Who will stand atop NJPW with the Double Championships?

A string of trios matches sets the scene for a G1 Climax 30 rematch! Will Kota Ibushi still be a wrestling god after facing the Cold Skull?

NOTE: NJPW no longer wants to feed AXS TV now that it is with Anthem and Impact Wrestling. But never fear, I will cover NJPW in the spirit of AXS in providing the most important matches of the show.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Six Man Tag: Suzuki-Gun VS Master Wato, SHO & Tomoaki Honma; Wato, Sho & Honma win.
• Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club; LIJ wins.
• Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano VS EVIL & Dick Togo; Double Count-Out Draw.
• Kazuchika Okada VS EVIL; Okada wins, by disqualification.
• NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Chaos VS Jay White & The Guerrillas of Destiny; Chaos wins and retains the titles.
• IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Double Championship: Kota Ibushi VS SANADA; Ibushi wins and retains the titles.

PLAY BY PLAY

Six Man Tag: Suzuki-Gun VS Master Wato, SHO & Tomoaki Honma!

Well, “card subject to change” is a common thing in wrestling, and that’s happened here! Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru wanted after Bullet Club tonight, but they’re getting the Grandmaster, High Voltage and Everyone’s Kokeshi instead! Will the Meanest Man in the World, the Rogue Luchador and Heel Master still do what they intended and send a message to the rest of NJPW?

The second Honma gets in the ring, he and Suzuki get in each other’s face! The ref keeps the peace, the teams sort out and Honma eggs Suzuki on. They start and they start throwing CHOPS! Fans rally as the CHOPS fly back and forth! Neither man backs down but Suzuki gets the edge. Suzuki whips Honma to a corner and runs in to boot him! Suzuki cravats but Honma blocks the snapmare. Suzuki body shots then runs but Honma elbows him at the ropes! Honma runs and runs Suzuki over with a shoulder! Honma fires up, runs, but Suzuki moves so Honma stops from dropping the headbutt. Honma stomps Suzuki at the ropes, then goes for it again, but Suzuki boots him down!

Desperado and Kanemaru go after Sho and Wato while Suzuki clubs Honma down! Suzuki then drags Honma out while Desperado throws Sho into railing. Suzuki RAMS Honma into railing by commentary and he throws body shots and knees! Desperado rakes Sho’s eyes then POSTS him! Kanemaru chops away on Wato and Suzuki whips Honma into more railing! Suzuki taunts Honma, smudges his face and CHOPS him again! Suzuki puts Honma back in the ring and tags in Desperado. Desperado drops knees on Honma’s head, then stomps him over and over! Fans rally up but Desperado bumps Honma off buckles. Tag to Kanemaru and Suzuki-Gun mugs Honma!

The ref has to keep Sho back but that allows Suzuki-Gun to dig their boots in! Suzuki-Gun finally lets off on Honma and Kanemaru runs in to BOOT Honma down! Kanemaru throws elbows, then stomps him more. Tag to Suzuki and he runs to BOOT Sho! And BOOT Wato! Fans rally for Honma and he fires off forearms! Suzuki is liking this and he ROCKS Honma back! Honma throws more forearms but Suzuki ROCKS Honma again! Honma roars but Suzuki headbutts! Suzuki runs but Honma LEAPING HEADBUTTS! Fans fire up as Honma and Suzuki crawl, hot tags to Sho and Desperado! Sho dodges then fires off to whip but Desperado reverses, only for Sho to run him over!

Sho hits Kanemaru down, then runs at Desperado with a corner clothesline! Sho whips, wrenches and kicks away on Desperado! Fans fire up with Sho as he watches Desperado rise. Sho KICKS Desperado down, covers, TWO! Sho keeps his cool as he waistlocks and dead lifts Desperado. Desperado fights the German Suplex off, but Sho reels him in to try again. Desperado victory roll counters, TWO! Sho staggers up, Desperado spins him and knees, double underhooks but no Pinche! Sho wrenches to throw a forearm, but Desperado hits back! Sho forearms again, Desperado responds, and the two go back and forth!

Fans rally up as Sho gets the edge, but Desperado pokes Sho in the eye! Sho still hits back, KICKS and runs, to LARIAT! Fans fire up again as Sho drags Desperado up and reels him in. Desperado resists the lift, wrenches free to whip, and Kanemaru gets a cheap shot in! Desperado SPEARS! Tag to Kanemaru, he drags Sho up to whip, but Sho SPEARS back! Hot tag to Wato! Wato BOOTS Suzuki, Honma goes after Kanemaru, and together, he and Sho whip Kanemaru corner to corner. Honma whips Wato in and Wato elbows Kanemaru! Honma whips Sho in to clothesline! Sho feeds Kanemaru to Honma’s elbow and then Honma HEADBUTTS Kanemaru, into Wato’s SPRINGBOARD UPPERCUT! Cover, but Suzuki-Gun breaks it!

It’s another chaotic brawl, Desperado and Suzuki throw Sho and Honma out. Suzuki-Gun whips Wato to a corner, Desperado runs in to elbow! Suzuki runs in to BOOT Wato! Suzuki whips but Wato reverses, only for Suzuki to break and boot him! Desperado lifts Wato, Kanemaru BOOTS into the back suplex! Cover, TWO! Wato survives but Kanemaru goes up the corner. Suzuki keeps Honma out and Kanemaru hits DEEP IMPACT!! cover but Sho breaks it! Desperado gets in to throw Sho back out and Kanemaru drags Wato up. Kanemaru suplexes but Wato fights that off. Kanemaru blocks Wato’s kick to give a kick, but Wato dodges the clothesline to tilt-o-whirl and roll-up, high stack with a jackknife! Wato and team win!!

Winners: Master Wato, SHO & Tomoaki Honma, by pinfall

High Voltage usually pulls off shockers but the Way of the Grandmaster just pulled off one here! Is this just the beginning of Wato living up to his nickname?

Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club!

The challenge was made on night one that the Timebomb will give El Phantasmo a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, but he and the Death Mask will get a shot at the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships first! With Tetsuya Naito and Tokyo Pimp in the mix, which side gets a major advantage going into the Junior Heavyweight title series?

Bullet Club throws up the Too Sweet, but they just use that as a distraction before ambushing LIJ! Yujiro is after Naito while the tag champs are after their challengers! ELP throws Hiromu out, they brawl as the bell rings and gets this on record! ELP ROCKS Hiromu and has him at the railing. ELP shouts that he won’t be embarrassed by Hiromu as he throws more forearms! Ishimori has Bushi in the ring, whips him corner to corner, but Bushi swings out to kick Ishimori away! Bushi goes up to hit a missile dropkick, and Bushirooni! Bushi drags Ishimori up but Ishimori slips out of the fisherman screw, only for Bushi to kick him low.

Ishimori goes to ropes, Bushi heads over but Ishimori throws him out! Bullet Club mugs Bushi at the railing, then puts him back in. Ishimori pulls Bushi’s shirt off him and throws it away! Ishimori drags Bushi up, fans rally up, but Ishimori CLAWS Bushi’s back! Tag to ELP and the tag champs coordinate for more claws to Bushi’s back! Tag back to Ishimori, he goes up and hits a super BACK RAKE! Bushi goes down and Ishimori tags ELP. ELP DECKS Hiromu and then Naito! Ishimori has Bushi in the corner, ELP runs corner to corner, cartwheels around and around, then rolls and handsprings, just to CLAW Bushi again! ELP tags in Yujiro and then sets Bushi up in the corner.

Yujiro throws clubbing forearms, then as ELP and Ishimori encourage him to scratch, he just clubs Bushi more. Yujiro snapmares Bushi, runs and basement boots! Cover, TWO! Yujiro drags Bushi up, stomps him to the corner, then stomps him in the corner. Tag to Ishimori, he drags Bushi up and hoists him onto the top rope. Tag to ELP, Ishimori runs to baseball slide Naito and Hiromu! ELP sets Bushi into the Tree of Woe, Ishimori runs in and basement dropkicks Bushi in the head! ELP runs in to leap, and then step on Bushi’s groin! Ishimori adds in, the ref reprimands, but Yujiro adds on! The ref counts, and Bullet Club steps away from Bushi’s boys.

ELP covers but the ref refuses because of their antics! ELP drags Bushi back, drags him up and throws forearms. ELP wrenches, whips Bushi corner to corner, then handsprings in, into a BOOT! Bushi goes up, FLYING RANA! Fans fire up, Bushi hot tags Hiromu! The Timebomb DECKS Yujiro, kicks ELP and whips him to ropes, but ELP reverses. Ishimori gets a cheap shot in, then he and ELP double whip Hiromu. Hiromu gets around and shoves Ishimori into ELP! Then Hiromu picks Ishimori up and makes him give ELP a RANA! Hiromu then whips Ishimori to a corner, clotheslines him, then runs to clothesline ELP! And back to Ishimori! Then back to ELP!

Hiromu baits Ishimori in, Ishimori avoids colliding with ELP, but Hiromu comes back to shotgun dropkick Bullet Club into the corner! Hiromu drags ELP up to suplex, for a Falcon Arrow! Cover, TWO! Fans rally and Hiromu grins as he brings ELP around. Hiromu fireman’s carries, ELP fights free and shoves Hiromu to a corner. Hiromu boots back, runs, dodges, but ELP blocks the kick. Hiromu blocks ELP’s kick, flips ELP but ELP lands on his feet to get around and torture rack! ELP spins around for a BIG neckbreaker! Both men are down, fans fire up, hot tags to Yujiro and Naito! Naito dodges the boot, fires off on Yujiro then whips.

Yujiro reverses, Naito holds ropes and boots back! Naito spins Yujiro around, whips him to elbow him down and basement dropkick in the back! Naito whips Yujiro to a corner, runs in, rocket kick and Combinacion Cabron! Fans fire up as Naito drags Yujiro up again. Naito turns Yujiro but Yujiro BITES Naito’s hand! No one learns! Yujiro boots Naito, turns him and hits a reverse DDT! Ishimori runs in just to DECK Bushi, then goes out after him. Yujiro has Naito for the FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Naito survives and Yujiro is frustrated. Yujiro has a bloody nose but he ignores that to drag Naito around.

Yujiro fireman’s carries but Bushi saves Naito, to give Yujiro a BACKSTABBER! ELP superkicks but Bushi blocks! Hiromu SUPERKICKS ELP away but Ishimori runs in to fire off on Bushi and Hiromu! Ishimori runs but into SUPERKICK ENZIGURI COMBO! Yujiro runs in, Bushi sends him to Naito’s atomic drop! Naito whips Yujiro to a corner, Bushi elbows Yujiro, then LIJ coordinates, the HIROMU RAILGUN! Bushi keeps Ishimori out and then DIVES onto Ishimori! Hiromu goes after ELP on the outside as Naito throws an elbow and an enziguri on Yujiro! Tilt-o-whirl, DESTINO! Cover, LIJ wins!

Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon, by pinfall

Tokyo Pimp takes the loss, but this doesn’t bode well for Bullet Club! Will Hiromu and Bushi take those tag titles away before having it out with Mr. Super J Cup one more time?

Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano VS EVIL & Dick Togo!

The Rainmaker has been daring the King of Darkness to step up, but Evil keeps playing games. Will the provisional Mr. KOPW 2021 help Okada force Evil’s hand?

The teams sort out, Evil and Dick Too Sweet and Okada starts. Evil doesn’t want to but Okada gives him no choice! Yano throws Dick out and the bell rings! Yano whips Dick to railing, Okada snapmares Evil to ropes and runs to basement dropkick him down! Okada brings Evil up to throw him out and then goes out after him at the railing. Fans rally with “O-KA-DA!” claps as he whips Evil into railing! Okada digs his boots in, the ref starts the ring count, Okada RAMS Evil into railings again! Okada goes to gut wrench but Evil fights it off! The count climbs, Evil whips Okada into railing! The count is 15, Evil whips Okada into more railing, then he gets a chair to choke Okada with! The count hits 20 of 20!!

Double Count-Out Draw

That wasn’t a match! That was just a brawl! Young Lions try to stop Evil but he only stops when Dick regroups with him. Evil doesn’t seem to care about facing Okada fair, square or any other which way. But Okada is getting up and he is pursuing Evil! CHAIR SHOT to the back!! The Young Lions and Yano hurry to bring Okada away but he dares Evil to bring it on! Fans clap even harder, “O-KA-DA!” Okada gets a mic to tell Evil to man up and get in the ring! What’s Evil gonna do? Okada wants Evil to take him on 1v1 already so what’s it gonna be? Evil gets up as Okada fires up the fans more, and Red Shoes appears to handle this. Evil agrees to the challenge?! And he even tells Dick to stand down!? Dick goes to the back, Yano also exits, and it’s official!!

Kazuchika Okada VS EVIL!

Evil gets in, the bell rings and the brawl continues! Forearms are fast, furious and point-blank! Evil kicks low, whips but Okada ducks and dodges to elbow Evil down! Fans are thunderous as Okada brings Evil back up and whips him corner to corner. Okada runs in and elbows Evil into the kick and DDT! Cover, TWO! Okada keeps his cool but the fans are fired up again as he paces. Okada waits on Evil to get up, but Evil blocks the Alabama lift. Evil pulls hair to throw Okada down! Fans still rally as Okada goes to a corner. Evil runs in, Okada boots him away! Evil runs in again but Okada pops him up to the Alabama! REVERSE NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!

Fans stay fired up as Okada keeps his focus. Okada drags Evil up, gut wrenches, but Evil fights it off! Evil claws Okada’s face, the ref reprimands but Evil stops at 4. Fans rally, Evil brings him up and fisherman’s, but Okada blocks the suplex. The two struggle against each other, Evil knees low then tries again. Okada kicks and wrenches free to waistlock. Evil elbows free but runs into Okada’s dropkick! Okada is right on Evil with the MONEY CLIP! Evil endures, reaches for Okada’s face, but Okada leans on the hold! Fans rally up as Okada cranks harder and Evil starts to fade! The ref checks on Evil, Evil gets a second wind and gets a ropebreak!

Okada lets go, fans fire up and Okada rises. Okada drags Evil back up, but Evil blocks the lariat! Evil mule kicks, Okada staggers to a corner, and Evil runs in to clothesline! Evil brings Okada around to fireman’s carry but Okada fights free. Okada swings but into a waistlock. Okada elbows free and runs, but Evil runs to the corner and back, LARIAT! Evil seethes as he drags Okada up to fireman’s carry again. DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO!! Okada survives and fans fire up but Evil keeps on him. Evil gets the legs and turns Okada over for the SHARPSHOOTER! Fans rally as Okada endures, and Dick returns! So much for standing down!

The ref goes to intercept Dick but Dick shoves him down! Dick stomps away on Okada! Shouldn’t this be a disqualification? Evil and Dick keep stomping, so yes, the ref calls for the bell!

Winner: Kazuchika Okada, by disqualification

Well it’s almost like there was no point now! But here comes Yano! Yano attacks Evil but Dick attacks Yano! Yano hits Dick but Evil LOW BLOWS Yano! Okada goes after Evil and rains down forearms! But Dick has the SPOILER CHOKER!! Dick uses it on Okada!! Okada is turning red as he fades out! Fans still rally for “O-KA-DA!” as Young Lions get in. Dick hits the Young Lions and sends them out! Evil looms over Okada, and stands on Okada’s head. Evil and Dick Low Sweet, but nothing has been settled! Will the King of Darkness ever truly face the Rainmaker head on?

NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Chaos VS Jay White & The Guerrillas of Destiny!

Tomohiro Ishii spoiled the Switchblade’s G1 run and now is the time for revenge! Will Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa add more gold on top of the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships? Or will Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto help Ishii #GetBackUp and #TurnItAround?

The introductions are made, the Six Man belts are raised, and the trios sort out. We begin with a brawl! Is this just how things are going to go tonight? Goto and Hashi get GOD out of the ring while White brawls with Ishii! White clubs away then kicks Ishii at the ropes. White throws a EuroUpper, then a CHOP, but Ishii just eggs him on! White rakes Ishii’s eyes, then whips Ishii. Ishii reverses but White bails out! Ishii pursues, White gets back in, but while he thinks he’s the smart one, he’s surrounded by Chaos! Chaos stomps White down 3v1! The ref reprimands, Chaos lets off and then they whip White to a corner.

Goto runs in to clothesline, then he feeds White to double shoulders from Hashi and Ishii! Then Chaos TRIPLE KICK COMBOS! Tama gets in but gets a double hip toss! And a basement dropkick! Loa returns but he gets hammered by Chaos! Ishii goes out after White then puts him back in. Ishii drags White away to the Chaos corner, drags him up and throws forearms. Ishii CHOPS White, Goto gets a shot in, and Gedo protests as Chaos digs their boots in! The ref counts, Chaos stops and Ishii tags Hashi. They double whip, but White grabs ropes to tag in Tama! Tama runs in but Hashi rallies on him with elbows and shoulders, then a RUNNING RANA!

Fans fire up for Hashi as he drags Tama up. Hashi elbows Tama to ropes then whips him. Tama uses that momentum to hit Goto of the apron! Hashi clubs and whips Tama again, but Tama reverses and Loa gets a cheap shot in! Loa holds Hashi and Tama CHOPS and forearms away! Tama runs but Goto trips him! Hashi elbows Loa away, he and Goto double whip and double shoulder Tama over! Hip toss senton combo! Cover, TWO! Fans rally, Gedo and Jado shout at Tama but Hashi runs in at the corner. Hashi CHOPS Tama, whips out to CHOP again, but White sucker punches Hashi! White hits Chaos, Tama feeds Hashi to Loa’s lariat!

White throws Ishii and Goto around while Loa RAMS Hashi into railing! White whips Ishii hard into more railing! Ishii even flops up and over! White asks if he’s allowed to go out after Ishii. For now, the ring count climbs, Tama gets back in, White brings Ishii back around to whip him into more railing! The ring count is 10, Loa puts Hashi in for Tama. Tama uses a knee to cover, TWO! Tama stmops Hashi, tags Loa, and Loa slingshot sentons! Tama slingshots sentons, too, then White drags Hashi out to RAM him into railing at English commentary! White puts Hashi back in, Loa drags Hashi up to suplex! Uno amigo as Loa gets back up.

Loa wrenches to BLUE THUNDER BOMB! White mockingly checks on Hashi but the ref actually checks. Hashi is okay to continue and fans rally up. Loa toys with Hashi, Gedo says this should just be stopped. Hashi barely stirs but he’s still conscious, so Loa drags him back up. Loa tags White, they mug Hashi, and White brings Hashi up for a BIG back suplex! Hashi flops over and White mockingly checks on him again. Cover, TWO!! Hashi is still in this and now White is annoyed. White drags Hashi around, mockingly claps with him, and then brings him over. White talks trash to Ishii before tagging out to Tama. Tama stomps Hashi, talks some trash of his own, but then Ishii gets in.

The ref tells Ishii to stay back, and Tama looms over Hashi as Ishii reluctantly goes back to the corner. Tag to White and White kicks at Hashi. White spanks Hashi to the rhythm, then snapmares Hashi to a chinlock! Hashi is already turning red as White squeezes tight! White taunts Hashi to look to Ishii but then turns Hashi away. White grins but fans rally up and Hashi gets a second wind! Hashi fights up, throws body shots, but White throws him by his hair! White DECKS Goto, hits Ishii, but Ishii doesn’t budge! Ishii gets in, kicks at White, but the ref tells him to go back! Tama sneaks in and drags Hashi back! White goes after Ishii, GOD stomp away on Hashi!

White RAMS Ishii into more railing, then comes back to the ring. White tags Tama, and Tama takes his time bringing Hashi up. Tama throws a big right hand but Hashi just fires up! Tama throws another but Hashi feeds off it! The fans rally up and Tama is starting to worry. Tama throws more haymakers but Hashi just gets stronger! Tama clubs away with fury, he brings Hashi up, but Hashi suplexes to the BUNKER BUSTER! Fans fire up as both men are down! Hashi and Tama crawl, hot tag to Goto! The Fierce Warrior rallies on Tama, BLASTS White and Loa, then fires off on Tama! Goto whips, Tama reverses but Goto dodges. Tama runs, redirects, but Goto follows to LARIAT!

Loa gets in but Goto kicks him first! Goto goes to suplex but Loa slips out to waistlock. Goto switches, Loa elbows him away, and Goto ends up in a corner. Loa whips Tama in but Goto dodges to LARIAT Loa! MURAMASA for Tama, to the BULLDOG! Cover, but White breaks it! Ishii rushes in but White bails right out! Goto glares at White, goes back to Tama, but Tama throws a body shot! Loa uppercuts, Tama neckbreakers! Tama shakes out the cobwebs, fans rally up, and Tama drags Goto up. Tama dragon sleepers, for a TONGAN TWIST! Cover, TWO! Tama grows frustrated and White protests the count. Goto slowly rises but Tama looms over him.

Tama drags Goto around to a fireman’s carry but Goto fights out. Goto swings, but back into a dragon sleeper! Goto reverses but Tama snapmares free, only to miss with the super punch! Goto grabs Tama by the hair, HEAD SHOT! Fans fire up as both men are down! Tama rolls towards his corner while Goto crawls, hot tags to Ishii and White! Ishii and White each dodge, swing and dodge, switch and swing, but White shoves Ishii to a corner. White runs in but Ishii dodges, only for White to dodge. Ishii boots, runs in but into a firema’ns carry! Ishii slips off to shove again, White boots but Ishii still clotheslines!

Ishii whips corner to corner, White reverses but Ishii comes back, only for White to ROCK him! White runs, into a SPINNING POWERSLAM! Ishii scowls as he looms over White. Ishii drags White up by his hair, CHOPS him in the corner, then CHOPS again! Ishii CHOPS close to the throat and Gedo protests, but the CHOPS keep flying! White drops down and guards but Ishii tries to punch through. Gedo gets on the apron but Ishii glares at him. Gedo backs off but White goes after a leg! Ishii ROCKS White, glares at Gedo again, but White hits a DRAPING DDT! White hurries over to drag Ishii up and throw him out.

White RAMS Ishii into railing, and then RAMS him again! And then RAMS him again! All in front of Japanese commentary! The ref reprimands White and White lets off on Ishii long enough to put him in the ring. White drags Ishii back up, suplexes, and hits BLADE BUSTER! Cover, TWO!! Ishii survives the twisting suplex and fans fire up! White mockingly pats Ishii on the head but Ishii eggs him on. White gets the leg for a GROUND DRAGON SCREW! White drags Ishii up but Ishii blocks the urenage. Hashi gets in to hit White, then Loa runs into the spin back kick! Hashi runs but into Loa’s dropkick! Loa looms over Ishii but Ishii hits him first.

Ishii runs and rams Loa but Loa stays up! Loa throws a forearm, runs, and rams Ishii! Ishii rebounds to ram Loa, Loa rebounds to ram Ishii! Both men run, but Tama and Goto trip Ishii and Loa! Goto gets in but Tama dropkicks Goto down! Tama rains down rights on Goto, White returns and they double whip Goto. Goto holds ropes, Ishii returns and he dodges double clotheslines! Ishii and Goto fireman’s carry White and Tama, but White and Tama rake eyes! Tama and White feed Goto and Ishii to Loa’s DOUBLE LARIATS! Bullet Club regroups and they focus on Ishii. Ishii staggers up into haymakers and forearms and uppercuts! Then GUERILLA WARFARE!

White drags Ishii back up, for KIWI KRUSHER! Cover, TWO!?! Ishii survives and White is furious! White drags Ishii back up, has the sleeper hold, but Hashi gets in! Hashi mule kicks White, but Loa hits a CODE BREAKER! Goto CLOBBERS Loa, CLOBBERS Tama, but White SNAP SAIDOS Goto away! Ishii runs in, into the SNAP SLEEPER SUPLEX! The Triple S hits, White drags Ishii back up, BLADE- NO! Ishii slips free, spins White, but White suplexes! Ishii fights out, escapes the urenage, and suplexes again! White fights out but Ishii HEADBUTTS and LARIATS! Fans fire up with Ishii and he drags White back up! But White fights the suplex off, but Ishii avoids Bladerunner again!

White escapes the suplex, catches Ishii again, URENAGE! Both men are down and fans fire up again! Ishii and White crawl, hot tags to Loa and Hashi! The Headhunter and Silverback collide with clotheslines! And again! And again! Hashi staggers but Loa just fires up. Loa runs, Hashi dodges, BLOCKBUSTER! Loa rolls away, Hashi runs in at the corner, and he corner clotheslines! Hashi brings Loa in but Loa suplexes first. Hashi slips out, waistlocks but Loa elbows free. Loa swings into a takedown! Hashi wants his head, BUTTERFLY LOCK! Fans fire up but Loa fights up to a fireman’s carry, SAMOAN DROP! Goto returns but Loa kicks, scoops and SLAMS Goto fast!

Loa aims at Hashi, Tama gets in, GOD drags him up. They hit Hashi with the back suplex neckbreaker! Cover, TWO! Loa is furious with the count! Jado tells them to finish this, GOD drags Hashi up, but Hashi fights off Magic Killer! Hashi shoves Tama at Loa, but Tama whips Loa into Hashi! Loa drags Hashi back up, scoop slams him, then coordinates with Tama. They’re on opposite corners, for the FLYING HEADBUTT and FROG SPLASH! Cover, but Goto breaks it! Tama is after Goto but Goto throws forearms on GOD! Goto denies Gun Stun, dodges Loa’s boot and LARIATS him! Goto DECKS White, too, then drags Tama up! But Tama denies GTR to suplex!

Goto fights that off, he and Hashi combine, G Y R!! Hashi gets Loa, shoves him to Goto and Goto fireman’s carries. Loa slips off, shoves Goto into Hashi, but Hashi mule kicks Loa! Goto fireman’s carries again, SUPERKICK to USHIGOROSHI, Ishii adds the SLIDING LARIAT! Hashi adds the METEORA! Cover, White breaks it! Ishii drags White away with a sleeper and Hashi aims at Loa! But Gedo goes after Ishii! Hashi SUPERKICKS Loa, brings him around, but Jado distracts the ref! White slips in to LOW BLOW Hashi!! Hashi barely stays up but White pushes him over. Fans rally but Bullet Club is regrouping again.

White drags Hashi up, he and Tama set him up for Loa to TACKLE to a corner! Tama whips White in to EuroUpper! Tama hits a splash, then White helps out as Loa climbs! But Ishii gets in to block the bomb! Goto helps and throws Tama and White out! Ishii ROCKS Loa, Goto hits a SUPER MURAMASA! Ishii goes up top with Loa, SUPER BRAINBUSTER!! Goto DECKS Tama, then PLANCHAS! But White is back! Ishii holds off Bladerunner to GERMAN SUPLEX! Hashi is back on his feet and he runs at Loa, for a HEAD HUNTER LARIAT!! Cover, TWO!?! Loa lives but Hashi is on him again, with the BUTTERFLY! Loa endures, Ishii holds White down but Loa keeps reaching!

Hashi gator rolls Loa away to keep the Butterfly on! Hashi adds the other arm to it! Loa endures the Kimura-Fly but Gedo gets up on the apron! The ref is distracted, Jado KENDO STICK SMACKS Hashi!! Loa LARIATS and covers, TWO!!! Hashi survives and fans are thunderous! Loa drags Hashi up, scoops him, but Hashi reverses to roll and cradle! CHAOS WINS!!

Winners: Chaos, by pinfall (still NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions)

But now things erupt into chaos! Tama is after Hashi, Ishii decks White then goes after Tama, Goto joins in, and Loa is pissed at the ref! Chaos clears the ring of the Bullet Club, and Bullet Club can only storm off in frustration! And with one of the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions taking the loss, does this mean the Headhunter is in the hunt for those titles? Hashi gets a mic to speak! “Oi, just wait a minute.” They’re still the NEVER Openewight Six Man champions, but now they want those IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team titles! Hashi and Goto are coming for the Guerrillas! So just keep those belts warm for them!

IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Double Championship: Kota Ibushi VS SANADA!

The Golden Star’s ascension to NJPW’s wrestling god all started with G1 Climax 30, making history as a three-peat finalist and a back-to-back winner. And that G1 Climax 30 Final was against the Cold Skull! Will Sanada make up for that loss by bringing Ibushi’s reign to a Skull End?

The introductions are made, both belts are raised, and the rematch from the New Beginning ends with a return of the Climax!

Fans are already fired up with “I-BU-SHI!” “SA-NA-DA!” clapping. Ibushi and Sanada soak it all in before circling. They approach, feel out the grapple, go around a bit more, and Sanada gets a waistlock. Ibushi switches, Sanada throws him over but Ibushi headscissors. Ibushi uses leverage to squeeze tighter but Sanada moves around. Sanada pops free, and then gets Ibushi in a headlock, only for Ibushi to headscissor again. Ibushi holds tighter this time, but Sanada kicks and flails. Sanada bridges, moves around, pries free again and has Ibushi’s legs. Sanada uses those to turn Ibushi over in a figure four knot. Ibushi crawls to the ropebreak, and fans cheer as Sanada lets go clean.

Sanada and Ibushi reset and the clapping returns. Sanada and Ibushi tie up, Ibushi wrenches but Sanada spins through. Sanada wrenches, wristlocks, but Ibushi rolls. Ibushi gets a leg and trips Sanada to then have a toehold. Sanada chinlocks but Ibushi pushes that away to crank the leg. Sanada uses his free leg to drag Ibushi down but Ibushi makes that a cover. TWO, Sanada wants the arm but Ibushi slips out to put on the figure four knot in return. Ibushi floats to a chinlock, Sanada fights up but Ibushi grinds the hold. Ibushi hits a takeover, Sanada headscissors, Ibushi kips free and Sanada thinks dropkick but holds back.

Fans cheer the technical exchange and stand-off between them. Sanada and Ibushi circle as the clapping continues, “I-BU-DA!” “SA-NA-SHI!” Sanada and Ibushi tie up, Sanada headlocks, but Ibushi powers out, only for Sanada to run him over! Ibushi kips up, though not the cleanest, and things speed up. Sanada fakes out the hurdle but gets a KICK for it! Ibushi has the fans rallying as Sanada bails out. Ibushi runs but has to slide as Sanada gets in. Sanada comes out, fakes IBushi out with the tumble, but Ibushi avoids the apron moonsault! Ibushi scoops but Sanada turns lawn dart into dragon sleeper! Ibushi spins through to suplex but Sanada fights that off.

Sanada suplexes Ibushi onto railing, MAGIC SCREW! Both men are down and fans fire up again! Red Shoes checks and Ibushi is okay to continue. Sanada is already up on his feet, and he stomps Ibushi down. Sanada drags Ibushi up to put him in and fans cheer as this continues in the ring. Cover, ONE! Sanada drags Ibushi up to elbow him back down! Ibushi goes to ropes, Sanada drags him back up. Sanada elbows Ibushi down again, then drags him up to bump him off buckles. Sanada whips Ibushi corner to corner, runs in and elbows! Sanada reels Ibushi in for a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO! Sanada keeps his cool as he sits Ibushi up and wraps on a chinlock.

Ibushi endures, Sanada shifts to a headscissor hodl! Sanada squeezes tight now but Ibushi endures. Fans rally up, Ibushi moves around, and Ibushi reaches for ropes. Sanada rolls him away! Sanada squeezes tighter, Ibushi endures, and Ibushi kicks around again. Ibushi gets the ropebreak with a foot, and Sanada lets go. Sanada drags Ibushi up, Ibushi hits back with forearms! Sanada knees low, runs, but Ibushi kicks, only for Sanada to block! Ibushi fires off forearms to get free, then whips. Sanada reverses but Ibushi LEAPING KICKS! Both men are down but fans fire up! Ibushi grits his teeth as he and Sanada slowly rise.

Ibushi drags Sanada up, Sanada swings but Ibushi fires off a strike fest! Sanada ducks the Penalty Kick but the Standing Moonsault hits! Cover, TWO! Ibushi keeps his focus and fans fire up again. Ibushi drags Sanada up, Sanada fights off the lift and switches. Ibushi elbows free, runs, but Sanada hurdles, hurdles and dropkicks! Ibushi goes out, Sanada PLANCHAS out onto him! Fans cheer and Sanada encourages them to get louder. They get louder but Sanada still wants them to get louder. The fans reach the right volume and Sanada brings Ibushi up to put him in. Fans cheer as Sanada aims from a corner. Sanada springboards but Ibushi gets under.

Ibushi runs into a boot, Sanada runs into a dropkick! Sanada bails out and Ibushi fires up. Fans rally as Ibushi aims, to PLANCHA! Direct hit and Sanada gets a taste of his own medicine! Fans rally, Ibushi drags Sanada up and puts him in. Ibushi aims from a corner now, Sanada rises and Ibushi springboards but Sanada gets under. Sanada runs into a boot, then Ibushi goes up and over to RANA Sanada to a corner! Ibushi steadies himself, Sanada gets up, and Ibushi runs in but Sanada elbows! Sanada Quebrada but Ibushi ducks, only to run into a RANA! Both men are down but fans rally up. Ibushi and Sanada slowly sit up, and Ibushi forearms Sanada!

Sanada forearms back, but Ibushi hits Sanada again! Sanada shakes his head, and he forearms Ibushi back! Ibushi forearms, Sanada forearms, and the two stand up now. The back and forth of forearms continues and picks up speed! Sanada fires off several forearms but Ibushi KICKS him down! Ibushi drags Sanada back up, Sanada EuroUppers! Sanada GERMANS but Ibushi lands on his feet! Ibushi gets Sanada for a HALF ‘N’ HALF! Both men are down again but Ibushi sits up first. Fans rally, Ibushi grits his teeth. Ibushi brings Sanada up, reels him in, and lifts, SIT-OUT LAST RIDE! Cover, TWO! Ibushi looms over Sanada, drags him up by his wrists, but Sanada avoids the Kamigoye!

Sanada reels Ibushi in but Ibushi switches to straitjacket! Sanada resists the suplex, pries out of the straitjacket, and steals Kamigoye?!? Sanada sits Ibushi up and wants to do it again! But Ibushi voids that to gut wrench Sanada! Sanada slips out, lifts Ibushi up, and LAWN DARTS him into a corner!! Both men are down and fans fire up! Red Shoes checks on Ibushi, he’s okay to continue and Sanada drags him back up. Sanada hoists Ibushi to the top rope, climbs up to join him, and they go to the very top! SUPERPLEX!! But Sanada rolls through to hoist Ibushi up again, MAGIC SCREW! Cover, TWO!! Ibushi survives but Sanada says he’ll end it!

Sanada wraps on the dragon sleeper for SKULL END! Ibushi is stuck in the body scissors, too, and he powers his way out of the sleeper! Sanada works to drag Ibushi back in, Ibushi resists, but Sanada gets the dragon sleeper back! Ibushi endures again, fans still rally, “SA-BU-DA!” “I-NA-SHI!” Ibushi moves around, but he’s fading! Sanada lets Ibushi go to go to the corner! Sanada goes up, ROUNDING BODY FLOP!! The moonsault misses as Ibushi manages to move! Sanada stirs as fans rally up, and both he and Ibushi slowly rise. Ibushi runs in but Sanada elbows him away! Sanada Quebrada to the dragon sleeper!

Ibushi rolls back to dragon sleeper! Ibushi lifts Sanada, to LAWN DART him now! Fans are thunderous as Ibushi gets even with Sanada! Ibushi stalks Sanada and drags him up on the apron. Ibushi climbs, drags Sanada up the ropes, but Sanada kicks and flails! Sanada elbows then clubs Ibushi, then drags him to a fireman’s carry! SUPER TKO!! Both men crash and burn to the floor with that double-edged take on the move! Fans rally up again, a ring count begins, but neither man stirs until 10 of 20! Sanada stands and puts Ibushi in at 15 and fans cheer that this continues! Sanada stalks Ibushi, reels him into chicken wings, TIGER SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!

Ibushi escapes but Sanada is after him again with the dragon sleeper! Sanada takes Ibushi for a ride on the SKULL SWING! But Ibushi fights free to victory roll, TWO! SHINING WIZARD! Fans fire up with Ibushi as he rises again! Ibushi drags Sanada up by his wrists, but Sanada pops Ibushi up for a CUTTER! Sanada goes to a corner, ROUNDING BODY PRESS to Ibushi’s back! And then ROUNDING BODY PRESS, to Ibushi’s knees!! Ibushi saves himself and fans are thunderous again! Ibushi drags himself to a corner while Sanada stirs. Ibushi aims from the corner as Sanada stands. Sanada runs in, Ibushi boots him, then Ibushi dodges to send Sanada into the corner.

Sanada elbows back, cravats, Sliced Bread into chicken wings! But Ibushi breaks free to PELE! Sanada ducks the roundhouse, O’Conner rolls to the Japan Clutch, but Ibushi blocks the bridge to turn Sanada over! Ibushi has the arms, BLINDSIDE KAMIGOYE!! But Ibushi won’t end it there, he wants the proper finish! Ibushi sits Sanada up, FORWARD KAMIGOYE!! Cover, TWO!?!? Sanada survives the double shot!? Ibushi is stunned and the fans are volcanic! Ibushi brings down his knee pad! Ibushi sits Sanada up again, but Sanada dodges to backslide! TWO!! Sanada body scissors and rolls, JAPAN CLUTCH! TWO?!?!? That was more like 2.99!!

Ibushi runs in, Sanada waistlocks but Ibushi switches and throws Sanada way, to ROUNDHOUSE! V-TRIGGER! KENNY~! Ibushi gets the wrists, BARE KNEE KAMIGOYE!!! Cover, Ibushi wins!!

Winner: Kota Ibushi, by pinfall (still IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Double Champion)

AMAZING! The Cold Skull didn’t win but it took so much for the Golden Star God to put him away! Ibushi shows his respect to Sanada and the fans cheer. Sanada sits up to show respect back and fans cheer even more. Will the Cold Skull return to try again as the year rolls on?

Ibushi has both belts, manages to get them on his shoulders, and then gets the mic. But before he can say anything, Naito appears! Naito goes to the ring and Ibushi lets him enter. Naito tells Ibushi, or rather, after what happened in the Tokyo Dome, the God of Wrestling, that the title match just now was awesome, cabron! However… Naito says Ibushi may have won in the Tokyo Dome, but that doesn’t give him the right to combine those belts into one. Naito admits losing at WrestleKingdom proves he’s not suited for double gold, so he just wants one: the Intercontinental Championship! Fans like that idea!

So Naito therefore asks “God” to withhold on his plan to unify belts so that he can have a match for the Intercontinental title. Naito asks “God” to honor his request. Ibushi responds by saying Naito should TRANQUILO~! But if that’s what Naito wants, Ibushi is up for letting Naito challenge for just his favorite belt. Ibushi vows that he’ll never give up, run away or betray the fans! Ibushi thanks the fans for coming, and says Hiroshima’s awesome! Naito sets his sights on the belt in white, but when and where will he have his battle to deny Ibushi’s plans?

My Thoughts:

A great event to follow up yesterday’s great event, but I’m surprised things changed from what was advertised. I suppose NJPW does an even stronger level of kayfabing things, by changing matches based on story introduced just yesterday. It does make sense now that LIJ would battle Bullet Club’s ELP and Ishimori, that’s good build for their story with only so much time from now to Castle Attack. Everything with Okada and Evil was very different for what NJPW does, or at least what I’ve seen NJPW do. It feels slightly influenced by Western/WWE style, and I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. Okada and Evil will have another match for sure, but I wonder how they’ll stipulate it so that it can actually have an ending.

The NEVER Openweight Six Man match was really good, so much story and chaos. It works out that Chaos retains, because now Hashi and Goto will go after the IWGP Heavyweight Tag titles and White VS Ishii can happen on its own. The main event was amazing, it was definitely a level up from the G1 Climax and WrestleKingdom. It makes a lot of sense for Ibushi to retain, and it makes a lot of sense for Naito to come back around. Naito wants to separate the titles again, not because having a Double Champion was outright a bad idea, but because he wanted the Double Champion to be a double champion, not a unified champion. Naito wants the top champion to be a workhorse, so who knows if Ibushi changes his mind, win or lose.

My Score: 9.2/10