Honma’s homecoming sees a title match at short notice
The semi main event of New Japan Road in Yamagata on November 17 saw Tomoaki Honma, Ren Narita and Ryusuke Taguchi face Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Despite requests from Honma and company ahead of the event, the match was scheduled to be non-title, but Narita would make a direct appeal to the people and the champions to start the event. Tanahashi said that he would clear things with Ishii and Okada, and the championship match was on.
A steely eyed Honma started the match before his hometown crowd with Okada, who was unfazed by his opponent’s strikes before taking a walk and rejoining the action. Turning away a test of strength from Honma, Okada brought in Tanahashi and then Ishii to tangle with Narita; a hard forearm shot from the Stone Pitbull would put Narita in danger as the champions took control.
With the Yamagata crowd behind him, Narita fired back with a spinning wheel kick and tagged in Taguchi. The Coach found success with a barrage of hip attacks, but Bummer Ye would be stopped by the champion team; nonetheless, as Ishii went for a German suplex, Big Match Taguch countered into Oh My and Garankle.
Taguchi kept on the offense, even in the face of a fired up Okada. Honma followed up for the challengers, but the champions teamwork put the Kokeshi in danger. Honma kicked out of a triple team DDT to the roars of the crowd, and as he avoided a dropkick, spiked Okada with a Kokeshi rocket. A triple team later from the challengers and a Kokeshi scored for Honma, who wanted to follow with a lariat and super Kokeshi, only to see Okada back to his feet.
The CHAOS leader landed a dropkick and set Honma for the Rainmaker, but was stunned with a Kokeshi Rocket, leading to tags for Tanahashi and Narita. The Son of Strong Style tore into the Ace, delivering a half hatch suplex to Tanahashi and then rolling into a figure four Boston Crab. The match now passing the twenty minute mark, Narita wanted a Cobra Twist after tanahashi made the ropes, but Tanahashi would find a Dragon Screw as the match continued.
The Ace wanted Slingblade, but was reversed into as perfect Cobra Twist by Narita. Tanahashi tried to walk to the ropes, but was pulled back into the center. The Son of Strong Style transitioned into a German suplex as Tanahashi approached the ropes and kept stretching the Ace closer to his second NEVER Six man title, but Okada just barely made the save. With Ishii joining the fray to pitch the Son of Strong Style with a German suplex, Tanahashi was able to hit a Straightjacket German, but the High Fly Flow missed, and chaos ensued.
The match breaking down, Honma scored with a super Kokeshi, followed by a Narita exploder for 2.9 at the 25 minute mark; Narita wanted to hang on for a killing blow, but a quick inside cradle scored a flash desperation win.
