New Japan Pro Wrestling 10/20/2024 Royal Quest IV

New Japan Pro Wrestling 10/20/2024 Royal Quest IV

Greedy Souls (Brendan White & Danny Jones) vs. Young Blood (Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima)

Oskar and Jones go at it. Oskar shoves him when backed up on the ropes. Jones side headlocks him and they shoulder battle. Oskar wins the battle and backs him off. Yuto and White go at it. They trade forearms and shoulder each other over. White fights off the 2v1 and Oskar slams White.

Oskar chops him up. Oskar is grabbed by Jones and White clubs on him. Oskar takes a backdrop then takes sentons from both. Jones knee drops Oskar's back. Jones chinlocks him then corner lariats him. Oskar hits hard forearms on White. White knees him in the back.

Jones crabs Oskar. Oskar slams White. Yuto is tagged in. Yuto boots White over. Jones hits some attacks on Yuto then Yuto shoulders him over. Yuto hits chest kicks on White. Yuto meteora's him in the corner for 2. White backbreakers Yuto.

Yuto fights off a double team then hits an attitude adjustment on White. Oskar shoulders over Jones then powerslams him. White powerslams Oskar.  Oskar takes corner attacks then a catapult into a black hole slam for 2. Yuto suplexes Jones. White hten takes an atomic drop into a lariat. White takes a high/low with kicks. White then takes a flying knee off the 2nd rope and an F-5. White is pinned.

Thoughts: It was a little long for an opener. They hit some stiff shots here and there was a lot of action. I really liked the catapult into the black hole slam spot.

BULLET CLUB (Robbie X & Taiji Ishimori) vs. CPF (Danny Black & Joe Lando)

 

TI and X attack at the start of this. They are sent into each other. Joe sunset flips him. X flips out of a legsweep and is rolled up. Joe flips out of a legsweep and basement dropkicks him. X double boots him out of the corner. Joe flips out of a lariat and X handstands out of a cutter. X then basement dropkicks him.

Joe takes a double back elbow. TI twists Joe's neck with his feet and fist drops him. TI cobra clutches him. X slingshot swantons Joe for 2. TI rakes Joe's face. TI cranks Joe's arm back. Joe flips out of X's lariat and hits a cutter.

Black and TI go t it. Black hits forearms and punches. Black half-nelson suplexes him then PK's X off the apron. Black top rope dropkicks the back of TI's neck. Black hits a weird powerbomb out of the styles clash. Black is put on the 2nd rope and takes a sliding german.

X slaps Joe and throws him out. Joe is back body dropped onto X and they do a gin and juice off of it. Black does a tope into a cutter outside. Joe top rope ssp's X for 2. X avoids a double team and hits a double pele kick. Black is dropped onto TI's knees. X hits a top rope spiral tap on Joe and gets the win.

Thoughts: It was definitely indy with tons of flips for the sake of flips but I was okay with it. They ended it before they did too much and didn't go too long here. There were also some cool moves as seen above.

AZM & Dani Luna vs. Kanji & Mina Shirakawa

AZM and Kan go at it. They lock up. Kan rolls over her then trips her. They try pins on each other. Kan is pushed into a Dani shoulderblock. They mess up a spot and Kan is held for a high kick.

Dani exploders her then sliding lariats her for 2. Kan fights off a double team then her and Mina hit kicks on AZM. AZM takes a sandwich PK to the front and back. Mina springboard enzugiri's AZM then AZM fisherman busters her. Mina no sells it then suplexes her.

Dani gets in and hits a big powerbomb on Mina. Mina ddt's AZM while doing a figure four to Dani. Mina figure fours Dani again and the hold is broken. The four trade shots. Mina spin kicks and urakens AZM. Dani hits forearms on Mina then flying kicks her.

Mina figure fours Dani and AZM breaks it up with a top rope double stomp. Kan plancha's AZM outside. Mina and Dani trade. Dani totally misses a facekick but it is sold anyway. Dani hits a luna landing on Mina and wins.

Thoughts: Dani pinning Mina was a surprise. The match was average with no real story or faces and heels to it. They also had a couple of sloppy moments here.

The Grizzled Young Veterans do a promo. They say they are going to watch the tag title match closely and want the winners of it. Most of what they said was really hard to make out due to audio issues. 

Michael Oku vs. Kosei Fujita

They got to the mat and stand off. Kosei chops him then Oku flying headscissors him. Oku dropkicks him off the apron. Oku fosbury flops over the top onto Kosei.

They trde shots when they get back in. Kosei double chops him down then PK's him. Oku 2nd rope dropkicks Kosei for 2. Oku slams, leg drops and splashes him. Kosei flying kicks him. Kosei slaps him then springboard dropkicks him for 2.

Oku PK's him then asai moonaults him for 2. Oku isses a corner hip attack and backrolls him. Oku single leg crabs him. Kosei escapes and pops him up into a german for 2. Oku flying knees him from the side.

Kosei gets his knees up on Oku's top rope splash. Kosei release germans Oku and Oku craldes him for 2. Oku hits superkicks and is rolled up. Kosei then wins.

Thoughts: I wasn't a fan of this one. I thought Oku was going to heel it up but it didn't really happen. I didn't think the selling was that great in this one but at least it didn't go too long.

Drilla Moloney vs. Yota Tsuji

They lock up. Yota wristlocks him then Drilla side headlock takeovers him. Yota chinlocks him. They shoulder battle and Drilla is shouldered over. Yota knees him in the gut. Drilla dropkicks Yota then dropkicks him through the ropes outside. Drilla chokes Yota with a shirt then stands on his gut inside.

They trade chops. Drilla eye rakes him and punches him right in the face. Yota hits forearms. Drilla hits osme shots and Yota tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him. Yota armdrags him then hits a splash for 2. Drilla knee lifts him then superkicks him for 2.

Drilla back body drops him then side drops him out of the suplex. Drilla hits a big spear for 2. Yota avoids a dominator and hits a running knee for 2. Yota hits an orange crush for 2. Drilla hits a short piledriver on Yota. Yota hits his curb stomp combo and flying pumping knees him. Yota hits a spear and wins.

Thoughts: I didn't like Drilla getting so much in on Yota as he's a junior and Yota's a heavy. It was better structured though than some of the previous matches though and was acceptable overall as we had clear faces and heels in this one. 

Shota Umino vs. Callum Newman

They lock up and trade armdrags. CN hits facekicks and takes a running forearm. CN hits euros. CN trips him then double stomps his back. CN stomps on him. Shota drops him chest first then basement dropkicks him.

Shota hits forearms in the corner. Shota fisherman suplexes him for 2. CN hits a forerm and high kicks him. Shota then dropkicks him. CN suplexes him. CN PK's him for 2. They trade forearms and Shota does down. CN hits some kicks to the chest.

They trade forearms and suplex each other. Shota hits forearms then CN kips up and enzugiri's him. Shota running euros him. Shota does another to the back of his neck and CN standing spanish flies him for 2. CN leg lariats him in the corner then springboard double stomps him. CN sitout powerbombs him for 2.

CN springboards and is caught with a cutter from Shota. Shota hits ignition for 2. CN hits kicks to the head and flying knees him for 2. Shota lifts him in the air and suplexes him. The crowd boos Shota then Shota hits a pumphandle emerald flowsion. Shota then hits a death rider ddt to win and gets booed.

Thoughts: I didn't like the booing here. Some of it may be them getting mad at CN losing but I think a lot of it is them trying to copy what happened at the King of Pro Wrestling with Shota getting booed. The match went a little long but they matched up well together. It was nice to see Shota in singles action again and I thought this went well. It was the usual Shota match but at least he didn't do that ddt over the 2nd rope spot here.

TAKA Michinoku vs. Gedo

David Finlay talks on the mic beforehand and calls the crowd English pricks. It was hard to hear a lot of what he said due to audio issues. He says he will kill Taka's dreams tonight. Taka gets on the mic after and says "you already die". We are later told that DF told Taka that he has to beat Gedo first if he wants to wrestle him.

Gedo then running forearms Taka and it seems like they are going to have a match. Taka is thrown out and DF pounds on him. Gedo stomps Taka in the ring. Gedo punches him in the face and takes a step up knee in the corner. Taka running knees him then superkicks him. Taka  eye pokes Gedo then taps him out with just facelock.

Thoughts: It was short but I liked seeing Taka get to be a face and actually get a win for a change even if it's against Gedo. He seemed to be happy and having fun.

TAKA Michinoku vs David Finlay

Taka gets hit and hits an eye poke. Taka running knees him and tries pin attempts. Taka running knees him again. Taka eye pokes him and shin kicks him. DF hits overkill and wins.

Thoughts: Well, that just undid any good the last match did. That was a waste of time. I can't imagine being Taka or Gedo and flying half across the world just for that.

Gedo holds Taka after and DF hits him with the belt. DF gets on the mic after and says "f--k you".

Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito & Titan) vs. TMDK (Robbie Eagles & Ryohei Oiwa) & Mascara Dorada

It takes a while to get this one going. Oiwa and Naito go at it. Naito ducks a lock-up and spits at him. Naito back elbows him then back rolls and poses. Naito rolls him up for 2 then Oiwa shoulders him over. Oiwa dropkicks him and headflips up. Oiwa armdrags him twice then armlocks him.

Rob and HT get in. HT is given a TMDK shirt but he takes it off. Rob rolls him up and they evade moves. Rob gets a 2 count on him then armdrags him using the ropes. Rob flying headscissors him then spinning heel kicks him. Rob is pushed into MD then HT makes Rob headscissors Md. HT basement dropkicks Rob.

Titan top rope double stomps Rob's arm. Titan hits kicks and foot chokes Rob. Titan hiptosses him then cartwheels into a basement dropkick. Naito 2nd rope double axe handles Rob's arm. Titan kicks Rob in the arm then basement dropkicks him. Titan hits mounted forearms on Rob and Naito neckbreakers Rob for 2.

Rob spin kicks Naito then hits a shiranui. Titan goes up and over MD. MD flips then Titan flying headsicssors MD.  MD handsprings out of it then hurricanrana's him. MD fosbury flops outside onto Titan. Titan takes corner attacks then a tilt-a-whirl backcracker. MD running sitout dominators Titan. MD misses a top rope SSP and takes a superkick from HT for it. Naito hits destino on Rob. Oiwa takes a superkick from HT.

Titan flying kicks MD. MD is bridged on the top rope and takes a top rope double stomp from Titan. Titan top rope double stomps MD's back and wins.

Thoughts: It only got 11 minutes and was not designed to be a classic. It was an okay midcard match but it was a waste of the talent involved as this should have been a main event quality match. MD hit a neat tilt-a-whirl backcracker here.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Title Match - TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste) (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii

Shane and Tana go at it. Tana armdrags him and they reverse armdrags. Ishii comes in and shoulders both opponents over. Ishii hits chops and forearms on Shane. Ishii is tripped and takes a basement dropkick. Ishii takes a double shoulder and has his legs split. Mikey and Ishii trade chops.

Shane kicks Ishii in the back. Ishii backdrops Shane. Tan comes in and hits a flying forearm then 2nd rope twisting crossbodies Shane. Tana 2nd rope flipping sentons Shane. Shane dropkicks Tana. They trade forearms and Mikey ddt's him. Mikey sliding lariats Tana.

Tana dragon screws Mikey then texas cloverleafs him. Ishii then sharpshooters Shane at the same time. Tana sling blades Mikey for 2. Mikey lifts Shane up in the air for a suplex on Tana but Mikey ends up powerbombing him when Tana doesn't go. Tana crossbodies Mikey then goes for a high fly flow but Mikey gets his knees up.

Ishii suplexes Shane then corner lariats him. Ishii shoulders him over. They trade forearms. Shane reverse slams him then pumping knees him. Ishii takes a backdrop + neckbreaker combo. Tana hits twists and shouts on TMDK then Ishii and Tana hit basement dropkicks to the knees of TMDK. Shane takes a crossbody + suplex combo and Ishii sliding lariats Shane.

Everyone gets a move in. Shane sit out powerbombs Ishii.  Tana hits sling blades on Shane. Ishii running lariats Shane for 2. Ishii takes a tank buster for 2. Tana takes a powerbomb + rock bottom combo at 15 minutes. Ishii takes a tankbuster for 2. Shane comes off the buckles and hits a tank buster on Ishii. Ishii is then pinned.

Thoughts: They put out a good effort here with multiple nearfalls and Tana doing high fly flows. We got some nice double team moves from TMDK and it got enough time. It went about as well as it could and it was a fine semi-main.

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

They trade waistlocks and arm throw each other. Zack headscissors him and Sanada ropebreaks. Sanada throws him and goes for a paradise lock. They trade pin attempts. Zack stomps Sanada's arm into the mat and works the fingers.

Sanada dropkicks Zack in the knee. They go outside and Sanada boots the knee into the rail. They trade euros outside. Sanada kneebreakers him inside and works on the knee. Zack ropebreaks, takes a shot to the leg then lariats him.

Zack twists Sanada's neck with his feet. Zack tornado ddt's him. Zack armbars him. Sanada hits a dropkick to send him out then plancha's him. They get back in and Zack twists the neck with his feet again and dropkicks him in the back of the head. Sanada hits a magic screw then shining wizards him. Zack backrolls him and Sanada does a grounded dragon sleeper. 

Sanada lets go of it. Zack gets his knees up on Sananada's top rope moonsault. Zack pulls back on both arms on the mat and switches to an armbar. Sanada ropebreaks. They trade euros and Zack michinoku drivers him for 2. Sanada does a bridge pin on Zack for 2. Zack does an octopus on Sanada then Sanada TKO's him.

Sanada moonsaults and goes for a dragon sleeper but just gets his arm kicked. Sanada shining wizards him in the front and back. Sanada top rope moonsaults him for 2. They try pin attempts. Sanada hits some dragon screws. Zack avoids a shining wizard, then he ties up Sanada's arms and leg. He then taps out Sanada and wins via submission.

Thoughts: It was your usual unfocused Zack match with him going for various holds and eventually winning with one. It felt like a wrestling match and all so that's fine but it was not a classic and should have been better. 

Zack gets on the mic after. He says wrestling owes nothing and gave him everything. He says he will be a wrestler until he dies. He says he's the first to bring the IWGP Title to Britain as a British champ. He talks about what a good year it was for him and says he will win the Tokyo Dome main event, saying no foreigner has done it.

Zack asks TMDK to come out. He puts over his partners. He says NJPW has a great future and says TMDK doesn't kneel. He then says he will se everyone soon.

Overall thoughts: It was a long but okay show overall. NJPW brought a bunch of people over for this one and gave the fans a good card. The main was acceptable but not great. The semi-main was fine. The 6-man with Naito wasn't the best it could have been but it was an okay throwaway match. I like Shota/Newman and Yota/Drilla was acceptable. I wouldn't say it was must see due to it being an overseas event where nothing major was going to happen but the gave the fans a decent show.