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Welcome to the New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV report!
We are at New Beginning in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan:
8 - NJPW World TV Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Matt Riddle
They traded lock up. Riddle went for a cross arm breaker and Tanahashi escaped to the floor. Riddle follows. Tanahashi hits a plancha. Riddle hits a senton. Quick pace by both men. Tanahashi with a Dragon Screw on Riddle. Tanahashi gets the knees up and Riddle lands hard. They exchange strikes. Riddle hits a BroStone.
Riddle pins Tanahashi.
Matt Riddle wins the NJPW World TV Championship.
Wow. I did not expect this. Tanahashi dropping the title makes sense so he can focus on his Presidential duties. Riddle wins a major title in his first match in New Japan. Hopefully, Riddle will behave himself and not do anything to embarrass the company.
9 - IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Nic Nemeth vs. David Finlay
Finlay attacks Nemeth from behind and stomps him on the floor. Finlay throws him in the ring and the bell rings. Nemeth hits a superkick. Two count. They brawl out to the floor again. Finlay uses eye rakes and stomps. They are wrestling an American style of match. Finlay locks in a headlock forcing Nemeth to fight out and hit a back suplex. Nemeth with a neck breaker and drops a series of elbow drops on Finlay. They fall to the floor. Finlay ducks a superkick which catches Gedo in the face. Nemeth gets back in the ring and superkicks Finlay who falls onto Gedo's crotch. Gedo gives Finlay his shillelagh and blasts Nemeth in the knee.
They trade reversals. Finlay throws Nemeth into the open turnbuckle. Finlay with an Irish Curse. Nemeth tried a DDT but Finlay launched him over the top rope and landed on his knees. Nemeth is almost counted out. Finlay hits a spear and locks on a figure four. Nemeth was excellent in selling the pain of the figure four. Nemeth gets to the ropes. Finlay hits an elbow and goes for another figure four. Nemeth reverses into cradle. Two count.
Nemeth blocks a Power Bomb. Nemeth's leg gives out. Finlay hits a Power Bomb. Nemeth kicks out. Finlay hammers Nemeth in the face with forearm shots. Nemeth hulks up. He smashes Finlay's head into the exposed buckle. He nails a Famouser. Two count.
They exchange reversals. Nemeth hits a superkick and a Danger Zone (aka Zig Zag).
Nemeth pins Finlay.
Nic Nemeth wins the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship.
After the match, Nemeth told Sapporo that they may not know him but they will get to know who he is. He promised to defend the title anywhere and against everyone.
He also wants to tag with Tanahashi tomorrow night.
Wow. Totally unexpected. Finlay won the Global Title over Jon Moxley and Will Ospreay, two top wrestlers in the world. Nemeth wins the Title in his first match in New Japan in less than two months later. There was a lot of WWE references in this broadcast. Now, Riddle and Nemeth are no longer with the WWE. However, with Elimination Chamber and Wrestlemania 40 on the horizon, it is interesting that New Japan would put belts on former WWE wrestlers in their first matches. This is a New Beginning for New Japan. Nic Nemeth was excellent in the match against Finlay. He looked in great shape and was a bumping machine. He will have to work even harder to get the Japanese fans behind him.
This retrospect, the War Dogs vs. United Empire war, seem even more silly now, especially since Finlay as the leade
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