NJPW THE NEW BEGINNING USA REPORT (2/27): Radican’s results and analysis of Finlay vs. Rosser, KOB vs. Gates of Agony, Ricochet vs. Ishimori, Tsuji vs. Andrade

NJPW THE NEW BEGINNING USA PPV REPORT
FEB. 27, 2026
TRENTON, NJ
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD ON PPV

Announcers: Walker Stewart & Veda Scott

(1) FRED ROSSER vs. DAVID FINLAY 

The ref was checking Rosser’s boots and Finlay ran into the picture and jumped Rosser. Of course, the ref rang the bell to start the match. They went to the floor and traded blows. Rosser got a cable and used it to choke Finlay. Rosser tripped while coming off the ropes on Finlay, but ended up taking him down. They traded chops and Finlay’s chest was red. They traded strikes on the apron, but Finlay poked Rosser in the eye and shoved him into the ringpost. 

Finlay took control, but Rosser ended up nailing him with a big snap suplex into the corner. Rosser grabbed Finlay’s legs and snapped him crotch-first into the ringpost. Rosser tossed FInlay around the ringside area. He then ran him hard into the ring barrier. Finlay fired back and reset the count after cutting Rosser off. He lifted Rosser up in basically a deadlift powerbomb and ran him into the ringpost. WOW! Rosser took Finlay too the apron and dropped him back-first onto the mat. 

Rosser went for the crossface chickenwing and got it. Finlay struggled, but managed to escape. Rosser got the chicken wing again, but Finlay used his momentum to run Rosser into the corner to break the hold. Rosser went for a pinning combination, but Finlay rolled through and hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. That was impressive. Rosser fired back and hit a big powerslam for a nearfall. Finlay hit Overkill and it was good for the win. 

WINNER: David Finlay in 12:00. (***½)

Radican’s Analysis: Rosser and Finlay brought it with the hard-hitting action. Finlay was very impressive. HIs power moves look really good and Rosser sold them well. Finlay getting the win was a big surprise here.

Finlay got on the mic after the match. The fans chanted “Thank you Finlay.” He went to say something, but then tossed the mic down and the fans booed. The Knockout Brothers came out and posed with Finlay on the entrance ramp before he went to the back.

(2) TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. BOLTIN OLEG – Strong Openweight Championship match 

This is Oleg’s first appearance in the U.S. for NJPW. Oleg showed his power early, but Ishii returned the favor with a shoulder tackle. Ishii hasn’t defended the title since May of last year when he beat Drilla Maloney at Resurgence. Both men battled for position and Ishii eventually showed his power and lifted Oleg into a suplex for a two count. Both men started throwing hard chops in the middle of the ring. They picked up the pace and traded chops back and forth. They kept going and going and the fans fired up.

Oleg sent Ishii down with a chop and hit a belly-to-belly suplex, but Ishii fired right back with a German. Both men charged at each other and Oleg crumpled Ishii with a clothesline. Ishii got up and hit a Saito suplex and then both men collapsed. Oleg blocked a sliding lariat attempt from Ishii, but Ishii headbutted him down to the mat. Oleg lifted Ishii up a short time later and Ishii tried to fight out of it, but Oleg hit a short range Kamikaze for a nearfall. Oleg hit a pop-up F5. He then hit Kamikaze for the win.

WINNER: Boltin Oleg in 14:00. (****¼)

(Radican’s Analysis: This was a really good hard-hitting match that played well to Oleg’s strengths. Ishii is the perfect opponent to make Oleg look good, as he wrestles his style. The strike exchanges and power exchanges in this match were great.)

(3) RICOCHET vs. TAIJI ISHIMORI – AEW National Championship match

These two have never wrestled a singles match before. Ricochet sent Ishimori to the floor and hit a spaceman plancha to the floor. Ricochet then slowed the pace while working Ishimori over inside the ring. Ishimori fired back with a flipping kick off the ropes a short time later and both men were down on the mat. Ishii went for a flip dive over the top to the floor and got caught on the ropes, but Ricochet did a good job to catch him and make the move look like it still had an impact.

Ishimori got the bone lock. Ricochet tried to roll through, but Ishimori held onto it. Ricochet then picked up Ishimori and hit a northern lights suplex and then a brainbuster and a standing moonsault for a two count. He hit a standing SSP for another near fall. Ricochet hit a big clothesline, but Ishimori hit a poison rana out of nowhere. He then hit a Scorpion Death Drop variation for a nearfall. Ricochet ended up struggling with the work done on his shoulder, but he managed to get the win with the Spirit Gun.

WINNER: Ricochet to retain the AEW National Championship in 14:00. (***¼)

(Radican’s Analysis: This was good in spots, but the crowd never really got into it and they hated the finish.)

(4) EL DESPERADO & KUSHIDA vs. BUSTAH & THE BRAIN (Alec Price & Jordan Oliver) 

Oliver and Price jumped their opponents as they made their entrance and maintained the upper hand for a long period of time. Kushida cut off Oliver and hit a cartwheel dropkick to stop his momentum. Desperado and Kushida focused their attack on Oliver’s arm. Oliver finally made the hot tag to Price, who hit a missile dropkick on Kushida. He then hit a pop-up dropklick on Desperado.

Oliver tagged back in and went at it with Kushida. Kushida went for a handstand springboard, but Oliver turned it into a German. Desperado and Price tagged in and went at it. Price made a blind tag and both teams went back and forth. Kushida got wiped out and Desperado was about to take a super acid bomb, but Kushida ran into the ring and took down Price off the top to the floor with a hurricanrana. Everyone ended up down on the mat after a rapid-fire exchange.

Price blocked Pinche Loco and got a rollup for a nearfall. Price hit a combination of kicks and a springboard cutter, but Kushida broke up the win. Oliver tried to help Price, but Kushida held him back as Desperado hit Pinche Loco for the win.

WINNERS: Desperado & Kushida in 15:00. (***1/2)

(Radican’s Analysis: The action was good from start to finish, but it felt like the outcome was predictable,as Kushida and Desperado worked well together and had more of a plan of attack to win the match than Oliver and Price. Some of the fast-paced sequences in this match were really nicely executed.)

A video aired announcing that G1 Climax would begin on July 11 in Chicago.