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OKADA VS. OSPREAY, GIULIA VS. ADORA, KINGSTON VS. KIDD & MORE: NJPW BATTLE IN THE VALLEY 2024 COVERAGE FROM SAN JOSE, CA

By Mike Johnson on 2024-01-13 22:58:00

No DQ: Shingo Takagi vs. Jon Moxley.

They went nose to nose before exchanging blows.  They went to the floor where Takagi grabbed a Singapore Cane and tossed one to Moxley.  They battled with them around ringside.  Moxley ripped Takagi's mouth with it.  He pulled a chain and a trash can from under the ring.  Shingo cut off Moxley and in the ring, nailed several elbows.  There were dueling chants.  Shingo locked on a side chinlock.  Moxley fought out and they ended up back on the floor.  Moxley nailed him with a trash can lid, busting him open.  TONS of blood.

Moxley drilled him with a lot of fists, beating him against the railing.  Moxley placed a trash can over his head and beat it with the canes like it was a baseball bat.  He shattered the cane and stuck the remnants into Shingo's bloody forehead.  He nailed a piledriver for a two count.  Moxley choked at Takagi with  a piece of the cane and stabbed another piece into his eye.  The crowd chanted, "You sick f***."  Takagi comes back with a lariat.  He nailed a running clothesline in the corner and hit a suplex for a two count.

Moxley came back and set up for a dive but Takagi smashed him in the head as he made it to the ropes.  Moxley was now bleeding as well.  There was a smattering of a "Blood" chant.  Takagi brought several chairs into the ring.  Takagi removed part of the buckles in the corner and smashed Moxley into it.  He nailed a superplex and covered Moxley for a two count.  He nailed a series of elbows, then hit a sliding lariat.  Moxley sat up and they went nose to nose, headbutting each other.  They nailed each other with lariats.  Moxley nailed a German Tsuplex but Takagi bounced up with a backdrop suplex.  

They began tossing chairs into the ring and began going to war with them.  Takagi got the better of the exchange and nailed a lariat.  He nailed Moxley with another one, using the steel chain but Moxley kicked out.  Takagi caned him in the middle of the head.  Jeez.  He pulled a table out from under the ring.  He set it up and was going to toss Moxley through it but Moxley nailed him and began choking him out with the steel chain.  Moxley placed him on the table and went to the top.  He dove off with an elbowdrop, smashing Shingo through it.  The crowd chanted, "Holy sh**!"

Moxley tossed him in but Takagi kicked out.  Moxley tried to pull amother table out and finally was able to accomplish the task.  He slid it into the ring.    Moxley choked away at Takagi.  He set the table up and pulled Takagi up to the top rope.  They exchanged headbutts on the top.  Takagi spewed green mist in Moxley's eyes, blinding him on the top.  Takagi hit a DVDR off the top through a table.  He smashed Moxley with a piece of the table and then walloped him with a running lariat.  He powerbombed Moxley, who kicked up.  COME ON.

Shingo threw a chair at Moxley and slammed him on the chair, but Moxley kicked out again.  Moxley caught him with a leaping cutter and a curb stomp.  He nailed the Deathrider but Takagi kicked out, which San Jose lost their minds over.  Moxley nailed a knee strike but Takagi kicked out at one.  Moxley nailed a Deathrider through an open chair.  Moxley scored the pinfall.

Your winner, Jon Moxley!

Different from everything else on the show, obviously.

Moxley showed Shingo respect after.

He took the ring mic and said it's time.  In 2024, he's only got one name on his mind - Tetsuya Naito. He said, "The time has come."

After they cleaned the ring, it was time for the main event.

They announced Moxley vs. Naito for 4/12 in Chicago.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay.

The crowd was loving this before they even locked up.    They locked up and went back and forth, feeling each other out.  They broke clean in the ropes, then clenched up again.  Okada acted like he was going to throw a punch and Ospreay flinched.  That didn't make Ospreay happy.  He nailed a rana on Okada.  Ospreay missed a charge in the corner but caught Okada with a kick.  He clotheslined Okada over the top to the floor.  Ospreay teased a dive but Okada avoided a plancha.  Ospreay landed on his feet but was kicked and nailed with a DDT.

They battled on the floor, exchanging forearms.  Okada drilled Ospreay with a DDT off the apron to the floor.  Back in the ring, Okada worked over Ospreay for a long time.    Okada drilled him in the corner with an elbow.  The crowd was booing Okada slightly.  Ospreay fired back but was cut off with a kick to the mid-section and a charging elbow.  Okada nailed a leaping hip strike.   Ospreay fired back and drilled Okada with a kick from the buckles.  Okada cut off his momentum, elevating and slamming Ospreay to the mat.

Okada drilled him with neckbreaker across the knee.  Okada locked on The Money Clip as the fans tried to rally Ospreay back to life.  Okada nailed a big forearm but was smashed with an enziguiri.  He went for a powerbomb but Okada escaped and landed on his feet.  Okada went for the dropkick but missed.  Ospreay went for a standing shooting star press but Okada pulled his knees up and finally smashed Ospreay with a dropkick.  Ospreay came back with an Ozcutter for a two count.

As they hit the 15 mark, they battled to the floor again, where Okada nailed a tombstone piledriver.  He dumped Ospreay back into the ring and slammed him.  Okada ascended to the top and nailed a flying elbow.  Okada kept kicking as Ospreay, trying to play mind games.  Ospreay fired back wit a kick and went for an Ozcutter but Okada caught him.  Ospreay nailed a lariat for a two count.  They battled back and forth.  Okada nailed Stormbreaker and a Rainmaker but Ospreay kicked out of each.  Okada was shocked at the Rainmaker kickout.

Okada kept working over Ospreay.  He dropkicked Ospreay in the back of the head.  Ospreay caught him rebounding and nailed a sit-out powerbomb.  They fought to their feet, battering each other with forearms and strikes.  The momentum went back and forth when Ospreay was drilled and finally went down to his knees.  Okada went for the Rainmaker but Ospreay ducks and nailed his own lariat.  Ospreay nailed a big dropkick and hit a Rainmaker of his own for a close two count.  Ospreay went for Stormbreaker but Okada rolled through and scored a two count.

Ospreay finally nailed Stormbreaker and scored a CLOSE two count.  Ospreay revealed The Hidden Blade and set up to strike Okada.  Okada pounced and nailed him, then  tossed Ospreay aside when he tried again.  They kicked back and forth at each other.  Okada nailed a stiff clothesline.  Okada nailed a slam and grabbed him for a Rainmaker for the pin.

Your winner, Kazuchika Okada!

Damn good physical battle.

Okada pulled Ospreay up and hugged him for a long time.

Dave Finlay, Gabe Kid and The War Dogs hit the ring and attacked Ospreay and Okada.    Jeff Cobb and TJP made the save.  Eddie Kingston hit the ring to a big pop.  Everyone brawled until the villains were run from the ring.  

The crowd chanted "Thank you Ospreay,"  He said you can thank him when he wipes out Bullet Club in a cage in Osaka.  He told Eddie Kingston he owes him one.  He thanked everyone for having his back.  The crowd chanted for Ospreay again.  He told the fans he thanks them and said it's been a really fun eight years.  He came to New Japan when he was 22 and really found out about himself.  He was a young, immature young man who made mistakes and faced everyone so he could grow from it.  He said there are so many things he could say about Kazuchika Okada and said Okada was literally the greatest wrestler ever.  He cannot express the gratitude he has to perform in front of everyone for his last singles match in NJPW.   He said, "Not bad for some autistic kid from Essex."  He said he's so grateful for everyone who's watched out for him, like the United Empire.  He said the United States is going to be his home for the next few years and they're going to "get to know each other very well."  He said this chapter is unfortunately closing but a new one is opening.  Before it does, they are bringing the steel cage to New Japan.  He said he was a backyard wrestler when he started and he's bringing that to New Japan.  He said if you don't like blood and violence and the sounds of broken bones, don't watch but if you are a sick SOB like him, watch as they take Bullet Club and bury it.

United Empire celebrated and embraced to close the show.

Ospreay bowed to each side of the ring before exiting.


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