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KOTA IBUSHI VS. EL DESPERADO: NJPW 49th ANNIVERSARY SHOW REPORT

3/4/21 Results for New Japan's 49th Anniversary Event from the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo Japan:

Most of the opening tag matches will feature future pairings in the New Japan Cup.  This may lead to potential storyline twists. 

Master Wato, Gabriel Kidd, Tomoaki Honma and Hirooki Goto vs. DOUKI, Zack Sabre Jr., Minoru Suzuki and Taichi.  ZSJ and Kidd paired off and started grappling.  Kidd held his own against the technical wizard ZSJ.    Goto gets the pin on DOUKI with the GTR.

Ryusuke Taguchi, Toa Henare, David Finlay, Juice Robinson and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Taiji Ishimori, Jay White, Chase Owens, KENTA and EVIL, with Dick Togo and Gedo.  Tanahashi came to the ring holding the NEVER Openweight Championship over his shoulder.   There is a storyline which started at New Beginning in Nagoya, where Tanahashi defeated Shingo Takagi for the Title. In the past, Tanahashi never had any interest in the NEVER Openweight Title.  Takagi and Tanahashi had words after the match.  Takagi was the one who challenged Tanahashi after Wrestle Kingdom.  After the match, Takagi said to Tanahashi that he hopes he brings prestige to the NEVER Openweight Title.  Takagi was a force as NEVER Openweight Champion.   Tanahashi said he will not wear the belt around his waist until he feels he deserves to do so.  More on this later.  Match starts off fast.  Juice and Finlay look happy to be back in New Japan.    EVIL plants Taguchi with Everything is Evil to get the win.

SHO, Tomohiro Ishii and Kazuchika Okada vs. BUSHI, SANADA and Shingo Takagi.  Okada still has his lower back taped up after his brutal match with EVIL at Castle Attack.  SHO pins BUSHI with Shock Arrow.

They made an announcement for Wrestle Grand Slam starting on May 15 at the Yokohama Stadium and ending at the Tokyo Dome on May 29, 2021.   This will be the first time since 2005 that New Japan will be at the Tokyo Dome outside the month of January.

New Japan Cup 2021 1st Round:   Satoshi Kojima vs. Jeff Cobb.  The strength of Cobb is scary.  Kojima tried for a plancha on Cobb who was on the ring floor.   Cobb catches Kojima, hits two knees to the ribs, then slams him on the ring floor.   Good match.   Kojima hits a Kojicutter and a brainbuster.  Cobb kicks out.  Cobb hits a swinging back suplex and a sit down powerbomb.  Kojima kicks out.   They trade lariats.   Kojima throws the elbow pad and goes for a running lariat, but Cobb catches him and hits Tour of the Islands. Cobb pins Kojima.

Jeff Cobb advances to Round 2 to face EVIL, who has bye in the 1st Round.

New Japan Cup 2021 1st Round:  Tetsuya Naito vs. Great O-Khan.  Early in the match, O-Khan picked up Naito and threw him across the ring.  Naito landed on his right knee.  O-Khan focuses his attack on the right leg, with chairs to the leg, and with submission holds.  Naito rallied back.  O-Khan went for the Eliminator twice which Naito avoided.  Naito hit Destino but he was unable to get O-Khan in a pinning position.  O-Khan wrapped up Naito in a leg submission.   The crowd clapped loudly for Naito to not give up.    The referee calls for the bell to declare O-Khan the winner.   Naito could not get to the ropes nor would he submit.   Doctors immediately check on Naito in the ring.  

Wow!   Tetsuya Naito is eliminated in the 1st Round.   O-Khan rebounded well after his loss to Tanahashi at Castle Attack.  With multiple big losses this year, we shall see what holds for Naito for the rest of 2021.

O-Khan will face the winner of Toru Yano and Bad Luck Fale.

IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Double Championship Match:  Kota Ibushi vs. El Desperado  El Desperado comes to the ring with Suzuki-Gun teammates, Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.  Kevin Kelly pointed out that without the injury to Hiromu Takahashi, El Desperado would not be holding all the Jr. Heavyweight belts, nor facing Kota Ibushi for the Double Championship.  Ibushi tried to wrestle with Desperado.  Desperado tried to use his heel tactics to gain an advantage, but that just pissed off Ibushi.   Desperado attacked the knee of Ibushi, the same knee that Tetsuya Naito damaged in Castle Attack.  They traded kick strikes.  Desperado ducked a leg strike and locked in Numero Dos.   Ibushi gets to the ropes.  Desperado went for a dropkick to the knee.  Ibushi jumped up to avoid it and came down on Desperado's chest with a double stomp.  They hit each other with brutal strikes.  Awesome match.   Ibushi hits the Last Ride, but only a two count.  Ibushi goes for Kamagoye but misses and Desperado locks in Numero Dos.  Ibushi reverses out and hits Kamagoye.   Desperado kicks out at two.    Ibushi hits a second Kamagoye and gets the pinfall win.  Kota Ibushi retains the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Double Championship.

Taichi and Kanemaru quickly jumped in the ring to assist their teammate.   Ibushi showed respect to his opponent by shaking his hand and small bow.  

Ibushi takes the mic and thanks El Desperado.   Ibushi says he will accept any challenge from any weight class.   The camera focused on Hiroshi Tanahashi at ringside for commentary, who was looking with disappointment at Ibushi.   Tanahashi was not fond of the unification of the two titles.

This will be last match for those two belts.  The next time Kota Ibushi defends his title it will be as the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Note:   I do not like the idea to unify the titles.  There is history with both titles.  Kevin Kelly mentioned that there was some backlash at Ibushi for this idea.  However, it is what it is.  Going back to Wrestle Kingdom, when Hiroshi Tanahashi won the NEVER Openweight Title, I felt that he did not need the Title and he would be successful on his own name recognition.   However, if IWGP Intercontinental Title is gone, then it makes sense that the NEVER Openweight Title should rise in importance.   There is no one better to elevate the status of that NEVER Openweight Title than Hiroshi Tanahashi.  As Kota Ibushi will cement his status as the top wrestler in New Japan as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, I also see Hiroshi Tanahashi defending the NEVER Openweight Title, and raising the importance of this title towards what the Intercontinental Title was.

Stay tuned for more as the New Japan Cup is underway.

Thank you for reading.

 

 

 

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