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?11/6/21 Results from New Japan's Power Struggle from Osaka, Japan:
With this event, New Japan Pro Wrestling is returning with more wrestlers on the card and longer events. During the COVID months, most New Japan wrestling events were running under 3 hours, with strict time curfews. As the country recovers from the pandemic, the company is slowly returning to bigger cards with more matches. The upcoming Best of Super Junior and World Tag League should be full cards, with talents yet to be determined
Kosei Fujita and Ryohei Oiwa vs. DOUKI and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
The young lions started aggressively against Suzuki-Gun. Kanemaru raked Fujita in the eyes. Kanemaru applied a Boston Crab to Fujita.
Fujita taps out.
As Suzuki-Gun leaves the ring, they acknowledge Taichi on Japanese Commentary, who will have a ringside seat for his tag partner’s match against Shingo Takagi in the main event.
Tiger Mask, Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe vs. Jado, Gedo and Tanga Loa
Tanga Loa pins Honma after hitting Apeshit.
In an exhibition match like this, Tanga Loa getting the pinfall win was great as it continued his momentum after the G1 Climax. Tiger Mask did not get pinned as he is a Jr. Tag Champion. Tanga Loa would look weak if he pinned a Jr. Heavyweight. Smart booking here.
Master Wato, Ryusuke Taguchi and Yuji Nagata vs. BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi and SANADA
SANADA reverses an Ankle Lock by Taguchi and rolls him up with an O’Conner Roll with a bridge.
SANADA pins Taguchi.
The first three match went by quickly. The pace of the event is similar to pre-pandemic New Japan events.
NEVER Openweight 6-man Tag Championship Match: YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii and Hirooki Goto vs. SHO, Yujiro Takahashi and EVIL, with Dick Togo
All men attacked each other at the bell. Chaotic at the start with all six men fighting everywhere. EVIL took off the turnbuckle pad and Yujiro threw Goto into the metal bolt. House of Torture has the advantage. Goto hits a back suplex on Yujiro and makes the tag to Ishii. Ishii and SHO face off. They start beating each other with elbows. Ishii throws chops into SHO’s throat. SHO spears Ishii and tags EVIL. Ishii hits a release German suplex on EVIL and tags YOSHI-HASHI. YOSHI-HASHI hits a Blockbuster on EVIL. Pace quickens as there are no tags and all men are in the ring. EVIL hits Darkness Falls on YOSHI-HASHI. Two count. Referee takes a bump. Togo and EVIL hit a Magic Killer on YOSHI-HASHI. Two count. EVIL is frustrated. Again all men in the ring. YOSHI-HASHI with a release Dragon suplex and a lariat on EVIL. YOSHI-HASHI follows with a Kumagaroshi. Two count. He goes for Karma but EVIL grabs the referee and they get tied up in the ring ropes. Togo jumps on the ring apron and chokes out YOSHI-HASHI with his piano wire. EVIL still grabbing on the referee. YOSHI-HASHI powers out and punches Togo who falls to the floor. Yujiro tries to hit YOSHI-HASHI with his Pimp Stick. Goto takes out Yujiro. SHO hits Goto with a chair. Ishii takes out SHO with a shoulder tackle. Pace of the match is too fast to recap. Togo chokes out Ishii. SHO finds a wrench and hits YOSHI-HASHI in the face. EVIL hits Everything is Evil on YOSHI-HASHI.
EVIL pins YOSHI-HASHI
The House of Torture are the new NEVER Openweight 6-man Tag Team Champions.
House of Torture continue to beat down CHAOS after the match. The former Champs are all laid out. YOH comes to the ring to make the save. He attacks everyone but tries to go after SHO. House of Torture takes the belts and escape. YOH stood in the ring watching them exit.
With the Best of Super Junior coming next week, this was a preview for a showdown between SHO and YOH. However, having YOH (a Junior Heavyweight) coming to make the save, seemed weird. Why didn’t House of Torture just attack YOH? They out numbered him 4-1. With House of Torture just leaving, it also made them look weak and afraid, running away from one man.
Provisional KOPW 2021 Trophy - Amateur Wrestling Match: Toru Yano vs. Great O-Khan
Yuji Nagata and officials came to the ring to explain why he rules of this match and points to be scored.
This was too long. The show was moving at a good pace and this took me out of the show for a bit.
Both Yano and O-Khan came to the ring in wrestling singlets. Aaron Henare was in the corner of O-Khan.
After two rounds, Yano scored 6 points. O-Khan earned 5 points. Both men were exhausted and sweating.
Yano wins.
Yano retains the KOPW Provisional 2021 Trophy.
O-Khan and Henare attack Yano after the match. O-Khan hits the Eliminator on Yano. Yuji Nagata makes the save.
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship Match: Robbie Eagles vs. El Desperado
Good back and forth match early on. Desperado gets the advantage after a tope con hilo on to Eagles. Desperado hits a suplex and starts working on the left leg of Eagles. Desperado slows it down with a reverse chin lock and hammerlock combination. Eagles fights back with kicks and running elbow to the head. Eagles hits a tope con hilo of his own. Eagles dropkicks Desperado in the leg and applies the Ron Miller Special. Desperado gets to the ropes. Desperado hits a Spinebuster and applies Numero Dos. Eagles gets to the ropes. Desperado with a pump handle slam. Two count. Eagles hits Sliced Bread #2. Two count. Eagles for a 450 splash but Desperado gets his knees up. Both men are hurt. They get to their feet and exchange elbows. They attack each other’s legs. Eagles hits a Poisonrana and a leg lariat. Two count. They exchange reversals. Eagles drops a knee on Desperado’s leg. Desperado screams in pain. Eagles tries for a Ron Miller again, but Desperado rolls him into a school boy pin. Eagles kicks out. As he kicks out, Desperado traps Eagles’ leg in Numero Dos. Eagles screams “no”. Desperado grabs both of his arms and pulls. Desperado locks the hold in deeper. The referee checks Eagles. Eagles screams “yes”. There is an audible gasp from the Osaka crowd.
Desperado forces Eagles to submit.
El Desperado is the new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion.
Desperado screams in victory and he limps his way back to the locker room.
Great match! El Desperado has been awesome all year long and has brought stability to the Jr. Division. The same could be said of Robbie Eagles. Their series of matches in 2021 are highly recommended.
IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. KENTA
KENTA plays mind games with Tanahashi in the early moments. Tanahashi hits a plancha over the top rope. KENTA powerslams Tanahashi on the ramp way. Tanahashi is almost counted out. Tanahashi in pain and clutching his back. KENTA takes off the turnbuckle pad. KENTA slows the match down with a triangle choke. Tanahashi fights back with elbows and flipping senton. KENTA with a clothesline from the top rope. Tanahashi hits a Dragon screw in the rope. Match goes to the floor. Tanahashi is thrown into the guardrails and KENTA follows with a Yakuza kick. KENTA sets up a table and tries to drive Tanahashi threw the table. Tanahashi blocks it and they fight on the ropes. KENTA hits the Green Killer. KENTA with a Yakuza kick and a dropkick to the face. KENTA hits a double stomp from the top rope.
Tanahashi rolls to the outside. KENTA hits another double stomp from the ring apron. Tanahashi fights back with a Slingblade. Tanahashi puts KENTA on the table. He hits High Fly Flow from the top rope on KENTA through the table. KENTA’s back is bleeding. Tanahashi hits a Slingblade in the ring. Tanahashi hits Aces High. Tanahashi goes for High Fly Flow but KENTA gets his knees up. KENTA catches Tanahashi in Game Over. Tanahashi quickly gets to the ropes. KENTA with a Psycho Knee. Two count. Tanahashi with two Dragon screws. Tanahashi goes for the Texas Cloverhold. KENTA kicks him and Tanahashi goes head first into the metal bolt. KENTA with another Psycho Knee. Two count. KENTA goes for Go To Sleep. Tanahashi reverses into another Slingblade. KENTA pushes Tanahashi again into the metal bolt. KENTA hits Go To Sleep right in the face.
KENTA pins Tanahashi!
KENTA is the new IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion!
Good match. Both men took a beating in this match. KENTA’s bump through the table was sick. Good night for Bullet Club so far.
IWGP World Heavyweight Right to Challenge in Tokyo Dome Contract Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Tama Tonga, with Jado
Okada comes to the ring with the old IWGP Heavyweight Title, his version of the briefcase to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
The match started fast with both men trying hit quick attacks. Tama took an early advantage by clotheslining Okada on the top rope. Okada is stunned and Tama follows with a suplex on the floor. Okada is almost counted out. Tama drops three elbows. Two count. Tama slows the pace with a rear chin lock. Tama switches to a Sleeper hold. Okada punches his way out. Okada hits a high flapjack. Okada puts Tama on the top rope and dropkicks him off to the floor. Okada hits a DDT on the floor. Okada with a top rope dropkick. Okada applies the Money Clip. Tama gets a break in the ropes.
Okada dragged Tama out to the floor and tried to hit a tombstone on the floor. Tama fought out and hit a Tonga Twist on the floor. Tama throws Okada into the ring and hits another Tonga Twist. Two count. Okada applies the Money Clip again. Tama fights to the ropes. Okada with the Rainmaker pose. Okada tries for the Rainmaker but Tama ducks. Okada misses a dropkick. Tama hits a SICK Alabama Slam and follows up with a Death Valley Driver. Tama hits a big splash from the top rope. Okada kicks out at two. Tama goes for a Gun Stun. Okada blocks it and they exchange reversals. Tama hits a double underhook DDT. Okada looks dazed. Tama goes for another Gun Stun and Okada hits a dropkick. Okada hits another dropkick and goes for a tombstone. Tama reverses and hits one of his own. Pace picks up. They exchange more reversals. Okada hits a sit down tombstone. Okada hits a Rainmaker.
Okada pins Tama Tonga
Kazuchika Okada will go on to face the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in the the Tokyo Dome at Wrestle Kingdom.
Another good match. Okada was able to avoid the Gun Stun and DSD. Okada had to use his whole arsenal to take out Tama Tonga
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match: Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
ZSJ started on the arm of Takagi. They countered each other’s moves early in the match. Both men knew each other well. Both men fought on the ring apron. ZSJ trapped him in a Sleeper Choke. Takagi was getting put to sleep. ZSJ released at the count of 4. Takagi slumped to the ring floor. ZSJ followed up with a wicked Punt Kick to Takagi’s chest. Ouch! Takagi used his power moves to weaken ZSJ. ZSJ kept looking for an arm or neck submission. They moved so fast. Recap is tough. Takagi tied up ZSJ in the ropes and hit a Dragon screw. Takagi used his knees and twisted ZSJ’s neck. Takagi applied an STF. Then a cross face. ZSJ gets to the ropes. ZSJ was clutching his neck. Takagi tried for a lariat. ZSJ blocked it and hit a Zack Driver out of nowhere. ZSJ could not go for the cover. Both men lay on the mat in pain.
They slowly picked up the pace again. ZSJ catches a running forearm in the face. Takagi hits Made in Japan. Two count. Takagi blasts ZSJ across the ring with a Pumping Bomber. Takagi lifts ZSJ on his shoulders and goes to the top rope. ZSJ slides off and takes Takagi down with a cross arm breaker. Takagi blocks it and ZSJ continues to move and try for a a submission. ZSJ finally positioned Takagi where he was hyperextending his arm. Takagi falls back into the ropes for a break. ZSJ kicks Takagi in the chest. Takagi screamed “Come on Zack!” ZSJ stomped on Takagi’s left arm, hit another running Punt Kick, and dropped Takagi on his head with another Zack Driver. ZSJ goes for the cover. Closest two count I ever seen. The crowd thought there was new Champ. ZSJ elbowed Takagi in the face. ZSJ locks in a Sleeper Hold. Takagi climbs the top rope and falls back to break the hold. ZSJ traps Takagi in a triangle choke. Takagi lifts ZSJ and hits Last of the Dragon, but he cannot make the cover. Both men exchange elbows. They are beating the hell out of each other. Takagi hits a Noshigami. ZSJ with a Dragon Sleeper. Takagi with a GTR and a Pumping Bomber. Takagi hits Last of the Dragon.
Takagi pins ZSJ.
Shingo Takagi retains the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Taichi is in the ring to check on his partner.
Great match. Shingo continues to perform at a top main event level when he needs to. If you watch all of Zack Sabre Jr’s singles matches on New Japan World from the start of the G1 Climax 31 to this match, you would see a wrestler who is a masterful technician in the ring but also a good story teller. This period in his career was the best I have seen.
After the match, Kazuchika Okada comes to the ring. He is holding his belt. Okada takes the mic and congratulates Takagi. They speak of the main event on night one on January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom.
The top match for New Japan’s biggest event is now set.
Best of the Super Juniors and World Tag League will begin next week.
Thank you for reading.
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