Shin-Aomori Prefectural Gymnasium Maeda Arena
Jay White vs. David Finlay What you would expect from these two fine performers, great mat work and crisp offence from both. Crowd was super for this match as they would be for the entire event. Both guys got to shine with their big comebacks and big moves. Crowd was for sure more into Jay and he won with the dreaded Boston-Crab. ***
Jushin Thunder Liger & Juice Robinson vs. Tiger Mask & Captain New Japan Really fun match, the work was nothing spectacular but I like 3 of the guys involved in this match. Liger does not like Captain New Japan match at all and I cannot blame him, the dudes a geek. Tiger did a crazy tope suicida on Liger! Tiger and Liger set up a future match for the NWA Jr. Heavyweight title. Juice shocked the world and won a match! He tapped out Captain. **1/2
Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. “King of Darkness” EVIL & BUSHI This picked up a ton towards the end but I was getting tired and probably didn’t show enough attention to this match. Solid stuff though. YOSHI-HASHI is a great worker and he is making me one of his biggest fans. BUSHI wasn’t all that impressive but he did still hit his big spots. I find EVIL a lot less interesting in these tag match because whenever he is in a singles he kills it. YOSHI-HASHI works like a Southern baby face from the 80’s. Ishii and EVIL killed it with their interactions, I can’t wait till there in a singles match again. That’s just what we’re getting next month at Invasion Attack because EVIL pinned Ishii with the EVIL STO. I’m hyped for that! ***
1/2 New Japan Cup – Semi Final: Tetsuya Naito vs. Toru Yano So this was a very neat little 2 minute match. Probably the most heated 2 minute match ever as well. Not because of the moves but because of the near falls and trolling. Yano attacked Naito when he was undressing so he got the early advantage. Tons of Naito and Yano shenanigans but the crowd loved it and the reactions they were getting for doing nothing was amazing. Naito won after a nut shot and a rolling pin. **
New Japan Cup – Semi Final: Michael Elgin vs. Hirooki Goto I gave their first match in the G1 ****3/4 so I was very excited for this. Very solid match but I think Michael Elgin was the match better performer. Goto was good at everything but I just think 2016 is on another level. There is no doubt in my mind he is a top 10 worker in the world currently. The crowd was split on who to cheer for but I think Goto won them over somehow. Elgin was booked like an absolute monster during the opening portion of the bout. Amazing sequences especially the one that ended with Goto hitting the Ushigoroshi! Felt like a shoot, the two beat the life outta one another. Goto won with a Lucha pin. The finish fell flat but still a good match. ***3/4
Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Katsuyori Shibata & Ryusuke Taguchi This match was built to set up a Kojima and Shibata match at Invasion Attack next month and boy they accomplished that! Whenever Koji and Shibata would go at it shit would get lit! Shibata just took it to Kojima the entire match. Taguchi was fun, he did Mongolian ass attacks! Whenever Taguchi was in it felt like a comedy match but whenever Kojima or Shibata were in it felt like a serious main event. Kojima killed Taguchi with a lariat to win. Shibata went for Kojima post-match but Kojima laid him out with a lariat and declared he will challenge for the NEVER title. ***1/4
Kazuchika Okada & Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi This was fine, I wrote an article about Nakanishi basically saying he shouldn’t be in NJPW anymore but he is fun every now and again. He’s interactions with Okada were good in the worst way possible. Saku did Saku things and even did a fantastic plancha at one point. Nagata and Okada has phenomenal chemistry and I want another singles match between the two. Okada won with the Rainmaker on Nakanishi. ***
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi Look I did not pay attention to this match really, the work was probably fine but it feels like I have seen this match a million times. I like most of the guys in this match but I want something different. Everyone got their spots in and looked good. Things were boring when Takahashi was involved. Tonga pinned Tomoaki Honma with the head shrinker DDT and proclaimed next month he will challenge for the IWGP Tag Titles with his partner being his brother Camacho! **3/4
New Japan Cup – Final: Hirooki Goto vs Tetsuya Naito Fine main event that the crowd was lit for. I didn’t write notes but I thought this was a very good main event that both men were tremendous in their performances. Goto used three different versions of the Ushigoroshi and still couldn’t put Naito out. Naito even kicked out of Goto’s Shouten Kai which NO ONE kicks out of so NJPW must finally have big plans for Tetsuya Naito. Lots of LOS INGOBERNABLES interference. Crowd was very glad that Naito won with the Destino. Post-match he challenged Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight title and Goto seemingly joined CHAOS. ***1/2
Solid show but nothing blew my socks off. This card was not interesting on paper and was just a show for me. Nothing I will go back and watch. NJPW has been doing a good job the last few shows of not coming off as a stale product but this show definitely smelled of a stale product.