NJPW THE NEW BEGINNING IN OSAKA 2014
February 11, 2014
Osaka Bodymaker Colosseum, Osaka, Japan
MATCH 1: IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The Young Bucks (CHAMPIONS) vs. Time Splitters (Alex Shelley and KUSHIDA)
Crowd were pretty hot to start, which is a good sign. Bucks struggled early on and Shelley took out Matt with a dive, before KUSHIDA hit a seated senton off the apron to Nick. The Bucks eventually managed to double team Shelley to get the advantage. Shelley took a big roundhouse kick from Nick and they teased a brief knockout, with KUSHIDA quickly breaking up the pin. Bucks were able to prevent a tag by knocking KUSHIDA off the apron. Shelley managed to fight them both off and get the tag to KUSHIDA, who ran through both Bucks. After hitting a dive over the posts onto Matt, KUSHIDA got a near fall on Nick after a splash/standing moonsault combo. Nick fought back but took a tilt a whirl DDT for another near fall, before the Bucks were able to break out some more double teams. Shelley escaped More Bang For Your Buck and after a flurry of moves Shelley got another close two count. Time Splitters hit a neckbreaker/moonsault double team which looked cool, but Nick pushed KUSHIDA onto Shelley to break the pin. Shelley then went for sliced bread and the Bucks countered it into the spike tombstone, but KUSHIDA broke the pin. In the end the Bucks took out KUSHIDA with superkicks and hit More Bang For Your Buck on Shelley to retain. Good way to start the show.
Winners via pinfall and still champions (13:06): The Young Bucks (***1/2)
MATCH 2: Katsuyori Shibata vs. YOSHI-HASHI
Poor YOSHI-HASHI.
Not that he helped himself. He attacked Shibata before the bell with his big stick and used a chair on his leg. Shibata of course responded to this by getting back in the ring and kicking the crap out of him. Shibata also used a boston crab, which is over as a submission in New Japan, since it’s used as a finish in matches involving the young lions sometimes. YOSHI-HASHI eventually fired up after getting slapped around. It didn’t last long though and Shibata finished him with the penalty kick soon after. Essentially a squash. Shibata promptly jogged backstage after the match as if he’d been in the middle of a phone call and had to put someone on hold while he beat up YOSHI-HASHI. “It’ll only take 5 minutes”.
Winner via pinfall (5:24): Katsuyori Shibata (*1/2)
MATCH 3: Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr.) vs. Bullet Club (Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows and Tama Tonga)
I skipped the Tag League and Wrestle Kingdom, so this is my first time seeing Gallows since his brief NOAH run. Or maybe one Aces and Eights match I’ve forgotten. He and Anderson are the IWGP Tag Team Champions now and defended the title against Archer and Smith on the Sunday Hiroshima New Beginning show. Suzuki also beat Tama Tonga on that show. They’re experimenting with doing ‘double’ PPVs, you see. One headlined by Tanahashi as Intercontinental Champion and this one headlined by Okada and the World Title. Interesting to see if they keep this format going forward.
Crowd were behind Suzuki-gun, as the hierachy of heels goes Bullet Club, Suzuki-gun, CHAOS. Suzuki didn’t even kick anyone for holding the ropes open for him. This started with Anderson and Archer fighting before the bell, then quickly broke down into a brawl around the ring. Things eventually settled down into an actual tag match. Anderson tried to chop Archer and had no effect which the crowd were into. Suzuki and Anderson traded counters before Davey gave Gallows a delayed vertical suplex. Buller Club hit a flurry of moves on DBS, before Suzuki-gun did the Dragon Gate ‘have everybody do a move in the corner, including the guys on the outside’ spot, with TAKA and Taichi getting involved. Archer and DBS then hit the Killer Bomb on Tama Tonga for the win, as Suzuki held Gallows in the corner. This was pretty much exactly what it needed to be, frenetic enough to be fun and the crowd were certainly into it. Suzuki hit one of the ring attendants and Tama Tonga with a chair after the match to prove he’s still Minoru Suzuki.
Winners via pinfall (7:54): Suzuki-gun (**3/4)
MATCH 4: Prince Devitt and Bad Luck Fale vs. Togi Makabe and Ryusuke Taguchi
Not sure when they started doing this, but instead of just muting people’s entrances when they don’t have music rights, they’re dubbing over replacement themes. Which is much less jarring. It’s fairly seemless if you’re not used to, say, Makabe’s theme. Taguchi recently returned from an injury suffered during last year’s Best Of Super Juniors. He’s changed his look and now has long green tights and gold boots. Very Eddie Guerrero circa Smackdown Here Comes The Pain.
Makabe started against Fale. When Devitt was in against Taguchi he kept taking cheap shots and running away, until Fale laid out Taguchi with a clothesline. Taguchi was worked over and Devitt put a hood on Taguchi at one point. Makabe made a comeback on Fale until Fale hit a samoan drop. Devitt missed a double stomp and Taguchi was tagged back in. As Taguchi went for the Dodon, Devitt grabbed the referee and Fale went for the samoan spike but Taguchi hit an enziguri and Makabe took out Fale. A clothesline to Devitt then set him up for a springboard dropkick. Devitt and Taguchi countered each other’s finishers before Fale splashed Taguchi in the corner and Devitt hit a double stomp. But Taguchi countered the Bloody Sunday with a roll up and got the pin over his former partner. Devitt and Fale attacked Taguchi after until Makabe ran them off with the chain. This picked up during the finishing stretch.
Winners via pinfall (9:54): Togi Makabe and Ryusuke Taguchi (**1/4)
MATCH 5: NWA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP #1 CONTENDERSHIP
Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. “Mr 1.9” Michael Tarver and BIG DADDY YUM YUM
The NWA’s very own Mr. Excitement Bruce Tharpe did the introductions for the NWA team before the match. First he had to get in the ring though and the crowd booed him every time he went to step through the ropes, which he milked for all it was worth before doing so. Glorious. This is wrestling. Also wrestling: Bruce Tharpe’s OTT introduction, the name BIG DADDY YUM YUM and Tharpe gleefully referring to him as weighing “two hundred, fifty eight pounds of pure milk chocolate”. At the Hiroshima show, Kojima defended the NWA Title over Big Daddy Yum Yum and Tarver beat Tenzan, who got busted open in a fluke accident where he landed on Tarver’s elbow.
The match was never going to live up to the pre-amble. Or Big Daddy Yum Yum’s ring attire. Or Big Daddy Yum Yum’s name. But anyway. Tarver and Yum Yum jumped TenKoji before the bell. The NWA team cut off Tenzan. Tharpe urging them on as they beat up Tenzan on the floor was a thing of beauty. Kojima made a comeback. Big Daddy Yum Yum selling Kojima’s chops in the corner might be a close third behind the name and the ring attire in the pro Yum Yum column. Kojima was cut off as well and Yum Yum blocked the lariat, but Kojima hit a big Koji Cutter to Tarver and brought Tenzan back in to make a comeback. Tarver hit the 1.9 punch to the chest and Kojima broke the pin. Tenzan ended up hitting a spin kick and they gave Tarver the TenKoji Cutter. Yum Yum saved but took a lariat, before Tenzan got Tarver in the Anaconda Vice for the submission. I enjoyed this far more than you, dear viewer, might and for that I don’t apologise. The match itself was perfectly acceptable at worse and certainly better than I expected it to be. Tenzan told Tharpe to bring the NWA Tag Champions to the next show and Tharpe had to be restrained from fighting Tenzan by Tarver and Yum Yum. Bruce Tharpe is my new favourite person in wrestling.
Winners via submission (12:55): TenKoji (**) (plus an optional extra *** for Bruce Tharpe)
MATCH 6: Yuji Nagata and Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Rolles Gracie and Daniel Gracie
The rematch the world was willing to wait for. Nagata has won the GHC Heavyweight Championship since the first match at Wrestle Kingdom. Everybody wore what I’m reliably informed are “gi”s for this match. Nagata’s gi would make a very snazzy dressing gown. Here’s the analysis of the match. They did MMA. At one point Sakuraba did a plancha. They did more MMA. Nagata put the armbar on and made his eyes roll back. Nagata hit a back suplex. The three pro wrestling moves they did got far more reaction than anything else because this was a pro wrestling show. Then one of the Gracies, I think Rolles (and Wikipedia backs me up on this), beat Sakuraba with some kind of submission. Give me Bruce Tharpe and Big Daddy Yum Yum over this any day.
After the match, Toru Yano came out and the crowd immediately woke up, because Yano is FUN and a pro wrestler. I assume he challenged them to a match and Iizuka marched through the crowd. He didn’t go after the announcer, he didn’t say anything. He just marched out, pushed some people out of the way and left. Better than the ‘match’.
Winners via submission (9:29): The Gracies (-**)
MATCH 7: Hiroshi Tanahashi and Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Yujiro Takahashi
Tanahashi beat Nakamura to defend the Intercontinental Title in the main event of Sunday’s show. After Yujiro and Liger started things off, the crowd were split when Nakamura and Tanahashi tagged in. Nakamura and Yujiro focused on Tanahashi’s arm, which was taped up. Liger made a short comeback on Yujiro, before Yujiro hit a clothesline and tagged in Nakamura, who’s brief interactions with Liger were enough to make me want a singles match between the two. Tanahashi and Nakamura went at it again towards the end before Yujiro took over on Tanahashi. As Yujiro went for Tokyo Pimps, Liger came in and hit a shotei. Shinsuke took out Liger but Tanahashi took out Nakamura. Yujiro then got a near fall on Tanahashi with an olympic slam, before Tanahashi escaped the Tokyo Pimps and hit a german suplex. Liger hit an apron cannonball on Nakamura, leaving Tanahashi to beat Yujiro with the High Fly Flow. Fun match.
Winners via pinfall (12:44): Hiroshi Tanahashi and Jushin Thunder Liger (***1/2)
MATCH 8: IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Kota Ibushi (c) vs. El Desperado
Ibushi won the title at Wrestle Kingdom. After the match, El Desperado made his first appearance and has since earned a title shot with a few victories. Oh and he carries a guitar around for some reason. He’s the former young lion Kyosuke Mikami, who was Namajague in CMLL for a while.
Ibushi forced Desperado to do the splits early on, before Desperado hit a tope con hilo. Desperado used a figure four but Ibushi made the ropes. Ibushi fought back and hit the corner moonsault to the floor. Desperado avoided a 450 and hit a spear. There was a cannonball in the corner and a second rope senton. Desperado missed a top rope senton. Ibushi hit a springboard top rope hurricanrana for 2. Desperado got Ibushi in a submission. He got a 2 count with a powerbomb and a closer 2 count with the Guitarra de le Muerta, which is basically the Vertebreaker but with one leg hooked. Crowd bought that as the finish. Ibushi hit a lariat and a sit out last ride for 2, before winning with a phoenix splash. Very move heavy match. The moves were fine, but there was virtually no story to it.
Winner via pinfall and still champion (13:35): Kota Ibushi (***)
MATCH 9: NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Tetusya Naito (CHAMPION) vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Crowd were roughly 100% behind Ishii. Forearm battle at the start which Naito actually won, to boos from the crowd. I guess Naito is NJPW’s Randy Orton. Ishii as the Daniel Bryan kind of works some ways as well. They both started to disrespect each other a little and Ishii finally got the better of the brawling. Ishii hit a series of headbutts in the corner and Naito retaliated with headbutts of his own. More boos for Naito. Naito started to take control and started to play up to the crowd as well as the match went on. Ishii hit a big superplex and fought back, but Naito didn’t back down. Ishii hit a powerbomb for two before Naito hit a german suplex and Ishii sold his shoulder big. Naito went on offense but slipped trying a top rope hurricanrana and sold his often injured knee. A tornado DDT hurt Ishii again and Naito followed up with a german suplex for 2. A big lariat from Ishii lead to another forearm battle. Which Naito ended by delivering a big slap. Naito hit a big top rope dropkick but Ishii wouldn’t go down. Ishii hit a last ride powerbomb for a near fall. A lariat then got a near fall that everybody bought was three. Partly because Naito barely kicked out at all. After a series of counters Naito hit a kick and they traded forearms again, before Naito hit a uranage for a one count. Naito missed the Stardust Press and Ishii hit another big superplex for 2. Crowd were red hot by this point. Naito got a near fall with a dragon suplex, before trading slaps. They both delivered headbutts and Naito managed to knock Ishii down. Ishii hit an enziguri for another near fall, before hitting a brainbuster to win the title. Awesome match and the right guy won. This was right up there with Ishii’s matches with Shibata and Tanahashi for me.
Winner via pinfall and new champion (23:42): Tomohiro Ishii (****3/4)
And now for the buffer match.
Oh.
MATCH 10: IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Kazuchika Okada (CHAMPION) vs. Hirooki Goto
Shibata accompanied Goto. They joined forces, or re-joined forces, after their match on 1/4. Okada had someone in his corner too.
That’s how you make an entrance. WITH AN ANIMATRONIC DINOSAUR AND A GIANT SWORD.
This started slow which was probably for the best after the last match. Okada took control after a running dropkick. Goto fought back after slamming Okada off the top. At about the 11 minute mark Okada dropkicked Goto off the turnbuckles to the floor, then hit a running boot over the rail and the hanging DDT off the rail. After Goto beat the count in, Okada hit the flying elbow and went for the Rainmaker, but Goto countered and hit a clothesline of his own. Okada ended up hitting a running low dropkick to Goto’s previously injured jaw. He applied the Red Ink but Goto got to the ropes with Shibata’s encouragement. Goto avoided the dropkick and hit a clothesline before trading forearms. Goto came out on top and dropped Okada across his knee twice before hitting the Ura Shouten for 2 and another drop across the knee from the middle rope for another 2. After a series of counters Okada hit the dropkick right to the face, but Goto countered the Rainmaker with a headbutt. Pointing to Shibata, he hit a penalty kick for a near fall. Okada countered the Shouten, another headbutt and a clothesline, hitting a dropkick to the back of the head and a tombstone before hitting the Rainmaker for the pin. The crowd were with them, but following the last match was always going to be tough. If you haven’t seen these two face other before, this was probably a better match. I’ve seen the headbutt counter to the Rainmaker so many times. Still a strong main event though.
Winner via pinfall and still champion (22:52): Kazuchika Okada (****)
After the match, Okada locked eyes with Shibata as he was checking on Goto and the crowd chanted for Shibata, so it looks like we might be getting that soon.