New Japan Pro Wrestling 9/28/2025 Destruction in Kobe 2025

New Japan Pro Wrestling 9/28/2025 Destruction in Kobe 2025

El Desperado, Shota Umino, YOH, YOSHI-HASHI & Yuya Uemura vs. House Of Torture (Dick Togo, DOUKI, EVIL, SANADA & SHO)

Douki and Despy butt heads then trade chest chops. Sho grabs Despy from the apron and Douki gets shots in. Despy is double stomped on.  Sho eye rakes Yoh. Yoshi chops Sho then headhunters him. Yoh basement dropkicks Sho. Yoshi's crotch is pulled into the post and everyone fights outside. Yoshi takes a double shoulderblock and his legs are split. San gets a 2 count on Yoshi. San hits punches on him. Yoshi dropkicks him in the knee.

Shota comes in and shoulders the heels over. Shota dropkicks Evil. He then hits a chop and forearm combo on San. Shota fisherman suplexes him for 2. San dropkicks Yuya in the knee then dropkicks Shota. Yuya forearms San down and San crotch kicks him on the fall. 

Evil corner lariats Yuya. Togo is double teamed. Evil takes a double dropkick. Yuya jumping hurricanrana's Togo and pins him.

Thoughts: It was a shorter one with too many people in it. It wasn't anything special and they got the best out of nobody here.  

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Great-O-Khan

They lock up. Tana clean breaks and poses. Khan waistlocks Tana and Tana ropebreaks. Khan bots him in the gut and hits forearms. Tana back elbows him then 2nd rope twisting crossbodies him. Khan ankle locks Tana then bangs his knee off the mat for 2. 

Khan boots his head around and Tana hits forearms. Khan mongolian chops him and Tana does it back to him. Tana flying forearms him. Tana slams him then 2nd rope swantons him for 2. Tana dragon screws him and Khan does it back to him. 

They trade forearms. Tana slaps him then hits a slingblade for 2. Tana goes for a high fly flow but Khan gets his knees up. Khan then hits his own slingblade. Khan hits another for 2. Tana rolls him up off a chokeslam attempt and pins him.

Thoughts: It was fine. They matched up okay and I liked Khan busting out the slingblade. It could have been more if it was longer though.

Kaito Kiyomiya comes out after. He asks Tana to wrestle him in a NOAH ring. Tana agrees for 10/11 at NOAH's Wrestle Odyssey.

NEVER Openweight Title Match - Oleg Boltin (c) vs. Don Fale

Fale hits Oleg during intros as he poses. He clubs on him. Oleg hits forearms and chops and Don shoulders him over. Evil hits Oleg with a cane to the gut outside. Don then stands on Oleg. Oleg is sent into the exposed buckles.

Don chops him. Oleg boots him off the ropes and runs into him with shoulders. Don the shoulders him over. Oleg shoulders him over then hits a splash for 2. Oleg goes for a slam but he can't lift him and Don squashes him.

Oleg running lariats him then hits a big slam. Olg hits a big suplex for 2. Oleg grabs Don, Don grabs the ref and sends him into Oleg. Togo and Evil then run in and hit attacks on Oleg in the corner. Oleg takes a chop to the crotch then a senton. Don gets on the 2nd rope. Oleg sends Togo and Evil into him. Oleg finlay rolls Don and wins.

Thoughts: Don should have been DQ'd for throwing the ref around. Other than that, I thought they had the story of this one right with two hosses having a hoss style match.

Evil and Togo beat up Oleg after. Evil wants a shot at Oleg's title next.

IWGP Tag Team Title Match - Taichi & Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Knockout Brothers (OSKAR & Yuto-Ice)

Yuto and Ishii slap each other. Yuto hits chest kicks and forearms. Ishii chops him back. They trade forearms more. Yuto running headkicks him. Yuto chest kicks Tai then is chest kicked down. Tai kicks Yuto in the back. Oskar then comes in and beats up on Tai. Tai takes a stiff double boot to the body. Yuto hits chest kicks on Ishii in the corner. 

Yuto running knees Ishii. Oskar chops Ishii. Ishii forearms Oskar. Ishii knee breakers Oskar. Oskar then is hit with a big german. Tai running boots Oskar in the head. Tai back enzugiri's Oskar and spin kicks himn in the gut. Tai does a stretch plum on Oskar. 

Yuto hits forearms on Tai. Tai side kicks him. Tai enzugiri's Oskar down. Tai takes his pants off. Tai rolls up Oskar for 2. Oskar blocks his head kick. Tai spinning chops him then Oskar facekicks him. Oskar backdrops him. 

Yuto and Ishii trade slaps. Yuto hits a hard forearm then suplexes Ishii. Ishii no sells it then shoulders him over. Yuto then no sells it and facekicks him. Yuto spits on him. Ishii spits back and headbutts him. 

Oskar comes in and hits shots on Ishii. Tai eats a bullet for Ishii and takes Oskar's facekick. Oskar is double teamed. Oskar atomic drops Tai then Yuto running lariats Tai. Yuto high kicks Ishii. Ishii takes a double team powerbomb for 2. 

Oskar is pulled out. Yuto hits a hard straight punch on Ishii. Yuto PK's Ishii for 2. Tai gamengiri's Oskar then backdrops him. Yuto spits in Tai's face and is forearmed down for it. Ishii running lariats Yuto. Yuto takes a head kick + piledriver combo for 2. 

Ishii running lariats Yuto for 2. Oskar takes a gamengiri + enzugiri combo. Yuto hits kicks on his opponents. Oskar saves Yuto from a double team. Oskar sky high's Tai. Ishii running lariats Oskar. Ishii uppercuts Oskar then Oskar does a sleeper bomb on Ishii. Yuto does a pump kick on Ishii. Ishii takes a kick + tombstone and is pinned.

Thoughts: I'm not even joking when I tell you that this was one of my favorite matches of 2025. It's not going to make anyone's MOTYC list but I loved this. It was fast paced and they beat the crap out of each other. We cool double teams and so many stiff shots. It brought back memories of All Japan here. This was great and a must see match. It couldn't have been much better than it was. They have got to do this again. This stuff is why I watch Japanese wrestling.

Shota and Yuya come out and challenge Oskar and Yuto. They agree and they all butt heads. 

GHC Junior Heavyweight Title Match - Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. Taiji Ishimori

TI blocks a headscissors to start. HT corner lariats him then they reverse tombstones. TI falls over and drops HT with a square driver. They no sell it then TI headflips out of a tombstone. TI blocks a sunset bomb outside and hurricanrana's him on the floor. TI fosbury flops him outside. 

TI superkicks him in the face for 2. HT flying headscissors him then corner lariats him. HR basement dropkicks him. HT is rammed into the post outside shoulder first. HT is then rammed into the post shoulder first intside. TI shoulderbreakers him. HT tilt-a-whirl slams him. HT falcon arrows him for 2. The ref is knocked over. HT makes it looked like TI low blowed him. HT then rolls up TI for 2. 

TI low blows HT after he sends HT's foot into the ref. TI hits a corner lariat and uranage. He 450's off the top but holds his gut for some reason for 2. HT hits a Z360 variation then running lariats him. HT AA's him for 2. HT la mistica's him into a border city stretch.

TI jumping knees him. HT does a pin attempt for 2. HT blocks a headscissors with a timebomb 2. HT then hits a timebomb and wins.

Thoughts: It was shorter and rushed. I wasn't a big fan of this. They did a lot of big moves here and didn't sell them. They had shenanigans with the ref as well. TI did try to work HT's shoulder some here though.

TI hands him the title after. Eita from NOAH comes in and superkicks HT after. He says he will show HT the power of NOAH's juniors and says he won't let things go according to HT's plans.

David Finlay vs. Yota Tsuji

They trade forearms to start. Yota lariats him over the top. DF is sent into the rails. Yota forearms him on the ramp. DF then uranages him on the ramp. DF backdrops him on the apron. DF is back body dropped into the buckles and lands hard on his neck. Yota hurricanrana's him off the buckles for 2. 

They trade forearms. Yota pumping knees him and superkicks him. DF then rebound lariats him. DF suplex throws him. Yota hurricanan's DF into the exposed buckle. Yota topes him over the rail. YOta pumping knees him in the corner and does an orange crush variation.

DF dominators him for 2. Yota is alley ooped into the exposed buckle and takes a backbreaker. DF powerbombs him for 2. Yota flatliners him and germans him. DF hits oblivion for 2. Yota goes for a marlow crash but takes a stunner.

Yota cradles him for 2. Yota knees DF in the face, goes for a spear but is knee'd in the face. DF then hits overkill for 2. Yota spears him for 2. Yota runs into a cradle. Yota alley oops him for 2. Yota top rope reverse suplexes him then hits a big spear for the win.

Thoughts: It was really similar to the last match. It was rushed. They did nothing but big moves and none of the moves really meant anything. It was just a moves and action based match and wasn't for me.

Yota offers a handshake after and DF does not shake his hand. 

IWGP Global Heavyweight Title Match - Gabe Kidd (c) vs. Shingo Takagi

Shingo hits shots on him. They trade forearms. Gabe hits chops then Shingo hits chops and punches. Gabe chops back then is sent out. They shoulder battle outside. Gabe bangs Shingo's head off the apron. They duel chairs outside. Gabe chairs him. Shingo no sells it then lariats him. Shingo throws a chair at Gabe's head.

Gabe lariats him on the apron. Gabe then 2nd rope moonsaults him outside. Gabe chops Shingo in the seats. They headbutt each other and Shingo hits slaps. Gabe drops him with a punch. They trade chops in the ring. Shingo hits punches. Gabe lariats him on the ropes.  

Gabe sentons him on the apron then suplexes him on the floor. Gabe sets up tables outside. Shingo death valley drivers him on the floor. They get in. Shingo slams and sentons him. Shingo hits punch combo. Gabe suplexes him. Shingo lariats him from behind.

Shingo suplexes him for 2. Shingo hits a punch and a lariat. Shingo hits exploders then Gabe backdrops him. Shingo backdrops him. Gabe dropkicks him. Gabe flips out of a german then backdrops Shingo for 2. 

They fight on the buckles. Gabe top rope hurricanrana's him. Gabe rebound lariats him for 2. Shingo sliding lariats him. Gabe no sells it and running knees him. Shingo hits a made in Japan off the apron through tables on Gabe. Gabe gets back in and is hit with a sliding forearm. Shingo hits downward elbows. Shingo powerbombs him for 2. 

Shingo drops him with forearms. Shingo hits a rainmaker then hits a burning dragon for 2. Shingo running lariats him. Gabe piledrivers him. They slap each other. Gabe hits lariats on him. Shingo totally misses a headscissors off a gutwrench but Gabe flips anyway. They trade strikes. Shingo poisonrana's him, Gabe no sells it then lariats him. Gabe running knees him then hits a powerbomb for 2. Gabe hits a piledriver for the win.

Thoughts: It was what you would expect with lots of lariats, chops and headbutts. It got more time than it needed and I liked less as it went on. It was all action as you would expect and the two stiffed each other good. Gabe busted the back of his head open here off a table. I was alright with this overall, but the extra time didn't help these guys. 

They shake hands after. Yota Tsuji comes down. Yota challenges Gabe for his title. Gabe agrees to face him at the King of Pro Wrestling show.

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

They do some mat work to start. Zack goes for the legbar and Ren ropebreaks. They stalemate with each man sitting on the ground asking the other to come get them. Zack goes for a triangle then Ren goes for the leglock. Zack leglocks him and Ren reverses it. Zack then ropebreaks. Zack heel hooks him and Ren ropebreaks.

They facekick each other. Zack pump kicks him. Zack running euros him and underhook suplexes him. Zack euros him outside several times and drops him. Zack triangles him overthe top rope and Ren escapes, turning it into a leglock.

Ren sends Zack into the rails. Ren then leg locks Zack around the rails. Ren chairs Zack's leg into the rails. Zack sells outside and grabs a chair. Ren stomps Zack as he comes in and ties Zack's leg around the post. Ren underhook suplexes him for 2.

Ren butt drops the knee then twists Zack's ankle. Zack grabs Ren's head with his feet and Ren upkicks him. Ren wraps Zack's leg around the 2nd rope and dropkicks it. Ren leglocks him then does a sharpshooter.

Ren kneebreakers Zack over the knee. Zack then ddt's him when Ren tries it for the 3rd time. Zack running euros him. Zack cobra twists him. Zack rolling armbars Ren then stomps his arm into the mat. Zack does an octopus. Ren snapmares him and twists his head with his feet. Zack then does the same thing to him.

Zack rips Ren's shirt off and kicks him in the chest. Zack hits euros and drops Ren. Ren then does a grounded guillotine on the mat. Zack pele kicks Ren's arm. They miss moves and Ren hits an exploder for 2.

Ren top rope flying knees Zack. Zack then STF's him. Zack armbars him. Yujiro distracts the ref. Ref grabs his push up board and hits Zack in the knee with it. Ren rolling leglocks Zack. Ren then does a figure four variation Zack.

Zack is sent out and and he euros Yujiro on the floor when Yujiro tries to attack him. Ren germans Zack and is lariated. Zack michinoku driers Ren then pulls his arms back. Zack hooks him around the throat. House of Torture pull the ref out and Sanada attacks Zack. Yujiro hits Sanada with his cane on accident and Zack boots the heels away. The young lions then walk the heels to the back.

Ren facebusters Zack but the ref is out and can't count. Ren comes off the top and is kicked down in mid-air. They do a fast sequence of trading holds and Zack sleeprs Ren. Ren gets out, catches Zack's kick and does a capture suplex for 2. Ren facekicks Zack. Zack slaps him and both fall over.

They slap each other and Zack chest kicks him. Zack michinoku drivers him and wins.

Thoughts: Ren mostly worked the knee all match. Zack did his usual submission exhibition where he tried various holds without anything being targeted in particular. House of Torture came in as expected, Zack fought them off and got the win not too long after. It was passable but not much more. 

Zack talks on the mic after. He rips House of Torture. He says Takeshita isn't here. He says he's the front man and says he's looking forward to facing Takeshita at Ryogoku. He says he's the IWGP champ and will go to The Dome as the champ. Zack then gets confetti.

Overall thoughts: The first 3 matches were acceptable and they mostly got Oleg/Fale right. The IWGP Tag Title match was one of the best matches of the year in my opinion. It was hard hitting, fast paced and it felt like something out of 1990's AJPW. I didn't care for Ishimori/Hiromu and thought it was similar to Finlay/Yota which I also didn't like. Gabe/Shingo was what you would expect. I liked it some but it could have been shorter. The main was about average. I would give it a low 6 out of 10 mostly for the Tag Title match being so good. I would definitely recommend checking that match out and not much else.