Road To Destruction, Day 1 – Full Show with Japanese Commentary
Like many “Road To” shows, this one was entirely tag matches to build toward title matches at the actual Destruction events. However the main event being an Elimination Match is definitely interesting considering World Champion Okada is in the match.
Shota Umino d. Tetsuhiro Yagi in 10 minutes. Lots of mat based wrestling between the two Young Lions. Umino scored several near falls after a shoulderblock. Yagi fended off a half crab by making it to the ropes. Umino responded with a Camel Clutch. The two came to blows with dueling slaps until Yagi rallied with a dropkick. Yagi hit an impressive bodyslam, then locked Umino in a Boston Crab. Umino made a comeback, and hit a backdrop. Umino followed that up with a Boston Crab, but the time limit expired before Yagi could break the hold or submit.
Yuji Nagata & Katsuya Kitamura b. Manabu Nakanishi & Tomoyuki Oka when Nagata pinned Oka with a Backdrop Hold. Nagata and Nakanishi started out, and were completely going toe to toe with each other. Double tag out to the Young Lions, who did the same. Nagata kept booting Nakanishi off the apron. Nakanishi finally tagged in from Oka amd ran wild for a bit. Kitamura and Nakanishi battled over a suplex, with Kitamura winning and hitting a thundering suplex. Nagata tagged in and went wild with several kicks. Nakanishi battled back with strikes, leveling Nagata. A Lariat scored a near fall. Nagata escaped a Rack attempt and hit an Exploder. Fortunately for Nakanishi, he was thrown toward hispartner OKa, who tagged in. Nagata hit Oka with an exploder as well. A Backdrop Hold later, and it was all over.
After the match, Nagata and Nakanishi had a pull apart brawl, so maybe we’re getting a singles match soon.
Suzuki-Gun (Davey Boy Smith Jr., Lance Archer, Taichi, Taka Michinoku, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) b. Taguchi Japan (David Finlay & IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Champions Champions Ryusuke Taguchi & Ricochet) when Kanemaru pinned Kawato with a Deep Impact DDT. Togi Makabe, & Hirai Kawato Lots of manbeef in this match, but a lot of talent. However, chances are it’s Kawato taking the fall. Multi-man brawl broke out before the bell. Killer Elite ran wild early on, getting the heat on Taguchi. Togi Makabe got a hot tag and basically kicked everybody’s asses (that never gets old). Ricoshet tagged in and continued the momentum. Kawato then begged for a tag in, and hit Kanemaru with a springboard dropkick. Kawato put Kanemary in a Boston Crab (The most devastating move a Young Lion could use), but it was briken up by Taichi. The babyfaces tried to rally against Taichi, but he pulled referee Tiger Hatori in front of him. Kanemaru spit booze in Taguchi’s face. Taichi and Kanemaru then finished off Kawato with the Deep Impact DDT.
After the match the heels beat down the IWGP Tag Champions.
Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi, & Chase Owens) b. CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, & Baretta) when Takahashi pinned Baretta with a Pimp Juice DDT. Yujiro was accompanied by one of his scantily clad escorts. Hashi started out against Owens, with Owens getting the upper hand. Fale tagged in and continued the assault on Hashi. Hashi didged a corner splash and it a Codebreaker on Fale. Goto tagged in and went back and forth with Fale. Baretta and Yujiro oth tagged in, with Baretta knocking Yujiro to the outside. Baretta hit a dive onnto both Yujiro and Owens on the outside. Exciting multi-man exchange with everybody hitting big moves. Baretta kicked out of a Fisherman’s Buster. Tornado DDT on Yujiro, followed by a running knee for a near fall. Yujiro countered with a Pimp Juice DDT to score the win.
After the match Yujiro cut a promo on Baretta. Maybe a match tease?
Juice Robinson & War Machine (Raymond Rowe & Hanson) b. Bullet Club (Tama Tonga, Tanga Roa, & Leo Tonga) when Juice pinned Leo with Pulp Friction. I may have Leo’s name wrong, but he is the third of the Tonga Brothers. War Machine ran wild, until Hanson got caught in a bodyslam by Tama. The Tongas got the heat on Hanson. Hot tag to Rowe. Double tag in to Juice and Leo. Leo hit a huge virtical suplex on Juice, which had to get broken up by Hanson. Juice fiought off a chokeslam attempt and pinned Leo with Pulp Friction.
Suzuki-Gun (NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka, & El Desperado) b. IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHUDA, & Michael Elgin via DQ when Elgin hit Suzuki with a chair. Suzuki-Gun came accompanied to the ring by Taichi and Kanemaru. This is the first match Tanahashi has had with i new haircut. and I can tell you I otherwise would’ve barely noticed. But then the heels attacked the faces from behind before the bell. IT wound up being Kushida and Desperado to officially start things off. Outisde the ring, Suzuki choked out Elgin with a wrench. At least I think it was a wresnch. Kushida brawled with Desperado into the crowd. Not sure where the ref count is. Back in the ring Suzuki dominated Kushida. Heat on Kushida as the heals worked him over, including several bites from Iizuka. Kushida made the hot tag to Tanahashi, who ran wild on all the heels. Tanahashi went for a top rope move, but Kanemaru interfered and blocked it. Elgin and Suzuki tagged in. Elgin hit a Falcon Arrow, but it got broken up by Iizuki and Desparado with chairs. Apparently the ref was bumped here. Elgin began no-selling the chair shots and kicked the crap out of all the heels with his own chair. The referee came to as Elgin was killing everybody and DQ’d the face team. Suzuki even made it a point to dare Elgin to hit him, and that’s when the DQ happened.
Ater the match, Suzuki cut a promo on Michael Elgin, which seemed to be a challenge for a gimmick match. Elgin responded with “Any match you want”.
Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, and NEVER Openweight Six-Man Champions EVIL, BUSHI, & SANADA) b. CHAOS (IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Will Ospreay, & Rocky Romero) when EVIL pinned Romero with an STO. The usual New Japan style “Special Elimination Match” where an elimination can also happen via going over the top rope. Naito and Ishii started out, but quickly double tagged out to Takahashi and Ospreay respectively. Ospreay had Takahashi’s number in their exchange, but the two tagged out to Romero and BUSHI. The rest of Chaos charged in and knocked LIJ to the floor. A multi-man brawl ensued, with Ishii and Naito going at it, while EVIL battled Okada. Back in the ring, LIJ got the heat on Romero. Okada got the hot tag and ran wild. EVIL almost eliminated Okada over the top rope. Okada hit a desperation flapjack and tagged in Ishii. EVIL tagged in Naito. Ishii dominated Naito with strikes in the corner, but Naito rallied with a neckbreaker and Basement Dropkick. Naito spat on Ishii, and got met with a Lariat. Ishii went for a Superplex reversed it to the apron and hit a neckbreaker that broght Ishii to the floor. This eliminated both Ishii and Naito since they technically went over the top rope. Yano removed a turnbuckle pad, but Sanada tied him up in the Paradise Lock, and hit him with the turnbuckle pad. Yano eliminated Sanada with a low blow and a roll-up. BUSHI spat mist into Yano’s face and tossed him over the top rope for an elimination. Ospreay hit the ring and went after BUSHI. An Oscutter eliminated BUSHI. Takahashi hit the ring but was nearley pinned by an Ospreay kick. Takahashi flipped Ospreay over the top rope to the apron, then eliminated him by Sunset FLipping him to the floor. Okada hit the ring and dropkicked both Takahashi and EVIL. Okada eliminated Takahashi with a Rainmaker. I believe we’re down to Romero and Okada vs. EVIL. Both Okada and Evil tumbled over the top rope in a Superplex attempt, and landed on the apron. Evil eliminated Okada with a clothesline to the oputside. Romero scored a near fall by immediately rolling up EVIL from behind. EVIL blocked a Sliced Bread attempt and reversed it into Darkness Falls. Finally, EVIL won the match for his team by finishing off Rocky with an STO.
After the match, EVIL cut promo saying in English “Welcome to the Darkness World”.
