This is the first of three New Beginning shows and looks promising.
Here's the card for Night One (Source: wrestlinginc.com)
Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi v. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale
SANADA v. Minoru Suzuki
EVIL v. Zack Sabre Jr.
Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI, Shingo Takagi v. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi
Ryuske Taguchi, Yoshi-Hashi, Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano, Togi Makabe v. Taiji Ishimori, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
Tiger Mask & Hiroyoshi Tenzan v. TAKA Michiniku & Takashi Iizuka
Toa Henare & Manabu Nakanishi v. Shota Umino & Ayato Yoshida
Ren Narita v. Yuya Uemura
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The Dream Team
NJPW New Beginning (Night One); 2/2/19
NJPW World
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NJPW New Beginning 2019
Night One- Sapporo, Japan
2/2/19
New Japan has some nice video screens set up on the stage for this show. It's good to see NJPW boost up their production values on these shows that aren't on a Wrestle Kingdom or Dominion level.
1) Ren Narita v. Yuya Uemura
Good technical wrestling to start off the match from both men. Kevin Kelly mentions that these are both amateur wrestlers which explains that. Narita gets a Camel Clutch in at one point which Uemura sells really well. Good back and forth action between the two as they trade running attacks into the corners of the ring. Uemura gets the Boston Crab in on Narita. Narita gets to the ropes eventually. They continue to go back and forth. Huge Overhead Suplex by Uemura. 2 count only. Narita catches Uemura running at him and hits an Overhead Suplex Bridge for the 3 count.
Winner: Narita
Match Grade: C+. Good Young Lions match.
2) Toa Henare & Manabu Nakanishi v. Shota Umino & Ayato Yoshida
Henare knocks down Yoshida, but Yoshida is able to power up Henare for a slam. Double Shoulder Tackle by Unimo and Yoshida. 2 count. Later, Nakanishi and Henare do the double tackle. Big splash by Nakanishi gets a 2 count. Henare and Nakanishi continue the attack on Unimo, each tagging in and out to beat down on Unimo. Unimo does a great sell for a chop from Nakanishi. After a dropkick, Unimo finally gets the tag to Yoshida. Yoshida goes after Nakanishi with running boot and knee attacks. A suplex on the larger Nakanishi looked painful for Yoshida (even with Nakanishi's help to get up). Throat Thrust by Nakanishi leads to a tag to Henare. Unimo gets the tag and gets some fast-paced offense in on Henare. Cross Arm Breaker, but Henare gets to the ropes. Beautiful Missile Dropkick by Unimo. Another armbar by Unimo to Henare. Nakanishi breaks it up. Pop-Up Samoan Drop by Henare only gets a 2. Spear into a Spinebuster by Henare gets a 2. Urinage/Rock Bottom gets a 3 for Henare and Nakanishi.
Winner: Henare and Nakanishi
Match Grade: C+. I enjoyed this one as Unimo and Yoshida looked really good even in defeat. Henare reminds me of The Barbarian in his look and even his wrestling style. Another good undercard match.
3) Tiger Mask & Hiroyoshi Tenzan v. TAKA Michiniku & Takashi Iizuka
Iizuka's entrance reveals a lot of empty seats in the arena for this match. I get that NJPW wants to show the entrance. But I'm a believer that if a house isn't full, you do whatever you can to NOT show empty seats, rows, or sections on TV. (This is why ROH is considered a third-level company to me at this point.)
Tenzan says something insulting to Iizuka, and the fight is on. He attacks him into the audience. Now seats are cleared because Iizuka is too busy beating up and choking Tenzan with them! Meanwhile, it seems as if Taka has taken care of Tiger Mask on the other end of the arena. Tenzan gets in the ring to get attacked by both Iizuka and Taka as they take turns tagging in and out to beat him up. Taka removes the muzzle of Iizuka, and the BITE is on! He's biting the feet of Tenzan!
Tenzan finally spin kicks Taka down and tags in Tiger Mask. Mask fights off a double team and almost pins Taka. Taka and Iizuka beat up on Mask. Tiger Bomb by Tiger Mask only gets a 2 as Iizuka breaks it up. Mask tags in Tenzan. Suplex by Tenzan to Taka gets a 2. Tenzan continues to beat down on Taka in the ring. Iizuka breaks up the submission hold of Tenzan. Tenzan chops down Iizuka. Iizuka takes a chair to the back of Tenzan for the DQ.
Winners: Tenzan and Tiger Mask
Match Grade: D+. This wasn't really much of a match as much as it was a brawl at the beginning. Even by Suzuki-Gun standards, this wasn't very good. Not a failure, but it was definitely the worst match on the card up to this point.
Iizuka and Taka beat down on Tenzan and walk back through the audience. Tiger Mask and the referee check on Tenzan.
4) Ryuske Taguchi, Yoshi-Hashi, Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano, Togi Makabe v. Taiji Ishimori, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
Ishimori and Taguchi get separate entrances from their teammates. I guess this was done to highlight the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship match coming up.
The bell rings, and Tama Tonga tries to convince Yoshi-Hashi that he's an awesome guy. Tonga even shakes hands and hugs the referee. The rest of the Bullet Club tell him to stop. Tonga's athletic abilities are still very impressive for a man his size. Hashi and Tonga go back and forth. Tags to Chase and Honma. Honma goes for his headbutt, but Jado hits Honma with the cane as he bounces off the ropes. Tonga continues to mock being a good guy as The Bullet Club beats down on Honma.
The Bullet Club take turns beating up on Honma as Tonga continues to get "upset" in the corner. This goes on for a couple minutes as Tonga finally gets tagged into the match. Honma fights off Tonga, but Ishimori tags in to stop the Honma tag. Honma finally tags in Taguchi, who goes at it for a couple minutes iwth Ishimori. Three Amigos connects. They trade ankle locks for a couple seconds. Handspring Back Kick by Ishimori. Tags to Makabe and Loa. They charge at each other, but Makabe gets the advantage. 10 punches in the corner. Headbutt and lariat by Makabe. Tag to Toru Yano. Neckbreaker to Yano by Loa. Tag to Yujiro. Yano gets assaulted by three of the members of Bullet Club. Chaos breaks out (as you would expect with a match featuring CHAOS). Cue the stereotypical "everyone gets a move in" spot. Jado gets a Hip Attack by Taguchi. Yano Special (Low Blow and Roll-Up) gets the win for his team.
Winners: Ryuske Taguchi, Yoshi-Hashi, Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano, Togi Makabe
Match Grade: C-. This was a chore to get through to be honest. While I enjoy the athleticism by many involved in the match, it just didn't entertain me much at all. I will say this: I dig Tonga's fake "trying to be a nice guy" stuff.
5) Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI, Shingo Takagi v. El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi
Can we book Taichi vs. Elias vs. Jeff Jarrett with Honky Tonk Man as the Special Guest Commentator? Lol.
This is a double championship preview for both the Intercontinental and Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. Naito is back to doing his classic Intercontinental Championship drag. Kevin Kelly puts over on commentary that Naito wants to make history by becoming a "double champion" by winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Naito asks Taichi to hold open the ropes! Taichi does so! Wow. Desperado and Kanemaru jump Shingo and Bushi.
The bell rings with Naito and Taichi just staring at each other. Both offer salutes to the other. Both do the Tranquilo pose, with Taichi obviously wanting to get under the skin of Naito. (Taichi is playing mind games with Naito, which explains the earlier rope holding Taichi did.)
Desperado and Bushi start going at it in the ring. Shingo and Bushi double up on Desperado. Shingo and Desperado trade shots in the middle of the ring. Kanemaru trips up Shingo and goes on the attack on the floor. Suzuki-Gun takes the fight to LIJ on the floor, diving at and throwing them all around. They go into the crowd, and LIJ get thrown into the seats all around the arena.
Shingo is left in the ring as Suzuki-Gun start working on him. Frequent tags and illegal attacks to Shingo from Suzuki-Gun. Shingo finally gets a vertical suplex on Kanemaru to end this assault. A tag to Naito. Head Scissors Takedown by Naito. Naito takes out Kanemaru and Desperado, but Taichi lets Naito know he's not entering the match yet. Naito hits Taichi off the apron and completes his classic dropkick in the corner to Kanemaru. Enziguri by Kanemaru. Tag to Taichi. Taichi kicks Naito in the face several times, including an Enziguri. Taichi rips the pants off to expose his tights underneath. Naito with his own Enziguri.
Naito tags in Bushi. Missile Dropkick and Bushi-Rooni! DOUBLE HURRICANRANA BY Bushi to Kanemaru and Desperado! Bushi goes up the corner, but he gets whiskey spit into the face. Taichi hits a big lariat on Bushi for a 2. Overhead Backdrop Driver by Taichi ends the amtch.
Winners: Suzuki-Gun
Match Grade: B-. This was definitely the best match on the show up to this point. It did a good enough job of setting up the future matches involving these two sides.
Bushi gets unmasked by Desperado while Taichi beats down on Naito. Miho Abe (Taichi's valet) gets the mask to wear! Lol. Naito walks to the back just leaving the Intercontinental Championship laying on the floor. (Again, Naito HATES that belt for what it reminds him of.) Taichi has no problem taking the belt with him to the stage. Taichi gives it to one of the cable workers.
6) SANADA vs. Minoru Suzuki
The feud between LIJ and Suzuki-Gun continues here as Sanada must take on "The King" and Freddy Krueger's worst nightmare, Minoru Suzuki.
The bell rings. Yoshi-Hashi is on commentary. (I want to make a joke here, but I'll stop myself. Lol.) Suzuki avoids the Paradise Lock. Moments later, Sanada tries it again, and Suzuki kicks him in the mouth. Dropkick to the knee of Suzuki. PARADISE LOCK IS IN! He puts his leg on Suzuki to show dominance. Dropkick releases Suzuki from the hold. Suzuki runs right at Sanada and unloads with boots and punches in the corner. Suzuki and Sanada go to the floor and into the announce area. Steel chair shots to the midsection and back of Sanada. They fight into the crowd now. More seats are cleared as Suzuki tortures Sanada with a steel chair. 5 minutes have passed. Suzuki rips off a piece of the guard rail. but the referee takes it. Suzuki rips another piece off and throws it on Sanada. He buries Sanada under a pile of the rail and steel chairs. Sanada bolts out of the pile and slides into the ring at the count of 16.
Suzuki goes to work on Sanada with a variety of arm locks in the ring. Kimura is locked in. Sanada gets to the rope. Suzuki continues the strikes, but Sanada fires back with shots of his own. PK is blocked by Sanada, but Sanada's Dragon Screw is countered into an armbar by Suzuki. Sanada gets to the ropes eventually. More work on the arm of Sanada by Suzuki. Slaps to the face now. Dropkick to the knee and Dragon Screw by Sanada. 10 minutes have passed.
Sanada does the "Double Leap Frogs and Dropkick" spot followed by a dive to the floor to Suzuki. Back in the ring, Suzuki hits a boot into the corner and a PK kick. 2 count. Paintbrush kicks to the back of Sanada's head. They trade shots in the middle of the ring. Rear Naked Choke is in on Sanada. Gotch Style Piledriver is avoided. But Suzuki gets another choke on Sanada. Sanada flips him out and gets the Dragon Sleeper (Skull End). He locks it in deep and on the mat. Sanada climbs up for the Moonsault, but he flips into the knees of Suzuki. They meet in the center of the ring again and exchange blows at the 15 minute mark.
They continue to exchange shots at a faster rate. BIG FOREARM BY SUZUKI! Sanada wants more. And Suzuki obliges. Hard forearm to Sanada flattens him out on the mat. Sanada fires back on his feet. Suzuki fires with some great shots of his own. Running dropkick by Suzuki. Suzuki peppers Sanada with a ton of shots in the ring. Rear Naked Choke is in. Gotch Style Piledriver is avoided by Sanada who backdrops him over. Both men counter moves back and forth. Sanada holds on to Suzuki after a suplex attempt and gets the Skull End in, but SUZUKI GETS THE GOTCH STYLE PILEDRIVER IN! 1-2-3!
Winner: Minoru Suzuki
Match Grade: B+. That was a really fun match. Suzuki and Sanada kept the pace going and worked both their styles of wrestling into the match. Suzuki was able to keep up with Sanada's pace, and likewise, Sanada was able to work the technical and Strong Style wrestling of Suzuki. Well done.
7) EVIL vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (w/Taka Michinoku)
"WELCOME TO ZACK SABRE TIME!" "EVIL, {...} COME OVER HERE!"
The bell rings. Sabre tries to get Evil to wrestle his style of match: a mat-grappling, submission style. Evil overpowers Sabre in some power-based holds. Shoulder Tackle by Evil. Evil continues to use his power to torture Sabre's arms and shoulders, holding both stretched behind Sabre's back. Sabre is able to get out after a couple minutes, and he gets Evil in a submission hold that is quickly broken up. Now, Sabre goes to work on the arm of Evil, twisting the arm around the bottom rope. Sabre relentlessly attacks Evil with a variety of kicks, uppercuts, and twists all centered around the head and neck area. Abdominal Stretch is reversed by Evil into one of his own. Sidewalk Slam by Evil.
Evil goes to work on Sabre with a Clothesline and Bulldog. Sabre counters a Fisherman Buster into an Octopus Lock which he pulls EVIL down on the mat to switch into the hold he used to submit Ishii. EVIL gets to the ropes. Sabre gets Evil in a Triangle Lock. Evil powerbombs Sabre off of him. Sabre gets knocked down hard off the ring onto the floor. Evil pulls Sabre up the ramp. Darkness Falls is countered into a Guillotine Kimura. Evil counters with a Fisherman Buster on the ramp!
Both men are back in the ring. DARKNESS FALLS! 1-2-Kickout by Sabre! EVERYTHING IS EVIL is escaped by Sabre who knocks Evil down. Uppercuts and strikes by both men, but Evil gets the advantage. Clothesline into Sabre in the corner. PK Kick by Sabre. 2 count. Zack Driver avoided as Evil uses the ref to kick Sabre's midsection. Sabre is put on the top of the corner, and Evil climbs up after him. Sabre fights Evil off and tortures him on the corner. Evil hits some headbutts. They stand on the top rope! SUPERPLEX BY EVIL!!! BIG LARIAT! 1-2-KICKOUT BY SABRE! 20 minutes have passed. PK is blocked. Backslide with a Float Over Bridge by Sabre ALMOST gets Evil. Sabre is breathing heavily as he goes after Evil. Evil blocks a kick and gets a headbutt in. Another lariat! EVERYTHING IS EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!! 1-2-3!!!!
Winner: EVIL
Match Grade: A-. Great match here between Sabre and EVIL. Much like the last match, these two worked both of their styles in perfectly. The counter wrestling puts this over the top to me as EVIL and Sabre went hold for hold and countered each other's big moves. (For the record, it's so hard to review a Sabre match. He transitions from hold to hold so quickly and uses moves I've never even heard of.)
Main Event
Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi v. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale
(This is so weird to see Tanahashi and Okada as a team. It feels the same as anytime that The Rock and Stone Cold were on the same team. Something doesn't feel quite right about seeing them team up, but you know you are witnessing greatness.)
Jay White calls him and Fale the "real" Dream Team. Haha. He talks smack to Tanahashi asking him how his knee is.
The bell rings. Tanahashi and White start things off. White plays mind games with Tanahashi by toying with his sore leg. Tanahashi uses a headlock to hold an advantage on the younger White. Springboard Moonsault from the 2nd Rope and Air Guitar by The Ace. Tag to Okada. Double Team offense by Tanahashi and Okada! (God, who would have imagined this a year ago?) White backs Okada into the Bullet Club corner and tags in Fale. Fale and Okada start going at it. Fale throws Okada hard into a corner. Fale pancakes Okada by falling back on him while White throws Tanahashi around ringside. Fale does the same to Okada on the other side of the ringside area. White takes Tanahashi to the audience and slams him down. Tanahashi gets buried with a ton of guard rails and steel chairs. To add more pain, White slams Uemura (who worked the match earlier tonight) on top of the pile on Tanahashi.
Okada runs into the ring to break up the count, but Fale is there to stand on him for some pressure. Okada gets sent to the floor to get smacked against the ring frame and the guard rail repeatedly by White. Back in the ring, White gets tagged into the match and continues the assault on Okada. Tanahashi just now gets on the corner just for White to send him back down. Single-Leg Crab on Okada by White. Tanahashi breaks it up, but Fale sends him back out. Frequent tags by Bullet Club as Okada continues to take the "legal" punishment in the ring. 10 minutes have passed. Flapjack to White by Okada.
Okada tags in Tanahashi. Flying forearm by Tanahashi. Somersault Senton Splash by Tanahashi gets a 2. Tanahashi gets chop blocked by White. Saito Suplex by White followed by the tag to Fale. Fale continues the attack on The Ace. Fale misses the splash in the corner. Okada and Tanahashi double suplex Fale down. Okada is now asking for the tag. TAG TO OKADA BY THE ACE! Okada DDTs Fale and kips up. 15 minutes have passed. SLAM BY OKADA! Samoan Drop by Fale. Splash by Fale gets a 2. White continues to abuse Tanahashi on the outside. Grenade avoided! Bad Luck Fall avoided! Shoulder Tackle by Fale. Both men are down.
Tanahashi and White get tagged in. White mouths off at Tanahashi. Both men trade shots in the center of the ring. SLING BLADE! 1-2-KICKOUT! Fale and Okada are fighting on the floor. White kicks the knee of Tanahashi multiple times. Dragon Screw by Tanahashi. Dragon Screw by Okada on Fale in the ring. Gedo holds the leg of Tanahashi. Flatliner into a German Suplex by White. 2 count only. He calls for the Blade Runner, but Okada breaks it up. SLING BLADE TO FALE! Dropkick by Okada to White. TOMBSTONE BY OKADA FOLLOWED BY STYLES CLASH BY TANAHASHI ON WHITE! ELBOW DROP BY OKADA! Tanahashi goes on top! But Gedo distracts Tanahashi and throws him off the corner. GRENADE TO OKADA! SPLASH ON TANAHASHI! GRENADE TO TANAHASHI! Fale wants the count, but he's not legal. White wants Fale out of the way. DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! 1-2-KICKOUT BY TANAHASHI! BLADE RUNNER COUNTERED INTO TWIST AND SHOUT! Fale gets one too! Gedo distracts the referee. White gets a chair, but he gets the Sling Blade from Tanahashi instead. GERMAN SUPLEX TO FALE! Gedo gets decked! STEEL CHAIR TO THE LEG OF TANAHASHI BEHIND THE REF'S BACK! Dragon Screw to Tanahashi's leg over and over again. A Inverted Figure Four by White. Gedo holds off Okada. Splash to Okada by Fale! BAD LUCK FALL TO OKADA! TANAHASHI TAPS OUT!!! WOW!
Winners: Jay White and Bad Luck Fale
Match Grade: A. Another great match on this card, and this result gave White some more momentum going into the big title match on Feb. 11th. Great chemistry between all four men. And this accomplished the big goal: make Jay White look legit.
White gets on the mic wearing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. White talks about beating everyone New Japan has to offer and made Tanahashi tap out. Why would it be a shock if he beats Tanahashi? The Dream Team were Fale and White, never Okada and Tanahashi. White does his catchphrases. Tanahashi tries to get at White, but Fale holds him up. Blade Runner to Tanahashi.
Show Grade: B. The last half of the show makes this show. Skip most of the undercard. The three most important matches are the last three on this show. Some really great wrestling came in the last hour and a half of this show. And while the result of the main event may be shocking, it did what it needed to do and built towards the end of the New Beginning tour. Good show.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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