New Japan Pro Wrestling 5/3/2023 Wrestling Dontaku 2023

New Japan Pro Wrestling 5/3/2023 Wrestling Dontaku 2023

 I saw the top 5 matches here:

 Strong Openweight Title - KENTA vs Hikuleo

Kenta runs right into a boot before the match starts and pretends like he is out of it. Kenta then rolls him up as soon as the bell rings. Kenta works on Hiku's leg and Hiku ropebreaks. Hiku bearhugs Kenta then hits another big boot. Hiku hits snake eyes then a lariat.

Hiku suplexes him for 2 then accidentally facekicks the ref. Kenta low blows Hiku and grabs a kendo stick. Kenta hits him with the stick then he nails Jado on the apron. Hiku grabs the stick and breaks it then he sitout double arm chokeslams him. Kenta puts him in a crossface. Kenta low blows him again when the ref gets shoved then he hits a busaiku knee for 2.

Hiku powerslams him then chokeslams him for the win.

I felt like this could have been a little quicker to the point of Kenta cheating to try and stay in this and Hiku eventually getting the win. The match made sense with Kenta working like a little man against the big man and trying to use shortcuts to get around the size difference.

 NJPW World TV Title - Zack Sabre Jr. vs Jeff Cobb

 

Zack bridges and Jeff climbs on top of him and Zack keeps the bridge. Zack tries for a german but is thrown off. Zack tries some takedowns but fails then Jeff shoulders him over. Zack is thrown hard into the buckles and bounces off. Zack tries to jump on him but is slammed. Zack then pulls him down and grabs a choke.

Zack goes for an ankle lock but Jeff grabs the ropes. Zack takes him down and does a leglock. Jeff crossbodies Zack for 2. Jeff knocks him down with a forearm then Zack hits his own forearms. Jeff dropkicks him then Zack octopus stretches him of the buckles. Cobb does a top rope gutwrench suplex.

Zack fights off Jeff then Jeff running headbutts him. Jeff goes for a tour of the islands backdrop but Zack swings around and chokes him on his back. Jeff hits a big wheelbarrow suplex then tries a tour of the islands slam but Zack rolls him up. Zack rolls him up for 2 then running PK's him. Zack hits slaps with 1 minute left then Jeff tour of the islands backdrops him. Zack rolls out and is put back in then Cobb standing moonsaults him. Zack goes for a triangle but is powerbombed then Jeff deadlift suplexes him. The time limit then expires.

I really liked this one. I liked the logic of Cobb overpowering out of Zack's holds and it was a fun big man vs technician matchup. The time limit prevented anyone from losing here as well.

NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Titles - Ren Narita, El Desperado and Minoru Suzuki vs Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii

Ren and Okada go face to face before the match starts. Suzuki headlock takeovers Tana. Ren gets in and gets his knee dropkicked by Tana. Okada throws Ren into the rails outside and slams him on the floor. Okada money clips Ren then Ren's team helps him out. 4 men fight in the ring and Ishii gets beatne up on the ropes. Okada back elbows Ren in the corner then ddt's him for 2.

Ren takes down Tana then Suzuki hits forearms on Tana in the corner. Suzuki facekicks Tana in the corner then Tana blocks his PK. Tana flying forearms Suzuki then slams him. Suzuki challenges him to hit him and they trade forearms. Suzuki punches Tana in the gut then puts him in the octopus stretch.

Despy gets in and takes a dragon screw then Suzuki does too. Ishii and Despy go at it and Ishii backdrops him. Despy hits a backdrop and slaps Ishii around. Despy suplexes him then Okads facekicks Despy. Ren takes a flapjack from Okada then Suzuki combos Okada. Ishii suplexes Suzuki then Despy spinebusters Ishii.

Despy rolls up Ishii for 2 then Ishii hits a stiff german on him. Despy spears Ishii then pumphandle drivers him for 2. Despy and Ishii trade forearms and Ishii goes down. Ishii headbutts him then both go down.

Ren and Okada go at it and Ren facekicks Okada. Ren forearm flurries him in the corner and knocks the ref away. Okada throws Ref into the rails then gets facekicked. Okada back bodry drops Ren then Ren underhook suplexes him. Ren chinlocks him and Okada hiptosses him. Ren hits a nice spinning heel kick on Okada then Okada takes a Despy spinebuster. Ren does a nice exploder into a pin on Okada for 2 then Ren northern lights suplexes him. Ren puts him in a cobra twist and Ishii breaks it up.

Okada goes for a spinning forearm but takes a belly to belly. Ren goes for a running move and Tana sling blades him. Ren takes a 3v1 and takes an over the back neckbreaker. Okada hits a nice dropkick then emerald flowsion's Ren. Okada hits a rainmaker on Ren and wins it.

It had trouble early as people kept going in and out and ruining their flow. It picked up though once Ren and Okada started going at it and turned it into a decent match.

NEVER Title - Tama Tonga (c) vs David Finlay

Tonga gets attacked during his entrance and hits a back body drop early. Tama lariats him over the top rope then bangs his head off the apron and post. Tama gets speared through the rail door and they fight in the crowd. Tama is thrown into a row of chairs.

Finlay pounds on him and chokes him in the ring then snap suplexes him for 2. Finlay beats him up more and takes an exploder. They both end up going out and Finlay is thrown into the rails multiple times. Tama corner splashes him and does a side Finlay roll. Finlay gets his knees up on Tama's top rope splash at 10 minutes.

They trade forearms on their knees then get up and trade. Finlay backbreakers him then hits crossfaces. Tama hits a tonga twist then Finlay hits corner spears. Tama does a high angle single underhook ddt. They block each others moves and Tama sharpshooters him. 

Tama hits punches then is pushed off the 2nd rope into the rails. Finlay powerbombs him on the apron. Finlay then fireman's carry throws his into the post, head first. Finlay hits a dominator for 2. Finlay powerbombs him and tells him to beg him for mercy. Finlay then pounds on him more as he is down. Finlay hits more powerbombs and Jado teases throwing in the towel. Finlay fisherman busters him over his knee and lets him up at 2, then fisherman busters him again. Finlay does it again and wins it.

They tried to put Finlay over strong here but I don't think it really worked that well. It was a longer and slower match and Finlay got most of the offense in. The crowd wasn't that much into it.

Tama was stretchered out after.

A man in a hood came out and it was El Phantasmo. He went for the CR2 and Finlay left, then he got on the 2nd rope and flip dived him. He pounded on him and it had to be broken up.

IWGP Title - SANADA (c) vs Hiromu Takahashi

Sanada headlocks him then takes a headscissors. Sanada shoulders him over then Hiromu dropkicks him off the apron. Hiromu dropkicks him off the apron and over the rails. Hiromu then jumps over the rail to dropkick him. Sanada bridging twisting neckbreakers him fron the apron.

Sanada backdrops him for 2 and they trade chest slaps. Hiromu flying headscissors him then Hiromu shotgun dropkicks him. Hiromu then basement dropkicks him and falcon arrows him for 2. Sanada does leapfrogs then a dropkick then plancha's him. Back in the ring and Hiromu ddt's him out of the casadora.  

Sanada tko's him for 2 then grounded dragon sleepers him. Sanada swings him from the dragon sleeper then moonsaults him. Sanada goes for another but Hiromu gets his knees up then hits a time bomb for 2. Hiromu lariats Sanada then Sanada dragon sleepers him. Hiromu germans him then Sanada hits euros.

Hiromu is popped up and hits a cutter then sitout F-U's him. Hiromu lariats him and lifts him for an elevated reverse ddt. Sanada backdrops him and Hiromu blocks his shining wizard. Sanada grounded dragon sleepers him then hits a moonsault for 2. Sanada flying shining wizards him and Sanada hits his deadfall ddt to win it.

It was okay but nothing too great. Hiromu didn't overdo it here and he didn't try his work the body part that usually fails. The crowd like Hiromu a lot more than Sanada.

Yota Tsuji comes out after and beats up Sanada and Just 5 Guys. He then spears Sanada. 

Overall thoughts: Of what I saw, it was a good night of wrestling. Everything made sense and most of the matches were good. They also built up future shows with Ren/Okada teases and now Tsuji/Sanada likely happening next.