New Japan Pro Wrestling 9/7/2024 Shingo Takagi Debut 20th Anniversary

New Japan Pro Wrestling 9/7/2024 Shingo Takagi Debut 20th Anniversary

Masatora Yasuda vs. Daiki Nagai

They do some amateur wrestling. Yasuda takes him down and DN escapes a move. Yasuda side headlocks him. DN blocks a takeover and does a side headlock. DN snapmares him then Yasuda hammerlocks him.

DN wristlocks him. Yasuda reverses it. DN rolls out and hammerlocks him. DN reverses it and takes him down. Yasuda elbow drops the leg and DN goes for an armbar. Yasuda ties the legs up and twists his foot. DN side headlocks him then headlock takeovers him. Yasuda headscissors him. DN bridges out and hammerlocks him.

Yasuda side headlocks him and they battle over an armlock. Yasuda is taken down and DN goes for the armbar. Yasuda ropebreaks from the armbar. DN pounds on Yasuda then DN rolls him by the arm.

DN hits some boots and forearms and Yasuda fights back. DN slams him then kimura's him. DN stomps him. DN hits forearms and boots. Yasuda chops back. Yasuda hits more forearms and takes more boots. They trade forearms and Yasuda dropkicks him.

Yasuda hits forearms then hiptosses him for 2. Yasuda hits a nice dropkick for 2. Yasuda slams him, hits more forearms and the time limit runs out.

Thoughts: It was your usual young lions affair with them sticking to the basics. They did a good job putting up a fight and showing some fire here. I don't really get the point of these going to draws though other than to get them more in-ring time.

Shingo is given some gifts for his 20th Anniversary.

Callum Newman & Francesco Akira vs Shoma Kato & Riiiita

Akira shoulders Rita over. They criss-cross and Rita slides out. Akira chases him around the ring and they get back in. Rita flying headscissors him. Rita works on Akira then Kato gets shots on in on Akira.

Akira leg lariats Kato. Kato is put in tree of woe and Akira baseball slides him there. CN snapmares Kato then kicks him in the back. Kato hits forearms and dropkicks CN. Rita hits weak chops on CN. Rita stops his foot then headscissors him off of his shoulders. Rita dropkicks Akira. Rita hits a flatliner off the bottom rope onto CN for 2. CN trips Rita and misses stomps. CN blocks Rita's headscissors. Rita armdrags him into a double stomp. CN hits kicks on Rita then Rita is thrown in the air and hits a flatliner on his way down. 

Kato hits forearms on Akira and hiptosses him. Kato stomps on him, misses a dropkick and takes a basement dropkick. Akira crabs Kato and Rita breaks it up. CN superkicks Rita. Kato tries to roll up Akira then Akira high kicks him. Akira sitout gordbusters him then meteora's him in the back of the head.

Thoughts: Rita is super small and it's hard to buy him as any real threat. His size issues were the focus on this one. Kato showed some decent spirit as usual and Akira did the bulk of the workload here. It was just average.

Jeff Cobb & HENARE vs Ryusuke Taguchi & Katsuya Murashima

KM = Katsuya Murashima, RT = Ryusuke Taguchi

Henare throws KM back and misses some shots. KM side headlocks him. They shoulderblock battle. Henare forearms him down twice while KM tries his own forearms. Henare shoulders him over then forearms him down in the corner.

Henare snapmares him and kicks him in the back. Henare sentons him. Cobb gets in and hip attacks KM, mocking Taguchi. KM hits forearms and Cobb hits a big forearm. KM dropkicks him then Cobb shoulders him over. Cobb misses a standing moonsault.

RT gets in and hits hip attacks on Cobb. RT hip attacks Cobb. Cobb misses a corner splash and RT runs up the buckles and hip attacks him. RT does more hip attacks.

Cobb slams and standing moonsaults RT for 2. RT hits a boot out of the corner and is atomic dropped off a hip attack. RT rolls into a hip attack. KM hits forearms on Henare then dropkicks him. KM hits forearms on Henare then Henare PK's him.

Cobb flying hip attacks RT then Henare step up knees KM in the corner. Henare then pins KM.

Thoughts: Taguchi did his commentary here and Murashima did his young lions stuff. Cobb had fun mocking Taguchi and Taguchi/KM obviously had no shot at this one. There was nothing to really see here.

Ren Narita & SHO vs Shota Umino & Jado

Shota is immediately hit from behind, fights off a 2v1 then slams and elbow drops Ren. Shota basement dropkicks Ren then is sent into the post outside. Jado gets worked on. Sho stands on Jado's knee. Ren leglocks Jado.

Ren hits forearms on Jado then Jado shoulders him over. Shota gets in and running forearms Ren. Shota fisherman suplexes him then Ren chokes Shota. Ren hits a flying knee press on Shota for 2. Shota exploders Ren.

Jado gets in and hits shoulderblocks on Sho. Jado lariats him over. Ren is thrown out by Jado then Jado bridging ddt's him as he gets in. Shota comes in and dropkicks Ren after Ren eye raked him. Jado tries to armbar Sho, Sho grabs the ref then Ren hits Jado with a push-up board. Sho then pins Jado.

Thoughts: It was a waste of time as expected with Jado getting pinned like he always does and the heels cheating.

Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee vs Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma

Gabe and Ishii start us off. They trade forearms and shoulderblocks. They shoulder battle and Ishii knocks him over. Ishii chops Gabe down in the corner then Honma hits shots on Gabe. Honma slams him then gets hit by the heels and goes down. Jake backdrops Honma for 2.

Jake sleepers Honma. Gabe comes in and footslaps Honma. Gabe tries a flying Honma headbutt but Honma moves. Ishii fights off the heels with forearms and shoulders Gabe over.

Ishii and Gabe trade chops. Gabe headbutts an dlariats him. Gabe release germans Ishii then Ishii suplexes him. Honm and Gabe trade. Gabe does Honma's muscle pose then Honma shoulders him over. Honma falling headbutts him.

Jake suplexes Honma and knees Ishii hard in the gut. Gabe misses a rebound lariat and Honma flying shoulders him. Ishii takes a running knee from Jake then a knee + bridging suplex combo. Jake running facekicks Honma in the corner then Gabe flying knees Honma with his full knee exposed. Gabe pins Honma.

Thoughts: It was about average with the heels mocking the faces and bullying them around. It was fine for what it was and Honma taking the loss wasn't that surprising.

DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku vs Taiji Ishimori & Gedo

TI = Taiji Ishimori

TI wristlocks Douki then Douki reverses it. TI hammerlocks him then Douki flying snapmares him. Douki hiptoss rolls him and dropkicks him. TI is put in a camel clutch then takes a basement dropkick. Gedo then gets it too. Taka eye pokes Douki then Gedo trips Taka.

They fight outside and Taka is sent into the rails. They get back in and TI chokes Taka with a shirt. Gedo taunts and stomps on Taka.

The heels choke and eye rake Taka together. Gedo bangs Taka's head off the buckle. Taka pump kicks TI on a double team and slaps Gedo down. Douki comes in and hits dropkicks on both opponents then does a headlock + headscissors takeover. Douki then does a springboard double back elbow on his opponents.

TI armdrags and eye rakes Douki. TI then handspring corkscrew kicks him. Gedo eye rakes and punhes Douki then Douki does the double arm triangle choke. TI breaks it up then Douki puts the double arm triangle choke on Gedo and taps him out to win.

Thoughts: It was a waste of time as expected and wasn't good. It was little but the heels doing eye rakes and basic strikes.

EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Oleg Boltin & Tiger Mask

The heels attack before the bell and everyone goes outside to fight. The faces get sent into the rails. Yano prevents a double team and slaps the heels in the back of the head. Yano then takes off a turnbuckle pad. Yano avoids being sent into the exposed buckle initially then is sent into it. The heels then group stomp Yano.

Togo sentons Yano then Kanemaru works on Yano. Evil chokes Yano with a weapon. Yujiro bangs Yano's head off the exposed buckle and sends him into it. Yano snapmares him then baseball slides him. Yano pulls Yujiro down by the hair.

Oleg gets in and shoulders over Yujiro. Oleg slams him then hits a splash for 2. Oleg karelin's lifts him and kips up. Oleg is double teamed and hits a double suplex off of it. Tana gets in and slingblades Yujiro. Tana takes corner attacks from the heels then Togo chops him in the nuts off the 2nd rope. Evil sharpshooters Tana.

Tana hits a twist and shout on Evil and tags out. Tiger gets in and spin kicks Kanemaru. Kanemaru boots him out of the corner then Yujiro stops Tiger's tiger driver. Kanemaru takes corner splashes then Tiger hits a tiger driver on him for 2. Tiger tilt-a-whirl backbreakers Kanemaru. Kane maru spits whiskey at Tiger then rolls him up for the win.

HoT took the trios titles after and posed with them.

Thoughts: It was the usual HoT BS and was nothing of note. It didn't get anything close to enough time. 

Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita vs Great-O-Khan & Jacob Austin Young

Zack came to the ring with his G1 Climax trophy. This is Young's first televised NJPW match. Young trips Kosei then Kosei goes for the armbar. Kosei flips out of an armlock then wristlocks Young. Young throws him down by the arm then la magistral's him for 2. Young armdrags Kosei and armlocks him.

Kosei chops Young. Young messes up a dropkick spot and goes down hard. Kosei chops Young down again. Zack works Young's arm. Kosei armbreakers Young. Young takes shots from both opponents then goes down.

They chop each other and Young backdrops Kosei. Zack is thrown into the rails. Khan slams Kosei. Khan hits double chops on Kosei then uppercuts him. Khan sits on his neck in the corner and monkey flips him. Khan sheep killers him and takes an enzugiri. Zack gets in and trades shots with Khan. Zack cobra twists him and is hiptossed over. Khan takes a pele kick to the arm. Zack vaults off the buckle and tornado ddt's Khan.

Zack hits chest kicks on Khan then takes a dragon screw. Khan ties Zack up on the mat then Zack triangles him off the claw slam attempt. Khan ankle locks him then Zack twists Khan's neck with his feet. Khan dragon screws him. Young gets in and dragon screws Zack. Young basement dropkicks him them leg lariats Kosei.

Young takes Zack down by the arm. Zack hits a facekick then Young takes a top rope dropkick. Young gets his head twisted by Zack's feet and takes a sandwich kick. Kosei plancha's Khan outside. Young gets a 2 count on Zack then Zack PK's him. Young does a flying octopus to Zack then Zack ties his legs up. Zack then submits him.

Thoughts: Young didn't have the best showing here and looked a little nervous. It was not that good and they only had 11 minutes to work with.

Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi & YAMATO vs. Tetsuya Naito, Yota Tsuji & Hiromu Takahashi

Yota and Shingo start us off. Shingo is backed up and Yota misses a shot on the ropes. Yota offers a handshake. They shoulder battle and knock each other over with Shingo hitting some punches in between. Hiromu and Bushi go at it. Hiromu corner lariats him, misses a baseball slide and they pose at each other.

Yamato gets in with Naito. Hiromu nails Yamato from behind. Yamato side headlocks Naito then shoulders him over. Naito atomic drops him and sends him into the buckles. Hiromu side headlocks Yamato then shoulders him over. Yamato dragon screws him then Hiromu gets his legs split. Hiromu takes a double hiptoss into a double chop. Shingo elbow drops him.

Yota trips Bushi from the outside then Naito neckbreakers Bushi. Yota shoulders Bushi over. Bushi hits shots on Yota then flying headscissors him. Shingo gets in and cleans house on his opponents. Shingo hits a chop and punch combo on Yota then suplexes him for 2. 

Shingo talks to the camera and is nailed from behind by Yota. Yota then sends Shingo into the rails. Yota stomps on Shingo and sends him out. Yota beats up Shingo in the crowd and sends him into a wall. Naito bangs Shingo's head off a chair.

Yota hits knees on Shingo in the ring then wristlocks him. Hiromu and Naito work Shingo's arm. Naito wristlocks Shingo then Yota 2nd rope double axe handles Shingo's arm. Yota snapmares Shingo then bodyscissors him. Yota slams Shingo then drops Hiromu onto him. Hiromu corner lariats Shingo then basement dropkicks him. Hiromu then does Shingo's taunt into the camera.

Naito armbars Shingo and Shingo ropebreaks. Yota hits chops on Shingo. Shingo hits a back elbow and lariat combo on Yota. Yamato gets in. Yamato suplexes Yota. Yamato hits forearms and enzugiri's him. Yota then lariats him hard. 

Both tag out and Bushi/Hiromu get in. They trade forearms and Hiromu dropkicks him for 2. Hiromu takes a rewind kick then Bushi does a figure four on him. We get a triple submission spot. Bushi boots Hiromu then Hiromu hits a big lariat.

Naito hits back elbows on Bushi then Bushi hits a nice dropkick on him. Shingo gets in. He he back elbows and ddt's Naito. Shingo sliding lariats him for 2. Naito atomic drops Shingo and hits back elbows. Shingo gets knocked down with back elbows to the neck. Yamato hits a corner dropkick on Naito then Naito takes 2 enzugiri's and a lariat for 2.

Shingo is pushed into Yamato and knocks him over. They shove each other and Yamato corner dropkicks Shingo on accident. Shingo takes corner attacks and superkicks for 2. Naito tornado ddt's Shingo then hits a bad destino on him for 2. Everyone comes in and hits a move. Shingo double lariats Naito and Yota.

Shingo and Naito trade forearms. Shingo hits a made in Japan for 2. Shingo hits a big lariat for 2. Shingo gets Naito on his shoulders and Naito hits a destino off of it. Shingo hits a big lariat on Naito and the time runs out.

Thoughts: The Shingo and Yamato tension teases were okay but it was just a trios match that went 30 minutes for the most part. It was okay but nothing too great and not particularly notable. They teased Naito vs Shingo hard here and they got a lot of time together.

Shingo and Naito talk to each other on the mic after. Shingo has words for Yamato and Bushi then Yamato talks on the mic too. Him and Shingo shake hands.

We get some videos from various wrestlers and legends congratulating Shingo. Muta, Fujinami, Onita, Tenryu and Animal Hamaguchi all made videos for him. Shingo then got confetti streamers.

Overall thoughts: The undercard was total trash with nothing of note really happening. The young lions did a good job here and I liked their opening match. I don't know what they were thinking by giving us a House of Torture triple shot, but they brought down the show as usual. The main was okay but not great. I would not recommend this one and thought it was below average with the main and the young lions match being the only things of value on here.