Will the United Empire conquer this tournament?

NJPW Battle Autumn started down the road towards the NJPW World Television Championship, and has two more tournament matches here tonight! Will Aaron Henare and Jeff Cobb use their 15 minutes of fame to the fullest?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• TAKA Michinoku & Taichi VS Gedo & KENTA; Taka & Taichi win.
• Six Man Tag: Ren Narita, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma VS Chaos; Chaos wins.
• 8 Man Tag: Alex Zayne, Master Wato, David Finlay & Tiger Mask VS Suzuki-Gun; Zayne, Wato, Finlay & Tiger Mask win.
• Hikuleo & Jado VS SHO & Yujiro Takahashi; Sho & Yujiro win.
• 8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; LIJ wins.
• Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi VS El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori; ELP & Ishimori win, by disqualification.
• NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Opening Round: Aaron Henare VS EVIL w/ Dick Togo; Evil wins and advances to the next round.
• NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Opening Round: YOSHI-HASHI VS Jeff Cobb; Hashi wins and advances to the next round.

PLAY BY PLAY

NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Opening Round: Aaron Henare VS EVIL w/ Dick Togo!

The Ultimate Weapon has yet to hold gold in NJPW, but this could be his big opportunity. Will he get his 15 minutes of fame? Or will the King of Darkness cheat him out of a win like so many others?

As soon as the jackets are off, Henare runs Evil over! The bell rings and Henare stomps and kicks Evil around! Henare feints to SUPER PUNCH! Evil bails out, Henare pursues and throws body shots! And a HEADBUTT! Henare chases Dick off and then goes back to Evil. Henare puts Evil in the ring, throws more hands on Evil, then another HEADBUTT! Evil staggers, but he ducks the haymaker! EVERY- NO, Henare fights free of the STO and kicks low. Henare runs, but Evil distracts the ref so that Dick can SMACK Henare with a chair! Evil trips Henare, has the legs, and has the SCORPION DEATHLOCK!

Henare endures and fans rally up! Henare powers his way over to the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Evil holds until 4, and then Evil argues with the ref. Evil drags Henare up but fans rally. Evil throws Henare out, goes out after him, and RAMS him into the timekeeper! Abe-san and the title belt go down! Evil doesn’t care, he just digs his boots into Henare. Evil drags Henare up and into the ring to kick him around. Fans rally up again as Henare rises. Evil drags Henare up, whips him to the bare corner! The blue buckle pad is gone, the Bullet Club Special is in effect! Evil drags Henare up for a FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally up while Evil is frustrated. Evil paces, he kicks Henare around then drags him back up. Henare throws body shots, then forearms! Evil knees low, whips Henare to a padded corner, but Henare elbows him back. Henare goes up but Evil ducks the flying kick! Evil kicks and whips but Henare reverses to THESZ PRESS! Fans fire up and Henare rains down elbows and forearms! Henare roars, brings Evil back up, snapmares and KICKS! Then SENTONS! Cover, TWO! Fans rally for Henare as he keeps focus. Henare drags Evil back up, whips him to ropes, but Evil holds ropes. Evil BOOTS back, and blocks a kick!

Evil gives that foot to the ref, but Henare blocks Evil’s kick! The ref lets Henare go and Henare DECKS Evil! Fans fire up and Henare whips Evil into the bare corner! Then SPLASHES and fireman’s carries, SAMOAN DROP! Fans fire up and Henare snarls. Henare storms up on Evil, and puts him through ropes to CLUB away on the chest! Then he CLUBS Evil on the back! Fans applaud as Henare drags Evil in and half nelsons. Evil fights the full nelson, Dick gets on the apron but Henare sliding kicks Dick down! Henare returns to Evil, EVERY- NO, Henare fights the STO again! Henare shoves and scoops for a BLUE THUNDER BOMB! Cover, TWO!!

Fans rally for Henare as he roars and stands back up. Henare flexes and drags Evil up with the half nelson. And then the full! Evil still fights, but ULTIMA is on!! Evil endures, Henare thrashes him around, Evil is fading! The lights go out!! Not this again! Henare roars in the dark but when the lights come back, everyone is down! Even the ref! Henare is clutching his groin, Evil must have hit a low blow! Dick returns and he slides a chair to Evil. Evil stands up and aims for Henare, HEADSHOT! The seat even pops off! But Henare stands up!? Fans are thunderous as Henare just takes the chair frame, kicks it away, and fires off on Evil!!

HEADBUTT! Evil staggers, Henare runs in to SHINING WIZARD! Fans fire up as Henare whips corner to corner then hits the RAMPAGE SPEAR!! Cover, TWO!! Evil survives but fans are rallying up again! Henare goes up, SUPER SENTON! Cover, TWO!! Evil is still in this but fans are still rallying! Henare snarls and he drags Evil back up. Henare fisherman’s to the rack, but Dick distracts! Evil slips free, he distracts the ref, but Henare grabs Dick in the ULTIMA! Henare thrashes then CLUBS Dick down! Evil keeps the ref as a shield, then shoves him at Henare! Henare shoves him aside but Evil kicks low!

Evil lifts Henare and uses Dick as a prop, but Henare fights free of Magic Killer! Henare fires off on Evil again, ELBOW JAB and HEEL KICK! Fans fire up again and Henare goes to a corner. Henare goes to the very top, SUPER- FLOP!! Evil avoids disaster and both men are down! Fans rally as they stir, we’re at 10 minutes, so time is running out. Evil and Henare rise, Evil going to the corner. Evil runs in to LARIAT! Cover, ONE?!!? Henare shocks everyone with his resilience! Evil runs to try again, LARIAT! Henare stays up!? Evil is scared, Henare rushes in, but Evil POSTS him! Evil spins Henare around, EVERYTHING IS EVIL!! Cover, Evil wins!

Winner: Evil, by pinfall (advances to the next round)

Like a game of chess, every more Evil made was calculated, and he snatched this victory away with a cheat within a cheat! Will Darkness Fall on this tournament until Evil is NJPW World Television Champion?

NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Opening Round: YOSHI-HASHI VS Jeff Cobb!

The Head Hunter has done well in team formats, being both a former NEVER Openweight Six Man and former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion. However, he still wants that signature singles title! Will this be his chance? Or will he go on a Tour of the Islands instead?

The bell rings and Hashi SHOTGUNS Cobb into the corner! Hashi fires off forearm after forearm, then whips. Cobb reverses, but he avoids the dropkick to the legs! Hashi avoids the leg drop, to basement dropkick Cobb! Fans fire up and Hashi stalks Cobb to ropes. Hashi CHOPS Cobb against ropes, then whips. Cobb reverses, they RAM shoulders and both men stay up! Hashi talks some trash, and Cobb DROPKICKS him for it! Fans fire up for that crazy agility while Hashi goes to the apron. Cobb drags him back in, ROCKS him with a forearm, then has Hashi on the ropes. Cobb stands Hashi up to CLUB him against the ropes!

Hashi sputters and Cobb brings him around. Cobb suplexes and carries Hashi around with one arm! Cobb then TOSSES Hashi away! Fans fire up as Cobb dusts off his hands. Cobb pushes Hashi to a cover, TWO! Fans rally up and Cobb JAMS his knee into Hashi, and then UPPERCUTS him in the back! Cobb drags Hashi around to stand on him! Cobb surfs on Hashi while shouting out Great-O-Khan on commentary. Khan applauds and Cobb hops off. Fans rally as Hashi stands, and Hashi throws body shots! And a CHOP! Cobb knees low then scoops to SLAM! Hashi writhes, Cobb sets up, GACHIMUCHI MOONSAULT!

Fans fire up for another showing of Cobb’s crazy agility! Hashi crawls to the far corner while Cobb clutches his stomach. Maybe that was double-edged. Hashi runs in to CHOP, then whips to CHOP and mule kick! Hashi turns Cobb but Cobb elbows free! Cobb swings, Hashi ducks and runs to come back with a BLOCKBUSTER! Fans fire up while Cobb goes to ropes. Hashi runs in, and he CHOPS again! Hashi puts Cobb’s leg through the ropes, runs side to side and dropkicks the leg! Cobb hobbles, Hashi turns him and hits a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Fans continue to rally while Hashi keep his cool.

Hashi drags Cobb up, reels him in, but Cobb throws body shots. Hashi gives those back, fisherman’s a leg, but Cobb throws more body shots! Hashi lets go and staggers back to ropes. Cobb runs in but Hashi dumps him out! Fans rally and Hashi aims to PLANCHA! But Cobb catches him! Cobb pops Hashi around to a fireman’s carry, then onto a shoulder, to RAM Hashi into the post!! Fans fire up while both Hashi and Cobb are down on the ground. Red Shoes checks, Hashi is somehow okay to continue, so the ring count begins. Cobb sits up at 3 of 20, then stands to get in at 6. Hashi still writhes at 8 of 20, but fans rally up.

We’re at 13 of 20 now and Hashi finally sits up at 15! Hashi stands at 18 to slide in at 19! Cobb storms over, kicks Hashi to the apron, and then drags him up. Cobb HEADBUTTS Hashi, then climbs the corner. Cobb brings Hashi up to the top, turns him around, and gut wrenches! SUPER GUT WRENCH SUPLEX! Fans are thunderous while both men are down again. They rally up and Cobb crawls to a cover, TWO! GACHIMUCHI MOONSAULT! But again, that was a bit double-edged for Cobb and his gut! Cobb drags Hashi over for another cover, TWO! Hashi gets that shoulder up and Cobb is frustrated.

Cobb stands up and hobbles while fans rally. Cobb calls his shot, he drags Hashi up and whips him. Hashi LARIATS! Cobb stays up but Hashi jumps to body scissor catch him! KNEEBAR! Cobb endures, grabs at Hashi, but Hashi wrangles him back down to keep on the KNEEBAR! Fans rally, Cobb turns, but Hashi uses that to grapevine! Cobb crawls for ropes, but Hashi shifts to SLEEPER! Cobb fights up and has Hashi as a backpack! Cobb RAMS Hashi into a corner! Hashi lets go and Cobb hobbles away. Fans rally up, Cobb runs back in, but Hashi dodges! Hashi gets the full nelson, DRAGON SUPLEX! But Cobb stands up!

Cobb LARIATS Hashi! But Hashi stands up!? Hashi dropkicks the leg! And SUPERKICKS! Hashi runs to LARIAT! Cobb goes down! Hashi high stacks, TWO!! Fans are thunderous again as Hashi drags Cobb back up! Hashi reels Cobb in to full nelson, pump handle, but Cobb elbows free! Cobb whips, Hashi reverses but Cobb reels Hashi in, ATHLETIC PLEX! Cobb roars and fans fire up with him! Cobb YANKS Hashi right up, but Hashi turns that into a cradle! TWO!!! Cobb escapes, and he SUPERKICKS! Hashi wobbles, Cobb runs in, but Hashi ducks! Hashi LARIATS! Cobb stays up, Hashi HEADBUTTS! But Cobb ROCKS Hashi!

Cobb keeps Hashi standing, so he can reel him in! TOUR OF- NO, Hashi slips free! Pump handle cradle!! HASHI WINS?!?!

Winner: Yoshi-Hashi, by pinfall (advances to the next round)

Cobb is stunned! The United Empire loses out this entire night! Is this some sort of ill omen for the faction?

As for Hashi, he catches his breath and gets the mic. “My first tournament match, I had to deal with Jeff Cobb. Yeah, he had my number in the G1, the New Japan Cup, and World Tag League. But as I said, I’d pull it off today!” Fans applaud that he kept his word. Hashi says, “This NJPW World TV title is about 15 minute sprints. No better man to take that title than me, who always takes things one by one.” Fans rally for that! “The man to be the first-ever NJPW World TV Champion, who do you think it’ll be? Let me hear you! Let me hear you!” Fans clap their support for Hashi winning the tournament.

Hashi continues to say, “I’ll take this NJPW World TV title in an instant!” Mic drop and it’s on to the next round! But will Hashi finally have a title all his own? Or were these his 15 minutes of fame?

My Thoughts:

Another great event for NJPW, and I did skim the other matches. I do like that while Ren Narita is still technically a Young Lion, we’re seeing him come closer and closer to leaving that behind. His team won yesterday, but then Honma takes the loss for the team here. It might just be a matter of time before Narita has his established character/gimmick. Finlay’s team wins so he has momentum going into his match against Zack Sabre Jr. next round, but I have a feeling ZSJ will win that.

And good stuff from LIJ in both their matches. I really should’ve covered Shingo & Hiromu VS ELP & Taiji. They had a hilarious finish with ELP bringing out a trash can and a bunch of other stuff to get into a brawl with Takagi. ELP establishes their KOPW rematch will be under a form of No Disqualifications for Rumble on 44th Street. The vote stands as New York Street Fight ECW Rules (Extreme Rules, basically) VS “Last Daddy Standing.” Either way, that’s going to be some wild stuff for NJPW’s return to an actual PPV, meaning you’ll need more than the NJPW World subscription for that one.

Great stuff out of the NJPW World TV title tournament again. Henare looked great, but of course he gets cheated. The shocker, and perhaps even bracket buster, was Hashi beating Cobb. Granted, Cobb’s been a singles champion before, but I would’ve thought he was a shoe-in for the semis. At the same time, this NJPW World TV title, given it has a 15 minute time limit and all the matches, even these tournament ones, are free for everyone to watch (at some point or another; I know yesterday’s matches were uploaded to NJPW’s YouTube rather late at night), I suppose this is more a lower midcard title. Cobb is a bit above that, so I get him putting over Hashi. Hashi might end up winning this title as a thank you from NJPW to his dedication and loyalty.

My Score: 8.6/10