Welcome to this edition of UnWrest Focus REWIND. In this edition, we are going to go back to 2016. 2016 was a big year in the wrestling world that started with the seismic shift that happpened when four major names from New Japan Pro Wrestling left en masse for the WWE. AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows were all big names to leave the company for sure. But none may have hurt as much as Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura, one of the three men the promotion got behind to propel them into the future, was one of the promotion's biggest and most popular attractions. His notoriety in Japan and around the world earned him cheers from Tokyo to New York City to London.
While the other three aforementioned stars recieved their own sendoff to varying effects, Nakamura received one final sendoff on January 30, 2016. And it was appropriately on the tour for THE NEW BEGINNING, an event that had literal meanings for the promotion and for Nakamura himself. Adding to that the presence of long-time rivals in Goto, Shibata, and Tanahashi, this was a great sendoff for one of New Japan's biggest stars.
Here we go.
Road to THE NEW BEGINNING
January 30, 2016
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, and Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, and Shinsuke Nakamura
Before the match, NJPW plays a great video package going over Nakamura's career in the promotion. While I do not speak the language, the images are universally understandable. Really solid work here. And it's also great for a promotion like New Japan to pay tribute to a wrestler leaving the promotion for another one. Class act if you ask me.
This is a bit odd in terms of the entrances. It's a bit back and forth in terms of who comes out. Nakamura enters the ring last for a great ovation from the crowd which chants his name before he even comes out. Such a great moment when he enters as Ishii and Okada both pay homage to him. A little bit of confusion starts off this match as Tanahashi's team argues about who is going to start the match off for their team.
Okada and Goto start us off here. Goto is getting booed heavily as CHAOS clearly has the fans rooting for them. They want a Nakamura victory to send him off. Okada continues to show his awesomeness with an impressive mix of speed and power. Next, we get Ishii and Shibata. Oh boy. This is going to be stiff. Shibata takes a lot of Ishii's big chops. Now both men are exchanging forearms back and forth, back and forth. Strong Style exchange here. Figure Four by Shibata to Ishii. After a reversal by both men, Ishii gets to the ropes. Tag to Tanahashi AND TO SHINSUKE NAKAMURA! Tanahashi eggs on the crowd to chant "Shinsuke" some more. A typically awesome exchange here with both men taunting the other.
Tag to Shibata who goes at it with Nakamura. Both men wrestle to the ropes, and Shibata does Nakamura's clean break taunt! Lol. More kicks by Shibata met with a spinning back kick by Nakamura. And Nakamura is picking up Good Vibrations in the corner. Tag to Ishii. Okada and Nakamura pick up Ishii for a dropkick and Bonzai Drop on Shibata. CHAOS continues to press the attack with frequent tags to further the attack on Shibata. Shibata finally gets out with a kick to Okada.
Goto gets the tag, and this crowd is booing the hell out of him. Loud Okada chant as he's the one being attacked by Goto at this point. Okada however continues to be a fireball with lightning quick offense. Okada eventually gets back to the corner and tags in Nakamura. Enziguri by Goto. Tag to Tanahashi. One last time, these two rivals face off. The forearms are flying! The crowd applauds in appreciation! Flying forearm by The Ace. Somersault Senton in the corner for 2. Nakamura blocks out of the trademark Tanahashi suplexes, but he can't get out of the Dragon Screw. But Nakamura answers back with the knee to the gut in the corner and the back suplex. Bomaye blocked! HIGH FLY FLOW INTO THE KNEES OF NAKAMURA! BOMAYE COUNTERED WITH SLING BLADE!
Tags to Shibata and Ishii. The Stone Pitbull takes it to Shibata, and he responds in kind! Running corner dropkick by Shibata that connected. Back and forth between Ishii and Shibata with both men having advantages over the other momentarily. And here comes Goto again to a chorus of boos! Goto accidentally decks Shibata. CHAOS hits a triple team series of moves on Shibata for a 2 count. Everyone is running in for attacks on the others. Big lariat by Ishii only gets 2 on Shibata. Big back chop by Shibata to Ishii! Triangle choke by Shibata, but Nakamura breaks it up. Nakamura whips Tanahashi into the rail while Ishii is fighting off Shibata's sleeper hold. Shibata eats a dropkick from Okada, a BOMAYE by Nakamura, and a brainbuster by Ishii! 1-2-3
Winners: CHAOS
Match Grade: B. This was all about the emotion here. It's a great sendoff for Nakamura, and Ishii gets the rub of the pinfall over Shibata. This is really not much of a match as much as it is a swan song for one of the promotion's greatest stars. Each of the opponents had history with Nakamura, and Nakamura was given time to work with each of them one last time. The match was your typical six-man match in NJPW, but the added emotion around it did notch it up a bit in my evaluation.
Here comes Kenny Omega. He talks about it being Nakamura's last match. Omega tells Nakamura to tell everyone the truth: Nakamura is scared and that he doesn't want to face Omega. Tanahashi steps in and takes the mic. I think he tells Omega to shut up and that he'll face Omega for the Intercontinental Championship. And Tanahashi steps behind Tanahashi to support his long-time rival.
The rest of CHAOS comes into the ring. Shinsuke is very emotional here as he gets on the mic. YeaOH! Korakuen Hall goes crazy as Nakamura says goodbye and shakes hands.
Now here come the rest of the CHAOS stable to hug and say goodbye to Nakamura. Okada looks like he's about to cry a river. More chants and cries from the crowd. Nakamura is obviously crying as well as the stable does the Nakamura arm pose. Again, so emotional here that you can't help but appreciate the moment. Nakamura spent so many years with this promotion and did so much for it to help keep it afloat. This is the promotion letting Nakamura have his bow and saying "Thank You." Again, you don't see that in wrestling. You just don't. Now, Okada is carrying Nakamura on his shoulders around the ring and to the back again to the adulation of the crowd. WHAT A MOMENT. Again, Okada is crying heavily through all of this.
As good as the match was, the aftermath was even better. NJPW handled its business by having Omega try to ruin the night. Then, Tanahashi steps up to challenge Omega for the vacant Intercontinental Championship with the added bonus of Nakamura's endorsement of his rival. Then, on top of that, you have Nakamura getting his moment to say goodbye to the fans and the company. Really great stuff here which you should check out.
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Thank you for joining me for this latest edition of UnWrest Rewind FOCUS. Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness. And for Shinsuke...
YeaOH!
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