Will Fang Revived meet a Skull End?

As Battle Autumn continues, so does the NJPW World TV Championship Tournament! Kenta collides with Sanada, whose 15 minutes are up?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• DOUKI VS Kosei Fujita; Douki wins.
• Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb VS Ryohei Oiwa & Yuto Nakashima; Khan & Cobb win.
• Master Wato & Hikuleo VS EVIL & Dick Togo; Wato & Hikuleo win.
• Six Man Tag: David Finlay, Alex Zayne & Tiger Mask VS Suzuki-Gun; Finlay, Zayne & Tiger Mask win.
• El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru VS Taiji Ishimori & Gedo; Desperado & Kanemaru win.
• 8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; LIJ wins.
• NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Quarterfinals: Toru Yano VS Ren Narita; Narita wins and advances.
• NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Quarterfinals: SANADA VS KENTA; Sanada wins and advances.

PLAY BY PLAY

NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Quarterfinals: Toru Yano VS Ren Narita!

The Producer keeps on creating content, but the Son of Strong Style is looking to bring about a changing of the guard! Will Narita continue on his journey? Or will old age and treachery always beat out youth and exuberance?

Narita doesn’t wait for Yano to make it to the ring, he goes after him at the ramp! Narita stomps and kicks Yano then brings him to the ring. The ref reprimands but Narita puts Yano in the ring. The bell rings and Narita stomps Yano more. Narita stands Yano up to whip him corner to corner, then runs in, but Yano dodges! Narita hits buckles and Yano uses his robe to wrap Narita up into a cradle! TWO!! Narita escapes and fans rally up as Yano unties a buckle pad. Narita kicks and CLUBS Yano first, then bumps him off the red corner. Narita stomps away then digs his boots in! The ref counts and Narita lets off at 4.

Narita drags Yano up, ROCKS him with a forearm, then whips him to ropes. Yano holds ropes to taunt Narita, then he dodges to SLAP Narita! Fans applaud but Narita is annoyed. Narita runs in but Yano catches his clothesline to a backslide! TWO!! Narita escapes again, but gets tripped into M U!! Cover, TWO!! Yano gets up, into a BOOT from Narita! Narita throws Yano out of the ring then goes out after him. Narita stomps Yano at the railing again and again but the ref reprimands. Narita lets off and he drags Yano up. Narita whips Yano but Yano reverses and Narita hits railing! But Narita comes back! Into an atomic drop!

Yano brings out spare tape from under the ring! Yano ties up Narita’s legs! The ref reprimands but Yano shoves Narita under the ring! Yano gets in the ring and the count begins! Fans applaud, Narita crawls back out at 7 of 20, and he hurries to unwrap his ankles! The count is 12 of 20! Then 15! Narita is free at 17 and slides in at 18! Fans applaud, but Yano stomps Narita down. Yano whips Narita into the bare buckles! Narita writhes and the ref reprimands Yano but Yano talks some smack on Narita. Yano stomps Narita, and whips him into another bare corner! Yano’s removed all the buckle pads in all the corners!

Yano stalks Narita to another corner, digs his boot in, then lets off as the ref counts. Yano tells the ref to shut up! Yano whips Narita into a third bare corner! Narita writhes again, Yano has a cocky cover on him, TWO! Fans applaud but Yano stomps him around. Fans rally up and Yano brings Narita up, but Narita kicks first! Narita whips, Yano reverses, and Narita stops himself just before hitting the fourth corner! Yano runs in, but Narita dodges and Yano hits the bare buckles! Narita KICKS Yano down! Fans rally up and Narita staggers around. Yano gets to a corner, Narita runs in to SPINNING BACK ELBOW!

Narita brings Yano out but Yano fights the suplex! Narita CLUBS Yano but Yano pulls hair! Narita breaks free to fire off a strike fest! Then NORTHERN LIGHTS! Cover, TWO!! ARMBAR! Yano flails as he endures, and he manages to clasp hands to push Narita. But Narita makes it a TRIANGLE HOLD! Yano is fading already! The ref checks, the arm drops once, but Yano revives enough to move around! Narita squeezes tighter, but Yano moves around to get the ROPEBREAK! Narita lets off and fans applaud! Narita drags Yano up but Yano fights the clinch with elbows! Yano dodges the boot, clinches, and BELLY2BELLY SUPLEXES!

Fans fire up as Yano pounds the mat. Yano rises, he brings Narita up, and he hoists Narita up! Narita fights the bomb, then he BOOTS Yano down! Cover, TWO!! Yano survives and Narita is frustrated but the fans rally again. Narita brings the kneepad down, runs, but into an atomic drop! And then CATAPULT into bare buckles! BLINDSIDE TACKLE! Roll-up, TWO!! INTO THE TRIANGLE HOLD!! Yano is fading already as Narita pulls way back on the arm! Fans rally but Yano is turning red! Yano gets a second wind and he deadlifts Narita to POWERBOMB! But Narita’s right up!? To BUZZSAW! Cover, ONE?!?!

Narita fires up, runs, and JUMPING KNEE DROPS Yano! Cover, Narita wins!

Winner: Ren Narita, by pinfal (advances to the semifinals)

Another match and another icon of NJPW defeated! Is the Son of Strong Style going to bring about that new age single-handedly?

NJPW World Television Championship Tournament, Quarterfinals: SANADA VS KENTA!

The Cold Skull conquered the Holy Emperor and the Fang Revived cut down the Fierce Warrior. Now these former IWGP United States Champions meet in this tournament for a brand new title. Will Kenta run into a Skull End? Or will he make Sanada #GoToSleep?

The bell rings and Kenta bails out. Sanada and Red Shoes want Kenta to get in the ring but Kenta goes around the corner. Kenta slowly slides in, but then rolls right back out. Fans applaud Kenta’s trolling, and Kenta goes around the corner again. Sanada slides out after Kenta but Kenta slides back in. Kenta now tells Sanada to get back in the ring. Sanada says okay, and he slides in, only for Kenta to slide out the other side. Kenta paces but Sanada stays cool. Red Shoes starts the ring count and Kenta lets it climb. Sanada slowly steps outside to the apron but Kenta backs away. Sanada holds the ropes open for Kenta! Fans applaud the politeness.

Kenta hops up to the apron, he steps in through the ropes, and then Sanada steps in. Only for Kenta to step out the other side! Fans applaud but this match is only 15 minutes, Kenta is wasting time. Kenta checks with the timekeeper on that, and Sanada slips out the opposite side. Sanada hides under the ring! Kenta tells Abe-san to speed this up, but time is time. Then Kenta sees Sanada’s disappeared! Kenta goes looking around and even Red Shoes is surprised. Kenta goes looking under the ring, but Sanada crawls out the other end! Kenta turns around and is surprised! Sanada kicks Kenta, CLUBS him and puts him in the ring!

Sanada hurries after Kenta to keep him from running off again, then drags him around to tie him up! Fans applaud as Kenta’s caught in Paradise! Sanada encourages the fans to get louder and they oblige. Sanada then runs to dropkick Kenta out of Paradise! Fans applaud more and Sanada brings Kenta up. Kenta claws Sanada’s face! Then turns him for a NECKBREAKER! Kenta throws Sanada out and he wants a count-out victory. The ring count starts, Sanada stirs, and Sanada stands at 10 of 20. Sanada rolls in but Kenta stomps him and throws him out! Sanada hurries up but Kenta BOOTS him off the apron!

Sanada hits the railing and Kenta wants another count. The count starts, and Kenta starts untying a buckle pad. Yano took those off earlier, it seems Kenta likes the idea. Sanada stands at 15 and gets in, but Kenta stomps and whips him to the bare buckles! And then throws Sanada right back out! Fans applaud Kenta’s determination to win this the easy way, and the ring count starts again. Sanada checks his knee around 6 of 20, sits up at 10, and fans rally as he goes back to the ring. Sanada slides in at 16 but Kenta stomps away on him again. Kenta drags Sanada up and whips, but Sanada reverses to send Kenta out!

Fans applaud as Sanada then PLANCHAS, but Kenta moves! Kenta kicks Sanada, whips him to railing, then runs in, but Sanada drop toeholds Kenta into the railing! Sanada then points out the bare buckles. Sanada drags Kenta up, puts him on the railing, and hits MAGIC SCREW to the floor! Fans rally up as Sanada brings Kenta up. Sanada puts Kenta in, covers, TWO! Sanada drags Kenta up to fireman’s carry, but Kenta claws Sanada’s face! Kenta slips away to the outside, but Sanada pursues! Kenta hurries back in, he KICKS Sanada in the ropes, and drags him out for BRAIN KILLER! Fans rally as both men are down!

Kenta stands and storms over to Sanada. Kenta drags Sanada up and fans rally again, and Sanada throws a forearm! Kenta throws a forearm back, but Sanada throws another! The forearms go back and forth, but then Kenta BOOTS! Sanada swings but Kenta avoids the lariat! Kenta shoves Sanada at Red Shoes, but Sanada stops himself and then kicks Kenta in return! Sanada runs but Kenta shoves Red Shoes in the way! Sanada shoves Red Shoes aside but Kenta kicks low! And again! And again! But Sanada blocks a kick to CLUB the leg! Kenta hobbles and drops to his knees, but Sanada brings Kenta up to whip corner to corner.

Kenta reverses, and sends Sanada into Red Shoes! Red Shoes goes down and Kenta kicks low again! DDT! Fans rally up while a Young Lion checks on Red Shoes. Kenta goes out and he fetches a chair from under the ring! Kenta brings that chair in and aims at Sanada. We’re at 10 minutes, and Kenta swings! Sanada dodges, but Kenta throws the chair at him! Sanada avoids Kenta kicking the chair, and then he throws the chair back! Sanada DROPKICKS the chair into Kenta! Fans fire up as Kenta goes down! Sanada kicks the chair out, he calls to Red Shoes, and he positions Kenta in a drop zone. ROUNDING BODY PRESS to Kenta’s back!

Sanada goes up again as fans fire up, ROUNDING BODY PRESS into knees! Kenta cradles, TWO!! Sanada survives the turnaround and fans fire up again. Kenta drags Sanada up but Sanada fireman’s carries! Kenta fights free again, shoves and kitchen sink knees Sanada down! Fans rally up as Kenta climbs, DIVING STOMPS! Cover, TWO!! Sanada survives the coup de grace, but Kenta slashes his throat! Kenta drags Sanada up and fireman’s carries. Sanada fights free to get the dragon sleeper! And then he drops, but Kenta blocks the schoolboy to sit on the cover! TWO!! Sanada escapes and fans fire up! Kenta runs, into an O’Conner NO BRIDGE! TWO!!!

Kenta escapes and we’re at the three minute warning! Sanada throws a forearm, and spins into a palm strike! Kenta fires off palm strike after palm strike until Sanada drops to a knee! Kenta swings again but into a EuroUpper! ROLLING ELBOW! Sanada runs, but Kenta ducks the rolling elbow to fireman’s carry! GO TO- NO! CRADLE! TWO!! Kenta has the cradle! TWO!! Sanada has the cradle! TWO!! Kenta has the cradle! TWO!!! Sanada narrowly escapes and fans fire up! Kenta goes to a corner, Sanada runs in, but Kenta sidesteps! Sanada avoids the bare buckles, but Kenta O’Conner Rolls! TWO and Kenta hits the buckles!!

Sanada O’Conner Rolls and bridges!! Sanada wins!!

Winner: Sanada, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)

The Cold Skull snatches the win at the two minute warning! Kenta’s run is done in this tournament, will he have to try harder in the New Year?

As for Sanada, he shows off the dancing pecs for Taichi on commentary, who responds in kind from the desk. However, Narita returns! And Narita gets the mic first to tell Sanada, “The changing of the guard has started. Don’t think this next match is a regular semifinal.” Narita then drops the mic and takes his leave, determined to bring about the youth revolution. But then Sanada picks up the mic to tell Narita, “If you think you can make it happen, just try me. That’s it.” Fans applaud, liking how Shibata-like Sanada just sounded.

Sanada then turns his attention to the fans, saying, “Since we’re here, Makuhari, shall we do ‘it’? It might be pretty bright in this building, but let’s do it anyway.” Fans applaud and the “stars” come out. The stadium lights dim and now the setting is right. Sanada says, “Actually, I have have this secret I’ve been keeping from you all. Out of everywhere in Japan, I love Chiba the most.” Fans applaud the love confession! “OI, CHIBA! See you next time.” Will that next time be with Sanada as inaugural NJPW World Television Champion?

My Thoughts:

Another great Battle Autumn event, and I think we’re starting to see the World Tag League and Super Junior Tag League fields coming into focus. Finlay and Zayne have been teaming quite a bit for Battle Autumn, I bet they’d make a real fun duo in that tag tournament. And LIJ keeps winning, so I’m still curious if Bushi & Titan are going to win the junior heavyweight tag titles. But we of course got really good matches for the NJPW World TV title tournament. Narita is definitely getting a push through this tournament, so naturally he beat Yano. Sanada beating Kenta makes sense, he’s a fan favorite in his own right. Narita calling Sanada out was a bold move, but I can’t be sure he makes it past the semifinals, though. Evil is still in the running, it’d be a really good match if he and Sanada were in the finals.

My Score: 8.5/10