New Japan Pro Wrestling 1/13/2024 Battle in the Valley 2024

New Japan Pro Wrestling 1/13/2024 Battle in the Valley 2024

I skipped two matches here:

Fred Rosser, Jacob Fatu & Shota Umino vs. Team Filthy (Jorel Nelson, Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor)

 

Tom and Fred start us off. Fred hiptosses him then Tom pushes him up into an armbar. Fred front facelocks him and hits a face kick. Tom shoulders him over and they stand off. Fred wants a handshake and gets pounced for it. Jorel hits corner spears on Fred then slaps him.

Jorel hits a nice splash on Fred then face kicks him. Royce elbow drops Fred for 2. Fred takes a double atomic drop then is dropkicked in the knee. Royce deadlift germans him. Fred hits knees on Jorel and Jorel crossbodies him. Fred goes down in pain. Jorel foot chokes Fred then he argues with Tom about it.

Fred death valley drivers Royce. Fatu gets in and beats up on the heels. Fatu pop-up samonan drops Tom then planchas Jorel outside. Fatu fosbury flops outside onto Tom and Royce. Fatu top rope swantons Tom then handspring moonsaults him.

Shota gets in and forearms Tom. Shota running euros him then hits a big release exploder on Jorel. Shota dropkicks Royce then fisherman suplexes Tom for 2. Royce high kicks Shot and Jorel pounces Shota. Shota takes a triple team powerbomb for 2. Fred backdrops Jorel on the apron then Fatu lariats Tom over the top and goes with him. Shota trades shots with Royce and pop-up euros him. Shota euros Royce in the back of the neck then double underhook ddt's him to win it.

It was rushed but it was fun. Fatu was the big star here and the Japanese announcers really marked for him. Shota really only got in at the end here. Jorel hit 2 nice pounces.

Fred wants a handshake from Tom after and Jorel stops Tom. Tom then goes around him, him and Fred slap each other then shake hands. Shota poses with fans after them someone in a Bushi mask attacks him. The masked man turns out to be Jack Perry. JAck Perry bridging ddt's Shota on the floor. Jack jumping knees him in the ring then rips ups his AEW contract. He then puts on an armbad that says "scapegoat" and leaves in a very weird angle.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Title Match - Guerrillas Of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) (c) vs. BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Alex Coughlin & Clark Connors)

ELP = El Phantasmo

ELP and Hiku are jumped before intros are done. ELP dropkicks Clark then flying back elbows him. Clark takes a side slam and a 2nd rope elbow from ELP. Alex runs straight into a Hiku ddt. Clark clips Hiku then bangs his knee off the post. Alex stomps Hiku's leg outside.

Clark forearms Hiku then ties up his leg. Clark spears Hiku in the corner while Alex holds him. Hiku takes chops and goes for the tag but Clark pulls ELP off the apron. Alex kneebreakers Hiku on his own knee. ELP top rope double crossbodies his opponents. ELP leg lariats Clark then hurricanrana's Alex. ELP atomic drops Clark and Alex then russian leg sweeps Alex. Clark is lariated over the top.

ELP 2nd rope twisting crossbodies Alex, asai moonsaults him and tornado ddt's Clark on the floor. ELP 720 springboard ddt's Alex then Alex takes a face kick + cut throat burning hammer. Alex germans Hiku then pumphandle death valley drivers ELP. Clark spears Hiku then Hiku takes a high/low. Alex clips Hiku and Hiku takes a sandwich forearm. Hiku takes a double team suplex for 2 at 10 minutes.

Hiku takes a suplex + crossbody combo for 2. Hiku powerslams Alex then takes an ELP superkick and a Hiku chokeslam. ELP springboard rocket launchers onto Alex and Hiku grabs the win.

It was going okay then they just went into doing big moves and kickouts in the finishing stretch and I thought that brought it down. I didn't like Hiku taking all the abuse here as he's the big man and is supposed to be the one saving his partner from the abuse.

NJPW STRONG Women's Title Match - Giulia (c) vs. Trish Adora

G = Giulia

Trish came out with The Infantry, who aren't on this show for unknown reasons. They shake hands. Trish wristlocks her then G cravates her. Trish kimura takedowns her and G has her in an octopus in the air. Trish counters it by putting G's neck on her knee. Trish legdrops the arm then hits chops. Trish slams her on the knee at 5 minutes.

G hits forearms then takes a black hole backbreaker. Trish chops her stomach then suplexes her. G suplexes her and they trade forearms. G rolls her into an stf then 2nd rope dropkicks her. Trish release germans her and G no sells it. G then germans her on her neck.

G backdrops her then Trish armwringers her and sentons her back. Trish slaps her then full nelson bombs her. Trish then puts her in the cattle mutilation at 10 minutes. Trish powerslams her on the floor then is suplexed on the floor. G goes up top and is caught. G slaps her then 2nd rope double underhook suplexes her for maybe a 1 count. G running knees her and Trish barely hits an axe kick. G hits a northern lights bomb and wins it.

I didn't think it was that good. I didn't like the no selling or the floor moves not meaning anything here. 

Mustafa Ali does a political video. He said he is bringing his campaign to NJPW. He said some people have not represented NJPW the way it deserves to be represented. He said Hiromu Takahashi is unstable and rips him for carrying a stuffed animal. He says NJPW deserves better and said he will make sure it reclaims its former glory. He said he is unfit to be a leader and said he will be replaced and removed. He challenges him for NJPW Windy City Riot on April 12. This is a continuation of his last character in NXT.

The Chosen Bros (Jeff Cobb & Matt Riddle) vs. TMDK (Bad Dude Tito & Zack Sabre Jr.)

 

Matt and Zack start us off. They do some amateur wrestling and rolling on the mat before slapping each other. Matt takes him down then does Oleg Boltin's move where you throw people around. Zack escapes it and they stare down. Tito and Cobb push each other then trade forearms. They shoulder battle and Cobb hits a dropkick.

Cobb corkscrew flips Matt onto Tito. Zack flying kicks Cobb off the apron then flying euros Matt in the corner. Tito slingshot sentons Matt then Tito chops him down and stomps him. Zack twists Matt's toes then stomps the foot. Tito chop and forearm combos Matt in the corner. Tito short arm lariats Matt. Zack euros and snapmares Matt then Matt upkicks him and PK's him.

Cobb drives Zack into the corner then euros him there. Cobb running backdrops him. Cobb suplexes Tito. He slams Zack then misses a standing moonsault. Zack twists Cobb's neck with his feet. Cobb misses a dropkick on Zack and blocks Zack's bridge attempt. Zack slaps him then Cobb hits a big lariat.

Cobb goes for a tour of the island slam and Zack reverses it into a pin attempt. Cobb slaps Zack then Zack tornado ddt's him.  Matt and Tito gets in. Matt hits a strike combo then kips up. Matt corner forearms Tito then Tito hits kicks and a deadlift german. Cobb takes shots from both opponents then is pulled over the top. Zack gets on Cobb's back for a sleeper outside.

Tito and Matt trade shots. Tito hits a blue thunder bomb. Matt boots him out of the corner then corkscrew moonsaults him. Matt hits kicks on Zakc then Zack catches a kick and ankle locks him. Cobb throws Zack into Matt's pumping knee. Tito takes a 2v1 then Cobb germans him. Tito no sells it and exploders Cobb. Matt high kicks Tito then pumping knees him. Matt package tombstones him and wins it.

It was a good tag. The four guys really worked well together and it probably could have went double the time it got. This could have easily been a main event. Riddle showed no signs of slowing down and I liked Zack working his bare feet.

AEW Continental Title / NJPW STRONG Openweight Title / ROH World Title Match - Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Gabe Kidd

Gabe face kicks him off the apron and forearms him up the ramp. Eddie fires back with forearms then Eddie back body drops him on the ramp. Eddie stomps him and hits shots outside. Gabe germans him on the floor then sends him in the post. Gabe then pulls him into the post and pulls on his face. Gabe boots him on the mat and Eddie comes back with chops.

They trade chops for a while and Gabe bangs his own head off the buckles.  They trade more chops and Gabe bites him. Eddie exploders him and both are down. Eddie corner lariats him and hits machine gun chops. Gabe forearms him then brainbusters him for 2. Eddie half-nelson suplexes him then uraken's him for 2. Gabe backdrops him then tombstones him for 2. They butt heads on their knees then trade slaps on their knees. They trade more chops then Gabe hits slaps. Gabe spits on him then Eddie hits a bunch of slaps. Eddie hits a uraken and Gabe rolls out.

Gabe pulls Eddie out and they trade chops on the floor. Eddie uraken's him. Gabe grabs the mic while he's on the ground and says, "is that all you got you fat b!tch?". Both men get counted out and start fighting. They have to be separated.

Eddie and Gabe continue to fight after then Clark and Alex jump Eddie. Eddie takes a piledriver on a title belt.

It was your standard Eddie match with most of the focus being on chops and weak strikes. I didn't think it was that good though Gabe did what he could.

No Disqualification Match - Shingo Takagi vs. Jon Moxley

 

They stare down and bump chests. They trade forearms and flurry each other. They shoulder battle and both go out. Mox's head is banged off the apron. Shingo throws him a kendo stick and they duel. Mox hits him with it then uses it to send him into the rails. Mox then chokes him with it. Mox hits him with a trash can lid then hits him with a chain.

Shingo shoulders him over in the ring then suplexes and elbow drops him. Shingo claps his ears and sentons him. Mox hits him with the trash lid and lariats him on the rails. Mox throws a trash can in the ring and hits forearms. Mox puts the can on Shingo's head then hits it with the kendo stick.

Mox stabs Shingo with pieces of the kendo stick then piledrivers him. Mox ties him up on the mat and puts stick pieces in Shingo's mouth and face. Mox face kicks Shingo then forearms him down. Mox sliding lariats him and Shingo no sells it. Shingo bangs his own head off the buckles and back elbows him. Shingo lariats him down.

Shingo hits a forearm flurry, a corner lariat and a suplex. 10 minutes have passed. Mox bites im then lariats him over the top. Mox goes for a tope and is hit with a trash can lid. Mox takes snake eyes on the exposed buckle and Shingo superplexes him. Shingo hits downward elbows on Mox and sliding lariats him. Mox no sells it. 

They trade headbutts and lariat battle. Mox germans him, shingo no sells it and backdrops him. Mo no sells it. They lariat each other and Mox double underhook ddt's him. Shingo forearms him and both are down. They duel chairs. Shingo chairs him in the gut then crunches his hand in the chair. Shingo lariats him then lariats him with a chain.

Shingo canes him in the head and pulls a table out. They fight on the apron and Mox hangs him with a chain. Shingo is put on a table then Mox top rope elbow drops him through it. Mox grabs another table at 20 minutes.

They get on the 2nd rope and Shingo green mists Mox. Shingo 2nd rope death valley drivers him through a table then hits him with pieces of a table. Shingo running lariats him then straightjacket powerbombs him for 2. Shingo throws a chair at his head and hits made in japan on a chair for 2.

Mox hits forearms then Shingo fires back. Shingo headbutts him then tkaes a cutter. Mox curbstomps him then death rider ddt's him for 2. Mox hits a downward elbow flurry at 25 minutes. Mox slepeer suplexes him and hits a jumping knee for 1. Mox running lariats him then death riders him through a chair and wins it.

I thought it went on too long and they did too much. They probably could have cut 5 minutes or so easy from this. It was a good effort and they did go all out for it, but less would have been more here. They matched up better than expected and I'm curious as to what a regular match would look like with these two, as it seems like it might be good.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay

 

Will rolls out of a wristlock and puts one on. Okada rolls out of a wristlock and grabs his leg. Will goes for an armbar. They lock up again and Okada gives him a clean break. Okada shoulders him over and Will kips up. Will reverses a hiptoss then flying headscissors him. Will hits a Kawada kick and lariats him over the top. Okada moves on his plancha attempt and ddt's him on the floor at 5 minutes.

Okada elbows Will in the back of the neck outside. They trade forearms then Okada bridging ddt's him on the floor. Okada baseball slides him and puts his foot on him to go for a pin. Okada running back elbows him then Will suplexes him. Will does a handspring into a back corkscrew kick then plancha's him outside.

Will springboard forearms him for 2. Will hits Kawada kicks then chops him. Okada flpajacks him then neckbreakers him over the knee. Will flipkicks him then step up enzugiri's him. Will lfips out of a german, high kicks him and Okada's gets his knees up on his standing ssp. Okada dropkicks him.  

Will hook kicks him twice then hits an os cutter. Okada shotgun dropkicks him after Will lands on his feet on a top rope move. Okada then tombstones him on the floor. They go back in and Okada slams him. Okada top rope elbow drops him. Okada hits forearms and foot slaps him in the corner. Okada hits a forearm then takes a hook kick. Okada blocks an os cutter and Will standing spanish flies him off the rainmaker attempt.

Okada landslides him then Will rolls him into a styles clash. Okada dropkicks him. Both go for rainmakers and Okada hits a stormbreaker. Okada hits a rainmaker for 2. Okada dropkicks him in the back of the neck then Will counters a dropkick with a sitout bomb.

They trade forearms on their knees. They stand up and trade forearms then Will hits Kawada kicks. Okada euros him at 25 minutes. Will flying back elbows him then does Okada's pose. Will hits a nice dropkick off a failed rainmaker then hits a rainmaker for 2.

Will takes a back body drop then floats over and hits a stormbreaker. Will charges at him and is dropkicked then Okada spinning slams him. Okada hits short arm clotheslines then does a cradle shock. Okada rainmakers him and wins it. 

They had a good 28 minute match here. It didn't drag at all and they kept it interesting. They did their full offensive arsenal and did not take it easy because they were in the US. You really couldn't ask for more than what they gave. The two matched up really well and it was cool to see them each try each others finishers as well. If you like these two, you will like this one.

Overall thoughts: This was an all-star, Sumo Hall style card here. We got a double main event here plus Riddle's return to NJPW and some other stars on the show. I wasn't initially going to review it, but there was just no way I was going to miss this one when I saw the card. The main was good and the semi-main had issues, but it wasn't for a lack of effort. I liked the Riddle tag match and the opener and didn't care for the rest. The show was also notable for Jack Perry appearing in his first appearance post-AEW suspension. The Japanese announcers were really entertaining here and the crowd was loud. I think I would recommend this one.