{"id":38872,"date":"2017-02-15T16:13:12","date_gmt":"2017-02-15T22:13:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=38872"},"modified":"2017-02-15T16:24:17","modified_gmt":"2017-02-15T22:24:17","slug":"njpw-world-pro-event-review-new-beginning-osaka-211-elgin-challenges-naito-ospreay-vs-shibata-tanahashi-vs-dragon-lee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/02\/15\/njpw-world-pro-event-review-new-beginning-osaka-211-elgin-challenges-naito-ospreay-vs-shibata-tanahashi-vs-dragon-lee\/","title":{"rendered":"NJPW WORLD PRO EVENT REVIEW: The New Beginning in Osaka 2\/11: Elgin challenges Naito, Ospreay vs. Shibata, Tanahashi vs. Dragon Lee"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-2029081940\" 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><b>The New Beginning in Osaka<br \/>\nFebruary 11, 2017<br \/>\n<\/b><b>Osaka, Japan at\u00a0Edion Arena<br \/>\nReport\u00a0by\u00a0<\/b><b>R.W. Andrews, PWTorch contributor<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s a new beginning\u2026 again.\u00a0 And God bless em\u2019, Kevin Kelly and Don Callis have made the trip.\u00a0 They gelled well in Sapporo, so I\u2019m expecting great commentary with a side order of sarcasm tonight.<\/p>\n<p>Edion Arena scales far more impressively than Sapporo upon first camera sweep.\u00a0 It\u2019s a large venue nearly blacked out on the perimeter while tracks of light shine down on the ring.\u00a0 One of my favorite parts of a New Japan show is how the rampway is decorated.\u00a0 I gotta say, thumbs way up for this one.\u00a0 Tonight the rampway is decorated with a ribcage sculpture of linear rounded bars offset from the ramp as rows of spotlights dance near its base.\u00a0 The main focal point is flanked on either side by three medallion-shaped NJPW lion\u2019s head banners.\u00a0 A large screen oversees it all, situated above the metallic thorax below it.\u00a0 And the first thing it displays as a gravelly voice speaks?\u00a0 Why the words \u201cTaka is Coming.\u00a0 Mother Fu**er.\u201d\u00a0 Naturally.<\/p>\n<p><b>Match#1 \u2013 Taka Michinoku vs. Henare<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll say it again, Taka Michinoku looks like he hasn\u2019t aged a bit.\u00a0 Even draped in the embrace of a terry cloth black robe, his athletic build stands out.\u00a0 Henare gets the Young Lion treatment &#8211; no flash entrance video with a generic NJPW logo and a no frills get-up of plain black trunks and black boots.\u00a0 He sprints to the ring, which might be a mistake given that Taka can still make the rounds at the same clip he did in the 90s.\u00a0 As Henare excitedly bounces side to side before the bell, Taka simply rolls his neck to loosen up while eyeing up his opponent with an unruffled expression.\u00a0 The bell rings and Henare screams towards the crowd, which is met with polite applause.\u00a0 They\u2019re probably thinking the same thing I am, but socially attempt to give the young guy a unified pat on the head.<\/p>\n<p>Henare gets the better of a potential tie-up, taking Taka to the mat and rolling back to a full stand with a wristlock.\u00a0 Taka rolls out, spins around Henare before putting him into a side-headlock takeover that Henare escapes.\u00a0 The crowd applauds the effort as Taka sucker-kicks Henare in the gut while Kelly informs us that Michinoku has the flu.\u00a0 Callis is also fighting the flu, as evident by a bassy voice trapped in the chasm of lungs backfilled with phlegm.\u00a0 Either that or he\u2019s covering for sucking down a whippet before the mics got hot.\u00a0 Henare answers a shove by Taka with multiple forearms, but the rally is cut short with a poke to the eyes.\u00a0 Excellent move.\u00a0 Taka gets a snapmare, rakes Henare in the eyes, and steps on his face.\u00a0 This type of offense is right up my alley, Guys.<\/p>\n<p>Taka whips Henare into the corner and strikes with a running knee to the face as someone in the crowd yells, \u201cHeeeeey\u201d.\u00a0 Taka gets a snapmare\/knee-to-the-face combo for two, snatching Henare\u2019s leg to roll him into a half-crab.\u00a0 As Henare drags his and Taka\u2019s weight to the ropes for the break, Kelly informs us that Iizuka will be replacing Lance Archer &#8211; who is out after suffering a herniated disc &#8211; in the upcoming tag title match.\u00a0 Yano\u2019s odds of escaping with his share of the title has increased tremendously.\u00a0 Henare runs the ropes, ducking multiple Taka attacks to hit a shoulder-tackle, followed up with two body slams and a suplex for two.\u00a0 Kelly: \u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to Bad Luck Fale returning to competition very, very soon.\u201d\u00a0 THESE are the breaking news nuggets I like to hear.\u00a0 He mentioned all of the Bullet Club returning, including Kenny Omega, but I\u2019m trying to give The Underboss more pats on tush than usual these days.<\/p>\n<p>Taka reverses an Irish Whip with a takedown that he transitions into a crossface, locking his hands together to peel Henare\u2019s head back.\u00a0 Henare stretches for the ropes to break it and fires back with a forearm.\u00a0 Taka feigns a forearm as Henare covers up, leaving his shin exposed for Taka to tap it like he was trying to sink a two foot putt.\u00a0 Awesome stuff.\u00a0 With Henare momentarily stuck tending to his shin, Taka hits the ropes, only to come back into Henare\u2019s awaiting Samoan Drop.\u00a0 Henare heads to the top rope, launching himself into Taka with a shoulder-block for two.\u00a0 Before Taka can recover, Henare reaches down to possibly grab for a Boston Crab, but leans into an eye poke and a triangle choke that is transitioned into a rollover pin for the win.\u00a0 He\u2019s trapped in tight, getting humiliated by Taka who keeps him pinned well after the bell has rung.<\/p>\n<p>Winner: Taka Michinoku<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2046849639\" 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><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: I know, I know.\u00a0 I gush over cheating tactics like eye pokes and eye rakes.\u00a0 Man, I don\u2019t know what to tell you.\u00a0 I just love that type of stuff in wrestling.\u00a0 The match itself was ho-hum, but it told an effective story of a young guy just trying to make it in this mashugana world while trying to learn the ropes at the feet of a master.\u00a0 Working with someone of Michinoku\u2019s caliber is a nice way for Henare to get better in the ring.\u00a0 That being said, I can\u2019t wait to see Taka in a big time singles match that goes ten-plus minutes.\u00a0 He is just so good in the ring, even when keeping it simple against a guy still getting his feet wet.\u00a0 As far as Henare goes, I\u2019m actually looking forward to watching him wrestle so I can see how he grows as the battle scars add up.\u00a0 His style isn\u2019t particularly what I enjoy, but you never know what a guy can adopt over the course of a career.\u00a0 Hell, I\u2019m sure you pros out there remember a young Nakamura\/Okada\/Naito and I\u2019m sure there were some bumps on the runway before they took flight.)<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Match#2 \u2013 KUSHIDA &amp; Yoshitatsu vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan &amp; Satoshi Kojima<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Damn, the second the rolling percussion of KUSHIDA\u2019s theme hits I felt my adrenaline spike.\u00a0 The crowd is applauding to the beat as KUSHIDA comes out with Yoshitatsu in his wake.\u00a0 Ok, I\u2019m going to do this one last time and I promise to put the gripe to bed moving forward.\u00a0 Yoshitatsu is doing the HHH thing, and I\u2019m sure there is a reason behind it.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t been in the game long enough to see Yoshitatsu doing Yoshitatsu, which is what I want to see.\u00a0 I like people to be themselves, whether in the real world or a creative endeavor.\u00a0 Why try to light a torch off of another person\u2019s spark?\u00a0 Be original.\u00a0 Be yourself.\u00a0 Simply put, don\u2019t let someone else\u2019s style ghostwrite your s-.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201cmusic is altered\u201d for Tenzan and Kojima, but while that plays Kelly runs down a long and impressive list of accolades from the veteran team.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t mined much of The World, but after hearing that list I really want to turn the headlight on and begin digging towards the core of their careers.<\/p>\n<p>Before the bell rings, Yoshitatsu holds KUSHIDA back so he can surprise Tenzan and Kojima with boots in the gut and forearms to the back. Yoshitatsu tosses Tenzan out as the bell rings, with KUSHIDA just standing idly by with the tag rope in his hand.\u00a0 I\u2019m a little surprised he let that type of unsportsmanlike conduct go unquestioned.\u00a0 Yoshitatsu stays in a rage, laying the bottom of his boot into Kojima\u2019s ribcage before tossing him into the corner to tag in KUSHIDA.\u00a0 I will say this, KUSHIDA got the tag and gave Yoshitatsu plenty of space before getting into the ring.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take that as a solid form of protest.<\/p>\n<p>KUSHIDA lays in two solid kicks to Kojima\u2019s ribs before the third gets blocked.\u00a0 KUSHIDA hits a snapmare, cartwheeling into position for a basement dropkick.\u00a0 Great camerawork catches Kojima holding his hands up as a last line of defense before his face puffs up when KUSHIDA\u2019s feet break through to tag him on the cheek.\u00a0 KUSHIDA starts to work on Kojima\u2019s arm, pinning it to the ground before stomping down on it.\u00a0 He tries for the Hoverboard lock, but Kojima counters with a suplex that snaps KUSHIDA\u2019s back to the mat.\u00a0 And good for Kojima, he gets up and decks Yoshitatsu off the apron.\u00a0 Kelly: \u201cThat\u2019s what you get, Yoshitatsu, for being a\u2026troublemaker.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tenzan gets the tag, joining Kojima for tit-for-tat Mongolian Chops to KUSHIDA.\u00a0 Kelly muses that he\u2019s paying for his partner\u2019s actions while the double-team continues.\u00a0 Tenzan covers for two, staying on KUSHIDA after the kickout with a Mongolian Chop and a chest chop in the corner.\u00a0 KUSHIDA tries to chop him back, but is met by a headbutt.\u00a0 Yoshitatsu tries to come in, which distracts the ref long enough for Tenzan to drop his knee into KUSHIDA\u2019s crotch.\u00a0 This partnership is not long for this world.<\/p>\n<p>Tenzan whips KUSHIDA into the other corner, following with a splash.\u00a0 KUSHIDA blocks a suplex attempt, runs to the ropes to generate speed, but gets headbutted in the stomach on the way back.\u00a0 He reflexively hits the Pele Kick, tapping Tenzan on the skull.\u00a0 KUSHIDA tags in Yoshitatsu, who shoulder-blocks Tenzan before trucking towards Kojima to shove him off of the apron and into the guardrail.\u00a0 He stays on Tenzan with some really well placed kicks to the chest, each one lacing louder than the next.\u00a0 He hits a wheel kick and covers, with Kojima coming in just to scream at Tenzan to kick out \u2013 which he does.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-1398700922\" 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<p>Tenzan backdrops Yoshitatsu and tags in Kojima, who drives Yoshitatsu into the corner.\u00a0 KUSHIDA runs in, winding up stacked in front of Yoshitatsu.\u00a0 Kojima gets the machine-gun chop on KUSHIDA, who tightens up his chest and clenches his teeth until Kojima is satisfied.\u00a0 Yoshitatsu gets the same treatment, but a little extra pop is thrown into the last chop as the crowd applauds.\u00a0 Kojima whips Yoshitatsu into the opposite corner and hits a splash.\u00a0 As Kojima climbs to the top, KUSHIDA hits a handstand kick which draws immense hatred from the crowd.\u00a0 Tenzan boots KUSHIDA in the stomach and tosses him into the ropes.\u00a0 KUSHIDA counters with a handspring back-elbow, turning the fickle crowd right back to his side.<\/p>\n<p>Tenzan rolls outside, followed closely by KUSHIDA.\u00a0 The legal men are left standing, with Yoshitatsu drilling Kojima in the pasties with a deadly collection of kicks.\u00a0 Yoshitatsu hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for two, followed up with a Pedigree that is countered with a cutter.\u00a0 Tenzan is back in, still hounded by KUSHIDA who hits a springboard missile dropkick to send him right back out.\u00a0 Yoshitatsu screams \u201cKojima!\u201d before strapping him with a clothesline.\u00a0 Kojima yells right back at him, daring Yoshitatsu to try it again.\u00a0 Yoshitatsu does, hitting the ropes for extra oomph, but as his arm extends out Kojima sickles the s- out of it.\u00a0 Then he sickles the s- out of Yoshitatsu\u2019s throat, decorating his neckline with sweat beads left by the imprint.\u00a0 Kojima covers and Yoshitatsu doesn\u2019t even move as the ref slaps the mat for the pinfall.<\/p>\n<p>Winners: Hiroyoshi Tenzan &amp; Satoshi Kojima<\/p>\n<p>After the match, Kojima goes to shake Yoshitatsu\u2019s hand, which is rebuked with a forearm to the face.\u00a0 They go back and forth before the ringside crew step in to break it up.\u00a0 Callis to Kelly: \u201cThat\u2019ll be like you and I later tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: Some praise for Yoshitatsu.\u00a0 His non-Levesque offense is pretty slick.\u00a0 He has amazing zip on his kicks and is really agile around the squared circle.\u00a0 So far I\u2019ve only seen him in traditional and six-man tags, but a nice one-on-one with say, Kojima, would definitely pique my interest.\u00a0 KUSHIDA got another night off, so hopefully he\u2019s resting up for the winner of Takahashi\/Dragon Lee.\u00a0 I think we can all agree that either matchup would be a pleasure to watch.\u00a0 This match was built off the backs of Kojima and Yoshitatsu, with Tenzan and KUSHIDA playing grab-ass in and out of the ring for most of it.\u00a0 Yoshitatsu and Kojima have an issue that needs addressing, so the match was successful in setting that up.)<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Match#3 \u2013 Hirooki Goto &amp; Yoshi-Hashi &amp; Jado &amp; Gedo (CHAOS) vs. Yuji Nagata &amp; Juice Robinson &amp; Jushin Thunder Liger &amp; Tiger Mask<\/b><\/p>\n<p>When Goto\u2019s heroic theme hits, the crowd applauds to the beat.\u00a0 That\u2019s how you treat a damn warrior!\u00a0 Jado and Gedo do a tandem pose, while Yoshi-Hashi and his cane pose together on the ropes.\u00a0 Goto gets the middle of the ring all to himself, with the crowd cheering the announcement of his name loudly.\u00a0 After having a war with Shibata and a very damn good match with Juice Robinson, I\u2019d say he deserves every single voice screaming for him.\u00a0 A smile has spread across my face as Yuji Nagata gets the star treatment &#8211; his entrance video and \u201cmusic is altered\u201d bringing out the troops.\u00a0 On a side note, I think I want a \u201cThe Blue Justice\u201d Nagata t-shirt complete with underside Nagata sketch.\u00a0 I\u2019ve really grown to love the guy \u2013 abhorrent after-hours behavior and all.<\/p>\n<p>Callis says that 2017 could be the year of Juice Robinson.\u00a0 Kelly echoes the claim after saying the names EVIL and my pick, SANADA.\u00a0 After the two sides have a parlay over who will start out, Nagata and Yoshi-Hashi earn the nods.\u00a0 Yoshi-Hashi sneaks in a kick to Nagata\u2019s stomach, followed by two louds chops to the chest.\u00a0 Bad move.\u00a0 Nagata snarls at him in a side-glance, forearms him twice, and kicks him in the chest thrice.\u00a0 He misses a boot to the face, which Yoshi-Hashi takes advantage of with a shoulder-block that gets him a thunderous round of applause.\u00a0 For that!?\u00a0 Ok, Edion Arena.<\/p>\n<p>Yoshi-Hashi lifts Nagata up for a suplex, but before he can even set his feet Nagata bats him away and drags him to the mat in a crossface.\u00a0 Nagata is so much quicker than he looks.\u00a0 Jado breaks it up, but it doesn\u2019t matter as Nagata locks in a modified armbar while glaring at the CHAOS corner.\u00a0 Goto runs in to break the hold, his body snatched up and sent outside within seconds.\u00a0 Nagata makes a move towards Jado and Gedo, but they clutch the top rope and lean waaaay back to give the man his personal space.\u00a0 Nagata tags in Tiger Mask as Yoshi-Hashi tags in Gedo.<\/p>\n<p>Gedo\u2019s arm gets twisted in a wristlock as he sashays in a circle screaming, \u201cHey, hey, hey, hey!\u201d to the crowd\u2019s delight.\u00a0 Gedo gets flung in an armdrag, yelling \u201cSon of a bitch\u201d at Tiger Mask as he stomps into another arm drag.\u00a0 I love a nice dose of Wet Bandit style buffoonery in wrestling when there\u2019s a parental advisory sticker slapped on the presentation.\u00a0 Gedo gets dropkicked out of the ring and ducks out of the way of a charging Tiger Mask.\u00a0 But Tiger Mask never flew, instead twirling into the ropes while Gedo was down.\u00a0 Jado jumps Tiger Mask, whipping him into the corner.\u00a0 Tiger Mask scales the ropes and leaps off with a crossbody to decommission whatever Jado thought he was planning to achieve.\u00a0 Liger gets the tag, palm-striking all four members of CHOAS before missing a running palm strike in the corner to Gedo and turning into a slap in the face.<\/p>\n<p>Gedo digs his fingers into Liger\u2019s eyes, pushing him into the corner for Yoshi-Hashi to tag himself in.\u00a0 Yoshi-Hashi hangs Liger over the top rope while Goto holds him in place for an incoming dropkick to the back of the head.\u00a0 He covers, but Liger is out at two.\u00a0 Goto gets the tag, bullying Liger into the neutral corner and banging his forearm off the side of his mask.\u00a0 Liger shoves him, yelling and pointing for Goto to try it again.\u00a0 Goto does, and Liger is fuming about it, bumping chests with Goto to push him back on his heels.\u00a0 Goto lobs Liger back into the corner before getting caught by a palm strike.\u00a0 Liger tags in Juice, who jumps into the ring to knock Yoshi-Hashi, Jado, and Gedo off the apron.\u00a0 With only Goto in the ring, Juice hits a second rope flipping stunner before running to the opposite corner and coming back with a cannonball.\u00a0 He covers, but Goto shoves him off at two.\u00a0 Goto reverses a suplex and hoists Robinson in the air for a neckbreaker to the knee.<\/p>\n<p>Goto tags out, which brings the rest of CHAOS in to clear the opposition from the apron.\u00a0 Robinson gets chopped in the corner, whipped into a Gedo superkick to the stomach, punted in the face by Jado, and receives a neckbreaker from Yoshi-Hashi.\u00a0 All of that leads to Juice kicking out of Jado\u2019s pin attempt at two.\u00a0 Jado tries to punt Robinson in the face again, but Juice scoots away and kicks him in the stomach.\u00a0 They have a mini-Batsu of chops and straight rights, ending with Robinson connecting solidly with a left jab and a senton before covering for the pin.\u00a0 Jado might have stayed down, but all three of the remaining CHAOS member\u2019s boots stomped down into camera view to break it up.\u00a0 It was a cool shot where Robinson picked his head up at the count of one and his eyes widened before the trio of boots stomped down on him.\u00a0 Robinson\u2019s teammates come in, toss the illegal men out for a rumble, and Robinson hits Pulp Friction &#8211; a.k.a. a leaping Unprettier &#8211; for the win.<\/p>\n<p>Winners: Yuji Nagata, Jushin Thunder Liger, Juice Robinson &amp; Yoshi-Hashi<\/p>\n<p><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: This is the Big Review of Apologies.\u00a0 I once compared Gedo to Salacious Crumb, but I\u2019ve really fallen for the older, wiser version of him.\u00a0 His offense is essentially a bag of shake \u2013 not much to it, but it gets the job done.\u00a0 The guy\u2019s in-ring and out-of-ring antics are superb.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>I\u2019m guessing that Robinson is going to get another crack at Goto, as demonstrated by him scaling the turnbuckles to make the \u201cthere should be a title here\u201d hand sweep over his waist.\u00a0 I think it\u2019s well deserved as he and Goto put on a really good match in Sapporo, leaving just enough on the plate to keep everyone content but not full.\u00a0 Kelly even referenced the upcoming New Japan Cup &#8211; which will be fun for me since I\u2019ve never seen one \u2013 where the winner can challenge for whatever title they damn well please.\u00a0 Overall, a nice easy day at the office for everyone involved.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Ahh, it just hit me.\u00a0 Taka Michinoku versus Yuji Nagata.\u00a0 Bang!\u00a0 There\u2019s the singles match I\u2019d like to see.)<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Match#4 \u2013 Kazuchika Okada &amp; Roppongi Vice (CHAOS) vs. Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru &amp; Taichi (Suzuki-Gun)<\/b><\/p>\n<p>So I\u2019ve seen one Suzuki match and am already smitten with what he does in the ring.\u00a0 My God what a wrestler!\u00a0 I even like his theme song, which fits like a static-cling blanket around a man so far removed from the operatic sway of the tune.\u00a0 I especially love when the crowd claps along before hitting the \u201cKaze ni nare\u201d line as one.\u00a0 Suzuki looks awesome on his way to the ring, booting the cameraman\u2019s lens out of his path as the towel draped over his head swings aside to reveal a deep scowl and menacing eyes shifting from one side of the arena to the other.\u00a0 As Kanemaru and Taichi follow behind their leader, another figure emerges.\u00a0 It\u2019s Taka Michinoku, sniffles and all.<\/p>\n<p>Okada\u2019s ring entrance hits and the beams at the rampway course purple volts of electricity.\u00a0 RPG are out first with smiles on their faces, to which Callis wonders if they know exactly what they\u2019ve gotten themselves into.\u00a0 Okada is decked out as you\u2019d expect, his robe flowing with flamboyant red and black designs pock-marked in the remnants of a glitter-bomb.\u00a0 As Okada heads to the ropes to pose, Suzuki clubs him in the back and pitches him outside.\u00a0 He follows after Okada, stomping him on the floor as RPG dosey-doe\u2019s their way to stereo splashes in the corner on Kanemaru and Taichi.\u00a0 Beretta uses Romero as a battering ram &#8211; knees up &#8211; to trounce Taichi.\u00a0 With Kanemaru and Taichi outside, RPG charge and weave between the ropes with dual dives.<\/p>\n<p>As RPG hype up the crowd, you can see Suzuki in the background peering from around the ring post with a look on his face like, \u201cWhat in the f-?\u201d\u00a0 He then turns his gaze to Taka while Beretta rolls Taichi in the ring.\u00a0 Beretta hits a Northern Lights suplex for two, which Taichi escapes by crawling to the corner with his hand out for the tag.\u00a0 He picks his eyes up to find Romero, says \u201cOh s-\u201c, and backs away into a Beretta chop that drops him to a knee.\u00a0 Beretta heads for the ropes, which is met by a knee to the back by Suzuki.\u00a0 Beretta turns to him, only to find himself caught in a hanging armbar within seconds.\u00a0 Suzuki is so dangerous.\u00a0 I absolutely love this guy.<\/p>\n<p>Suzuki lets Beretta go, only because he sees Okada.\u00a0 Not satisfied with the beating from earlier, he whips Okada into the guardrail as Kanemaru sends Romero into another section of the rails.\u00a0 Suzuki rips apart a long section of the railing and sandwiches Okada between it to give him a camel clutch using the rail for leverage.\u00a0 He clearly did not take the loss in Sapporo well.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Kanemaru is legal for a second before tagging Taichi back in.\u00a0 Taichi has the timekeeper\u2019s hammer, smacking Beretta\u2019s Medulla before raking the blunt end across his face.\u00a0 As Taichi throws it away, Callis tells Kelly, \u201cOh my God, Suzuki\u2019s coming\u201d, to which Kelly replies very quietly with, \u201cJust don\u2019t make eye contact with him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Taichi strips off his pants, whiffs on a sweeping kick to Beretta\u2019s head, and gets school-boyed for two.\u00a0 He tags in Suzuki, who cackles and locks in a heel hook.\u00a0 Okada jumps in and tries to kick Suzuki off of Beretta, but is dragged down to the mat and put into a heel hook with Beretta.\u00a0 Romero comes in to kick Suzuki off of them, but Suzuki just shoves Okada\u2019s leg away and drags Romero into the depths of a heel hook.\u00a0 This guy is unreal.\u00a0 Suzuki lets them go, laughing to himself about it, and kicks Beretta in the chest.\u00a0 Beretta gets up and chops Suzuki, who just looks at his chest and laughs.\u00a0 He says something to Beretta before smacking him across the face.\u00a0 Beretta catches Suzuki with an enzuigiri and scampers away to tag in Okada.\u00a0 He was probably thinking, \u201cDude, this is your fight.\u00a0 You get in there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Okada runs wild on Taichi and Kanemaru before running into Suzuki, who stops him cold with a boot to the gut.\u00a0 Okada hits a running elbow and a DDT, kipping up with a twinge of discomfort in his knee from repeated attacks in the past.\u00a0 He hits a running uppercut on Suzuki, pinning him for two as the crowd shifts gears with a loud \u201cO-ka-da\u201d chant.\u00a0 They better hope Suzuki doesn\u2019t hear that s- when his ears stop ringing.\u00a0 Okada slams Suzuki and slowly makes his way to the corner.\u00a0 Suzuki, like f****ng Samara Morgan crawling out of your TV screen, crawls creepily across the mat using only his feet and shoulder blades to gobble up Okada and elbow him in the knee.\u00a0 He hits a big boot in the corner, snapmares Okada into position for a running knee to the face, and covers while screaming to Tiger Hattori to \u201cCome on, come on, come on.\u201d\u00a0 Okada kicks out a two as Suzuki has a chuckle.<\/p>\n<p>Back to a full stand, Suzuki forearms Okada.\u00a0 Okada fires back, which is met by Suzuki patting him on the chest before cocking back and swinging a forearm to Okada\u2019s jaw.\u00a0 Okada retaliates, then Suzuki, then Okada, then Suzuki, then Okada, before Suzuki fakes a forearm and smacks Okada in the face before zippering his head up in a sleeper hold.\u00a0 Okada reverses, holding onto Suzuki\u2019s wrist to spin him out, but as he lunges for the Rainmaker Suzuki boots his arm away.\u00a0 Okada answers with a dropkick, coming up clutching his knee.<\/p>\n<p>Suzuki tags in Kanemaru as Okada tags in Romero \u2013 with Kanemaru running right into Romero\u2019s crossbody.\u00a0 Romero ducks a Taichi clothesline and catches him with a Hurricanranna.\u00a0 He smacks Taichi, which sends him backpedaling into the corner opposite a recovering Kanemaru, and hits Forever Clotheslines.\u00a0 Truth Time: Romero is growing on me.\u00a0 Beretta gets in, draping Kanemaru over the top rope for Romero to dropkick him.\u00a0 Beretta follows up with a running knee before Okada picks Kanemaru up mid-roll and drops him with a neckbreaker.\u00a0 Romero covers as Suzuki re-emerges to break it up.\u00a0 Okada tosses Suzuki out, leaving Romero one on one with Kanemaru.\u00a0 Romero misses Sliced Bread, which gives Kanemaru a chance to distract Tiger Hattori for Taichi to kick Romero in the crotch.\u00a0 Kanemaru lets Hattori go and hits a spinning DDT.\u00a0 He covers, but Beretta and Okada break it up.<\/p>\n<p>Suzuki gets back in, has a mini-Batsu with Okada, and locks in the sleeper before dragging Okada to the corner.\u00a0 He sits down with Okada still in his grasp, forcing him to watch as Taichi hoists Romero up for a Razor\u2019s Edge as Kanemaru comes off the top to hit a DDT for the win.\u00a0 As the bell rings, the camera pans to Suzuki who lets Okada roll out on his own as he flashes a satisfied grin.<\/p>\n<p>Winners: Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru &amp; Taichi<\/p>\n<p>After the match, Taka hands the IWGP Junior Tag Titles to Kanemaru and Taichi, who pose with it before beating Beretta over the head while Romero lays flat on his back.\u00a0 As they toss the belts aside, the camera pulls back to find Okada and Suzuki trading forearms outside.\u00a0 Okada throws Suzuki into the guardrail and limps away hugging his IWGP Heavyweight Title.\u00a0 With Romero being assisted outside, Suzuki walks over to him and condescendingly taps him on the head before taking his leave.<\/p>\n<p><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: Well, this s- isn\u2019t over.\u00a0 The match served well to let us know that Okada vs. Suzuki II is definitely happening, and RPG will have a date with Kanemaru and Taichi in the very near future.\u00a0 It was a chaotic match with not much in the way of law and order.\u00a0 Which made for a great match by the way.\u00a0 This is what a faction hell-bent on taking over New Japan should do.\u00a0 The hell with the rules when you\u2019ve got a message to send.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Now more about Minoru Suzuki.\u00a0 I love this man.\u00a0 He\u2019s that guy you never want to cross paths with and if you do he will make you pay dearly for it.\u00a0 His offense is just amazing.\u00a0 His presence is sinister.\u00a0 His mood swings in such a schizophrenic pendulum over the course of a match that it\u2019s downright dangerous.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing flashy about him, and that works perfectly given his demeanor.\u00a0 He just beats you up and has a good time doing so.\u00a0 And I loved the way he crawled backwards after Okada as the champ tried to catch a breath.\u00a0 Great stuff!<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Although I\u2019m warming up to Roppongi, I\u2019m so-so on Kanemaru and Taichi.\u00a0 Kanemaru is pretty good in the ring, but I haven\u2019t quite seen enough from Taichi to want more.\u00a0 But much like everyone else I\u2019ve questioned after only\u2026I don\u2019t even know\u2026TWO matches, I\u2019m sure there\u2019s some dynamic stuff in the pipeline.\u00a0 And hey, since he and Kanemaru are next in line for RPG\u2019s titles, I\u2019m sure that \u201csome\u201d will be on display sooner rather than later.)<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Match#5 \u2013 Hiroshi Tanahashi &amp; Manabu Nakanishi &amp; Ryusuke Taguchi (c) vs. SANADA, &amp;EVIL &amp; BUSHI (Los Ingobernables de Japon) &#8211;\u00a0<\/b><b>NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship Match<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The EVIL entrance video is so well put together.\u00a0 It\u2019s very stark, possibly filmed in the deep recesses of Aokigahara as a masked face &#8211; which in my mind casts allusions to Guy Fawkes &#8211; stares into the camera from various angles.\u00a0 The words \u201cEverything is EVIL\u201d are burned onto the screen in a crackle of grindhouse font.\u00a0 EVIL\u2019s laser light show focuses on the ceiling, strobing infra-green as the camera pulls back.\u00a0 The sickle needs to go, but other than that I\u2019m starting to get on board.\u00a0 BUSHI\u2019s mask has the makings of a great tattoo, though this skin will pass on the pleasure of ever feeling the needle.\u00a0 And SANADA is SANADA &#8211; looking terrific as always with his gun-smoke tinted mask and black baseball bat.\u00a0 Kelly about SANADA: \u201cOne of the finest, most gifted athletes we\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d\u00a0 Callis talks about SANADA\u2019s workout prowess, comparing some of his numbers to those used at the Combine.\u00a0 Hey, I could have told you that SANADA was a SPARQ score wunderkind, but now you\u2019ve got a seasoned voice telling you.<\/p>\n<p>Surprise, surprise, Tanahashi\u2019s new song brings out the champions.\u00a0 Oh, something tells me that there wasn\u2019t a coin flip to decide who got the go-ahead.\u00a0 On this team, whatever The Ace wants The Ace gets.\u00a0 I\u2019ll say this, Tanahashi should really use his influence to tell Taguchi NOT to come out dressed as EVIL.\u00a0 Nor should Nakanishi, whose swollen face can barely fit a mask akin to BUSHI\u2019s.\u00a0 But Tanahashi clearly kept quiet &#8211; in fact there might have even been a coup for the crown &#8211; as he\u2019s swept in Taguchi\u2019s whirlwind of madness coming out dressed as SANADA.\u00a0 He has on Aviators and is holding a green whiffle bat that he air-guitars to his song.\u00a0 Callis: \u201cWell, Tanahashi can get pretty much anything over, can\u2019t he?\u201d\u00a0 As the guys get into the ring, Taguchi removes his EVIL hood to reveal black eyeliner smeared carelessly under his orbs like a strung out street walker.\u00a0 As does Tanahashi.\u00a0 I think Taguchi might be leading these guys astray.<\/p>\n<p>When the guys pose in the middle of the ring, Los Ingobernables jump them, leaving Nakanishi the lone man in the ring.\u00a0 EVIL strips him of his shirt and smacks him in the face with it.\u00a0 The bell rings as SANADA and EVIL try for a double-suplex.\u00a0 Nakanishi drops his weight down to stall their progress, switching his arms for a double suplex.\u00a0 BUSHI rolls in and is quickly Torture Racked and tossed onto SANADA and EVIL outside.\u00a0 They mock the Los Ingobernables team building pose before Tanahashi recovers BUSHI from outside while Nakanishi tags in Taguchi.<\/p>\n<p>BUSHI sends Taguchi on a jog, back and forth from rope to rope until Taguchi wises up and hits him with a hip attack.\u00a0 Taguchi gets a snapmare, followed by multiple hip attacks and a tag to Nakanishi.\u00a0 Nakanishi hits three hip attacks and tags in Tanahashi.\u00a0 Tanahashi hits two hip attacks and tags in Taguchi.\u00a0 They clear the other members of LIJ off the apron as Taguchi sets himself on the second rope, his ass jutting out for Tanahashi to whip BUSHI into it.\u00a0 BUSHI takes the trip, but dropkicks Taguchi in the landing strip as SANADA and EVIL reenter to take Nakanishi and Tanahashi outside.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh God!\u201d Kelly and Callis scream simultaneously after a loud crash can be heard off camera.\u00a0 BUSHI peels the shirt off his own back and strangles Taguchi with it.\u00a0 The announcers yelp again, explaining that it was caused by EVIL horse-collaring Tanahashi and teeing off with another chair.\u00a0 It\u2019s a shame the typically spot-on camera crew missed that.\u00a0 It\u2019s always fun to see.\u00a0 SANADA gets the tag and packages up Taguchi\u2019s limbs, ala Jack Gallagher versus Tozawa in the CWC, and hits a basement dropkick to the rear.<\/p>\n<p>EVIL gets the tag and clears Nakanishi off the apron before hitting a senton for two.\u00a0 Taguchi fires three chops to EVIL\u2019s chest, which is met with one single stiff chop by EVIL that drops him flat on his back.\u00a0 EVIL scoops up Taguchi and whips him into the corner.\u00a0 Taguchi bats him away, but his hip attacks are thwarted by two inverted atomic drops.\u00a0 EVIL smacks him on the ass, causing Callis to mumble, \u201ca little slap and tickle there.\u201d\u00a0 Taguchi hits the ropes, finally scoring with a hip attack to put EVIL down.<\/p>\n<p>Tanahashi gets the tag and jumps into the fray with a flurry of hip tosses and flying forearms.\u00a0 SANADA and BUSHI whip him into the ropes, but Tanahashi hits dragon screw leg whips to everyone claiming LIJ.\u00a0 Tanahashi misses a Slingblade, but counters EVIL\u2019s fishermen\u2019s buster with a dragon screw neck whip.\u00a0 He heads for the ropes, but a swifter-by-the-minute EVIL upends him with a lariat.\u00a0 Nakanishi gets the tag, as does SANADA.<\/p>\n<p>Nakanishi spears SANADA, lumbering coast to coast with a clothesline to follow up.\u00a0 BUSHI and EVIL get back in, but dual hip attacks by Tanahashi and Taguchi drop them.\u00a0 The champs all do the \u201chooooo!\u201d and lariat the challengers.\u00a0 Tiger Hattori is completely neutered so far, not even trying to restore a semblance of law and order in this damn match.\u00a0 SANADA fights out of a Hercules Cutter attempt and reverses a suplex to counter with a Dragon Sleeper.\u00a0 Nakanishi powers out and racks SANADA as Taguchi and Tanahashi charge the ring to stop BUSHI and EVIL from interfering.\u00a0 With SANADA nearly snapped in two, Taguchi locks BUSHI in an ankle lock while Tanahashi turns EVIL over for a Cloverleaf.\u00a0 As Hattori gets way too close to see if SANADA wants to tap, SANADA grabs him by the collar and throws him to the mat.\u00a0 Nakanishi hits the Hercules Cutter, but Hattori is ice bag bound.<\/p>\n<p>Taguchi and Tanahashi both head out to crack open some smelling salt for Tiger, but it\u2019s too late.\u00a0 SANADA has recovered enough to flip out of a release German Suplex and evades a charging clothesline in the corner.\u00a0 The Los Ingobernables trio go on a mad fit of offense \u2013 hitting a lariat, a reverse backstabber, and a side suplex in succession.\u00a0 Taguchi breaks up the pinfall attempt and is chased out promptly.\u00a0 SANADA strips off his shirt as the Nagata contingent of female fans swoon loudly.\u00a0 He locks in a Dragon Sleeper, but Tanahashi gets back in to hit a Slingblade to save Nakanishi.\u00a0 EVIL gets back in, slamming Tanahashi down with a monstrous Blue Thunder Bomb.\u00a0 Taguchi rolls back in, covering ground quickly to hit EVIL with a hip attack.\u00a0 And one for BUSHI as the cameraman seemingly trips over his own feet as the image of the ring rocks violently back and forth before the lens settles on a ground-up view of the apron.\u00a0 They switch to Rainmaker Cam as Taguchi flies off the apron for a hip attack on EVIL.\u00a0 Nakanishi is still legal, his monolithic frame working overtime to get him to the top rope.\u00a0 Wait, what the hell is he doing up there?\u00a0 Son of a bitch, he flies off with a crossbody that absolutely engulfs SANADA!\u00a0 1, 2\u2026a mountain is moved!!!\u00a0 SANADA\u2019s body reappears with one shoulder scarcely lifted an inch from the mat!<\/p>\n<p>Nakanishi goes for another Hercules Cutter as Hattori parries backwards to stay away from SANADA\u2019s flailing limbs.\u00a0 SANADA gouges Nakanishi in the eyes to escape and runs towards Hattori who cowers into a tight ball at the sight.\u00a0 With SANADA causing the distraction, BUSHI hops onto the apron and sprays green mist in Nakanishi\u2019s face.\u00a0 SANADA locks in a Dragon Sleeper on Nakanishi as Hattori ventures up close and personal to find his face riddled with anguish and slathered in a green sheen.\u00a0 Nakanishi tries to hang on, put taps out as SANADA wrenches back on his head.<\/p>\n<p>Winners: SANADA &amp; BUSHI &amp; EVIL to regain the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships<\/p>\n<p>After the match, the bell is smacked ad nauseam as SANADA refuses to break the hold.\u00a0 With mist running down Nakanishi\u2019s face and neck, Tanahashi comes in to break it up, but gets hammered by an STO from EVIL.\u00a0 Damn it, I was really hoping that Tanahashi and SANADA were going to go at it to hint at a possible singles feud down the road.\u00a0 SANADA finally breaks the hold, only to go outside and tie up Taguchi ass-out in front of the Japanese announce team.\u00a0 How embarrassing.\u00a0 But f- it.\u00a0 Taguchi is the one who wanted to poke the bears.<\/p>\n<p><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: This was an awesome match.\u00a0 Although short, they crammed in so much insanity in the time allotted.\u00a0 Seeing Nakanishi take flight was a particular highlight, and kudos to SANADA for being willing to break his fall.\u00a0 Now THAT\u2019S paying your dues.\u00a0 The more I see SANADA, the more I\u2019m convinced that he\u2019s going to be a huge star.\u00a0 To be fair, it probably won\u2019t be as the baseball bat toting street tough, but the guy is incredible in the ring and he always leaves me wanting to see more.\u00a0 I\u2019m actually a little raw that we didn\u2019t get a prelude to a Tanahashi vs. SANADA feud, but one day if we\u2019re lucky.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>And yet again a referee gets abused.\u00a0 These guys should just come out in red shirts because you know their demise is coming somewhere after the climax begins to fall off.\u00a0 Oh, and those damn titles keep getting passed around like a joint.\u00a0 Keep it on LIJ for at least a fiscal quarter to build up some sort of intrigue in the chase.\u00a0 Or better yet &#8211; and this is just me spit-balling here &#8211; drop those belts down a garbage shoot and let a Dianoga have its way with them.)<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Match#6 \u2013 Katsuyori Shibata (c) vs. Will Ospreay &#8211;\u00a0<\/b><b>Revolution Pro British Heavyweight Championship Match<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Ospreay is out first, his music a little too Alexander Wright for my tastes.\u00a0 He ditched the Reptile haberdashery for a more understated black and gold sleeveless robe.\u00a0 Actually, whenever the word sleeveless can be used to describe a robe than I suppose it\u2019s not that understated.\u00a0 He flips into the ring with style, mandating the crowd to oooh and ahhh.<\/p>\n<p>Holy s- its Shibata.\u00a0 The arena permeates a blue hue as the camera zeroes in on Shibata\u2019s tribute to combat.\u00a0 He comes to the ring as you\u2019d expect &#8211; head low, eyes focused, belt gripped tight in his stride.\u00a0 He stands dead center in the ring, his gaze never wavering from Ospreay.\u00a0 Marty gets the call for this match, taking the belt from Shibata as the champion wipes his brow with his \u201cThe Wrestler\u201d towel and sidearms it to the ringside crew.<\/p>\n<p>Shibata and Ospreay start out in opposite corners, both posed low and leaning into an imaginary starting block.\u00a0 Ospreay thinks better of firing out full bore when the bell rings, instead popping up to his feet to meet Shibata dead center in the ring.\u00a0 Shibata stuffs Ospreay\u2019s single-leg before reversing a hammerlock into a wristlock.\u00a0 Ospreay pirouettes free, grabbing Shibata in a side-headlock before getting batted away.\u00a0 Shibata whiffs on a kick, as does Ospreay, and they separate to applause.<\/p>\n<p>Ospreay hits a low dropkick and wrenches on Shibata\u2019s leg.\u00a0 Shibata rolls to his side and shifts to a headlock takeover that Ospreay counters into a headscissors.\u00a0 Shibata gets out, pats Ospreay gently on the knee, and rifles a kick that Ospreay barely rolls out of the way of.\u00a0 They separate again to a round of applause.\u00a0 Shibata gets Ospreay into a wristlock and takes him to the ground, hooking the fingers as Ospreay yells, \u201cReferee!\u201d\u00a0 Shibata stays on the arm, slamming it to the mat before trapping it in a submission attempt that Ospreay is forced to break at the ropes.<\/p>\n<p>Shibata pushes Ospreay into the corner and throws swift, crisp forearms that sing a loud melody with each bassy thud to the face.\u00a0 He sprints for the opposite corner, possibly coming back with the floating dropkick, but Ospreay stays with him to hit a dropkick of his own.\u00a0 Shibata rolls outside, with Ospreay chasing on the apron.\u00a0 Ospreay takes two steps and effortlessly levitates skyward for a standing shooting star.\u00a0 He catches Shibata move away mid-flight, readjusting to land on his feet.\u00a0 Ospreay goes for a spinning wheel kick, which Shibata ducks, so Ospreay rolls his shoulders along the apron to land on the other side of Shibata.\u00a0 Ospreay slides back in, slamming the mat in frustration as he darts to the far side of the ring to come back with a Tope that drives the back of Shibata\u2019s head on the ramp.\u00a0 Nasty.\u00a0 Ospreay rolls back in just long enough to hit a handspring backflip over the top rope, with a tuck, and onto Shibata!\u00a0 He dives back in and squats down in the middle of the ring, mimicking Shibata\u2019s signature pose.\u00a0 Absolutely stellar.<\/p>\n<p>Shibata gets in at fourteen, met by Ospreay\u2019s boot.\u00a0 Ospreay hits a shinbreaker before rolling them both to the mat for a modified deathlock.\u00a0 Shibata props his upper torso in a push-up position, popping his palms against the canvas to circle around and grab the bottom rope.\u00a0 Ospreay positions Shibata in the corner and begins hammering him with forearms, a deluge that actually puts Shibata down.\u00a0 Ospreay picks up some extra momentum in the opposite corner and returns with a floating dropkick traced perfectly from Shibata\u2019s playbook.<\/p>\n<p>Shibata rises to his feet and hounds after Ospreay, who turns around and clubs him in the neck with a forearm.\u00a0 Shibata scratches the mark, gesturing for Ospreay to do it again.\u00a0 Ospreay fires off another round, with Shibata pointing at his neck again.\u00a0 Ospreay cocks back and drills Shibata in the neck full force, causing the crowd to \u201coooh\u201d as Marty flinches and winces at the sight.\u00a0 Shibata fires off his own salvo, tagging Ospreay in the face so hard that his knees buckle before he crumples to the mat.\u00a0 What a brutal shot!<\/p>\n<p>Shibata throws Ospreay into the corner, racing to catch him on the rebound with a kick to the face.\u00a0 He launches his attack, loading up on CompuBox stats with a volley of forearms that make Ospreay\u2019s arms dangle at his sides before falling seated in the corner.\u00a0 Shibata hits a floating dropkick, followed up by a suplex and a cover for two.\u00a0 He locks in an Octopus Hold, grunting as he tries to keep Ospreay from the ropes.\u00a0 Ospreay tickles the top rope with his fingertips, causing the break, which Shibata adheres to before punting Ospreay in the chest.\u00a0 Shibata tries for a release German Suplex, but Ospreay backflips away before lunging forward to lock his hands around Shibata\u2019s waist and hit his own release German Suplex.\u00a0 Shibata pops right back up!\u00a0 He tries for another release suplex, but again Ospreay flips free.\u00a0 Ospreay races for the ropes, handsprings off of them, and rotates midair to try and strike Shibata in the back of the head.\u00a0 Shibata catches Ospreay\u2019s foot, tucking it back against his stomach to ensure that Ospreay can\u2019t flip away, and hits a release German Suplex.\u00a0 Unreal!<\/p>\n<p>Both men are on their knees &#8211; eye to eye as they try to catch a breath.\u00a0 Ospreay hits Shibata on the cheek with a forearm.\u00a0 Shibata hits him back.\u00a0 They trade forearms to even footing, which suits Shibata\u2019s rangy limbs to a tee as he cocks back and drives his forearm against the side of Ospreay\u2019s head.\u00a0 He keeps firing, the sounds coming off of Ospreay\u2019s head reminiscent of Balboa sparring in a meat locker.\u00a0 Ospreay drops to his knees with his arms flopping by his sides as Shibata leans down to continue the assault.\u00a0 He hops to his feet, and in one fluid motion swings his leg around to paste Ospreay in the chest with a kick so hard that he flies through the ropes!<\/p>\n<p>Shibata goes outside to retrieve Ospreay, but the challenger grabs Shibata\u2019s arm and pulls him into the post shoulder-first.\u00a0 Ospreay screams and superkicks Shibata flush in the face, dropping him lifelessly to the floor.\u00a0 With Marty\u2019s count hitting its stride, a bewildered Ospreay frantically tries to lift Shibata\u2019s dead weight.\u00a0 The ref hits the teens and Ospreay hasn\u2019t moved Shibata an inch.\u00a0 He swivels his head around for something to help him, but as the seconds squeeze closer to twenty he desperately grabs Shibata\u2019s leg and rolls across his body, coming up with the champion in a fireman\u2019s carry to dive in at nineteen.\u00a0 That\u2026was\u2026amazing.\u00a0 Incredible ingenuity!<\/p>\n<p>Ospreay tries for a pinfall, but Shibata \u2013 after over twenty seconds of a nap \u2013 kicks out.\u00a0 Ospreay goes to the top rope to take flight, met by a groggy Shibata who stumbles into the corner and shoves his ankles to crotch him in a perch up high.\u00a0 Shibata heads to the second turnbuckle and tries for a key lock, but Ospreay frantically jabs his ribcage to escape between his legs.\u00a0 He reaches up on the way out, dropping Shibata\u2019s head to strike back with a superkick before slamming him to the mat and covering for two.\u00a0 Ospreay heads back to the top rope, long-jumping the ring to hit a flying forearm.\u00a0 Ospreay calls for rain!\u00a0 He spins Shibata out, but Shibata kicks him to break the lock on his wrist.\u00a0 Ospreay comes back with a kick\/uppercut combo before hitting a shining wizard to drop Shibata to the mat.\u00a0 He drags Shibata in the corner and scales to the top, diving off with an inverse Shooting Star Press!\u00a0 Holy s-!\u00a0 1, 2, kickout!\u00a0 Holy s-!!!<\/p>\n<p>Ospreay keeps the pressure on, hitting a 720 Shining Wizard to the back of Shibata\u2019s skull.\u00a0 As Shibata rises back to his feet, Ospreay springboards off the ropes to catch him with a cutter, but Shibata takes a step back and catches him in a rear naked choke.\u00a0 Ospreay begins to fade, but gets a sudden surge of energy to reach for the ropes.\u00a0 Shibata reaches out to pull his arm back and flips them both backwards in the air, landing near the middle of the ring as Ospreay\u2019s body is drooped over in a seated position.\u00a0 Shibata races towards the ropes and charges back at full speed.\u00a0 PK!\u00a0 1, 2, 3!<\/p>\n<p>Winner: Katsuyori Shibata to retain the Revolution Pro British Heavyweight Championship<\/p>\n<p>After the match, Shibata graciously shakes Ospreay\u2019s hand and bows to the crowd as they reward him with a respectful round of applause.\u00a0 The camera cuts to Okada who was on commentary for the match, nodding approvingly at what he got to witness front and center.\u00a0 Shibata lays the title out and squats down on the mat, his arms folded as he drops his head and closes his eyes.<\/p>\n<p><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: This is an unequivocal recommend.\u00a0 I was looking forward to this match the most and it did not disappoint.\u00a0 They never strayed from their styles, the contrast paying off with huge dividends as Ospreay\u2019s flash and Shibata\u2019s rabid physicality intermingled beautifully.\u00a0 Ospreay dazzled the crowd with up-tempo acrobatics while Shibata wowed them with strikes that even had Marty wincing.\u00a0 The suspense of watching Ospreay grind out calculations in his head on how to lift Shibata\u2019s lifeless body and beat the count was masterfully done.\u00a0 God damn, you guys.\u00a0 Matches like this one keep my quest to get back into wrestling not only alive, but thriving.)<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Match#7 \u2013 Tomohiro Ishii &amp; Toru Yano (c) vs. Togi Makabe &amp; Tomoaki Honma vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. &amp; Takashi Iizuka &#8211;\u00a0<\/b><b>IWGP Tag Team Championship Three-Way Match<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Pay homage.<\/p>\n<p>One half of the Killer Elite Squad and Iizuka are out first, with their 33.333333% odds of winning dwindling with each step Iizuka takes through the crowd.\u00a0 Davey Boy comes out wearing a pearl white robe, which I must say is a sharp look.\u00a0 Poor Taka gets the job of being Iizuka\u2019s handler, trying to lead him towards the ring.\u00a0 I think my assessment of Iizuka taking the old Dog Face Gremlin persona to its absolute apex was off the mark.\u00a0 I\u2019m retconning that with the new evidence brought to light that Iizuka\u2019s persona is just hot garbage and can\u2019t be saved.\u00a0 \u201cThe music is altered\u201d for Makabe and Honma, and you better believe I\u2019ve got the right Steiner in mind for Makabe.\u00a0 He shares the same wild, ready-to-snap glint in his eyes as one Big Poppa Pump.\u00a0 We get treated to Yano\u2019s exceptional entrance package.\u00a0 He comes out with a death-grip around the leg of a folding chair, which won\u2019t be enough to survive the Greater Rift awaiting his arrival.\u00a0 The only thing that could possibly save him is a weapon that fetishizes the feel of busting out enamel.\u00a0 Enter Tomohiro Ishii.<\/p>\n<p>Yano stiffens up immediately upon seeing Makabe and Honma running towards them, dropping the damn chair before they get jumped on the ramp.\u00a0 Iizuka shambles up the ramp to punch Honma and lumbers back to help Davey Boy roll Yano in the ring.\u00a0 They stomp Yano for a moment before Davey Boy, not showing the best game planning skill in the world, steps outside to make Iizuka the legal man.\u00a0 Yano gets whipped into the ropes, where he hangs on for dear life before leaping towards Honma and Makabe to tag out.\u00a0 They drop down, avoiding his hand and possibly an easy win by foregoing the opportunity to tee off on Iizuka.\u00a0 Yano gets choked on the mat and bails to the ropes to ask for a break.\u00a0 He runs Iizuka into Makabe and Honma\u2019s corner, finally tagging out with a smack to Honma\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 Kelly: \u201cYano doing what Yano does best, which is accident avoidance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Honma gets right in there and fires away at Iizuka, hitting him with forearms and a double axe-handle before missing a falling headbutt.\u00a0 Iizuka kicks Ishii off the apron before tossing Honma outside.\u00a0 He whips Honma into the rail, followed by Smith tossing him into it a second time.\u00a0 Iizuka reaches under the stash spot and pulls out a chair to smack Honma across the back with it.\u00a0 Marty\u2019s count starts about a minute in, so Smith gets Honma back in the ring at like 3 \u00bd, give or take a second.<\/p>\n<p>Iizuka gnaws at Honma\u2019s head before finally, thankfully tagging in Smith.\u00a0 Smith hits a wonderful suplex on Honma before wrenching back on his leg.\u00a0 He deadlifts Honma in a Stretched Muffler submission while carrying him to the corner to tag Iizuka back in.\u00a0 Game plan, Junior.\u00a0 Game plan.\u00a0 Iizuka grabs a rope from his boot and chokes Honma before Marty breaks it up.\u00a0 As Marty fights to pull the rope from Iizuka\u2019s hand, Yano belts it into the ring to grab Iizuka by the dog collar and bring him closer to Ishii so he can tag in.\u00a0 Yano pitches Iizuka outside, which may very well be his only show of strength in the match.\u00a0 Ishii cocks back and chops Honma in the chest, leaving a heavy-handed imprint on his skin.\u00a0 He hits a clothesline in the corner and goes on a forearm\/chop spree before turning to Makabe and lobbing a loogie in his direction.\u00a0 That cage door is always open for the bird to return home, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n<p>Yano gets the tag and is immediately shoulder-tackled.\u00a0 As Honma reaches to tag in Makabe, Ishii races across the ring to knock Makabe out of range.\u00a0 Honma misses a falling headbutt on Ishii, but hits Yano with it.\u00a0 Honma gets the tag to Makabe, making the threat to the titles imminent.\u00a0 Makabe shoulder-tackles Yano before forearming Suzuki-Gun off the apron.\u00a0 He unleashes a right hook on Yano, but Ishii blindsides him with a club to the back.\u00a0 Makabe reverses an Irish Whip by Ishii and hits a pair of forever lariats on the champs, ending with a speeding freight train of a lariat that pops Ishii into the air like he\u2019s being set up for a juggle combo.\u00a0 Makabe gets a ten-punch on Yano and laughs to the crowd as Iizuka forces his presence back into the match.<\/p>\n<p>He and Yano collaborate to eat a double lariat before Makabe sends a right hook into Yano\u2019s cheek and screams \u201cF- you\u201d at him.\u00a0 He heads for the ropes, but Yano stops him by snatching a fistful of hair, twice.\u00a0 Yano, displaying eyes in the back of his head, ducks a Makabe lariat, but gets leveled by a second attempt.\u00a0 Honma clears Ishii off the apron and sets up on the top rope for a diving headbutt.\u00a0 Makabe whips him into the corner\u2026and Honma hits it!\u00a0 Yano staggers back into Makabe, who hits a bridging German Suplex for a reaaally sloooow twoooo cooount byyyy Maaaartyyyy.<\/p>\n<p>Honma and Makabe unload on Yano with lariats and a low headbutt, keeping Ishii on the outskirts as they attack.\u00a0 Makabe goes up top for the King Kong Kneedrop, but Iizuka stops him.\u00a0 Ishii hits a side suplex to Honma and races up to meet Makabe for a second-rope stalling vertical superplex.\u00a0 Makabe pops right back up and the two men growl at one another before colliding with dueling lariats.\u00a0 Ishii clotheslines Makabe\u2019s arm mid-swing and lunges the crown of his head into Makabe\u2019s chin to wobble him into the ropes.<\/p>\n<p>Smith tags himself in off of Makabe\u2019s back and hits a beautiful dropkick \u2013 full recline with both feet up \u2013 to Ishii before kipping up.\u00a0 He hits a running knee to Makabe in the corner before distracting Marty so Iizuka can choke Yano.\u00a0 Iizuka throw Yano into a Davey Boy big boot, who sees Ishii coming and clotheslines him to the mat.\u00a0 He lifts Yano up and flips him over for a Butterfly Bridging Suplex for two.\u00a0 It\u2019s such a gorgeous move!\u00a0 Smith hits a sit-out powerbomb to finish off Yano, but Honma keeps the match going by breaking up the pin at two.\u00a0 Honma and Smith trade forearms in the middle of the ring before Smith gets the advantage and whips Honma to the ropes.\u00a0 Honma runs him through with a shoulder-block and tries to drag Smith to Makabe for the tag, but Iizuka pulls the rug out from under Makabe.<\/p>\n<p>Honma hits the ropes for a shoulder-tackle, but Iizuka throws Marty into it.\u00a0 Callis: \u201cThat\u2019s the end of Marty.\u201d\u00a0 Iizuka hits an inverted atomic drop and reaches for his oversized fanny-pack.\u00a0 He pulls out the world\u2019s cheapest looking Infinity Gauntlet and punches Makabe in the throat with it.\u00a0 Smith holds up Yano for Iizuka to spike him, but Ishii clotheslines Smith and combos the hell out of Iizuka\u2019s face.\u00a0 Ishii tags Smith with an enzuigiri, but spins back around and gets hammered by the Infinity Gauntlet.\u00a0 Yano grabs Marty and holds him in front of his body like a human shield as the ref tries to dance away.\u00a0 Smith grabs Yano, causing a chain reaction where Yano shoves Marty aside and ducks the Infinity Gauntlet thrust that inadvertently nails Smith.\u00a0 Yano drops down and uppercuts Iizuka and Smith in the dangles before rolling up Smith for the three count.<\/p>\n<p>Winners: Tomohiro Ishii &amp; Toru Yano to retain the IWGP Tag Team Championships<\/p>\n<p><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis: The match was very similar to the one in Sapporo, even with Iizuka filling in for Archer.\u00a0 I\u2019m always game for the brief stints of offense between Ishii and Makabe, and am becoming a bigger Yano and Smith fan by the day.\u00a0 That said, if you saw the Sapporo match than there isn\u2019t much for you here.\u00a0 In fact, the Sapporo match was far and away the better one.\u00a0 Maybe it was the chaotic nature.\u00a0 Maybe it was the amount of action.\u00a0 Maybe it was Lance Archer.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know, but it was just a better match.<\/i><\/p>\n<p><i>Hopefully this marks the end of the three-way title defenses and we can get down to traditional tag team business.\u00a0 I will say this though.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always been a fan of the mismatched tag team of Yokozuna and Owen Hart and am willing to let this slapdash ride of Yano and Ishii ride out to see if they can climb the totem pole and take their spot.\u00a0 They share a fun dynamic, but I do worry that the act could grow stale over time. Worst case scenario, it gets Ishii back in singles matches.\u00a0 Who could complain about that?)<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Match#8 \u2013 Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. Dragon Lee &#8211;\u00a0<\/b><b>IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The bars on the ramp flash a ROYGBIV spectrum as the stench from \u201cthe music is altered\u201d in Sapporo follows Dragon Lee to Osaka.\u00a0 It\u2019s such a bad song that I\u2019d rather them dub over the real music with white noise.\u00a0 As Lee makes his way to the ring, Callis says that he might be the best young athlete in the sport next to Will Ospreay.\u00a0 With Lee in the ring, the arena lights dim as the ring basks in a blood red tinge.\u00a0 The camera zooms in on Takahashi\u2019s entrance before pulling back to show the bars sparkling gold.\u00a0 Takahashi bolts into the camera like Mysterio being catapulted out of the floor.\u00a0 Voluminous bouncy balls can be seen around the arena, the overinflated orbs hovering over sections at a time by eager hands popping them into the air.\u00a0 Red Shoes is called to duty, grabbing the title from Takahashi to display it to the crowd.<\/p>\n<p>When the bell rings, both men bolt to the middle of the ring and send overhands slapping against the other\u2019s chest.\u00a0 They swap boots and clotheslines in the corner before Lee cartwheels out of Takahashi\u2019s Hurricanranna attempt.\u00a0 Takahashi tries for another, and yet again Lee cartwheels free.\u00a0 Lee hurricanrannas Takahashi out of the ring and dives out with a Tope that connects solidly.\u00a0 Red Shoes steps outside to try and corral them back in the ring, refusing to count even after Lee slams Takahashi against the guardrail.\u00a0 Lee heeds Red Shoes\u2019 reprimand and rolls Takahashi back in, where he hits a low dropkick for two.\u00a0 Lee whips Takahashi to the corner, but Takahashi slides right under the ropes.\u00a0 Lee slides out after him, with Takahashi diving back inside to hit the ropes and come back to a Dragon Lee forearm.\u00a0 Lee tries to sunset flip inside, his effort greeted by a stiff sounding superkick.\u00a0 He hits the ropes again, this time diving over Lee and grabbing hold of his waist for an incredible sunset flip powerbomb.\u00a0 It was all in one fluid motion, his feet never hitting the floor to jostle Lee off the apron for the spike.\u00a0 Unreal!\u00a0 The back of Lee\u2019s head smacked off the ramp on the way down, which of course signals Red Shoes to start the count.<\/p>\n<p>Takahashi walks up the ramp and charges, sliding low to kick Lee in the chin.\u00a0 As the count gets to sixteen, Takahashi presses his index to his lips in a shushing motion.\u00a0 Red Shoes keeps counting, which Takahashi nods and tells him, \u201cOk\u201d, before rolling Lee back inside.\u00a0 Takahashi tries to unmask Lee, furiously untying the laces on the back of his mask before giving up mid-act.\u00a0 Lee recovers from the powerbomb and backdrops a charging Takahashi to the apron.\u00a0 Lee hits the ropes and darts back towards Takahashi, his body high-jumping over the top rope to trap Takahashi\u2019s head between his shins for a Hurricanranna to the floor!\u00a0 Jaw dropping athleticism!\u00a0 Callis was definitely on to something with his earlier puff piece on Lee.<\/p>\n<p>As Takahashi tries to get up, Lee heads back inside, only to dive over the top rope again and send Takahashi right back to the floor.\u00a0 He rolls Takahashi back in \u2013 there was no count by the way \u2013 and hits two rolling Northern Lights Suplexes transitioned into a vertical suplex for two.\u00a0 Lee picks up Takahashi and slaps him on the chest, causing Takahashi to fall back to the mat.\u00a0 Lee perches Takahashi on the top turnbuckle, but Takahashi pulls on his mask before sending him to the apron.\u00a0 Lee recovers and forearms Takahashi, who bends back with his feet trapped under the turnbuckle, his upper torso dangling over the floor.\u00a0 Takahashi reaches out for Lee and snags him, chucking his body off the ropes and onto the floor!\u00a0 Lee\u2019s back splatted on the concrete!\u00a0 Takahashi gets down and dashes across the apron to leap off for a hurricanranna, but Lee counters and spikes him to the floor with a powerbomb!\u00a0 Holy s-!\u00a0 Red Shoes counts!\u00a0 They both get in at nineteen, barely!<\/p>\n<p>Lee and Takahashi trade snap German Suplexes before Takahashi hits a wheelbarrow reverse slam.\u00a0 They collide into each other with clotheslines, with Takahashi hitting the ropes and coming back into Lee\u2019s \u201cOne man Spanish Fly\u201d (Kelly) for two!\u00a0 They trade overhand slaps to the chest before Takahashi dropkicks Lee with so much force that he flies into the turnbuckles like it was wire work!\u00a0 He tries for a suplex, but Lee counters with a snap suplex of his own into the corner!\u00a0 This God damn pace!\u00a0 Relentless!<\/p>\n<p>Takahashi rolls to the apron as Lee races to the ropes, coming back with another Hurricanranna attempt.\u00a0 Takahashi catches him and powerbombs him onto the apron!\u00a0 Jesus f****ng Christ!!!\u00a0 Takahashi climbs up top and dives off with a senton that nearly blows Lee\u2019s spine out when he crashes back to the floor!\u00a0 You can hear the Japanese commentator scream, \u201cDiving sentoooooon!\u201d as the thud reverberates off the walls!\u00a0 Red Shoes counts as Takahashi scrambles to the middle of the ring.\u00a0 Lee gets in at eighteen to a well deserved round of applause.<\/p>\n<p>They trade smacks again, with Lee countering a strike into a crossface, rolling Takahashi away from the ropes.\u00a0 Takahashi drags them to the ropes, but as he reaches out Lee hooks his arm back to apply an extra measure of punishment.\u00a0 Takahashi slithers on his stomach, rotating around to nip the bottom rope with his boot.\u00a0 As Red Shoes checks on Takahashi \u2013 not learning a damn thing from previous brushes with LIJ outlaws \u2013 Lee comes in with a dropkick.\u00a0 Takahashi grabs Red Shoes by the collar and pulls him right into the dropkick.\u00a0 Red Shoes is down!\u00a0 Takahashi superkicks Lee, then lifts him into a seated position on the top turnbuckle.\u00a0 He climbs up and tries for a reverse possibly-hurricanranna-possibly-Destroyer, but Lee catches him.\u00a0 Takahashi reaches back and unmasks Dragon Lee!\u00a0 His side profile is fully exposed as his mouth hangs agape in shock.\u00a0 Takahashi garners enough torque to hit the move, coming straight down on Lee\u2019s back.\u00a0 He covers.\u00a0 1, 2, kickout!<\/p>\n<p>Lee slides head-first towards a member of the ringside crew who has his mask and quickly submerges his face in it.\u00a0 Lee gets up to the view of Takahashi\u2019s superkick coming his way, but counters into a Dragon Driver!\u00a0 1, 2, kickout!\u00a0 Lee picks up Takahashi and pops him into the air for a powerbomb, but Takahashi counters mid-air with a Destroyer!\u00a0 Unbelievable!\u00a0 They trade another torrent of slaps, curing each other\u2019s chest with chops into shades of Gabagool.\u00a0 Lee hits a running knee strike, but gets superkicked and stumbles back.\u00a0 Takahashi dashes forward\u2026and hits ANOTHER Destroyer!\u00a0 Holy f****ng s-!\u00a0 He covers.\u00a0 1, 2, are you kidding me!?\u00a0 Kickout!!!\u00a0 Takahashi picks Lee up in a Firemen\u2019s Carry and drives him into the turnbuckle.\u00a0 He quickly gathers Lee off the mat and hits the Timebomb!\u00a0 1, 2, 3!\u00a0 F****ng son of a bitch that was amazing!!!<\/p>\n<p>Winner: Hiromu Takahashi to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship<\/p>\n<p>After the match, Taguchi comes down the ramp and gets up on the apron, applauding Takahashi when their eyes connect.\u00a0 He gets into the ring and grabs the mic.\u00a0 He applauds Takahashi\u2019s effort again, getting the crowd to clap as well as Lee can be seen getting carried to the back.\u00a0 Whatever Taguchi said was met with a lot of laughter and applause, with Callis wondering why Taguchi can\u2019t just let Takahashi enjoy his win.\u00a0 Takashi tries to hit Taguchi with the belt, but Taguchi ducks and take Takahashi down and into an ankle lock.\u00a0 Callis: \u201cWhat a cowardly attack,\u201d and \u201ca crass display of unsportsmanlike behavior.\u201d\u00a0 Translation: Takahashi has his next challenger.<\/p>\n<p><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis:\u00a0 What an absolute high-wire, high-tension war!\u00a0 The pace of this match was relentless.\u00a0 The action was big ass bump porn, with both guys nearly killing themselves multiple times over for our delight.\u00a0 And a delight it was.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been left wordless to describe this match further, which based on the lengths of my reviews is a rare treat for you guys.\u00a0 All I know is that I\u2019m going to watch it again tomorrow before combing through the vast library of this incredible feud.\u00a0 And I\u2019ll need to because based on Taguchi butting into the title picture, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be getting a new Takahashi\/Lee match on The World for a while.)<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Match#9 \u2013 Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Michael Elgin &#8211;\u00a0<\/b><b>IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Have I sang the praises of Elgin\u2019s theme enough?\u00a0 It\u2019s such a wonderful piece of music &#8211; one half hair metal\/one half Black Belt Theater \u2013 which is an absolute masterstroke of cool.\u00a0 And speaking of cool, Naito.\u00a0 Green laser lights oscillate across the arena as the crowd claps to the heartbeat of his Mega Man music.\u00a0 The bars on the ramp begin to pulse purple and pink as Naito comes out in a crisp merlot three-piece, the belt drug behind him like the passing thought he deems it to be.\u00a0 He unmasks to a raucous response, revealing a stoic expression taking in the worship of LIJ liturgy.\u00a0 Kelly makes reference to his former treatment in Osaka, his voyage to Mexico, and now finding his home.\u00a0 Callis: \u201cI find Naito to be disingenuous, I find him to be disrespectful, but I also find him to be awesome.\u201d\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n<p>Naito slowly enters the ring and lobs the title in the air.\u00a0 As the belt straps flail in the freefall, Naito casts his gaze towards Elgin before patting his orbital socket to add insult to the injury he created.\u00a0 Red Shoes recovers the belt, buffs it clean with his sleeve, and gives Naito a soft push.\u00a0 You just know his ass is taking a spill later.\u00a0 Naito shoots him a glance as he undoes his cuffs, already devising a plan on how to sacrifice Red Shoes to his own advantage.\u00a0 When Naito\u2019s name is announced over the speakers, an underground swell of boos meet the once dominant cheers as Kelly states, \u201cTHAT\u2019S the sound Naito wants to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As Naito leisurely disrobes, Elgin stares him down, eagerly awaiting the chance to uncork his bottled up rage.\u00a0 When the bell rings, the crowd deafens Kelly and Callis\u2019 voices with an \u201cElgin\u201d chant.\u00a0 Naito snickers at the show of support before lobbing a loogie towards Okada who is still on commentary with Gedo.\u00a0 Naito still has his eye on the prize.<\/p>\n<p>Elgin goes in for a tie-up, which Naito rolls under to pose before rolling out of the ring.\u00a0 That still hasn\u2019t gotten old.\u00a0 Naito patiently takes his time getting back in, but Elgin gets fed up and rolls out after him.\u00a0 Naito rolls back in and tries to catch Elgin off guard, but Elgin leaps over the ropes to connect with a spinning back-elbow.\u00a0 Elgin is nimble.\u00a0 He nearly knocks the nips right off of Naito\u2019s chest with a chop, followed with a forearm to the face.\u00a0 He slams Naito to the mat, steps out to the apron, and springs back in with a splash.\u00a0 Wow.<\/p>\n<p>Naito counters a suplex with an eye rake, but Elgin swats him away.\u00a0 Naito boots Elgin in the knee and hits the ropes, finding himself hoisted atop his ivory tower in a press slam.\u00a0 Elgin misses a running clothesline in the corner, with Naito diving over the top with a kick to Elgin\u2019s face.\u00a0 Before Naito can hit the heel trip, Elgin smacks him across the chest with a clothesline to dump him to the floor.\u00a0 Elgin steps onto the apron, takes three yard-churning steps, and cannonballs onto Naito!\u00a0 Elgin is flashy as f-!\u00a0 Elgin rolls Naito back inside and climbs the turnbuckles, but Naito dropkicks him in the knee.\u00a0 With Elgin outside, Naito races to the ropes and leaps out with a suicide dive, but Elgin catches him.\u00a0 He hoooolds Naito up, marching him up the ramp for a vertical suplex.\u00a0 Elgin is strong.\u00a0 They beat Red Shoes\u2019 count to the fan\u2019s applause.<\/p>\n<p>Elgin hops onto the second turnbuckle and tries to deadlift Naito.\u00a0 Naito fights out and gouges Elgin\u2019s eye before transitioning into a leg-lock between the ropes that Red Shoe\u2019s has to break up.\u00a0 Naito looks at the crowd as they start an \u201cElgin\u201d chant, spits in their general direction, and tells them \u201cTranquilo\u201d.\u00a0 I loved every second of that.<\/p>\n<p>Naito continues working on Elgin\u2019s knee, dropping elbows on it from outside and jamming it against the apron.\u00a0 Naito spits at the floor and rolls back in as Elgin rests on the guardrail.\u00a0 When Elgin follows, Naito hits him in the knee with a low dropkick.\u00a0 After an elbow to the knee, Naito holds onto Elgin\u2019s boot and wrenches it sideways.\u00a0 He lets Elgin go and spits on him to a chorus of boos.\u00a0 Elgin fights back with a chop and a forearm before Naito drops down for another basement dropkick to the knee.\u00a0 He hits a shinbreaker, followed by another low dropkick.\u00a0 He puts Elgin in a modified deathlock, folding his arms behind his head to relax while Elgin struggles to the ropes.<\/p>\n<p>Elgin clubs Naito in the chest and face before laying in a chop.\u00a0 Naito goes back to the knee, but Elgin counters \u2013 tagging Naito with an enzuigiri before hitting a f***ng unbelievable inside-out Falcon Arrow that dumps Naito to the mat.\u00a0 Beautiful move!\u00a0 Elgin hits a running lariat in the corner, coming back around for another that nearly pops Naito over the top rope.\u00a0 He sits Naito up top, but Naito rakes his eye.\u00a0 Naito misses a leaping axe-handle and gets a release German Suplex into the turnbuckles.\u00a0 Elgin deadlifts Naito into a bridging German Suplex for two, with the bad wheel costing him a stronger hold on the pin.\u00a0 Elgin lariats Naito in the chest, then the back of the head, then the chest, then the chest, then the chest!\u00a0 Brutal!\u00a0 Naito hits an inverted atomic drop and dropkicks Elgin in the knee to slow him down.<\/p>\n<p>With Elgin staggering into the corner, Naito leaps over the top with a kick to the face, heel trips Elgin to one knee, but when he comes back in for the dropkick Elgin catches him.\u00a0 Naito wriggles down Elgin\u2019s back and tries for a sunset flip, but Elgin wraps his arm around the back of Naito\u2019s head and powers him up for a vertical suplex.\u00a0 Naito counters, twirling behind Elgin\u2019s back, but Elgin rotates back behind Naito to hit two rolling German suplexes.\u00a0 Elgin goes for a third, but Naito gets away.\u00a0 Elgin screams \u201cNaito!\u201d, then rushes in for a lariat that is countered into a tornado DDT\u2026that Elgin holds!\u00a0 He raises his finger in the air as the crowd exhales a loud \u201cOooooh\u201d, then lifts Naito into a stalling suplex.\u00a0 Naito counters, snapping his body downward to take Elgin into a DDT.\u00a0 Awesome stuff!\u00a0 He covers, but Elgin kicks out at two.<\/p>\n<p>Elgin clubs his way out of a shinbreaker and hits Naito with a forearm.\u00a0 Naito fakes a forearm and kicks Elgin in the knee.\u00a0 They trade forearms before Naito rakes Elgin\u2019s eye and hits another basement dropkick.\u00a0 He hits the ropes again, but Elgin front kicks Naito into the air and they both crash to the mat.\u00a0 Elgin punishes Naito with four forearms before landing a discus-forearm.\u00a0 He scoots Naito into the corner and perches him back up top.\u00a0 Elgin climbs to the second rope &#8211; which Callis questions the wisdom of doing so &#8211; as Naito fights out with a rake to the eye and a Sunset Bomb.<\/p>\n<p>Naito, hugging the turnbuckle pad to catch his breath, hops onto the top rope and leaps off with a missile dropkick that Elgin counters into a Powerbomb for two.\u00a0 Great catch!\u00a0 Elgin plants Naito in the center of the ring with a slam and heads to the top rope.\u00a0 Wait, Elgin\u2019s going up top now?\u00a0 He leaps off, his limbs splayed out wide, and hits a god damn top rope splash!\u00a0 1, 2, kickout!\u00a0 Naito\u2019s still breathing!<\/p>\n<p>Elgin limps after Naito and forearms him in the face before Naito answers with another low dropkick.\u00a0 Naito blocks a lariat and hits a sick sounding enzuigiri, but Elgin never drops and charges with a lariat that launches Naito into the air.\u00a0 He hits the ropes and comes back with another lariat that sends a gob of Naito\u2019s spit to the ceiling.\u00a0 1, 2, kickout!<\/p>\n<p>Elgin tries for another powerbomb, but Naito hangs onto his knee to block the upswing.\u00a0 Elgin slaps him across the face and perches the champion up top so he\u2019s facing the crowd.\u00a0 He tries for another powerbomb, but again Naito fights out.\u00a0 Naito hops off the turnbuckle and charges Elgin, but gets nailed by a thrust kick.\u00a0 Elgin climbs to the top turnbuckle, seating himself facing Naito as the champ dashes in and throws a forearm to Elgin\u2019s knee.\u00a0 He rakes Elgin\u2019s eye as Red Shoes shakes his head at him.\u00a0 Naito climbs up top and goes for a top rope Frankensteiner, but Elgin holds him place to stall the move.\u00a0 He snaps Naito\u2019s body like he\u2019s shaking out a sheet to set up for a powerbomb, but the motion helps Naito create enough momentum to hit the Frankensteiner.\u00a0 Elgin is up on his feet, but wobbles towards the corner.\u00a0 Naito leaps onto his shoulder and hits a reverse Frankensteiner!\u00a0 He covers, but Elgin muscles out at two.<\/p>\n<p>Naito tries for Destino, but Elgin elbows him off.\u00a0 He whips Naito into the ropes, but Naito counters a pickup attempt into a rolling kneebar.\u00a0 Elgin tries to pry Naito\u2019s legs apart, only escaping after Naito gets caught fidgeting to keep his legs locked.\u00a0 Elgin crawls out to the apron with Naito in pursuit.\u00a0 Naito stomps on Elgin\u2019s knee and goes out with him.\u00a0 He spits at Elgin again and smiles, launching a lariat towards the challenger.\u00a0 Elgin ducks and picks up Naito for a Death Valley Driver on the f****ng apron!\u00a0 Oh my God, Man!\u00a0 Elgin places Naito on the apron, his body flat and motionless.\u00a0 Elgin stands on the second rope and gathers up Naito by the head to lift him up and over the top rope for a Falcon Arrow!\u00a0 1, 2, Naito survives!\u00a0 Callis: \u201cThe whole ring moved about a foot!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Elgin decks Naito in the back of the neck with a discus-forearm and limps to the turnbuckle.\u00a0 He spits at Naito and hits another discus-forearm that whips Naito 180 before he falls to the mat.\u00a0 Elgin hits a spinning backfist before launching Naito into the corner with a buckle bomb!\u00a0 Naito gets to his feet and staggers towards Elgin.\u00a0 Elgin spins Naito onto his shoulders, but Naito digs into his eye socket to wriggle free.\u00a0 After dropping down to the mat, Naito grabs Elgin\u2019s head and dashes for the ropes, springing off with a tornado DDT!\u00a0 Then Destino!\u00a0 1, 2, Elgin kicks out!<\/p>\n<p>Naito goes for a second Destino, but Elgin catches him and drives the champion\u2019s body into the corner.\u00a0 The crowd chants for Elgin as Naito spills outside.\u00a0 Elgin rolls out after him, dropping to his knees in exhaustion.\u00a0 He gets to his feet and picks up Naito, sitting him on the apron.\u00a0 Naito rakes his eye once more, but Elgin counters with an Apron Bomb!\u00a0 Elgin picks up Naito in a powerbomb position and lobs his body into the guardrail.\u00a0 The crowd stirs loudly as Elgin rolls Naito back inside the ring and hits a spinning, twisting Elgin Bomb!\u00a0 1, 2, Naito kicks out!\u00a0 Are you kidding me!?\u00a0 This is amazing!<\/p>\n<p>Elgin is swamped with exhaustion, draping his body over Naito before slowly placing him in the corner.\u00a0 He perches Naito on the top rope and picks him up for the Burning Hammer.\u00a0 Naito reaches back as he\u2019s popped into the air, reversing into the Destino!\u00a0 Both men are down!\u00a0 Red Shoes counts, with Elgin getting close enough to his feet at seven to stop it.\u00a0 With Naito slumped in the corner, Elgin charges as Naito raises his boots.\u00a0 Elgin catches his legs and positions Naito into the rack.\u00a0 Naito flips away from a Burning Hammer attempt and rattles Elgin\u2019s temple with an enzuigiri.\u00a0 Spinning backfist by Elgin!\u00a0 He misses a lariat, countered by a wheel kick from Naito.\u00a0 Naito grabs Elgin by the head and climbs to the top rope.\u00a0 Top rope Destino!!!\u00a0 He covers, but Elgin kicks out again!\u00a0 Naito scrambles back to his feet and snatches Elgin\u2019s head, his body flipping back around for another Destino!\u00a0 1, 2, 3!!!<\/p>\n<p>Winner: Tetsuya Naito to retain the IWGP Intercontinental Championship<\/p>\n<p>After the match, the rest of LIJ walks out to congratulate their leader.\u00a0 BUSHI hands Naito a water bottle as Red Shoes hands Naito the belt.\u00a0 Naito begrudgingly takes it as a very Disney-esque track trumpets throughout the arena.\u00a0 Naito drops the title and steps on it as Kelly says, \u201cA middle finger extended to this sold out house.\u201d\u00a0 Red Shoes can be seen in the background acrobatically sliding under the ropes before the inevitable happens.\u00a0 He\u2019s learning.\u00a0 Naito grabs the mic and says, \u201cBuenos Noches, Osaaaaaaka!\u201d\u00a0 He gets a positive response from the crowd, mentioning Osaka multiple times in his speech.\u00a0 The crowd chant along with his \u201cLos Ingobernables\u201d catchphrase before confetti rains down from the ceiling.\u00a0 All of LIJ toss their belts in the middle of the ring and pose amidst the clutter as Kelly says that the power seems to shift from faction to faction.\u00a0 Before Naito takes his leave, he tosses the IC title in the air.\u00a0 And just like that, he\u2019s gone.<\/p>\n<p><i>(Andrews\u2019 Analysis:\u00a0 What an incredible main event.\u00a0 There was a great story told here, with Naito picking apart Elgin\u2019s knee while resorting to eye rakes and eye pokes whenever the challenger swung the momentum in his favor.\u00a0 Elgin was chosen by the anti-Naito portion of the crowd to do their bidding and take the title from enemy number one, all the while fighting off fits of exhaustion in his quest to inflict as much damage on Naito as Naito did to him last year.\u00a0 Elgin hit Naito repeatedly with bone-jarring shots &#8211; holding nothing back when planting him on the mat, on the floor, on the apron, and into the guardrail.\u00a0 Naito showed how tough he is, taking so much rough-house offense and still finding that second and third wind to keep his steps just as swift as they were when the match started.\u00a0 I\u2019m really hoping that this isn\u2019t the end of the feud, but after this match I can\u2019t possibly see how anything could have been left on the cutting room floor.\u00a0 Unbelievable performances from both men, with each guy holding up their end of the bargain to put on a match that not only rivaled Okada\/Suzuki in Sapporo, but topped it.)<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Overall Thoughts:\u00a0 The New Beginning in Osaka was far and away the better event than Sapporo.\u00a0 There was just no way to top the brilliance back-loaded in the card with Shibata\/Ospreay, Takahashi\/Lee, and of course Naito\/Elgin.\u00a0 As I mentioned last week, Okada vs. Suzuki was an incredible match, but the fans in Osaka got wrestling excellence on the flipside of the intermission \u2013 even with the multi-man tag match as garnish.\u00a0 I realize that not every card can be Wrestle Kingdom, but damn if they didn\u2019t try.\u00a0 There were so many moments that made my jaw drop, so many performances that have me scratching my head on how it can ever be improved upon.\u00a0 New Japan Pro Wrestling is the best promotion on the planet and they have made my foray back into wrestling a fruitful endeavor, rewarding my patronage with mind blowing matches while continually reaching for loftier heights.\u00a0 All they ask in return is that I root them on.\u00a0 It\u2019s a hell of a bargain.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-1293080893\"><div id=\"pwtor-1838113368\"><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>The New Beginning in Osaka February 11, 2017 Osaka, Japan at\u00a0Edion Arena Report\u00a0by\u00a0R.W. Andrews, PWTorch contributor It\u2019s a new beginning\u2026 again.\u00a0 And God bless em\u2019, Kevin Kelly and Don Callis have made the trip.\u00a0 They <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/02\/15\/njpw-world-pro-event-review-new-beginning-osaka-211-elgin-challenges-naito-ospreay-vs-shibata-tanahashi-vs-dragon-lee\/\" title=\"NJPW WORLD PRO EVENT REVIEW: The New Beginning in Osaka 2\/11: Elgin challenges Naito, Ospreay vs. Shibata, Tanahashi vs. Dragon Lee\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38873,"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":[46,18,542],"tags":[171,4749,404,4750,4015,488],"class_list":["post-38872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlightarticles","category-tvshowsandevents","category-new-japan-ppvs","tag-michael-elgin","tag-new-beginning-in-osaka","tag-njpw","tag-njpwworld","tag-tetsuya-naito","tag-will-ospreay"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2017\/02\/Elgin-Naito_NJWorldPro_3x2_600.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38872","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=38872"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38872\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38874,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38872\/revisions\/38874"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}