We’ve reached the end of the New Japan Road!

With the BIGGEST G1 Climax around the corner, New Japan Road finishes with NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship gold! Will the House of Torture still be standing after facing Chaos?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi VS Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa; Wato & Taguchi win.
• Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe VS Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima; Tenzan & Kojima win.
• Six Man Tag: Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & Alex Zayne VS Yuji Nagata, Clark Connors & The DKC; Okada, Ishii & Zayne win.
• Six Man Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi, KUSHIDA & Jado VS Bullet Club; Tanahashi, Kushida & Jado win.
• 10 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Suzuki-Gun; LIJ wins.
• Dog Cage Match: Toru Yano VS Dick Togo; Yano wins.
• NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Chaos VS The House of Torture; Chaos wins and are the new NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions.

PLAY BY PLAY

Dog Cage Match: Toru Yano VS Dick Togo!

The Producer and the Spoiler have been fighting like cats and dogs on this New Japan Road, and it’s time for one of them to be locked up! Who is treated like an animal and put inside the cage at the finish line?

Yano has his long introduction and then “disinfects” Dick. The dog cage is brought out and in position with door closed and locked. The bell rings and fans rally for “Y T R! Y T R!” The ref has the key and that means they have to get it from him. Yano and Dick each ask, but they have to fight first. Dick rushes in, Yano dodges, and Yano asks for the key! Dick kicks Yano down and demands the key! Yano turns Dick around but Dick pokes him in the eye! And headlock punches, then FIST DROPS! Dick fires up and fans do applaud the savvy as he stomps Yano. Dick brings  Yano up, whips him to ropes, but Yano holds ropes to taunt Dick.

Dick runs in, misses, and Yano SLAPS Dick. Yano asks for the key but Dick SLAPS Yano! Dick kicks, wrenches and hammerlocks to headlock and punch Yano again. Yano crawls and Dick wants that key! But Yano unties a buckle pad. Dick has the key, but he turns around for Yano to SMACK him down! Yano takes the key and fans fire up! Yano wears the key and he drags Dick up. Fans rally as Yano tosses Dick out of the ring. Yano gets fans rallying more as he goes out. Dick wants mercy but Yano says there’s no point in asking. Yano blocks the low blow! Yano kicks and whips but Dick reverses and Yano hits railing!

Dick flexes and mocks the YTR. He stomps Yano, takes the key from him, and then stomps Yano more. Dick goes to the cage but Yano CLUBS him! Yano pushes Dick away and says HE will unlock the cage. Yano opens the cage, fans rally up, but where’d Dick go? Dick must be hiding somewhere, but where? Yano goes around ringside looking for him, asking the others where Dick went. They don’t know, so Yano asks Okada on commentary. Okada apologizes, he wasn’t really paying attention. Dick then grabs Yano from below the ring! Dick trips Yano and stomps away on him! Dick drags Yano up and whips him hard into railing!

Yano flops down and Dick smirks as he brings out his SPOILER CHOKER! Dick fires up, but now Yano’s disappeared! Did he go under the ring like Dick? Dick says hush, and they’ll sneak up on Yano. Dick smacks the floor mats to sound like footsteps, and Yano reaches out! Dick grabs Yano’s hand, having tricked the trickster! Yano freaks out and Dick puts him in the ring. Dick stomps Yano, whips him to ropes, but Yano avoids the choker to atomic drop! Dick flounders and Yano grabs the choker! Fans fire up as Yano turns the tables on Dick! But then the lights turn off! A House of Torture standard! But it was all a fake out so Dick could get his choker back!

Dick CHOKES Yano, but wait! The NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships show up after all! They’re in the main event, so why wait? Dick and Yujiro drag Yano out of the ring, Sho and Evil help get him over to the dog cage. But wait, here comes Yoh, Yoshi-Hashi & Hirooki Goto! They won’t let the whole House cage Yano! Yoh goes after Sho, Hashi goes after Yujiro, Goto goes after Evil AND Dick! Yano gets up to POST Dick, then trip him! And with Hashi holding the door open, Yano CATAPULTS Dick into the cage! Dick is in, the door is closed and locked, Yano wins!

Winner: Toru Yano

The Producer gets the better of the Spoiler, and he has the key! Dick ain’t getting out without that! And now, the Six Man Tag will be a fair 3v3 with no Dicketry!

Speaking of which, with everyone already here, why wait? The main event is NOW!

NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Chaos VS The House of Torture!

Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi may not be IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, and they failed to earn an AEW World Tag Team Championship opportunity, but there is still gold to fight for! Will the Fierce Warrior, Head Hunter and Mr. Direct Drive, Yoh, take these titles from Evil, Sho and Yujiro? Or will the King of Darkness, the Murder Machine and the Tokyo Pimp keep these titles with Bullet Club?

Red Shoes arrives and is a bit confused, but Yoh is already stomping Sho in the ring, so Red Shoes rings the bell! Yoh drags Sho up to throw forearms and stomp him more! Sho wants a timeout but Yoh drags him up again. Sho rakes Yoh’s eyes! Red Shoes reprimands, but things speed up and Yoh sidesteps to drop toehold and basement dropkick! He calls the others in, and together, Chaos HAMMERS Sho! Red Shoes reprimands, but then Yujiro gets in. He gets HAMMERED! Evil stays away, but Yano makes him get in! And Chaos HAMMERS Evil, at the same time Yano rattles Dick’s cage! Fans fire up as things finally sort out.

Yoh drags Sho up, throws forearms, then wrenches to whip him into a corner. Corner clothesline to a HALF HATCH BRIDGE! TWO, but fans rally behind Chaos. Yoh stomps Sho, drags him up, and uppercuts him to ropes. Sho flounders but Yoh whips him to ropes. Sho holds ropes, then throws Yoh to the apron. Yoh avoids the leg sweep to ROCK Sho, but Sho tumbles into Red Shoes to distract him from Evil’s CHAIR SHOT! Yoh falls from being hit in the back, and Yujiro gets in to BOOT Hashi! Goto hurries after Evil but Evil JAMS him with the chair! Evil throws the chair away to then drag Goto up and over to POST him!

Yano goes after Evil but Evil rakes eyes and POSTS Yano! Yujiro JAMS Hashi with his own Bo staff! Evil stomps Yoh, drags him up and in, and Sho finally leaves Red Shoes alone. Sho covers but Red Shoes refuses to count! He may not have seen it all, but he knows House of Torture was up to something. Sho gives up on the cover and tags in Yujiro. Fans rally but Yujiro stomps Yoh around. Yujiro stalks Yoh to ropes, brings him up to kick low, then fire forearms and CHOPS. Yujiro CHOPS again, then brings Yoh around to scoop and SLAM! Yujiro runs to drop the leg, brother! Cover, TWO! Yoh is still in this and fans rally up.

Evil tags in and he takes off his shirt to throw at Goto. Goto gets mad, Red Shoes has to keep him back, and Evil hurries to get Yoh into the cobra twist. And then he links up with Sho and Yujiro to form a chain between ring and railing! Yoh endures, Hashi points this out, but Evil lets go of Yoh before Red Shoes sees. Cover, TWO! Goto gets in but Evil backs off. Red Shoes reprimands and Goto goes back to the corner. Fans rally, Evil drags Yoh up and wrenches to tag in Sho. Sho CLUBS Yoh’s arm, then pulls hair to bring Yoh into another wrench. Sho wrenches to an ELBOW BREAKER, and another, and another!

Yoh staggers away, clutching his bad arm, but Sho shoves him over. Cover, TWO, but into a DOUBLE WRISTLOCK! Yoh endures, reaches out, but Evil pulls the ropes back! Red Shoes reprimands, Evil lets go, and Yoh moves around to get the ROPEBREAK! Sho thrashes until Red Shoes counts 4, and Yoh is freed. Fans rally up for Yoh but Sho tags Yujiro. They swipe at Goto and Hashi, then go back to Yoh. Yoh fires off forearms on them both! Yujiro knees low, Sho CLUBS Yoh, and they double whip Yoh corner to corner into the bare corner! Yano’s trick comes back to bite Chaos! Sho runs in, but Yoh dodges! Now Sho hits bare steel! Yoh dropkicks Yujiro’s legs out!

Fans fire up but Sho kicks Yoh. Sho runs, into a DROPKICK! Fans fire up and even Okada is impressed. Yoh crawls, hot tag to Hashi! Fans fire up as Hashi runs Yujiro over! And again! And then scoops, but Yujiro slips out! Yujiro shoves Hashi at Evil, but Hashi RAMS into Evil! Hashi then CHOPS Yujiro, whips him into Evil, and Evil falls back against the timekeeper! Hashi fires off strikes and a CHOP on Yujiro! Fans fire up as Yujiro goes to the corner. Hashi runs in to clothesline Yujiro against the bare steel, then Hashi turns Yujiro for a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up and Hashi drags Yujiro up and in.

Yujiro fights the powerbomb, and BITES Hashi’s hand! Hashi CLUBS Yujiro’s nose! But Yujiro rakes eyes! Goto tags in and Hashi reverses the whip. Yujiro holds ropes to BOOT Hashi, dodge Goto, and BOOT Hashi again! Sho anchors Goto’s foot and Yujiro BOOTS Goto! Tag to Evil and he hurries to DECK Yoh off the apron. The House gets Goto up to whip him into a corner. Sho runs in to forearm smash! Yujiro BOOTS, and Evil clotheslines! FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up and Yoh RAMS Sho into railing on the outside. Evil drags Goto up, reels him in, fireman’s carries, but Goto fights off!

Goto waistlocks but Evil switches. Goto resists the lift and backs Evil into a corner. Hashi runs in to clothesline Evil, then sets up for Yoh to DIRECT DRIVE IN MOTION! Yoh feeds Evil to Goto’s kick, and Goto sets Evil up as Hashi climbs. SUPER GOTO GOTO HUNTER! Cover, but Sho and Yujiro barrel in to break it! Yoh and Hashi throw Sho and Yujiro out, then Yoh PLANCHAS Sho down! Fans fire up as Bishamon have Evil in position! But Evil kicks Hashi away, and Yujiro drags Hashi out! Evil slips around and shoves Goto at Red Shoes! Goto stops himself from running into Red Shoes, but Evil shoves him in anyway! Then LOW BLOWS Goto!

Yano protests but Yujiro drags him down to RAM into railing! Fans rally but Yujiro gets the key for the dog cage! Yujiro unlocks the cage and frees Dick! Dick has his Spoiler Choker and he goes right after Yano! Dick stomps Yano, storms around and helps the others get up. Evil fireman’s carries Goto for DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO!! Goto survives and Evil can’t believe it! Fans fire up but Evil slashes his throat. Evil drags Goto up, reels him in, EVERYTHING- NO, Goto fights off the STO! Goto fires forearms, runs, but Dick trips him up! Hashi dropkicks Evil’s leg! Yujiro gets Hashi for a REVERSE DDT!

Yujiro and Evil drag Goto up to double whip. Goto ROCKS Evil, deflects and LARIATS Yujiro! Evil kicks but runs into a fireman’s carry! USHIGOROSHI! Fans fire up again while both men are down! Yoh and Sho return as Goto and Evil crawl! Hot tags to the former RPG3K! Yoh dodges Sho but Sho blocks the superkick. Sho waistlocks but Yoh elbows free. Yoh runs but Sho elbows him. Sho then fakes the run but Yoh sees through that to dodge and CLOBBER Sho! Fans are thunderous as Yoh stalks Sho. Yoh runs in to BLINDSIDE UPPERCUT! Cover, TWO! Sho survives but Yoh keeps cool. Fans rally up and Yoh drags Sho back up.

Sho BENDS Yoh’s fingers! Sho CLUBS the arm, facelocks, but Yoh BITES Sho’s finger! Yoh spits Sho’s hand away, kicks low and runs, but Sho uses Red Shoes as a shield! Sho runs but Yoh handsprings to dodge! Yoh mule kicks, and NECKBREAKERS! Then the suplex for FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO!! Sho survives again and fans fire up! Yoh shakes out the stars and drags Sho up into a full nelson. Sho resists, gets to ropes, but Yoh holds on with a waistlock. Sho elbows Yoh away, and JUMP KNEES! But Yoh runs in, only for Sho to dodge and SNAP GERMAN! Sho laughs while fans rally, and Sho drags Yoh up. Sho runs, but Yoh LARIATS!

Fans fire up again while both men are down! Yoh crawls his way to Sho, waistlocks then full nelsons, for a DRAGON SUPLEX! Bridging cover, but Evil breaks it! Hashi fires off on Evil, and Goto goes after Yujiro! Bishamon coordinate and switch to clothesline Evil and Yujiro out of the ring! Fans fire up as Bishamon leaves it in Yoh’s hands! Yoh fires up and stomps the mat! Fans rally with Yoh as he aims at Sho. Sho staggers into the SUPERKICK! Cover, Dick drags Red Shoes out! Then Dick attacks and CHOKES Yano! Yujiro aims at Yoh, PIMP CANE SHOT!! If fans could boo, they would be booing very loudly!

Dick pushes Yano and Goto into the dog cage! And then Yujiro does the same to Hashi! Dick locks the cage, Yoh is all alone now! Yujiro drags Yoh up into PIMP JUICE! Evil drags Yoh up and coordinates with Dick, for MAGIC KILLER!! They get Red Shoes back in the ring, but wait! Goto kicks the cage door open!? Yano had a spare key?! Chaos hits the House of Torture back with their Bo staffs! Yano puts Dick back in the cage! Sho freaks out but there’s nothing he can do as Yujiro, Evil and Dick are all locked up now! Red Shoes holds onto the keys now, but Sho desperately goes to his friend, the wrench!

Hashi stands on Sho’s hand! Hashi stomps Sho, and feeds him to a forearm from Goto! Mule kick and suplex, for G Y R!! Fans fire up and Yoh rises! Goto sets Sho up, DOUBLE FIERCE FLASH, into a FALCON USHIGOROSHI! Yoh drags Sho up to underhook him! Bishamon get Sho up even higher for a SUPER DIRECT DRIVE!! Cover, CHAOS WINS!

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

Goto, Hashi & Yoh finally dethrone the House of Torture! Okada is proud of his teammates for this one! Will the rest of Bullet Club rethink letting the House of Torture hang around?

As for the winners, Hashi helps Yoh put on one of the belts, and then Yoh gets the mic. “When I was off, things got really interesting in the Junior Division. But right now, NEVER is right for me. This is my first belt in awhile, and I’m so happy to win it with my Chaos senpai. I learned a lot, absorbed a lot, and made history. And I’ll use that in my singles career, as well.” Fans applaud that sentiment, and then Yoh looks to the dog cage. “Hey, House of Torture. How long are you going to be shut in that cage?” Fans laugh, since it’s not really their choice. “Maybe they can cut the lights and you can sleep there tonight?” Fans like that idea.

Yoh then addresses the fans, “Feel free to take a picture to remember this moment!” Fans like that but Yujiro says no! No pictures! Yoh does say that they shouldn’t touch the cage or feed the animals. “As long as you follow the rules, we can all enjoy this together. Isn’t this great, House of Torture? Thanks for the fight.” Yoh has new found confidence with this new title, will he and Bishamon shine bright as the summer heats up?

My Thoughts:

A very good event to end this New Japan Road series, with a very wild and fun ending with the last two matches. Yano VS Dick was a pretty good match for it turning out to be a direct feeder into the main event. Yano winning was a given, but what a great surprise that Chaos’ new trio of Goto, Hashi and Yoh won the NEVER Openweight Six Man titles. That was a really good match, even with all the shenanigans back and forth. It’s hard to really gauge if the fans in Japan are that into this or not, but they do clearly like that Yoh is being given this chance to rise up the ranks. One day, Yoh could become a singles champion, but this moment helps elevate him and bring the NEVER Openweight Six Man titles back up like when Goto-Hashi-Ishii had them.

My Score: 8.4/10