{"id":36987,"date":"2017-01-01T13:09:19","date_gmt":"2017-01-01T19:09:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=36987"},"modified":"2017-01-05T16:07:59","modified_gmt":"2017-01-05T22:07:59","slug":"1230-njpw-axs-tv-review-kyle-oreilly-bobby-fush-ricochet-sydal-young-bucks-iish-vs-shibata-okada-vs-tanahashi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/01\/01\/1230-njpw-axs-tv-review-kyle-oreilly-bobby-fush-ricochet-sydal-young-bucks-iish-vs-shibata-okada-vs-tanahashi\/","title":{"rendered":"12\/30 NJPW on AXS TV Review: Kyle O&#8217;Reilly, Bobby Fish, Ricochet, Sydal, Young Bucks, Iish vs. Shibata, Okada vs. Tanahashi"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-2485352213\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><h3>NJPW on AXS TV Report<br \/>\nDecember 30, 2016<br \/>\nRyogoku Kokugikan Part 3 &amp; Hakata Starlanes<br \/>\nBy R.W. Andrews, PWTorch contributor<\/h3>\n<h3><b>Wrestle Kingdom 10 Sampler<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b><\/b>In preparation for Wrestle Kingdom 11, I\u2019ve decided to take a look at a sample of Wrestle Kingdom 10 matches that aired on AXS.\u00a0 Jim Ross and Josh Barnett are going to do the heavy lifting for us, so let\u2019s sit back and enjoy.<\/p>\n<h3><b>(1)\u00a0reDRagon (Kyle O\u2019Reilly &amp; Bobby Fish) (C) vs. Ricochet &amp; Matt Sydal vs. RPG Vice vs. The Young Bucks<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship Title Match<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Christ almighty how am I going to do this any justice?\u00a0 Screw it.\u00a0 Let\u2019s just dive in head first and see what happens.\u00a0 The match is opening the show, for Wrestle Kingdom 10 at the Tokyo Dome.\u00a0 And let me just say for those who haven\u2019t seen it.\u00a0 My God this is a huge building with over 25,000 in attendance.\u00a0 The stage setup is so lush, alive with color displayed on trons streaking in the style of an internet signal flanking the sides of one massive tron.\u00a0 The ramp itself is a good Hail Mary lob away from the ring, making for sweeping shots where the wrestlers are engulfed in a sea of fans.\u00a0 And as an added bonus, the long ramp leads to extended plays of each wrestler\u2019s theme songs.<\/p>\n<p>A brief cannon shot of fireworks shoot skyward to kick off the event.\u00a0 The Young Bucks are out first, tasseled and pantsed in a potpourri of colors, along with Cody Hall.\u00a0 Nick is riding Hall\u2019s shoulders to the ring.\u00a0 I\u2019ve yet to see Cody hall wrestle, and maybe it\u2019s the pedigree talking, but I can\u2019t wait to get that match.\u00a0 Roppongi Vice is out next.\u00a0 It is the team of Rocky Romero, who is wearing an eyepatch of himself wearing an eyepatch, and Trent Barreta greased up like a cast iron skillet.\u00a0 Next out is whom JR calls the \u201cgreatest tag team in the business\u201d.\u00a0 We get Matt Sydal, who I know by name only, and none other than f***ing Ricochet!\u00a0 Just seeing him walk out says two things.\u00a0 One, can he please sign a deal with New Japan full time.\u00a0 And two, how in the hell am I going to describe moves by a guy notorious for taking off interstellar to deliver acrobatic goodness?<\/p>\n<p>We get a quick-cut and the champions, reDRagon are in the ring.\u00a0 .5 seconds in and the Young Bucks, with Hall, have thrown everyone out of the ring.\u00a0 And here we go.\u00a0 Matt is in the ring with Fish, pounding away at Fish\u2019s head in the full mount.\u00a0 Tag to Nick for a double team hip toss and drop kick.\u00a0 Nice and smooth.\u00a0 The Young Bucks tag in and out, working over Fish as JR says, \u201cFish hasn\u2019t even had time to get his t-shirt off for God\u2019s sake!\u201d\u00a0 Fish back-elbows Nick, backdrops Matt outside to the apron for Kyle O\u2019Reilly to dropkick him to the floor, and gets a fallaway slam on Nick.\u00a0 Tag to O\u2019Reilly.\u00a0 ReDRagon trade off on kneeing Nick in the stomach before sending him to the ropes.\u00a0 Nick screeches the tires, shrieks for them to \u201csuck it\u201d, then tags in Sydal and he\u2019s out of there.\u00a0 Sydal leaps onto the ropes and hurricanrannas Fish, but O\u2019Reilly gives him some of the rough stuff &#8211; stiff kicks to the chest and a stomp to the back of the head.\u00a0 He\u2019s off to the ropes, but Sydal is right on his heels to clothesline him.<\/p>\n<p>Romero smacks Sydal\u2019s shoulder, jumps in for a European Uppercut, and tags Barreta for a double-team top rope stomp to the gut.\u00a0 Barreta plants two collarbone crushing chops to Sydal that put him down.\u00a0 O\u2019Reilly knees out of a vertical suplex, misses a leaping head stomp, but like the residual bounce on a trampoline, is back in the air to kick Barreta in the face.\u00a0 Beautiful enzuigiri by Barreta sends O\u2019Reilly staggering to the corner as Nick Jackson smacks him to become legal.\u00a0 Barreta elbows Jackson off the apron and hits a rough looking back suplex on O\u2019Reilly.\u00a0 JR: \u201cI thought the tag was made quite frankly.\u201d\u00a0 Hell, so did I.\u00a0 The Jacksons are huddled up outside with Sydal as Hall wraps his arm around Matt\u2019s shoulder to make for a cushier landing for Barreta\u2019s suicide dive.<\/p>\n<p>We get a quick-cut to the quick cuts of Ricochet\u2019s ankle breaking offense.\u00a0 He front-rolls under a Matt Jackson clothesline, then back to catch Matt\u2019s head and tosses him aside.\u00a0 Sydal back-elbows Matt into the corner for Ricochet to hit a flooooaaaating dropkick.\u00a0 The hangtime!\u00a0 Nick boots both Sydal and Ricochet in the guts, but is drop-toeholded into a low dropkick by Ricochet.\u00a0 Tandem standing moonsault\/indo (my call there) by Sydal and Ricochet onto Nick.\u00a0 Matt is in and tosses them aside as the camera pulls back to show everyone else huddled in small pockets around the ringside apron.\u00a0 Matt hits the ropes for momentum but is laced in the chest by reDRagon.<\/p>\n<p>They rush Matt \u2013 O\u2019Reilly backdropped onto the apron to Matt\u2019s right and Fish backdropped to his left.\u00a0 Fish flips past Matt and onto a cluster of bodies outside as O\u2019Reilly locks in an armbar over the ropes to Matt.\u00a0 Nick chooses to let his brother burn by the fire and flips over Matt and O\u2019Reilly and onto an even larger cluster of bodies that now includes Fish.\u00a0 He\u2019s up fast, superkicking O\u2019Reilly\u2019s face to finally free Matt.\u00a0 Romero gets into the ring, but just uses the ropes to plancha outside onto Nick.\u00a0 More huddles, everyone buddied up nice and close for Sydal to climb the top and hit a picture perfect, cover of the program if caught on camera right, arching moonsault onto everyone.\u00a0 Ricochet wants to show them how it\u2019s done for style points, but is tripped up by Hall who is lurking on the outside.\u00a0 Hall steps over the top ropes, snatches Ricochet up in the Razor\u2019s Ede, and lobs Ricochet onto everyone!<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-4051994837\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Hall rolls Ricochet back into the ring where Matt Jackson is waiting.\u00a0 Big buckle bomb in tandem with an outside enzuigiri from Nick.\u00a0 Matt is off to the races as Ricochet drops in a heap at the turnbuckles, darting corner to corner to land a cannonball while Nick\u2019s leg sweeps into shot for another smack to the back of the head.\u00a0 Senton by Nick, who somehow got the tag, gets a two.\u00a0 Sydal comes in to make the save, landing a Frankensteiner on Nick.\u00a0 Ricochet has some life left, hitting a Northern Lights Suplex on Matt that he rolls through and delivers an equally devastating vertical suplex.\u00a0 Ahh, this guy is so amazing in the ring!\u00a0 Ricochet and Sydal have Matt and Nick posted up against opposite corners, hitting clotheslines and dropkicks until Ricochet redirects towards the ropes, perches himself up high to hit a Shooting Star Press onto Hall.\u00a0 He actually leapt out of camera view before crashing back down to Earth!\u00a0 Back in the ring, Sydal hits a pump-handle slam on Nick as Ricochet hurdles the ropes from the apron to launch himself into a 450 splash onto Nick!\u00a0 He goes for the cover, but Matt pushes Sydal into the pinfall to break it up.<\/p>\n<p>Stereo slams to the Young Bucks by Ricochet and Sydal.\u00a0 They both head up top, and both get crotched on the turnbuckle by reDRagon.\u00a0 I\u2019ll let JR call what happen to Sydal by a carousel of offense from reDRagon: \u201cO\u2019Reilly with a running forearm.\u00a0 Fish with a running knee.\u00a0 Sydal not running anywhere.\u201d\u00a0 They hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker\/kneedrop combo onto Sydal.\u00a0 O\u2019Reilly hits rolling butterfly suplexes on Matt Jackson, followed by a butterfly DDT, comboed into a wheelbarrow suplex with Fish.\u00a0 It only gets a two thanks to Hall dragging Fish off of Matt and to the outside.<\/p>\n<p>They switch to an overhead shot of bodies laid out as Hall misses a running elbow on Fish after whipping him into the guardrail.\u00a0 O\u2019Reilly leaps off the apron and cracks Hall in the head with a knee that sends both men crashing into the guardrail.\u00a0 JR half-sings the O\u2019Reilly Autoparts theme as the Young Bucks try to hit a double-team suplex on O\u2019Reilly.\u00a0 Fish connects with O\u2019Reilly to try and suplex the Young Bucks as Sydal comes in to try to suplex Fish.\u00a0 Everyone is back to life and enters the ring, clinging to one another like crabs in a bucket while Romero runs around looking for someone to suplex.\u00a0 He decides on Nick, evening the scrum so the reDRagon\/Vice squad score the suplexes.\u00a0 I know it was supposed to be this awesome move, but it looked silly to these eyes.\u00a0 But that\u2019s just me.\u00a0 The redeeming quality was Barnett calling it a \u201csuplex scenario\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Romero dropkicks Sydal &amp; Ricochet, then hits a hurricanranna on Fish.\u00a0 ReDRagon are in opposite corners, as our The Young Bucks, leading to Romero running around and delivering clotheslines to each man.\u00a0 Sydal and Ricochet come in, but get double clotheslined by Romero.\u00a0 The crowd is cheering loudly for this.\u00a0 Meh.\u00a0 Barreta enters the ring for a leaping dropkick by Romero\/sliding knee by Barreta combo on Sydal for two.\u00a0 Sydal sneaks in a jumping knee on Romero that sends a plume of sweat and spit into the air.\u00a0 Sydal hits the ropes, but Barreta and Romero land dual jumping knees on him.\u00a0 Suicide Dive by Romero onto reDRagon outside.<\/p>\n<p>Romero comes back in just in time to join Barreta for a Canadian Destroyer and a Pele Kick by Sydal and Ricochet.\u00a0 They both head up top as Matt sneaks in to smack Sydal on the back, and hit dual shooting star presses that soared at the apex of the jump.\u00a0 GOREGEOUS.\u00a0 Matt glides under the ropes, tosses Sydal the hell out of the ring, and covers Romero for a two.\u00a0 Matt lifts Romero onto his shoulders, hits the running scoop-up somersault (Josh call) while Nick scrapes the skyline with a 450, and in one smooth movement Matt leaps up top for a moonsault.\u00a0 That was truly beautiful tag team offense.\u00a0 So inventive.\u00a0 So good for the three.<\/p>\n<p>Winners: The Young Bucks in 16:42 to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Championships<\/p>\n<p><em>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: Well I think WE\u2019RE all in agreement on six-man tags, but what about four team tags?\u00a0 It was fun.\u00a0 The offense was fun to look at and the chaos was fun to take in, but fun is the only adjective I can give it.\u00a0 The match was a starter\u2019s pistol, a loud bang to get the crowd ready for the marathon of matches to come.\u00a0 For that, I give it a thumbs up.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>We get a backstage interview with\u2026holy s- it\u2019s Shibata!\u00a0 He\u2019s wearing a black t-shirt that simply reads \u201cTHE WRESTLER\u201d in white block print across the chest.\u00a0 He talks about the Tokyo Dome and how every single match during the year is a step towards the Dome.\u00a0 Shibata talks about his prior attempts to dethrone Ishii and he knew that after those he would have to do better.\u00a0 As far as Ishii himself, Shibata says that Ishii is just as he seems and when they fight neither one of them are willing to give up.\u00a0 That\u2019s how Ishii versus Shibata goes.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3086545914\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h3><b>(2)\u00a0Tomohiro Ishii (C) vs. Katsuyori Shibata<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>NEVER Openweight Championship Match<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Oh that lovely opening to Shibata\u2019s theme and entrance!\u00a0 It\u2019s miraculous, perfectly setting the calm before the storm of war.\u00a0 KUSHIDA\u2019s spot atop my favorite wrestlers is fairly safe, but Shibata chips away at it every time I see him.\u00a0 There\u2019s something about his entrance, style, and demeanor that hits the sweet spot.\u00a0 And I\u2019m aware that I gush about Tanahashi\u2019s music every time I see him, but I would like to throw Shibata\u2019s in there for best in the business.\u00a0 As JR tells us that Shibata and Ishii have \u201ca history of stiff, brutal matches\u201d, Shibata walks out and stiff-arms the camera.\u00a0 Perfect timing.\u00a0 He looks intense as he walks down the ramp to the ring.\u00a0 Another great line by JR about Shibata.\u00a0 \u201cHe was bred to be a champion\u201d and \u201cI have compared him in look, and feel, the long ranging frame to the great Antonio Inoki\u201d.\u00a0 Hell, you don\u2019t even have to follow Japanese pro wrestling to know that name.\u00a0 Sirens!\u00a0 Dog barks!\u00a0 Ishii!\u00a0 Total bad ass stomping to the ring!\u00a0 That video package for him on the tron is sheer brutality.\u00a0 It\u2019s shot after shot of strong style violence.\u00a0 Ishii is coming to put in work, looking serious with his head up and eyes focused on Shibata.\u00a0 The two meet within inches of one another in the middle of the ring as Red Shoes grabs the belt.\u00a0 I\u2019m not a chant guy, but this is awesome.<\/p>\n<p>The bells rings and they sprint to the middle of the ring and begin slapping one another in quick succession.\u00a0 The slapping gives way to Shibata drilling Ishii over and over with forearms.\u00a0 Shibata misses a big boot, gets shoulder-tackled by Ishii, and narrowly slides out of the way of a diving clothesline.\u00a0 His sweeping kick to Ishii\u2019s head is ducked as the crowd erupts.\u00a0 There\u2019s such a big fight feel to this match.\u00a0 Shibata walks up to Ishii and points at his chin.\u00a0 Batsu game!\u00a0 Forearm by Ishii, forearm by Shibata, forearm by Ishii, forearm by Shibata, four more forearms and the camera cuts to Liger and Masahiro Chono at ringside.\u00a0 Wait, what?\u00a0 Go back, Man!\u00a0 Go back!\u00a0 The camera cuts back in time to pick up four stiff forearms by Ishii followed by a knee to the gut by Shibata and the Batsu is over.\u00a0 Tepid Batsu thanks to the camera cut.\u00a0 Shibata kicks Ishii while he is down and begins paint-brushing the back of his head with his boot.<\/p>\n<p>Ishii slams the mat and pops up to forearm Shibata.\u00a0 Snapmare into a hard kick to the back of Shibata\u2019s shoulders.\u00a0 Shibata thumbs his nose and rises to his feet.\u00a0 Awesome.\u00a0 Holy s-!\u00a0 Ishii plops down on the mat and tells Shibata to lay one in!\u00a0 Shibata does, and ouch.\u00a0 Shibata returns the favor and sits back down!\u00a0 Ishii lays one in and Shibata is back up.\u00a0 And now Ishii squats back down.\u00a0 Loud smack as Shibata\u2019s boot forces an agonizing scream from Ishii.\u00a0 They trade another round of sit and stiffs to the back!\u00a0 The last kick by Shibata dumps Ishii on the mat.\u00a0 Ishii groggily tries to get back to his feet and gets hammered by a knife-edge on the way up.\u00a0 The two trade chops before Shibata asks Ishii to keep em\u2019 coming.\u00a0 Jesus Christ they keep coming.\u00a0 Six stiff, ear-piercing chops drop Shibata to the mat.\u00a0 But Shibata kips up and delivers a bulldozing forearm the crumples Ishii to the mat!<\/p>\n<p>Shibata picks up Ishii, but is caught in a backdrop suplex.\u00a0 Ishii insults Shibata with a few kicks to the face and goes to town with chops and forearms in the corner.\u00a0 Ishii scores with a running clothesline in the opposite corner, but it fuels Shibata into a deluge of forearms and a running kick to the face.\u00a0 These forearms are being laid in hard guys.\u00a0 Really damn hard.\u00a0 Shibata traps Ishii in an abdominal stretch that is transitioned into an octopus hold.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t seen that move in ages and I love seeing it here.\u00a0 Ishii gets the ropes, but Shibata stays on him with kicks to the chest and laces-out facewashing to Ishii.\u00a0 Shibata lands punches, chops and forearms that fire up Ishii.\u00a0 He rocks Shibata with a thunderous forearm and Shibata is dumped in the corner.\u00a0 Facewashing by Ishii, talking tons of s- as he does so.\u00a0 Shibata pops up, screaming at Ishii.\u00a0 A HUGE forearm by Shibata sends Ishii on his ass in the corner!\u00a0 Back and forth we go.<\/p>\n<p>Floating dropkick by Shibata scores, but Ishii pops to his feet and clotheslines Shibata.\u00a0 Shibata is back up and dropkicks the side of Ishii\u2019s face and both men are down.\u00a0 JR: \u201cIt\u2019s a Tokyo Dome slobberknocker here tonight!\u201d\u00a0 Shibata hits a float-over suplex for two and transitions into a triangle.\u00a0 Beautiful stuff.\u00a0 Ishii tries to lift Shibata, but ultimately has to get to the ropes.\u00a0 Shibata boots Ishii in the arm and chest, but gets greedy on a big boot and is smacked by an Ishii forearm.\u00a0 Batsu game!\u00a0 Big boot by Shibata, clothesline by Ishii, big boot by Shibata, big clothesline by Ishii, another boot, another clothesline, another back and forth, German suplex by Shibata, German suplex by Ishii, big boot, clothesline, and they\u2019re both down!\u00a0 That was vicious as hell and a far batter Batsu than the first!<\/p>\n<p>Back to a full stand, Ishii lays in chops to Shibata\u2019s throat and hits a powerbomb for two.\u00a0 Ishii puts Shibata up top, but Shibata sneaks in a wristlock and drops Ishii\u2019s arm over the top rope.\u00a0 Ishii is quick to recover and the big man lands a missile dropkick from the top rope!\u00a0 JR: \u201cIt\u2019s like seeing an SUV do a dropkick.\u201d\u00a0 Ishii lands a clothesline but Shibata kicks out at one.\u00a0 Ishii mows down Shibata with a second clothesline, this time getting a two.\u00a0 Shibata counters Ishii\u2019s suplex with one of his own and both men stay down.\u00a0 Shibata is up first, keeping Ishii dazed with forearms.\u00a0 Ishii tries to kick Shibata, but it\u2019s caught and the one-time high flyer is devoured by a clothesline.\u00a0 Death Valley Driver by Shibata!\u00a0 Shibata locks in a choke, the camera picking up Ishii\u2019s face struggling for air as he slowly makes his way to the ropes.\u00a0 A PK is blocked by Ishii and he delivers a driving headbutt to the point of Shibata\u2019s jaw!\u00a0 Both men are down again and slowly struggle back to even footing.\u00a0 They square up after successive Ishii clotheslines and Shibata bashes his forehead into Ishii.\u00a0 Ow, ow, ow!\u00a0 It hit with a thick sounding thud.\u00a0 They collide forehead to forehead, both men wobbling backwards.\u00a0 JR: \u201cThis is obscene.\u201d\u00a0 Shibata lands a dropkick, but as he hits the ropes he gets upended by a BIG lariat.\u00a0 And another, folding Shibata on the mat for two.\u00a0 Shibata catches Ishii with a sick spinning back fist, but Ishii hits a Pele-esque kick!\u00a0 Amazing!\u00a0 Shibata punts Ishii in the chest, dumping him on his rear.\u00a0 PK!\u00a0 Oh my God it hit like a ton of bricks!\u00a0 1,2,3!\u00a0 We\u2019ve got a new champion!<\/p>\n<p>Winner: Katsuyori Shibata in 17:19 to become the NEVER Openweight Champion<\/p>\n<p><em>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: I think JR said it best when he said \u201cSeventeen minutes and nineteen seconds of hell!\u201d\u00a0 This was the most brutal match I have ever seen post-hardcore era.\u00a0 These weren\u2019t soft shots to the head, neck, and shoulders.\u00a0 Each strike hit flush and popped my speakers.\u00a0 Both men can take so much punishment that it\u2019s superhuman.\u00a0 Batsu All-Star match!\u00a0 That\u2019s the best way I can put it.\u00a0 It\u2019s not gruesome, so those with a quivering constitution can enjoy it.\u00a0 With that said, everyone within eyeshot of these words has to check this match out.\u00a0 And if you\u2019re a Batsu lover, DO NOT make the Batsu a drinking game.\u00a0 TORCH Tower has a good legal team, but not that good.)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><b>(3)\u00a0Kazuchika Okada (C) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>IWGP Heavyweight Title Match<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Oh the joys of being able to cover this promotion.\u00a0 Tanahashi looks amazing, decked out in a vibrant swatch of colors while air-guitaring along the walkway.\u00a0 Ok fine.\u00a0 You got me.\u00a0 I did a very slight air guitar of my own.\u00a0 I had to.\u00a0 It\u2019s like being told not to press THE red button.\u00a0 You gotta press it.\u00a0 The champ is out next with Gedo by his side.\u00a0 Cash floats down from the sky as somewhere off camera a Nifler is losing its mind trying to grab it all.\u00a0 JR compares this match to Stone Cold versus The Rock.\u00a0 I like where he\u2019s going with this.\u00a0 And you know Red Shoes is reffing this one.\u00a0 He\u2019s Mr. Big Stage.<\/p>\n<p>The crowd explodes as the bell rings and the men tie up.\u00a0 Okada backs Tanahashi in the corner, pats down his chest, and ducks a swipe from the challenger.\u00a0 Okada scores with a forearm and backs up.\u00a0 Tanahashi retaliates with a forearm of his own and the two back up from one another.\u00a0 I love the feeling out process going on.\u00a0 They square up in the middle of the ring and Tanahashi smacks Okada, but gets booted in the chin for the transgression.\u00a0 Okada\u2019s chinlock is reversed into a hammerlock.\u00a0 Wonderful chain wrestling between the two, switching in and out of holds until Tanahashi can get a headscissors.\u00a0 Okada gets out and works on a headlock.\u00a0 Tanahashi is out and slaps on one of his own, wrenching on Okada\u2019s dome.\u00a0 Tanahashi gets a shin-breaker on Okada and chopblocks his right knee.\u00a0 Tanahashi is savvy, so he stays on the injury, kicking and dropping elbows on Okada\u2019s knee.<\/p>\n<p>Okada eats a back elbow, but catches Tanahashi\u2019s cross-body into a tombstone.\u00a0 Tanahashi sneaks out, winding up on the apron as Okada springs off the second rope to deliver a dropkick that dumps Tanahashi outside.\u00a0 Okada gingerly rolls outside and Irish Whips Tanahashi up and over the guardrail.\u00a0 Glad to see the guardrails are getting more camera time.\u00a0 The hell with the bad knee, Okada runs after Tanahashi, clearing the railing, and hits a cross-body.\u00a0 Okada rolls Tanahashi back in before Red Shoes can get to twenty.\u00a0 Okada sentons back inside with style.\u00a0 Okada puts Tannish up top, but is booted to the mat.\u00a0 Tanahashi misses a front flip as JR says that Okada is staying one step ahead.\u00a0 He hits a running hip attack, scores with a DDT, kips up, and blasts Tanahashi with a diving European Uppercut.\u00a0 Nice combo.<\/p>\n<p>A big European Uppercut puts Tannish in the corner.\u00a0 Tanahashi sprints back and tries for a low dropkick to Okada\u2019s knee, but Okada moves out of the way.\u00a0 They exchange Irish whips and Tanahashi finally lands the low dropkick.\u00a0 Dragon screw leg whip by Tanahashi, putting his offensive focus on the knee.\u00a0 Okada rolls outside as Tanahashi hits the top turnbuckle.\u00a0 Okada catches him.\u00a0 They jockey for position, leaving Okada\u2019s leg exposed between the ropes and Tanahashi dragon screws it.\u00a0 He stays on Okada\u2019s knee, getting another dragon screw between the ropes.\u00a0 Slingblade on the apron!\u00a0 Gorgeous!\u00a0 Okada is down and out on the floor as Tanahashi goes up top and soars down with a High Fly Flow.\u00a0 Okada gathers himself to get in at 19.<\/p>\n<p>Tanahashi gets a scoop slam on Okada and hits the second turnbuckle for a splash on Okada\u2019s knee.\u00a0 Tanahashi fights for a Cloverleaf as Okada struggles mightily to reach the ropes and break the hold.\u00a0 Tanahashi continues to stay on the knee, wrapping Okada\u2019s leg around the ropes to dropkick it.\u00a0 They exchange pinfalls, leading to Okada getting a breather with a modified neckbreaker.\u00a0 The crowd roars as the two men get back up and trade forearms in a rapid fire Batsu.\u00a0 Okada is on point, landing four low dropkicks that ultimately lead to a two.\u00a0 Okada, bad knee and all, goes up top and hits a dropkick that jolts Tanahashi to the mat.\u00a0 He goes back up top one more time to hit the Macho Man elbow.<\/p>\n<p>Rainmaker\u2026misses.\u00a0 Tombstone\u2026escaped.\u00a0 Tanahashi strikes Okada\u2019s other knee with a low dropkick and dragon screws the right leg.\u00a0 Tanahashi catches Okada\u2019s dropkick and delivers the lowest dragon screw you\u2019ll ever see.\u00a0 It was inches away from the mat.\u00a0 Great stuff.\u00a0 Tanahashi locks on the Cloverleaf, modified by the looks of it, and drops down to apply pressure.\u00a0 Okada breaks it at the ropes after minutes in the move.\u00a0 Tanahashi hits a neckbreaker and is up quick to deliver a Slingblade.\u00a0 High Fly Flow, but Okada rolls out of the way.\u00a0 Okada plants Tanahashi into the mat with tombstone and calls for rain!\u00a0 And he gets it!\u00a0 And Tanahashi kicks out!\u00a0 Are you kidding me?\u00a0 This is crazy!\u00a0 Barnett says that Tanahashi is the first man to kick out of the Rainmaker.<\/p>\n<p>Okada goes up top\u2026and hits a High Fly Flow!\u00a0 1, 2, kickout!\u00a0 Okada goes for a second Rainmaker, but Tanahashi ducks and hits his own Rainmaker!\u00a0 Both men are down on the mat!\u00a0 This is insane!\u00a0 Okada is the first to his feet and gets kicked in the knee.\u00a0 Another kick is blocked, as is Okada\u2019s tombstone, and the Rainmaker is countered into a Slingblade by Tanahashi.\u00a0 Dragon suplex, perfectly executed, gets a two.\u00a0 Tanahashi hits the High Fly Flow to Okada\u2019s back.\u00a0 He goes up again as Okada rolls over, and hits it again!\u00a0 1, 2, kickout!\u00a0 Tanahashi is gasping for air, bewildered as he rolls onto his side to catch his breath.\u00a0 Tanahashi scrambles back to his feet and goes up top again.\u00a0 His High Fly Flow attempt is countered by a dropkick as the crowd loses their minds!\u00a0 Tanahashi fights out of a German Suplex and smacks Okada in the face.\u00a0 Okada answers with a textbook dropkick.\u00a0 The Rainmaker is missed, as is Tanahashi\u2019s Slingblade, and Okada hits a German suplex.\u00a0 Okada tries to roll it into a second, but is smacked for it.\u00a0 Both men drop to a knee, with Okada holding onto Tanahashi\u2019s wrist, and hits the Rainmaker!\u00a0 He\u2019s still holding on, belting Tanahashi with a second Rainmaker!\u00a0 And a third!\u00a0 1,2,3!\u00a0 What a god damn war!<\/p>\n<p>After the match, Okada has the mic and wants to say three things.\u00a0 His voice is echoing in the mic like \u201cToday-day-ay-y\u201d.\u00a0 First, he says that the IWGP isn\u2019t easy.\u00a0 If it was, he wouldn\u2019t have struggled as much as he did.\u00a0 He calls Tanahashi strong and tells him that they can do it again.\u00a0 That\u2019s a good deal for us fans right there.\u00a0 Secondly, he wants to raise New Japan to a whole new level and he\u2019ll take it there.\u00a0 And thirdly, he\u2019ll continue to liven up New Japan.\u00a0 Before Okada leaves up the ramp, he tells the crowd that he\u2019s going to continue to make money rain.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: Kazuchika Okada in 36:01 to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship<\/p>\n<p><em>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: I repeat, what a god damn war!\u00a0 I loved, loved, LOVED the deliberate pace of most of this match with Okada staying one step ahead and Tanahashi trying to keep up by working on the knee and slow the champion down.\u00a0 And Okada had that knee worked on the entire match.\u00a0 It was relentless.\u00a0 As was the pace of the final ten minutes.\u00a0 It was non-stop, no-breather, reversal-heavy insanity.\u00a0 There was no better way to end this match then the sequence where they hit each other\u2019s moves, ultimately having the champion win with having to hit his signature three times.\u00a0 Great challenger.\u00a0 Great champion.\u00a0 Great match.\u00a0 I love this promotion.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>FINAL THOUGHTS:\u00a0<\/strong> The four team dance was a spectacle, but a welcomed one.\u00a0 It\u2019s a nice way to kick off such a massive event.\u00a0 The NEVER Openweight match did not disappoint.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been waiting to see Ishii vs. Shibata and it was toe-to-toe snotboxing from pugilistic perfectionists.\u00a0 If that would have been the main event of the whole show I don\u2019t think anyone would have complained.\u00a0 How both men are still breathing to this day boggles my mind after seeing that.\u00a0 I\u2019ll say it again for those who are possibly within eyeshot as your friend is scrolling down the screen.\u00a0 Watch that match.\u00a0 Stop everything and watch it.\u00a0 The same goes for the main event.\u00a0 What a war.\u00a0 I could watch those two go at it once a year and be more than happy with the time I invested each time.\u00a0 And if you can\u2019t tell, I\u2019m pumped for Wrestle Kingdom 11.\u00a0 As should you.)<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for reading and kick a little ass this week why don\u2019t ya.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK&#8217;S REVIEW:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/01\/01\/1223-njpw-axs-tv-review-shinsuke-nakamura-yoshi-hashi-vs-styles-omega-tanahashi-vs-omega\/\">12\/23 NJPW on AXS TV Review: Shinsuke Nakamura &amp; Yoshi-Hashi vs. Styles &amp; Omega, Tanahashi vs. Omega<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-3874209956\"><div id=\"pwtor-2951299420\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>NJPW on AXS TV Report December 30, 2016 Ryogoku Kokugikan Part 3 &amp; Hakata Starlanes By R.W. Andrews, PWTorch contributor Wrestle Kingdom 10 Sampler In preparation for Wrestle Kingdom 11, I\u2019ve decided to take a <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/01\/01\/1230-njpw-axs-tv-review-kyle-oreilly-bobby-fush-ricochet-sydal-young-bucks-iish-vs-shibata-okada-vs-tanahashi\/\" title=\"12\/30 NJPW on AXS TV Review: Kyle O&#8217;Reilly, Bobby Fish, Ricochet, Sydal, Young Bucks, Iish vs. Shibata, Okada vs. Tanahashi\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35802,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,4345],"tags":[684,4016,91,683,303],"class_list":["post-36987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tvshowsandevents","category-njpw-on-axs","tag-bobby-fish","tag-hiroshi-tanahashi","tag-kazuchika-okada","tag-kyle-oreilly","tag-young-bucks"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2016\/12\/NJPW_AXS_logo.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36987"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37180,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36987\/revisions\/37180"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}