New Japan Pro Wrestling 10/14/2024 King of Pro Wrestling 2024

New Japan Pro Wrestling 10/14/2024 King of Pro Wrestling 2024

Mistico vs. Hiromu Takahashi

HT has a rice cooker with Mist's mask for some reason. Mist hits an armdrag and headscissors earlier. Mist armdrags him again and legsweeps him. They then stand off. Mist flying headscissors HT out. Mist flying headscissors HT out. Mist topes him.

Mist hits a chop and HT dragon screws him. Mist runs up the buckles and corkscrew armdrags HT. Mist springboard headscissors him out then corkscrew plancha's him outside. They corner lariat each other. HT superkicks him then Mist superkicks him back. HT rebound germans him.

Mist hits a top rope spanish fly. Mist canadian destroyers him. HT blocks a la mistica and rolls him up for 2. HT springboard crossbodies him then stops a la mistica. HT then takes him out with a figure four crab type of submission.

Thoughts: It was a quick and rushed match. There wasn't a ton of selling but it was fast paced and they did some flying. It was pretty tame by HT's standards and they didn't have time for an epic here.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match - BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney) (c) vs. Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA)

Drilla dropkicks Kevin to start then Kush is thrown out.  Kevin and Clark go at it. Kevin hits a nice dropkick. Drilla is trpped and takes a frogsplash by Kevin. Clark is pulled into the post crotch first. Kevin takes a big bump into the seats. 

Clark chairs Kush outside. Clark takes a flatliner into a chair. Kevin jumps off the apron and dropkicks Clark who is seated in the chair. Kevin goes for a big dropkick and is german'd in mid air. Clark and Drilla hit stereo spears.

Kush hits leg kicks on Drilla then takes a snap powerslams from Clark. Drilla is sent into Clark. Kush tags to Kevin. Kevin hits a springboard double clothesline and lariats the heels. Kevin then hits a ddt + reverse ddt combo.

Kevin misses a corner splash. Kevin hits a bad pele kick on Drilla. Kevin and Kush do stereo baseball slides. Kevin hits a springboard plancha into the seats.

We go back in and the faces botch a double team on Drilla. Clark takes a dropkick from the electric chair. Kush takes a spinebuster. Drilla is back body dropped onto the apron. Kush handspring kicks Kevin on accident then takes a pounce from Clark. Clark spears Kevin off the apron. Drilla throws Kush from the powerbomb into a Clark neckbreaker. Drilla rolling spears Kush. Clark hits a big spear on Kush. Kush takes a high/low for 2.

They mess up something then Kevin gets the pin on Drilla to win.

Thoughts: It started off okay but got sloppy towards the end and lost its steam. Something got messed up near the finish here as well which didn't help things.

IWGP Tag Team Title Match - TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste) (c) vs. BULLET CLUB Rogue Army (Bad Luck Fale & Caveman Ugg)

TMDK get hit before the bell and Shane takes a foot press from Ugg. Ugg then splashes him. Ugg waistlock uranages Mikey. Fale corner pslashes Shane and Ugg does a corkscrew crossbody on Shane. Fale hits an elbow drop on Shane for 2.

Mikey is put on a table and takes a splash from Ugg off the apron. Fale stands on Shane's back. Ugg does a running boot to Shane and Shane flies backwards off of it. Shane tornado ddt's Fale and goes for the tag but Mikey is down. Ugg takes boots from Shane. Ugg catches Shane in the air and fallaway slams him.

Ugg corkscrews at Shane and is dropkicked. Shane pumping knees him. Mikey gets in and hits shots on Ugg. Mikey ddt's Ugg then sliding lariats him for 2. Mikey blue thunders Ugg for 2.

Fale takes a double backdrop variation. Ugg then takes a  rock bottom + powerbomb combo. Ugg takes a double gorilla press slam and is pinned.

Thoughts: It was an average match here with Ugg getting a decent bit of shine. It was fine but nothing you would remember.

Great-O-Khan and Henare challenge for the tag titles after.

NEVER Openweight Title Match - Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Ryohei Oiwa

Oiwa dropkicks him to start and rams his shoulder into the buckles. Oiwa armlocks him. Shingo hits a punch and a ddt. Shingo lariats him over the top. Oiwa is thrown into the rails.

Shingo suplexes him inside then hits downward elbows. Oiwa hits forearms and shoulders him over. Oiwa hits nice lariats then hits a top rope splash for 2. Shingo hits another punch and lariat. Shingo corner lariats him and superplexes him. Shingo lariats him for 2.

Oiwa hits a spinning forearm and takes a lariat. Oiwa germans him, Shingo no sells it and lariats him. Oiwa backdrops him. Shingo lariats him from behind then hits a made in Japan for 2. Shingo hits forearms then Oiwa germans him for 2.

Oiwa hits a big lariat then gutwrench bombs him. Shingo lariats him for 2. Oiwa hits a dropkick and Shingo backdrops him. Shingo hits a lariat then powerbombs him. shingo running lariats him. Shingo hits a last of the dragon and wins.

Thoughts: It was a rushed sprint here with them hitting big shots and moving on to the next one. It was entertaining and I liked it but this was not designed to be a classic. I was hoping for a long singles match here. They made the best of what they got, but they weren't really given what they should have been.

They tease Kosei vs Shingo some after which I'd like to see.  

NJPW World Television Title Match - Jeff Cobb (c) vs. Ren Narita vs. Yota Tsuji

Ren gets double teamed to start. Ren gets chopped up. Ren takes a double shoulderblock then a standing moonsault. Cobb shoulders Yota over. Yota armdrags Cobb. then slams him. Ren pulls Yota out and throws him into the rails. Ren bangs Cobb's knee off the mat then butt drops it.

Ren rolling armbars Yota. Ren facekicks Cobb off the apron then Yota topes Cobb outside. Yota is sent into the rails outside and knocks out a tv monitor. Yota gets sent into the seats.

Cobb flying uppercuts Ren in the corner. Cobb blocks Yota's flying headscissors and throws him on a slam. Cobb dropkicks Yota. Cobb does a double samoan drop. Cobb back body drops Yota while he goes for a slam on Ren. He then slams Ren onto Yota.

Yota superkicks Cobb and does a double pin after a curbstomp for 2. Cobb throws down Yota then lariats him while he's laying. Cobb blocks a curbstomp. Yota then does a drop on Cobb from his shoulders for 2. Ren hits a top rope knee press on Yota then ankle locks Cobb.  Yota tries to do a top rope curb stomp on Cobb. Yota headbutts Ren over then flying knees Cobb. Cobb hits a tour of the islands slam on Yota and the ref is pulled out on the count.

Ren hits Cobb with a push-up bar then facebusters Cobb for the win.

Thoughts: It was a three way and had the usual limitations those matches have. Ren winning was a big surprise and not exactly a good one. They did okay with it but it would have been better as singles matches. 

They show The Young Bucks in a taped video. They say they are coming back for Wrestle Dynasty and get no pop for it.

El Phantasmo, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Shota Umino vs. House Of Torture (EVIL, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi)

Tana's team all wore gladiator gear out to the ring. HoT throws the faces out while Kanemaru works on ELP in the ring. ELP leg lariats him then Tana cheers him on as he does a dragon screw. ELP is sent into the exposed buckle as is Shota and Tana.

ELP gets worked on by the heels outside and Yujiro tries pins on him. Kanemaru dropkicks him in the knee. Kanemaru goots ELP out of the corner then ELP suplexes him. ELP tags in Shota. Shota cleans house on the heels then fisherman suplexes Evil for 2.

Shota is thrown into the exposed buckle then he exploders Evil. Tana flying forearms Yujiro when they get in. Tana slams him then 2nd rope swantons him for 2. Tana takes a turnbuckle pad shot from the outside then takes corner attacks. Tana then takes a 2nd rope chop to the crotch from Togo. Yujiro tries to hit Tana with a cane but Shota stops it. Shota gives the cane to Evil and shows the ref. Shota and ELP then do stereo plancha's out. Tana slingblades Yujiro then top rope splashes Yujiro to win.

Thoughts: It was your usual HoT match that we have seen a zillion times over. It was generic and nothing special.

Tana gets on the mic after. Tana says the finish line is in sight and says he will retire on January 4th, 2026. He says he will give it all he has for another year.

Evil and Togo attack Tana after. ELP makes the save. Ren nails ELP with a push-up board. Evil says Tana should retire now. He says Tana doesn't get to decide when he's done, Evil does. 

Thoughts: Tanahashi has been done for the last 3 years. He isn't doing singles matches anymore and is reduced to being the third man in trios matches. The Tanahashi we all liked basically retired a while ago and I don't have any issue with him moving on.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match - DOUKI (c) vs. SHO

Sho is beaten up as he enters and has his jacket ripped off. Sho throws a young lion into the ref and chairs Douki. Sho then hits a shock arrow on the floor. Sho rips off Douki's facemask. Douki has kabuki paint under it and red mists Sho. He then hits him with the wrench and is doing a kKshin Liger impersonation. Sho dragon suplexes him and flips through it into another then wins.

Thoughts: This was a short joke of a match with Douki doing Liger impersonations. If someone told me this took place at a DDT show, I would have believed them.

Kanemaru spits mist at Douki after then chairs him in the back of the leg. Master Wato comes out and clears out Kanemaru. Wato says he will challenge Douki for the IWGP Title.

IWGP Global Heavyweight Title Match - David Finlay (c) vs. Hirooki Goto

Goto forearms him when he's back up on the ropes and they trade forearms. DF eye rakes him then hiptosses him. DF eye rakes him against the rail outside. DF flips off Goto's kids outside and pounds on him inside.

Goto double throat thrusts him then lariats him off the ropes. DF takes a lariat over the top. Goto is rammed into the rails outside. DF sets up a pile of chairs and gets back body dropped onto them. DF is then sent into the post.

Goto spinning heel kicks DF against the post. DF charges at DF and goes into the rails. Goto bridges DF on the rails and elbow slices him down. Goto top rope elbow drops him for 2. DF hits an irish curse. They trade forearms. 

DF spinning forearms him. DF lariats him. DF hits a dominator for 2. DF hits crossface shots. DF buckle bombs Goto then Goto lariats him. Goto sleepers him, DF tries to snapmare him over but Goto holds on. Goto ushigoroshi's him then hits a GTW for 2. Goto hits a side pendulum slam. Gedo gets in the ring and DF hits oblivion on Goto. DF hits Goto with a shillelagh shot for 2. DF powerbombs him for 2. DF hits overkill and wins.

Thoughts: It was nothing special as expected. They spent the first half of this match outside then had a dirty finish to cap this one off.

Goto's kid cries after and DF mocks her. Goto consoles his kids then DF gets on the mic. DF nominates Yuya Uemura as his next challenger but Yuya is injured.  Taichi comes out and challenges him. Taichi shoves him, DF tries to hit him with the belt then takes a back body drop.

IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match - Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Zack takes him down by the arm. Naito trips him and Zack  tries a pin attempt. Zack is taken down by the leg. Zack headscissors him and Naito leglocks him. Zack ties up his legs and goes for the armbar. Naito then goes for an armlock.

Naito back rolls him. Naito does his pose and Zack goes for the armbar. Naito leg sweeps Zack on the apron and basement dropkicks him off. Zack's head is banged off the apron then he pushed into the rails. Zack twists Naito's neck with his feet over the middle rope.

Zack does an indian deathlock. Zack hits euros. Naito rolls him and twists his neck with his feet. Naito back elbows him and baseball slides him. Naito neckbreakers him.

Naito wraps his legs around Zack's shoulders. Zack hanging triangles Naito over the ropes. Zack headscissors Naito.  Zack hits euros. Naito spits at him and hits back elbows. 

Naito tornado ddt's him. Naito hits a 2nd rope hurricanrana. Naito side headlock takeovers him then does a koji clutch. Naito hits back elbows. Naito hits diamond dust then destino for 2. Zack really cranks back on Naito's arm.

Naito brainbusters him. Zack hits a gotch style piledriver. Zack PK's him and Naito barely hits a destino out of a slam. Naito cradles him out of a tornado ddt and Naito hits a bad koppo kick. Zack lariats him.

Zack michinoku drivers him for 1 then does another for 2. Zack hits a 3rd michinoku driver and wins.

Thoughts: I wasn't a fan of the match. It was the usual Zack match where it's a submission exhibition with no greater purpose. Then he just dropped all of it at the end to do michinoku drivers. Naito's offense looked terrible here. I'd be happy about Naito dropping the title normally but not to Zack. Zack winning is just a sign of how bad the promotion has fallen and culmination of various failures over the last few years. They were relying too hard on Okada/Tana/Naito, they took too long to develop new stars, they wasted too much time on disloyal foreigners, they did start and stop pushes on Shingo and Shingo and they wasted a lot of time on House of Torture.

Zack talks in Japanese after. SANADA then comes in. Sanada says it's his last chance to become champion. They agree to a title match on Sunday at Royal Quest. Shota Umino comes out and gets booed. He challenges Zack for the title. Shingo Takagi then comes out.

Shingo congratulates Zack and challenges him, saying they are 1-1 against each other. Shota says he beat Shingo. Zack says he will face Sanada first and says he'll think about the rest after. He then tells them to shut up and get out of the ring. Zack says TMDK will be on top of NJPW and says the mighty don't kneel.

Overall thoughts: If this was the king of pro wrestling, the kingdom is in shambles. It was a depressing show from NJPW. The top 4 matches were not that good with the junior title match barely even being a match. The best match on the show got about 10 minutes in Oiwa/Shingo. Shota Umino got booed just for trying to challenge for a title. Tanahashi announced his retirement, but due to him being broken down, no one was even that upset over it. The Young Bucks announced they were coming in and nobody cared. And Zack Sabre Jr, a long time NJPW midcarder became champ due to a lack of any other options. The show was a disaster and did not give much confidence for the future of the company. I would not recommend this one.