NOAH and NJPW were on an even keel before a controversial fight
Before a controversial fight between the GHC and IWGP World Heavyweight Champions at Yokohama Arena, competition was rather more under control, but still spirited as NJPW took to Pro-Wrestling NOAH on January 21.
The kick off began with Kosei Fujita and Ryohei Oiwa representing NJPW against NOAH’s Yasutaka Yano and Taishi Ozawa. Fresh off joining TMDK a few weeks ago, Fujita kicked off against Yano, the usual intensity we expect from Young Lions palpably higher than usual given the occasion. Yano was quick to hone in on Fujita’s arm, giving Fujita very little time to breathe. A tag to Ozawa gave Fujita the chance he also needed to tag in Oiwa, the larger Oiwa asserting himself over Ozawa. NJPW’s Young Lions controlled the ring until Yano was reintroduced into the match, landing a flying top-rope crossbody and a crisp fisherman suplex for a near fall. Tags on both sides led to a frantic exchange between Fujita and Ozawa, the former leaving his red mark physically with a series of harsh forearms and chops to the chest. A belly-to-belly suplex leading into the Boston Crab allowed Fujita to pick up the submission win over Ozawa, a promising start to the evening for New Japan.
Masa Kitamiya and Daiki Inaba would face off against Tomohiro Ishii and Oskar Leube in the second kickoff bout. The sound of the bell had Ishii and Kitamiya charging into each other, a battle of strength of body tackles and forearm exchanges ending in a tie with Leube and Inaba being tagged in. The far more experienced Inaba began to control the match, but a monster sized body slam from the much larger Leube afforded a tag to Ishii, and wasting no time Ishii began to light up the chest of Inaba with a seemingly endless series of chops. Inaba eventually found the respite of a tag and Kitamiya quickly changed the tides, taking down Ishii and hitting a senton and Samoan drop. The NOAH pair’s advantage was short-lived, Ishii hitting a suplex and tagging in a fired up Leube who hit a huge leg-drop for a two count. Leube looked like a shock might be in the cards but Kitamiya was able to reach the ropes and it marked the beginning of the end as he sought revenge with a Masa Saito style leg-trap for the submission victory. A post-match scrap saw Ishii try to take on the victorious pairing, the numbers advantage against him and the pre-show ending one victory a piece for NJPW and NOAH.
The main card kicked off with a mixed bout for NJPW and NOAH, the Naomichi Marufuji and KENTA team joining Gedo and El Phantasmo to meet Satoshi Kojima, Takashi Sugiura, Tpru Yano and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Marufuji elected not to join in with BULLET CLUB’s pre-match Too Sweet and kicked off Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Yokohama Arena against Tanahashi with a brief exchange before Gedo and Kojima entered the fray. The BULLET CLUB man mocked Kojima with machine gun chops but quickly fell victim to the chops himself, although Kojima couldn’t follow up with his signature elbow drop as El Phantasmo interfered which allowed Gedo to tag out. BULLET CLUB antics ensued with an El Phantasmo backrake, but when the opportunity arrived for Marufuji to do the same he instead chose to fight clean and dive head first into a chop battle with Kojima.
Kojima tagged in his GHC Tag Team Champion partner Sugiura who quickly cut El Phantasmo in half with a spear and avalanche suplex, ELP tagging in KENTA as soon as he could and Tanahashi entering the ring on the opposite side. The rivalry between KENTA and Tanahashi renewed ahead of their New Beginning match as they traded forearms, KENTA finally landing a crunching DDT but Tanahashi hitting back with a slingblade. Yano entered the match for the first time and was met by Marufuji with a pinpoint hook kick, and dual roundhouse kicks from Marufuji and KENTA put Yano temporarily out of action. A quick tag from Gedo had him and KENTA trying to convince Marufuji once again to join in with a Too Sweet, allowing the ever wiley Yano to take advantage with a low-blow and a roll up Gedo to pick up the win.
El Desperado took on NOAH’s YO-HEY in singles action. In uncharacteristic fashion, El Desperado sprinted to the ring during his introductions, evidently keen to finally have this singles match against YO-HEY he’s been asking for since last year’s event. The early feeling out process gave way when El Desperado launched himself through the middle rope with a soaring tope to take out YO-HEY and follow up with an agonising Indian Deathlock, Desperado taking early control of the match. A head scissors gave YO-HEY his first fighting chance and he took advantage, a tremendous tope saw him flying over the top rope and wiping out Desperado on the outside before hitting a top rope dropkick for a near fall.
Desperado’s attempt at Numero Dos had YO-HEY quickly reaching the ropes, but Guitarra de Angel put Desperado briefly back on top before he suffered a Twist of Fate from YO-HEY. Back and forth action saw Desperado land a shattering knee breaker but YO-HEY reacted with a rattling dropkick for a bitingly close near fall. Loco Mono dimmed YO-HEY’s lights but the follow up Pinche Loco attempt was countered into a roll up, Despe barely able to kick out in time and immediately lock in the full extent of Numero Dos, the already weakened leg of YO-HEY leaving him no choice but to submit and give New Japan a victory over NOAH.
Trios junior heavyweight competition saw Alejandro, Junta Miyawaki and GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion AMAKUSA team up against Master Wato, Tiger Mask and Ryusuke Taguchi. The early advantage went to NOAH thanks to the double team efforts of Alejandro and Miyawaki, but Tiger Mask fought back with a side suplex and quick tags and offence between Taguchi and Master Wato put the New Japan trio in the driving seat. Alejandro’s speed gave him the chance to overwhelm Taguchi and make the much needed tag to Miyawaki who was able to wipe out both Taguchi and Master Wato with a missile drop kick. NOAH’s momentum didn’t last long as tags on both sides saw Tiger Mask and AMAKUSA enter the ring and the NJPW team once again landed rapid-fire offence for a two count.
The match broke down with everyone jumping into the action but this gave the edge to the NOAH team as they landed stereo planchas from Alejandro and Miyawaki and a mesmerising twisting tope through the middle rope from AMAKUSA. Quickly getting the action back into the ring AMAKUSA landed a top rope tornillo for another close fall, and realising the urgency Tiger Mask struck back with a Tiger Driver for a two count of his own. A single-leg-lock suplex was followed up by Opening of the Country, and this time Tiger Mask was unable to kick out; the victory going to NOAH thanks to AMAKUSA.
