Overall Rating 8.75/10

Hey guys Gary O’Brien here back with another NJPW review and this will be awesome three huge title matches on the line so lets get into it shall we.

TAKA Michinoku def Henare * 1/2

Henare is going to benefit here as he gets to work a veteran like TAKA in a one on one setting. TAKA smartly grounded the young lion to begin, and used some nice mat work. Henare fired up really well and has really crisp work at this stage of his game. TAKA largely dominated until Henare hit the shoulder block off the top. TAKA then cradled him up, trapping both the arms and legs for the win. This was ok at best and only given less then five minutes they seemed to be working well and boom finish worst match of the night but not a total waste of time though.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima def KUSHIDA & Yoshitatsu **

KUSHIDA tagged in, his arm is all wrapped up still; TenKoji quickly cut off KUSHIDA, as Tenzan worked him over with chops and head butts. KUSHIDA finally fired up, hit the PELE and tagged in Tatsu. Tatsu and his mom haircut missed a spin kick by a mile, Kojima YELLED at him to break up a pin attempt. Kojima then tagged in, worked over KUSHIDA and Tatsu with corner chops. KUSHIDA hit the handspring elbow on Tenzan, Tatsu hit a sloppy looking blue thunder bomb on Kojima, but Kojima hit the cutter and then a lariat. KUSHIDA took out Tenzan, but Tatsu was done. This was fine but man this could have been better again KUSHIDA looked good and that is not a surprise but the rest were ok be interesting to see when KUSHIDA returns will he be back as a top face or as a badass heel we shall see.

Juice Robinson, Yuji Nagata, Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask IV def YOSHI-HASHI,Hirooki Goto, & Gedo & Jado ** 1/2

Nagata and HASHI worked a fun opening stretch, Nagata then attacked the arm to cut off his momentum. Gedo and Tiger Mask went back and forth, only for Jado to sneak in and attack Tiger Mask. Liger in to make the save, Gedo is so fun and animated; Jado is also there. Goto cut off Liger, worked him over in the corner but Liger connected with a palm strike and tagged in Juice. Juice ran wild on Goto, hitting an Osaka street cutter and the cannonball for the near fall. I love Juice, dude always works with such fire and aggression and wastes no time. Goto cuts him off with the ushigoroshi, it broke down as CHAOS hit the ring and worked over Juice. The dads are taking a nap as Juice fights on his own. We finally get the big breakdown, Liger and Tiger Mask hit dives; Juice hits pulp friction on Jado and picks up the win. Finally a decent match but nothing really that special and good to see Robinson getting the pinfall he looked impressive in this and looks like he might get another title shot with Goto which I won’t say no.

Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Taichi def Kazuchika Okada, Rocky Romero & Beretta *** 1/4

RPG Vice ran wild early, working over Kanemaru & Taichi and then hitting dives. Suzuki cut off Beretta with a cheap shot and then worked the hanging arm bar in the ropes. Suzuki they attacked Okada, pulling him to the floor and beating him with the barricade. TAKA took the ref, allowing Taichi to use the bell hammer on Beretta. Suzuki-gun maintained the heat on Beretta, Okada tried to make the save, but Suzuki worked a double heel hook. Romero tried to make the save, he got them out of the hold and Suzuki continued to work over and laugh at Beretta. Okada got the hot tag, he ran wild on Suzuki, scoring a near fall. Suzuki then crawled over and attacked the knee, and was just generally a mean bastard. Okada hit the big dropkick, but couldn’t follow up and had to tag out. Romero was all fired up, working over and talking shit to Taichi before hitting forever clotheslines; I love Romero off the hot tag, essentially commentating his own spots. CHAOS took control, until Taichi low blowed Romero. It broke down, Suzuki worked the sleeper on Okada as Kanemaru took out Romero and scored the pin. The best match of the night so far this was really fun to watch loving RPG they are killing it and the crowd were really into it as well the work was good thumbs up for me. I love Suzuki the guy is a fucking beast of a man love to see him face Okada real soon.

NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Title

Los Ingobernables de Japon def (c)Tanahashi and Friend *** 1/2

Los Ingobernables attack before the bell, taking control right away. Taguchi de Japon quickly made their comeback, with Nakanishi tossing BUSHI to the floor onto EVIL and SANADA. Taguchi then worked the ass attacks early on BUSHI, Nakanishi with ass attacks, and then Tanahashi followed; Taguchi is a bad influence. BUSHI hit a dropkick to the add on Taguchi, we got the customary Los Ingobernables floor brawl, the EVIL chair spot and then BUSHI choking out Taguchi with a shirt. SANADA took the heat on Taguchi, focusing on the ass. EVIL tagged in, he also attacked Taguchi’s ass, but Taguchi finally hit a flying ass attack. Tanahashi gets the hot tag, superhero comeback follows, dragon screw leg whips for all! It breaks down, Tanahashi and EVIL worked well together again, Nakanishi and SANADA got the tags, with Nakanishi taking control until BUSHI cut him off. It broke down again, the champs all did the wacky Nakanishi dance, but SANADA locked in skull end on Nakanishi, but he escaped. A trio of submissions by the champions, Nakanishi hit the Hercules cutter but the ref had been dumped to the floor during the fray. SANADA fired back with suplexes on Nakanishi, skull end applied but Tanahashi made the save with sling blade, ass attacks by Taguchi to EVIL. Nakanishi up top, hits the high cross on SANADA, scoring a near fall. SANADA escaped the rack, but BUSHI mists Nakanishi, SANADA applies skull end, and Nakanishi has to tap. This was another good match it was really enjoyable and easy to watch and things started to pick and titles going back to SANADA EVIL AND BUSHI made sense. They worked really well and mixed it up and of course the crazy shit was there to which was fun and it was the a good way to finish off the first half of the show.

Revolution Pro British Heavyweight Title

Katsuyori Shibata (c) def Will Ospreay **** 1/4

Shibata quickly grounded young William the flippy boy, looking to keep this is his world, the world of pain. Shibata then attacked the arm, Ospreay ct him off with a dropkick, e looked for a hooting star to the floor, Shibata avoided it so Ospreay did some amazing flippy counters. He then hit the suicide dive and followed with the Sasuke special, and then mocked Shibata but sitting cross-legged in the ring; that wad a spectacular series by Ospreay. Back in the ring, Ospreay worked on the taped up knee of Shibata. Ospreay made the mistake of throwing strikes with Shibata, which only fired up the champion, who then proceeded to light up Ospreay. Ospreay went for the back handspring, but Shibata caught him and planted him with a German with the leg trapped. They’re getting really creative here, and then Shibata then worked him over with strikes and they went to the floor, Ospreay posted Shibata on the bad shoulder and then hit a head kick. They teased a count out, but Ospreay powered him back into the ring and covered for a near fall. Ospreay up top, but Shibata cuts him off; slips out and hits the trapped superkick, great focus by Ospreay here. Ospreay hits the springboard forearm, does the rainmaker pose, but Shibata counters the rainmaker, Ospreay drops him with a kick and follows with the imploding 450 for a GREAT near fall! The spin kick follows, but Shibata counters the Cuter into the sleeper. SLEEPER SUPLEX by Shibata and the PK finishes it. Superb match here and I am giving full respect to Will for changing his style less flippy stuff then usual and I liked it even though the flippy stuff was fucking amazing. This match has made Ospreay a top player and took Shibata to the limit in a high stakes match.Hope to see this again very soon maybe in England at Rev Pro maybe.

IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano (c) def Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma and Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Takashi Iizuka ***

Lance Archer is out of the match due to a back issue, reportedly a herniated disc. We start with the big floor brawl. Iizuka and Smith worked over Yano to begin, Yano does his shenanigans and tags out to Honma, and he misses a kokeshi as Iizuka sends Ishii to the floor. More floor brawling follows. Smith takes the heat on Honma, works a stretch muffler and then tags in Iizuka. He uses tape to choke out Honma, Yano has his own and attacks Iizuka. Ishii tags in, beats down Honma and then Honma makes a comeback on Yano, but misses another kokeshi. He finally hits one on Yano, Makabe in and clears the ring. He runs wild with clotheslines and rights in the corner. Iizuka back in, but Makabe takes he and Yano out with clotheslines. Hair pull by Yano, Honma stops the low blow and it breaks down, kokeshi by Honma and a German by Makabe scores a near fall. Diving kokeshi to Yano, Makabe up top, but Iizuka cuts him off. Ishii in with suplexes, superplex to Makabe but Makabe pops up Road Warrior Hawk style. Smith tags in, Iizuka chokes out Yano and then Smith hits some clotheslines. Butterfly suplex to Yano, with the bridge, gets a near fall. Smith hits a sitout powerbomb, but Honma makes a save. Iizuka pulls Makabe to the floor, and slams the ref into Honma. Iizuka gets the iron glove and hits Makabe. Ishii in and makes the save, runs wild but eats the iron glove shot. Iizuka then accidentally hits Smith and Yano rolls up Smith to retain. This match was solid and really fun at times Yano I love that guy not the best wrestler in the world but man he is so fucking funny. A better match then I thought it would be and losing Archer before hand could have made this worse but thankfully it did not.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

Hiromu Takahashi (c) def Dragon Lee **** 1/2

They go crazy fists at the bell, and then went rapid-fire offense. Some beautiful counter work here, playing off the fact that they know each other so well. This is their 15th meeting. Back in the ring, and Lee takes control, grounding Takahashi. He then picks up the pace, hitting the knee strike. Lee delivers kicks in the corner, to the floor and Takahashi hits a superkick and then hits a running sunset bomb to the floor. Takahashi then hits a running dropkick on the ramp, back in and covers for 2. Takahashi tries to rip off Lee’s mask. But Lee sends him to the apron and connects with a RANA to the floor. Lee follows with a great dive, rolls Takahashi back in and works knee strikes and then into rolling northern lights suplexes. Lee lights up Takahashi with chops and kicks, sets him up top, follows but Takahashi grabs at the mask to stop the double stomp. Lee back up top, but Takahashi pulls him off and tosses him to the floor. Fucks sake lads. Takahashi goes for a RANA to the floor, but Lee counters with the powerbomb. They tease the double countout, back in and Lee hits a snap German, they trade Germans, both fire up and Lee hits the standing Spanish fly for the near fall. They trade chops, Lee suplexes Takahashi into the corner; Lee tries for the RANA to the floor again, but Takahashi KILLS him with an apron bomb. He follows with the crazy senton to the floor. MY GOD. Lee beats the count; works into a crossface, but Takahashi rolls and looks to escape but Lee maintains the hold. Lee transitions into a rings of Saturn, but Takahashi makes the ropes. We get the ref bump, Takahashi rips of Lee’s mask an gets a near fall off of the inverted destroyer off the ropes. Lee gets his mask back, hits the dragon driver for a good near fall. Takahashi then counters the powerbomb into the destroyer! They trade slaps, fire up and trade chops; Lee hits the knee strike, runs into a superkick, but Takahashi hits ANOTHER destroyer for the near fall. Takahashi hits the DVD to he corner, hits the timebomb and retains. Holy fucking shit this was amazing this was out of this world compared to other matches on the card and looks like the feud will continue which is fine with me loved every minute of this. Takahashi is money no doubt about it and has made the belt feel important. People you need to see this if you have not. IWGP Intercontinental Championship Tetsuya Naito (c) def Michael Elgin ***** Naito was totally traquilo early, stalled on the floor, but when he returned Elgin took the fight right to him, using strikes and power moves before hitting a slingshot splash for the near fall. Naito tries to attack the eye, but Elgin said fuck off and press slammed him to the mat. Elgin then countered the corner dropkicks, sending Naito to the floor. Elgin followed with the cannonball of the apron. Back in, Naito dropkicked the knee, went for a suicide dive, but Elgin caught him and suplexed him on the ramp. WAR LARGE MICHAEL! Naito attacked the knee an then the eye. Naito worked a heel hook in the ropes, and then continued his assault on the knee. Smart change of pacing by Naito as the bigger and stronger man was running wild early. Elgin tried to fire back with strikes, but Naito continued to work the knee, grounding Elgin and applying an Indian death lock. Every time Elgin gets a hope spot and fires up, Naito goes right back to the knee. Elgin hits an inverted falcon arrow but Elgin is too slow to follow up . After a short break, Elgin delivers some corner clotheslines. He sets Naito up top, but Naito rakes the eyes. Elgin then destroys him with a German to the corner. Another German gets 2, but Elgin couldn’t hold the bridge due to the knee. Clubbing lariats by Elgin, but Naito cuts him off with a dropkick to the knee. Elgin hits rolling Germans, counters the tornado DDT for a moment but Naito finally hits it for the near fall. Naito back to the knee, Elgin fights him off with forearms. Naito rakes the eye, attacks the knee, but Elgin counters with a desperation kick to the face. They trade strikes center ring, Elgin then sets Naito up top. Naito tries to fight him off, hits the sunset bomb and then heads up top. Naito leaps in, but Elgin catches him with the powerbomb! Elgin slams Naito down, heads up top, BIG MIKE FLOW connects, but he can’t follow up due to the knee and Naito rolls him up for 2. Elgin looks for the powerbomb, Naito fights and dropkicks the knee again, and looks for the knee bar. Elgin escapes and decapitates Naito with a lariat. Another lariat by Elgin gets a good near fall. Powerbomb try by Elgin, but Naito attacks the knee. Elgin sets Naito up top, but Naito fights off the powerbomb, Elgin up top, Naito rakes the eye and follows, RANA off the roped connects! REVERSE RANA connects but Elgin survives! Elgin counters destino, but Naito rolls into the leg lock. Elgin makes the ropes, Naito takes Elgin to the apron, but Elgin catches him with an air raid crash on the apron. Back in the ring, and Elgin goes for the dead lift superplex, but is slow to do so, because of the knee. DEAD LIFT FALCON ARROW for an awesome near fall. Everyone bought that. Elgin hits a lariat, and then another. Elgin mocks Naito, hits a backfist, BUCKLE BOMB, Elgin bomb countered with an eye rake into a tornado DDT. DESTINO by Naito, and Elgin KICKS OUT. Elgin counters the second destino into the DVD into the corner. they roll to the floor, Naito rakes the eyes, kicks away at Elgin, but Elgin hits an apron bomb and then a powerbomb to the barricade. Back in, Elgin bomb, Elgin sets Naito up top, but Naito counters the burning hammer into destino! Both men are down, Elgin is up and catches Naito again, burning hammer countered, enziguri to the eye by Naito. Elgin hits the spinning backfist, but Naito hits the rolling kick, destino out of the corner, but Elgin survives again! DESTINO again, and Elgin is finally done. Fucking amazing. Damnnn this match was amazing and to top the previous match was going to be very hard but damn they did and full credit to both men they stole the show. They worked a really good pace and loved the near falls and the finishing strench was really good and the crowd were really good loving the japaense crowd even more now. Elgin probably the best match he has ever had and Naito is off to a fucking hot start in 2017 can he roll that up next time around hell yea. You need to see this right now. Final Thoughts The first half of the show was decent at best final two matches saved it from being poor but damn the second half kicked ass Ospreay Shibata was incredible then we had Lee vs TakaHashi again superb and the follow that Naito and Elgin stole the show their rivalry is superb and I have a feeling it is not finished. MOTY contender right there this is better then Sapporo even though that show was a lot of fun this was amazing so our next NJPW show is there shows with ROH that should be fun and I will try and cover both nights Until the next one guys goodbye.