Anderson makes second defence of NEVER gold
At Sendai Sun Plaza Hall on December 14, Hikuleo finally got his long awaited shot at Karl Anderson’s NEVER Openweight Championship, but the result was anything but what the challenger had wanted.
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Already forced to wait more than a month since their originally scheduled match was cancelled, Hikuelo wasted no further time, hitting a double handed chokeslam as soon as the bell rang for a crushingly close two count. Machine Gun tried to make a quick exit through the crowd, but Hikuleo wouldn’t let this opportunity slip through his grasp, instead the challenger running the champion into the barriers on the outside. Anderson finally gained the advantage with a dragon screw through the ring ropes, a game plan becoming clear as Anderson began to focus on the larger Hikuleo’s left leg. Hobbled, Hikuleo barely made it back into the ring to beat the 20 count.
After further damage to the leg, Hikuleo avoided a senton leading to a battle of spirits, the two men exchanging forearms with the larger challenger winning the contest; snake eyes, a lariat and powerslam giving Hikuelo another close two count.
A spinebuster from Anderson swung momentum back in his favour, but his Gun Stun attempt was foiled by a wicked snap powerslam. With the lights dimming for Anderson, Gedo made a much needed appearance but his interference was quickly squashed courtesy of a Hikuleo chokeslam directly onto Anderson. Yet a further chokeslam attempt from Hikuleo was expertly counted into the Gun Stun, Anderson securing the three count severely against the run of the match for his second defence of the NEVER Openweight Championship.
Tama Tonga’s post-match appearance ended with another Gun Stun and Karl Anderson declaring he’d see Tama at Wrestle Kingdom 17. After Dominion saw Anderson take the NEVER gold from his former protege thanks to the assistance of Doc Gallows, will Wrestle Kingdom finally see Tama getting what he believes is his back around his waist?
