambles out of the ring! Ibushi pursues, Gedo keeps his distance, but White slips back into the ring. Ibushi keeps his cool, goes in but White stomps him down! White clubs, whips but Ibushi FLYING KICKS! Fans fire up with Ibushi as White bails out. Ibushi pursues but Gedo goes after him! Ibushi elbows Gedo away, ROCKS and CLUBS White and Red Shoes reprimands Gedo. Ibushi puts White in, White rolls all the way to the other side and bails out again.
Ibushi follows, brings White up and puts him back in. White gets Ibushi in the ropes with a DRAPING DDT! White drags Ibushi up and throws him back out, then goes out after him. White brings Ibushi up for a BIG APRON BACK SUPLEX! Ibushi is all folded up as he flops over! White double guns then goes back into the ring while Red Shoes checks on Ibushi. Ibushi is okay to continue, White goes back out after him, and White RAMS Ibushi into the apron! Then again! And again! White shows no mercy as he RAMS Ibushi a fourth time! White leaves Ibushi behind and lets the ring count start. Ibushi stirs at 3, gets up at 7, and in at 10 of 20.
White stomps Ibushi at the ropes, digs his boots into Ibushi’s neck, then lets off at Red Shoes’ count. Ibushi hits back but it’s not enough, and White rakes Ibushi’s eyes! White drags Ibushi up, puts him in a corner and rams his shoulder in! And again! And again! And again! White then gives Ibushi a GUT BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Ibushi also grabs the ropes for good measure, but White dags him away. White wraps Ibushi up in a rear bearhug, then he drives knees into Ibushi’s back. White wraps on the bearhug again but fans rally. Ibushi fights up but White spins him for a facelock! Ibushi throws body shots but White CLUBS him, then runs, and fakes out the dropkick!
White gets the legs and STOMPS Ibushi in the stomach! White mocks the applauds then gives stomps to Ibushi over and over at the ropes. White gets the legs and ROPE GUILLOTINES Ibushi! White mocks the Tranquilo since Naito isn’t here, and he covers. Red Shoes refuses because of the circumstances so White goes back to the bearhug. Gedo shouts at Ibushi to give up but Ibushi growls back at Gedo. Ibushi grits his teeth, fights up but White CLUBS him! White suplexes but Ibushi blocks! So White DDT’s instead! White mockingly cheers the fans on to clap for Ibushi. White slaps Ibushi around, drops knees, but Ibushi glares up at White.
White rakes Ibushi’s eyes and puts him in the corner! Red Shoes reprimands and counts, White lets off but he RAMS his shoulder in. Red Shoes reprimands more, White drags Ibushi up, and White RAMS in again! White digs his shoulder in, Red Shoes pulls White back and they argue about who touches who. White storms off, into Ibushi’s ROUNDHOUSE! Fans cheer as Ibushi turns things around, but White is up first. White brings Ibushi up, knees low but Ibushi sobats! Ibushi fires himself up and White staggers over into another ROUNDHOUSE! STANDING MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Ibushi keeps focus as fans rally up.
Ibushi drags White, waistlocks, but White resists the lift, White trips Ibushi, Ibushi kicks White away and White ends up outside the ring! Ibushi hurries out and throws hands but White RAMS him into the apron again! And into the railing! Commentary braces themselves as White brings Ibushi up again. White puts Ibushi in the ring, and sees him go to a corner. White runs in corner to corner but Ibushi goes up and over and then hits the SPINNING POWERSLAM! Ibushi somersaults to a corner but White trips him up! Ibushi is stuck in the ropes as White CLUBS away on his back! Red Shoes counts, White lets off to go outside. White has a leg, for a DRAPING DRAGON SCREW!
Ibushi flops down, White gets in, and White goes to the opposite corner. Ibushi drags himself up, White runs in to UPPERCUT! Then BLADE BUSTER! Cover, TWO! White is annoyed, he drags Ibushi around and stomps the leg. White throws forearms but Ibushi sits up to egg White on. White ROCKS Ibushi, brings him up, but Ibushi powers out of the urenage to back White into buckles! Ibushi throws elbows, White kicks the legs, but White runs into the RANA! White flops out of the ring and fans rally up behind Ibushi. Ibushi runs to the corner, goes up, but White gets in the ring. Ibushi adjusts but White trips him up! Ibushi crashes down to the floor and Gedo cheers.
White catches his breath and rests while Red Shoes checks on Ibushi. Ibushi is okay so the ring count starts. Ibushi sits up at 3, drags himself over at 7, but White has Ibushi as he gets in. White suplexes Ibushi to hang him out to dry, and Ibushi flops down and hits the mat. White drags Ibushi back up, and Half Hatch suplexes Ibushi into buckles! Cover, TWO! Gedo protests the count but Red Shoes says he was being fair. White drags Ibushi up, reels him in, but Ibushi again fights off the urenage. White throws knees low, and Gedo says White needs to end Ibushi! White wants the Kiwi but Ibushi fights out with body shots! Ibushi gut wrenches but White resists!
Ibushi tries to fight through but White throws more body shots to then scoop. But Ibushi slips out, SNAP HALF ‘N’ HALF! Fans fire up while both men are down! Ibushi feeds off the energy and gets up first. White follows in a daze, and Ibushi ROCKS him with a forearm! White wobbles, Gedo shouts for him to get up, and White forearms back! Ibushi ROCKS White, but White forearms again! Fans rally up as the two pick up speed, but White knees low. Ibushi swings into White’s strike fest, only to give a strike fest! White doubles over from the sobat, but he ducks the Penalty Kick! Ibushi blocks the roll up to sit down! TWO, White gets the cover, TWO!
Ibushi has White for the BASTARD DRIVER!! But Ibushi can’t hold the cover! Fans are still thunderous as both men are down again. Ibushi and White stir but Ibushi is up first. White rolls slowly to the corner, but Ibushi calls upon the powers of Strong Style! White dodges Bomaye! Ibushi fights off the waistlock but White gets a SNAP SAIDO! White crawls over, drags Ibushi back up, reels him in, URENAGE! Cover, TWO! Ibushi survives but Gedo shouts for White to keep going. White wants the Kiwi again, fisherman, KIWI KRUSHER! Cover, TWO!! White grows annoyed but he slashes the throat and drags Ibushi up! Ibushi rolls through the Bladerunner to dead lift BACK SUPLEX!
Fans fire up, Ibushi powers up, BOMAYE!! Cover, TWO!?! White survives and Ibushi can’t believe it! Fans rally up as Ibushi drags White back up. Ibushi reels White in, lifts, but White fights out and knees low. White goes to ropes, gets Ibushi to a backslide, but he uses the TOP rope for leverage! Red Shoes sees that and stops counting! Gedo and White are pissed but that’s what they get for cheating! Ibushi glares at White and BUZZSAWS! Ibushi drags White up and Gedo panics! Ibushi has the wrists but White covers his head to avoid the knee. Ibushi lets go, White looks up, BUZZSAW AGAIN!
Fans fire up as Ibushi goes to the corner, goes up top, but Gedo gets on the apron! Red Shoes reprimands, Ibushi glares at Gedo, but White gets a leg! White clubs Ibushi down, climbs up behind him and goes to bump Ibushi off the post. Ibushi blocks but White clubs away! White climbs up more, sleeper holds, and Gedo is fired up for this! Ibushi still resists, White still pulls back, but Ibushi elbows until White lets go! White stumbles down, but Gedo anchors Ibushi’s foot! Ibushi kicks Gedo away but White CLUBS Ibushi again! White drags Ibushi off the top, but Ibushi elbows out! White CHOP BLOCKS the leg! And GROUND DRAGON SCREWS! And again!
White steps through, for the TTO!! Or will it be ITO for Ibushi Taps Out? Ibushi endures, drags himself and White towards ropes, and he gets the ropebreak! White holds on until Red Shoes counts 4. Ibushi clutches his leg, but Gedo goes looking under the ring for things. White drags Ibushi up and brings him around to give toying kicks. Ibushi just stares at White. White keeps kicking but Ibushi gets up with that ice cold stare. White throws a forearm but Ibushi doesn’t budge. White keeps throwing forearms but Ibushi just stares. Ibushi STRAIGHT SHOTS! Then KICKS! And CLUBS! This is Killer Ibushi now! Gedo panics as Ibushi goes after White with kicks and stomps in the corner!
Ibushi lets off and dares White to do something! White gets up, and Ibushi dares him to man up! White walks over to throw a forearm but Ibushi immediately DECKS him! Ibushi again eggs White on, and White comes back with another forearm. Ibushi DECKS White again! White flounders, comes back, throws another forearm, but Ibushi DECKS White again! White flops out of the ring, sputters, and Ibushi dares White to get back in. Fans rally behind Ibushi, Gedo helps White stand, and White drags himself into the ring. Ibushi demands White bring the fight, and White returns, but he flops back down.
White dares Ibushi to cover him already but Ibushi isn’t falling for any of these tricks. Ibushi stands over White, and SLAPS away on him! White shields himself but Ibushi just rains down furious fists! Red Shoes goes to pull Ibushi away but Ibushi shoves him! White LOW BLOWS Ibushi!! Ibushi fell for a trick after all! White makes sure he still has his teeth, then he pushes Ibushi out of the ring. White drags Ibushi up, and RAMS him into railing! And then the apron! And back to railing! And the apron! Railing! Apron! Repeat! White drags Ibushi up and POSTS him! White drags Ibushi to the ramp and throws forearms on him!
Red Shoes tells White to get this in the ring but White rains down forearm after forearm on Ibushi! White goes back to the ring and Red Shoes checks on Ibushi. Ibushi is okay so fans rally up. White doesn’t want Red Shoes to count yet and now White dares Ibushi to bring the fight. Ibushi gets up, hobbles his way back to the ring, and gets inside. White dares Ibushi to hit him, but then gets Ibushi in a COMPLETE SHOT! And a DEAD LIFT GERMAN! And another DEAD LIFT GERMAN! White pushes Ibushi to the apron, then drags Ibushi up. Ibushi holds ropes but White still dead lifts him! Ibushi elbows free, then fireman’s carries, but White fights to get back in the ring.
Ibushi ROUNDHOUSES White down! Fans fire up as both men are down again! Ibushi fires himself up as he rises, and he goes after White again. White hurries to get back to the apron, so Ibushi drags White up at the ropes! Ibushi waistlocks and dead lifts now, but White fights, only to get the SUPER GERMAN SUPLEX! Ibushi grins and brings White up as fans are thunderous! Ibushi has White for the LAST RIDE!! Cover, TWO!!! White barely survives and Gedo is relieved. Fans continue to rally up as Ibushi gets the wrists. Gedo freaks out again but White avoids Kami-Goye to SNAP SLEEPER SUPLEX! Both men are down again but fans rally back up.
White drags himself over to Ibushi and he drags Ibushi back into the sleeper. Ibushi resists but White knees him over and over to hit another SNAP SLEEPER SUPLEX! Gedo is fired up as White brings Ibushi up, for a FISHERMAN BACK SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!!! Ibushi survives but White drags him around! BLADE- NO! Ibushi backslides, White rolls through, KAMI-GOYE!! Cover, TWO!?!? White survives but Ibushi just fires up! Fans are thunderous again as Ibushi goes to the corner. Ibushi climbs up, PHOENIX SPLASH!! Cover, but Gedo drags Red Shoes out!! Red Shoes crashes hard and Ibushi realizes what happened.
Gedo slides in, Ibushi blocks his attack and wrenches his arm! Ibushi gives Gedo KAMI-GOYE!! Gedo is OUT COLD! Ibushi goes to Red Shoes and helps him into the ring. Ibushi goes back to White but White hits BLADERUNNER!!! Cover, TWO?!?!?! Ibushi barely survives now and White is in shock! Fans are electric but White drags Ibushi up. White has the wrists now, but Ibushi pushes him away. White drags Ibushi up but Ibushi fights out of the sleeper. Ibushi drags White back up in a waistlock, but White rolls to get the legs, ITO!! Ibushi endures, shouts, drags himself to ropes, White begs he tap as he puts more pressure on, but Ibushi keeps reaching!
White drags Ibushi away, Ibushi is fading, but the fans rally hard as ever! Ibushi gets a second wind, fights his way over, and gets the ROPEBREAK! White holds on until the count of 4, and Ibushi clutches his knee. White drags Ibushi back up, reels him back in, cross-arm but Ibushi fights back! Ibushi throws body shots, shoves White away, V-TRIG- NO! White blocks and fisherman BACK SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!?!? White keeps on Ibushi, cross-arm suplex, BLOODY SUNDAY!! White drags Ibushi back up, BLADERUN- NO! V-TRIGGER!! KENNYYY~!! Both men are down, fans are thunderous all over again, and Ibushi roars as he gets back up!
Ibushi brings White up by his wrists, White resists and kicks at Ibushi’s legs, but Ibushi keeps trying. White throws boot after boot but Ibushi eggs himon. Then Ibushi BOOTS, V-TRIGGERS, and looms over White. Ibushi says he’ll end it, and he gets White’s wrists again. KAMI- BLADE- NO! LARIAT!! Ibushi has White down again, brings him back up but from behind?! BLINDSIDE KAMI-GOYE!!! Knee pad down, BRUTAL KAMI-GOYE!!!! Cover, Ibushi wins!!!
Winner: Kota Ibushi, by pinfall (still IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Champion)
The Golden Star’s ascension to divinity continues! Or is he already NJPW’s god of wrestling?! White desperately grabs at the title belts, but they’re not his to have. Red Shoes takes them from him and brings them to the true champion. White goes after Ibushi now but Ibushi dares him to try. Red Shoes has Young Lions bring White away, and then Red Shoes raises Ibushi’s hand in victory. Ibushi takes a moment to rest before he takes the Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championship belts back. Red Shoes even helps Ibushi put them on one at a time. But wait, Sanada is here! Sanada is in his nice suit, having had his rest after his match.
Sanada has the mic to say, “Champion, as the great hope of pro-wrestling, Sanada, will you accept the gift of my challenging you, Kota Ibushi?” Fans cheer that and Ibushi nods. They shake hands, and then Ibushi says, “I still remember that G1 match very well. I’ll admit, I barely pulled out that win. However, what I’m holding right now, the IWGP Intercontinental and IWGP Heavyweight titles, the greatest belt and the strongest belt, I’m holding them both!” Ibushi is up for fighting Sanada again and again, so he gladly accepts. They shake hands again, and fans cheer the acceptance of this “gift.” Ibushi isn’t sure when or where, but he’s up for it anytime!
And Ibushi ends by saying what he’s been saying: He won’t run away, lose, quit or betray the fans. And he has now become, A WRESTLING GOD!! When and where will see the epic rematch of the G1 Climax 30 Finals!?
My Thoughts:
What a great second night and finale to WrestleKingdom! Yano being the first Mr. KOPW 2021 is a natural move, he is highly entertaining and will make every defense of the trophy hilarious. The Junior Tag title match was great, but it definitely felt like Taguchi was taking it upon himself to get the win at the end there, which backfired as Kanemaru and Desperado are a more united and experienced duo. I can’t be sure who challenges for those titles next, but there are still a few possibilities with ELP back in Japan. Takagi VS Cobb was incredible, definitely WK worthy, and for just a second I thought Cobb was going to win to bring a title to The Empire. But Takagi wins and as I was saying during Summer Struggle, Takagi is finally getting to make his reign feel strong, as it should have in 2020 if not for COVID.
Hiromu had an incredible match with Ishimori, too, and naturally Hiromu wins. Hiromu sweeps the weekend, quite truly proving he’s the best Junior Heavyweight in NJPW, and is adding to his personal legacy within NJPW. There’s any number of contenders for Hiromu, and I think it’d be epic if he and Desperado had another program where it comes down to who can have both belts. Bushi needs something to do so he can join Hiromu in a new pursuit of the tag titles. Sanada VS Evil was a great grudge match, Dick had a hilarious oversell of being knocked down into the table, and of course Sanada wins because Evil needed to face comeuppance at some point.
Ibushi VS White was an EPIC, and that was a great way to give White his own comeuppance. There was a lot of great stuff, such as Killer Ibushi returning to just brutalize White. Ibushi winning is the right move, as I was saying just yesterday, and then what a great move to have Sanada come out and bridge things from this ending to another great title match. I was hoping for a G1 Climax 30 finals rematch for WrestleKingdom, but now we’ll get it for whatever next event is coming (New Beginning? The new Castle Attack?) That is going to be an epic, as well, and that could go either way as I see it. Though, Ibushi will likely win because his reign has only just begun.
As for White, backstage interview clips say he’s considering quitting, but that is probably just story. I need to see White VS Evil in a Bullet Club Civil War first, which itself can be a great story and match.
My Score: 9.6/10
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Giulia finally steps into the NXT ring!
The long wait is over, and now, NXT finally welcomes Giulia! But will Chelsea Green make a hot mess of it all? Or will Giulia show everyone why she’s a star?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- NXT Tag Team Championships: Nathan Frazer & Axiom VS The Street Profits; The Profits win by disqualification, Frazer & Axiom retain.
- Giulia VS Chelsea Green; Giulia wins.
- NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Charlie Dempsey w/ No Quarter Catch Crew VS Je’Von Evans w/ Cedric Alexander; Dempsey wins and retains the title.
- Oba Femi VS Hammerstone; Oba wins.
- Ridge Holland VS Duke Hudson w/ Chase U; Ridge wins.
- TNA Knockouts Championship Open Challenge: Jordynne Grace VS Sol Ruca; Jordynne wins, by disqualification, and retains the title.
- NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Last Man Standing Match: Trick Williams VS Pete Dunne; Trick wins and will challenge Ethan Page for the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
The first THIRTY MINUTES are commercial free!
BREAKING NEWS!
Due to unfortunate circumstances, The Rascalz are NOT cleared to compete here tonight! But stepping up to face Nathan Frazer & Axiom for the NXT Tag Team Championships are former Triple Crown Champions, The Street Profits! Will Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins bring these belts with them to this Friday’s season premiere of SmackDown on USA Network? Or will #Fraxiom #NeverSlowDown?
NXT Tag Team Championships: Nathan Frazer & Axiom VS The Street Profits!
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see who wants the smoke!
The teams sort out, the fans chant “Welcome Back! Welcome Back!” and Axiom starts with Ford. Ford and Axiom circle as the fans sing “We~ Want the Smoke!” Ford and Axiom tie up, and Ford headlocks to grind Axiom. Axiom fights up and powers out, but Ford runs him over! The fans cheer, Ford lounges in a corner, then comes back as Axiom stands. They circle, Ford gets around to waistlock and SLAM! And then SLAM again! And then SLAM again! Axiom fights around, Ford headlocks, but Axiom powers out. Ford leaps over, Axiom ducks under, Axiom arm-drags but Ford counters right into a headlock!
The fans rally, Axiom fights up, but Ford wrenches to wristlock. Axiom rolls, handsprings and DROPKICKS! Ford tags Dawkins, Dawkins CLOBBERS Axiom! Frazer tags in but Dawkins runs him over, too! The fans fire up, Dawkins runs, but Frazer ducks, hurdles, only for Dawkins to handspring! Dawkins bypasses, but Frazer ducks ‘n’ dodges and DROPKICKS! Dawkins tumbles out of the ring, Frazer looks, and he builds speed, only for Dawkins to ROCK him! Dawkins gets moving, he hurdles and FLYING ELBOWS! The fans are thunderous already as Frazer staggers to a corner. Dawkins runs up, but into a BUCKLE SHOT!
Tag to Axiom, #Fraxiom hits the speed combo! Cover, TWO! Axiom keeps his eyes on Dawkins, then waistlocks to keep him down. Dawkins fights up, pries the hold, but Axiom shoves and LARIATS! Tag to Frazer, whip and GAMANGIRI! HALF ‘N’ HALF! DOUBLE SUPERKICKS! Frazer covers, TWO! Ford was right there, too. Tag to Axiom, and Axiom clamps on with a SLEEPER! Dawkins endures, the fans rally, and Dawkins arm-drags free! Axiom runs up but into a clinch! EXPLODER! Axiom flounders, Dawkins crawls, hot tags to Frazer and Ford! Ford blows past Frazer to DECK Axiom! Then Ford rallies with lariats!
Frazer dodges, but then Ford follows, and LARIATS again! The fans are thunderous as Ford mule kicks, front kicks, but Frazer ducks the enzigiri! Ford runs up but into a BOOT! Frazer goes out, springboards back in, but Ford catches him! BOOKEND! The fans fire up again and Ford flexes! Ford runs to People’s STANDING MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Frazer survives but Ford drags him up. Frazer JAWBREAKERS back, tag to Axiom and Dawkins! Ford DROPKICKS Frazer out, but he avoids Axiom! Dawkins POUNCES Axiom into the GERMAN SUPLEX! Cover, TWO! Axiom survives and the fans fire up!
Dawkins drags Axiom up, tags Ford, and Profits whip Axiom to POP-UP- RANA! Frazer MISSILE DROPKICKS Dawkins! Axiom SUPERKICKS Ford! Axiom goes up, tags Frazer, and FROG SPLASH! Frazer springboards to 450! Cover, TWO!! Ford survives and the fans are thunderous again! Tag back to Axiom and he climbs up. MISSILE DROPKICK HIGH-LOW! Dawkins POUNCES Frazer onto the cover! The fans are thunderous again while all four men are down! Frazer and Dawkins flop out while the fans cheer on “NXT! NXT!” for putting this together. Ford tags Dawkins, Dawkins drags Axiom around.
Dawkins points to the corner, the fans fire up as he climbs up! But Axiom gets up to GAMANGIRI! Tag to Frazer, and Axiom goes to the very top! SUPER SPANISH FLY! But Ford shoves Axiom to ropes and that trips Frazer up! DROPKICK for Axiom! Dawkins gets Frazer in the Electric Chair! Ford goes up, tags, and DOOMSDAY BLOCKBUSTER!! Cover, BUT TAMA TANGA DRAGS FORD OUT!? Tama sends Ford into steel steps!!
Winners: The Street Profits, by disqualification; Frazer & Axiom retain the titles
Dawkins is furious, but then JACOB FATU CLOBBERS HIM! Tonga Loa CLOBBERS Axiom! Tama gator rolls Frazer up for a BRAINBUSTER! The fans boo but The Bloodline drags Dawkins into the ring! The Guerrillas hit Dawkins with the TONGAN TWIST!! Fatu hits a SWANTON BOMB!! The fans are losing their minds, but it seems The Bloodline is not letting any team on any brand think they can get one up on them! Will this be finalized when Solo Sikoa goes after Cody Rhodes and the Undisputed WWE Championship this Friday?
NXT Anonymous is watching.
Tony D’Angelo tells a certain someone that they have a reputation and is not afraid to get their hands dirty. Oba Femi is a wrecking machine, he disrespected Adriana, so Tony wants this guy to take Oba out. Tony pays the man handsomely, but will this mercenary be able to manhandle The Ruler?
Giulia speaks.
It was Stand & Deliver when she told the world, “The top organization in the world. The excitement can be felt from here! The excitement from the fans is flooring! I am SO excited!” And we saw her finally make NXT her home at No Mercy. She told Roxanne Perez she’d see her in Chicago for NXT’s CW debut, but she sees her first bit of action as an NXT star here tonight! Will she show all the doubters and the haters that she’s more than ready for this? Or will her opponent make a hot mess of it all?
Giulia VS Chelsea Green!
The bell rings and while Chelsea gets in Giulia’s face, the fans are thunderous for Giulia already. Chelsea SLAPS Giulia! Giulia just grins. Then she HEADBUTTS Chelsea down! Giulia drags Chelsea up, bumps her off buckles, then wrenches her hair to TOSS her across the way! The fans fire up and Giulia runs corner to corner to ELBOW! Giulia shoves Chelsea, goes up, and MISSILE DROPKICKS! The fans fire up and Giulia covers, TWO! Giulia drags Chelsea up, suplexes, but Chelsea fights free! Chelsea swings, Giulia dodges, but Chelsea elbows her! Chelsea ripcords, ROCKS, and KNEE SMASHES Giulia!
Chelsea whips, Giulia reverses, but Chelsea ducks ‘n’ dodges to BOOT! Chelsea runs, but Giulia ROCKS her! Giulia runs, slips around and has the IRON OCTOPUS! Chelsea endures the #SpiderWeb as Giulia thrashes her around! Chelsea stomps her way to ropes, but Giulia sunset flips it! TWO, and Chelsea scrambles away to ropes. The fans boo but Chelsea says she wasn’t ready! Giulia storms up, avoids the shoulder and KICKS Chelsea! Giulia sets Chelsea up to ROCK her! But then Chelsea HOTSHOTS Giulia! Chelsea bumps Giulia off buckles, then goes up to have a HANGING SLEEPER! The erf counts, Chelsea lest go at 4, but then stands Giulia back up.
But Giulia Electric Chair Lifts Chelsea! Chelsea slips free, to GERMAN SUPLEX! Chelsea hauls Giulia up, for a FLATLINER! Cover, TWO! Giulia survives and Chelsea is furious! She covers again, TWO! Chelsea is already losing her cool, but she clamps onto Giulia with a leg lock full nelson! Giulia endures, pushes to a cover, TWO! Chelsea still has the legs, but Giulia tries again. TWO, and Chelsea CLUBS away on Giulia. Giulia turns around to rain down shots on Chelsea! They scrap on the mat, and Giulia gets the edge! The fans fire up, Chelsea kicks and scrambles, but Giulia runs up to SHOTGUN BOOT!
The fans fire up as Giulia then SAIDOS! Chelsea flounders around, Giulia paces. The fans fire up as Giulia basement DROPKICKS! Chelsea flounders to the apron, Giulia goes out and wrenches the hair. Then she has Chelsea for a DRAPING NECKBREAKER to the floor! Giulia looks into the camera, perhaps hoping Roxie is watching. The ring count climbs, Giulia drags Chelsea up and into the ring, but Chelsea scrambles out the far side. The fans boo and Giulia is annoyed. Giulia goes out, but Chelsea sends her into the desk! Giulia falls back, Chelsea drags her up, to THROW her onto the desk!
The fans boo but Chelsea drags Giulia around, and THROWS her over the desk! The ref reprimands, but Chelsea goes after Giulia. Chelsea drags Giulia up and into the ring. Chelsea climbs a corner, goes to the top, and she MISSILE FLOPS as Giulia moves! KNEE! Giulia vows to end it here! She drags Chelsea up, reels her in, scoop and NORTHERN LIGHTS BOMB! Cover, Giulia wins!
Winner: Giulia, by pinfall
The madness takes care of the mess, and she has a clear path to Chicago! Will NXT’s new era be emphasized with a new NXT Women’s Champion?
Backstage interview with Trick Williams.
Blake Howard says tonight is Trick’s shot to get back at the NXT Championship, but he has to make it through a Last Man Standing Match with Pete Dunne. Trick says he won’t lie, he has never had a match like this before. He knows Last Man Standing takes grit and determination, but he’s never done this before. Don’t get it twisted, that won’t stop him. CW, October 1st, Chicago, Ethan Page, Trick wants all that, and not even Dunne can stop him. The whole world needs to know, Dunne is without a doubt, a class one butch! Trick respects his game, how he breaks fingers, he’s a bad man, one of the best Trick’s ever seen. But tonight, Trick will be THE Last Man Standing.
Jordynne Grace speaks.
“For the past 15 years, this TNA Knockouts Championship has represented the best women’s wrestling outside of WWE. Legends and future Hall of Famers have held this, and now I carry it and its legacy proudly. So why an Open Challenge as part of WWE Week on USA? Well, the NXT Women’s Division is stacked from top to bottom, and the more formidable the opponents that I defeat, the more prestigious that this title becomes. So NXT, bring your best. Because I always bring mine.” That match is later tonight, who will step to the Juggernaut?
Lexis King gets spruced up.
His… “unique” beard is trimmed and faded, and he gets a notification. It seems his “loyal and creative IntelLexuals” put together a compilation of his greatest hits. That is to say, all the times he has cracked someone with his kingly cane in order to win a match. And that includes last week, the cheating of feet on ropes to get Oro. Lexis says, “Tough luck, Oro. Who’s your daddy now? That’s right, me! And everyone loves The King.” And speaking of, let’s talk the most talked about beard in WWE. But as Lexis turns to face the mirror, ORO JUMPS IN! The brawl is on, Lexis goes running, but will he have to answer to Oro some time?
The NXT Women’s Division is buzzing.
They all want that shot at Jordynne Grace, and Kelani checks in. Is Lola ready? Oh, yeah! Kelani says if she wasn’t champion, she’d be first in line, too. But she’s just as excited for Lola to try. But then The Fatal Influence steps in. Fallon Henley says yeah, Kelani is champ, for now. Jacy Jayne says it is so cute to see everyone warm up. Who’s gonna step to the plate against The Juggernaut? Lola says with all the complaining they do, this could’ve been their chance. Who better to face Jordynne Grace than the self-proclaimed leaders of the locker room? C’mon, tell us, who is stepping up for the group? Yeah, well, Lola doesn’t tell them what to do.
Lola knew it. If Fatal Influence did, they’d be making a fatal mistake. Jacy knew she never liked Lola. Lola steps up but everyone else stops her! Fatal Influence bails out, more bark than bite. But who will reach out for the golden opportunity and take it with both hands?
NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Charlie Dempsey w/ No Quarter Catch Crew VS Je’Von Evans w/ Cedric Alexander!
Wren Sinclair got ahead of herself, again, but it’s on the leader of the crew to see them through. Will Dempsey prove he is still the face of British Rounds? Or will the Young OG get real bouncy~?
NXT returns as the NQCC makes their entrance. The introductions are made, the cup is displayed, and we see
The bell rings on round one, and the two circle. They feel things out, tie up, and Dempsey hits a hip toss! The fans rally, the two go again, and Dempsey wrenches to get under and THROW Je’Von. Dempsey has the armlock, but Evans kips up. Dempsey wrenches, wristlocks, but Evans rolls, kips up, handsprings, and wrenches to WRING Dempsey! The fans fire up as Dempsey and Evans reset. They circle, tie up, and Evans goes for an arm now. Evans wrenches, wristlocks, but Dempsey bridges, rolls, and then arm-drags. But Evans holds on to wristlock! Dempsey fights up, fireman’s carries, but Evans still has the wristlock.
Dempsey fights up, wrenches, and then MONKEY FLIPS! Evans still holds on! Cedric coaches Evans while Dempsey stands, rolls, kips up and breaks free! Dempsey smapmares, chinlocks, but Evans wrenches out to another wristlock! The fans fire up but Dempsey fights up. Dempsey puts Evans in a corner, then ROCKS him! Dempsey WRINGS Evans, then MONKEY FLIPS again! Dempsey wrenches, UPPERCUTS, and wrenches again. Bridging arm-drag, knuckle lock cover, TWO as Evans gets an arm up! We’re under 30 seconds as the arm goes back down, TWO! Dempsey tries again, Evans bridges!
Dempsey goes to jump on Evans, but Evans turns that to a MONKEY FLIP! But Dempsey holds on, to MONKEY FLIP back! Time is running low, FLYING RANA! And that’s the round!
Dempsey: 0; Evans: 0
The fans cheer that great opening round, and both sides refresh. They go again, and Evans runs up! Dempsey sends him into buckles! Roll up, high stack, TWO and Evans stands. Dempsey waistlocks, Evans bucks the O’Conner to FLYING SUNSET FLIP! TWO!! Dempsey escapes, clinches then whips. Evan stops the hip toss but so does Dempsey. Evans body shots, gets a leg up, but Dempsey flips him! Evans lands out, ducks ‘n’ dodges, sunset flips again, but Dempsey stays up! Dempsey drags Evans up and the two fight for control! Dempsey goes to a corner to HOTSHOT Evans with the buckle! Then Dempsey full nelsons, DRAGON SUPLEX! Bridging cover, Dempsey scores!
Dempsey: 1; Evans: 0
Just a minute into the second and Dempsey has the crucial first point! Cedric helps Evans recover, and NXT goes picture in picture.
Evans refreshes with a drink of water, but he might need an icepack for his neck. Wren keeps fussing with Dempsey’s hair, that’s not what matters… But she still fires him up like she has Myles and Tavion, and the round begins with Dempsey running up on Evans! UPPERCUT! Evans staggers, Dempsey UPPERCUTS and ROCKS Evans again and again! Dempsey then GUT WRENCH SUPLEXES! Cover, TWO! Evans stays in this but Dempsey clamps on a cravat. Evans endures, but then Dempsey CRAVAT PLEXES! Dempsey cranks on the hold, drags Evans up and CRAVAT PLEXES again! Cover, TWO!
Dempsey keeps on Evans with the cravat, but Evans endures. Dempsey makes it a cover again, TWO! Evans fights up but Dempsey wrangles him back down to a cover. TWO, and Evans rises to arm-drag free! Evans swings, but Dempsey gets around. Dempsey lifts but Evans hits a flying mare! Dempsey stands, ducks an enzigiri, and covers, TWO! Dempsey looms over Evans, grabs the legs, and ties them up. Dempsey bridges back, MUTA LOCK! Evans endures, pries at the hold, but Dempsey thrashes him around! Dempsey lets go to then sit Evans up, cravat stretch! Evans endures as we’re under a minute in the third!
NXT returns to single picture as Evans pries free, flips up and over and cradles, TWO! Dempsey KNEES low! Dempsey HALF- NO, Evans fights the Half Hatch and LARIATS! And ELBOWS! Evans whips, Dempsey reverses, then he blocks a boot, but not the THRUST KICK! Evans goes up and up to SKY TWISTER! Cover, Evans ties it up!
Dempsey: 1; Evans: 1
NQCC hurries to get Dempsey to the corner and get him water. The fourth begins, Evans runs up to SMASH! Evans CHOPS and Dempsey sputters! Evans RAMS into Dempsey again and again, then lets off to whip. Evans kitchen sink knees Dempsey down, then DROPKICKS him out of the ring! Wren coaches Dempsey, and the fans fire up as Evans builds speed. But Dempsey UPPERCUTS first! And then HOTSHOTS Evans with ropes! Dempsey storms in, KICKS Evans in the side, and covers, TWO! Evans stays in this, Dempsey clamps on and drags him up. Dempsey turns Evans for a NECKBREAKER!
Dempsey drags Evans up, turns him again, another NECKBREAKER! Evans writhes, but Dempsey covers, TWO! Evans shouts in frustration but Dempsey HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL ELBOWS away! Evans sputters, Dempsey facelocks! GUILLOTINE! Evans endures, the fans rally, and we’re under a minute again! Evans fights up, but Dempsey adds body scissors! Evans stays standing, he powers up, and he suplexes free! The fans are thunderous while both men are down! Under 30 seconds but Evans is fired up! Dempsey UPPERCUTS, but Evans just eggs him on! The UPPERCUTS go back and forth, Evans gets the edge!
Ten seconds, Dempsey throat chops! HALF HATCH BRIDGE! TWO!! GUILLOTINE! Time’s up on the round!
Dempsey: 1; Evans: 1
Dempsey won’t let go! Cedric gets in to stop him, but Myles gets in to go after Cedric! The ref stops both men, and the teams settle down. Both men are up, the fifth round begins! Dempsey runs up, Evans leaps over to sunset flip, TWO! Evans ROCKS Dempsey, but Dempsey CHOPS back! Evans CHOPS back! Dempsey swings, Evans dodges, springboard, into an UPPERCUT! Full nelson, but Evan slips under! Victory roll, TWO!! Dempsey escapes, swings, but Evans dodges, rebounds, DREAMCAST KICK! Evans goes up and springboards, FLYING LARIAT! The fans fire up and Evans crawls to a cover, ROPEBREAK from Myles!
The ref catches Myles red handed! And then Cedric FLIES onto Myles! Cedric takes care of bringing Myles away from ringside, and Evans goes for Dempsey. Dempsey swings around, GERMAN SUPLEX, but Evans lands out! Evans TOSSES Dempsey to the floor! Evans builds speed and FLIES over the corner!! Direct hit and the fans are going nuts! Evans drags Dempsey up and in with a minute to go. But Wren is distracting the ref, TAVION HEIGHTS RUNS IN! Tavion BELLY2BELLY SUPLEXES Evans!! Tavion shoves Evans in, Dempsey covers, Dempsey wins!
Winner: Charlie Dempsey, by pinfall (still NXT Heritage Cup Champion)
We knew Tavion was returning from Japan, but to think he’d show up now! NQCC keeps the cup, will their numbers game always win?
Rosemary speaks.
“Once upon a time… The Hive cried out and demanded to know why their Demon Assassin and the Sleepy Psycho had united under the shadows. There are, of course, several reasons. One to be revealed tonight. Another to be saved until next week. And one serves as a warning to Lyra & Tatum. You’ve made your bed. But did you happen to take a look at what’s hiding beneath it? You never know what’s creeping behind that door. Perhaps it’s not just the glimmering moonlight lurking outside your bedroom window while your eyes are shut. A lot can go wrong when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
“But what’s scarier than all that? Not having anyone to play with.” Rosemary & Wendy Choo are tearing the toys apart, will they do the same to their opponents?
Backstage interview with Ethan Page.
Sarah Schreiber starts her introduction, but All Ego cuts her off by saying, “Welcome back to N-X-ME. Now, before Sarah here asks me about tonight’s Last Man Standing Match, I personally would like to ask everyone at home to take a good, hard look at the NXT Champion. The same man that should be thanked for the era that we are all currently living in, and will continue to live in after October 1st when we make our debut on the CW Network in Chicago. And the man to thank for the Era of Ego? It’s me, All Ego, Ethan Page.”
Sarah finally does ask who Ethan thinks wins tonight’s main event, Dunne or Trick. Ethan says everyone else in this locker room is definitely afraid of Dunne, but not Ethan. Ethan already “figured out” The Bruiserweight. Then he thinks it’ll be Trick? No, Trick is still chasing ghosts. Trick was lucky to capture lightning in a bottle, he had his Whoop Dat Era, but if you think Trick can do that twice, then you must be joking. Sarah isn’t confused. Who does he choose? Oh, uh, himself! He gets to watch both men demolish each other in a Last Man Standing Match, and all Ethan has to do on October 1st is pick up the scraps. You’re welcome.
Big things are happening for Chicago!
After a quick Twitter exchange between Shawn Michaels and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, HBK has decided that Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair can be part of the CW premiere! Will the StrongEST Duo make this the B E S T debut ever?
Oba Femi VS ???
Just as we all saw thanks to NXT Anonymous, The Ruler knows The Don has paid a mysterious mercenary to get even for The Family. Will this man be worth every penny he was paid? Or will this man, like everyone so far, fail to even bring Oba down?
Oba watches the stage, and it’s… HAMMERSTONE! Another star of TNA is here to make an impact, and it is time to see big meaty men slap meat! Even Oba is a bit stunned by this! The bell rings, the fans fire up, and the two men tie up. They are in a deadlock, but Oba finds a point of leverage to put Hammerstone on ropes. The ref counts, Oba backs off, and Hammerstone pushes Oba. So Oba ROCKS Hammerstone! Oba headlocks but Hammerstone fires body shots. Hammerstone powers up and out, ducks the lariat, but Oba stops the hip toss to KNEE low! Oba scoops, aims, but Hammerstone slips out to send Oba into buckles!
Oba staggers, Hammerstone hits the HIP TOSS! Hammerstone headlocks, the D’Angelos watch closely as Oba powers Hammerstone to a corner. Hammerstone BOOTS Oba, then climbs up! MISSILE DROPKICK! And a big one! Hammerstone LARIATS Oba up and out of the ring! Hammerstone goes to the apron, but Oba SWATS him! Oba snarls, storms into the ring, and he BLINDSLIDE LARIATS Hammerstone! Oba stomps Hammerstone, drops elbow after elbow on him, then scoops! FALL AWAY SLAM! Hammerstone flounders, Oba lets his hair down, and he runs up to UPPERCUT! Hammerstone flops and the fans fire up!
Oba sits Hammerstone up to clamp on the chinlock. Hammerstone endures, the fans rally up, but Oba wrangles him. The fans continue to rally, Hammerstone continues to fight, and Hammerstone fireman’s carries! But Oba elbows free! And he fireman’s carries, to TOSS Hammerstone down! Cover, TWO! Hammerstone is tougher than that, but Oba runs to STOMP- NO! Hammerstone blocks! Hammerstone avoids the elbow, then choke grips! But Oba grabs Hammerstone! They both roar, and Oba HEADBUTTS! Oba whips Hammerstone to a corner, runs in, but Hammerstone dodges and Oba POSTS himself!
Oba falls back, Hammerstone winds up and fires forearms and CHOPS! Hammerstone whips, Oba reverses but Hammerstone ducks ‘n’ dodges! LEAPING LARIAT! OVERHEAD SUPLEX! The fans fire up for another OVERHEAD SUPLEX! Hammerstone rises, he choke grips, and he CHOKE SLAMS!! Cover, TWO!! Oba survives and the fans fire up! Hammerstone drags Oba up, reels him in, but Oba TOSSES him away! Hammerstone staggers up, takes a swing, but gets the SHOTPUT! Oba fires up, to POP-UP POWERBOMB!! Cover, Oba wins!
Winner: Oba Femi, by pinfall
Hammerstone pushed Oba, but the investment didn’t pay off. The Don storms off from the back room, what must he do if he wants to bring down The Ruler?
Hank ‘n’ Tank talk with Stone & Stevie.
The big boys don’t care how, they want to get their hands on The Good Brothers. They’re on the tracks, the train is comin’ through, and it sounds a little like HONK- Stevie has them stop there. Stone says he will talk with Ava about this. HONK HONK! They bearhug Stone and head off towards Ava’s office, when and where will Walker & Ledger get to fight Gallows & Anderson? Then Duke Hudson steps in, and he tells Ridge Holland, “You are nothing more to me than lowlife scum! Your words against our university, your actions against Andre Chase, inexcusable! Now before i get my revenge on you, I need to speak to one man, and that man is Andre Chase.
“Chase, I know you lay there uncomfortably in your hospital bed, but I need you to sit up. I need your eyes glued to the TV! Because I am about to give Ridge Holland one hell of an Andre Chase University sized ass-whooping!” Duke is fired up, Thea & Riley are also fired up, but will they all burn themselves out trying to bring down Yorkshire Grit?
The NXT Women’s Division continues to get hyped.
Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson say, “Jordynne Who? Let’s get it.” Wren walks in and says right to Kelani, “Knockouts title or your title, which one should I go for first?” Has Kelani ever thought about doing her own Open Challenge? Kelani admits, it is a good idea. But she’s not holding one tonight, so maybe Wren should focus on the girl who is. The rest head out, Kelani wishes Lola luck, and now Jaida Parker walks in, armed with a bat. Anyone seen Fatal Influence? That was earlier, sorry. But hey, Lola’s got beef with them, as does Miss Parker. Well, Parker isn’t looking for help, she’s just looking for them.
Lola tells “baby girl” Jaida, after last week, it looked like she needed help. Jaida says she’ll deal with Lola later. Kelani does see that someone needs to humble Fatal Influence, and a combo like Lola and Jaida would definitely do it. Yeah, but you heard Jaida, right? Yeah. Kelani & Lola leave Jaida be for now, but will Fallon, Jacy & Jazmyn soon find themselves surrounded by enemies?
Ridge Holland VS Duke Hudson w/ Chase U!
We heard Ridge’s selfish reasoning last time, and we heard the Chase U MVP call him out, so now it is time to back up those words with action! Will Ridge’s true colors wash away the red ‘n’ black? Or will Duke avenge Mr. Chase and the entire school in one go?
The bell rings and the hands fly! The fans fire up, but Ridge gets the edge! Ridge UPPERCUTS Duke in the corner, ROCKS him, then stomps away! Ridge CLUBS Duke, the ref reprimands, but Ridge whips Duke to a corner. Duke comes back to BOOT! The fans fire up while Ridge bails out. Duke pursues, and he SMACKS Ridge off the apron! And then off the desk! The fans fire up more, because now Duke clears the desk! But Ridge CLUBS Duke first! Ridge ROCKS Duke, whips him, but Duke reverses! Ridge hits steel steps and hobbles into the ring! Duke pursues again, but Ridge swings. Duke counter punches, RAMS into Ridge, and then slingshots to GERMAN SUPLEX!
The fans fire up as Ridge tumbles out. Duke storms out, drags Ridge up, and puts him in. But then Ridge bails out the side! Duke pursues, bringing the trophy with him! Thea says no, do this the right way. Duke hands the trophy over, but Ridge RAMS Duke into Riley! Riley hobbles away from the crash, and Ridge RAMS Duke into the apron! Ridge shows no mercy as Riley is helped away. Ridge storms in, runs up, LARIAT! Duke sputters, but Ridge drops big elbow after big elbow! Ridge rains down fists, then stalks Duke. The fans boo, but Ridge OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY SUPLEXES! Ridge stalks Duke and stomps him in a corner.
The ref counts, Ridge scoops Duke, and SLAMS him! Ridge eggs Duke on, drags him up, and KNEES him down! Ridge reels Duke in, hoists him up, but Duke fights the lift! Ridge CLUBS Duke, gets Duke up, but Duke slips out the back! Duke ELBOWS Ridge, then dodges him to roll up! TWO, but Duke stands Ridge up. Duke avoids the lariat, kicks low, and he reels Ridge in! But Ridge fights the lift! Duke SWATS the lariat, ELBOWS Ridge, then swings, into a HEADBUTT! Ridge runs to BODY CHECK Duke! Then he suplexes, to a POWERSLAM! The fans boo, but Ridge hauls Duke back up, REDEEMER DDT!! Cover, Ridge wins!
Winner: Ridge Holland, by pinfall
But the win isn’t enough! He beats down Duke, even as Thea shouts for him to stop! Ridge TOSSES Duke out, Thea hurries to Duke’s side, but Ridge storms out after him! Ridge whips Duke into barriers, and the barriers break! The fans lose their minds, Ridge picks up that piece of barrier, and he SLAMS it on Duke’s back!! Thea begs Ridge to show mercy but he does not hear her. Ridge hauls Duke up, brings him in, REDEEMER on the barrier!! The ref calls for help, more refs show up, and Thea shouts at Ridge to go away! Ridge leaves the MVP down and out, has he completely demolished Chase U?
Jordynne Grace crosses paths with Giulia backstage.
The top Knockout nods some respect to the best of Stardom, and then continues on. The Open Challenge is here, who reaches the ring first to face the Juggernaut?
Pete Dunne speaks.
“Trick, this all started when It old you to figure it out. But look at my face! This is the face of a man who’s been figuring it out his whole life. Last night, I took on three geezers, flew all night long, walked up here, ready for a scrap. And you can hide behind your diss tracks and you can hide behind those people out there that you think have your back. But when I walk outta here, head held high, while they pull you outta here on a stretcher, you can lay there, and you can just think to yourself, that no matter how hard you tried, you just couldn’t figure it out. And then watch me, I go on to Chicago, I beat Ethan Page, and I become NXT Champion.
“Cuz I’m not just the Last Man Standing tonight! I’m the Bruiserweight, and I’m NXT’s Last Man Standing!” Dunne shrugs, but will he
MORE news for NXT’s CW debut!
The Most Must-See WWE Talk Show makes its NXT debut as The Miz will be in Chicago! Who will be his special guest? What will happen when The Miz makes NXT awesome?
Wes Lee shows up?
He gets on commentary just to call out Zachary Wentz. They both know why Trey Miguel couldn’t compete tonight, and Wes is why. It started with MSK, it will end with MSK! Chicago, NXT CW, Wes ends this with a Street Fight! Will Chicago see the Cardiac Kid crush Zach once and for all?
TNA Knockouts Championship Open Challenge: Jordynne Grace VS ???
The Juggernaut has returned to NXT and time has come! She wants to fight one of the best, but who makes it out here first? SOL RUCA! The fans fire up, but will Sol be able to ride this wave? Or will Jordynne prove she’s the big kahuna around here?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who is a real Knockout!
The bell rings the two circle. The fans rally up, the two tie up, and Jordynne headlocks for a takeover. Sol headscissors, Jordynne kips free but Sol BOOTS the lariat! Sol also ducks the backhand to then trip Jordynne, then handspring! Jordynne avoids the superkick and the fans cheer. The two reset, circle, and tie up. Sol headlocks, but Jordynne powers up to fire body shots. Jordynne back suplexes, Sol lands out then hurdles. Jordynne follows and CLOBBERS Sol! Sol stands but into the GUT WRENCH PLEX! Sol goes to a corner, Jordynne kips up and runs in to ELBOW! Jordynne whips Sol back in, then SPINEBUSTERS! Cover, TWO!
Sol stays in this but Jordynne stays cool. Jordynne fires forearms, then pump handles. Sol fights, moves around, and sends Jordynne to a corner. Sol runs up, but the monkey flip is stopped. Jordynne puts Sol up, SHOVES her, but Sol body scissors to FLING Jordynne out! Sol goes up and up and ASAI MOONSAULTS! Direct hit and down goes Jordynne! The fans fire up and Sol puts Jordynne in. Sol aims, springboards, and SPLASHES down! Cover, TWO! Jordynne stays in this, Sol stays cool, and NXT goes picture in picture.
Sol drags Jordynne up, whips, and then runs in to SPLASH at the corner! Sol snapmares and ghost pins, TWO! Jordynne stands, runs up, but Sol gets around. Jordynne bucks the O’Conner but Sol kips up, and she CLOBBERS Jordynne from behind! Sol stands Jordynne up, tries to fireman’s carry, but Jordynne’s too sturdy for that. Jordynne CLUBS Sol down, goes to a corner, but Sol runs up. Jordynne ELBOWS Sol, then PIGGYBACK THESZ PRESS! Jordynne rains down fast hands, and fires up as she rises. Jordynne drags Sol to a cover, TWO! Sol stays in this but Jordynne stays close. Jordynne pump handles, but Sol fights the lift!
Jordynne KNEES Sol low, KNEES her again, and again! Then she THROWS Sol to a corner. Jordynne then CHOPS Sol! Sol sputters, pushes Jordynne, but Jordynne fires forearms! The ref counts, Jordynne lets off, and she puts Sol in another corner. To CHOP! Jordynne brings Sol around, Sol elbows her, but Jordynne kicks low. Jordynne reels Sol in, suplexes, and holds Sol up! Jordynne waits until TEN before she GOURD BUSTES! Cover, TWO! Jordynne stalks Sol, kicks her, then drags her around to have a leg. Sol kicks Jordynne away, goes to ropes, and NXT returns to single picture. Jordynne RAMS Sol int the corner!
The fans duel as Jordynne puts Sol up top, and SLAPS her! Jordynne tucks Sol in, for a MUSCLE- NO, Sol slips free! Sol runs up, Jordynne dodges, Sol goes up, but Jordynne TRIPOS her! Jordynne hooks Sol up in an Inverse Gory Especial! Sol slips free again, fires hands, and she ROCKS Jordynne! Sol runs, springboard and CROSSBODY! Then she springboards to CROSSBODY again! The fans fire up with Sol and she runs in at the corner! But Jordynne puts Sol on the apron! Sol ROUNDHOUSES, climbs up, and CROSSBODIES gain, but Jordynne rolls through! The fans are thunderous as Jordynne swinging- DDT!! Cover, TWO!!
Sol can’t believe how close she was with that quick turnaround. Sol storms up in the corner, but Jordynne blocks the whip. Jordynne ROCKS Sol, runs up, and WRECKER ELBOWS! Then a scoop, and a POWERSLAM! Then she goes up and up, VADER BOMB! Cover, TWO!! Sol survives #GraceUnderPressure and the fans fire up. Jordynne pump handles, but Sol cradle counters! TWO!! SUPERKICK! Sol runs up on Jordynne, goes up and up the ropes, but Jordynne trips her up! URAKEN! And then Jordynne tucks Sol in, MUSCLE BUSTER!! Cover, but the lights go out!! Who is behind this!? When the lights come up, it’s ROSEMARY!
Jordynne tells Rosemary to get outta here, but Wendy Choo is here, too! NIGHT-NIGHT CLUTCH!! The ref calls the bell!
Winner: Jordynne Grace, by disqualification; retains the title
The creepy combo just ruined the match! The fans boo as Rosemary runs the ref off, and Wendy puts Jordynne to bed! Will these two not be satisfied until they ruin everyone’s fun?
Lyra Valkyria & Tatum Paxley talk backstage.
Tatum has her dolls and dollhouse out, and she jabbers on about adding to her collection. She’s so happy Lyra is here, too! She shows off her cast: Roxanne Perez, the champion; Becky Lynch, Lyra’s fav; and… Shayna Baszler. Tatum is upset with Shayna over what she did to Lyra last week on Raw, but it’s okay given last night. Lyra says yeah, these are all very cute… coping mechanisms… But what they need to do is focus on the real-life Rosemary & Wendy, because they’re out of control. Yeah, they are not friends. Look what they just did to Jordynne Grace! Tatum thought Wendy was a friend, but then she was just using Tatum! Can you believe that?
Tatum yanks the head off her new one, and she’s spiraling. Lyra says it is all fine, so long as they are together. They will show those weirdos that there is nothing stopping Lyra & Tatum when they’re on the same page. Tatum says of course! #Tyra4Ever! And they will show Rosemary & Wendy what happens when you don’t play nice. Now, can they get the head back on the new doll? Lyra tries, but this is more about getting heads on straight. Which wacky combo will win out when “Tyra” collides with the assassin and the psycho?
Ava Raine meets with Giulia and Funaki!
The Japanese legend is here to help interpret between the two, and Ava says congrats on her debut victory, it was very impressive. Giulia says in English, “Thank you, Ava.” Ava knows there was a lot of hype, and now Giulia is here, it has not disappointed. Ava is ready to see how Giulia helps this Women’s Division grow stronger. But then in steps Roxanne Perez. She’s sarcastic as she says she’s surprised there’s no red carpet, given the new star has been handed everything she wants. Right to the NXT Women’s Championship for the CW debut!
Look, Giulia, Roxie doesn’t care what you’ve done in Japan. She doesn’t care what Giulia wants, what Ava wants, or what HBK wants. Giulia is NOT coming in here and just taking over Roxie’s NXT. Funaki translates but she got this. Giulia tells Roxie that she does understand. Roxie is scared! And she should be! Roxie says she’s not scared, but Ava says save it for Chicago. The Prodigy pouts, but will she have something to really be upset about when she succumbs to the Beautiful Madness?
Brooks Jensen is backstage.
And he confronts Dion Lennox. What was that about “gaslighting?” Dion says he just simply meant Shawn Spears is manipulating what Jensen thinks and knows so- The Chair Man steps in. He didn’t realize these two were friends. They’re not. Dion just wants Jensen to keep what he said in mind. Dion leaves, Spears asks what that meant, and Jensen says Dion thinks Spear is gaslighting Jensen. Wow… Another guy around here trying to tell Jensen what to think instead of letting him make his own decisions. Spears asked last week, and he asks again, what does Jensen believe? Because that is all that matters.
Jensen hesitates, so Spears says he understands. He really does. The difference between him and the others is that Spears lets Jensen decide for himself. Dion is just acting like the kind of friend that Briggs and Fallon were. Jensen frowns, Spears heads out, and now we look over at Eddy Thorpe, Karmen Petrovic, and a few other ladies, walking and talking together. Ashante THEE Adonis sees this and cannot believe it. DJ Plutonic is a hypocrite, acting like he ain’t interested in the ladies. He played Ashante! Man, no one played anyone. Eddy told him the truth, Ashante just has a one track mind.
Ashante says pause, rewind. Save it, Eddy, he sees right through you. Ashante leaves, the ladies shrug that off. Will he realize that doing things honestly is better than doing things Adonisly?
NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Last Man Standing Match: Trick Williams VS Pete Dunne!
No more talk, it is time to #FigureItOut! Will Trick add on to that shiner Dunne got last night on Raw? Or will The Bruiserweight redeem himself by ruining Trick’s road back to the title?
The introductions are made, the stakes are raised, and we see who heads for the Windy City!
The bell rings and the fans fire up as they star down. The hands start flying and the fans fire up more! Dunne shoves, Trick dodges him, then BODY SHOTS! UPPERCUTS! Run and LARIAT! The fans are thunderous as Trick fires back up, and he runs up on Dunne. Dunne DUMPS Trick out, then PLANCHAS! Down goes Trick but he stands up quick. Dunne hurries after Trick and ROCKS him! Trick leans against Barriers, but Dunne whips him hard into steel steps! Trick falls, the count starts, but Trick is up at 2. Dunne CHOPS him, but Trick CHOPS back! And CHOPS, CHOPS, CHOPS! The fans fire up with Trick as he drags Dunne up.
Trick pushes Dunne onto the apron, brings him up, but Dunne fights! Truck tries again, Dunne still fights, and now he BACKDROPS Trick on the apron! Trick falls, the count is on both men, but NXT goes picture in picture.
Dunne stands at 4 of 10, Trick follows at 5, but Dunne POSTS him! Trick falls over, Dunne grabs a chair, and he brings Trick over. Dunne SMACKS Trick off the seat, then he confiscates the timekeeper’s table! Dunne brings Trick over, underhooks, but Trick pries free! Trick trips Dunne, then CATAPULTS him into the POST! Dunne checks his face, but Trick SMACKS him off the apron! Trick follows Dunne around the way, CHOPS him, then stalks him more. Dunne snatches a fan sign! Trick snatches that to SMACK Dunne with it! Then he CHOPS Dunne down! The fans fire up more as Trick THROWS Dunne into barriers!
The standing count starts, but Trick prepares something. He pulls the steel steps apart! Trick storms over but Dunne mule kicks! Trick drops the steps and falls back! Dunne takes the steps for his own, and he SMACKS Trick off them! And again! And again! And again! And again! Dunne fishhooks Trick’s face, twists his head around, then CLUBS him against the steps! Dunne drags Trick up, puts him in, and then paces. Trick slowly sits up, but Dunne stomps hi s hands! And BOOTS him down! Dunne paces, and then BUZZSAWS! NXT returns to single picture, Dunne kicks low, but Trick blocks! Trick rises up and he UPPERCUTS!
Dunne wobbles, into the LEG LARIAT! And LEG LAIRAT! Trick FLAPJACKS Dunne then kips up! The fans fire up with Trick, and he cartwheels to lift Dunne up, BOOKEND! Trick says count his ass! The count begins, and Dunne sputters at 3. Dunne rolls at 4 and gets out so he stands by default. Trick storms over but Dunne pulls Trick’s hair! Dunne ROCKS Trick, then goes to get a chair! Dunne brings the chair in to JAM Trick up! Dunne puts Trick’s hands on the chair, to FULL METAL STOMP! Trick shouts in pain, and Dunne BUZZ- NO, Trick ducks the kick! Trick JAMS Dunne with the chair! And then NECKBREAKER on the chair!
The fans count along, Dunne sits up at 4 and crawls at 6. But Trick is right on Dunne, to INVERTED- NO, Dunne slips free to GERMAN SUPLEX! Trick avoids the chair, but then Dunne CLOBBERS him! Trick swipes at Dunne but Dunne stomps away! Dunne grabs the chair, wedges it in the corner, then he drags Trick up. Dunne RAMS Trick into the chair! Trick falls, the count starts, but Dunne goes out to fetch the chair. Dunne puts the chair back in, but Trick bails out to stand at 7. But Dunne SMACKS Trick off the steel steps, then BOOTS him down! The count starts again, but now Dunne is pulling up floor mats!
Trick stands at 8 but Dunne is right on him! Dunne underhooks, but Trick fights the lift! Trick trips Dunne, has the legs, but Dunne sit sup to fire hands! Dunne reels Trick in! DDT on bare concrete!! Trick sputters and the count begins! Dunne stands at 6, Trick stirs at 7 and rises at 9!! Dunne CHOPS Trick! Trick flounders into the ring, but Dunne slithers after him. Trick rises, Dunne runs up, BOOT! Trick drops to his knees, then to the mat. But Dunne won’t wait, he stomps away on Trick! Dunne lets Trick flounder as the count starts again. Trick stirs at 7, drags himself up with ropes, and stands at 9.5!!
Dunne runs up, into a POP-UP UPPERCUT! Trick won’t wait for the count, he runs up, but Dunne sends him into buckles! Pump handle, BITTER END!! Dunne steps back, the count is climbing! Trick sputters, is still down at 7, but he pushes himself up at 8! And stands up at 9.9!! But now Dunne has a chair! Trick avoids the shot, avoids another, and then ROLLING BOOTS the chair into Dunne’s face!! The fans fire up as the count climbs! Dunne is dazed and down at 6! 7! 8! Dunne springs to life! TRICK SHOT!! Dunne is down again and the count restarts! Dunne’s down at 5! At 7! 8! 9, but Dunne springs to life again!!
Trick is furious, but he storms out to clear the desk! The fans are thunderous, as these two crashed through that last week to set this up! But then Dunne grabs Trick, to POWERBOMB him through the desk hood!! The fans lose their minds, the count begins again, and Trick flounders at 6! Trick drags himself up with the barriers, and he’s up at 9! Dunne whips Trick into barriers! And then he drags Trick up onto them! Trick falls into the front row! Fans have to move as Dunne drags Trick through the crowd and to the perch!! The fans are going nuts as Dunne CLOBBERS Trick with the stanchion! And again!
Dunne reels Trick in, but Trick fights the suplex! Trick pries free to ROCK Dunne! Dunne holds onto Trick but Trick fires more shots! Dunne hits back! Trick swings, but Dunne gets him! SUPER RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP off the perch and down through the tables!!! The fans really lose their minds this time! The ref checks both men, and the count begins! Ethan Page shows up!? He shouts at Trick to stay down and for Dunne to get up! But Trick stands at 7! Ethan runs up, but Trick BACKDROPS him through the desk!! That’s what Ethan gets! Trick is standing, Dunne is not, TRICK WINS!!
Winner: Trick Williams (NEW #1 Contender to the NXT Championship)
The fans are thunderous, Trick IS the Last Man Standing! Trick did #FigureItOut, and now he just has to humble All Ego. Will the winds of change blow in the Windy City when NXT goes to the CW?
Ava, Stone & Stevie finish watching the match.
All agreed, it was an incredible main event. Ava also finishes up a phone call. It’s all set for next week, so just let her know if they need anything. Ava says bye, and Stevie asks who that was. It was CM Punk. He’s coming to NXT next week! Whoa, what about Chicago? Well he’ll still do that, of course, but he has something big planned for Chicago, so he wants to announce it next week. Wow, okay! The Best in the World is coming to Orlando, what will his big news be?
My Thoughts:
An awesome NXT here as not just part of WWE Week but also as the countdown to moving to CW. Great NXT Tag Team Championship match to open, and a shame The Rascalz could not compete. While Wes Lee logically takes credit in kayfabe, it was surely an undisclosed injury concern for Trey. But Wes VS Zach in a Chicago Street Fight will be awesome stuff for that CW debut, and I’m thinking Wes wins that to tie the series up, forcing a tiebreaker for a bigger event down the line. And then to the tag title match, it was awesome, but I did not think The Bloodline would show up to “ruin” it. I suppose with Profits jumping in, it was fitting that Bloodline would want to beat them down just because they can, and that adds fire to SmackDown.
Very good first match in NXT for Giulia, Chelsea was the right choice because for one, she’s great in the ring, and also because most fans love seeing her lose. Also good encounter between Giulia and Jordynne, and then good bit with Ava, Roxanne, and the returning Funaki! I knew Giulia was going to respond in English, she’s been working on that ever since she started working with NJPW and specifically NJPW Strong, the American branch. Giulia has got to be winning on the CW debut, it’s the convergence of everything: Giulia is legit great; NXT needs to shake things up with the channel change; and Roxie has done so much already, time to move on to RawDown.
Great stuff with the NXT Women’s Division in preparing for the Open Challenge. Fatal Influence talking down about non-WWE wrestlers is even more foolish than them disliking NIL talent and stuff, but that’s what makes them good Heels. Jaida wanting to take that bat to them was also a good detail, and while Jaida doesn’t want anyone’s help, I’m pretty sure the next 3v1 beatdown convinces her otherwise. Jaida, Lola, possibly Kelani as Fatal Influence seems to be pestering her most of all, that is a good three woman team for a Six Woman Tag that then gives us a Women’s North American Championship match at some point.
Great Knockouts title match from Jordynne and Sol. Sol was a great choice because for one, she wasn’t anywhere in the promos so she was a real surprise. Sol is also really solid, so she gave Jordynne just the match she needed. But then I was rather surprised Rosemary & Wendy Choo attacked during that match. I suppose that’s a way to keep Sol protected, she wasn’t gonna win the title anyway, and it also adds to the TNA side because I’m sure Rosemary will come after the title herself. Good promo video from Rosemary & Wendy and good response promo from Lyra & Tatum. Their tag match will be a lot of fun, but I would think Lyra & Tatum win.
Great Heritage Cup Championship match, especially with Je’Von Evans not having done Heritage Cup Round matches before. But there was a tiny Easter Egg that gave away, at least to me, that Tavion was going to be a deciding factor. Tavion was part of the NQCC graphic last week, but was then missing in the graphic for tonight. Therefore, they wanted us to not think Tavion was gonna be here, and then “surprise,” he was! NQCC probably has more matches with Je’Von & Cedric and maybe we circle back to the Cup, but it’s Cedric who challenge Dempsey. As great as Evans is already at just 20, it’d be even greater if Cedric got something more after waiting so long.
Great bit with NXT Anonymous giving the heads-up on the mystery man and Tony D, and then just a great match from Oba and Hammerstone. Oba of course wins to continue showing his dominance, and the ball is now in Tony’s court. Not sure what he’ll resort to, but depending on what he does, it could turn him back into Heel Don. Fans do still like Tony so I don’t know if they’d do that, but at the same time, the fans really like Oba. But Heel Tony would be a way to shake things up as NXT moves into a new phase.
We got good promo segues this week, with Hank ‘n’ Tank getting their match with The Good Brothers turning into Duke calling out Ridge before their match. That was a great match, and I figured Ridge would win, but they did a good job of Ridge basically wiping out all the Chase U men in one go here. Riley hobbled away “hurt” and Ridge puts Duke down with the piece of barrier, this is gonna come down to Mr. Chase making a heroic return and overcoming Ridge. In much the same way the feud of McIntyre and Punk has been about two people with very different views of each other, this could be a very powerful, character driven feud for Chase U and Ridge that ultimately leads someone to the next level, aka a singles championship opportunity.
Jensen, Dion and Spears had a good promo where Spears is basically doing just what Dion said, and it is sadly working. And then good segue to Ashante being all upset from misunderstanding how Eddy lives his life. They’ll of course have it out in the ring now, but I can’t be sure Ashante’s endgame. Will he end up finding a woman in NXT who digs his style and he can stop flirting with every female he sees? And good promo from Lexis, though his beard style continues to baffle me. Oro going after him was great, though, they are definitely moving into part two where they’ll have a much more competitive and aggressive match. Oro will surely win, forcing the tiebreaker, and that will have a stipulation. But hopefully they change the formula this time where Oro wins, not Lexis.
And of course, great stuff going into the Last Man Standing Match. Ethan had a good promo, but clearly after the match, we saw he did care about who he was facing, and he just didn’t want it being Trick. Good promos from Trick and Dunne, as well, and then an awesome match from them. It didn’t go quite as wild as the fans were expecting, it was really just the chair and the steps being used, but that’s because they saved it all for that fall off the perch. Great win for Trick, and Ethan VS Trick is definitely the way to go for the CW debut. That match probably could go either way, I could see them wanting Trick to be the Face of NXT on CW, and he’s a Face cuz he’s the good guy, but I could also see this being Ethan winning to send Trick to RawDown.
My Score: 8.9/10
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Will the Best of the Super Juniors become the Face of NEVER?
Hiromu Takahashi has done so much as a Junior Heavyweight, but now he takes on The Face of Fury, Henare, for the NEVER Openweight Championship!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff – Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi w/ Red Kiba VS Fighter Y & Fighter N w/ Fighters D & F; Nagata & Taguchi win.
- Shoma Kato VS Jakob Austin Young; Jakob wins.
- Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita VS Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Katsuya Murashima; ZSJ & Fujita win.
- Shota Umino & Jado VS Ren Narita & SHO; Ren & Sho win.
- Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma VS Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee; Gabe & Jake win.
- 8 Man Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Boltin Oleg & Tiger Mask VS The House of Torture; The House of Torture wins.
- DOUKI & Taka Michinoku VS Taiji Ishimori & Gedo; Douki & Taka win.
- 8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; The United Empire wins.
- NEVER Openweight Championship: HENARE VS Hiromu Takahashi; Henare wins and retains the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
Kickoff – Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi w/ Red Kiba VS Fighter Y & Fighter N w/ Fighters D & F!
Go Go Power Ran- Wait, no, it’s not quite that. But Blue Justice and the green clad Funky Weapon will battle the forces of evil, supported by the red ranger! Will they score a W or an L against Y & N?
The teams sort out and after a photo op, Nagata starts against- Oh no! D, F, Y & N all go after the heroes! Red Kiba jumps away but it is a mugging of 4v2! The bell rings to get this on record, and D kicks Taguchi out of the ring. The ref reprimands as N fires forearms on Nagata in the corner. N stomps a mudhole, Y keeps after Taguchi on the outside! N whips corner to corner, forearms mashes, then fires up! The fans rally surprisingly rally for “SENTOIN! SENTOIN!” That is to say, they’re cheering on Fighter N! N runs in, Nagata BOOTS him! Nagata DECKS N, drags him up, and snapmares to KICK him in the back!
The fans rally as Nagata tags in Taguchi. Taguchi storms up on N to CLUB him again and again! N CHOPS, CHOPS, and CHOPS! Taguchi HIP ATTACKS! The fans cheer, and Taguchi poses. He powers up, poses some more, then SLIDING HIPS! The fans cheer, and Taguchi fires more HIPS into N! Taguchi eggs N on, HIP ATTACKS, then covers, TWO! The fans rally, Taguchi drags N up to kick low. Taguchi runs, but F trips him up! F drags Taguchi out and sends him into railing! Y goes after Nagata, the ref reprimands all the Fighters, but F grabs a bottle of water to SPLASH Taguchi in the face! N & Y finally leave Nagata alone and fans rally.
Wait, now F put a bucket on Taguchi’s head and SMACKS him with the mop! Red Kiba tells F to back off, but F calls in D! Red Kiba isn’t afraid, and he steps forward. D & F trip over themselves while Red Kiba checks Taguchi. Taguchi gets to his feet, and he fires forearms on F! F hits back, and whips Taguchi into railing! The fans boo but F puts Taguchi in the ring. N stomps Taguchi, fires up, then stomps him more. But Taguchi CHOPS back! And fires a flurry of forearms! The fans cheer, Taguchi CLUBS N, then stomps him. Taguchi runs, comes back, and CLOBBERS N! Taguchi stomps N, but F gets on the apron!
The ref stops F from getting in, but Taguchi runs up to DROPKICK F down! The fans cheer and Taguchi runs to HIP ATTACK N! Hot tag to Nagata! The fans fire up as Nagata KICKS! And KICKS! And KICKS! N falls and the fans cheer! Nagata drags N up, ROCKS him, then whips him corner to corner, Nagata runs in to BOOT N! Nagata brings N around to clinch, but N fights it! Y runs in to CLUB Nagata! N & Y mug Nagata, but Nagata DECKS Y, and BOOTS N! Nagata brings N up but N fires a forearm! But Nagata snatches N to a FUJIWARA! Then he steps over, MOUNTED ARMBAR! Taguchi wants in?
The fans fire up and Nagata reaches out to tag Taguchi! Taguchi climbs, N stands, Taguchi leaps, then just lands to DECK N! The fans cheer, but N CHOPS! And CHOPS! N DECKS Taguchi, stomps him, then tags Y! Y storms up to kick Taguchi and fire forearms. Y runs, and he CLBOBERS Taguchi! The fans cheer, Y fires up, and Y goes back for Taguchi. Y CLUBS Taguchi, whips, and DROPKICKS! The fans fire up, Y crawls around before he covers, TWO! Taguchi stays in this but Y stays fired up. Y grabs the legs, but Taguchi kicks Y away! Taguchi and Y rise up, and Taguchi blocks a kick to DRAGON SCREW! And OH MY GAH ANKLE!
Y flails, N run sin, but Nagata intercepts! Nagata fights N down to the JUST FACELOCK! Y taps, the heroes win!
Winners: Yuji Nagata & Ryusuke Taguchi, by submission
D & F are upset, their plans to take over NJPW have been foiled! Red Kiba applauds and steps in to celebrate with Blue & Green! Wait, Red Kiba and F get mics. Red Kiba tells the losers to get out of here, because Earth and NJPW are under his protection! But F, who sounds like a certain Rogue Luchador, tells them that this is far from over! They will come back for more! And D says you will see them again in Tokyo Dome City Theater from September 11th through to September 16th. Red Kiba says yes, everyone may watch the battle of good and evil, and know that good will always win. F says in that case, hopefully everyone also gets a chance to take photos with the heroes.
The fans rally for Red Kiba and his super friends, but F says hold on! He hurries around the back, and brings out the special promotional panel! Everyone holds it up together, be ready for Go Go Loser Rangers!
8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire!
Tetsuya Naito & Bushi lost out to TMDK last night, but that was only a sample of what could be. This will be a sample of what’s to come, as Naito & Bushi are now joined by Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji against Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, Callum Newman & Francesco Akira! Will the Uncontrollable Charisma be tranquilo ahead of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match? Or will LIJ be conquered by The Empire?
The fans rally for “O-KHAN! O-KHAN!” but then the “NA-I-TO!” counters it. The teams sort out, and though Yota stares down with Cobb, he joins the rest in the LIJ fist bump. The fans applaud, but then LIJ attacks! The bell rings, LIJ TOSSES out Khan, Callum & Akira, so Yota does start against Cobb after all. Naito stands over Khan and mocks him with an arms-behind-his-back pose. Yota whips Cobb to ropes, Cobb reverses, Yota RAN- NO! Cobb stops the rana and he brings Yota up. Yota fires hands, slips free, then dodges. Yota comes back to tilt-o-whirl and arm-drag! Cobb tumbles, the fans fire up, and Yota runs up.
Cobb dodges, drops down, then DROPKICKS! Cobb mocks the tranquilo! The fans cheer, and Cobb says “Choto matte!” Cobb steps on Yota, then pretends he didn’t see Yota there. Cobb drags Yota up, bumps him off buckles, and tags Akira. Akira throws hands, then brings Yota out. Yota takes a swing, Akira dodges and CHOPS! Akira whips but Yota blocks! Yota reverses, Akira ducks ‘n’ dodges and RANAS! Yota staggers up, Akira DROPKICKS him down! The fans fire up, “A! KIRA! A! KIRA!” Akira runs in to LARIAT! Akira keeps moving, but Yota scoops to a BACKBREAKER! Then Naito BLASTS Khan off the apron!
The rest of LIJ goes after the rest of The Empire, and the fans rally up. Naito pulls Khan along by his ponytail! Other Empire members are sent into railing, and then Naito whips Khan into railing! Yota keeps Akira down with a chinlock, then he scoops to SLAM! Yota runs to SPLASH DOWN! Cover, TWO! Tag to Bushi and he stomps Akira. Bushi whips Akira to ropes, dropkicks the legs out, then covers, TWO! The fans rally, Bushi stomps Akira, then tags Naito. The fans rally up more as Naito brings Akira up. Akira fires forearms, but Naito just SPITS at him! Naito fires forearms, then he turns Akira, holds him, and NECKBREAKER!
Naito poses, then he mocks Khan with his arms behind his back again. The fans applaud but Khan is annoyed. Khan storms in, but Naito drop toeholds! Yota basement dropkicks! Khan tumbles out, Naito tags Takagi in. The fans rally as Takagi drags Akira up. Takagi suplexes high and hard! Cover, TWO! Takagi steps on Akira, kicks him around, but Akira fires forearms! Takagi ROCKS Akira right back! The fans rally as Akira fires more forearms! Takagi DECKS Akira in return! Akira fires up and comes back for more! Akira fires a flurry, but Takagi eggs him on! Akira SOBATS, but Takagi ELBOWS! JABS! Akira ENZIGIRIS!
Akira runs, but Takagi LARIATS at ropes! Takagi runs, but Akira victory rolls, STOMP 182! The fans are thunderous as both men are down! And we’ve only hit five minutes! Tag to Callum and he BLASTS Bushi! The fans fire up as Callum runs in, but Takagi tosses him up high! Callum lands safe on the apron, RAMS into Takagi, then gets moving. Callum ducks ‘n’ dodges, then BOOTS! Takagi rebounds to RUN Callum over! Callum kips up to ENZIGIRI! The fans fire up but Yota kicks Callum. But Callum trips Yota to DOUBLE STOMP! Callum kips up again and the fans fire up. Callum runs corner to corner to UPPERCUT Takagi!
Callum rolls and comes back, ROUNDHOUSE! Snapmare and PENALTY KICK! Then STANDING MOONSAULT, onto knees! Takagi saves himself, but Callum is back up! Only for Takagi to ELBOW! JAB! YUKON feint and DDT! Callum handsprings through!? And he springboards to OS- NO, Takagi stops the cutter, shoves Callum to ropes, but Callum Spider-Man rebounds to HEEL KICK! Takagi comes back to PUMPING BOMBER! The fans are thunderous again while both men are down! Callum crawls, as does Takagi, hot tags to Naito and Khan! Naito ducks Khan’s boot to CLUB away on him again and again!
Naito whips, arm-drags, then ELBOWS Khan down, to then basement dropkick! The fans rally, Naito brings Khan up and whips to a corner. Naito ELBOWS Khan, pushes him, then goes up. Naito reels Khan in by the ponytail, for ESPERANZA! Khan tumbles and the fans rally as Naito aims again. Khan rises, Naito runs up, but Khan BOOTS him! The fans fire up while both men are down! Khan drags Naito up as fans rally, and Khan fires Mongolian Chops! And Mongolian Chops! And Mongolian Chops again! Naito falls, but Khan clamps on the IRON CLAW! Khan drags Naito up, but Naito fights free and throws heavy elbows!
Khan shoots around, trips Naito, and puts on the KNEEBAR! Naito fights up, fights free, but Khan goes for the legs again. Naito blocks, ENZIGIRIS, and he brings Khan in, TORNADO- NO! Khan stops the DDT to OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY! The fans fire up again while both men are down! Naito and Khan crawl, hot tag to Bushi! Bushi runs to BLAST Akira and- Well, no, Cobb stays up. So Bushi dropkicks the legs out! Cobb falls, Bushi goes up, then leaps, MISSILE DROPKICK! Khan tumbles and fans fire up for the Bushirooni! LIJ steps in, Takagi & Bushi double whip Khan corner to corner. Bushi runs in to ELBOW!
Takagi runs in to LARIAT! Feed to the GENE TRIGGER, then BACKSTABBER! Cover, Callum breaks it! Yota TOSSES Callum, we hit ten minutes and Bushi drags Khan up. But Akira SUPERKICKS first! Yota RUNS AKira over! Yota kicks Cobb, whips, but Cobb reverses to scoop, ATHLETIC PLEX! Takagi storms up but Cobb ELBOWS! JABS! And YUKON- NO, Takagi dodges to then PUMPING BOMBER! The fans are thunderous again! Callum returns, Takagi kicks and whips but Callum reverses to run in and DROPKICK! Callum spins, but Bushi ducks the kick to ENZIGIRI! Khan is back but Bushi enzigiris then REWIND HEELS!
Khan stands to IRON RIGHT!! The ref reprimands but the Monster Rage is boiling! HITSUJIGOROSHI, into FLATLINER! And then IRON CLAW, for the ELIMINATOR!! Akira keeps Naito stuck outside, Khan covers, The Empire wins!
Winners: The United Empire, by pinfall
The Black Mask took the fall for his team, and that means The Dominator stands tall! But will the KOPW Champion be the one headed for the King Of Pro-Wrestling in Ryogoku? Or will Naito keep things tranquilo on this Road to Destruction?
In fact, Naito is so tranquilo that he joins commentary! And it makes sense, he’s about to watch the fifth man of LIJ step up to the plate!
NEVER Openweight Championship: HENARE VS Hiromu Takahashi!
We just saw the Empire conquer the ungovernable, and now The Face of Fury looks to finish it! But will he make the Ticking Timebomb self-destruct? Or is this the moment that the Best of the Super Juniors starts to move up the mountain?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who NEVER gives in!
The bell rings and the two run in! They RAM shoulders, and then RAM again! And RAM again! Hiromu keeps staggering back while Henare stays solid! Hiromu just grins, and he CHOPS! Then he ducks a shot to CHOP and CHOP! Henare takes swings but Hiromu bobs ‘n’ weaves. Hiromu CHOPS, and CHOPS, and CHOPS again! Hiromu whips, Henare reverses, and they RAM shoulders again! Hiromu drops to a knee, but he dodges Henare to RAM him! Henare actually staggers back! Hiromu follows, FLYING SHOULDER, but he bounces off Henare! The fans rally while Hiromu bails out and Henare roars!
Henare paces while waiting on Hiromu. Hiromu shakes it off and goes around the way. The fans rally, but then Henare storms up to the ropes. Hiromu backs off, and Red Shoes has Henare back off. Henare gets annoyed now, but then he slides out! Hiromu sends him into railing! The front row has to watch out, because Hiromu sends Henare into more railing! The fans rally and duel as Hiromu storms up. Hiromu whips, but Henare reverses, and now Hiromu hits railing! But Hiromu roars! Hiromu runs up, but gets run over! The fans fire up, and Henare looms over Hiromu. Red Shoes wants this in the ring, but Henare RAMS Hiromu into more railing!
Henare drags Hiromu up, to whip into more railing! Hiromu tumbles through the gate and flops onto the floor. Red Shoes insists they get this in the ring, and Henare drags Hiromu back up. Henare CHOPS Hiromu! Henare takes a fighting stance while he watches Hiromu sputter. The ring count starts, Henare storms up on Hiromu, and he drags Hiromu back with a headlock. Henare puts Hiromu in the ring, but then gets annoyed as the fans rally for “HI-RO-MU! HI-RO-MU!” Henare storms in and he drags Hiromu up, but Hiromu CHOPS! And CHOPS! And CHOPS again! Henare CHOPS Hiromu down, and the fans fire up!
Hiromu clutches his stinging chest, but Henare sits him up, to KICK in the back! Hiromu goes to a corner, Henare storms over, and the fans rally again. Henare nods, and he stands Hiromu up to fire forearm after forearm! Red Shoes reprimands but Henare lets off. Henare then drags Hiromu up, but Hiromu fires forearms in return! Henare eggs Hiromu on, so Hiromu fires forearm after forearm! The fans fire up, and then Henare LARIATS! Henare fireman’s carries, WASTELAND SLAM and SENTON! Hiromu clutches his ribs, Henare pushes him to a cover, TWO! Henare frowns but the fans rally as Hiromu stays in this.
Henare drags Hiromu back up, fireman’s carries, but Hiromu fights free! Henare kicks low, whips, but Hiromu reverses! Hiromu then goes around and he RANAS! Henare tumbles away and the fans fire up! Henare goes to ropes, shakes out the stars, and Hiromu goes to the other side. Hiromu drags himself up, Henare runs in. Hiromu BOOTS Henare, then has a HANGING HEADSCISSORS! Red Shoes counts, Hiromu lets off, and then he drags Henare out! Hiromu shoves Henare away, goes up to the apron, and then FLYING SHOTGUN DROPKICKS! The fans fire up while both men are down on the floor!
Hiromu rises and roars and the fans fire up with him! Hiromu then drops back to his knees, still needing to catch his breath. Henare sits up, Hiromu goes over to him, and he brings Henare into the ring. The fans applaud, and Hiromu hurries to bring Henare up. Hiromu suplexes, but Henare fights it! Henare suplexes, but Hiromu fights it! They fight for control and Henare suplexes Hiromu up and over! But Hiromu lands out! Hiromu catches Henare’s haymaker to reel him in, but Henare suplexes again! Henare knees free, gets around, backslide, roll through! Hiromu suplexes for a FALCON ARROW! The fans are fired up and Hiromu covers, TWO!
The fans rally as Hiromu grits his teeth and clutches his back. Henare stirs, goes for a corner, and Hiromu rises. Hiromu runs corner to corner, and LARIATS! Hiromu then snapmares and runs, into a POP-UP SAMOAN DROP! The fans fire up again while both men are down! Henare growls as he rises, and the fans rally behind “HE-NA-RE!” now! Hiromu sputters and Henare storms over. Henare drags Hiromu up, around, and clamps on a half nelson! Hiromu fights as Henare goes for the full nelson, so Henare CLUBS him down! Henare CLUBS Hiromu more, growls, and we pass 10 minutes.
Henare drags Hiromu up, whips, but Hiromu stops himself! Hiromu runs up, RAN- NO! Henare stops the rana to bring Hiromu up, for a POWER- NO, Hiromu DDTS out of it! The fans fire up and Hiromu dodges Henare to wheelbarrow and COMPLETE SHOT! Both men are down again and the fans fire up! Henare sputters, stirs, and the fans rally harder as he and Hiromu spot each other. They egg each other on as they crawl to center. The fans rally more, and both men stand. They go forehead to forehead, then Hiromu CHOPS! And CHOPS! And CHOPS! Henare KICKS! Hiromu sputters as he backs up to the ropes!
The fans fire up more while Henare checks his chest. No blood yet, but he and Hiromu step back up. Hiromu CHOPS, CHOPS, and CHOPS! Henare snarls and powers up to KICK! Both men step back to ropes, but Hiromu has a wry smile. Hiromu comes back and the fans rally for him, as he CHOPS, CHOPS and CHOPS! Henare KICKS! Both men pace around, neither willing to stop! Hiromu CHOPS, CHOPS, CHOPS, and Henare KICKS! CHOP, CHOP, CHOP! KICK! CHOP, CHOP, CHOP! KICK! AND KICK! Hiromu staggers back to ropes and Henare roars! Hiromu runs up to CHOP! And CHOP! And CHOP! Henare drops to a knee!!
Hiromu nudges Henare to egg him on, so Henare KICKS! And KICKS! Hiromu rebounds off ropes, into a KICK! And then rebounds again, into another KICK! Hiromu drops to a knee and a fist! We can see Henare’s name on the tape, and the fans are thunderous for “HI-RO-MU!” Hiromu CHOPS, CHOPS, and CHOPS! But Henare KICKS again! Hiromu wobbles, mouth open, and then he drops to his knees! Henare backs up, winds up, and KICKS! But Hiromu rises!?! Henare KICKS him back down!! Cover, TWO!! RUGBY KICK!! Cover, TWO!! Hiromu survives, the fans are thunderous, and we pass 15 minutes!
Henare sits and watches Hiromu. Hiromu is still in this, so Henare vows to end this! Henare drags Hiromu up, fisherman and STREETS- NO, Hiromu slips free, ducks an elbow, and fires off palm strikes! And a COUNTER STRIKE! Hiromu wobbles but he roars, runs, and HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER! Henare stays up!! Hiromu goes to a corner, but he ducks the Native Knee! RUNNING POWERBOMB!! High stack, TWO!! Henare survives and the fans fire up again! Hiromu drags Henare up, but Henare BODY BLOWS! But Hiromu ducks the heel kick to HEADBUTT, and SUPERKICK! Hiromu runs, but Henare LARIATS him down!
The fans fire up again while Henare wobbles. Henare drops to a knee while catching his breath, but then he storms over to cover, ONE?!? Henare is stunned that Hiromu is still in this! Hiromu runs up, but Henare LARIATS him back down! Hiromu rises, staggers and stumbles, but he stays on his feet as he goes along ropes. Hiromu runs up, into a LARIAT! But Hiromu roars and rises again! The fans are thunderous, and Hiromu swats a lariat! And another! And he SUPERKICKS! Hiromu runs, but he dodges the headbutt! Henare rebounds, into a SNAP BELLY2BELLY!! A rough landing for Henare but he still rises up!
Hiromu aims, runs, and HIROMU-CHAN- HENARE LARIAT!!! Cover, TWO?!?! Henare is furious but the fans are thunderous! Henare drags Hiromu up, clamps on the half nelson, but Hiromu fights the full! Henare almost has it! ULTIMA NELSON!! Hiromu is caught, he reaches out, but he drops to his knees! Red Shoes checks, the fans rally up, and Hiromu gets a second wind! Hiromu fights, but Henare drags him back! Henare puts on all the pressure he can, and Red Shoes checks again! Hiromu fades, sits down, but he gets a third wind! Henare is shocked to see Hiromu rising up again! The fans rally as hard as they can as we hit 20 minutes!
Hiromu fights but Henare spins him! URENAGE!! Cover, TWO?!?!? The fans are thunderous and Henare is stunned! Henare drags Hiromu up, STREETS OF- CRUCIFIX DRIVER!! Cover, TWO!!! Henare survives that quick turnaround but Hiromu rises up again! Hiromu runs, but into a BERSERKER BOMB!! Henare can’t make the cover, but he pounds the mat as he rises again. The fans rally, and Hiromu is in a corner, NATIVE KNEE! Henare roars, but Hiromu wrenches!? HIROMU-CHAN ROLL!! TWO!!!! Hiromu pleads with Red Shoes, but Henare still got out in time! Hiromu turns around, into the RAMPAGE!!! Cover, TWO!?!?!
The fans are electric as Hiromu continues to defy expectations! Henare grows frustrated, but he still has one move that can end this. Henare points to the skies and roars! Henare drags Hiromu up, fisherman and STREETS- DESTROYER?!?! Hiromu hurries to cover, TWO!!!! Henare survives but Hiromu pounds the mat! Korakuen Hall is erupting as Hiromu dares Henare to get up! Hiromu powers up and runs, HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER!!! Hiromu won’t end here, he drags Henare up to fireman’s carry! TIMEBOMB!!! Cover, TWO!?!?!? Hiromu can’t believe it but Henare’s survived his best shot!
Hiromu again pleads with Red Shoes, but no, Henare did get out before three. Hiromu hobbles up, but now he grins and says here goes! Hiromu drags Henare up, dragon sleepers, but Henare spins it around! Hiromu fights free, HEADBUTTS, and SUPERKICKS! Henare wobbles, but then he HEADBUTTS back!! Henare roars, fisherman, but he blocks Hiromu’s cradle! STREETS OF RAGE!!!! Cover, Henare wins!!
Winner: Henare, by pinfall (still NEVER Openweight Champion)
Hiromu proved why he’s the Best of the Super Juniors, and proved that he’s so much more than that, but he still couldn’t conquer this new summit! Naito leaves commentary to be by his friend’s side, and Henare shows Hiromu respect for this battle. Takagi also returns to ringside to check on Hiromu. Will Hiromu be able to rise up so this next level one day? Or was this his limit?
Wait, Henare is eyeing Takagi. Henare won this title back in June to kick off New Japan Soul, but perhaps that wasn’t enough. Takagi goes to the mic and tells Henare, “That was a hell of a fight!” The fans cheer that! Takagi then says, “After watching that, I can’t help myself. Henare! I am your next challenger!” The fans like that idea! Takagi says how about September 29th, in Kobe? Fans like the idea even more now! Henare takes the mic to tell “Takagi Senshi <Warrior>,” if he wants Kobe, then he’s got it! LET’S GO! The fans fire up as the challenge has been accepted, Destruction in Kobe is going to see an epic rematch!
Takagi leaves, will he take the NEVER title in an effort to make a match with Naito #WinnerTakesAll? As for Henare, he closes with a Maori Haka to show he is ready for another battle! Will the Face of Fury NEVER given in and NEVER be stopped?
My Thoughts:
Another great night for Road to Destruction, and great continuation for all the stories from last night. Now, it is kinda silly that I covered the kickoff show match, but it was pretty fun seeing a crossover of NJPW and this apparent Super Sentai stage play. And it was pretty fun knowing that was Desperado as “Fighter F,” given his distinct voice. But as I said even yesterday, I knew Douki & Taka would even the score with Taiji & Gedo to keep us guessing. The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match is Wednesday, so Douki and Taiji are mostly even, it’s anyone’s guess as to who wins that.
Obviously LIJ and United Empire would have their matches back to back. Great 8 Man Tag with a win for The Empire, giving Khan momentum going towards Kobe. As I also said last time, I bet we get Khan and someone going against Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita next so that they can test the waters of Khan VS ZSJ, the other possible world title match. And then a truly incredible match from Hiromu and Henare, especially with Hiromu fighting up a weight class. But in the end, Henare wins to keep his reign going, and great stuff in him and Takagi setting up the title match for Kobe.
The LIJ’s own story of wanting to do a Winner Takes All scenario with Naito might be the thing that holds them back, though. As great as it would be for any of these guys to be a double champion, I don’t see it happening. If Naito is to retain against Khan AND ZSJ through October, I don’t see Takagi coming at him with the NEVER title. But if Takagi wins the NEVER title, I feel like there’s half a chance ZSJ actually makes more history by taking the world title in his non-traditional Right to Challenge cash-in. NJPW is doing a good job shaking things up to keep things fresh, but making a double champion would be a rehash of how we got to the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in the first place.
My Score: 8.9/10
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