Before we get into a preview for Destruction in Okayama 2015, let’s look back at the notable Road to Destruction shows that aired on NJPW World.

Road to Destruction (September 4): Many notable returns, a Young Lions singles match and a KUSHIDA, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kenny Omega, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson & Bad Luck Fale mis-mosh main event. You can read Ru Gunn’s review at http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/09/04/njpw-road-to-destruction-september-4-review/

Many notable returns, a Young Lions singles match and a KUSHIDA, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kenny Omega, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson & Bad Luck Fale mis-mosh main event. You can read Ru Gunn’s review at http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/09/04/njpw-road-to-destruction-september-4-review/ Road to Destruction (September 11): Night 6 on the Road to Destruction Tour saw a fun all-around show that did a great job building to the feuds that will pay off at the upcoming Destruction shows. You can read Ru Gunn’s review at http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/09/11/njpw-road-to-destruction-night-6-sept-11-review/

Night 6 on the Road to Destruction Tour saw a fun all-around show that did a great job building to the feuds that will pay off at the upcoming Destruction shows. You can read Ru Gunn’s review at http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/09/11/njpw-road-to-destruction-night-6-sept-11-review/ Road to Destruction (September 20): Well, you can’t win them all. Check out Ru’s review at http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/09/20/njpw-road-to-destruction-september-20-review/

Well, you can’t win them all. Check out Ru’s review at http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/09/20/njpw-road-to-destruction-september-20-review/ Also the newest podcast in the Voices of Wrestling Network, New Japan Purocast, took a look at the Road to Destruction tour. You can listen to this podcast at http://www.voicesofwrestling.com/2015/09/14/new-japan-purocast-njpw-road-to-destruction-review/

Last but not least, New Japan ran a Road to Destruction show this morning, we unfortunately weren’t able to review it but here’s a quick look at the results:

Ryusuke Taguchi defeats Yohei Komatsu (9:31)

Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata defeat Jay White & Satoshi Kojima (11:23)

Jushin Thunder Liger, Mascara Dorada & Tiger Mask defeat CHAOS (Beretta, Gedo & Rocky Romero) (11:43)

Katsuyori Shibata & Tomoaki Honma defeat Juice Robinson & Tetsuya Naito (9:20)

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, KUSHIDA & Sho Tanaka defeat BULLET CLUB (Bad Luck Fale, Doc Gallows & Kenny Omega) & Cody Hall (16:11)

CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii) defeat BULLET CLUB (Karl Anderson & Tama Tonga) (10:50)

CHAOS (Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI) defeat Captain New Japan, Hirooki Goto & Togi Makabe (14:55)

Now it’s preview time! We’ll have coverage throughout tomorrow morning’s event as well as a review on the website immediately following the show. Make sure to follow us on Twitter @VoicesWrestling for all details and coverage.

New Japan Pro Wrestling

Destruction In Okayama 2015

September 23, 2015

Okayama, Japan – Momotaro Arena

Watch: NJPW World

Our preview panel:

Rob McCarron: Co-host of the Shake Them Ropes podcast here at Voices of Wrestling and utility man who routinely covers/previews/reviews WWE, NXT and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Follow him on Twitter at @ShakeThemRopes

Co-host of the Shake Them Ropes podcast here at Voices of Wrestling and utility man who routinely covers/previews/reviews WWE, NXT and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Follow him on Twitter at @ShakeThemRopes Rich Kraetsch: Co-owner of Voices of Wrestling. Man of many, many jobs at this very site. Follow him on Twitter at @VoicesWrestling

Co-owner of Voices of Wrestling. Man of many, many jobs at this very site. Follow him on Twitter at @VoicesWrestling Damon McDonald: Co-host of Voices of Wrestling’s brand new podcast, New Japan Purocast. VOW’s NJPW on AXS TV reviewer and a man who got to see the G1 live so he’s a big stinky head. (We’re just jealous, sorry). Follow him on Twitter at @PuroCast

David Finlay, Jay White, Manabu Nakanishi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Katsuyori Shibata, Sho Tanaka, Yohei Komatsu & Yuji Nagata

Rob McCarron: If you couldn’t get enough of the Road To Destruction tag team matches, fear not! NJPW has you covered with another bone-chilling, thrill inducing 8-man tag team opener that will surely leave you wondering why they ever clutter these big shows with boring singles matches when 6 and 8-mans are their for the taking. Tetsuya Naito, who did not have a successful Road To campaign, mainly losing in tags with Juice Robinson, will probably be on the wrong side of the result here, as well.

Prediction: Katsuyori Shibata, Sho Tanaka, Yohei Komatsu & Yuji Nagata

Rich Kraetsch: Opening 8-man! Opening 8-man! Yeah, there won’t be much here worth your time but do note the interactions between Tetsuya Naito and Katsuyori Shibata who will face off in a singles match at Destruction in Kobe later this week. The rest, well, it’s negligible.

Prediction: Katsuyori Shibata, Sho Tanaka, Yohei Komatsu & Yuji Nagata

Damon McDonald: Your big take away here is the interaction between Katsuyori Shibata and Tetsuya Naito and not too much else. Yes, you can track the progress of the Young Lions (and this is a good thing as they are a solid crew). Yes, you can all watch as Manabu Nakanishi no-sells the young guns offense. Yes, I am sure there will be a moment where Nagata and Nakanishi chop and forearm each other. Yes, you’ve seen this before. It is what it is.

Prediction: Shibata & Tanaka & Komatsu & Nagata

Jushin Thunder Liger & Mascara Dorada vs. reDRagon (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly)

Rob McCarron: Fish & O’Reilly defend the IWGP Jr Tag Team Championships in Kobe this weekend, so this little tune up match will surely go their way. Dorada being in there, flipping and flying around with the other big juniors, will be a fun sight.

Prediction: reDRagon

Rich Kraetsch: This may not seem like much on it’s face, it’s just a random tag match at the beginning of the lesser of the two Destruction shows but don’t be a fool, this will be fantastic. If you’ve never seen Mascara Dorada work, you’re in for an absolute treat. Liger’s not the worker he once was but he’s a great cog in the New Japan machine. Fish and O’Reilly? They are great. Seriously, this could end up being the match of the night if it’s given any modicum of time. Give them 10 minutes, Gedo — let them make magic!

Prediction: reDRagon

Damon McDonald: I don’t think I am alone in saying this is a match I am really looking forward to seeing. On paper, and if given a little bit of time, this will be a load of fun, high-flying from Dorada, solid and steady work from Liger and another nice showcase for one of the best tag-teams in the world. Don’t expect any surprises from the finish, but it should make for a quality second match.

Prediction: reDRagon

NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title Match

Steve Anthony (c) vs. Tiger Mask

Rob McCarron: Tiger Mask has promised a victory here, winning the title then defending it against Jushin Liger. Can it be!? Sure, why not. Anthony defeated Liger for the title, so maybe this all leads to a Liger-Anthony match in the US for the title again down the line.

Prediction: Tiger Mask

Rich Kraetsch: Bruce Tharpe will be here so there’s that. Otherwise, there’s not much I’m into with this matchup. I like dickish Tiger Mask kicking the Young Lions around but he’ll most likely play babyface here to offset uber-American heel manager Tharpe and his latest NWA import, Steve Anthony. We last saw Anthony at April’s Wrestling Hinokuni show defending this very same title against Jushin Thunder Liger. I didn’t find that match particularly interesting and it featured Jushin Liger. Yeah, I don’t have high hopes for this one.

Prediction: Steve Anthony

Damon McDonald: I feel like I was unfair in my “no one really cares about the NWA / NJPW relationship” comment from the most recent PuroCast. I am sure that the NWA has their fan base and maybe even a few have plopped down the cash to watch this match and support the product/relationship. For me? It is so off my radar that it is hard for me to pretend that it is not. I like Steve Anthony. I love watching Bruce Tharpe do his thing. Tiger Mask is hit or miss. I wish this meant more to me.

Prediction: Steve Anthony

IWGP Tag Team Championship

BULLET CLUB (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) (c) vs. TenKoji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima)

Rob McCarron: I don’t expect it, but through the power of positive thinking, I shall hope to will it into in action. Tencozy will win the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Titles! Say it with me, as loud as you can (especially if you’re in a public place, we need the help!)… TENCOZY WILL WIN THE TAG TITLES! Now that we’ve willed it to be, I’m all in favor of moving Karl Anderson on into some type of singles program here.

Prediction: TenKoji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima)

Rich Kraetsch: When TenKoji wins the titles here, they will become the 10th team to hold the titles since they were vacated in June 2012 by Takashi Iizuka & Toru Yano. Of those 10 reigns, three will have been the duo of Tenzan and Kojima, three from the now former champions Gallows & Anderson and two from the now-NOAH confined Killer Elite Squad. This division is so incredibly stale and has been for years — it’s time for some type of shake up, some type of change, something, please.

Prediction: TenKoji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima)

Damon McDonald: As many are already aware, I am not the biggest fan of Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson as a unit. It is odd, because having seen it first-hand, I know that Doc Gallows is over with the Japanese crowd. I watched with my eyes and mouth wide open as loads of fans cheered, booed, and generally appreciated Gallows for being the monster-sized American. I mean, there were people who had home made T-shirts and signs for Gallows.

That being said, I pray to the heavens above that someone or something saves this tag division from the bottom-of-the-basement hole it is in. This situation isn’t good no matter the team wins the titles, but give me Tezan & Kojima any day of the week. Add that we have a six-man a few nights later in Kobe and I’ll go with the title change.

Prediction: TenKoji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima)

BULLET CLUB (Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Matt Sydal

Rob McCarron: Tanahashi will pin Tonga, or Sydal will pin Tonga. Tanahashi takes on Fale on Sunday’s show in Kobe, and Sydal is a future Jr Title challenger, so I expect to see one of them get the win here. I’d go 80-20 it’s Tanahashi getting the pin.

Prediction: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Matt Sydal

Rich Kraetsch: Tama Tonga is on the New Japan roster for one reason and one reason only, he’s a mortal lock to take the fall here, I’m guessing by way of a Sydal Shooting Star Press. Tanahashi, as Damon previews below, will take the night off, come in for a faceoff with Fale, hit a Slingblade and depart.

Prediction: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Matt Sydal

Damon McDonald: Here is what I am excited to see -—Matt Sydal and Tama Tonga with long, extended moments to really show what they can do. Tana can take the night off, go into his tag-team malaise, and wait until the end of the match to do a nose-to-chest with Fale and build for Kobe. Let’s let Sydal and Tonga go and see what they can do together, shall we? That is what I am looking forward to most.

Prediction: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Matt Sydal

CHAOS (Beretta, Rocky Romero, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. Alex Shelley, Captain New Japan, Hirooki Goto, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tomoaki Honma

Rob McCarron: Alex Shelley is back! This will be awesome! Shelley vs Beretta. Honma vs Ishii. Taguchi vs Nakamura. This match has everything. Including your interest, and mine. Let’s love it!

Prediction: CHAOS (Beretta, Rocky Romero, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI)

Rich Kraetsch: Things! People! Men! Wrestlers! Captain New Japan! Yeah, sorry, I can’t even fathom what type of analysis I can give you for this match. Goto and Nakamura will be the matchup to keep your eyes on as they have a big Intercontinental Title main event in Kobe. Uh, Taguchi will point his buttocks at people so there’s always that?

Prediction: CHAOS (Beretta, Rocky Romero, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI)

Damon McDonald: While individual moments could be enough to give me a second look, I think it is safe to say one of two people are taking the fall here, right? Everyone grabs a “partner” and brawls to the outside at least once, right? Goto and Nakamura give each other the nose-to-nose while Goto holds his title in the air. Ishii and Honma recreate their G1 chop fest. The match will be good given all those involved but I think we all see how this is going. Flip a coin on who wins.

Prediction: CHAOS (Beretta, Rocky Romero, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI)

BULLET CLUB (AJ Styles & Cody Hall) vs. CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano)

Rob McCarron: Cody replaces Yujiro in this tag, forcing Juice Robinson off the show as the odd man out. Of course, Styles vs Okada is the next big IWGP Title match, but the match doesn’t take place until October. Styles and Okada, in the meantime, will wrestle in tags on both Destruction PPVs, with my expectations being that Styles will pin Yano each night.

Prediction: BULLET CLUB (AJ Styles & Cody Hall)

Rich Kraetsch: This is going to be interesting. Okada and Styles have roughly a month until their big showdown so that will be the central focus of this match but how do the other two play into the match? Hall is improving rapidly and I’d love to see him interacting with Okada, especially Okada hitting his patented dropkick on the big man. Then you have Yano who will make this a laughable affair at times and could take away from the seriousness that should be building towards a major IWGP Heavyweight Title defense. I think I’ll like this but there’s a good chance I could be rolling my eyes when it’s over, who knows.

Prediction: CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano)

Damon McDonald: This match has a lot going for itself. Of course you have Styles and Okada in the same ring so we know we are in for a treat. You also have Styles and Yano, who can give you a good laugh with some comedy. Cody Hall, sadly, is the odd man out for me but what can you do? We have three guys that, for different reasons, know their way around a ring. I am sure they can more than cover for Hall’s shortcomings and make this a real good match.

Prediction: CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano)

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title

KUSHIDA (c) vs. Kenny Omega

Rob McCarron: KUSHIDA can’t lose the championship, yet. He did the short reign when he first won the title, but the second go around seems to be a much bigger deal. Plus, matches with Matt Sydal and, hopefully, Alex Shelley still lurk on the horizon. With other big workhorses caught in multi-tag purgatory, this Jr Heavyweight title match very well could be the match of the night.

Prediction: KUSHIDA

Rich Kraetsch: We worked ourselves into a shoot, brother. Joe Lanza and I convinced ourselves on multiple VOW podcasts that Omega was bound for the heavyweight division. That’s still the endgame but in the meantime, he’s back to re-Clean the junior heavyweight division! He didn’t do a great job the last time but at least he got rid of Taguchi for us. Thank you Based Omega. As far as this match, it’s probably going to be really really good and my easy contender for Match of the Night. I hope we see more of the serious, motivated Omega and less of the comedy/over-the-top/anime cosplay Omega we’ve been prone to seeing during this run. KUSHDIA retains the title and Omega lives to fight another day.

Prediction: KUSHIDA

Damon McDonald: Ok, here is where the show really picks up some steam and might win the prize for MOTN. I would be completely shocked if we saw a title change here but I am expecting a fantastic match and keeping my fingers crossed that we see a limited amount of “silly” Omega. I am still a firm believer that we will see an Ibushi / Omega match-up at the Dome, so it is not a biggie for Omega to stumble here and get the loss. There is plenty of time to build for the Dome.

Prediction: KUSHIDA

NEVER Openweight Title

Togi Makabe (c) vs. Kota Ibushi

Rob McCarron: Also a contender for Match of the Night on paper, Kota Ibushi comes in with credible stature, while Togi Makabe enters having tied Ibushi in the final points tally in this year’s G1 Climax tournament. The winner of this match not only unofficially breaks the tie, but also walks out of the arena with the NEVER Openweight Championship. With fans here in the States calling for an Ibushi New Japan Cup win, followed by a G1 win, only to see on happen… could we be set up for a mild disappointment, or that big Ibushi win we got a taste of earlier this year?

Prediction: Togi Makabe

Rich Kraetsch: It’s no secret I’ve been very critical of New Japan’s booking of Ibushi this year. I just don’t see a point in having the man take Nakamura to the limit at Wrestle Kingdom, win the New Japan Cup then toil in obscurity for months following. It seems like a massive waste of your own booking and a top-tier talent. Many people see Ibushi righting the wrong and winning the NEVER Title here, I don’t. I think he eventually wins it, just not here. There’s been no build to him winning said title and as Rob said earlier, he hasn’t exactly been a winner on the Road To or preceding tours. Puro Twitter may explode.

Prediction: Togi Makabe

Damon McDonald: I went on record and said I am looking forward to this match the most this week. I love the contrast of styles. I love the evolution of Kota to the heavyweight ranks and I think people seem to forget that Togi Makabe can have a great wrestling match. I still feel a lot was left on the table with their G1 match, so I am very hopeful we see these guys mesh well and knock the ball out of the park.

Prediction: Kota Ibushi