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DETAILED NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING DESTRUCTION EVENT PREVIEWS

New Japan Pro Wrestling has released the cards for the three upcoming Destruction shows.  In past years, they have done two Destruction cards, however, with the continued expansion of the company under President Takaaki Kidani and the inclusion of talents from Pro Wrestling NOAH, the annual kickoff to the fall season has stretched itself even further.

 

 

DESTRUCTION IN TOKYO

September 17, 2016

Ota Ward Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan

 

1) David Finlay & Henare v. Rocky Romero & Baretta 

2) Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan v. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi

3) Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Tiger Mask v. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima & Jushin Thunder Liger 

4) Tama Tonga, Tanga Roa & Chase Owens v. Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & Gedo

5) Kyle O´Reilly v. Juice Robinson

6) Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay v. Kenny Omega, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi

7) Tetsuya Naito, EVIL & SANADA v. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin & Ryusuke Taguchi

8) NEVER Openweight Championship: Katsuyori Shibata (c) v. Bobby Fish 

9) IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: KUSHIDA (c) v. BUSHI

 

MATCH NOTES:

 

• This will mark the first major show for the newest New Japan Young Lion Henare. Hailing from New Zealand, the 23-year old will be debuting for the company at their Lion’s Gate Project show on September 1st in a singles match against Quiet Storm.  For those unfamiliar, the Lion’s Gate series of shows are a way to let their dojo trainees get longer singles matches against more experienced talent to help them progress in their training.
• At the G1 Climax Finals, Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan suffered a decisive loss to Jado & Gedo in under six minutes.  The frustration of Yoshitatsu was apparent, as he walked out on his partner rather than check on him (which is the norm in New Japan).  The self-professed “Bullet Club Hunter” seems to be fed up with his partner, so look for that story to continue here.
• NWA mainstay and Bullet Club member Chase Owens returns for another tour.  He has steadily improved in the few years that he has been coming to New Japan.
• Bobby Fish becomes the first junior heavyweight to challenge for the NEVER Openweight Championship since KUSHIDA unsuccessfully challenged Tomohiro Ishii on April 12, 2014 in Taiwan.  This will be a rematch of their ROH World TV Title match from Las Vegas for ROH TV tapings on August 21.
• BUSHI, who has quite the cult following in Tokyo, challenges KUSHIDA for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title for the second time during KUSHIDA’s current reign as champion.  He was unsuccessful on February 14 of this year at The New Beginning in Niigita.  He earned this shot by defeating KUSHIDA during a non-title round robin match on Night 13 of the Best of the Super Juniors Tournament in Sendai.

 

DESTRUCTION IN HIROSHIMA

September 22, 2016 

Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall 

 

1) Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Ricochet & Matt Sydal v. Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan

2) Ryusuke Taguchi, Kyle O´Reilly, Bobby Fish & David Finlay v. Katsuyori Shibata, Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi & Tiger Mask

3) Rocky Romero & Baretta v. Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa 

4) Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii v. Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens 

5) Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin, KUSHIDA & Juice Robinson v. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI 

6) IWGP Tag Team Championship: Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe (c) v. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson 

7) Adam Cole v. Will Ospreay 

8) Kazuchika Okada v. Bad Luck Fale 

9) Omega’s Wrestle Kingdom IWGP Title Shot On The Line: Kenny Omega v. YOSHI-HASHI

 

MATCH NOTES:

 

• After successfully defending their IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles against the Motor City Machine Guns at the Super J-Cup Finals on August 21, The Young Bucks cut a promo in the ring stating that in their two and a half years in New Japan, they have proven they are “the best tag team in the World today.”  They also said they have been limiting themselves, therefore, they want step up and win the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.  They have been granted the match in Hiroshima.
• New Ring of Honor World Champion Adam Cole makes his New Japan singles debut in a match against 2016 Best of the Super Juniors Tournament winner Will Ospreay in a non-title match.
• Since 2012, the winner of the G1 Climax has gone on to headline Wrestle Kingdom at the Tokyo Dome for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.  Over the past couple of years, one of the traditions leading into New Japan’s biggest show on January 4 includes the winner of the G1 Climax defending the right to that headlining match against everyone he lost to in during round robin competition.  This year, Omega lost to Michael Elgin, Katsuyori Shibata and the man he faces in the main event in Hiroshima: YOSHI-HASHI.  He stated he would go along with New Japan’s rules as long as he got to choose the order of his opponents, and he chose this match first.
• This is without question the biggest match of YOSHI-HASHI’s career.  He has spent the majority of his eight year career on the lower end of the card, and is usually slotted to eat the fall in tag matches for his more popular partners in the CHAOS stable.  This year, he took a big step up and earned a spot to enter the G1 Climax.  Despite getting solid reviews for his performances, he ended the tournament with a 3-6 record.  In CHAOS, he is usually known as the loveable, aloof and fun loving member of the group.  Now, he takes another SERIOUS step up.

 

DESTRUCTION IN KOBE

September 25, 2016

Kobe World Hall 

 

1) David Finlay, Henare & Teruaki Kanemitsu v. Will Ospreay, Rocky Romero & Baretta 

2) Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan v. Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens 

3) Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi & Tiger Mask v. Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Ryusuke Taguchi

4) Kyle O´Reilly & Bobby Fish v. Katsuyori Shibata & Yuji Nagata

5) NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship: Satoshi Kojima, Ricochet & Matt Sydal (c) v. Adam Cole, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson 

6) Kenny Omega, Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga & Tanga Roa v. Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Jay Briscoe & Mark Briscoe

7) Hiroshi Tanahashi, KUSHIDA & Juice Robinson v. SANADA, "King of Darkness" EVIL & BUSHI 

8) Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI, Jado & Gedo v. Naomichi Marufuji, Toru Yano, Daisuke Harada & Atsushi Kotoge

9) IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Michael Elgin v. Tetsuya Naito

 

MATCH NOTES:

 

• At the G1 Climax finals, a feud between Pro Wrestling NOAH and New Japan started with Katsuyori Shibata being the catalyst.  He steps aside to allow members of CHAOS take their shot at the invading group.  The emphasis behind this is Naomichi Marufuji defeating current IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada on Night 1 of this year’s G1 Climax tournament.  They will be facing off one-on-one in the main event of the King of Pro Wrestling PPV on October 10 at Sumo Hall for the title, and this is the beginning of the build for that.
• In a very interesting twist, Toru Yano is part of the Pro Wrestling NOAH team in the main event as he and Marufuji defeated Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith, Jr. for the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Titles last month.  However, he will be facing off against his own CHAOS stablemates.  This is VERY unusual for New Japan and Japanese wrestling in general, however, with Marufuji and Yano being tag champions, this is a logical and interesting reason to have this happen.
• The main event will only be a title match if Elgin gets past his title defense against Donovan Dijak at Field of Honor this Saturday at MCU Park in Brooklyn.

 

To see these shows and every other New Japan show, check out http://njpwworld.com

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