New Japan Pro Wrestling 2/24/2024 The New Beginning in Sapporo 2024 Day 2

New Japan Pro Wrestling 2/24/2024 The New Beginning in Sapporo 2024 Day 2

Here's what I saw: 

El Desperado, Oleg Boltin, Shota Umino, Togi Makabe & YOH vs. House Of Torture (Dick Togo, EVIL, Ren Narita, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi) 

Despy went after Sho outside and everyone fought out there. Ren stomps on Despy then Sho is thrown into Ren. Togi and Yoh hit running corner attacks then corner punches. Oleg hits shoulderblocks on the heels then throws around Ren in karelin's lift. Ren grabs the ref, Evil low blows Oleg in front of him yet the ref doesn't see it.

Oskar's head is banged off the exposed buckle then he is thrown into it. Oskar is double teamed then he double suplexes Kanemaru and Sho. Shota drops Sho on his chest then basement dropkicks him. Shota dropkicks Ren thne fisherman suplexes him.

Shota takes corner attacks then Togo chops Shota in the nuts. Oskar shoulders over Kanemaru then Yujiro pulls him over the top. Evil throws Yoh into the exposed buckle then Shota dropkicks Evil. Togi double lariats Sho and Ren then Despy tope con hilos Ren. Yoh also hits a plancha.

Shota pop-up euros Kanemaru then euros him in the back of the neck. Shota hits a death rider ddt on him and wins it.

It was your usual nothing match with the HoT, who grabbed the ref and low blowed opponents right in front of him.

The lights went out after the Umino match and Jack Perry talked over it. You couldn't hear any of it but we saw clips of Jack Perry attacking him and then it said "Scapegoat" after it.

CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. United Empire (Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan, HENARE & Jeff Cobb) & Matt Riddle

Okada and Matt start us off. They stare down and trade forearms. Matt push kicks him and takes a face kick. They trade forearms and stand off after ducking moves. Akira hits dropkicks on Goto then running corner lariats and back elobws him. Akira superkicks him in the gut then is shouldered over. Khan hits mongolian chops on Goto then Khan takes a double shoulder. Yoshi is hiptossed onto Goto.

Newman takes a 4v1 then a catapult into a ddt. Newman then is clubbed on 5v1. Goto brainbusters Akira then Akira step up enzugiri's Ishii. Cobb overhead belly to belly suplexes Ishii then Yano takes off a turnbuckle pad. Akira goes into it then Matt stats hitting shots on everyone. Ishii release germans Matt then Cobb tour of the islands backdrops Ishii. Cobb standing moonsaults Ishii.

Cobb germans Ishii and Ishii germans him back. They lariat each other and Ishii suplexes him. Yoshi kicks Khan then Khan pushes him down on the mat face first. Khan and Yoshi trade chops then Khan mongolian chops him and throat thrusts him. Yoshi superkicks and dragon suplexes him.

Okada gets in and face kicks Khan. Khan lariats Okada. Okada takes corner moves then Newman face kicks him for 2. Newman high kicks Okada then tiger suplexes him. Okada dragon screws Akira then Okada dropkicks Cobb and Khan. Okada dropkicks Newman then cradle shocks him. Okada slams Newman and top rope elbow drops him. Okada rainmakers Newman and wins it.

It was a shorter throwaway tag with Okada getting a lot of offense in and handling his opponents with ease. 

Okada does his 3rd or 4th goodbye address to the crowd after.

Nic Nemeth & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. BULLET CLUB War Dogs (David Finlay & Gedo)

I don't know why they booked this one. It's a joke.

DF and Nic go at it. Nic rolls him up on the mat and does a pin attempt. Nic slams DF then Nic and RT hit hip attacks on DF and Gedo. RT hits hip attacks on both opponents then misses one. DF then hits hip attacks and euros RT in the butt. Gedo hits RT with a hammer in the butt outside.

RT goes for a hip attack on DF and is atomic dropped. RT hip attacks Gedo and DF. Nic takes in and hits dropkicks on both opponents, then lariats DF over the top. Nic neckbreakers Gedo and elbow drops him. Nick superkicks DF then Rt springboard hip attacks DF. Nic hits a danger zone/zig zag on Gedo and wins it.

I have no idea why they did this. It was essentially a short comedy match and did little to put Nic over as a big deal. It even hurt DF to be in this as a serious heel. 

Special Ref: Jado - Guerrillas Of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) vs. Guerrillas Of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo)

I'm curious as to what happens with Loa since Tonga is leaving NJPW. He's not that good anymore and doesn't have a lot of use on his own. Tama side headlocks Hiku then slides under a kick. Hiku knocks Tama over then misses an elbow drop. Loa and ELP get in. Loa shoulders ELP over and ELP blocks a sunset flip. They trade pin attempts then everyone starts pushing each other including Jado. Jado calls for a clean fight.

The 4 pair off and trade shots then Tama and Loa take corner shots. Tama takes a side slam into a 2nd rope elbow drop. ELP leadrops and Loa takes a ddt from Hiku. Hiku chops Loa then powerslams him. ELP springboard swantons then does an asai moonsault. Loa top rope dropkicks ELP. Tama hits a shot flurry on ELP then running lariats him.

Tama exploders ELP then Tama takes the ufo neckbreaker + face kick for 2. Tama takes a double team kick then is superkicked. Loa is superkicked then takes a chokeslam. Hiku rocket launchers ELP but Tama cutters ELP off of it. Hiku goes for a chokeslam on Tama but Loa spears him to stop it.

Hiku takes a magic killer then takes a top rope splash and top rope headbutt. Hiku takes corner attacks. Hiku suplexes Tama then takes a double axe handle from Loa. Hiku powerslams Loa. Hiku has Tama on his shoulder and throws him up into a cutter. Hiku lariats Tama over for 2. Hiku last ride powerbombs Tama for 2. Hiku chokeslams Tama and wins it.

It was more of a tornado tag that a normal tag match. Everyone was working hard and trying here. They did a fast paced and entertaining tag with some big bumps here.

TAKA Michinoku vs. BUSHI

Bushi throws Taka out then Taka trips him into just facelock. Bushi ropebreaks. Taka rips Bushi's shirt off then step up knees him in the corner. Taka low dropkicks him in the back of the neck and running knees him. Taka AT locks him then lets go. Taka turns a headlock takeover into just facelock.

Bushi dropkicks Taka in the knee then Bushi dropkicks him off the buckles. Bushi topes him into the rail then dropkicks him in the knee. Bushi spinning neckbreakers him. Taka blocks a flying headscissors and puts him in just facelock. Bushi ropebreaks then michinoku drivers him.

Bushi comes off the ropes and is superkicked. Bushi comes off the buckles and dropkicks Taka in the knee. Bushi then does neat looking figure four. Taka taps out.

It was okay with Bushi targeting the knee some before getting the win. It was short though and rushed at times.  

Hiromu Takahashi vs. DOUKI

Douki topes Hiromu during his entrance. Hiromu's sunset bomb outside is blocked and they fight outside. Douki handsprings into the ropes outside then is running death valley drivered into the rails. Hiromu basement dropkicks him. Douki hits forearms and is chopped down. Hiromu falcon arrows him for 2.

Douki hits a nice dropkick on Hiromu. Douki armdrags him off the hiptoss and springboard back elbows him. Douki asai moonsaults him outside. Douki slingshot double stomps him then double armbars him. Douki does a gori special drop then Hiromu sunset bombs him on the outside. Hiromu running death valley drivers him into the buckles.

Douki crucfixies Hiromu then Hiromi lariats him. Hiromu hits another lariat then hits a dynamite plunger for 2. Hiromu superkicks him then Douki lariats him. Hiromu superkicks him again and lariats him. Hiromu hits a death valley driver for 2. Douki puts him in the Douki chokey then Douki implant ddt's him. Douki hits a swinging side slam then elevated dragon suplexes him for the win.

I thought they did too much here and didn't do enough selling. It was nice to see Douki win though and this thankfully didn't go too long, preventing Hiromu from doing even more.

Shingo Takagi vs Taichi

Taichi face kicks him and Shingo swats down another kick. They trade chops and forearms for kicks. Taichi hits Kawada kicks then Shingo shoulders him over. Taichi enzugiri's him in the arm then Taichi side kicks him. Shingo dragon screws him and sliding lariats him. Taichi no sells it and is suplexed.

Shingo does a back elbow > punch > lariat combo. Taichi corner enzugiri's him then hits an air raid crash. Shingo hurricanrana's him then hits a ddt. Shingo corner lariats him. They heabutt battle on the buckles then Shingo 2nd rope death valley drivers him. Taichi immediately gets up and backdrops him. Shingo backdrops him in return. They trade lariats and both go down.

They lariat each other at the same time. Shingo flurries him with lariats and is lariated back. Shingo sliding foreams him then takes a high kick. They then trade lariats. Taichi hits a gamengiri after taking a back elbow then hits another gamengiri. Taichi dropkicks him then backdrops him to win it.

The finish was kind of sudden as it felt like they needed another 5 minutes or so. It was what would you expect from these two - a hard hitting match with lots of striking. I thought it was fine.

Hair vs Hair Match - Yota Tsuji vs Yuya Uemura

 
Yuya armlocks him and Yota takes him down. Yota gives a dirty break and they try pins on each other. They criss-cross each other on the ropes and Yuya hiptosses him. Yuya hits elbow drops and takes a splash. Yota flipping sentons him and splashes him. Yuya takes a shot to the gut then takes corner spears.

Yota kicks him in the back then backbreakers him. Yota baseball slides him out. Yuya hits armdrags then does a great dropkick. Yuya double chops and dropkicks him. Yuya shoulders throws him and bangs his arm off the mat. Yuya armbars him. Yuya tries to armdrag him but it is turned into a crab. Yota grabs both legs and pulls like a sharpshooter then kneels on his back for extra leverage.

Yota giant swings him then takes a single arm ddt. Yuya hits punches and bangs his head off the buckles. Yuya hits corner punches and hair goes flying during it. Yota rolls him up and amrdrags him. Yuya sunset flips him and gets booted. Yuya tries pin attempts then takes a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Yuya hits a tiger driver variation for 2.

Yuya gets kicked while he's up top then Yota top rope spanish flies him. Yuya hits a front suplex. They forearm each other at the same time and go down. They shoulder each other over and Yota slams him. Yuya back body drops him. Yuya misses a top rope crossbody and is curbstomped. Yota does something like an orange crush. Yuya then hurricanrana's him into an armbar.

Yota pumping knees and superkicks him then Yuya armdrags him into a crucifix. Yuya enzugiri's him then cutters him on his spear attempt. Yuya germans him then is speared. Yota then gets the win.

Yuya got his hair cut off and had the razor ran down the middle of his head after. They didn't fully shave him bald here, though they are going to. I always feel like it's a cop out when they don't do the full haircut. And to the surprise of no one, Yuya doesn't look that great bald.

Yota Tsuji goes up to Kazuchika Okada after and says he's disappointed with him leaving and hopes he's happy with what he's done.

They had close to 30 minutes here but it wasn't a classic. The finish was too sudden and the match needed more time. These guys are just too young into their careers and not ready for it. It's not really news either as they didn't look ready in the G1 or the World Tag League either. The crowd wasn't too into this because they just came back to the main roster in the last year and are still establishing themselves. I felt this one was a lose-lose. Yuya's a good looking dude and a face, so he shouldn't be losing his hair. Yota's just different and his hair is part of that character too. However, with him being pushed as more of a tough guy, he'd be more suited to lose.

IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match - Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. SANADA

Sanada clean breaks him and Naito full-nelson's him. Sanada shoulders him over then counters a hiptoss with an armdrag. Sanada paradise locks him then is swept on the apron. Naito low dropkicks him and poses.

They fight outside and Sanada is eye raked. Naito is then thrown into the rails. Sanada takes a bridging ddt on the floor. Naito armdrags him in the ring and baseball slides him in the back of the neck. Naito hiptoss neckbreakers him on the knee. Sanada dropkicks him in the knee twice. Sanada leapfrogs and dropkicks him. Sanada plancha's him outside.

Naito bridging reverse ddt's him on the knee and hits another hiptoss neckbreaker. Naito is on the 2nd rope and is dropkicked, with Naito hitting his face on the post. Sanada bangs Naito's neck off of his knee from the buckles. Sanada then bridging twisting neckbreakers him. Sanada backrolls him into a dragon sleeper.

Naito gets his knees up on Sanada's top rope moonsault. Naito hits elbows to the neck then 2nd rope hurricanrana's him. Sanada dropkicks him then takes a reverse ddt off a TKO attempt. Naito spits on him and Sanada snapmares him. Naito step up enzugiri's him then Sanada TKO's him. Sanada top rope moonsaults him for 2. Sanada hits a second top rope moonsault then Naito hits destino off a tombstone attempt. Naito hits a bad destino then Sanada enzugiri's and shining wizards him.

Nait goes for a tornado ddt and but it doesn't land with any force and Naito guillotines him. Sanada cartwheels out of deadfall and hits a shining wizaard to the back of the head. Sanada shining wizards him then Naito cradles him off a tornado ddt.

These guys are slower workers and it was slower paced match. They had a bunch of issues hitting stuff clean in the finishing stretch and that didn't do this any favors. There was some work on the neck to maybe build up to the finish but nearly every move affects the neck and back so it's hard to say that was for sure the case. Sanada had a lame duck reign and didn't need to lose twice to Naito, but Naito losing would have defeated the purpose of him winning the belt in the first place. I supposed Naito winning was the better outcome, but Sanada's not getting another crack at this one with Naito as champ unless it's the Tokyo Dome. 

Naito bring up Okada after in his speech but doesn't say much else.

Overall thoughts: The main and semi-main weren't that great. Takagi/Taichi was fine. Hiromu did too much in his match like usual but didn't have a ton of time so he couldn't really overdo it like he usually does. Bushi and Taka was okay and the GoD tag was also okay. I hated Nic Nemeth and Finlay essentially doing comedy with Taguchi. It was a longer show and I wouldn't recommend this one. If this is what the future of NJPW holds, the promotion is in a lot of trouble.