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Welcome to my live blog for the Impact Wrestling x New Japan Pro Wrestling Multiverse United event at the Globe Theater in Los Angeles. David Tees will be handling the play by play, but I'm here in the Globe, so here's some random ongoing thoughts as the night progresses!
They are opening with a Kickoff Show match featuring Yuya Uemura vs. Gabriel Kidd. They had a TIGHT lockup and really fought to take the other dowm. Kidd grabbed a headlock and ground away on Yuya. They went back and forth grappling until facing off after a stalemate. Yuya nailed a good looking bulldog for a two count. Kidd showed off some nice suplexes. Both looked very good from an in-ring standpoint. Kidd showed some real aggressive, cocky tendencies but Yuya fought back and scored the pin. Good stuff!
The opening contest on the PPV is the X-Division Scramble Match. Lots of really good action early. Trey Miguel was in the zone being a jerk and told everyone they weren't getting his belt so they walloped and tossed him out. Later on, they all dropkicked him at once. Kazarian had a good showing with some of his offense and looked really good. Kevin Knight hit a rana off the top on Trey, sending him crashing into other competitors. They built to a Tower of Doom spot. Clark Connors looked really damn good with some of his spots, including a spear through the ropes onto Trey to the apron. Trey picked the bones after Knight was taken out by a Connors spear off the ropes and pinned him to retain. Super fun match with everyone working super hard.
Second up was Eddie Edwards & Tom Lawlor & Joe Hendry & JR Kratos vs. Callihan & Fred Rosser & Alex Coughlin & PCO. Hendry's entrance is really fun live. Big reaction for PCO, who got the last entrance. Lots of big PCO spots including a moonsault to the floor on everyone from the top. Kratos and PCO fighting it out is scary as those are some big dudes. Fred Rosser's strikes looked good against Eddie Edwards. Kratos looked like a beast. PCO got the pin with a moonsault. This was chaotic but good.
Moose vs. Jeff Cobb was third. You KNOW they are going to batter the hell out of each other. Moose towered over Cobb, who usually looks like the most monstrous thing on screen when he's around. It was the story of the unstoppable force and the immovable object. Moose's dropkick height is absolutely insane. They chopped and beat the heck out of each other. Cobb hit a monster Beel toss on Moose. He nailed a delayed vertical superplex on Moose, which the place lost it for. They went nose to nose and drilled each other with some big back and forth shots. The crowd yelled "Moose" and "Cobb" as they struck each other. Moose returned the favor with a big superplex. The crowd rallied them to keep fighting after that spot. Moose went for a spear but missed. Moose's timing for big moves is REALLY underrated. Cobb scored the pin with Tour of the Islands, which looked really impressive given Moose's height. This was different and good.
Mickie James joined the announcing team for the next bout, featuring Gisele Shaw vs. Masha Slamovich vs. Miyu Yamashita vs. Deonna Purrazzo. The crowd was super into chanting for the competitors early, especially Miyu. Gisele showed some good heel charisma in her entrance and in the early moments where she refused to wrestle and exited the ring to let the others fight it out. Masha hit a nice dive and then Gisele outdid that with a spinning dive off the top onto the pile. Purrazzo whipped out and awesome rana on Masha. Miyu's strikes and kicks were good. The story was that everyone was trying to do everything they could in the ring to gain advantage. All four ended up down and out after a series of spots and the crowd applauded their efforts. Masha and Shaw had some nice chemistry in the ring. Masha nailed a great Canadian Destroyer on her. Purrazzo and Masha battled. Masha smashed her into the buckles with a DVDR variation. Everyone went and hit a series of hot moves. Purrazzo nailed the cradle piledriver and scored the pin. Solid stuff.
Next up was Ace Austin & Chris Bey vs. The Motor City Machine Guns vs. Aussie Open vs. The Mighty Don't Kneel. The Guns were spotlighted early on. Bey and Austin took stereo bumps over the top to the floor. This had a really back and forth flow. Aussie Open looked super strong as badasses taking the fight to Chris Bey, who may have some of the best timing in the ring right now. Bey's offense in trying to fight his way out of a double-team looked good. Ace Austin also looked super strong. Everything built into a big dive sequence. Mark Davis is such a beast in the ring. The Guns whipped out the Dream Sequence, which always makes me think of the late Trent Acid. Bad Dude Tito has come a long way from his fledgling days in Championship Wrestling from Holllywood. The Champs used a combination Ultimate Finesse and The Fold for the pin. Really good.
Lio Rush vs. KUSHIDA is next up. Some really damn good athletic wrestling here early on. Rush's athleticism is insane and his timing for certain moves is so good. KUSHIDA cut him off and began working over Rush's arms and shoulders. Rush fought from underneath but was blasted with a kick to the face going for a handspring elbow. Rush came back with a nice tope suicida. They battled back in the ring. KUSHIDA went for the Hoverlock but was knocked off the top. They kept battering the other with stiff shots. KUSHIDA trapped Rush in the Hoverlock setup but Rush escaped. They battled on until Rush dove off the top but was snatched in mid-air in the Hoverlock and forced to tap. Really good, stiff bout. Probably one of the better KUSHIDA matches I've seen of late. They showed each other respect in the ring after.
The main event is Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Speedball Mike Bailey, BUT FIRST KENTA VS. SUZUKI!
KENTA was toally aggressive and unafraid of Suzuki, even slapping him over and over as the crowd chanted, "You f***ed" up. They brawled on the floor for a bit. KENTA kept control by raking Suzuki's eyes. Lots of stiff slaps and chops. KENTA disrespectfully kicked Suzuki, which just sparked Suzuki pysching himself up and fighting back. Suzuki took control with hard kicks and went for a leg submission. KENTA tried to fight through and made it to the ropes. KENTA nailed a clothesline off the top into the ring and cinched in a figure four leglock in the center of the ring. KENTA and Suzuki continued to battle. KENTA nailed a double stomp. Suzuki locked in a sleeper. KENTA pulled the referee, allowing himself to hit a lowblow and roll up Suzuki for the pin. Enjoyed the match but thought the finish was weak.
Main event time! Speedball Bailey vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi! Fans were chanting for Speedball before he even came to the ring. Really good back and forth action and a fun mix of styles here. Tanahashi dropkicked Bailey's knee and began working over his leg. Back and forth chants for the talents. Speedball cleaned house with a series of kicks and nealy scored three count after a standing shooting star press. Tanahashi caught him in the ropes and snapped him with a Dragon Screw Legwhip. Tanahashi charged but Speedball leapt to the top rope and hit a standing moonsault to the floor, where Tanahashi now was, glancingly hitting him. They were almost counted out on the floor but made it back to the ring at the last second. They battled back to the ring and had some good exchanges. Bailey nailed the backflip into a knee strike and followed up with a kick to the head for a close two count. Tanahashi nailed the Slingblade and went to the top for the Frog Splash but Bailey cut him off. Tanahashi fought him off the ropes but Bailey fought back and nailed a rana into the ring. Bailey nailed the spinning karate kick in the cirner but missed Ultimate Weapon. Tanahashi worked him over and hit a Slingblade. He went to the top and hit the Frog Splash for the pin. Really good main event.
They showed respect to each other after. Tanahashi spoke to the crowd thanking them for coming.
Overall, a really fun show.
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