The winner here defines justice!

The House of Torture gets a rematch for the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team titles against Team Strong Style, Narita, Suzuki & Desperado! Will Darkness Fall on the Road to Sakura Genesis?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Tomohiro Ishii & Oskar Leube VS Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan; Henare & Khan win.
• Six Man Tag: YOH, Master Wato & Tiger Mask VS DOUKI, Taka Michinoku & Yoshinobu Kanemaru; Yoh, Wato & Tiger Mask win.
• Six Man Tag: Shota Umino, Toru Yano & Ryusuke Taguchi VS Bullet Club; Shota, Yano & Taguchi win.
• Six Man Tag: Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Tomoaki Honma VS The United Empire; The United Empire wins.
• Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS TMDK; LIJ wins.
• Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS SANADA & Taichi; Okada & Tanahashi win.
• NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Team Strong Style VS The House of Torture; Team Strong Style wins and retains the titles.

PLAY BY PLAY

Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS SANADA & Taichi w/ Just5Guys!

The Dream Team rides again, this time to take on the new bad boy duo! With the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match on the horizon, will the Ace help the Rainmaker gain momentum? Or will the Holy Emperor help the Cold Skull stay on a roll?

Tanahashi takes off his jacket and fans cheer for Tanahashi’s abs. The teams sort out and Okada starts against Sanada to give us a sample of their title match. The bell rings, fans rally and duel, “O-KA-DA!” “SA-NA-DA!” The two circle, stare down, then slowly approach. Okada backs away and the two circle again. They tie up now, Okada shoots in to waistlock but Sanada switches. Okada wrenches out to a wristlock, but Sanada reaches for ropes. Okada keeps him from the ropes so Sanada wrenches, wrenches and wristlocks back. Okada rolls, trips Sanada, and has a toehold. Sanada tries a chinlock but Okada pulls on the leg.

Sanada stays up, uses a leg to hook Okada, but now Okada clasps hands to fight the armbar. Sanada shifts to a short arm scissor, but Okada rolls back. Okada has a rear mount, then floats to a facelock. They stand, Sanada puts Okada on the ropes, but the ref calls for the break. Sanada lets off slowly but Okada dares him to do something. Sanada just pats Okada on the shoulder a la Okada himself. Fans rally up while Okada keeps his cool. The two circle and approach, and Okada kicks low! Okada headlocks and grinds Sanada down, but Sanada fights up. Sanada powers out to get the headlock in return.

Fans rally as Sanada grinds and Okada powers up. Okada powers out to DROPKICK Sanada down! Fans fire up, Tanahashi intercepts Taichi, and Okada puts on the MONEY CLIP! Sanada kicks and flails but Tanahashi sends Taichi into railing! Sanada crawls his way over, but Okada drags him back! Okada puts on more pressure, but Sanada keeps kicking his way around! Sanada reaches out, fights over, and gets the ROPEBREAK! Okada lets go in frustration and fans rally up again. Douki & Kanemaru coach Sanada up but Okada runs to tag Tanahashi. The Dream Team whips Sanada to a corner!

Tanahashi whips Okada in to back elbow, then Tanahashi adds a forearm! Tanahashi whips Sanada into a BOOT! Tanahashi hits a SLINGBLADE! Cover, Okada intercepts but Taichi still breaks it up! Fans fire up while Okada throws Taichi out. Tanahashi drags Sanada up, brings him into a full nelson, but Sanada fights it! Sanada powers the full nelson open, switches and full nelsons Tanahashi! Tanahashi breaks free, spins around, but Sanada suplexes to MAGIC SCREW! Both men are down and fans rally back up! Sanada stirs, crawls over, hot tag to Taichi! Taichi storms up to Tanahashi and gives him Kawada Kicks!

Taichi brings Tanahashi up to SOBAT! Tanahashi ends up in a corner, Taichi runs in to clothesline! Snapmare, and KICK! Taichi sits Tanahashi up, SEITI JUJIRO! Fans fire up as Tanahashi endures the Holy Emperor’s Tomb stretch plum, but Okada breaks it! Okada brings Taichi around to ROCK with forearms. Okada whips, Taichi reverses to HOOK KICK! Tanahashi runs in, into an AX BOMBER! Fans fire up with Taichi, “Let’s Go, Taichi!” but Tanahashi blocks the buzzsaw! DRAGON SCREW! Fans fire up as Tanahashi builds speed, but Taichi BOOTS him! SAI- NO, Tanahsahi fights! Only to swing into the clinch!

Tanahashi fights again, dodges the bomber, but Taichi turns slingblade into SAIDO! Cover, Okada breaks it! And he BOOTS Sanada! Sanada rushes back in to throw Okada out! Fans fire up as Sanada whips Okada hard into railing! Sanada pulls up floor mats!! The Cold Skull is seeing red as he brings Okada up, to PILEDRIVER on the bare floor!! Sanada then puts Okada in the SKULL END!! Okada is stuck outside, but Tanahashi victory rolls Taichi! THE DREAM TEAM WINS!!

Winners: Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi, by pinfall

The Ace pulls victory from the jaws of defeat! Taichi tells Sanada he can let Okada go, and he listens. Sanada was too focused on Okada, but their match will be 1v1. Sanada gets the mic to essentially tell Okada that this is pretty sad for the world champion. Young Lions help Okada stand and walk to the back, but will the Rainmaker be able to stand on his own against this newly determined and aggressive Sanada?

NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Team Strong Styles VS The House of Torture!

Ren Narita joined forces with Minoru Suzuki and El Desperado, and they took these titles from Evil, Yujiro Takahashi & Sho on their first try! But now, the King of Darkness wants revenge! Will the House of Torture prove Everything is Evil? Or will nothing stop the Son of Strong Style?

The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see which way the Road turns!

The teams sort out and while Ren is chomping at the bit, he lets the Rogue Luchador start against the Tokyo Pimp. Fans rally up with the bell, cheering for Desperado. Desperado and Yujiro circle, tie up, and Desperado headlocks. Yujiro BITES Desperado’s hand! Fans boo but Yujiro CLUBS the arm, then pie faces Desperado. Desperado CHOPS Yujiro! Desperado runs, into a BOOT! Yujiro runs in at the corner to BOOT again! Yujiro brings Desperado out to FISHERMAN- NO, Desperado wrenches out! Yujiro kicks low, runs, but Desperado goes the other way to CLOBBER Yujiro! Fans fire up and Desperado tags Suzuki.

Fans fire up as the Meanest Man in the World drags Yujiro up to ROCK him with forearm after forearm! Yujiro hits back, Suzuki throws another forearm, and fans rally up as they go back and forth. Suzuki ROCKS Yujiro, Yujiro wobbles but comes back! Suzuki ROCKS Yujiro again! Fans fire up as Yujiro BOOTS, and Suzuki BOOTS! Suzuki runs but Sho is there with a chair! Red Shoes reprimands but then Sho drops the chair. Yujiro grabs Suzuki and throws him out! Evil attacks, claws the eyes, and Sho still JAMS Suzuki with the chair! Fans boo, Desperado rushes over, but Yujiro kicks him first!

Yujiro keeps on Suzuki while Sho runs Desperado all the way to the far side. Also, if you’re confused why there are two Desperados, Dick Togo is wearing the mask the House stole from Desperado days ago. Evil sends Ren into the barriers in front of the crowd! Fans fire up as the action gets that much closer! Evil then goes after Yoh on commentary!? He sprays HOT on Yoh’s shirt! Then he ELBOWS Ren away! Yoh’s nice white shirt is ruined, but Suzuki beats up on Yujiro at the bleachers! Evil brings Ren up the stands, and SMACKS him off the east sign! Dick saves Yujiro from a piledriver! Yujiro DECKS Suzuki!

The fans boo as the House of Torture keeps beating up Team Strong Style all over ringside! Sho CHOKES Desperado with a chair! Evil JAMS Ren with another chair! Evil stands on Ren’s head, taunts him, and then whips him hard into railing! Yujiro and Suzuki continue to brawl, even as Red Shoes reprimands. Yujiro CLAWS Suzuki’s face ,but Suzuki kicks him back. Yujiro grabs a chair but Red Shoes reprimands. Sho and Evil distract Red Shoes so Yujiro can JAM Suzuki! Desperado goes after Dick because he wants his mask back! But he gets mugged by Sho and Evil! Ren returns, but he gets mugged, too!

Evil CLAWS Desperado’s back, Sho CLAWS Ren’s face, and Sho even picks on Yoh because they’re at the railing! Milano Collection AT has to keep Yoh back, but then Sho and Evil just mug Desperado. Sho whips Desperado into railing! Suzuki has a chair, but he decides not to smack Yujiro, and just kicks him instead! Suzuki KNEES Yujiro, Yujiro ROCKS Suzuki! Evil has Ren in a SCORPION DEATHLOCK! Sho JAMS Ren with a chair! Dick DECKS Desperado! Red Shoes reprimands and tells the House to get back in the ring already. Sho gets in Red Shoes’ face while also choking Ren with his foot!

Yujiro RAMS Suzuki into railing! Red Shoes tells the House to stop messing around already, they can’t win the titles on the outside anyway. Evil CLAWS Suzuki one more time, and Sho stomps Suzuki. Suzuki gets mad and eggs Sho on. Sho throws forearms but Suzuki still snarls. Evil CLAWS Suzuki’s eyes! Then he whips Ren into railing! Suzuki hits Sho back but Sho anchors him at the apron. Sho and Yujiro drag Suzuki back down! They stand on Suzuki’s head and neck while Red Shoes reprimands. The House lets off, Yujiro slides back into the ring, and Evil drags Suzuki up. Suzuki fights back but gets mugged by Sho and Evil! Sho and Evil whip Suzuki into railing!

Evil taunts Suzuki, but Suzuki fights back from below. Yujiro goes back out, he puts Suzuki back in the ring, and Yujiro stomps Suzuki more. Yujiro rains down forearms, but Suzuki just eggs him on! Yujiro throws down more, but Suzuki still eggs Yujiro on! Fans fire up as Yujiro BOOTS, but Suzuki sits up! Yujiro BOOTS, but Suzuki sits up! Yujiro drags Suzuki up, bumps him off buckles, and he fires forearms while Sho digs a boot in. Tag to Evil, Suzuki fights back, but the House CHOKES Suzuki with a merch shirt! Ren returns but Evil rakes his eyes! Evil throws Ren out, but Ren’s right back in!

Evil claws the eyes, throws Ren back out, but Ren returns again! Evil knees low, TOSSES Ren, and Ren stays out this time. Evil drags Suzuki to a cover, but Red Shoes refuses because of all the shenanigans. Evil stomps Suzuki, covers, ONE!! Evil is mad with Red Shoes but one is one. Suzuki eggs Evil on, but Evil claws his eyes and knees him low! Evil stomps but Suzuki just eggs him on! Fans fire up with Suzuki, but Evil CHOPS him down! Suzuki’s right back up!! Evil CHOPS again, Suzuki falls, but then rises again! Evil feints then CLAWS the eyes! Tag to Sho, he CLAWS the eyes! Ren attacks Sho!

Sho and Ren scrap, Sho CLAWS eyes, but Desperado returns! Sho kicks Desperado and throws him out, then does the same to Ren while Yujiro CHOKES Suzuki! Sho then goes after Suzuki and claws at his face. Sho stomps Suzuki in a corner but Suzuki just laughs! Sho CHOKES Suzuki with his boot! Red Shoes reprimands and Sho lets off. Sho dares Suzuki to hit him back and fans rally up. Suzuki has a wild look in his eyes, and he storms up to CHOP! Sho grins, Suzuki CHOPS again! Sho still grins, so Suzuki CHOPS! Sho CLAWS Suzuki’s eyes again! Sho runs, into a BOOT! Fans fire up as Suzuki heads for his corner!

Hot tag to- NO, Yujiro BLASTS Ren and Desperado! Yujiro DECKS Suzuki, and Evil tags in. Evil stomps away on Suzuki, brings him up, and scoops. Suzuki slips free to a SLEEPER! And then a BLINDSIDE FOREARM! Fans fire up as Suzuki crawls, but Yujiro runs back in! Ren & Desperado avoid the attack, and Yujiro turns around into Suzuki’s HEADBUTT! Fans fire up as both men are down! Suzuki crawls, hot tag to Ren! Fans fire up as Ren BOOTS Evil! And OVERHEAD suplexes Sho! Yujiro kicks and whips but Ren reverses to OVERHEAD suplex! Dick distracts but Ren goes after him! Ren puts Dick in the ring and Dick wants mercy!

Ren kicks Dick, whips him, and OVERHEAD suplexes him, too! Fans are thunderous for Ren as he sees the House is all on the outside. Ren dares Evil to get back in, but where’d he go? Ren goes out to search for Evil, and Desperado comes up from the other side. Desperado taps on someone’s shoulder? IT WAS EVIL! Evil was hiding among the fans! Desperado tricks Evil because Dick is wearing the same mask, and Desperado KICKS Evil! Ren and Desperado high five and Ren puts Evil in the COBRA TWIST! Evil endures but Ren throws him down. Ren then drags Evil up and brings him around the way.

Ren has a headlock as he brings Evil to ringside. Fans cheer as Ren puts Evil in the ring! The fans are thunderous as Ren drags Evil up and HALF HATCH BRIDGES! Cover, TWO! Fans rally behind Ren as he drags Evil up. Ren whips, Evil fights the suplex and CLAWS Ren’s eyes! Fans boo, Evil whips Ren, and surprise! The blue corner’s buckles are bare! Ren suffers the Bullet Club Special! Evil tags Sho and Sho drags Ren up to ROCK with a forearm! Yujiro holds Ren in place so Sho can ROCK and CHOP and- Ren BOOTS back! Ren elbows free, but Sho kicks low. Sho runs, into a WHEEL KICK! Fans fire up as both men are down!

Ren crawls, hot tag to Desperado! Desperado rallies on Sho with shoulders and elbows! Desperado whips to scoop and back suplex! Fans fire up as Desperado brings Sho up. GUITARRA- NO, Sho fights free and bends the fingers! Desperado kicks low, ROCKS Sho, and then eggs him on. Sho ROCKS Desperado but Desperado ROCKS Sho! Sho staggers, throws another forearm, but Desperado just smirks as Sho flounders. Desperado UPPERCUTS, gut wrenches, GUITARRA- NO, Sho slips free and shoves Desperado at the corner! Desperado stops, turns around, Sho SPEARS him down!

Evil and Yujiro BLAST Suzuki and Ren! The House drags Desperado up, whips him corner to corner, and Yujiro BOOTS! Sho FLYING FOREARMS! Evil LARIATS! Feed to the FISHERMAN BUSTER! Sho covers, TWO!! Desperado survives the onslaught and fans fire up! Evil and Yujiro go after Suzuki and Ren on the outside and Sho has a sinister look on his face. Sho brings Desperado up but Desperado punches free. Desperado ducks the haymaker, but Sho elbows the lift. Desperado tries again, SHINBREAKER to GROUND DRAGON SCREW! And then STRETCH MUFFLER! Sho endures but fans fire up!

Desperado thrashes Sho around, but Yujiro gets in. Only for Suzuki to catch him in a SLEEPER! But Dick gets in with the pimp cane! Dick CLOBBERS Suzuki and both he and Yujiro fall onto Red Shoes! Fans boo while Evil RAMS Ren into railing. Yujiro JAMS Desperado with the pimp cane! The House surrounds Desperado and they stomp away! Fans rally for Team Strong Style but the House puts one out. Evil drags Desperado up, Yujiro runs in, but Desperado BOOTS him! Evil whips Desperado into Sho’s LARIAT! Sho laughs, brings Desperado up, POWER BREAKER!! But it proved double-edged for Sho!

Sho crawls to cover Desperado, TWO!!! Desperado just gets an arm up! Sho is furious but the fans are thunderous! Sho covers again, TWO and Sho falls onto Red Shoes! Dick gets in and gets Desperado with the SPOILER CHOKER! Fans boo, but Suzuki PENALTY KICKS Dick! Suzuki DECKS Sho, but Yujiro and Evil attack! They double whip, but Suzuki dodges Evil to BOOT Yujiro! Suzuki BOOTS Evil, Evil rebounds, and Suzuki BOOTS him again! Fans fire up as Ren and Suzuki double whip Sho. Ren runs in to ELBOW! Suzuki runs in to BOOT! They feed Sho to Desperado’s SPINEBUSTER! Ren PENALTY KICKS!

Ren sits Sho up for Suzuki to PENALTY KICK! Desperado stacks Sho, TWO!! But into the STRETCH MUFFLER!! Evil runs in, but gets a SLEEPER! Dick gets on the apron but Suzuki BOOTS him down! Yujiro rushes in but Suzuki catches him for a COBRA TWIST! Desperado puts Sho in NUMERO DOS, this is a TRIPLE SUBMISSION PARTY! Sho reaches out desperately, Desperado wants that other arm, but Sho gets the ROPEBREAK! Team Strong Style lets off of the House and the fans rally up. Desperado roars, brings Sho up and reels him in, GUITARRA DEL ANGEL!! Cover, TWO!?!? Sho survives and Desperado can’t believe it!

Desperado says he’ll finish this now! Underhooks and PINCHE- NO, Sho fights free! Sho wrenches, bends the fingers, then shoves Red Shoes away so he can LOW BLOW Desperado! Sho tucks Desperado’s arms, STRAITJACKET PILEDRIVER!! cover, Suzuki breaks it in time!! Yujiro rushes in, CLAWS Suzuki’s eyes and throws him out! Fans rally for Desperado while Yujiro distracts Red Shoes. Sho gets his “Torture Tool!” Sho aims, but Ren intercepts! They fight over the wrench, but Evil grabs Ren! Evil drags Ren to a corner, Sho has his wrench! But Desperado hits LOCO MANO!!

Suzuki drags Yujiro down into a HEEL HOOK! Ren sends Evil into Dick! And then has the COBRA TWIST again! And Desperado has Sho again, for PINCHE LOCO!!! Cover, Team Strong Style wins!!

Winners: Team Strong Style, by pinfall (still NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions)

The House of Torture tried all the tricks they had, but none of it could stop the spirit of Strong Style! Will this finally end the King of Darkness’ attempts at ruling the Six Man Tag Division?

As for Team Strong Style, Suzuki gets the mic to say, “It’s not me. Today, let’s get Ren Narita to close this one.” Fans cheer that idea! The mic is handed over and fans cheer for “NA-RI-TA! NA-RI-TA!” Ren takes a moment, then shouts, “KORAKUEN~! OSU!!” Ren says that tonight, they beat the House of Torture. But there is still one person Ren has to defeat. OKADA!! He vows payback for that tag team loss in Nagoya! Because they ARE Strong Style! Ren Narita held onto the Six Man titles, but he is already aiming for the top! Will Okada have the title when he and Ren go another round?

My Thoughts:

A really good “Road to” event for NJPW, especially to follow up yesterday. Really good tag match from Dream Team, Okada & Tanahashi, and the Just5Guys leaders of Taichi and Sanada. What a great twist where Sanada has Okada down but Tanahashi snatches the win away. Sanada still stands tall over Okada so the math would continue to show Sanada isn’t winning on Saturday. A bit of a shame, because Sanada’s done so well for a long time, and the whole point of his story is that he was leaving LIJ to finally reach the top.

And really good stuff in the main event. It was a typical House of Torture match, though, with the chaotic brawling outside, the shenanigans all over the place, getting heat from the fans, and then there’s the cane and the wrench and the Spoiler Choker. And in the end, it doesn’t work out, Team Strong Style wins. The surprising thing is Ren wanting after Okada. To be fair, this is in response to their match in Nagoya during the New Japan Cup series, and how Okada is slowly becoming more and more obnoxious. In combination with Sanada having proven himself, I would love for Okada to explore this “Bully Okada” character without the title, the same way he was “Balloon Okada” a few years ago.

My Score: 8.6/10