Andrew’s NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Results & Match Ratings: 5.4.2021

This second day of Wrestling Dontaku is supposed to have 2 big title matches, but card subject to change! Let’s see what happen!

Before the show, we’re told that someone from yesterday’s show had a fever this morning, and as a precaution, people that were around him would be changed off the card. No word on who it was, no word on if it was a positive case; purely just being safe.

So that means the Junior title match of YOH vs El Desperado is off the card, as well as anything that was supposed to involve Okada, SHO, Minoru Suzuki and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. So at least we know it was one of those six.

Anyway! This becomes a one match card! Is it worth the build?

Ratings:

• Suzuki-Gun (DOUKI, ZSJ, Taichi) vs Bullet Club (G.o.D. & Jado): ZSJ wins via Grounded Cobra Twist @10:00 – ** ¼ 
• Master Wato & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori): Ishimori wins via Bloody Cross @10:24 – ** ½
• United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb) vs LIJ (Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & SANADA): Cobb wins via Tour of the Islands @14:55 – ** ¾
• Toru Yano, Ryusuke Taguchi & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Bullet Club (EVIL, Jay White & Dick Togo) w/Gedo: Yano wins via Victory Roll @12:14 – **
• IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs Shingo Takagi: Ospreay retains via Stormbreaker @44:53 – *****

Results:

Suzuki-Gun (DOUKI, ZSJ, Taichi) vs Bullet Club (G.o.D. & Jado)

Given their singles wins yesterday, the logical outcome here is for Jado to eat the pinfall, and then Dangerous Tekkers to make their official title challenge. First we get to see a little bit of the DOUKI/Jado rivalry continue, DOUKI has a decent Plancha fake on to G.o.D. but turns it into an Asai Moonsault.

We see G.o.D. take group tactics to overpower DOUKI and get occasional advantages, but both Taichi and ZSJ seem to be invigorated and don’t succumb much to the assaults. Taichi taps into his Kawada side more and more the last few years, and I’m completely here for the Black Saint to ascend to Dark King status.

The usual ring clear spot, leads to ZSJ submitting Jado via a Grounded Cobra Twist, and then grabbing the microphone. Both he and Taichi speak their challenge in Japanese to the delight of fans.

Master Wato & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi & Taiji Ishimori)

Interesting to see these four paired against each other. Wato is still a work in process, and Tenzan has been playing the elder statesman fairly well.

This match did well to remind everyone where people where at. Tenzan was still ahead of Yujiro, which makes sense due Yujiro being glorified enhancement talent. Wato had a few nice flourishes against Yujiro and even Taiji, before Taiji really staked his claim to a very tangible Junior championship challenge. Taiji is head and shoulders above everyone in this match talent wise, and the way he absorbed to get some of Wato’s offense over; but very succinctly taking control back, was elite level stuff.

United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb) vs LIJ (Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & SANADA)

Henare calls out SANADA after the loss yesterday and Naito takes it upon himself to prove how little he cares about United Empire by pretending his belt is stuck as he tries to remove his entrance attire.

As the match moves forward we see O-Khan and Naito still messing with each other, building off the New Japan Cup. Henare tries to match SANADA’s smoothness with his own power and aggression, while Cobb takes some interesting measures to send a message to Kota Ibushi and throw BUSHI around as we head to the finish.

Cobb hits a Kamigoye, a big smile and then a Tour of the Islands takes the win for United Empire!

Toru Yano, Ryusuke Taguchi & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Bullet Club (EVIL, Jay White & Dick Togo) w/Gedo

Taguchi was amusing as he tried to challenge Jay for the Openweight title at the beginning, but this was more idle comedy than something that should’ve been at the top half of the show. Taguchi does hit a Dragon Screw on Jay to give Tanahashi a chance in, and Jay sells the knees being banged up from yesterday still.

We see a little more action, a schmoz, a blindfold on Togo, double nut shot to Togo and EVIL, Togo gets rolled up and Hontai wins!

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs Shingo Takagi

Given the earlier news that the Junior Title match was dropped, I feel like Takagi and Ospreay went into this match knowing they had to reassess the pace of things. The ebbs and flows in this match are timed beautifully. Early counter attacks, into a few momentum trades. Ospreay hangs Shingo in the Tree of Woe and rubs it in by doing Shingo’s signature pose and slapping Shingo around.

Shingo breaks the assault, they trade a little and he finally gets more space after he grabs Ospreay’s foot and just flips him twice in the air, which he did in a previous match of theirs. Takagi and Ospreay have an amusing Table fight, where Shingo’s Sabu style approach of throwing it, wins the tussle. Checkov’s Gun is established with both tables being set up but not used right away.

Shingo uses them about 8 minutes later as he drives Ospreay through both with Made in Japan/Last Falconry which almost results in a countout victory. As soon as Ospreay slides back in, Made in Japan again, and this time a near fall. The callbacks come back in spades in the match, notably, Shingo learned from the flipping through the Pumping Bomber spot. As Ospreay flips and goes for the Oscutter, Shingo waits and catches him in his own Cutter. Super Oscutter countered with TTR. Shingo even pulls out the Poison Rana again to stop Will from trying another Oscutter.

This becomes a real test of willpower when we get to the point where they just absorb the shot and fire back. Lariats, kicks, Headbutts, great stuff as Shingo slips Stormbreaker, hits the Yukon Lariat, but Ospreay responds with the flying Blackout style Knee Strike. More back and forth, but Chelsea Grin dazes Shingo enough, Ospreay hits a Rainmaker, to set up for the Hidden Blade and then Stormbreaker!

Ospreay retains and will get his rematch with the Rainmaker! This match was gorgeous, it built off of their previous encounters, told a great story within itself and was just a gem to watch. Shingo and Ospreay can do no wrong.

Overall Score: 7/10

Welp, Will Ospreay’s post-match promo is right, the main event is well worth the price of admission alone. So even though the rest of the matches were mediocre at best, that main event was special.

Aside from the Takagi/Ospreay storyline being finished for hopefully a while, the only other real tangible stories for Wrestle Grand Slam are G.o.D. versus Tekkers and maybe a Tanahashi rematch. I don’t really want to see another Tanahashi/Jay match since those are usually decent but I don’t feel like there’s much left.

So let’s just hope that Okada wasn’t sick, and we get a decent build for Ospreay’s rematch and what I would assume would be his crowning moment when he finally really overcomes Okada.