NJPW/ROH Honor Rising 2019 Night 1 (2/22/19)

This is the annual New Japan and Ring of Honor early-year tour in Japan. This is especially important this year given that both companies are co-promoting the upcoming G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden on WrestleMania Weekend.

Here we go!

Never Underestimate Liger

NJPW and ROH Honor Rising 2019 Night 1 (2/22/19)

NJPW World (njpwworld.com)

NJPW and ROH Honor Rising 2019
Night 1- 2/22/19
Korakuen Hall- Tokyo, Japan

1) Ren Narita vs. Marty Scurll

The Young Lion taking on The Villain. Chain wrestling starts off the match here. Narita gets a few moments to look strong, thanks to the selling of Marty Scurll. Scurll works the crowd masterfully during this by getting them to cheer and boo at his command. Narita, for his end, shows some great strength by staying in a bridge while keeping  Scurll's weight on top of him. The ring is set up like a ROH event, unlike a typical NJPW show. Narita's throat is sent up into the bottom rope. Scurll transitions between submission holds to torture Narita. Narita gets back up on his feet and gets a dropkick on Scurll eventually. Narita starts attacking Scurll with a variety of fast-paced offense. Scurll is put in the Boston Crab, but he gets into the ropes. Scurll gets an Enziguri on Narita, powerbombs him, and locks in his own version of the Boston Crab. He sits down on the hold, but Narita presses up and gets to the bottom rope.
Scurll and Narita go back and forth some more for a few moments. Narita gets dumped on his head by a Half and Half Suplex. Scurll puts Narita on the corner. They both climb up to the very top, and Scurll hits a superplex. Scurll starts signaling to the crowd and hyping them up. CHICKENWING! Narita rolls him up before the move can be applied, but he only gets a 2. Big strike by Scurll! Crossface Chickenwing!  It is over!

Winner: Marty Scurll
Match Grade: B-. Very good match between Scurll and a Young Lion. Narita looked very good in this match even in defeat. Scurll did a lot for Narita in this, and Narita did likewise for Scurll. Good opener.

2) Shota Unimo vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Yes! Taka escorts him to the ring. "This is Zack Sabre Jr. Time!" AND OH MY GOD! TAKA IS DOING THIS INTRO IN ENGLISH!!!!! Taka tells the "Young Boy" to come over here, and Unimo decks him! Well, Taka can't say he didn't ask for that one. Lol.
The bell rings. Technical chain wrestling dominates the early going of this match as would be expected from a ZSJ match. Sabre gets frustrated with Unimo's dominance of the match. Unimo goes move to move with Sabre, causing Sabre to get a bit of a headache. Sabre starts manipulating the arm of Unimo in a sickening fashion. But Unimo reverses and continues going hold to hold with a man considered to be the master of technical wrestling. Uppercuts and kicks are now used by Sabre, with the kicks focused at the leg of Unimo. Sabre gets Unimo down and gets a Reverse STF on Unimo. Sabre transitions into about 2-3 other moves before releasing Unimo.
Unimo starts getting hyped up after Sabre paintbrushes him with his feet. ZSJ puts a Boston Crab on Unimo after a dropkick attempt fails. Unimo escapes and gets a dropkick on ZSJ. Unimo starts hitting some forearms and strikes at Sabre. Suplex by Unimo gets a 2. Sabre gets a variant of a Figure Four on Unimo, but Unimo gets to the ropes. Sabre continues to work the leg of Unimo by kicking and twisting it. PK Kick is blocked by Unimo. German Suplex Bridge by Unimo gets a 2. Sabre transitions from that into a Double Arm Bar, but Unimo gets to the ropes with his foot. Unimo gets a Missile Dropkick moments later. He goes back up. He misses but almost catches Sabre with a roll-up.
Sabre pushes and slaps the face of Unimo. BIG UPPERCUT by Unimo drops ZSJ. ZSJ goes for a Roll-Up/Bridge, but he only gets a 2. Both men trade near falls. Unimo goes for the armbar. It connects, but ZSJ gets to the ropes. Big kick by ZSJ to the arm of Unimo. He continues to punt away at the arm of Unimo. Unimo strikes back, but ZSJ gets a Guillotine Lock in on Unimo. Unimo powers up and gets a vertical suplex in. (This is an awesome match!) Unimo goes back up top and hits another Missile Dropkick! 2 count only! Fisherman Suplex countered into a Calf Crusher. Unimo taps out. ZSJ keeps the move in until he is pulled off by Young Lions.

Winner: ZSJ
Match Grade: A-. I know this is going to be a little high for some people, but I loved that match. For a match with a Young Lion, this was near a masterpiece. Sabre and Unimo went to war for several minutes with Unimo showing that he could hang with one of the best technical wrestlers to ever wrestle. For Unimo, this match should be looked back on as a prime example of his potential in the ring. As for Sabre, if ROH or NJPW doesn't put a title on this guy, there's a problem. Bottom line. Sabre continues to prove that technical wrestling can be just as awesome in 2019 as it has been in the past.

3) Jonathan Gresham and Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Taiji Ishimori and Robbie Eagles

Gresham and Eagles start us off. Gresham shows off that excellent technical wrestling ROH fans have come to love. Both men trade headlocks and leg scissors. Gresham applies a Hammerlock on Eagles, but Eagles gets one of his own. Gresham and Eagles are basically playing the crowd with multiple reversals and mind games in the match. (Gresham, like Sabre, is bringing technical wrestling back to prominence.)  Eagles and Gresham put on a show for the crowd with some fun reversals and counter wrestling.
Tags to Ishimori and Liger. LIGER CATCHES ISHIMORI IN A CRUCIFIX ROLL-UP! 1-2-3! JUST LIKE THAT!!!! WOW! Ishimori is livid and has to be pulled to the back by the Young Lions. (That finish popped the crowd. Hell, it popped me! Lol.)

Winners: Liger and Gresham
Match Grade: B. That wasn't much of a match, but that finish just made me want to see Ishimori vs. Liger more. The veteran Liger pulled a fast one on Ishimori to get the pin. And with their championship match coming up soon, this builds all the more tension for their match. This is one of those cases where the booking makes sense and propels a shorter match to a higher grade. Gresham and Eagles did a great job working up the fans, and Ishimori and Liger just stunned the crowd with the most minimal of interactions and the finish.  Well done by all four men here.

4) Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Toa Henare, and Tomoaki Honma vs. The Briscoes and The Guerrillas of Destiny

The Guerrillas and Jado come out with The Guerrillas' brother, Hikuleo, making his return to NJPW after a year. The Briscoes and The Guerrillas have some bad blood on their team, but they are co-existing for now.
Mark Briscoe and David Finlay start the match. Mark and Finlay go back and forth for a second before Juice gets tagged in to start working on Mark. Double Bulldog by LifeBlood. Juice tags in Honma. The faces clear the ring of the other heels. 4-1 attack, but Honma misses the headbutt. The heels start beating up the faces around ringside while Mark Briscoe goes to work on Honma in the ring. He brings Honma into the corner for the heels to start beating down on Honma. Tonga hits a nice dropkick to Honma at one point. The heels continue their work on Honma. Mark Briscoe gets tagged in and start biting Honma. A side story going on here is that The Guerrillas and Briscoes keep tagging in and out on each other, despite the other team not wanting to tag out. So, I look for that to cause problems for the finish in all likelihood.

Honma goes for his headbutt drop, but Jado trips him up. Fights break out around ringside. Honma finally gets the tag to Henare. The big man finds himself in the ring alone with G.O.D. But he's able to fight them off for a moment, but they eventually take advantage to get a double-team in. Tama Tonga hits a Superman Punch in honor of Roman Reigns (I expect). But Henare gets away and tags in Juice. Juice nails a bunch of jabs at Mark Briscoe and a Spinebuster. The Briscoes get a double-team move on Juice. Finlay comes in and helps Juice out. Criss-Cross Clotheslines back and forth, but The Briscoes fight out. Redneck Boogie connects. But the pin is broken up. Juice ducks a clothesline by Loa, sending him into Mark Briscoe. Pulp Friction is blocked, but Juice sends Mark Briscoe into the cane shot from Jado! The roll-up wins the match for Juice. After the match, The Tongans beat down The Briscoes.

Winners: LifeBlood, Honma, and Henare
Match Grade: B-. Another fun match here, but it is probably the worst match on the show. Still, they did a good enough job setting up the action for the next show. And you have to wonder what will come from the altercation between The Briscoes and G.O.D. after the match.


5) NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships
Toru Yano, Ryusuke Taguchi, and Togi Makabe (c) vs. Cheeseburger, Delirious, and Colt Cabana

Before this match even starts, you know that, with Taguchi, Yano, and Cabana in the same match, there is going to be a lot of comedy in this match. Yano demands that he start the match for his team. Delirious starts for his team.
The bell rings. Delirious chases Yano around the ring while Yano screams in Japanese. Delirious tags in Colt Cabana. Yano tags in Makabe. After a moment, Cabana gets a shoulder tackle in on Makabe and yells "ICHIBAN!" But Makabe gets one of his own. Colt puts Makabe in the corner and yells something in Japanese to get the crowd laughing. Poor Cheeseburger gets tagged in and beaten down by the champions for the next few minutes. Nothing really of note here other than Cheeseburger just being assaulted by each member of the team. Taguchi goes for the Three Amigos, but Cheeseburger blocks the third suplex. He gets the tag to Cabana. Double Ax attacks to the chest of Taguchi followed by the Dusty Rhodes jabs and elbow. Colt pulls out the Asai Moonsault on Taguchi. The ROH team clears the ring and hit a few top rope attacks on Taguchi.
Colt and Taguchi are let in the ring. Hip Attack by Taguchi connects. Yano gets the tag and goes after the turnbuckle. It takes a LONG time for Yano to clear the turnbuckle! Cabana grabs the turnbuckle while Yano takes off another turnbuckle. It's a battle of turnbuckle pads! Yano gets hit with two of them by Colt and the (now-legal) Delirious. Misdirection Clothesline by Delirious almost gets the 3. Delirious gets hit with Hip Attack, a low blow, and a roll-up end the match with Yano getting the win. 

Winners: Yano, Taguchi, and Makabe (STILL NEVER Openweight Champions)
Match Grade: C. A basic comedy match. You had to figure that this was going to just be a fun break in the action, and this delivered. You can't expect great drama from a match involving Yano, Delirious, and Colt Cabana. Again, this was just a comedy match which will likely be forgotten by the end of this show by most people.

After the match, Colt goes to shake Yano's hand (supposedly not knowing about the "low blow").  Delirious is upset about this and LOW BLOWS Colt. Cheeseburger and Delirious go to the back while Colt joins the champions in leaving the ring.

6) NEVER Openweight Championship
Will Ospreay (c) vs. Dalton Castle

Dalton has different boys for this show. But The Peacock is still The Peacock. (I've always thought that Dalton Castle looked like he belonged in a Will Farrell movie. Lol.)

Code of Honor is adhered to, but both men are hesitant to let go. The bell rings. Both men dodge the other's clotheslines over and over again until.... THE PEACOCK POSE! They go at it again with Ospreay getting the flying head scissors on Castle. Ospreay does his pose and imitates The Peacock Pose! Lol. Ospreay continues his mockery. Castle goes into his tights and pulls out a SLAP. The slaps and the chops are out now in the match. Bang-A-Rang is avoided as is Stormbreaker. Castle goes to the floor holding his back after a back suplex. Castle hits another back suplex on the floor on Ospreay. Ospreay gets sent into the barricades.
Both men are back in the ring with Castle getting the offense on Ospreay. Focusing on the waist and the back of Ospreay. Castle continues the assault by punching and elbowing the lower back and kidneys of Ospreay. Waistlock by Castle. Ospreay fights out of it. They end up fighting out to the floor. Ospreay hits a Springboard Forearm off the guard rail. Ospreay then does a running dive over the ropes, hitting Castle and the rail. Back in the ring, Ospreay hits a flipping kick and another Springboard Forearm using the ropes this time. Castle gets a DDT in to stop the offense.

Knees into the face of Ospreay by Castle.  Bang-A-Rang escaped again. Enziguri by Ospreay. Castle doesn't go down though. German Suplex fails by Castle. Robinson Special by Ospreay. Oscutter is avoided by Castle walks into the move to flip Ospreay. Castle pulls up Ospreay. Forearms are exchanged by both men. Castle goes for a knee strike on Ospreay in the corner, but he misses going over the top to the floor. Ospreay goes for another dive, but Castle blocks it on the apron. Ospreay puts Castle on the ropes, but Castle catches Ospreay on the corner. Running knee strike to Ospreay on the corner followed by a Reverse Sling Blade in the ring. 1-2-Kickout. Bang-A-Rang avoided again. Roll-up. 2 count. Spanish Fly! 1-2-Kickout by Castle! Ospreay goes for the forearm to the back of the head, but Dalton dodges it. He deadlifts Ospreay up to a powerbomb. 2 count. Castle picks up Ospreay. Reverse Rana by Ospreay. Superkick by Ospreay! Forearm to the back of the head by Ospreay! Stormbreaker! 1-2-3!

Winner: Will Ospreay (STILL NEVER Openweight Champion)
Match Grade: B. Good match here between the two men. Ospreay is so unique a performer that he can deliver moves from many different directions. Castle did a great job keeping up with Ospreay in the ring, which I can't imagine is an easy task for anyone working with him. I liked the teases of the finishers up through the end, which adds a lot to the match in my opinion. They built up the anticipation and then delivered the finisher as the finish.

After the match, Ospreay and Castle shake hands. 

7) ROH TV Championship
Jeff Cobb (c) vs. Hirooki Goto

The bell rings. The two bulls start trying to establish dominance early. Cobb gives a clean break, but Goto does not return the favor a moment later. They continue to collide in the center of the ring with shoulder tackles and forearms. Big chops by Cobb followed by a headbutt. Big dropkick by Cobb on Goto gets a 2. Cobb misses a Stinger Splash, and Goto takes advantage by dumping Cobb over the top rope and clotheslining him down to the floor. They start fighting around ringside. Cobb gets smashed into the ring post. A Young Lion gets SUPLEXED onto Jeff Cobb, which causes the Japanese crowd to boo their home countryman.
Back in the ring, Goto continues the attack on Cobb with a variety of headlocks and attacks to the lower back. Goto also uses a head scissors using the legs. Moments later, Goto gets a Side Russian Leg Sweep on Cobb followed by another submission hold. Cobb gets to the ropes.  Spinning Kick into the corner by Goto, but the Elbow Drop off the top misses.
Cobb goes after Goto with some chops and forearms. Running Back Elbow Attack into the corner on Goto. A second one misses. Goto gets caught going for one of his own. But Cobb sends him flying back in a T-Bone Suplex. Cobb hits a beautiful Standing Moonsault on Goto. Spinning Back Suplex on Goto gets a 2. Goto avoids Tour of the Islands. Goto charges Cobb with some attacks and hits Ushigaroshi! They charge each other in the ring with Goto getting the advantage. Big lariat by Goto sents Cobb spinning inside out to the mat. Kick to the chest by Goto gets a 2. GTR is avoided, but Goto gets the Reverse GTR! 1-2-KICKOUT! Goto signals for the end.  Cobb escapes a GTR attempt. TOUR OF THE ISLANDS!!!!! 1-2-3!

Winner: Jeff Cobb (STILL ROH TV Champion)
Match Grade: B-. This was just a slugfest between two big bulls. Goto and Cobb hit each other with some stiff shots in this one and showed impressive strength by holding the other one up for some of their moves. Cobb had to win this match in order to build to his eventual (you would assume) match for the ROH World Championship down the road.

Main Event
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, and Jay Lethal vs. The Kingdom

I just realized that Vinny looks like the darker version of Elias. Almost as if Elias decided to look like Jonathan Davis from Korn. And I still have a hard time seeing Tanahashi and Okada on the same team. It's just very weird. The Kingdom are mouthing off at Lethal about the ROH World Championship.
Lethal and Taven start off the match. Taven tags in Vinny instead. Hard chops are exchanged between the two. Hip Toss into a Dropkick by Lethal. The Kingdom are thrown out of the ring by the faces, allowing them to beat down on Vinny. Okada gets tagged in as does Taven. Both men tease hitting their signature moves. Okada comes down hobbling on his knee a bit, but he seems to be ok. Taven tags in TK.
TK tells Okada that he wants The Ace. The tag is made. Tanahashi and TK start going at it. Back Elbow followed by the crossbody off the corner by The Ace. Arm Drags and a Hip Toss by Tanahashi. Tanahashi gets caught by The Kingdom on the floor and gets assaulted. The Kingdom begin their assault on The Ace in the ring. Double and Triple Team Moves in front of and behind the referee. Elias... I mean Vinny... uses a claw while having a headlock on Tanahashi. Lol. Tanahashi starts fighting off Vinny and TK with Dragon Screws to both men's legs.
Okada and Taven get the tag. Flying forearm by Okada. Elbow in the corner followed by a DDT. 2 count only. Lethal gets a dropkick on Taven on the apron and hits a Suicide Dive on him. Reverse Neckbreaker on the Knee by Okada gets a 2. Tag to Lethal. Vinny prevents him form jumping off the corner, allowing Taven to throw Okada into it. TK and Vinny hit their finisher on Okada. Triple Team by The Kingdom on Lethal, but Tanahashi breaks up the pin attempt. Double Dropkick To The Ace by Vinny and TK. Triple Tag by The Kingdom to set up their finisher "Rockstar Supernova." It is blocked by the faces.  Lethal Injection to Vinny. 1-2-3.

Winners: Lethal, Tanahashi, and Okada
Match Grade: B-. Good match here as expected. As much as I think The Kingdom gimmick sucks, I will never deny each man's abilities in the ring. And how can a match fail with Okada, Tanahashi, and Lethal working as a team? Tanahashi does what he does best: getting the crowd invested in the comeback. Okada got to shine and dazzle the crowd without a Rainmaker. And Lethal was his usual great self as well.

Show Grade: A. Overall, Night 1 was awesome. It was a great sampling of everything that makes ROH and NJPW great. In addition to the marquee matches delivering, you had some great matches involving the Young Lions. The match with Shota Unimo and Zack Sabre Jr. was probably the best match involving the Young Lions I've seen. This is definitely a show I recommend everyone go find and watch on NJPW World as it is definitely worth the time.

I will be reviewing Night 2 of Honor Rising and hopefully have the review up by the end of the day on 2/24/19.

Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.

After the match, The Kingdom jump on Lethal and run out as soon as Tanahashi and Okada get near them. Lethal gets on the mic and tells TK  that he's going to send him back to America crying.