New Japan Pro-Wrestling (On NJPWWorld and Triller TV)

[Cleavy]

I swear to God, if she's the one to beat Athena just so she can do the belt collector gimmick...

 

[RossFC]

Wrestle Dynasty backstage comments notes:

Spoiler

Boltin Oleg had a staredown with Takeshita, probably over the NEVER Openweight Title.

Young Bucks teased being at The New Beginning Osaka in February.

Shibata wants to wrestle Tanahashi in AEW, and not for just 5 minutes.

Great promo from Kenny Omega.

 

[Cleavy]

I say go for it!

 

[Cleavy]

I need a "Jeff Cobb food review series" ASAP!

 

[RossFC]

New Year Dash notes:

Spoiler

Josh Barnett vs Boltin Oleg ended in a 5 min time limit draw.

Sanada and Clark Connors beat Taichi and Taka Michinoku.

Kushida and El Desperado beat KENTA and Taiji Ishimori.

Naito and Hiromu Takahashi beat Alex Zayne and Taguchi.

Added to Battle in the Valley:

Spoiler

Added to New Beginning in Osaka:

Spoiler

ZSJ vs Goto for the IWGP World Title.

 

[RossFC]

Every year we get to Dash, and I think "we only care about this show cos of 2 hot segments on 2 decent shows 10 YEARS AGO now!!!"

And every year I watch it, feeling like I've largely wasted my time.

Terrible show. And no people from other companies either? Since when did they announce the card before the show as well. Was supposed to be a mystery.

 

[RossFC]

wow Chris Charlton on commentary called Tony Khan a money mark that stole talents.

Possible reason why there was no AEW talent on New Year Dash.

 

[Ry009]

Possible reason why there was no AEW talent on New Year Dash.

No chance of a work?

 

[Cleavy]

No chance of a work?

I don’t think a NJPW vs AEW feud is compelling enough to build an angle out of it, for this to have been a work.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Charlton also said that since Okada has joined AEW, he has become a meme.
He is kind of right.

 

[RossFC]

No chance of a work?

My opinion is Chris Charlton was being in character. Like how Taz and Joey Styles when ECW was WWE's 3rd brand would talk crap about RAW and SD. But in this case he wasn't scripted to say these things.

 

[RossFC]

 

[Cleavy]

It should be Okada vs Tanahashi one more time.

 

[Cleavy]

I fully expect "one last time" will be one of the maaajor selling points of Forbidden Door this year.

Could potentially go on last in London if TK is brave enough.

no chance over either Omega or Ospreay.

 

[RossFC]

New Beginning Presser with ZSJ.

 

[RossFC]

Added to Battle in the Valley:

Added to New Beginning in Osaka:
Yota Tsuji vs Gabe Kidd for the IWGP Global Title.
Young Bucks vs Naito and Hiromu Takahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Titles.
Tanahashi vs Makabe in a rematch from Tanahashi's debut.

 

[RossFC]

 

[Cleavy]

that's pretty slick.

 

[Cleavy]

Meltzer ratings (just to see how highly he rated the Omega comeback match)

NJPW 1/4 Wrestle Kingdom 19
New Japan Ranbo for the No. 1 Contendership to the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship 2.5
Four-way Tokyo Terror Ladder Match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship 4
AZM vs. Iwatani for the IWGP Women’s Championship 4
Oiwa vs. Cobb vs. ELP vs. Narita for the NJPW World Television Championship 3.75
EVIL vs. Tanahashi in a Lumberjack Deathmatch for Tanahashi’s Career 3.5
Takagi vs. Takeshita in a NEVER Openweight/AEW International Double Championship Match 4.5
DOUKI vs. Desperado for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship 2
Tsuji vs. Finlay for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship 4.5
Takahashi vs. Naito 3
Sabre Jr. vs. Umino for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship 4.5

NJPW 1/5 Wrestle Dynasty
Nightingale vs. Persephone vs. Watanabe vs. Athena in the finals of the International Women’s Cup 2.75
House of Torture vs. Sons of Texas for the ROH Tag Team Championships 3
Eight-man Lucha Gauntlet Match 4.5
Shibata vs. Tanahashi in a Five-Minute Exhibition Match 3.25
Shirakawa vs. Mone in an RPW British Women’s/NJPW Strong Women’s Double Championship Match 3.5
King vs. Finlay 4.25
Castagnoli vs. Umino 3.5
Takeshita vs. Ishii for the NEVER Openweight Championship and the AEW International Championship 4.75
United Empire vs. Young Bucks vs. LIJ for the vacant IWGP Tag Team Championships 4.25
Perry vs. Tsuji for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship 3
Kidd vs. Omega 5.25
Sabre Jr. vs. Ricochet for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship 4.5
--------------------
surprised Kidd-Omega was only 5.25

 

[Cleavy]

from Battle in the Valley today, Tanahashi's opponent for his final match in the US is

Spoiler

Takeshita

 

[RossFC]

Battle in the Valley notes:

Spoiler

Gabe Kidd retained the NJPW Strong Title vs Ishii via a time limit draw. Post-match Gabe Kidd said they'll run it back April 11th at Windy City Riot in a 30 min Iron Man match.

The West Coast Wrecking Crew retained the NJPW Strong Tag Titles vs Rocky Romero and YOH.

Mina Shirakawa, Viva Van, Maika and Hanako beat Anna Jay, AZM, Trish Adora and Johnnie Robbie in an 8 women's elimination tag match.

ELP retained the NJPW TV Title vs Jeff Cobb via a double countout.

Hiromu Takahashi, Mayu Iwatani and Yuka Sakazaki beat Sumie Sakai, EVIL and SHO in an intergender 6 person tag, Sumie Sakai's retirement match. During the match EVIL and SHO despite teaming with Sumie, were beating her up and wanted to win the match themselves.

Konosuke Takeshita retained the Never Openweight Title vs Kushida.

ZSJ beat Hechicero.

El Desperado retained the IWGP Jr Title vs Taiji Ishimori in the main event.

 

[RossFC]

Shit. I completely forgot this show was on.

Did anyone watch it? Was it on NJPW World? Any good?

Spoiler

The NJPW Strong, and TV Title matches were good but both didn't have clean finishes.

The 6 person intergender tag was ok too.

 

[RossFC]

NJPW Blue Justice XV notes:

Spoiler

Naito and Hiromu Takahashi beat Kojima and Tenzan.

Sanada and Taiji Ishimori beat Taichi and Taka Michinoku.

Goto and Yoshi-Hashi beat ZSJ and Hartley Jackson.

 

[RossFC]

 

[RossFC]

NJPW Road To The New Beginning Day 1 notes:

Spoiler

Sanada and Clark Connors beat Taichi and Taka Michinoku.

After a 6 man tag, Great-O-Khan tried to destroy a fans pink Shota Umino glowstick, but Umino saved the day and gave it back to the fan.

El Desperado and Goto beat ZSJ and Fujita in the main event.