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02/04/25 Results from New Japan's Road to The New Beginning from Korakuen Hall, Tokyo Japan:
1 - Katsuya Murashima and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Daiki Nagai and Togi Makabe
Makabe pins Murashima after a King Kong Knee.
2 - Jado, Master Wato, Shota Umino and El Phantasmo vs. Jakob Austin Young, Francesco Akira, Great O-Khan and Jeff Cobb
Akita hits a Fireball on Jado and gets the pin.
After the match, O-Khan attacks Umino and drags him back to the ring. He throws Umino across the ring with a Judo throw. O-Khan grabs his scissors. Parts of Korakuen Hall were chanting for O-Khan. O-Khan traps Umino's arms and cuts his hair and throws it across the ring. Some of the crowd boos, but others are still chanting for O-Khan. O-Khan leaves as if he dominated his opponent. Umino left the ring looking embarrassed.
I am not sure if Umino's babyface storyline is working. Prior to Wrestle Kingdom, EVIL cut a chunk of Hiroshi Tanahashi's hair and the crowds wanted to kill him. If O-Khan (the heel) is getting cheers while cutting Umino's hair, that is not good at all. O-Khan and United Empire are not really a Heel Faction, they are more tweeners. Umino should be paired against a true Heel faction like Bullet Club or House of Torture and defeat them in order to establish himself as a true babyface that the crowd will support.
3 - Tomoaki Honma and Boltin Oleg vs. Hiromu Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito
Naito traps Honma in a Pluma Blanca. Homna taps out.
4 - TAKA Michinoku and Taichi vs. Taiji Ishimori and SANADA
Bullet Club comes out first. Taichi and TAKA attack SANADA and Ishimori on the way to the ring. Taichi and SANADA brawl into the crowd.
Taichi threw a stiff kick into SANADA's balls right in front of the referee. Taichi is disqualified. Taichi attacks the referee, then continues to beat down SANADA. Young lions try to restrain Taichi but he fights off everyone. SANADA escapes to the locker. Taichi throws chairs at him while being restrained by officials.
5 - BUSHI, Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji vs. Clark Conners, Drilla Moloney and Gabe Kidd
Both teams brawl over ringside and into the crowd. Wild fight. Moloney hit a Drilla Killa on Takagi on the floor. The referee counted to 20 and both teams were counted out.
Kidd and Tsuji continued to brawl in the ring. They traded punches. Young lions came in to stop them and they got headbutts. Tsuji hit a kneestrike and a headbutt. Tsuji goes for the Gene Blaster but Kidd hits him with a hard lariat. The crowd pops huge! Kidd grabs Tsuji and plants him with a piledriver. The Korakuen Hall crowd is going nuts and chanting Kidd's name. He tells Tsuji that he is already dead. Kidd poses on the top rope and the crowd continues to chant Kidd's name.
Amazing reaction to Gabe Kidd, who has not acted like a babyface at all. He is a tough man who epitomizes what New Japan Strong Style is. Also, Kidd has the verbal skills to talk smack and yet speak his truths. He ripped Kenny Omega and AEW for only wrestling one match a week, while he was a workhorse. I think the Japanese fans respect this attitude and are behind Kidd, as one of their own homegrown talents. I hope New Japan hears this crowd reaction and books matches properly to capitalize on this. They cannot just book like Vince McMahon and force feed the fans what they think they want. The crowd is already telling you what they want to see (and what they will pay to see).
6 - Tomohiro Ishii, YOH, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto vs. Hartley Jackson, Robbie Eagles, Rohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr.
YOSHI-HASHI pins Jackson after hitting a Shoto.
7 - IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado vs. Kosei Fujita
Good match. Desperado attacks Fujita leg. Fujita showed off his submission skills by targeting Desperado's arm. Fujita hits a deadlift German. Two count. Fujita applies a Dragon Sleeper and goes for a suplex. Desperado reverses it into a Cutter. They trade strikes. Desperado attacks Fujita's left shoulder with a submission, the same shoulder which has been taped up for months. Desperado tries to dislocate Fujita's arm. Desperado transitions into Pinche Loco. Desperado goes for another, but Fujita backdrops Desperado into a pin attempt. Two count. Desperado hits a second Pinche Loco.
Desperado pins Fujita.
El Desperado retains the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship.
After the match, Desperado tries help up Fujita. Fujita slaps him in the face, as he is the Japanese Young Punk.
El Desperado addresses the fans and acknowledges Fujita.
Francesco Akira comes to the ring. He wants the next title opportunity at the Anniversary Show in March. Desperado asks him if he needs permission from his boss TJP. Akira flips out and attacks Desperado and says he does not need anyone. Young lions break them up. Desperado accepts the challenge for March 6, 2025 at the Anniversary Show.
Quick predictions for New Beginning on February 11:
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Togi Makabe.
Tanahashi wins.
Shingo Takagi vs. Drilla Moloney
Takagi wins, but this match establishes Moloney as a part of the heavyweight division.
Shota Umino vs. Great O-Khan
Umino should win here, although it will be interesting to see where Umino goes from here.
Taichi vs. SANADA
From the preview tag matches, this should be a fight. The problem is who will be elevated from this match and where will they go? SANADA should win to establish himself as a potential leader of Bullet Club and justify his betrayal of Just 4 Guys.
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Kosei Fujita and Robbie Eagles (c) vs. Rocky Romero and YOH
Romero and YOH have been doing silly comedy things in interviews and press conferences by mocking TMDK. Romero mostly in the United States. TMDK should retain.
NEVER Openweight Championship: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Boltin Oleg
Oleg is not on Takeshita's level yet. Takeshita wins, but Oleg will get a lot of experience from this match.
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: The Young Bucks (c) vs. Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi
Naito and Takahashi win the Tag Team Championship. Young Bucks go back on vacation.
IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Gabe Kidd
Tsuji will most likely win and retain. Kidd is getting a lot of momentum and can cut great promos. He is becoming popular in Japan and New Japan management should capitalize on this, no matter who wins this match. With David Finlay not around, will Gabe Kidd assume leadership of Bullet Club?
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Hirooki Goto
This should be a good match. Goto will have lots of near falls. Zack ultimately retains the Championship here. It is Zack's time now.
Thank you for reading.
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