Time for another 15 minutes of fame!

NJPW continues their NJPW World TV Championship Tournament, and Ren Narita has the biggest opportunity of his young career! Will this Young Lion roar against the Stone Pitbull?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Yuto Nakashima & Kosei Fujita VS Aaron Henare & Gideon Grey; Henare & Grey win.
• Six Man Tag: Alex Zayne, Tiger Mask & David Finlay VS Suzuki-Gun; Zayne, Tiger Mask & Finlay win.
• Hiroshi Tanahashi & Hikuleo VS EVIL & Dick Togo; Tanahashi & Hikuleo win.
• Six Man Tag: Suzuki-Gun VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
• Master Wato & Togi Makabe VS SANADA & Hiromu Takahashi; Sanada & Hiromu win.
• Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; The United Empire wins.
• NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Opening Round: Toru Yano VS Great-O-Khan; Yano wins and advances.
• NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Opening Round: Ren Narita VS Tomohiro Ishii; Narita wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Opening Round: Toru Yano VS Great-O-Khan w/ Gideon Grey!

The Producer loves to entertain, and he can do just that if he wins this tournament and the title! Will the YTR Brand  expand into this new division? Or will the Dominator cancel all that here and now?

The Orchestrator, Gideon Grey, gets to give Khan a strong introduction to counteract Yano’s very long one. The fans cheer and chant as this is a cheering allowed event, and the bell rings. Yano rushes over but Khan bails out! Yano dares Khan to get in but Khan pretends he can’t hear him. So Yano unties a buckle pad! Fans cheer, but Khan creeps in and tackles Yano! Khan has a headlock, Yano slips away but Khan gets him down for a mount. Yano moves around, Khan keeps him down, and has a HEAD & ARM TRIANGLE! Yano endures but Khan hooks a leg to make it a cover! TWO!! Yano is still in this but he’s also still in the head & arm!

Khan shifts and hooks the leg again for another cover! TWO!! Khan still has Yano down with the hold! Fans rally but Yano is fading! The ref checks, Khan leans all his weight on Yano, but Yano comes back to life! Yano reaches out for the ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud and Khan lets off slowly. Yano bails out and Khan pursues. Khan taunts Yano, drags him up, and whips him into railing! Yano slumps down and Khan storms up on him. Fans rally, Khan has cameramen move aside, and he whips again. But Yano reverses and pulls the ponytail! Yano grabs tape from under the ring! Yano tapes the ponytail to the railing!

The ring count starts, Yano hurries away at 6 of 20! Khan gets Grey to free him from the railing but we’re at 12 of 20! Khan gets up but Yano throws the pad down on him! Khan is still outside at 15 of 20! Khan flounders up at 17, staggers and slides in at 19! But Yano has the ponytail! The ref reprimands, Yano tells him to shut up! Khan throws body shots but Yano pulls the ponytail! Khan throws more body shots, but Yano still pulls the hair! Khan winds back, Yano ducks, but the haymaker was a feint! Khan gets Yano’s arm, and then uses his ponytail to CHOKE Yano! The ref notices, he reprimands, but Khan lets go at 4.

Yano is on the mat, Khan covers, but the ref says no because of the shenanigans. Fans rally for Yano and Khan is annoyed. Khan drags Yano up, bumps him off the bare buckles, and then CLUBS him! Khan hops up to sit on Yano! Fans applaud the throne! Yano endures as Khan bounces in place. Khan then pulls the arms back for the inverse motorcycle! The ref counts, Khan hops down at 4 and fans rally up again. Khan stands Yano up for Mongolian Chops! And more Mongolian Chops! And then more Mongolian Chops! Cover, TWO! Yano is still in this and fans fire up! Khan drags Yano around by a toehold!

Yano endures, keeps his shoulders off the mat, but Khan drags Yano up to scoop and SLAM! Cover, TWO! Fans rally harder for Yano but Khan mocks the Y T R thumbs. So is it G O K? Khan sits Yano up and tries to make him kiss his boot! Yano throws body shots! Khan knees low, then swings a clothesline, but Yano pulls the ponytail! Khan breaks free, swings but misses, and Yano hits a BELLY2BELLY! Fans fire up for Yano and Yano drags Khan up. Yano whips but Khan reverses! Yano stops himself from hitting bare buckles, then sidesteps to send Khan into them! Roll up, TWO!! Khan survives, he snap suplexes for the PANCAKE! Bridging cover, TWO!

Yano rushes in, M U!! TWO!! Yano hits a fireman’s carry takeover to cover, TWO!! Khan BOOTS Yano down! Fans are thunderous as both men are down! Khan stands and he takes aim, IRON CLAW! Yano breaks free, but Khan blocks the low blow! Khan swings but into a waistlock. Yano avoids Khan’s mule kick and lariat to atomic drop to trip! Yano CATAPULTS Khan into the bare buckles! Yano runs to TACKLE Khan from behind! Cover, TWO!!! Khan survives and Yano can’t believe it! Yano argues with the ref but the count was fair. Khan SPEARS Yano! Both men are down again and fans rally back up!

Yano and Khan rise, and Khan fires up with a big “monster pose” flex! Khan has Yano in the HITSUJIGOROSHI! Khan then scoops for a BACKBREAKER, into the HITSUJIGOROSHI LUNA! Yano endures and fans rally hard as ever, but Khan thrashes Yano around! Khan drags Yano back up, for MARINE! High stack, TWO!!! Yano survives and we’re at 10 minutes left! Khan aims again, and he IRON CLAWS Yano’s face again! Khan drags Yano up, but the lights go out?! Since when was Yano in the House of Torture? The lights come back, and is that THE GREAT MUTA?!?! Yano is down with the ref, and Khan turns around to see the living legend!

Khan shakes his head, he can’t believe what he’s seeing! Khan storms over, and gets GREEN MIST!!! Yano rolls Khan up, and wins!!!

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

The Great Muta just helped the Clown Prince?! What in the world?! And then Muta gets in the ring! Fans are thunderous as Yano thanks Muta. But he’s also afraid of Muta as he reaches out. Muta shakes Yano’s hand! Muta then glares at Khan as he writhes with the green mist all over him. Is this Muta’s way of calling out the Dominator?

NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Opening Round: Ren Narita VS Tomohiro Ishii!

The Son of Strong Style has the biggest opportunity in his young career! Could these 15 minutes of fame be all Ren needs to take over the world? Or will the Stone Pitbull stop Ren’s rise before it begins?

Fans duel already between “NA-RI-TA!” and “I-SHI-I!” The bell rings and the two rush each other! They ram shoulders then Ren fires off forearm after forearm! Ishii fires forearms in return! Ren throws more forearms and he backs Ishii down! Ren runs corner to corner but Ishii follows to clothesline! Ishii whips but Ren reverses, then runs in to BOOT! Ishii staggers, Ren runs, and Ren runs Ishii over! Fans fire up and Ren sits Ishii up to KICK! But Ishii stands right up! Ren throws forearms but Ishii leans into them! Ishii backs Ren down then ROCKS him with an uppercut! Ren ROCKS Ishii back with a forearm!

Ren puts Ishii in a corner and stomps away! Ren digs his boots in, Red Shoes counts, but Ren lets off at 4. Fans rally and duel and Ren waits on Ishii. Ishii sits up and Ren gives him toying kicks. Ren eggs Ishii on and even SLAPS him! And slaps! And slaps! Ishii SLAPS, then CHOPS, ROCKS, repeat! Fans fire up as Ishii just keeps hitting Ren over and over! Ren sits down and Red Shoes has Ishii back up. Ishii drags Ren up and CHOPS him again! Ren snarls so Ishii CHOPS again! Ren eggs Ishii on, Ishii CHOPS, repeat! Ishii CHOPS and Ren starts leaning into them! But then Ishii CHOPS him off his feet! Fans rally as Ishii stands Ren up for another CHOP!

Ishii CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS, but Ren growls and stands his ground! The CHOPS keep going, but they’re getting a little high! Red Shoes backs Ishii off and fans are thunderous! Ren stands and he storms up to Ishii to fire a forearm! And another! And another! Ishii CHOPS Ren back to the corner! Ishii whips corner to corner but Ren reverses. Ishii bounces off the buckles, but he runs into an OVERHEAD Belly2Belly! Fans fire up while both men are down! Ren stirs and goes to the corner. Ishii is in the opposite, and Ren wants Ishii to stand. Ren then runs in to back elbow! Ren reels Ishii in, but Ishii fights the suplex.

Ishii shoves Ren to ropes but Ren ducks the lariat to fire off strikes! Ren knees and HALF HATCHES, with a bridge! TWO! Fans fire up as Ren drags Ishii to his feet. Ren reels Ishii in but Ishii suplexes! Ren fights that, and he wrenches the arm! Ishii fights the takedown, avoids the boot, and then waistlocks. Ren standing switches but Ishii switches back. They switch and switch and switch, Ren throws an elbow! Ren hooks Ishii up in a cobra twist! But Ishii fights, so Ren shifts sides! Fans cheer as Ren has the cobra twist on tight! Ishii endures, fans rally, and Ishii pries free to hip toss Ren down!

Ishii drags Ren up but Ren throws an elbow. Ishii ducks that, ducks the haymaker, and reels Ren in, but Ren fights the back suplex to facelock! Ishii wrenches but Ren ROCKS him! Ishii slips around to SAIDO! But Ren is right up!? And he SAIDOS Ishii!! Fans are thunderous as we pass five minutes! Ren covers, TWO, but Ren gets the ARMBAR! Ishii clasps hands and pushes up. Ishii stacks Ren but Ren keeps one shoulder up. Ishii STOMPS away on Ren’s face! Ren lets Ishii go but he’s right back up! Ren KICKS Ishii right in the chest! Fans are thunderous as Ishii drops to his knees! Ren paces around and wants Ishii to get up.

Ishii sits up and Ren KICKS him again! Ren eggs Ishii on and Ishii sits up, for another KICK! Ishii sits up again, Ren KICKS and KICKS, but Ishii starts frowning. Ren KICKS and KICKS but Ishii CHOPS him! Ren staggers to a corner and fans fire up! Ishii snarls while Ren sputters, and Ishii storms over. Ishii drags Ren up, CHOPS him again, and it’s high! Red Shoes reprimands but Ishii CHOPS and CHOPS, still really high! Ren sits down but Ishii stands him up to CHOP again! Ren sputters as he sits back down. Fans rally and duel, “NA-RI-TA!” “I-SHI-I!” Ren sits up and Ishii drags him up. Ishii reels Ren in but Ren avoids the bomb!

Ishii ducks the roundhouse to GERMAN SUPLEX! Ren gets folded up! Ishii waits on him to sit up, then he runs, but into a WHEEL KICK! Both men are down and fans rally again! Ren rises first, he storms over and he drags Ishii up. Ishii SLAPS Ren! Ren SLAPS Ishii! SLAP, SLAP, SLAP! Ishii SLAPS Ren from all sides, but then Ren SLAPS and SLEEPERS!! Ishii reaches out, but he’s fading! Fans rally, Ishii fights up but Ren squeezes tight! Ishii reaches out, takes some steps, but Ren drags him back! Into an IRON OCTOPUS! Ren pulls on Ishii’s arm but Ishii endures, so Ren shifts to a GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!!!

Fans are thunderous as Ren fires up again! Ren drags Ishii up, whips him to ropes, but Ishii BLASTS Ren with a shoulder tackle! Both men are down again and fans rally up! Ishii rises, Ren is in the corner, and Ishii runs in to clothesline! But Ren just gets Ishii with forearms! Ishii gives Ren boxing elbows! Ren spins, into a BIG forearm! Ishii reels Ren in, for a POWERBOMB! High stack, TWO!!! Ren survives and fans are thunderous! Ishii roars, Ren rises, and Ishii runs, but Ren ducks! Ishii blocks a kick but Ren DECKS him with a forearm! Ren fires up, brings the kneepad down, but runs into a LARIAT!

But Ren’s right back up!? Ren fires palm strikes, but Ishii HEADBUTTS then LARIATS Ren down! Fans are thunderous as Ren rises again! Ishii runs, and he LARIATS Ren down again!! Cover, TWO!?!? Ren survives and shocks everyone! Fans are electric as we hit 10 minutes! Ishii fires up as time is running out, and he drags Ren up. Ishii suplexes, but Ren slips free! Ren hits a FLYING ARMBAR TAKEDOWN! Ishii’s arm is caught and he’s flailing! Ishii manages to clasp hands and move, but Ren pries the grip apart! Ishii endures as it’s a MOUNTED ARMBAR! But Ishii’s foot gets the ROPEBREAK!!

Ren is frustrated but the fans are thunderously behind him! We’re at the two minute warning as Ren KICKS and KICKS and KICKS! Ishii swats a kick to HEADBUTT!! Ren falls and Ishii staggers! Ishii sits Ren up, runs, but Ren ducks the sliding lariat to ENZIGURI! And then NORTHERN LIGHTS! Bridging cover, TWO!! But Ren keeps the wristlocks! He reels Ishii in but Ishii catches Ren! Ren HEADBUTTS and HEADBUTTS, but Ishii ENZIGURIS! Both men are down and the fans are thunderous again at the ONE minute warning! SLIDING LARIAT!! Cover, TWO!!! Ren survives but Ishii roars! Ishii drags Ren up, suplexes, but Ren knees free!

Ren wrenches, blocks a lariat and ROUNDHOUSES! And then BOOTS! Ishii rebounds, into a NORTHERN LIGHTS!! Bridging cover, REN WINS!!!

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

The Son of Strong Style shocks the world with just seconds to spare! Ishii falls to the “Narita Special Number 4,” will he have to look for another route to gold?

As for Narita, fans cheer for him as he gets his first chance to talk on the mic! “Beating Ishii and standing here right now, you know what that means? It’s starting. It has started! Things are changing! I will change NJPW! Just watch me! Got that?” “Hai!” “Got that?!” “Hai!!” “GOT THAT?!” “HAI!!” “OSU!!” The changing of the guard could well be on its way, will the Son of Strong Style lead this new generation to the forefront?

My Thoughts:

A great event for Battle Autumn, and I did skip a lot again. But I do think it is interesting that only now does the United Empire beat Los Ingobernables de Japon in Six Man Tag. The math could start swaying their way, but who knows how the final showdown goes. But of course we got some great stuff in the NJPW World TV Championship tournament. Yano VS Khan was solid stuff, but The Great Muta showing up to affect the outcome was the biggest thing from that. Muta is surely calling out Khan for some kind of Wrestle Kingdom showdown, and that is great for Khan. He gets to have a high profile match with a living legend, fans are going to love it.

And we got an awesome main event, with Narita truly coming into his own here. He may still be wearing basic gear but that could be how he likes it, and he’s not just some Young Lion anymore. Ren could be a major player in this next wave of NJPW wrestlers, and of course he’d be in the history books as the inaugural NJPW World TV Champion. That title would be a good start for a young star, and he could use that reign to springboard to the other titles.

My Score: 8.7/10