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4/27/23 Results from New Japan’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku 2023 - From Hiroshima, Japan:
The show begins with KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight and TJP and Francesco Akira, both in street clothes with a press conference before their IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match.
Unusual start to a New Japan show. The challengers promise to win the titles. Akira thinks this press conference is pointless and TJP says they are the second longest reigning Jr. Heavyweight Tag Champs in New Japan history. TJP says KUSHIDA’s time is past and Knight’s time is not tonight.
Both teams sign a contract for the match.
Now Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Hiromu Takahashi come to the ring. They both make comments before their match tonight.
They sign a contract and pose to the crowd. Kanemaru tried to attack Hiromu but Hiromu escaped.
Interesting way to start the show. It definitely built the drama for both matches.
1 - Boltin Oleg and Oskar Leube vs. Great O-Khan and Aaron Henare
Henare hits a headbutt on Oskar and traps him in Ultima.
Oskar submits.
2 - Yujiro Takahashi, SHO, Dick Togo and EVIL vs. YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto, YOH and Toru Yano
Bishomon hit a Shoto on Togo.
YOSHI-HASHI pins Togo
3 - Taiji Ishimori, KENTA and David Finlay with Gedo vs. Master Wato, Hikuleo and Tama Tonga, with Jado
Finlay hits Trash Panda on Wato.
Finlay pins Wato.
4 - Shane Haste, Mikey Nichols and Zack Sabre Jr., with Kosei Fujita vs. Kyle Fletcher, Mark Davis and Jeff Cobb
Haste and Nichols hit a Tank Buster on Fletcher.
Haste pins Fletcher.
Team TMDK winning adds drama to their upcoming IWGP Tag Title Title Match.
5 - Tomoaki Honma, Togi Makabe, Tomohiro Ishii and Kazuchika Okada vs. Shota Umino, Ren Narita, El Desperado and Minoru Suzuki
Umino pins Honma after a Death Rider.
6 - BUSHI and Shingo Takagi vs. Taichi and SANADA, with TAKA Michinoku
SANADA forces BUSHI to tap out to Skull End.
Taichi continued to attack Takagi after the match. They will face each other for the KOPW Title this weekend.
They announced the participants in the upcoming Best of the Super Junior 30 Tournament as follows:
A Block
Hiromu Takahashi
Ryusuke Taguchi
DOUKI
Taiji Ishimori
SHO
TJP
Titan
KUSHIDA
Lio Rush
Mike Bailey
B Block
El Desperado
Master Wato
YOH
Yoshinobu Kanemaru
BUSHI
Clark Conners
Robbie Eagles
Francesco Akira
Kevin Knight
Dan Moloney
7. DOUKI vs. Tetsuya Naito
DOUKI almost made Naito tap out to the Italian Stretch #32, but Naito got to the ropes. DOUKI hits a Daybreak but Naito kicks out. Naito hits a Destino but DOUKI kicks out. Naito hit a Valentia and another Destino.
Naito pins DOUKI.
Good match. DOUKI did not win but he got a singles match against a top guy in Naito. DOUKI may make a big impact in the Best of the Super Jr 30.
8. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Francesco Akira and TJP vs. Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA
O-Khan and Henare accompany Catch 22 to the ring.
Good chain wrestling between TJP and KUSHIDA. Knight and Akira tagged in. Knight dazzled with his athleticism and mocked Akira. Knight went for a high leap frog but Akira hit a shotgun dropkick to his gut. May have hit him low. Catch 22 double team Knight and sent him to the floor. Knight hits a double lariat off the guardrails. He tags KUSHIDA and they double team TJP. Akira hits a dropkick to KUSHIDA’s left knee. Catch 22 keep attacking with double team moves. Akira and TJP work over KUSHIDA’s left knee with strikes and submissions. Knight tags in and pace picks up. Too much to recap here. They are moving so fast. TJP bloodied his nose and a cut above his eye in middle of all of this. KUSHIDA even forgot which color corner he was in when Knight called him for a spot. Knight went for a top rope Frankensteiner on TJP but Akira grabbed his partner’s belt. Knight landed on the back of his head. Catch 22 hits 2X2 on Knight. TJP goes for the pin but KUSHIDA breaks it up. Catch 22 goes for The Leaning Tower but KUSHIDA breaks it up. Knight hits an implant DDT on TJP. Knight hits a standing Frankensteiner on Akira off the top rope. Knight and KUSHIDA hit Kulture Klash on Akira.
Knight pins Akira
Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA are the new IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champions.
They look to have momentum now going into the Best of the Super Jr 30.
9. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
They started the match with wrestling and grappling. Both tried to go after the other’s leg. Hiromu was able to dropkick the knee and trap Kanemaru in a figure four. Kanemaru got a rope break. Kanemaru was able to drag Hiromu to the apron and drop his left leg onto the concrete. Hiromu sold the leg and almost got counted out twice. Kanemaru wrapped his leg in the guardrails and dropkicks Hiromu’s leg.
Kanemaru attacks with leg submissions and strikes. Hiromu fights back but he is selling the leg. Hiromu tries for a Sunset Bomb to the floor but he lets go because of the leg. Kanemaru hits a Deep Impact DDT on the floor. Hiromu is almost counted out again.
Hiromu fights back with a lariat and Victory Royale. Two count. Kanemaru pushes the referee out of the ring and dropkicks the knee. He gets his whiskey to spray in Hiromu’s face. Hiromu hits a super kick and the whiskey goes flying. Hiromu hits a Time Bomb. Two count. Kanemaru dropkicks the leg and slams Hiromu knee first on the mat. Kanemaru locks in the figure four leg lock. Hiromu gets the rope break.
Kanemaru hits a twisting DDT and a moonsault. Hiromu kicks out at two. Kanemaru hits Deep Impact clean. Hiromu kicks out at two. Kanemaru with a lariat and a brainbuster. Hiromu kicks out. Kanemaru locks in another figure four. Hiromu gets to the ropes. They struggle for control and Hiromu hits a brainbuster. Kanemaru with a Victory Roll. Two count. Hiromu with a lariat. Hiromu with a Death Valley Driver. Two count. Hiromu hits a Pumping Bomber and follows with Time Bomb II.
Hiromu pins Kanemaru
Hiromu Takahashi retains the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship.
Hiromu will challenge SANADA for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling Dontaku 2023.
Thanks for reading.
James Kurokawa
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