NJPW has a HUGE Elimination Match main event!

Before battling over the KOPW 2022 trophy, Minoru Suzuki and Toru Yano lead teams of four in a huge 8 Man Elimination Tag Match!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Great-O-Khan VS Kosei Fujita; Khan wins.
• Six Man Tag: Satoshi Kojima, Tiger Mask & Robbie Eagles VS Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado; Kojima, Tiger Mask & Eagles win.
• Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma & Ryohei Oiwa; LIJ wins.
• YOSHI-HASHI & YOH VS SHO & Yujiro Takahashi; Hashi & Yoh win, by disqualification.
• Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto VS EVIL & Dick Togo; Ishii & Goto win.
• Kazuchika Okada & Togi Makabe VS Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi; Naito & Takagi win.
• 10 8 Man Tag Elimination Match: Suzuki-Gun VS Toru Yano, Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Yuji Nagata; Suzuki-Gun wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

8 Man Tag Elimination Match: Suzuki-Gun VS Toru Yano, Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi & Yuji Nagata!

Minoru Suzuki is currently Mr. KOPW 2022, but the Producer wants that trophy! With veritable armies behind them, will it be the Meanest Man in the World or the clown prince of Chaos that stands tall at the end?

Yano once again brings the dog crate to ringside. Unfortunately, Hiroyoshi Tenzan was not able to be part of this match, which means Douki sits out on commentary. And given that, Suzuki has Douki look after the KOPW trophy. As the introductions finish up, Suzuki-Guns strikes! Everyone spills out of the ring and the bell rings to get this on record. Suzuki tries to put Yano in his own dog crate! Yano holds on to the outside, then throws body shots. Now Yano tries to put Suzuki in the crate! Suzuki blocks, so Yano bumps Suzuki of the apron. Yoshinobu Kanemaru’s stomping Taguchi in the ring, and drags him up.

Kanemaru whips, Taguchi HIP ATTACKS! Fans fire up as Taguchi HIP ATTACKS Desperado! Fans fire up as Taguchi hip attacks Desperado at the ropes, then Kanemaru, then back to Desperado! Taguchi baseball slides to apron hip attack Kanemaru back in! Fans fire up as Taguchi springboards, MISSILE HIP! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up, “TA-GU-CHI!” and he calls upon the powers of Strong Style! “ORYA~!” But Taichi traps Taguchi and gives Kanemaru a target! Kanemaru runs in to dropkick Taguchi’s Funky Weapon! Suzuki chases Yano, goes after him and Blue Justice! Desperado helps out as he ROCKS Wato and uppercuts Yano.

Suzuki DECKS Yano, Desperado stomps Nagata, and Kanemaru sets Taguchi up on the apron. Kanemaru dropkicks Taguchi in the head! Taichi shoves Taguchi in for Kanemaru and he covers, TWO! Fans rally but Kanemaru tags in Suzuki. Suzuki gets Taguchi’s leg and KICKS the hamstring! Then KICKS him again! Taguchi crawls, Suzuki KICKS him in the leg again! Taguchi scoots into the corner, Taichi and Desperado hold the leg out for Suzuki to KICK! Suzuki grabs Taguchi’s waistband, but Red Shoes tells him not to pants Taguchi! Red Shoes has Suzuki back off, and Red Shoes helps Taguchi get his tights back up.

Taichi tags in, and he stomps Taguchi. Taichi stands on Taguchi’s butt while he’s folded up, but Red Shoes won’t count that as a cover. So Taichi drops a knee on Taguchi’s butt! Fans rally as Taichi kicks Taguchi around. Taguchi eggs Taichi on, and hulks up as Taichi keeps literally kicking his ass! So Taichi KICKS him in the chest! Taguchi goes down, but Taichi puts him in the corner. Tag to Desperado, but he and Taichi anger Wato and team. Red Shoes is busy with Wato, allowing Suzuki to BEND Taguchi’s fingers and Kanemaru to fish hook Taguchi’s face! Wato tries to point it out, especially as Taichi adds stomps.

Suzuki-Gun gets away with it all, then Taichi tells Yano to shut up. Desperado drags Taguchi up, brings him around and whips him to the corner. Desperado runs in, but into a boot! Taguchi runs, but into an atomic drop! Desperado runs, but into another boot! Taguchi runs, but he fakes out the atomic drop! Taguchi wags his finger, then hits the HIP ATTACK! Fans fire up while both men are down. Taguchi crawls, hot tag to Wato! Wato rallies on Desperado, then whips him to ropes. DROPKICK! Fans fire up, but Kanemaru kicks and whips Wato. Wato dodges the dropkick to ROUNDHOUSE Kanemaru down!

Yano and Nagata rush in, they knock Kanemaru and Suzuki down! Nagata then traps Desperado in a corner and Wato hurries over. They double whip Desperado corner to corner, then Wato runs in to back elbow! Nagata runs in to BOOT! Nagata feeds Desperado to Yano’s atomic drop! Wato goes up, missile dropkick! High stack, but Suzuki-Gun all break it! Suzuki himself throws out Nagata, BOOTS Yano, and then even throws out Wato. Suzuki goes out to whip Wato hard into railing! Wato flops down, Kanemaru and Suzuki get him back up, scoop SLAM to the floor! Suzuki then pulls Wato up by his hair, to feed to Taichi’s BOOT!

Suzuki puts Wato back in, Kanemaru looms over him, then drags him up. Kanemaru whips and back drops Wato high and hard! Cover, TWO! Kanemaru stomps Wato, fans rally up, but Kanemaru bumps Wato off Taichi’s boot. Suzuki pulls Wato’s hair while Taichi stomps a mudhole in Wato. Taichi then digs his boot in, and Suzuki and Kanemaru both add on. Red Shoes counts, Suzuki-Gun lets off and Taichi snapmares Wato. Taichi fakes a cover as he chokes Wato! Red Shoes reprimands, Taichi lets off, to choke Wato again! Red Shoes shakes his head and reprimands. Taichi says that’s not a choke, THIS is a choke!

Red Shoes reprimands and counts again, but Taichi lets off at 4. Fans rally up for Wato, Taichi kicks Wato around then drags him up. Taichi chokes Wato again and puts him in the Suzuki-Gun corner. Red Shoes reprimands but Desperado tags in. Desperado stomps Wato while Suzuki holds him in place. Wato starts throwing elbows on everyone! Wato throws hands on Desperado but Desperado thumbs him in the eye! Desperado then scoops and SLAMS Wato down! Desperado stomps Wato, Taichi gets in to stomp, too! Then so do Suzuki and Kanemaru! Red Shoes reprimands but Desperado DECKS Taguchi and Yano.

Desperado covers, TWO! Fans rally up, Desperado tags Suzuki. Suzuki kicks Wato around, toying with him. Wato gets up to CHOP! And throw forearms! Suzuki eggs Wato on, then DECKS him with one shot! Suzuki drags Wato around, steps through, KNEEBAR! Wato endures, fans rally, but Suzuki keeps pulling on the leg. Wato reaches out and gets the ROPEBREAK! Suzuki stomps Wato to a corner, stomps the bad leg, then drags Wato up. Wato throws forearms back, but Suzuki kicks out the bad leg. Fans rally, Suzuki runs corner to corner, but into Wato’s BOOT! Wato then SHOTGUN dropkicks!

Fans fire up as Wato crawls for his corner. Suzuki hurries and stomps Wato down first! Suzuki drags Wato away, but Wato gets up to ENZIGURI! Fans rally up, hot tag to Yano! Yano fires up and unties a buckle pad! But Suzuki kicks and whips Yano to ropes. Yano holds ropes, but Suzuki BOOTS him! Suzuki whips Yano, but Yano reverses. Suzuki stops from hitting bare buckles. Yano runs in but Suzuki sends him into the buckles! Suzuki runs in to BOOT Yano, then snapmares him down. Suzuki keeps moving, PENALTY KICK! Cover, TWO!! Suzuki clamps onto Yano with a SLEEPER! Yano endures, fights up, but Suzuki spins him around.

Suzuki reels Yano in, but Yano back drops free! Suzuki gets right up, kicks and runs, but into an atomic- NO! GUILLOTINE! Suzuki then ROCKS Yano with a right, SLEEPER, but Yano slips right out to roll Suzuki up! TWO! Yano kicks and runs, but Suzuki follows and shoots around to get the SLEEPER! Suzuki-Gun attacks Yano’s team on the outside! Yano is fading! Red Shoes checks, Suzuki lets go to cover, TWO!?! Yano survives but Suzuki goes to get the handcuffs! Suzuki pushes Red Shoes aside to drag Yano up. Red Shoes grabs the cuffs to stop Suzuki, and Yano LOW BLOWS him!

Yano hurries out to bring in his own pair of cuffs! Red Shoes wants Yano to stop but Yano pushes him aside. Yano cuffs Suzuki’s hand, but Suzuki kicks and DECKS Yano! Suzuki cuffs one of Yano’s hands! Suzuki decides to link the cuffs together! Now they’re stuck together! Suzuki throws a forearm, Yano gives it back! Fans rally up as they go back and forth! Suzuki ROCKS Yano, stops Red Shoes from uncuffing them, and the forearms keep flying! Red Shoes tries to get involved again, and they both shove him aside! Suzuki DECKS Yano, then rains down forearms! Red Shoes decides to DISQUALIFY them both! DOUBLE ELIMINATION!

Suzuki keeps raining down rights on Yano! Yano’s team and even Suzuki-Gun get in to get Suzuki to stop. Yano gets free and he runs away to his dog crate. Yano tells Suzuki he’s an idiot! Suzuki chases Yano to the back and now we’re left with 3v3! And so another brawl breaks out! Desperado throws out Wato, Kanemaru DECKS Taguchi, and then Suzuki-Gun mugs Nagata! They double whip Nagata to a corner, Kanemaru runs in to back elbow. Desperado adds a back elbow, then Taichi clotheslines! Snapmare and KICK! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up for “NA-GA-TA!” as Taichi gives him toying kicks. Nagata sits up but Taichi gives him Kowata Kicks!

Taichi talks trash, but Nagata gets up. Nagata throws a forearm, Taichi CHOKES him! They end up on ropes, Red Shoes reprimands and Taichi whips. Nagata reverses the whip into a takedown! DISARMER! Kanemaru & Desperado attack Nagata, but Team Six or Nine throw them out! Nagata lets Taichi go to drag him up and wrench the arm, to an ELBOW BREAKER! Nagata drags Taichi back up, reels him in, but Taichi fights the suplex off. Taichi tries but Nagata fights the suplex off. Nagata ROCKS Taichi, BOOTS him, but Taichi BOOTS back. Nagata BOOTS, Taichi BOOTS, but Nagata blocks!

Nagata throws forearms, Taichi throws kicks! Nagata eggs Taichi on and they start trading KICKS! Taichi KICKS, Nagata KICKS, repeat! Nagata whips, Taichi reverses to wrench and HOOK KICK! But Nagata gets right up! Taichi runs in, into an EXPLODER! Taichi gets right up! Nagata BOOTS him, runs in at the corner and SHINING WIZARD, but Taichi dumps him over the top! Taichi ELIMINATES Nagata!! The Sliest Wrestler in the World gets one over on Blue Justice! But Taguchi gets in, runs in at Taichi, HIP ATTACK! Taguchi whips corner to corner, Taichi reverses, but Taguchi stops from hitting bare buckles.

Taguchi elbows Taichi, hops up, but Taichi digs claws into Taguchi’s Funky Weapon! Taichi shoves Taguchi over, but Taguchi lands on the apron, safe! Taguchi stands up, Taichi runs in, but Taguchi blocks the Gamangiri to OH MY GARFUNKLE! Taguchi has Taichi on the outside with him! Taichi stands, Taguchi cranks the ankle lock harder! Kanemaru shouts to Taichi to just roll! Taichi rolls, but then Taguchi lets go! Taguchi ELIMINATES Taichi, and Taichi blames Kanemaru for this! But Desperado gets in, bumps Taguchi, and Taguchi wobbles on the apron. But Taguchi turns it into surfing! Hang ten, bro!

But then Desperado shoves Taguchi off the apron and ELIMINATES him! But Wato gets in and he CLOBBERS Desperado! He’s the last man standing for his team! Wato fires up but Desperado blocks the buzzsaw! Desperado CLUBS the leg, reels Wato in, but Wato fights the suplex. Wato runs, into Kanemaru’s cheap shot! Desperado then runs Wato over! Kanemaru and Desperado double whip, back elbow and feed, but Wato BOOTS Desperado! Kanemaru mule kicks, but runs into a CALF KICK! Fans fire up, Wato waits on Desperado, ROUNDHOUSE! Cover, TWO! Fans still rally and Wato gets Desperado back up.

Wato reels Desperado in but Desperado fights the Mouse Trap. Wato kicks, whips, but Desperado reverses to SPINEBUSTER! High stack, TWO! Both men are down and fans rally up more. Desperado drags Wato back up, hooks him up, GUITARRA- NO! Wato slips out, hooks Desperado, MOUSE- NO! Desperado powers through to a fireman’s carry, but Wato fights free. Wato spins, dodges, and RANA- NO! Desperado blocks that, gets Wato up and onto the ropes! But Wato headcissors Desperado out and ELIMINATES him!! It’s down to Wato and Kanemaru, and Kanemaru comes running in, but into Wato’s shoulder!

Wato springboards in, FLYING UPPERCUT! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up behind Wato and he runs, but into a basement dropkick! Both men are down, fans rally up, and Kanemaru drags Wato up. Kanemaru brings Wato over, scoops and BRITISH FALL! Cover, TWO! Kanemaru drags Wato into the drop zone, goes up the corner, and MOONSAULTS, but has to land on his feet as Wato moves! Kanemaru kicks, runs, but into a sobat! Wato front kicks then SUPERKICKS! Wato gets Kanemaru up, wrenches and reels him in, MOUSE TRAP DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Wato fires up and fans rally with him!

Wato scoops Kanemaru, T T D! Tenzan is here in spirit as Wato uses his move. Wato drags Kanemaru towards a drop zone, but Kanemaru victory rolls! Suzuki-Gun wins!!

Winners: Suzuki-Gun, by pinfall, Kanemaru as sole survivor

The Heel Master may have cost Taichi earlier, but he redeems himself as he wins one for the whole team! Is this a sign that he and the Rogue Luchador are going to take back those IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships? Or can Team Six or Nine make Taguchi’s dream come true and still become the 69th title holders?

Kanemaru gets the mic, and says, “Let me wet my whistle.” Fans cheer as Kanemaru takes a big sip of his whiskey. Then he shouts at Wato’s team, “You idiots, get the hell outta here!” Kanemaru then notes the Fatal 4 Tag set for Sapporo. “Which team is championship material? Me and Desperado will prove it to you. You all need to keep your eyes on us. That is all.” And he means it! Mic drop and Suzuki-Gun heads out. Will Suzuki-Gun be toasting big victories to end the New Years Golden Series? Or do they have to be much more careful of Yano, Wato and Taguchi than they realize?

My Thoughts:

I realize I skipped a lot more than even I thought I was going to, but this is a free to watch episode on NJPW World, and some of it is even on YouTube through NJPW’s official channel. Khan was of course winning against a Young Lion, and a Young Lion was of course taking the loss to Sanada’s team. The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions have momentum going into the Fatal 4, but all the more reason I think someone else is taking the loss so that #FlyingTigers can lose the belts without really losing any strength.

House of Torture copies the Bullet Club formula from Sunday, where the matches are back to back and the first gets disqualified so they can jump right into the other. Chaos wins both those matches that way, because as I said last time, I don’t see House of Torture giving up those NEVER Openweight Six Man titles. Evil will stay King of NEVER for a bit longer, and Goto-Hashi will just have to settle for being just IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Then of course, LIJ sweeps the night again, Naito keeps batting a thousand against Okada, all the more reason he’ll lose on 2/20 and Okada stays world champion.

I didn’t quite catch why Tenzan had to sit out of the match, but it’s a shame they had to downgrade the 10 Man to an 8 Man. Even so, it was a really fun 8 Man. Suzuki and Yano being a double elimination was a great move, it keeps them even going into their KOPW trophy match. We’ve gotten so much handcuff stuff outta them, I have a feeling fans will go with that stipulation over the dog crate. Tatichi had a very clever way of eliminating Nagata, maybe they’ll have a special singles match just to fill a card. I liked the comedy of Kanemaru costing Taichi, and how he got that quick finish.

By the math, this is moving things towards Team Six or Nine actually becoming 69th champions. Desperado is still Junior Heavyweight singles champion, he doesn’t need to be Mr. Junior Heavyweight again. There’s a lot Taguchi & Wato can do with those titles and with the list of challengers available, I hope they get that win.

My Score: 8.3/10