Riddle bests Tanahashi in Japanese NJPW debut, new NJPW World TV Champion
Matt Riddle challenged “The Ace of the Universe” Hiroshi Tanahashi, as Tanahashi sought his second successful defense in his NJPW World Television Championship reign. Sapporo was treated to this semi-main event at night one of New Beginning in Sapporo on February 23.
The bell sounded, and it was a deliberate pace to kick off the action. Tanahashi and Riddle grab each other by the hair, exchange holds on the ground, leading to Tanahashi dropping Riddle with a springboard crossbody from the middle rope. Riddle and Tanahashi would take their battle to the outside; back and forth the two would trade heavy shots, with Riddle eventually dropping the champion with a massive Floating Bro corkscrew senton to the outside of the ring. Champion and challenger would make their ways back inside the ring once again, trading more strikes with Riddle getting the better of many of the encounters.
Tanahashi would find himself getting overzealous, attempting a diving crossbody from the top rope but was caught out of nowhere by a flashing knee strike from Riddle to halt all momentum. Pins traded back and forth with a shocking BroStone piledriver from Matt Riddle would lead to a new NJPW World Television Champion in just over half the allotted 15 minute timeframe.
Post match, Riddle headed to the back where he would extend an invitation to Zack Sabre Jr. to challenge for the gold he once held. ZSJ would decline, saying that he would rather focus his attention on title matches that took 60 minutes rather than 15. He did however suggest a TMDK member would take Riddle up on his offer; with the new champion set to face Bad Dude Tito February 29 for MLW, might the gold be at stake in a Major League ring?
