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50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: NEW JAPAN ON AXS TV REPORT

Welcome to the New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV report!

YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto vs. Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato

No tag titles are on the line in this special tag match.  

Goto pins Taguchi after they hit a Shoto.

Fine match but I feel Goto and YOSHI-HASHI should have dominated Wato and Taguchi.    Goto and YOSHI-HASHI have been beating House of Torture, Dangerous Tekkers and LIJ for the past year, while Wato and Taguchi have only been teaming in the past two months.  The match was more competitive than I think it should have been. However, this is an anniversary event so there is some leeway should be given.   

Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr. and Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tatsumi Fujinami and Kazuchika Okada

Fujiwara and Suzuki got into a slap fight because Fujiwara wanted a piece of Tanahashi.   Fujiwara actually took down Tanahashi with the submission that made him famous, the Fujiwara armbar.  Tanahashi immediately dashed for the ropes.  Fujiwara went for an ankle submission, but Tanahashi went for the ropes.   Okada tagged in and Fujiwara dropped him with a headbutt.    Fujiwara went to the ring post then head butted the metal bolt.  Twice.  Pace picks up as Suzuki and ZSJ battle Okada and Tanahashi.   Suzuki hammers Okada with elbows and locks in a sleeper.   Fujinami saves Okada by applying a Dragon Sleeper on Suzuki.   Tanahashi with a Slingblade on Suzuki.   Okada misses a Rainmaker and Suzuki goes for another sleeper on Okada.  Okada counters with a dropkick, a landslide (sit down tombstone) and hits a Rainmaker.

Okada pins Suzuki.

Fujinami, Tanahashi and Okada pose in the ring after the match. 

It was a treat to watch Yoshiaki Fujiwara.  I cannot believe that he wrestled a match at 72 years old.  I cannot believe headbutted a steel bolt.  That is a tough man.  Overall, it was a good celebration for a company that has been around for 50 years and we are lucky to see some stars who made it happen. This was a good preview for the New Japan Cup for tomorrow.

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