Summer is over but the heat’s turning up!

NJPW keeps the fires going from after the G1 Climax with Burning Spirit! Will Kazuchika Okada build up speed going towards Wrestle Kingdom 17?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• The DKC VS Kosei Fujita; The DKC wins.
• 8 Man Tag: Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, YOH & Ryohei Oiwa VS The House of Torture; The House of Torture wins.
• Six Man Tag: Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato & Jado VS TJP, Francesco Akira & Gideon Grey; Taguchi, Wato & Jado win.
• Six Man Tag: The United Empire VS Bullet Club; The United Empire wins.
• Six Man Tag: KUSHIDA, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
• 8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Suzuki-Gun; Suzuki-Gun wins.
• Six Man Tag: Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toru Yano VS TMDK; TMDK wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Suzuki-Gun!

The G1 Climax has come and gone, but there are still paths forward! Will Bushi, Sanada, Hiromu y Naito prove they all deserve shots at tag titles? Or will Zack Sabre Jr. get revenge for that embarrassing loss by making LIJ #JustTapOut?

The teams sort out and Taichi shows off his dancing pecs. Fans applaud, and then they applaud as LIJ fist bumps. ZSJ calls out Naito to have that rematch from the G1. Naito steps out, declining, but then thinks about it and steps back in. Naito eggs ZSJ on now, but ZSJ steps out to give Naito a taste of his own medicine. The ref wants someone to step up for Suzuki-Gun, but then Sanada switches with Naito. Sanada calls out Taichi and fans applaud, so Taichi steps in. The bell rings and we finally get going. Fans rally as the two circle. Sanada shows off his own dancing pecs, but Taichi tags out to Yoshinobu Kanemaru.

Fans rally as Kanemaru steps in and stares Sanada down. Kanemaru’s pecs don’t dance, though. He tries, but nothing happens. So Kanemaru kicks Sanada and headlocks! Sanada powers out, things speed up, and Sanada ROCKS Kanemaru! Sanada spins but Kanemaru waistlocks. Sanada elbows free, runs, but into an arm-drag! Kanemaru runs but into an arm-drag back! Kanemaru headscissors, Sanada kips free, and fans applaud the exchange! Wait, Kanemaru’s pecs do dance! Was he just hustling us before? Sanada applauds Kanemaru joining the club, and then Kanemaru offers a handshake.

Sanada is skeptical but Kanemaru assures him this isn’t a trick. They go to shake hands, but Sanada blocks the kick! He knew Kanemaru was lying! Sanada CLUBS the leg, CLUBS Kanemaru on the back, then whips him to ropes. Kanemaru holds ropes, BOOTS back, then dumps Sanada out! El Desperado is there to bring Sanada up and whip him into railing while Kanemaru DECKS Naito off the apron! Taichi drags Hiromu down to whip him at railings, and ZSJ is after Bushi! LIJ is down all around ringside, ZSJ pulling at Bushi’s mask and Desperado stomping Naito. Kanemaru whips Sanada hard into more railing, while Taichi CHOKES Hiromu!

The ref reprimands everyone but Desperado whips Bushi into railing. Kanemaru puts Sanada in the ring, covers him, TWO! Tag Desperado, he and Kanemaru mug Sanada, then Desperado stomps Sanada. Desperado scoops and SLAMS Sanada, then covers, TWO! Desperado drags Sanada up, bumps him off buckles and tags in Taichi. Taichi stomps Sanada then digs his boots in. Kanemaru and ZSJ add their boots, and Desperado pulls Sanada’s ear! The ref reprimands them all and they all let off at 4. Taichi drags Sanada up, snapmares him and CHOKES! The ref sees that and reprimands. Taichi “covers” but it’s a choke!

The ref reprimands but Taichi says that’s not a choke. THIS is a choke! The ref reprimands and counts again, and Taichi lets off at 4. Taichi drags Sanada up, and CHOKES him into the corner! ZSJ tags in while the ref reprimands, and ZSJ EuroUppers Sanada! ZSJ full nelsons then spins Sanada to cravat. Sanada fights the snapmare, so ZSJ turns and twists to wrangle Sanada down! ZSJ keeps on the cravat but Sanada endures. Sanada fights up, throws body shots, but ZSJ snapmares him! Sanada bridges up to snapmare back! ZSJ bridges and snapmares back, but Sanada handsprings through! ZSJ headlocks, Sanada powers out, but ZSJ turns hip toss into COBRA TWIST!

Suzuki-Gun goes after LIJ again! Sanada endures the twist while Desperado takes out Hiromu, Kanemaru takes out Bushi and Taichi takes out Naito! Fans rally up as Sanada hobbles his way over, but ZSJ cranks on the hold to keep him back! Sanada still fights forward to get the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, ZSJ lets off and pushes Sanada down. ZSJ stands on Sanada’s neck and tags Kanemaru in. Kanemaru stomps Sanada, he and Desperado bring Sanada up, but Sanada fires off forearms! Desperado knees low, Kanemaru rakes the eyes, then Desperado hits a SHIN BREAKER! Desperado holds the leg out for Kanemaru to SHOTGUN!

Kanemaru & Desperado drag Sanada up and they whip him to the corner. Kanemaru runs in but Sanada dodges to dropkick Desperado’s leg out! Then Sanada DROPKICKS Kanemaru down! Fans rally and Sanada crawls for his corner, hot tag to Naito! Naito rallies on Kanemaru with forearms and kicks. Naito whips, arm-drags and then ELBOWS Kanemaru, to basement dropkick! Naito DECKS Taichi, but ZSJ runs in! Naito blocks the boot, grins, and ENZIGURIS back! Kanemaru returns, but into an atomic drop! Naito puts Kanemaru in the corner to JUMP KICK, leg sweep, and COMBINACION CABRON!

Fans fire up as Naito poses! Naito tags Hiromu and he runs corner to corner to clothesline Kanemaru! Hiromu snapmares Kanemaru and basement dropkicks! Cover, TWO! Hiromu drags Kanemaru up, reels him in and suplexes, but Kanemaru fights it off. Kanemaru wrenches out, dodges the haymaker and waistlocks. Hiromu throws an elbow then runs the ropes, but Kanemaru dropkicks the leg out! Both men are down but Hiromu gets to a corner. Fans rally and Kanemaru crawls for his corner, hot tag to Desperado! The Rogue Luchador has a score to settle with the Timebomb! Desperado runs in, blocks the boot and kicks the other leg!

Desperado grabs the leg to DRAGON SCREW it! Desperado DECKS Naito for good measure! Desperado grabs the bad leg but Hiromu kicks free with the good leg! Hiromu crawls but Desperado drags him away from the LIJ corner. Hiromu breaks free, blocks the kick and the punch, and DRAGON SCREWS in return! Fans rally up again as both men crawl, hot tag to Bushi! Fans fire up as Bushi climbs and leaps to missile dropkick! And then BUSHIROONI! Bushi drags Desperado up, FISHERMAN- NO, Desperado slips free! But Bushi kicks low, runs, but into a SPINEBUSTER! Cover, TWO! Into the STRETCH MUFFLER!

Sanada CLUBS Desperado, but Taichi throws Sanada out! Desperado drags Bushi up, gut wrenches, but Bushi slips free! Bushi waistlocks, Desperado throws elbows, but Naito whips Desperado to ropes to kick! Bushi sunset flips and rewinds for Naito’s basement dropkick! Bushi covers, ZSJ breaks it! Naito throws ZSJ out, Bushi dodges Desperado! Desperado blocks the kick and ducks the enziguri, but the HEEL KICK comes back to bite him! Bushi reels Desperado in, FISHERMAN’S SCREW! Cover, TWO! Bushi fires up while the others all brawl outside. Bushi runs at Desperado, but he blocks the Code Breaker!

Desperado wrenches, hooks Bushi up, EL ES CULERO! Suzuki-Gun wins!

Winners: Suzuki-Gun, by pinfall

ZSJ rubs this victory in Naito’s face, but we all know this is far from over between them all. Will the Submission Master get his redemption against Naito? Or will LIJ make sure NJPW is tranquilo come Wrestle Kingdom?

Six Man Tag: Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Toru Yano VS TMDK!

The Rainmaker is the back-to-back G1 Climax Champion, and he’s a new father! But will he, The Ace & The Producer keep things hot in the Fall? Or will they fall to Shane Haste, Bad Dude Tito, and JONAH?

Yano is impatient with the check as always. Tanahashi shows off the muscles and fans cheer. The trios sort out and Okada starts against the #TopDog in a G1 rematch! Fans fire up as the two circle then tie up. Jonah powers Okada to ropes, but Red Shoes calls for the break. Jonah pats Okada on the shoulder, but Okada kicks low! Okada headlocks, but Jonah powers out then runs Okada over! Jonah dares Okada to try again, but Okada takes a moment to cool off. They tie up again, Jonah powers Okada to the Mighty corner, and Tito tags in. Okada avoids getting mugged by the Mighty, and fans applaud again.

Yano wants in? Tito is upset but Okada tags Yano in! Fans rally up for Yano and he circles with Tito. They approach, but then Yano dodges! Yano unties the buckle pad! Tito CLUBS him first, then whips him corner to corner. Yano reverses, and finishes untying the pad! Tito runs in, Yano dodges and then throws the pad to Tito. Yano says Tito’s in trouble now! Red Shoes asks for the pad so Tito hands it over, and Yano kicks Tito. Yano whips but Tito reverses and Yano hits bare buckles! Jonah drags Yano out of the ring! Tito watches Tanahashi and Okada, Red Shoes is busy with all of them, so Jonah & Shane double whip Yano hard into railing!

Jonah puts Yano back in for Tito, Tito covers, TWO! Fans rally up but Tito rains down rights! Red Shoes reprimands about closed fists but Tito says he had plenty of slack. Tito stomps Yano, then drags him up to RAM him into the Mighty corner! Tito RAMS Yano again, digs his shoulder in, then RAMS in again and again! Shane tags in, UPPERCUTS Yano, then snapmares Yano to basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Shane drags Yano up, claws Yano’s face, then bumps him off buckles. Tag to Jonah and The Mighty mug Yano. Fans rally for “Y T R!” but Jonah HEADBUTTS Yano down!

Jonah sits Yano up for a chinlock and he grinds Yano down to the mat! Yano endures, reaches out, ROPEBREAK! Jonah thrashes Yano around but Red Shoes counts. Jonah lets off at 4, and he stares Okada down. Jonah says this is HIS ring now, then he goes back to Yano. Jonah ROCKS Yano into the corner, then runs in to SPALSH! Tito tags in, Jonah feeds Yano to a LARIAT! Tito slingshot sentons! Shane slingshot sentons, too! Tito stomps Yano, stands on his neck, then lets off as Red Shoes reprimands. Tito taunts Tanahashi but Tanahashi taunts him back. Tito goes back to Yano, drags him up, and snap suplexes! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally for “Y T R!” while Tito drags Yano up. Tito ROCKS Yano, and again! Yano falls over, Tito kicks him around, then Tito CHOPS Yano to the corner. Tag to Jonah, Jonah CLUBS Yano down, then drags Yano up to throw him out. Now Jonah eggs Okada on, but Okada runs in! Jonah RAMS into Okada then RAMS him into the corner while Shane whips Yano into railing! Yano falls, Tito stands on Yano’s head and Shane opens the gate. Okada is down on the outside while Tanahashi and Jonah stare down. Shane offers Yano a chance to get away through the gate, but Yano doesn’t budge. So Tito drag Yano up and puts him in the ring.

Jonah drops a leg on Yano! Cover, Tanahashi breaks it! Fans fire up while The Mighty glare at Tanahashi. Jonah drags Yano up, puts him in the corner and tags in Shane. Shane RAMS into Yano, then CLUBS him down. Shane kicks Yano around but fans rally up for “Y T R!” Shane fires off uppercuts in the corner, grinds his forearms into Yano, then throws uppercuts to the “Y T R!” rhythm! Shane tells fans to shush, then he whips corner to corner. Yano reverses but Shane stops himself. Yano curses and runs in, but Shane dodges and Yano hits bare buckles! Shane scoops and SLAMS Yano, then goes up the corner. Fans rally as Shane mocks Tanahashi with some air bass!

Shane steals the SUNSET SENTON, but FLOPS as Yano moves! Both men are down and fans fire up! Yano crawls, hot tag to Tanahashi! The Ace fires off forearms on Shane! Shane reverses the whip but Tanahashi FLYING FOREARMS! Tanahashi DECKS Tito, but thinks twice when he looks at Jonah. Tanahashi dropkicks Jonah’s legs out! Fans fire up with Tanahashi but Shane rushes in! Tanahashi dodges the clothesline to fire off fast hands! Shane flounders, Tanahashi scoops and SLAMS him! Tanahashi goes up the corner and shows Shane how it’s done with the SUNSET SENTON! Cover, TWO!

Fans fire up, Tanahashi runs, but Shane denies him the slingblade! Tanahashi fights of the suplex, but runs into a DROPKICK! Shane flounders to the corner, hot tag to Tito! Tito runs in to CLOBBER Tanahashi! And again! Tanahashi is in a corner, Tito runs into UPPERCUT, CLUB, and CHOP! Tito repeats the forearms and CHOPS, then wrenches to short arm LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Tanahashi survives the onslaught but Tito drags him up. Tito suplexes, Tanahashi fights it to TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Both men are down and fans fire up again! Tanahashi and Tito crawl, hot tag to Okada! Okada fires off on Tito, but Tito reverses the whip, only for Okada to ELBOW him down!

Okada whips Tito to a corner, runs in and back elbows! Okada kicks low but Tito wrenches out and mule kicks to ENZIGURI! Tag to Jonah! Jonah runs in to clothesline Okada in a corner, then scoop SLAM! BASEMENT SENTON! Cover, TWO! Okada survives but Jonah DECKS Yano! Jonah looms over Okada, drags him back up, reels him in, but Okada fights the bomb! Okada RANAS Jonah into ropes! Jonah sputters and staggers, and Okada tries to scoop him! But Jonah is too big for that! Jonah CLUBS Okada down, but Okada UPPERCUTS! Jonah runs, Okada dodges and DROPKICKS him down! Fans fire up again as Yano reaches out!

Okada tags Yano in and Yano tries to scoop Jonah! Again, Jonah’s too big! Jonah CLUBS Yano, whips him, but Yano holds ropes to taunt Jonah. Jonah rushes in, Yano dodges him and SLAPS him! Jonah is furious and Yano apologizes, but Jonah ROCKS him to a corner! Jonah runs in, but Yano dodges! Jonah hits bare buckles and Yano rolls him up, TWO!! Yano says he’ll try again! But scooping isn’t going to work on Jonah! Jonah scoops Yano and SLAMS him first! Tito gets in to DECK Tanahashi, then Shane gets in to drag Yano up. The Mighty whip Yano to a corner, Jonah SPLASHES, Tito UPPERCUTS and Shane CALF KICKS!

Shane & Tito double whip Yano into Jonah’s BODY PRESS! Cover, Tanahashi and Okada break it! Shane and Tito go after them, throw them out and brawl some more. Jonah brings Yano up but Yano double leg picks and rolls Jonah! Cover, TWO!! Jonah blocks the low blow! Yano apologizes, then ducks the haymaker to get around and pull on Jonah’s singlet! Yano rolls Jonah up like that, TWO!! Jonah LARIATS Yano!! Jonah drags Yano to a drop zone, climbs up the corner, and fans fire up, TORPEDO!! Cover, the Mighty win!

Winners: TMDK, by pinfall

Okada couldn’t save Yano, and Jonah says he’s gonna be 2-0 against the Rainmaker! “No one will survive when I jump off that top rope!” Will the Rainmaker have to admit he isn’t truly the G1 Climax Champion until he topples the Top Dog?

Speaking of, Jonah gets the mic and tells Yokohama and all of Japan, “TMDK is here!” Jonah, Tito and Shane sit on the apron, and Jonah says, “That was only night one. All Burning Spirit long, we are going to dominate! TMDK is going to whip Okada’s ass. TMDK is gonna whip Tanahashi’s ass. TMDK is taking over! Bad Dude Tito is back. My friend, Hysterical Shane Haste has arrived. And of course, the best superheavyweight in the world, the Top Dog, Jonah, is here.” Fans applaud that. Jonah says NJPW is in a new era! It’s TMDK’s era!

“We don’t wanna talk about no tryhard gun club. We ain’t gonna talk about grandpa’s sidekicks. We ain’t gonna talk about Los Ingo-blah-blah-blah-blah-nables. Get a new name, that’s Andrade’s. What we’re here to talk about is the  number one faction in the world, the brotherhood that is like no other. We are a gang, we are TMDK, we are The Mighty! And The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Jonah drops the mic and his team heads out. Is he right in saying that NJPW will soon belong to TMDK?

My Thoughts:

A great opener for this new series of events, though I had to skip a lot just on time constraints today. But a lot of these make sense in how they’re setting up title stories for the Fall. House of Torture wins against the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Champions so that rematch is going to happen. Six or Nine, Taguchi & Wato, get a win going towards their rematch with TJP & Akira for the the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. There’s still the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships to figure out so it makes sense the United Empire wins against Bullet Club. It’s supposed to be Aussie Open challenging FTR given Music City Mayhem setting that up, but Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb could be right behind them.

Kushida’s team lost but he didn’t take the finish so he and Taiji Ishimori are still even going into an IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship match. We got a great 8 Man of LIJ VS Suzuki-Gun, and Suzuki-Gun getting the win puts them on the upswing as there will need to be a team to challenge the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions after we see TJP & Akira VS Taguchi & Wato, and of course there will be Naito VS ZSJ in a rematch from the G1. And then we got a great Six Man Tag main event, but Yano is of course the one to take the pin for his team. TMDK is going strong, though mostly through Jonah.

The Okada VS Jonah rematch could go either way, and even though Jonah won in the G1, it’d be even more shocking if he won and essentially took the Right to Challenge at Declaration of Power. It isn’t advertised as such a match yet, but it would make sense based on past years where that contract is put on the line. Plus, in kayfabe, Okada can’t say he’s the best if he can’t get past Jonah.

My Score: 8.4/10