One last hurrah for the meanest faction in NJPW!

It’s the end of an era in NJPW as Minoru Suzuki’s Army, Suzuki-Gun, has one last match together! Will there be blood, sweat and tears shed for the faction?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• SHO & Yujiro Takahashi VS Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima; Sho & Yujiro win.
• Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii VS Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa; Yano & Ishii win.
• 8 Man Tag: Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Tiger Mask & Ren Narita VS The United Empire; The United Empire wins.
• Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi VS EVIL & Dick Togo; Tagaki & Hiromu win.
• Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI VS Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan; Goto & Hashi win.
• Six Man Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Shota Umino VS Los Ingobernables de Japon; LIJ wins.
• Six Man Tag: Kazuchika Okada, Master Wato & YOH VS Bullet Club; Okada, Wato & Yoh win.
• Suzuki-Gun Finale: Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, El Desperado & TAKA Michinoku VS DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Dangerous Tekkers; Douki, Kanemaru, Taichi & ZSJ win.

PLAY BY PLAY

Six Man Tag: Kazuchika Okada, Master Wato & YOH VS Bullet Club!

At WrestleKingdom, The Rainmaker is going after the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, the Way of the Grandmaster is after the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, and Direct Drive is after the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships! Will the contenders all be red hot for the Winter? Or will Gedo and the Cutest Tag Team in NJPW leave them out in the cold?

Bullet Club Too Sweets and fans applaud. The teams sort out and we start with Wato and Taiji Ishimori for one last preview of the Junior Heavyweight title match. Fans rally up as Wato and Taiji circle. They approach but Taiji avoids Wato’s grapple. Taiji wags a finger, then he avoids Wato’s boot to rake Wato’s eyes! The ref reprimands, Taiji whips but Wato reverses to hurdle and back elbow, uppercut and run to BULLDOG! Fans fire up with Wato but El Phantasmo boos. Wato tags Yoh and they drag Taiji up. They double whip Taiji to ropes, double elbow him down, and then Yoh stands Taiji up for a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally while Yoh stomps Taiji. Yoh drags Taiji up, reels him in and suplexes, but Taiji slips out! Taiji waistlocks, Yoh switches, Taiji switches back but Yoh switches again. Taiji runs to ropes and throws Yoh out! Taiji BLASTS Okada and Wato off the apron while Gedo whips Yoh hard into railing! ELP hurries over to stomp Okada down! The ref reprimands but Taiji ROCKS Wato with a haymaker. Taiji rakes Wato’s eyes, but lets off as the ref reprimands. ELP ROCKS Wato, gives him a PURPLE NURPLE, ROCKS him again, then goes back to the PURPLE NURPLE! The ref reprimands, but Taiji gets in the ring.

The ring count starts as Yo and Wato are both down on the outside. The fans rally up as the count climbs, and we reach 10 of 20. Yoh gets in at 12 and fans applaud. Taiji CLUBS Yoh on the back, then brings him around to bump off ELP’s boot. Tag to ELP and he climbs up. Taiji holds Yoh as fans rally up, and ELP climbs down to the second rope. Then down to the bottom rope. ELP then hops down to CLAW Yoh’s back! Cover, TWO! ELP drags Yoh up to tag Gedo in. Gedo taunts Okada, then he CLAWS Yoh’s back! Yoh writhes and staggers away but Gedo eggs Yoh on. Gedo stands Yoh up to bump off both Taiji’s & ELP’s boots!

Gedo drags Yoh up and fans rally as Taiji climbs! Taiji jumps, then CLAWS Yoh’s back! Taiji CLUBS Yoh but Yoh throws forearms! Taiji kicks low, then he CLAWS Yoh again! Tag to ELP and ELP drags Yoh up. ELP suplexes and holds Yoh up! Fans rally as ELP holds until five before the SLAM! Cover, TWO! ELP clamps onto Yoh to CLAW his back slowly and painfully! Then ELP clamps on a SLEEPER! Yoh is fading! ELP puts on all the pressure he can, but Yoh fights his way up! Yoh throws elbows but ELP facelocks. Yoh wrenches out to ROCK ELP! ELP ROCKS Yoh, Yoh ROCKS ELP, repeat! Fans rally up as the forearms keep going!

ELP ROCKS Yoh, then eggs him on. Yoh ROCKS ELP and both men wobble. ELP fires off a flurry, but Yoh gives those all back! PURPLE NURPLE! ELP shows no mercy, but Yoh ROCKS ELP! ELP TWISTS then CHOPS! ELP runs, but Yoh handsprings to dodge! Mule kick and NECKBREAKER! Fans fire up while both men are down! ELP and Yoh crawl, hot tag to Okada! Fans fire up as Okada rallies on ELP with forearms! Okada whips, ELP reverses but Okada ducks ‘n’ dodges to CLOBBER ELP! Then Okada BLASTS Taiji and Gedo off the corner! Okada goes after ELP in the corner, drags him up, and fans rally as Okada whips corner to corner.

Okada runs in to back elbow, and then kick to DDT! Cover, TWO! Fans rally for “O-KA-DA!” as he waits on ELP. ELP rises slowly, Okada Alabama Lifts, but ELP kicks and flails! ELP CLUBS Okada on the back, tucks his arms in, but Okada back drops free of the CR2! Okada scoops but ELP slips off to CLAW Okada’s back! ELP wraps Okada up, torture racks, but Okada slips off! ELP ducks the discus to SUPERKICK! Fans fire up while both men are down! ELP crawls, hot tag to Taiji! The Bone Soldier snapmares Okada, into a NECK TWIST! Taiji then rolls Okada into the YES LOCK! Okada endures but Wato stomps away on Taiji!

Wato CLUBS away on Taiji until Taiji lets Wato go! Taiji throws body shots, then he whips Wato out of the ring! Taiji goes back to Okada and CLUBS away! Taiji runs, into a FLAPJACK! Fans fire up while Okada and Taiji are down! Okada crawls, hot tag to Wato! Wato springboards in but Taiji gets under! Wato swings on Gedo but Gedo catches him! Gedo holds Wato in place, Taiji runs in, but Wato BOOTS Taiji! Wato elbows Gedo, then he sends Taiji into Gedo! Wato whips Taiji to a corner, runs in, but Taiji puts Wato on the apron. Wato GAMANGIRIS Taiji away, then springboards to FLYING UPPERCUT! Cover, TWO!

Wato fires up and fans rally behind him. Wato brings Taiji up, waistlocks, but Taiji fights the slam! Taiji throws elbows, runs, but Wato gets under and around, NECKBREAKER DROP! Cover, TWO! Taiji is still in this but fans rally up behind Wato. Wato drags Taiji up, wrenches and then reels him in, MOUSE- NO, Taiji slips free! Wato whips Taiji to ropes, tilt-o-whirl scoops, but Taiji slips free! Taiji BOOTS Wato, but Wato SOBATS! Wato runs, but Taiji dodges to handspring, NEURALIZER! Fans rally up as both men are down! Taiji and Wato crawl, hot tags to Gedo and Yoh! Yoh rallies on Gedo with big forearms!

Yoh whips Gedo, Gedo reverses but Yoh ducks ‘n’ dodges to FLYING FOREARMS! Fans fire up as Gedo goes to the corner. Yoh runs in corner to corner to back elbow! Yoh scoops, SLAMS and then goes up to VADER- NO, Gedo avoids the drop! GEDO CLUTCH! Cover, Okada breaks it! ELP BOOTS Okada! ELP whips, Okada reverses and DROPKICKS! ELP bails out, Gedo kicks but Okada blocks! Gedo throws up the Too Sweet to his old friend, but Okada ROCKS him with a forearm! Yoh SUPERKICKS Gedo down! Yoh roars and fans fire up! Yoh drags Gedo up, underhooks, DIRECT DRIVE!! Cover, Yoh and team wins!

Winners: Kazuchika Okada, Master Wato & Yoh, by pinfall

The challengers have won! This is big momentum for them, but will this lead to new champions at WrestleKingdom?

Suzuki-Gun Finale: Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer, El Desperado & TAKA Michinoku VS DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Dangerous Tekkers!

This is it. After 11 years, this is the last match for the meanest faction in NJPW. Win, lose or draw, what will be next for the King of Pancrase, the Murderhawk Monster, the Rogue Luchador, Blue Playmaker, Japones Del Mal, Heel Master, the Submission Master and the Holy Emperor?

Even now, Lance Archer clobbers Young Lions at ringside! He again scares Milano Collection AT on commentary, then Suzuki himself makes his entrance. The introductions are made and the fans applaud. They clap for “SU-ZU-KI!” and the teams sort out. Suzuki himself starts against Taichi! The fans are thunderous already as these two circle. They feel things out, and then Suzuki dares Taichi to hit him. Taichi obliges with a CHOP! Suzuki nods, and he CHOPS back! Taichi smirks, he CHOPS again, but Suzuki CHOPS back! They go CHOP for CHOP, again and again, and fans rally up as the CHOPS go faster and faster!

Suzuki gets the edge and he eggs Taichi on! Taichi CHOPS, Suzuki CHOPS, and they keep going! Their chests are red already as both men snarl and grit their teeth! Suzuki grins and nods as he moves things to forearms! Taichi KICKS! Suzuki forearms, Taichi kicks, repeat! Fans rally again as they keep going, forearm for kick over an dover! Then they stagger and grit their teeth. Suzuki ROCKS Taichi but Taichi SOBATS! Taichi grins as he KICKS Suzuki in the chest! Fans fire up and Suzuki comes right back. Suzuki ROCKS Taichi, but Taichi BOOTS Suzuki! Suzuki’s up to BOOT Taichi! Both men are down and fans are thunderous again!

Taichi and Suzuki crawl for their corners, and they hot tag to Desperado and Kanemaru! Fans fire up as former tag partners tie up. Desperado headlocks, Kanemaru powers out, but Desperado runs Kanemaru over! Desperado keeps moving, but Kanemaru stays low. Desperado drops to a headlock, Kanemaru slips out to headlock back! But Desperado stands for a back suplex! Kanemaru lands on his feet to headlock and hit the takeover! Desperado headscissors, Kanemaru kips free, and Kanemaru avoids the arm-drag! Kanemaru drops down for a headlock and fans applaud their technical exchange!

Desperado fights up but Kanemaru grinds the hold. Fans rally, Desperado stands and powers Kanemaru around to headlock. Kanemaru slips out to headlock, but Desperado returns the favor. Kanemaru slips out again, but Desperado powers out to reel Kanemaru in. Kanemaru powers out and catches Desperado for a modified arm-drag! Kanemaru brings Desperado down for a headlock! Fans applaud this second exchange as Kanemaru grinds the hold. Desperado fights up, but Kanemaru tags Douki. They put Desperado in a corner, mug him, then double whip corner to corner. Douki runs in, Desperado dodges and he elbows Kanemaru.

Douki runs at Desperado again but Desperado sends him into Kanemaru! Desperado then hip tosses Douki away, and then sends Kanemaru into Douki! Desperado TOSSES Kanemaru out and he drags Douki up. Desperado bumps Douki off buckles and tags in Taka. Taka stomps away on Douki but Douki throws forearms! Taka eggs Douki on, Douki throws more forearms, but Taka pokes him in the eye! Taka whips Douki to ropes, Douki ducks ‘n’ dodges to RA- NO, Taka blocks the rana to drop down for a headlock! But Douki slips out to throw Taka down and tie up the arms, ITALIAN STRETCH #32! But Taka fights out to JUST FACELOCK!

Fans rally, Douki crawls for ropes, but Taka rolls him away! Taka goes for the facelock but Douki pops out the back to ghost pin! TWO! ITALIAN STRETCH #32! But Taka powers it to a cover! TWO, and fans fire up as Taka drags Douki back up. Douki HELL STABS Taka, but Taka CALF KICKS! Douki rebounds to LARIAT! Both men are down and fans fire up again! Taka and Douki crawl, hot tags to Archer and Zack Sabre Jr! These two step up and ZSJ gives shoulder bumps. Archer just leans into them. ZSJ puts his hands up to call for a test of strength, but Archer puts his hands up. Archer’s hands reach up much higher than ZSJ’s!

Fans rally but ZSJ asks Archer to bring his hands down to meet him halfway. They tie up, but then ZSJ breaks the holds to show off. Archer corners ZSJ, rushes in, but ZSJ gets around to EuroUpper! Archer shrugs that off with a middle finger. ZSJ EuroUppers again but Archer eggs him on! ZSJ throws more EuroUppers, and more, and more, and more! ZSJ runs, but Archer runs him over! Fans fire up and Archer looms over ZSJ. Archer grabs ZSJ’s arms and pulls them back! Archer digs his knee into ZSJ but ZSJ fights up. ZSJ fights but can’t turn it around onto Archer. ZSJ keeps trying, and fans rally up as ZSJ stands.

Archer still holds the motorcycle stretch on ZSJ, but ZSJ throws mule kicks at Archer’s leg. Archer pulls the arms, but ZSJ fights up! Fans fire up as ZSJ turns things around on Archer, but then Archer spins it right back onto ZSJ! ZSJ flips, kips, and wrenches out to a COBRA TWIST! Archer says nope, and he powers out to HIP TOSS! ZSJ staggers up and Archer has his hand at the ready! But ZSJ BOOTS the claw away! Archer catches ZSJ with his other hand! CHOKE- NO, ZSJ counters the slam into an ARMBAR! But Archer stays standing! Archer endures as ZSJ pulls on the arm and fans rally up!

Archer fights his way through the leg guard to choke grip! Archer drags ZSJ up, but ZSJ wrenches out to PELE the arm! ZSJ runs, but Archer follows to CROSSBODY! Tag to Suzuki! Suzuki stomps ZSJ around and brings him up. Suzuki throws knees, then forearms! He whips ZSJ corner to corner, runs in and BOOTS ZSJ! Suzuki snapmares, but ZSJ blocks the Penalty Kick! ZSU rolls but Suzuki rolls to avoid the heel hook! Fans applaud the standoff! Suzuki eggs ZSJ on so ZSJ steps up. ZSJ throws a forearm but Suzuki throws one back! ZSJ stands up, and Suzuki calls him a “Young Boy!” ZSJ ROCKS Suzuki in return!

Suzuki storms up to ROCK ZSJ! ZSJ growls and fans rally up! ZSJ ROCKS Suzuki, Suzuki ROCKS ZSJ, repeat! They go back and forth with fast and furious forearms! ZSJ EuroUppers, but Suzuki ROCKS ZSJ! ZSJ headbutts, headlocks, but Suzuki powers out. ZSJ comes back to catch Suzuki into a COBRA TWIST! But Suzuki fights it! He pulls hair, then pulls ZSJ’s arm, to switch the Cobra Twist onto ZSJ! Fans rally as Suzuki wraps ZSJ up, but then ZSJ slips free to get an IRON OCTOPUS! But Suzuki powers his way out of that, to get an ANKLE LOCK! ZSJ endures, reaches out, moves around, but Suzuki twists the foot more!

ZSJ rolls and escapes the ankle lock, but Suzuki blocks the O’Conner Roll! Suzuki then slips around to get a SLEEPER! But ZSJ slips out, goes under, trips Suzuki and body scissors to roll him over, EURO CLUTCH! TWO, and Suzuki has the SLEEPER! Suzuki’s team blasts ZSJ’s team off the apron! They all brawl outside while ZSJ endures the sleeper! Fans rally, ZSJ fights up but he’s so red! Suzuki spins ZSJ around, Gotch hold, but ZSJ fights the lift! Taichi gets in to AX BOMBER Suzuki down! Archer BOOTS Taichi down! Kanemaru runs in, but into a choke grip! But he WHISKEY MISTS Archer, then dropkicks the legs out!

Kanemaru dropkicks Archer down, but Desperado gets in to hit a BIG back suplex! Douki BOOTS Desperado, then slingshots, DAYBREAK! But Taka BOOTS Douki! ZSJ headbutts Taka! ZSJ scoops Taka but Taka slips out to poke him in the eye! Taka scoops, ZSJ fights that to snapmare and NECK TWIST! All eight men are down and the fans are thunderous again! Suzuki storms his way over to ZSJ and stomps him around. Suzuki also stomps Taichi! Suzuki stomps Archer!? They’re on the same team! But Suzuki stomps Desperado and Douki and Kanemaru, Suzuki is just after everyone! Taka tells “Boss” to stop, but Suzuki shoves him aside!

Suzuki stomps ZSJ, then stomps Archer! Taka tries to stop Suzuki but Suzuki SLAPS him! Suzuki swings but Taka dodges to SUPERKICK! Suzuki just grins as he stays standing! Douki stands up, and Suzuki SLAPS him! Douki fires off forearms! Fans rally but Suzuki eggs Douki on! Douki runs to LARIAT! Suzuki stays up, fueled by anger! Fans are thunderous again as Suzuki eggs Desperado on! Desperado throws a LOCO MONO!! But Suzuki stays up! Fans rally as Kanemaru BOOTS Suzuki! And BOOTS him again! And then DROPKICKS! Suzuki staggers but he stays on his feet! But Archer POUNCES Suzuki to a corner!

Red Shoes tries to restore order but Suzuki has a wild look on his face as he flounders back up. Suzuki grins as he eggs all of his followers on. Suzuki gets face to face with Taichi. Suzuki dares Taichi to do something, but Taichi is conflicted. Fans applaud as Taichi grits his teeth, and grabs the IRON FINGERS from his pouch! Taichi puts on Iizuka’s iron fingers!! Red Shoes says they can’t use those, but Suzuki shoves Red Shoes down! Suzuki tells Taichi to do it, so Taichi uses the IRON FINGERS FROM HELL on Suzuki!! Suzuki falls and Taichi is conflicted again. Fans rally as ZSJ brings Suzuki back up.

ZSJ brings Suzuki up, “THANK YOU, SUZUKI!” ZACK DRIVER!!! Cover, Zack’s team wins!

Winners: Douki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & The Dangerous Tekkers, by pinfall

And now that the battle is over, the faction gathers together around Boss Suzuki. They all had a part in defeating the Meanest Man in the World, and fans applaud for “SU-ZU-KI!” Taichi makes sure Suzuki is okay, and they hug it out. Fans applaud as the group helps Suzuki up to his feet. Suzuki then gets the mic, and he insists Douki says something? “You better say something, ya bastard.” Douki isn’t sure but he takes the mic. “I have the shortest history with this group. Only three and a half years, but because of joining Suzuki-Gun, I have grown.” Fans applaud, and Douki passes the mic to Kanemaru. “A good army, with good drinks!” Fans applaud Kanemaru’s very Kanemaru response.

Now Taka takes the mic. “Boss, this may be the last chance we have, so let me say this. Boss, thank you.” Taka bows and fans applaud more. Next up is Desperado, and he says, “I came to Japan becuse I wanted to be in Suzuki-Gun. I was able to be a part of it for a long while. I grew so much, and now it’s gone. I don’t know what I”ll do next, but I want to enjoy this moment while I can. I’m proud I was able to be part of such a fun army. Thank you so much.” Next is Archer, and he tells Suzuki, “22 years in professional wrestling. Over half of my career has been in Suzuki-Gun, 11 years. It has been an honor for me to wrestle in Japan. But it’s been a bigger honor to share the ring with you, my brother forever. Arigato gozaimasu.”

The fans applaud, and Archer hands the mic to ZSJ. “Seven years ago, Suzuki-Gun came to Pro-Wrestling NOAH. Everyday, I thought, ‘Suzuki-Gun, what a pain in the ass.’ But then, 18 months after, Suzuki-san, you invited me to come to Suzuki-Gun in NJPW. And it’s the best choice I ever made. Suzuki-Gun isn’t a team, Suzuki-Gun is a family.” Fans applaud that! ZSJ thanks Suzuki, and hands the mic to Taichi to finish up. Fans clap for “SU-ZU-KI!” “TA-I-CHI!” Taichi says, “Maybe we didn’t get the results other factions did, but we had something nobody else could hope to emulate. That’s why, make no mistake about it, we’re the best. Better than those before and those to come.

“These 11 years, it was only me and you that stayed together from day one. That’s half of my career, 11 years in Suzuki-Gun. From this moment on, looking back 11 years, I was rubbish then, and I will walk my own path now to make sure I don’t go back to the way I was.” Fans applaud, and Taichi says, “This was a damn fun 11 years.” Fans applaud again, and Taichi thanks Suzuki. The mic goes back to Suzuki, fans applaud, and he says, “I said what I wanted to say to each of you last week. Nothing more to add. But I will say my piece. 11 years ago, I made this group to help me invade NJPW and take the IWGP title.

“Now, this was Suzuki-Gun’s last match. Maybe it’ll be in a different form, but the goal hasn’t changed! I want the IWGP! Every single IWGP champion had better watch their heads, because I’m taking ’em! Heads will roll! Let’s end this our way. Stop trying to applaud us now, you morons! Stop laughing, you jackasses! All your hopes will be crushed. We’ll destroy everything and take what we want! For the last time, we are Suzuki-Gun! ICHIBAN!!” The army poses together with their banner, and snow falls. Wait, whose music is that? Suzuki-Gun wonders what is going on, and there’s snow falling. WAIT! TAKASHI IIZUKA IS HERE!

Fans can’t believe it, either, but the madman, the Deathmatch Demon, the Great Betrayer, heads to the ring! Kanemaru hurries to grab the leash, but Iizuka still gets in the ring! The others take hold of him so they can have one last group photo with him! Iizuka then breaks free, and he grabs the iron fingers! Iizuka runs away with the fingers! Guess those are truly retired now, too! Suzuki-Gun has one last fist bump, and Suzuki’s theme plays to truly bring this to a close. Will everyone in the ring be a lonely warrior from now on?

My Thoughts:

A really good event to finish the go-home to WrestleKingdom 17. Granted, I skipped a lot, but I’ve been very crunched for time lately. The Six Man Tag I did cover went about how I expected, with Gedo taking the loss so the various Faces can have momentum. Okada can probably overcome go-home math to take the world title from Jay White, but I can’t be sure about Yoh and Wato. Wato’s in the worst shape as he is in a Fatal 4, so someone else could win the title off Ishimori and Wato’s on the outside looking in.

And then we got a great 8 Man Tag main event, Suzuki-Gun got to have their kind of fun in that match, especially with how it closed having Suzuki fight all seven other men. We got great closing words from everyone, and a great surprise in Iizuka showing up. No more Suzuki-Gun, no more Iron Fingers, but endless possibilities for what all these guys do, other than THE goal of getting titles. Suzuki has his pick of the singles titles, he should call out no less than the IWGP United States Champion, whether that’s Ospreay or Omega after WK17.

My Score: 8.5/10