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FEB.5.2023

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Bishamon get to V1 as they weather a TMDK storm

Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI first of three defending champions February 5

The second night of action at New Beginning in Sapporo on February 5 saw IWGP Tag Team Champions Bishamon look for their first defence, Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI facing Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls of TMDK.

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As Mikey Nicholls got started with Hirooki Goto, it would be the champions with the early advantage, and the war drums ringing off the back of both Haste and Nicholls. Yet as Nicholls was there from the apron for his partner, Haste was able to turn the tide on Goto, while YOSHI-HASHI was flung into the ringside steel. Goto would become the target of the challenger side, who were able to retain control even as Goto uncorked a violent hammer throw that sent Nicholls to the floor, but when the Fierce Warrior found a short range lariat, YOSHI-HASHI came in after a long five minutes for Bishamon.

The Headhunter struck Haste in combination, making headway into TMDK, but Haste and Nicholls came back with disregard for their own and their opponents’ bodies. The enigmatically named ‘Olivia Newton-Bomb’ dealt damage to Haste, but far more to YOSHI-HASHI, and more importantly made Nicholls legal. Bomb Valley Death and the Mikey Bomb nearly created victory for the challengers, but a Headhunter scored in answer, and the match began to break down.

Goto scored with an Ushigoroshi to Nicholls, and with YOSHI-HASHI back inside looked to head for victory. Yet a rare miscommunication almost saw disaster for the champions; as YOSHI-HASHI thought the play for Violent Flash had been called, Goto instead had Shoto in mind, the resulting second delay leading to a Tankbuster that nearly out Goto down and out.

Goto survived however, and escaped an attempt at Thunder Valley from the challengers as YOSHI-HASHI came in to help clear the deck. As Haste took a terrifying tumble from the apron at the Headhunter’s hands, an elevated GTR struck Nicholls before Shoto ended the challengers’ night.

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