Finlay pins Ospreay after over an hour in a terrifying bout
The main event of New Beginning in Osaka pit BULLET CLUB War Dogs against United Empire inside a Dog Pound Cage for over an hour of arguably the most violent match in NJPW history.
Grabbing the microphone before the match could begin, Will Ospreay challenged David Finlay to go ten minutes one-on-one before other members would enter the fray rather than the stipulated two; Finlay agreeing instead to five.
At the sound of the bell Finlay and Ospreay collided, a flurry of forearms before Ospreay flew with a frankensteiner and plancha to the outside. The outside environment would benefit Finlay, though, as he whipped Ospreay into the unforgiving steel cage. Ospreay would immediately return the favour with a slingshot into the cage, returning to the ring to continue the assault with mighty chops. A spinning backdrop put Ospreay on the mat hard and Finlay’s headbutts kept him down. As the clock began to countdown Ospreay was able to put Finlay down with a big boot, but now the numbers would be stacked against the United Empire man as Drilla Moloney made his entrance.
Moloney entered with a weakened Callumn Newman being dragged beside him, Ospreay distracted long enough for Finlay to craftily attack from behind with a chair, meanwhile Drilla handcuffed Newman to the outside of the cage. Finlay and Moloney expertly played the numbers advantage, Moloney hurling Ospreay into the cage with a scary suplex. With two minutes passed it was time for United Empire reinforcements, HENARE charging to the ring.
The Face of Fury instantly levelled the field, storming through both Finlay and Moloney before checking in on his United Empire brother. Ospreay wisely implemented the chair that Finlay had previously used to ensure he was ready for the next entrant in the match; but Clark Connors, took out United Empire with two splitting spears before opening Ospreay up with the barbed wire crudely wrapped around his left arm. A three-two advantage to War Dogs allowed them to run rampant, a table now primed in the corner as blood continued to pour down Ospreay’s face.
With another two minutes passed it was TJP’s opportunity to enter and make a difference, flying from the top rope with a forearm to take out Finlay before wrapping barbed wire around his own boot. With Connors down in the corner TJP peeled the skin from the BULLET CLUB man’s face with a Shinjiro Otani-style boot in the corner. Another dog would enter the pound next, Alex Coughlin entering with more than a dozen chairs draped across his gigantic arms.
The War Dog powerhouse quickly asserted himself, tossing HENARE and Ospreay with gut-wrench suplexes and an impressive simultaneous stalling backdrop. Couhglin continued to be the difference maker, crunching TJP between the ring post and the cage before tossing his opponent like a lawn dart. Prone on the outside the War Dogs buried TJP under a mountain of chairs, with Coughlin tossing HENARE onto the pile.
Next to enter would be Francesco Akira, the fireball entering from the other side of the arena and instantly scaling the cage to dive in with a sensational crossbody. The speedy junior swiftly grabbed a kendo stick and unleashed hell on the War Dogs, with a low blow delivered to David Finlay especially, Akira immediately putting to rest any doubts about how he’d act in this environment. For all his gusto though, Connors would blindside Akira with a wicked spear through the table as the final entrant for the War Dogs entered: Gabe Kidd.
Kidd entered ringside with a truck load of weapons, hurling chairs into the face of any United Empire man unfortunate enough to be in his eyesight. United Empire were beaten and down and the bloodied Ospreay was isolated as for the final time a new man entered the match; Jeff Cobb showcasing why he’s one of the strongest men in the wrestling world as he caught Connors in mid air and dumped him on the ring apron. The respective goliaths of BULLET CLUB and United Empire met in the centre of the ring, Coughlin and Cobb looking to best the other as Cobb dazzled with a dropkick and giant German suplex. Finlay would be next to feel Cobb’s wrath courtesy of a remarkable F-5000 and always impressive standing moonsault.
With another table now set in the corner Connors sought to hit another spear, only for Cobb to dodge and send Connors splintering into the wood. Ospreay would head to the top rope to land a bloody Leap of Faith and it would be Kidd taking centre stage next; the Mad Man spinning recklessly with his head between a ladder to take out anybody brave enough to try get close. Ospreay’s world-class athleticism would put Kidd down though and take the ladder for his own gain, setting the ladder between the ring and the cage. Back in the ring Ospreay soared with a flying forearm to the back of Finlay’s head, however the Hidden Blade attempt was caught into a cruel Irish Curse backbreaker.
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions combined to batter Akira, Moloney and Connors grotesquely suplexing Akira onto a set chair. As things looked grim for Akira, the Aswang reared its haunting head from under the ring and came to his partner’s aid, Catch 2/2 joining forces to wipe out the entirety of War Dogs and almost secure the three count. All ten men changed in to individually hit their best, HENARE against all odds bandaged heavily even returning to the fray, with a cluster of bodies collapsed across every inch of the ring.
A stomach-churning 35 minutes had passed when United Empire and War Dogs took to each side of the ring to regroup before crashing into each other yet again, everyone fighting on the outside bar Finlay and Ospreay. Finding himself on the ring apron Ospreay had plans of flying in, only to find himself speared off the apron and through an awaiting table by Connors. In the ring HENARE would put a trash can over Finlay and punt with a lethal Rugby Kick. Awaiting HENARE next was Gabe Kidd, the two returning to their rivalry from Korakuen Hall this past week; HENARE putting his fist through a chair and then putting Kidd’s head through another chair before cracking Kidd with a sickening loud slap across the face.
Coughlin would challenge Catch 2/2 to do their best with kendo sticks, Coughlin somehow withstanding the onslaught of nasty shots before eventually succumbing. United Empire set more tables on the outside and laid Coughlin ominously across them, HENARE climbing the steel cage to crash down with a huge senton. As the war continued and blood poured, Connors introduced a pile of daunting thumbtacks, but it would be to his own detriment as the Aswang tossed Connors face first into the pile. Tour of the Islands would put Connors down with the end a three count away, but BULLET CLUB’s Finlay refused to let this be the end as he broke up the pin with a kendo stick.
Finlay regained control for the War Dogs with a shillelagh shot straight across Cobb’s head before hitting a deadly conchairto. Rather than going for a pin though, War Dogs instead handcuffed Cobb to the cage at ringside, essentially removing Cobb from the match. Returning to the ring Ospreay soared hoping for a final OsCutter, only to be met by Finlay’s awaiting stunner, although Ospreay instantly hit back with the Hidden Blade. Back on his feet Finlay landed consecutive Into Oblivions, but Ospreay refused to keep his shoulders down for the three count.
Returning from the back, Gedo made his way to ringside with a table wrapped in barbed wire to add fuel to the burning fire. Although not part of the match, Great-O-Khan rushed to ringside to put Gedo down and steal the key, freeing Callum Newman from his handcuffs. With the barbed wire table hauntingly placed in the corner Kidd tried to put Ospreay through the twisted contraption but instead found his own face being scraped across.
Callum Newman freed was finally able to help, and alongside Ospreay the pair hit synchronised OsCutters to Finlay and Gedo. With mist in the face from the Aswang, Finlay was blinded and Ospreay finally took advantage of the barbed table with a powerbomb, yet somehow Finlay kicked out before three.
Moloney stabbed Ospreay repeatedly with a fork and Kidd drove Ospreay with a piledriver from the apron through the table. Akira looked to overcome his fears and charged into Moloney, only to be instantly split open by the fork. Akira returned the favour from weeks of torment and grabbed the fork himself to viciously stab Moloney and Connors. Akira continued to get his revenge, capturing Connors with a dog collar before hanging him over the top rope and choking the life from him.
The Aswang locked its fangs deep into Kidd’s neck, forcing Finlay to make the save. A pile of chairs now awaiting, a Hijack Piledriver sent the Aswang plummeting head first into the steel pile. Corpses and carnage abound, War Dogs militantly removed the ring’s minimal padding to leave only the harsh wooden boarding. HENARE eventually charged in to put an end to War Dogs antics, a lofty suplex putting Kidd almost through the boards as they broke apart. However it would be HENARE’s last effort as Coughlin handcuffed him to the cage and rained down savage kendo stick strikes.
As the wooden boards erupted in the ring and it proved difficult to even find safe footing, Akira suffered a Hijack Piledriver from Coughlin and Kidd. Ospreay would break up the following pin and drag Akira to safety, rolling him out of the ring but the Dogs circled. It would be the final stand for Will Ospreay. Finlay taunted Ospreay by offering a free Hidden Blade, but the United Empire man couldn’t muster the strength needed and the end was inevitable. A Drive By from Connors and Moloney left Ospreay ready for Finlay to hit Overkill and the match finally be over: War Dogs defeating United Empire in perhaps the wildest and most violent match in NJPW history.
David Finlay’s post-match sentiments were blunt: “War Dogs run New Japan.”
With War Dogs having left, United Empire reunited amidst the carnage to overwhelming chants of “Thank you Ospreay.” Taking to the microphone for the final time in his New Japan career, Ospreay thanked the crowd for taking care of him the past eight years and promised that he will come back one day, before embracing one more time with his United Empire brothers.
