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2/4 NJPW New Beginning in Sappporo results from Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center:
1 - Oskar Leube vs. Great O-Khan
O-Khan gets the submission win with the Sheep Killer.
Minoru Suzuki, Ryohei Oiwa, El Desperado and Ren Narita vs. Dick Togo, SHO, Yujiro Takahashi and EVIL
The announcers tease that House of Torture have retired the NEVER Openweight 6-man Titles to avoid defending them.
Narita is selling his distrust of Suzuki and Desperado. Narita argues with Suzuki during the match.
Suzuki sets up Togo for Narita apply the Cobra Twist.
Togo taps out.
After the match, Suzuki tells Narita to stick with him.
3 - Kosei Fujita, Shane Haste, Mikey Nichols and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Yuto Nakashima, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, and Tomohiro Ishii
Good match. TMDK kept coaching Fujita through the match. Nakashima stiff kicked Fujita in the face but he kicked out. Fujita trapped Nakashima in a Hammerlock submission.
Nakashima taps out.
TMDK looks to be on a roll.
4 - Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo, KENTA and Jay White, with Gedo vs. Master Wato, Tama Tonga, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Hikuleo, with Jado
Bullet Club was up to their cocky shenanigans. Lots of heat between all the wrestlers. N
Wato pins Ishimori with a roll up and a bridge.
6 - BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA and Shingo Takagi vs. YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano and Kazuchika Okada
Takagi pins Taguchi, with Last of the Dragon.
After the match, Hiromu and YOH attacked each other and had to be separated.
7 - IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Francesco Akira and TJP, with Great O-Khan vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru and DOUKI, with TAKA Michinoku
Fast paced match. Kanemaru and DOUKI get the early advantage by going after TJP’s leg. Akira tags in and Catch 22 works over DOUKI. Kanemaru tags in and continues to attack TJP’s leg with dropkicks to the knee. Akira attacks DOUKI on the floor. TJP misses a Mamba Splash and Kanemaru applies the Figure Four. TJP gets to the ropes. All four men in the ring. TJP lifts DOUKI for a Leaning Tower but his knee buckled. Akira dropkicks Kanemaru. Akira hits a Fire Plex on DOUKI. TJP floats over DOUKI into a cradle. Two count. Catch 22 goes for 2X2 but TJP collapses to the mat holding his leg. Akira tags in and goes for Speedfire. DOUKI reverses into the Italian Stretch #32. Kanemaru puts the Figure Four on TJP. Akira reverses out but DOUKI hits a Doton No Jutsu. DOUKI goes for the pin but TJP breaks it up.
Crowd wanted that pin. DOUKI hit a Daybreak DDT on Akira. Akira kicks out at two. Crowd again thought we had new champions. DOUKI goes for a Suplex de La Luna. Akira reverses out. TJP hits DOUKI with a super kick. Akira hits a DDT on DOUKI. Catch 22 hits a reverse DDT and double stomp. Kanemaru breaks up the pin. TJP takes Kanemaru to the floor and hits a plancha.
Akira hits Speedfire on DOUKI and follows with a Fireball.
Akira pins DOUKI.
TJP and Francesco Akira retain the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
Great match. They sold the idea that DOUKI had a chance to win his first belt. But Catch 22 continue to hold the titles. It will be interesting to see who can beat them for the belts.
8 - Will Ospreay, with Great O-Khan vs. Taichi, with TAKA Michinoku
They begin with strikes. Taichi stuns with a hook kick and throws knees and kicks. Ospreay hits a plancha and hits quick strikes. Ospreay slows it down with a headlock then a wicked backbreaker. Taichi with a high kick to the face. They exchange strikes and Taichi hits an Ax Bomber. Ospreay with a jumping spin kick and a flying elbow. Ospreay comes off the ropes and Taichi catches him and drops him with a Dangerous Backdrop. They trade Kawada style kicks. They trade chops and kicks. Ospreay stuns him with a hook kick, but misses a Hidden Blade and Taichi counters with a Sumo Elbow for a two count. Ospreay with a super kick. Taichi with an Ax Bomber and a Kamagiri.
Ospreay hits a Tiger Driver and an Oscutter. Two count. Ospreay goes for a Super Oscutter, but Taichi blocks it. Taichi picks up Ospreay for a Last Ride but Ospreay tries to reverse out. Taichi spikes Ospreay on his neck with a modified piledriver. Damn! Ospreay selling as if he has a stinger. Taichi hits an Ax Bomber to the neck. Two count. Taichi hits a dropkick and a Dangerous Backdrop. Two count.
Ospreay with a super kick and a Poisonrana. Ospreay misses another Super Oscutter. Taichi rolls him into a Gedo Clutch. Two count. Ospreay hits a Hidden Blade. Ospreay goes for Storm Breaker. Taichi reverses and tries for Black Mephisto. Ospreay reverses and hits a Dangerous Backdrop. Ospreay hits a flying Hidden Blade. Taichi kicks out!
Ospreay hammers him with elbows. Taichi will not go down. Ospreay hits a stiff rolling elbow. The referee starts the count. At nine, Taichi gets to his feet and Ospreay hits another Hidden Blade. Ospreay hits a Storm Breaker.
Ospreay pins Taichi.
Great match. I would argue that Ospreay did not need to win and having Taichi winning in his home of Sapporo would have elevated him. Perhaps New Japan needed Ospreay to have a high profile win to keep him at the top of the New Japan card. Hopefully, this match elevates both men into the upcoming New Japan Cup.
9 - Shota Umino vs. Tetsuya Naito
They begin chain wrestling and grappling. Umino started slapping Naito in the head. Naito takes the match to the floor. Naito hits a neck breaker over the guardrail. Umino gets back to the ring. Naito hits another neck breaker and traps Umino in a leg full nelson. Rope break. Naito hits Combinacion Cabron. Naito traps Umino in a neck vice. Umino fights to his feet and takes down Naito with a Head scissors. Umino with running attacks and a Fisherman Suplex. Two count.
They battle to the floor. Umino throws Naito back into the ring and applies an STF. Naito fights back with a tornado DDT. Naito goes to submissions with umaplanta. Naito hits an Esperanza. Umino counters with a reverse DDT slam. Two count. They exchange kicks. Naito hits Gloria and a Spinebuster. Naito goes for Destino but Umino blocks it and hits a piledriver. Two count. Umino with a spinning neck breaker and goes for Death Rider. Naito counters into Valencia.
Both men exchange strikes. Umino hits several DDT variations. Two count. Naito hits Destino. Umino kicks out. Naito hits another Destino.
Naito pins Umino.
The match was fine. Umino’s style is very Americanized. There were some flubs by both men. I know they are pushing Shota Umino hard. Hopefully tweaks can be made before the New Japan Cup.
After the match, Naito throws Umino to the floor.
Naito addresses the crowd to send the crowd home happy.
Thank you for reading.
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