Will The House of Torture stay standing?

NJPW Battle Autumn continues, and the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships are on the line! But will Everything be Evil? Or will The Ace of the Universe trump the King of Darkness?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• DOUKI VS Kosei Fujita; Douki wins.
• Alex Zayne & Yuto Nakashima VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Yoshinobu Kanemaru; ZSJ & Kanemaru win.
• Six Man Tag: Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Ryohei Oiwa VS The United Empire; The United Empire wins.
• Six Man Tag: David Finlay, Tiger Mask & Ren Narita VS Chaos; Chaos wins.
• Six Man Tag: Suzuki-Gun VS Bullet Club; Suzuki-Gun wins.
• Master Wato & Tomoaki Honma VS SANADA & Hiromu Takahashi; Sanada & Hiromu win.
• Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; LIJ wins.
• NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: The House of Torture VS Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Hikuleo; The House of Torture wins and retains the titles.

PLAY BY PLAY

Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire!

Bushi & Titan are after the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, and have been on a roll alongside Tetsuya Naito so far. But will their momentum soon be halted? Or can they get another win on TJP, Francesco Akira & Gideon Grey?

“The Orchestrator,” Gideon Grey, gives his tag team partners, the Nova Fireball & Public Enemy, quite the introductions as they make their way out. The trios sort out and Naito is even quick about his entrance attire this time. LIJ fist bumps but then the Empire attacks! Grey clubs away on Naito while TJP throws out Bushi and Akira throws out Titan. Grey keeps clubbing away, then he throws forearms, but Naito isn’t bothered! Grey throws forearm after forearm and fans rally with each shot, but Grey tires out. Grey MONGOLIAN CHOPS! Great-O-Khan would be proud! Grey runs, but into an atomic drop!

Naito watches Grey hobble, then he whips him to a corner. Grey hops but falls over and Naito asks if Grey gives up. Grey doesn’t so Naito tags Bushi. Fans rally, Bushi CLUBS Grey down, and then stomps him to ropes. Bushi CHOKES Grey, the ref counts, but Bushi kicks him. Bushi puts Grey in the corner to DOUBLE CHOP! And DOUBLE CHOP! Bushi snapmares Grey, tags in Titan, and fans rally up as the newest member of LIJ stomps Grey around. Titan whips Grey to ropes but Grey holds ropes. Grey laughs, BOOTS Titan, and TJP tags in! TJP kicks and whips but Titan springboards to CROSSBODY!

Fans fire up as Titan takes TJP down, but Akira reaches out to throw Titan down by his mask! But Titan kips up to PELE Akira back! Titan dodges TJP, whips him, but TJP goes Spider-Man! Titan runs in but TJP dumps him to the apron! Akira runs in and gets a boost to SHOTGUN Titan down! TJP knocks Naito and Bushi down, Grey sets Titan up for Akira’s PLANCHA! Fans rally as the Empire drags Titan up. Naito attacks Akira but TJP pulls Naito’s hair and claws the eyes! Akira stomps Titan, puts him in the ring, and TJP goes in. Tag to Akira, the champs double whip to double KICK, leg sweep, and Akira basement SHOTGUNS! Akira drags Titan to a cover, TWO!

Akira claps and fans clap along, “A! KI-RA!” Akira bumps Titan off buckles, stomps him down, then digs his boots in. The ref counts, Akira lets off at 4, and Akira tags in Grey. Grey tags in TJP, then Grey picks Titan up for a BACKBREAKER! Grey sits Titan up for another basement dropkick, then TJP slingshot SENTONS! TJP covers, ROPEBREAK! TJP wrenches Titan’s arm while fans rally. TJP hooks Titan up in a cobra twist but Titan endures. TJP pulls at the eyes of the mask! The ref reprimands, TJP lets go of the m ask, but Titan fights free to jump, hold, but TJP pops the flying-mare off the back!

TJP mule kicks, runs, but Titan goes Matrix to then CALF KICK! Fans fire up and Titan crawls, but Grey gets in to DECK Bushi! Grey feeds Titan to the FLAPJACK FACEBUSTER! Cover, TWO! Titan survives and fans rally up but TJP smirks as he drags Titan up. TJP drags Titan over to a corner but Titan falls over. TJP kicks him around, put shim in the corner, and fires off fists and a knee! TJP sits Titan down, fans rally up and TJP starts up the boot scrapes! TJP runs side to side, but Titan gets up to TORNADO DDT! Fans fire up while both men are down! Titan and TJP crawl, hot tags to Akira and Naito!

Naito dodges Akira, ROCKS Grey, then kicks Akira. Naito sends Akira into Grey and Grey flies into the railing! Akira rushes Naito but Naito dodges to then ELBOW Akira down, and basement dropkick! Fans rally, Naito whips Akira to a corner, and Naito runs in to JUMP KICK! Leg sweep, COMBINACION CABRON! Fans fire up while Naito poses. Naito drags Akira up and CHOKES him with Grey’s walking cane! The ref reprimands, Naito THROWS the cane into No Man’s Land! Fans applaud and Naito brings Akira up. Akira fires forearms but Naito stays up! Akira whips, Naito reverses and kicks to CLUB and then tag Bushi.

Naito whips Akira, kicks him, Bushi sunsets and rewinds into Naito’s dropkick! Cover, TWO! Bushi drags Akira up, whips Akira to a corner, then runs in, but Akira dodges! Akira returns but Bushi SWING KICKS him! Bushi goes up, leaps, and MISSILE DROPKICKS! Fans fire up for the Bushirooni! Bushi stomps Akira around, drags him up, but Akira breaks free. Bushi blocks his haymaker but Akira wrenches out to mule kick! Akira runs but Bushi ROCKS him with a forearm. Bushi runs but Akira slides under to SUPERKICK! Akira reels Bushi in for SPEEDFIRE! Both men are down and fans rally up. Akira crawls, hot tag to Grey!

Grey drags Bushi up, but Bushi ROCKS him! Bushi swings, but Grey spins him to ROCK Bushi back! Grey scoops, but Bushi slips off! Grey blocks a kick, spins Bushi and runs, CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO! Fans rally with Grey and he winds up to run. But Titan gets in to SOBAT! Bushi sunset flips then gets out of the way for Titan’s SPRINGBOARD SPLASH! Bushi covers, TJP breaks it! Naito stomps TJP, throws him out, then Titan fires up! Titan builds speed to FLY! Titan wipes out TJP & Akira at the railing! Bushi whips Grey into a corner, runs in to back elbow, then he feeds Grey to Naito’s elbow and ENZIGURI!

Bushi hits Grey with a CODE BREAKER! Titan springboards to DOUBLE STOMP! ANGEL INMORTAL! Bushi covers, LIJ wins!

Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon, by pinfall

Another win for the ungovernables over the Empire! Is it inevitable that Titan & Bushi become the NEW IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champions? Or can TJP & Akira make a last stand on November 5th? As for Naito, he takes Grey’s coat! Will Naito also take Will Ospreay’s IWGP United States Championship in the near future?

NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: The House of Torture VS Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Hikuleo!

The King of Darkness, Tokyo Pimp & Murder Machine, with the help of Dick Togo, took these titles from Chaos in their final Dog Cage Survival showdown. But now, The Ace, the Funky Weapon and the Young Gun are aiming for them! Will the House of Torture finally be torn down? Or will they find a way to stack the deck once again?

The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and after the House of Torture Too Sweets, the trios sort out. Sho demands his wrench back, but Taguchi hands it to a Young Lion instead. And that Young Lion takes the wrench to the back! Sho is upset, but Taguchi’s team puts their hands in, only for the House to attack! Sho goes after Taguchi, Yujiro attacks Hikuleo, and Evil CLUBS Tanahashi! The bell rings to get this on the record as Evil and Yujiro kick Tanahashi and Hikuleo out. Yujiro keeps on Hikuleo while Evil stomps Taguchi with Sho. Red Shoes reprimands, Evil drags Taguchi up, but Taguchi CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS!

Fans rally as Taguchi runs, but Evil and Sho dodge the hip attack! Taguchi crash lands, Sho and Evil stand on Taguchi’s head. Red Shoes reprimands but they double whip Taguchi into a corner. Taguchi dodges Evil to HIP ATTACK Sho! And then he hip attacks, into an atomic drop! Evil runs in but into a BOOT! Taguchi fakes Evil out, and wags his finger. Fans applaud while Evil is furious. Evil shoves Red Shoes away, but Taguchi swats the low blow! Taguchi SIDE ARM DICK PUNCHES Evil! Evil’s tasting his own medicine! Taguchi throws point-blank hips, then he signals his team. Tag to Tanahashi and fans rally up.

Tanahashi gives Evil some point-blank hips! Tag to Hikuleo and fans cheer as he clamps on the CLAW! And then point-blank hips! That’s a big hip, too! Tag to Taguchi and he calls in Tanahashi. Team Taguchi set Evil up, for a TRIPLE HIP! And then another! And then some hip swivels, but Evil escapes! The triple hips collide and Hikuleo wipes out both Tanahashi and Taguchi! Hikuleo celebrates, until he turns around to see what happened! Yujiro and Sho rush in to mug Hikuleo! They throw him out, Evil throws the others out, and then Evil rakes Taguchi’s back! Yujiro RAMS Hikuleo into railing!

Evil RAMS Taguchi into the timekeeper! Abe-san goes down! Evil grabs the mic to CHOKE Taguchi with the cable! Evil wants Taguchi to quit but Taguchi refuses! Red Shoes reprimands and counts, Evil lets off at 4, and then he drags Taguchi up and into the ring. Taguchi slow rolls away but Evil keeps him from escaping. Evil brings Taguchi around to crotch him on the ropes! And Sho helps bounce Taguchi up and down! Sho tags in as Taguchi flops over, and Sho stands on Taguchi’s neck! Red Shoes reprimands, Sho lets off and distracts him, allowing Yujiro to drag Taguchi out. Yujiro and Dick Togo mug Taguchi! Evil laughs as his team gets away with it.

Evil puts Taguchi in the ring, Sho covers, but Red Shoes suspects shenanigans so he refuses! Fans applaud but Sho is furious. Sho tags Yujiro and Yujiro drags Taguchi up. Fans clap and rally for “TA-GU-CHI!” and Taguchi throws body shots! Yujiro claws Taguchi’s eyes! Red Shoes reprimands but Yujiro snapmares Taguchi to drop a leg, an elbow, and a headbutt! Cover, TWO! Tag to Evil, and Evil throws his shirt at Tanahashi! Red Shoes keeps Tanahashi back, but that allows Evil to drag Taguchi up into a cobra twist. The House of Torture links up to the railing to put on the pressure! Taguchi endures, but the House lets go as Jado storms over!

Evil covers Taguchi, TWO! Evil is upset with Red Shoes but he tags in Sho. Sho bends Taguchi’s fingers but fans rally up. Sho wrenches Taguchi, kicks, KICKS and SUPERKICKS! Cover, TWO! Sho drags Taguchi up, tags in Yujiro, and they mug Taguchi against ropes. Yujiro bumps Taguchi off buckles, throws back elbows, then backs up to BOOT Taguchi! Fans rally harder for “TA-GU-CHI!” but Yujiro whips corner to corner. Yujiro runs in but into an elbow! Taguchi headscissors to give Yujiro BUTT ATTACKS! Taguchi goes up, but Yujiro avoids the Missile Hip! Only to run into a HIP ATTACK! Fans fire up as both men crawl! Hot tag to Hikuleo!

Hikuleo BOOTS Yujiro, scoops Sho and gives him SNAKE EYES! Hikuleo runs but Evil intercepts him with a kick! Evil & Sho whip, but Hikuleo DOUBLE LARIATS! Fans fire up with Hikuleo and he aims at Yujiro. Yujiro avoids the splash, then kicks low! PIMP- NO, no juice! Hikuleo choke grips, but Yujiro BITES that hand! Yujiro whips, Hikuleo reverses and ELBOWS Yujiro, to then run and ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO!! Yujiro barely gets that arm up! Hikuleo warns Dick to get off the apron. Dick drops down, but then Hikuleo blocks the low blow! Hikuleo glares at Yujiro, but Yujiro claws at his eyes! Red Shoes reprimands, Yujiro lets off and BOOTS!

Yujiro runs, but Hikuleo POWERSLAMS! Cover, Sho breaks it! Hikuleo glares at Sho now but Sho runs away. Hikuleo goes back to Yujiro and Tanahashi calls for the tag! Hikuleo tags Tanahashi, he runs, and he forearms Yujiro down! Tanahashi BLASTS Evil and Sho! Tanahashi brings Yujiro up to fire off forearms! Tanahashi whips, Yujiro reverses but Tanahashi WRECKS Dick with a dropkick! Fans fire up, Tanahashi blocks Yujiro’s boot to SHOTEI! Tanahashi reels Yujiro in, but Yujiro fights Twist ‘n’ Shout to hook a leg. FISHERMAN BUSTER! Yujiro tags Evil and Evil toys with Tanahashi. Evil kicks him around and taunts him but fans rally up with “Let’s Go, Ace!”

Evil stands on Tanahashi’s head, but Tanahashi fights his way up! Tanahashi throws a kick but Evil blocks! Evil hands that foot to Red Shoes, but Tanahashi blocks Evil’s kick! Red Shoes puts Tanahashi’s foot down, and Tanahashi DRAGON SCREWS Evil! Tanahashi has the leg again, GROUND DRAGON SCREW! Tanahashi gets the legs again, ties them up, and has the TEXAS CLOVERLEAF! Evil endures, Taguchi and Hikuleo intercept Yujiro and Sho! They also get TEXAS CLOVERLEAFS! Jado even intercepts Dick to put him in a TEXAS CLOVERLEAF! FOUR LEAF CLOVERHOLDS!! Is this good luck or bad luck?

Evil endures, he’s the one that matters, and he fights around! Evil reaches out, ROPEBREAK! Red Shoes counts, all four Cloverleafs are undone. Tanahashi stomps Evil and he waits on Evil to rise. Tanahashi runs, but Evil sidesteps to send Tanahashi out! But Tanahashi skins the cat! But Evil is there to waistlock! Tanahashi elbows free, runs, but Evil goes to the corner to LARIAT! Sho and Yujiro DECK Taguchi and Hikuleo! Evil drags Tanahashi up, fireman’s carries, DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO! Tanahashi survives and fans fire up! Evil is furious, but fans rally, “Let’s Go, Ace!” Evil slashes his throat and vows to end this!

Evil drags Tanahashi up, spins him around, EVERY- NO, Tanahashi slips out to steal- NO, Evil fights that off! Evil claws Tanahashi’s eyes! Red Shoes reprimands but Evil whips Tanahashi, and surprise! The blue buckle pad is gone! Tanahashi hits bare steel! Tag to Sho and Yujiro gets in. The House stomps away on Tanahashi but Red Shoes reprimands. Yujiro DECKS Hikuleo, then he and Evil whip Tanahashi to a neutral corner. Sho runs in but Tanahashi dodges! Taguchi and Hikuleo get in, HIP ATTACK for Evil and a BIG forearm for Yujiro! Taguchi run sin to HIP ATTACK Sho! Hikuleo SPLASHES Sho!

Hikuleo feeds Sho to a body shot, then Taguchi feeds Sho to a SLINGBLADE! Cover, TWO! Taguchi and Hikuleo go out and keep the rest of the House down. Tanahashi fires up and he goes up top! Fans fire up and Sho stands, HIGH FLY ATTACK! Tanahashi goes back up and fans fire up more! But Sho shoves Red shoes into the ropes and that trips Tanahashi up! Tanahashi tumbles to the mat and Yujiro has his pimp cane! Hikuleo rushes over, Yujiro dodges the boot and Hikuleo gets caught up! Yujiro CANES Hikuleo! Evil gets in, Dick DECKS Jado, and Evil coordinates with Dick, MAGIC KILLER on Tanahashi!

Fans rally for Tanahashi while Sho covers, TWO!! Tanahashi survives and Sho is shocked! But Sho vows to end this, and he drags Tanahashi into a waistlock. Deadlift, but Tanahashi elbows free to TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Both men are down and fans rally up again. Hot tag to Taguchi! Taguchi springboards, MISSILE HIP! Fans fire up as Taguchi calls upon the powers of Strong Style! “ORYA~!” BUM-A-YE!! Cover, TWO!!! OH MY GAH ANKLE!! Sho flails, reaches out, but Tanahashi and Hikuleo keep Evil and Yujiro down! Sho fights up, reaches, but Taguchi reels him in! But Sho fights the lift to RAM Taguchi into the bare buckles!

Sho hobbles but Taguchi sits down in the corner. Fans rally up for “TA-GU-CHI!” while Sho clutches his foot. Sho runs in at Taguchi but into a BOOT! Taguchi runs, but Sho catches the hip attack into a GERMAN SUPLEX! Sho snarls and hobbles over to drag Taguchi up. Sho tucks Taguchi in, CROSS ARM PILEDRIVER! Cover, Tanahashi breaks it in time! Evil gets in to LARIAT Tanahashi! Evil kicks Tanahashi out and Sho brings Taguchi up. Fans rally but Sho reels Taguchi in. Sho double pump handles, but Hikuleo choke grips! But Dick distracts and Yujiro sneaks in to LOW BLOW Hikuleo! Yujiro reels Hikuleo in for PIMP JUICE!

Yujiro distracts the ref now, and Dick slips Sho another wrench! Sho aims, but Taguchi ducks the wrench shot to ENZIGURI! And then ENZIGURI for Yujiro! Fans are thunderous as Taguchi fires up! Taguchi calls his shot, saying he’ll use the… Aoi Plex? Taguchi drags Sho up, holds his arms up to make an A! And then it’s just a GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!?!? Sho survives but Taguchi chicken wings him! DODON TO THE THRONE!!! Cover, TWO!??! Sho survives again?!? But fans are thunderous as Taguchi powers up! Taguchi torture racks but Sho fights free! Taguchi mule kicks, runs, but into a JUMP KNEE!

Sho brings Taguchi around, but Taguchi fights the driver to back drop! Sho tries to sunset flip, but Taguchi stays up! Taguchi pulls his tights down! RED UNDIES PIN!! TWO!??! And then a CHAIR SHOT from Dick!! Sho rolls Taguchi up, TWO!!!! Taguchi survives the screw job and Sho can’t believe it! Sho is furious, but he drags Taguchi back up. Sho reels Taguchi in, double pump handles, for SHOCK ARROW!!! Cover, the House of Torture wins!!

Winners: The House of Torture, by pinfall (still NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions)

It took quite a lot of tricks to stop the Funky Weapon, but the House always finds a way to win! And now, with the NEVER Openweight Championship match on November 5th in doubt, is Hikuleo out of golden opportunities?

As for the champions, after they get the belts and have their hands raised, Sho is first to get the mic. “Tanahashi-san. Taguchi-san. And Hikuleo. We aren’t like you. We’re good at what we do. And for that, we are true champions. But thank you very much! Heh heh heh.” Sho rubs it in by saying there’ll be no air guitar tonight. “And we aren’t done with these. The House of Torture will take all the gold!” Sho then hands the mic to Evil, and Evil says, “OI, Taguchi Japan 2.0! You punks are already finished! And YOU were all witness to it! The House of Torture is the law in this ring, and don’t forget it!” The King of Darkness lays down the law, but will the House ever be brought to justice?

My Thoughts:

A very good event as Battle Autumn is televised again. I didn’t want to just leave this at the title match so I included the LIJ VS Empire Six Man, but it seems LIJ is just going to keep on winning, as they’ve already beaten the Empire multiple times in Six Man and 8 Man Tag matches. Maybe Titan & Bushi still take the titles, but this could indicate that they won’t. Naito VS Ospreay is also hard to call. Naito’s story is still about finding a way to be on the Wrestle Kingdom card, and with time running out, they might let the US Championship be the way to do it.

And we got a great main event, even with all the cheating from the House of Torture. I had a feeling the House would retain because of all that cheating, but also because Taguchi, Tanahashi & Hikuleo seemed like such a slapdash team. At the same time, with Hikuleo also aiming for Karl Anderson’s NEVER Openweight Championship, there wasn’t going to be the possibility of Hikuleo becoming a Double NEVER Champion. Speaking of, there might not even be a chance of Hikuleo getting that singles title with Karl Anderson scheduled for WWE’s Crown Jewel on November 5th. If NJPW isn’t going to strip Karl because of some secret agreement with WWE, perhaps Karl VS Hikuleo will be rescheduled for something later, like NJPW TAMASHII in New Zealand and Australia.

My Score: 8.5/10