This is the first major show after the Okada/Omega Time Limit Draw at Dominion. For those not familiar with New Japan, if Dominion can roughly be compared to SummerSlam, this show can roughly be compared to a big Raw following a PPV. The whole thing is a tour with three or four title matches over a few days.
Tomoyuki Oka s. Tetsuhiro Yagi with a Boston Crab. Since both men are Young Lions, they came out to the same theme music at basically the same time. Young Lions have to build up XP which they can trade in for bigger theatrics in their entrances. Yagi gained control early with leglocks and half crabs. Oka rallied with bodyslams to score a near fall, and put Yagi in a Boston Crab.. Yagi made it to the ropes, so Oka powerslammed him again and used the Boston Crab again. This time, Yagi submitted.
Suzuki-Gun’s Taka Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, & El Desperado b. Tiger Mask IV, Jushin Thunder Liger, & Shota Umino when Desperado submitted Umino with a Stretch Muffler. The heels jumped the faces during introductions, and immediately threw them to the outside for brawling. They tried triple teaming Liger, but Liger rallied and fended them off and put Deperado in the Surfboard. Umino tagged in, but was cut off and worked over. Hot tag to Tiger, who hit Kanemaru with the Tiger Driver only for it to be broken up by the heels. Umino tagged back in and ran wild on Desperado before getting it with a Spinebuster. A Strech Muffler later and it was all over.
Yuji Nagata & David Finlay b. Manabu Nakanishi & Katsuya Kitamura when Nagata pinned Kitamura with a Backdrop Hold. The veterans started out for their respective teams, with Nakanishi getting the upper hand. Kitamura tagged in and hit some chops. Finlay entered and decked Kitamura with a middle rope dropkick. Nagata and Finlay worked over Kitamura as Nakanishi kept trying to get in the match. Finally, Nakanishi was able to tag in and ran wild on Finlay. Both Nakanishi and Kitamura in unison hit lariats and Torture Racks. Nagata hit an Exploder on Kitamura for a near fall, followed by a Backdrop Hold for the pinfall victory.
Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima, & Yoshihiro Tenzan b. CHAOS’s Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, & Jado when Makabe pinned Jado with a King Kong Knee Drop. Long time rivals Ishii and Makabe started the match by charging into each other like bulls. A spot that will never get old with big, mean, scary dudes. Tenzan hit a Kokeshi headbutt on Jado in tribute to Tomoaki Honma. The action spilled outside where CHAOS gained the advantage by Jado hitting Tenzan with a a chair. Heat on Tenzan. Yano mocked Tenzan by using Tenzan’s own Mongolian Chops on him. Kojima got the hot tag and hit both Yano and Ishii with the rapid fire chops. He went for the top rope elbow, but Jado tossed him off the top rope. Kojima recovered, hit a Cutter on Yano, and tagged in Makabe. CHAOS triple teamed Makabe. Makabe made a comeback. Tenzan and Kojima hit a 3D on Jado, and Makabe followed it up with a King Kong Knee Drop to get the pinfall.
A video package aired, hyping the G1.
Los Ingobernables De Japon’s Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi b. IWGP Intercontinental ChampionHiroshi Tanahashi & Hirai Kawato when Takahashi submitted Kawato with a Boston Crab. Kawato came out a house of fire and attacked the heels before the bell. Shine on Tanahashi. The heels then turned the tables on Kawato when he tagged in. Heat on Kawato, who still showed some fire with a couple dropkicks. Hot tag to Tanahashi. Naito targeted Tanahashi’s bad arm. Tanahashi rallied and went for the Cloverleaf, but Kawato pleaded to tag in. Tanahashi obliged, and Kawato knocked around Takahashi for a bit. Takahashi locked in a Boston Crab on KAwato that was broken up. Kawato fired up with a dropkick. Naito battled Tanahashi outside the ring while Takahashi reapplied the Boston Crab. This time, Kawato submitted.
After the match, Tanahashi helped Kawato get to his feet, and Kawato saluted the crowd, still in obvious pain.
In a rare backstage segment, a woman interviewd Ryusuke Taguchi while Juice Robinson and Kushida practiced baseball pitches. Juice vowed they would win the six man titles.
CHAOS (IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, & YOSHI-HASHI) b. Suzuki-Gun (NEVER Openwieght Champion Minopru Suzuki, Taichi, & Davey Boy Smith, Jr.) when Hashi submitted Taichi with Karma. Suzuki-Gun also came to the ring accompanied by El Desperado, Kanemaru, and Taka Michinoku because they’re jerks like that. Multi-Man brawl broke out before the bell. Suzuki did his over the rope armbar on Goto. Taichi distracted the ref while the rest of the heels went to town outside the ring. Suzuki smashed Hashi with a small table and a chair. Back in the ring, Taichi used the bell hammer on Goto. All three Suzuki-Gun members stomped Goto as the crowd tried to rally behind him. Okada finally got the hot tag and ran wild on all the heels. Hashi made it back tot he ring and tagged in. He and Suzuki went back and forth. Suzuki went for the Gotch Piledriver, but Hashi powered out of it. Kanemaru spit whiskey into Hashi’s eyes. Taka did more referee distraction while the heels tried to gang up on Hashi. Okada made the save while Hashi fired up. Hashi knocked down Suzuki and locked Taichi into his Karma submission finisher. Taichi submitted, giving CHAOS the win.
After the match, all the heels immediately started stomping Hashi. CHAOS rallied, and Hashi managed to put Suzuki himself in the Karma submission. Exciting post match angle.
Hashi took the mic and cut a promo, presumably vowing to win the NEVER Openweight Title. Suzuki thre a fit and started laying to waste everyone in reach with chairs.
The interview lady was back, this time talking to Los Ingobernables De Japon. Apparently Evil spends all his spare time in his robe holding his scythe.
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions Los Ingobernables De Japon (SANADA, EVIL, & BUSHI) b. Taguchi Japan (Ryusuke Taguchi, Juice Robinson, & ROH TV/IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA) when Sanada submitted Robinson with the Skull End. If Taguchi Japan win this match, Kushida will be the holder of three championships simultaneously. Bushi started out against Kushida. Fast back and forth action out of the gate. Double tag out to Taguchi and Sanada. Some comedy with Taguchi directing Juice and Kushida to splash Sanada in the corner. Eventually, the heels gained control by cutting off Juice. They worked over Juice’s dreadlocks. Yes you’re reading that correctly. Taguchi tagged in and ran wild with Hip Attacks on all the heels. Bushi hit a missile dropkick on Taguchi. Kushida tagged back in to shift the momentum back to the heroes. Cross armbreaker on Bushi paired with a top rope headbutt from Juice. Kushida went for Back To The Future, but Bushi beckbreakered out of it. Juice tagged in, and knocked around both Evil and Sanada. Top rope body press on Sanada. In an impressive feat of agility, Sanada moonsaluted off the turnbuckle over Juice, and caught him in his Dragon Sleeper. Hooever, Kushida broke it up quickly. Taguchi hit a top rope Hip Attack for a near fall (think Doomsday Device, but with a Hip Attack). Juice hit a huge powerbomb on Sanada, but Sanada kicked out. Exciting exchange with Sanada trying to get Juice in the Skull End Dragon Sleeper, only for Juice to constantly try reversing it into Pulp Friction. Evil hit Juice with a chair. The finish saw Bushi hit the MX (Codebreaker) on Juice, who fell back into Sanada’s Skull End. The other villains kept the heroes at bay while Juice submitted. Very fun match with a great finish.
After the match the heels continued to beat on the faces. Bushi hit Kushida with an MX aided with a chair, and sprayed Taguchi with mist. Bushu then cut a promo, presumably vowing to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship for the second time.
