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IWGP Intercontinental Title Tournament – Round 1: Toru Yano vs. Dan Maff
Yano spit water in Maff's face immediately and started stomping the hell out of him. Maff came back with a clothesline and dared him to come on. Yano offered his hand and kicked Maff in the gut. Maff came back with a boot to the head and a back senton splash.
Yano went to the floor where Maff hit a suicide dive to the outside. They battled on the outside. Yano whipped Maff into the guard rail. They continued to battle outside the ring. Yano left Maff on the floor where he was almost counted out but rolled back into the ring at the last second.
Yano continued the beating, choking Maff with his ring tape. The referee tried to stop him but was shoved to the mat. Yano stomped Maff out of the ring and to the floor. Maff returned and chopped Yano, who responded in kind. Maff stopped an irish whip attempt and sent Yano into the corner. Maff nailed a series of elbowsmashes in the corner and then hit a back splash and a cannonball on Yano.
Yano came back and went for a clothesline but missed. Maff hit a rolling kick, sending Yano to the mat. Maff went for the Burning Hammer but Yano slipped out. Maff caught him with a back suplex for a two count.
Maff charged Yano, who nailed him with an umbrella he carried into the ring. Maff bumped the referee. Yano nailed him in the head with the umbrella. Maff came back to hit a DDT but there was no referee to count the fall.
Yano lowblowed Maff and covered him for the pin.
Match was OK. The crowd didn't seem to care for the ref bump and the cheap heat finish in his environment.
IWGP Intercontinental Title Tournament – Round 1: MVP vs. Kazuchika Okada
Okada is the one and the same that was running around dressed like Kato in TNA.
MVP had a huge star aura when he came out.
He rode Okada to the mat. They went back and forth with some really good mat work. Okada scissored MVP's neck and tried to wear him down. He kicked MVP in the back. MVP fired up, took him over and kicked Okada across the back. Okada responded in kind. MVP then nailed a series of kicks to the back and hit a kick while rebounding off the ropes for a two count.
MVP kicked Okada out of the ring, then nailed him with a plancha. That brought up a huge MVP chant. He rolled Okada back into the ring for a two count. MVP missed a charge and ended up on the apron. Okada kicked him off to the floor, then followed him. He slammed MVP's head into the apron.
Okada brought him back into the ring and worked him over with a series of elbow strikes in the corner. Okada drilled his neck and went for a cravate, then hit a rolling neckbreaker for a two count.
Okada went for another but MVP fired back with a series of rights. Okada hit a dropkick out of the corner. Okada cranked his neck. They exchanged forearms and punches in the center. Okada got the better of the exchange. He whipped MVP into the corner but was nailed with an elbow. MVP drilled him with several clotheslines and thrusts.
MVP nailed the Ballin; elbow and a fisherman's suplex for a two count. They battled back and forth with forearms. MVP drilled him with a series of forearm smashes, an uppercut and a clothesline for a two count.
MVP draped Okada on the top rope and worked him over, weakening him for a superplex attempt. Okada tried to fight him and showed MVP down off the ropes. Okada nailed a big missile dropkick and covered MVP for a two count.
Okada lifted MVP up for a Uranage and then slammed him down for a two count. Okada went back to the top rope but was kicked in the face as he came off the ropes. MVP covered him for a two count. MVP missed a Yakuza Kick and was rolled up for a two count.
MVP finally nailed the Playmaker and cinched in a submission (I couldn't see what it was), forcing Okada to submit.
Your winner, MVP!
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