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NEW CHAMPIONS CROWNED, OSPREAY VS. OKADA, TANAHASHI, KENTA, MOXLEY ISSUES A WARNING & MORE: FULL NIGHT 1 NJPW WRESTLE KINGDOM 15 COVERAGE

By Mike Johnson on 2021-01-04 00:33:00

IWGP Tag Team Champions Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi vs. The Guerrillas of Destiny.

If G.O.D. win here, they break the record as seven-time IWGP Tag Team Champions, but the story is that they have never scored a win in the Tokyo Dome.

Taichi and Sabre gained the early advantage on Tama Tonga, tying him up with submissions and choking him.  Tonga Loa drilled Sabre into the apron on the floor and tagged in.  He slammed Taichi and scored a near fall.  They worked over Taichi for some time until he nailed an elbow as Loa charged.  Sabre tagged in and began whipping out all sorts of offensive maneuvers to set up near falls.

Sabre locked in the Octopus.  He and Taichi went to toss Tama Tonga into the ropes but he slipped underneath.  That allowed Tonga Loa to hit the ring from behind with clotheslines on each.   They controlled and scored several pinfalls,  Taichi fired back with kicks but was cut off.  The G.O.D. set up for a superbomb on Sabre but he caught a forward guillotine hanging choke on Loa.  Taichi slid under Sabre and powerbombed his own partner as Sabre nailed a superplex.  Loa kicked up at the last second.

Everyone battled back and forth and were left laying.  Loa and Taichi nailed each other with clotheslines but neither went down.  The champs double teamed him in the corner.  Tama came back and nailed a stunner on Sabre.  Taichi nailed him with a kick but was nailed by Loa with one of his own.  Just a series of big kicks and moves.  

The Guerrillas drilled Taichi with a loaded glove, then hit a tombstone on him for the pin.

Your winners and new IWGP Tag Team Champions, The Guerrillas of Destiny.

Another solid bout.  OK.

They aired a promo from Jon Moxley, who declared that no matter who walked out the winner tonight, he was coming for them.  Moxley was at the New Japan USA studios in Los Angeles.

IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship Title Bout Rights: KENTA defends his briefcase vs. Satoshi Kojima.

This was slated to be Juice Robinson vs. KENTA but he is out due to a broken orbital bone after being struck with the briefcase by KENTA.   

Kojima looked strong early, maintaining control on KENTA.  He held onto a side headlock for a long time.  KENTA shoved him off but was run down as Kojima rebounded off the ropes.  KENTA went to the floor and got into Hiroyoshi Tenzan's face.  Kojima went to defend his corner man but was whipped into him and nailed a DDT on the floor.

Back in the ring, KENTA stomped away on Kojima with kicks to the neck and back.  He snapmared him over and drilled him with a kick to the back of the head.  KENTA used his legs to scissor Kojima's head until Kojima grabbed the ropes to force a break.  KENTA kept drilling him with kicks to head.  They battled to the top rope in the corner, where Kojima was nailed with a big suplex.  He refused to stay down and backed into the corner but KENTA caught him and then nailed a clothesline from the top rope for a two count.

Kojima tried to avoid KENTA by staying on the apron but KENTA went for a suplex.  Kojima avoided and nailed a DDT on the apron.  Just a hard hitting physical war thus far.  Really enjoyable.    Back in the ring, they exchanged moves until KENTA caught him with a DDT.  KENTA nailed a running knee in the corner, then nailed a big dropkick in the corner.

KENTA nailed a big double stomp off the top for a close two count.  The referee got knocked down.  KENTA tried to use the case as a weapon but Kojima knocked it out of his hands.  Kojima nailed a lariat for a two count.    KENTA came back with a big knee strike as Kojima was going for the lariat.  KENTA tried to go for GTS but Kojima battled him off.  Kojima went for a short arm lariat but was drilled with a palm strike and a clothesline.  KENTA nailed a Psycho Knee for a two count.

KENTA went for the GTS and nalled it, scoring the pin.

Your winner, KENTA!

A damn well crafted match that saw Kojima look like the veteran bad-ass he is and fight all the way before being outgunned by the younger, brasher KENTA, who looked great here.  This was the best thing thus far on the show.

They aired a commercial for a forthcoming New Japan Mobile game.

We are currently at intermission.

Coverage will continue on Page 3!


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