New Japan Pro Wrestling 2/11/2024 The New Beginning in Osaka 2024
Oleg Boltin & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. CHAOS (Toru Yano & YOH)
Yano and Oleg start us off. Oleg shoulders him over then hits a double shoulder. Oleg splashes Yano for 2. Yano atomic drops Oleg and takes the buckle off. Oleg is sent into the exposed buckle.
Yoh bangs Oleg's head off the exposed buckle then Yoh goes into the exposed buckle. RT hip attacks Yoh then bulldogs him. Yoh rolls up RT off the hip attack. Yoh goes for the sunset flip and RT pulls his pants down on Yoh's face. Oleg hits a jumping back elbow then wants to do his karelin's lift along with RT. RT gets Yoh up twice but then falls over and Yoh pins him while Oleg is still trying to do the suplex.
It was a very short comedy match and the finish was clever.
Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. United Empire (Callum Newman & Great-O-Khan)
Goto side headlocks Newman. Goto shoulders him over then Newman running face kicks him. Khan is thrown into the rails then Newman is double shouldered over. Khan gets double clubbed on the back. Goto spinning heel kicks Newman in the corner. Newman gets stuck over the top rope and Yoshi dropkicks him as he hangs.
Goto suplexes Newman for 2. Goto chinlocks him. Newman hits forearms from Yoshi then is chopped down. Yoshi spinning chops Newman and Newman kips up with an enzugiri. Khan comes in and ges offense on Yoshi. He throws him into Goto on the apron then elbow slices him down.
Khan hip throws Yoshi for 2. Khan headhunters Yoshi. Yoshi misses a corner charge then Newman dropkicks him in the corner. Newman PK's Yoshi and throws him out. Khan corner lariats Yoshi then Yoshi superkicks Newman. Khan is lariated on the ropes and dragon suplexed.
Newman spinning forearms Goto then suplexes him. Goto hits a ushi-goroshi on the knee to Newman then Newman takes a double team elbow slice bomb. Newman is pinned.
It was under 10 minutes and was a decent tag. Newman got to show off some and it was business as usual for Bishamon.
El Desperado, Shota Umino, Tiger Mask & Tomoaki Honma vs. House Of Torture (EVIL, Ren Narita, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
The fight starts outside before the bell rings as it often does. Shota gets his knee worked on and sells it. Sho face kicks Despy then Despy back elbows him. Despy chokes Sho and Honma back Despy off. Honma hits forearms on Sho Honma face kicks him and bulldogs him.
Honma misses a falling headbutt and Shota is thrown into the rails, knocking over the timekeeper. Yujiro foot chokes Honma then Yujiro sliding kicks Honma. Evil chokes Honma with a towel. Despy breaks it up and Ren throws him out. Evil eye pokes and lariats Honma. Honma suplexes Evil then Shota armdrags and dropkicks Ren.
Shota drops Yujiro on his chest and basement dropkicks him. Evil eye rakes Shota and Shota baseball slides Togo. Shota tornado ddt's Evil. Evil kicks Shota in the gut then Sho gets in. Sho hits kicks on Shota's body then eye rakes him. Shota exploders Sho.
Tiger spin kicks Sho then butterfly suplexes him. Tiger goes for the AT lock and Yujiro breaks it. Sho takes a spinebuster and a falling Honma headbtt. Tiger hits a tiger driver on Sho for 2. Tiger buzzsaw kicks Sho then Sho low blows him. Ren hits Tiger with the push-up board then Sho hits a shock arrow on Tiger to win it.
It was a short, nothing match.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito & Yota Tsuji) vs. Just 5 Guys (DOUKI, SANADA, Taichi, TAKA Michinoku & Yuya Uemura)
LIJ attack before the bell and Yota/Yuya stare down. Shingo foot chokes Taichi then they trade shots. Taichi hits Kawada kicks then bangs Shingo's head off of his knee. Shingo shoulders him over then Taichi face kicks him over.
Bushi dropkicks Taka in the knee then topes him outside. Bushi neckbreakers Taka. Taka crossfaces Yota then pump kicks him. Yuya nails LIJ on the apron then armdrags Yota. Yuya hits a nice dropkick then kips up.
Yuya running chops Yota then backdrops him. Yota messes up a spinning headscissors on Yuya then misses a face kick. Yuya arm ddt's Yota then Yota flatliners him. Douki and HT go at it. Douki counters a hiptoss with an armdrag then springboard back elbows him. Douki double stomps HT. HT goes for a sunset bomb outside on Douki but Douki stops it.
HT germans Douki then Douki germans him. HT hits a falcon arrow. Sanada puts Naito in the paradise lock then dropkicks him out of it. Sanada plancha's Naito. Naito spits at Sanada then atomic drops him. Naito hits combinacion cabron in the corner.
Sanada dropkicks Naito then takes a sunset flip into a sliding kick. Taka is thrown out by Bushi. Bushi ddt's Sanada. 5 Guys hits a five person boot on Bushi. People come in and hit a move then take a move. Sanada back rolls Bushi into a swinging dragon sleeper and taps him out to win it.
It was your usual affair with these guys. Fast paced action here but nothing real memorable or special. We got to see a little of everyone and not much else.
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada
Okada is all teary-eyed for his last NJPW match, for the time being anyway. Big chants for both. Okada clean breaks on the ropes and side headlocks him. Okada shoulders him over then Tana 2nd rope twisting crossbodies him. Tana then hits a dropkick. Okada puts him on the top rope and dropkicks him down to the floor.
Okada sliding dropkicks him. Tana hits forearms then dragon screws him. Okada hits back elbows in the corner then ddt's him. Tana hits forearms then flying elbows him. Tana hits punches to the gut and is slammed. Tana 2nd rope swantons him then dragon screws him. Tana dragon screws him over the middle rope. Tana hits a top rope high fly flow to the floor.
Okada flapjacks him inside then over the back neckbreakers him on the knee. Okada hits heavy rain then hits a top rope elbow drop. Tana sling blades him. They trade forearms on their knee then Okada hits euros. Tana hits a twist and shout. Tana dragon suplexes him then sling blades him. Tana goes for the high fly flow but Okada gets his knees up.
Okada shotgun dropkicks him and hits a short arm lariat at 15 minutes. Okada hits a big dropkick then tombstones him. Tana cradles him then Okada cradle shocks him. Okada rainmakers him and gets the win.
It was basically a shortened, greatest hits version of their match. This match was in the midcard and because of that, it wasn't going long. Due to Tana's physical issues, I'm not really sure if it could have gone another 10 minutes anyway. They did some of their usual spots like Tana getting dropkicked to the floor off the buckles. It wasn't great but it was still fun to see them fight one last time in Okada's last NJPW match. It's the end of an era for NJPW.
IWGP Tag Team Title Match - Guerrillas Of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo) (w/Jado) (c) vs. BULLET CLUB (Chase Owens & KENTA)
ELP = El Phantasmo
ELP drops down and Kenta back kicks his head. ELP does a nice dropkick and headflips up. ELP then does Kenta's back kick to the head. Chase and Kenta hit shots on ELP. Hiku hits a double lariat on the heels. ELP leapfrogs and Kenta takes a Hiku ddt. Hiku splashes Chase and ELP back elbows him. Chase then takes a spinning side slam into a 2nd rope elbow drop. ELP walks up the ropes with Hiku's help and does a moonsault outside.
Kenta pounds and stomps on Elp in the corner. ELP is thrown out and takes a knee off the apron. Chase backbreakers ELP then ELP throws Kenta out. ELP hurricanrana's Chase and goes for the tag but Kenta pulls Hiku off the apron. ELP back body drops Chase and enzugiri's Kenta.
Hiku gets tagged in. Hiku hits uppercuts then shoulders Chase over. Hiku hits snake eyes on Kenta then face kicks him. Hiku lariats Chase out of the corner. Chase spin kicks him and forearms him. Hiku suplexes Chase for 2. Chase takes a powerslam into a springboard swanton and asai moonsault.
Kenta pulls Hiku out then Chase forearms ELP. Chase sunset flips ELP into the buckles. Kenta corner dropkicks ELP then top rope double stomps him. Kenta spinning back elbows ELP then Hiku lariats Chase over the top. Hiku goes to chokeslam Kenta, but Kenta grabs the ref and throws him into Hiku. Kenta hits slaps on Hiku then knees him in the face hard. Hiku powerslams Kenta then chokeslams him. Hiku rocket launches ELP onto Kenta and Chase pulls the ref out. Jado and Chase fight then Taiji ishimori hits ELP with a belt.
Kenta low blows Hiku and Taiji hits Hiku with a belt. Kenta gets the pin on Hiku.
It didn't look that good on paper and it wasn't. There wasn't anything too special about this and it had the usual shenanigans with ref bumps, interference and weapons shots.
Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
They fight for holds early then get up. They evade arm holds and roll on the mat. They lock hands again and stare down. Bryan goes for the armbar and armdrags him. Zack pole vaults off the buckle and goes for a guillotine. Zack grabs the leg. Bryan does an indian deathlock then Zack headlocks him out of it.
They stranglehold each other, Zack bridges out, slides underneath and boots him forward. Bryan arm throws Zack into the ropes. Bryan goes for the surfboard, tells him to grab the ropes and Zack said he doesn't need the ropes. Bryan hits kicks to the back. Bryan butt drops Zack's leg then dragon screws it. Zack blocks a dragon screw and Bryan ankle locks him. Zack rolls through and ankle locks him back. Bryan reverses it again and germans him with the leg trapped.
Bryan surfboards him and grabs the nose. He dragon sleepers him in the surfboard. Zack low dropkicks him then cravates him. Bryan hits slaps and euros. Bryan ties Zack's leg up in the ropes and dropkicks it, then Bryan flying kicks him in the corner. Zack cobra twists him then Bryan goes for a stretch muffler. They leg lock each other at the same time and slap each other in the hold.
Bryan spits at him and they kick each other in the hold. They roll out to the apron. Bryan knees him off the apron. Bryan comes off the buckles and is caught in a triangle and a double arm submission. Zack does a nice figure four with a heel hook.
They trade euros. Bryan hits leg kicks, gets slapped then slaps him. Bryan buzzsaw kicks him and buttdrops the leg. They fight up top and Zack hits headbutts. Zack gets crotched then hits a top rope backdrop for 2. Zack michinoku drivers him and hits kicks to the chest. Zack triangles him and Bryan hits mounted forearms.
Bryan reverse curbstomps Zack then ties up his arms. Then then hooks his head with his leg. Bryan hits kicks to Zack's chest. They roll each other and Zack bridge pins him for 2. Zack PK's him. Bryan hits leg kicks and takes euros then hits a busaiku knee. Zack bridges him then Bryan bridges him. Zack then rolls him up and wins it.
It was a very good and unique technical match. I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like this. These two did nothing but mat wrestling and hold trading for nearly 40 minutes. It was a physically impressive match and a real memorable one.
They shake hands after.
Steel Cage Match - United Empire (Francesco Akira, HENARE, Jeff Cobb, TJP & Will Ospreay) vs. BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Alex Coughlin, Clark Connors, David Finlay, Drilla Moloney & Gabe Kidd) (w/Gedo)
This is under gauntlet rules with people entering one at a time. They have an 8 foot cage or so surrounding ringside. Will grabs the mic. He said he had a long flight over here. He said if Finlay is a real leader, he will give him 10 minutes one on one, not the 2 minutes that are scheduled.
They trade rapid fire forearms. Will flying headscissors him then plancha's him. They trade forearms on the floor and the ring mat has been changed just to be a blue mat only. They are leaving the door open here until everyone gets in which is stupid. Will is sent into the cage. Finlay misses a chair shot and nails the cage with it then is catapulted into the cage. Will hits Kawada kicks then DF hits a blue thunder bomb.
DF hits headbutts and asks him if he's ready to die. DF then knee drops him. Will hits chops and euros. Will hits a stun gun on him and face kicks him. Drilla Moloney comes out, dragging Callum Newman by the neck with a belt. DF then chairs Will in the back and Drilla handcuffs Newman to the cage. Drilla comes out with a sash with forks. Will is then sent into the cage. Will takes a northern lights suplex into the cage.
Henare comes out next. He shoulders over the heels then hits wasteland on Drilla. Henare sentons Drilla then knocks over the heels. Henare berzerker bombs DF. Will hits corner punches on DF and Henare does the same to Drilla. Will chairs DF. Clark Connors is next in. Clark spears Henare and Will. Clark's hand is wrapped in barbed wire and he forearms and rakes Will with it. Henare's face is pushed into the cage and Will bleeds.
TJP is next in and he has barbed wire as well. TJP top rope barbed wire forearms someone then TJP puts the barbed wire around his leg. TJP facewash kicks Clark with it and DF's head is banged off the cage. Alex Coughlin comes in carrying over a dozen chairs. He hits karelin's lifts on Will and Henare. Alex then backdrops Will and Henare at the same time.
TJP is rammed into the cage and post then Alex throws him into it. TJP then is buried under chairs. Alex attitude adjustments Henare onto the chairs that are on TJP. Akira Francisco enters by jumping off the cage onto people. Akira hits kendo stick shots then he low blows DF. Akira pounds on DF then hits him with the kendo stick several times.
Akira throws a chair at DF's head then Clark spears him through a table. Gabe Kidd is in next and he brings out a cart with lots of plunder. Gabe throws a table at Henare and a chair at Will. Gabe throws a chair at Akira then pulls a ladder out. The heels pose on Will then Jeff Cobb comes in. Cobb rams Drilla into the cage outside then belly to belly suplexes Gabe onto chairs. Clark is then caught off the apron and thrown onto it.
Alex and Cobb trade forearms and Cobb dropkicks him. Cobb release germans him then DF hits Cobb with a kendo stick. Cobb F-5's DF then swinging backdrops him. Cobb standing moonsaults DF for 2. Cobb and Alex trade forearms and the cage door is finally locked. Clark tries to spear Cobb into the table but goes into it himself. Cobb then suplexes Alex. Will top rope corkscrew moonsaults Alex.
Gabe uses the ladder on people and hits Will in the face with it. Gabe the spins around with it. The heels try to lariat Will with a ladder. Will kips down then handsprings and double pele kicks the ladder. A ladder is bridged from the apron to the cage. Will top rope hidden blades DF then DF uranage backbreakers him for 2.
Akira hurricanrana's DF out of the ring. Akira is tripped face first into a chair then he is slammed on it. TJP comes out from under the ring doing his aswang gimmick. He beats up the heels and double stomps Gabe. Drilla takes a double team facebuster. Drilla takes a double face kick then takes a a double stomp from the tree of woe. TJP Crossbodies Drilla over the top. Drilla is standing in the corner and Clark jumps onto him and superplexes Akira.
Henare comes back in with his head taped up and hits a spear. Alex fallaway slams Cobb and TJP breaks it up with a top rope forgsplash. Drilla hits a drilla killa on Will onto TJP and Alex. Everyone is down. All ten men square off and hockey fight.
DF and Will trade shots. DF spinning forearms him and they lariat each other. Will gets on the apron and is speared off of it through a table. Henare throws a trash can at DF and puts it on his head. Henare then PK's it. Henare and Gabe go at it. Henare spinning back elbows him and they lariat each other down. Gabe tryes to chair him and Henare punches it. Gabe gets chaired then he is dropped by a Henare slap.
Alex challenges Akira and TJP to kendo stick shot him. They do. He catches the sticks then takes a double super kick. Akira dropkicks him off of TJP's back. Alex is put on tables and Henare sentons him off the cage. Thumbtacks are brought out. Clark grabs a beer bottle then Clark is dropped chest first onto tacks. TJP spin kicks Clark into the tacks.
Cobb tour of the islands slams Clark. DF throws chairs at Cobb's head then hits him with the shillelagh. DF conchairto's Cobb then Cobb is handcuffed to the cage. Will face kicks DF then DF lariats him. Will does a standing spanish fly to DF. DF counters the os cutter with his own cutter. Will then hidden blades him for 2.
DF hits oblivion on Will twice for 2 at 45 minutes. Gedo brings a barbed wire table down the ramp. Great O'Khan comes down and grabs Gedo, but is hit with something. Gedo unlocks the cage and the barbed wire table goes in. Callum Newman is still handcuffed to the cage outside after 45 minutes. Khan gets the key from Gedo and uncuffs Callum Newman.
Will back body drops DF. Gabe tries to put Will's head in the table but Will blocks it. Gabe's head is then put into the barbed wire table. Gedo gets in and eye rakes Will. Newman superkicks Gedo then TJP mists DF. Newman and Will hit stereo os cutters. DF is powerbombed into the barbed wire table for 2 at 50 minutes. Drilla stabs Will with a fork then Gabe piledrivers Will through the bridged ladder.
Drilla stabs Akira with the fork. Akira bleeds and pounds on Drilla. Akira stabs Drilla with the fork. Clark misses dog collar shots on Akira then is pounded on by him. Akira yanks Clark around with the dog collar on then hangs him with it. Akira knees Drilla in the back of the head. TJP bites Gabe and is hit with a kendo stick.
TJP takes a spike piledriver on chairs. The heels take the apron and mat off the ring, exposing the wood panels. Henare suplexes Gabe on the wood. Alex hits Henare with a kendo stick and falls through the ring during it. Alex handcuffs Henare to the cage then hits kendo sticks shots to his gut.
Akira and DF square off. Akira hits punches and superkicks him. Akira ddt's him for 2. Akira falls through the ring then is spike tombstoned on the wood. All 5 heels get in the ring and stare down Will, who has Akira. Will pushes Akira out. DF says he will give him one shot and tells him to hit him. Will falls over then takes a high/low from Clark and Drilla. DF hits a barbed wire knee on Will and wins it at 64:05.
It was the most violent and most wild match in NJPW history, perhaps the longest as well. It was a complete epic here and there has never been anything like this in NJPW. There were so many different stories going on here with it being Will's last match in NJPW, the end of the War Dogs vs United Empire feud, Akira showing up big, Finlay and Will feuding, TJP/Akira vs Drilla/Clark, Henare getting injured and coming back, Will and Newman uniting, plus more. It was everything you could want and imagine and more. It's an easy match of the year candidate, likely a match of the decade candidate and probably an all-time classic as well. This is an absolute must-see and if you had been following NJPW for the last few months, it was extremely rewarding.
Finlay gets on the mic after and says War Dogs run New Japan.
The crowd chants "thank you, Ospreay". He said NJPW has been his home for 8 years and has seen him go from a young boy to a man. He promises he will come back. He said not to forget him as he won't forget them. He said he wants to show the world what NJPW has and says mata ne and arigato.
Overall thoughts: A long show from NJPW. The main was a classic and Zack/Bryan was a technical match that you will just not see anywhere else. Okada/Tanahashi had a final go around here and while it wasn't their best stuff, it will still nice to see it. The rest wasn't anything special. The main and Zack/Bryan are must see matches. It was a good show overall due to the three afformentioned matches being special affairs.
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