The Road to Dontaku made its final stop last night in Beppu before the big two events in Fukuoka round out the tour. A pair of elimination tag matches headlined as Bullet Club, CHAOS, Hontai and LIJ all vied for the first headlines of the Reiwa era.
Watch the replay of the event with English commentary here!
6th Match: Los Ingobernables De Japon (EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) defeated Kota Ibushi, Kazuchika Okada, SHO, YOH & Tomohiro Ishii in an elimination tag match when SANADA last eliminated SHO via submission.
In contrast to the semi main event before it, it was nearly 15 minutes before the first elimination in this ten man battle. EVIL and Ishii, still at each other’s throats, were eliminated in quick succession, with the King of Darkness sending Ishii out before Ibushi eliminated EVIL over the top rope.
Naito and Ibushi continued their dangerous war as both battled on the apron before eliminating one another in brutal fashion. BUSHI then elimnated YOH before SHO took out BUSHI. When Okada sent Takagi over the top rope, it was two on one in CHAOS’ favour, but SANADA managed to survive, first sending IWGP Champion Okada over the top rope before locking Skull End on SHO for the victory.
Post match, SANADA talked about the Reiwa era starting in Japan, but said the true new era in NJPW would begin on May 4 when he beats Okada to seize the championship.
5th Match: Bullet Club (Jay White, Hikuleo, Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale & Taiji Ishimori) defeated Hirooki Goto, Will Ospreay, Dragon Lee, Juice Robinson & Mikey Nicholls in an elimination tag match when White last eliminated Goto via the over the top rope rule.
Eliminations came thick and fast in the first of two ten man elimination tag matches. They started when Dragon Lee and Taiji Ishimori both managed to take each other off the top rope in the first two minutes; following the double elimination, Ishimori unmasked Lee and escaped up the ramp, adding fuel to their championship match fire that will burn Friday in Fukuoka.
Ospreay managed to fell the giant Hikuleo with an OsCutter, but was quickly taken out of the running by Fale, who sent the Briton over the top rope. Seconds later, it was Fale over the top, by Nicholls’ hand. Owens would eliminate the Australian before Juice eliminated Chase, and White took out Juice.
White and Goto were the ones left in the ring. As Gedo fortuitously hopped on the apron to argue with referee Red Shoes Unno, Goto pitched White over the top rope, to cheers from the crowd. Unno never saw the elimination though, and White quickly snuck back in to toss Goto out and pick up the win.
4th Match: Jeff Cobb, YOSHI-HASHI & Jyushin Thunder Liger defeated Suzuki Gun (TAKA Michinoku, Taichi & Minoru Suzuki) when Cobb pinned Michinoku.
Liger and Suzuki continued their war here with Suzuki aggressively assaulting Liger’s arm. At ringside, the King almost broke Liger’s fingers one by one, even biting into the hand of the Living Legend. Liger was eventually able to deliver a brainbuster to Suzuki, leading to hot tags, and an eventual Tour of the Islands giving Cobb another pinfall win heading into his NEVER title match with Taichi Friday.
3rd Match: Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma defeated Bullet Club (Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado) when Makabe pinned Jado.
The Bullet Club attempted to isolate Honma for the majority of the match, but when he finally broke free, it was Makabe with a King Kong Knee sealing the deal.
2nd Match: Rocky Romero & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Suzuki Gun (El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) when Romero pinned Desperado.
The twin coaches of Taguchi Japan and Roppongi 3K gelled well and could be forming quite the combination. The Suzuki Gun team took their opponents too lightly, and fell with a Romero hurricarana on Desperado.
1st Match: Tiger Mask, Shota Umino & Ren Narita defeated Yota Tsuji, Yuya Uemura & Toa Henare when Tiger Mask pinned Uemura.
Uemura and Narita continued their budding rivalry here, while Tsuji similarly stepped up to Umino. Ultimately Tiger Mask hit a perfect top rope Butterfly Suplex for the pin.
