New Japan Pro Wrestling 2/27/2026 The New Beginning USA 2026
DF jumps on Fred with a forearm as the ref checks him. DF stomps on him and sends him out. DF splits Fred's fingers outside and they trade forearms out there. DF clubs him and takes knees to the gut. Fred chokes him with a cable.
Fred bangs DF's chin off the apron. Fred shoulders him over and butt drops him. Fred chops and lariats him in the corner. Fred chops him down there then hits hip attacks. They fight on the apron. DF pushes him into the post. DF stomps the hand and bangs the hand off the mat. DF euros him down for 2. DF sentons him.
Fred hits forearms and DF uranage backbreakers him. Fred suplexes DF into the buckles. Fred hits shots in the corner. Fred pulls DF crotch first into the post. Fred rolls him on the floor by the hair and bangs his head off the rails. DF powerbombs him into the post.
DF backbreakers him for 2. Fred backdrops him on the apron. Fred running lariats him for 2. Fred gutbusters him then goes for the chickenwing. DF sends Fred into the buckles to break the hold. DF spinning forearms Fred then powerbombs hims for 2.
Fred running AA's him for 2. DF cradles him off a slam for 2. DF hits overkill and wins.
Thoughts: DF is going to WWE so I thought he might lose here, but he didn't. The match wasn't anything too special. Fred got a decent amount in during the early portion of this.
DF grabs the mic after as the crowd chants, "Thank You, Finlay". He then throws the mic down without saying anything. Yuto-Ice and Oskar meet him on the stage and they do their hand sign together.
NJPW STRONG Openweight Title Match - Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Oleg Boltin
TI side headlocks him. They shoulder battle and Oleg shoulders him over. Oleg chops him in the corner. Oleg misses a splash and TI shoulders him over. They trade forearms. TI hits chops in the corner. Oleg slams him down. Oleg corner splashes him then karelin's lifts him. Oleg vader bombs him for 2.
Oleg hits forearms and TI no sells them. TI forearms him down. TI corner splashes him and hits chops. TI suplexes him for 2. TI slaps him around and Oleg chops him. They trade chops. Oleg belly to belly suplexes him. TI no sells it and germans him. They forearm each other and Oleg lariats him down. TI backdrops him and both go down.
Oleg chops him and is lariated down. Oleg blocks a sliding lariat and TI headbutts him. TI sliding lariats him for 2. Oleg dropkicks him. Oleg forearms him down then powerbombs him for 2. Oleg yanks him up and finlay rolls him for 2. TI enzugiri's him. They trade shots and TI uppercut forearms him. TI running lariats him for 2. Oleg pop-up F-5's him. Oleg finlay rolls him and pins him.
Thoughts: It was the match you would expect with them chopping, forearmming and lariating each other. It was a good enough match but it wasn't one that you would remember and was pretty similar to other Ishii matches. I liked Ishii's uppercut forearms here.
AEW National Title Match - Ricochet (c) vs. Taiji Ishimori
Ric pulls TI's hair off the lock up. Ric then teases him, telling him to grab his hair. TI grabs him by the face nd Ric complains to the ref. TI eye rakes him. TI top rope la silla's him. They backroll each other. They sweep each other and try to dropkick each other at the same time. They then headflip up together and Ric goes out to stall.
TI chases him and Ric misses an elbow drop in the ring. TI chops Ric in the corner then punches him there. TI is knocked off the apron and Ric fosbury flops him outside. TI is sent into the post and rail. Ric gets a 2 count on him inside.
Ric stomps TI then dropkicks him for 2. Ric chinlocks TI and chops him on the ropes. Ric spinning forearms him. Ric pulls the hair and TI eye pokes him. TI handspring corkscrew kicks him. TI hits punches.
Ric is back body dropped out. TI tries to tope con hilo him but gets stuck on the ropes and falls over onto him. TI flying double knees him in the corner and twists Ric neck with his feet. TI double stomps him for 2. TI shoulderbreakers him. TI la mistica drops him into a border city stretch.
Ric fallaway slams him and holds on for a suplex. Ric asai moonsaults him and running ssp's him for 2. TI pump kicks him and jumping knees him. Ric superkicks him, pumping knees him then TI codebreakers the arm.
They collide with lariats and pump kicks. Ric lariats him down. TI poisonrana's him and elevated reverse ddt's him for 2. Ric grabs the ref to avoids a move and rolls up TI for 2. TI handsprings and is caught with a death valley driver. Ric hits vertigo. Ric hits a spirit gut from behind and wins.
Thoughts: I suppose TI was the face here but he didn't do a great job of it. TI didn't do a lot of flying here but Ric did. Ric won was expected here and it was just acceptable only.
El Desperado & KUSHIDA vs. Alec Price & Jordan Oliver
AP and JO attacks before the other team is ready. They hit stereo flying lariats then both get pulled out. AP and JO are thrown into each other. Kush chops AP outside. AP is popped up to the stage. He and Kush fight there. Kush is superkicked off onto the others then AP flip dives him.
Kush takes corner attacks then JO dropkicks Kush. Kush hiptosses JO then cartwheels into a basement dropkick on him. Despy whips JO down by the arm for 2. JO hits chops and Kush does an armlock off the cobra twist. Kush ties up JO's arms with his legs and falls back. Despy yanks JO's arm down from the apron.
JO chops Despy and Despy chops back. JO backrolls Despy for 2 then sunset flips him for 2. Despy goes for a leapfrog and JO flying back elbows him. AP tags in. He top rope dropkicks Kush then pop-up dropkicks Despy for 2. AP boots him out of the corner and Despy backdrops him.
JO jumping knees Despy then Despy spinebusters him. Kush comes in and hits leg kicks on JO. JO chops him. Kush spinning forearms him. Kush handsrpings and is caught with a german. Despy and AP go at it. Despy spinebusters him.
AO euros Despy then Despy shoulders him over. Despy takes a combination of moves and is fameasser'd. Kush top rope hurricanrana's AP then Despy spears JO. AP superkicks Despy and Kush pele kicks AP. AP rebound lariats Kush.
Despy and AP trade forearms on their knees. They get up and trade. AP cradles him for 2. AP enzugiri's him then walks up the buckles and diving blockbusters him. Kush handspring kicks JO off the apron. Kush kimura's AP. AP takes shots from both and a double punch. Kus hits an angel's wings on AP and pins him.
Thoughts: I thought it went longer than it needed to and wasn't anything too great. They lost some of the pace of this halfway through and I don't think they got most they could have out of this.
NJPW World Television Title Match - El Phantasmo (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita
They trade basic holds. They do the headlock takeover > headscissors spot and repeat it with the roles reversed. They go for pins. ELP chops him then KT pump kicks him. KT flying lariats him. ELP's head is banged off the buckles and KT hits mounted corner punches. ELP goes up and over. ELP flying headscissors him. ELP slingshot plancha's him but KT forearms him down. ELP is sent into the rails. KT ddt's him on the apron.
ELP hits forearms in the ring and takes a facekick. KT does a cobra clutch variation. ELP dropkicks him. ELP hits shots and boots him out of the corner. ELP 2nd rope diving tornado ddt's him. ELP spinning chops him then walks up the buckles, does rope tricks and diving headscissors him for 2. ELP 2nd rope elbow drops him.
KT corner facekicks ELP. ELP springboard twisting crossbodies him. ELP misses an asai moonsault then topes KT outside. KT is over the rail and ELP top rope moonsaults him in the front row. ELP springboard swantons him and asai moonsaults him. KT blue thunders him for 2. KT is on the 2nd rope and takes an enzugiri. KT blocks a hurricanrana then ELP gets his knees up on KT's 2nd rope senton. ELP superkicks him, gets forearmed and both go down.
KT exploders ELP then pumping knees him for 2. ELP cutthroat burning hammers him then hits a CR2 for 2. KT blocks a top rope splash. ELP falcon arrows him and the time limit expires.
ELP asks the crowd if they want 5 more minutes after. KT comes back down. They trade forearms. They each hit kicks. KT hits 2 big forearms. ELP rolls him up for 2. They trade pins attempts. ELP canadian destroyers him. KT hits a package tombstone then wheelbarrow gemrans him off of it. KT lariats him for the 2. KT hits ELP's CR2 for 2. ELP rolls him up for 2. KT pumping knees him then hits a raging fire for the win.
Thoughts: They had done more than enough at 15 minutes. It was the high flying match you would expect with these two. I don't know if they really got the most out of the time. It was similar to what I thought it would look like and definitely was an indy style match more based on moves, flips and kickouts than selling.
IWGP Tag Team Title Match - Knockout Brothers (OSKAR & Yuto-Ice) (c) vs. Gates Of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
The four stare down face to face. Kaun and Ice trade forearms. Toa kicks Ice from the ropes and Kaun back elbows Ice down. Kaun then pounds on Ice. Tora corner lariats Ice then Ice takes a double shoulderblock. Ice takes a senton and a flying headbutt.
Ice is stomped and double foot choked in the corner. Kaun chops Ice. Ice knees him in the gut and facekicks him. Kaun takes a slam + head kick. Ice hit chest kicks on Kaun in the corner. Ice spin kicks him then is pounced by Toa. Os is flying kicked off the apron by Kaun. Os catches Kaun's plancha then Toa pounces Os into the rails. Toa throws a rail down on Os.
Kaun chops Ice outside and slaps him. Ice tells him to come on. Toa stands on Ice on a pin attempt. Toa slams Ice then kicks him in the back. Toa then stomach claws him and trapezius holds him. Ice fights his way out.
Ice takes corner splashes from GoA and Kaun running suplexes Ice. Kaun chops Ice. Ice suplexes Kaun. Os and Toa are tagged in. They shoulder battle and chop each other. They lariat battle. Os boots him and fights off a double team. Os spinning slams Toa. Ice facekicks Kaun then Toa is knee'd in the gut by Os. Ice 2nd rope diving lariats Kaun. Toa does a fallaway slam + samoan drop combo on both opponents.
Os sleepers Toa while sitting up top. Kaun dropkicks Os then superplexes him. Top top rope elbow drops Os. Ice hits forearms on Toa then Kaun cutters Ice. GoA's heads are banged together and they double spinebuster Os for 2.
Os double lariats his opponents. Ice hits forearms on Kaun then hits knees to the face. Ice corner meteora's Kaun. Kaun fireman's carry gutbusters Ice. Ice buzzsaw kicks Kaun for 2. Ice PK's Kaun and Toa breaks it up. Ice spits on Toa and hits a slap flurry. He high kicks him then Toa superkicks him. Toa threatens to hit the ref.
Ice punches Toa after Os sleepers Toa. Toa takes a double team pwoerbomb. Kaun dropkicks Os. Kaun boots Ice then running lariats him. Kaun hits a pedigree on Ice for 2. Kaun pumping knees Os. Ice basement dropkicks Kaun then Kaun takes a kick + tombstone and is pinned.
Thoughts: It wasn't as good as some of the other KOB matches. It just didn't get quite as heated as it should have and they didn't get a great pace going. What we got was fine just it didn't live up to the expectations I had for it. While they overdid it in some of the other matches, they did not go all out here.
IWGP Women's Title Match - Syuri (c) vs. Athena
They lock up and go to the ropes. Syu misses a kick and they stand off. Ath offers a handshake. Syu obliges and they try to hit each other. They do some mat wrestlers. Syu wristlocks her then Ath wristlocks her back. Syu shoulders her over. Ath flips out of a hiptoss and armdrags her. Syu flying headscissors her They shoulder each other and stand off.
Syu running knees her in the corner and underhook suplexes her. Syu goes for the armbar and Ath ropebreaks. Syu flying knees her off the apron. Ath slams her into the rails, dropping her on the floor. Syu's head is banged of the apron and Ath clubs on her. Ath hits knees to the back then knees her in the face.
Ath hits corner attacks then forward handspring lariats her for 2. Ath swinging guillotines her then sentons her for 2. Ath hits knees to the head from the cravate. Ath running knees her in the head and drops her with a forearm for 2.
Syu casadora bulldogs her for 1. Syu kicks her in the back then PK's her. Syu then armbars her. Syu is rolled into the buckles head first. Syu armbars her. Ath hits ataxia and does a koji clutch off of it. Ath hits mounted shots and yells at the ref. Syu kimura suplexes her off the 2nd rope. Syu pulls back on Ath's arms.
Syu sleepers her and Ath rope breaks. Syu is neckbreakered over the top rope. Ath slingshots and is caught with a bridging cutter for 2. Ath powerbombs her 3 times out of a triangle for 2. They trade forearms. Syu hits knees to the gut. Ath superkicks her. Ath euros her then Syu knees her in the gut. Syu germans her. Ath no sells it and backdrops her. Syu no sells it. Ath tombstones her for 2.
Syu high kicks her and pumping knees her. Syu headbutts her down then hits an electric chair side driver and pins her.
Thoughts: It was a stiff battle. Ath threw Syu around recklessly like usual. Syu worked the arm some but it didn't go anywhere. I don't think they got much out of some of the stuff near the end. I thought it was acceptable but they really needed one of them to back down a little and put the other over.
Athena refuses a handshake after. Syu grabs the ROH Women's Title and gives it back to Ath.
We see I think Alex Windsor working out, but she's not wearing make up so she looks like someone else. She challenges Syuri for the NJPW Strong Women's Title.
IWGP Global Heavyweight Title Match - Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Andrade El Idolo
They lock up. Idolo wristlocks him. Yota hammerlocks him. Idolo side headlocks him then shoulders him over. Yota knees him in the gut. They do a double knuckle lock. Yota side headlocks him. Yota flying hedscissors him but Idolo headflips out. Idolo poses on the ropes.
Idolo eye pokes, boots and chops him. Yota tilt-a-whirl armdrags him out. Yota then topes him. Idolo is sent into the rails. Yota hits chops. Yota rams Idolo's face into the mat. Yota goes for a marlow crash but is tripped and falls. Idolo gets a 2 count off of it.
Idolo chops and knees him in the corner. Yota is thrown hard into the corner and goes down. Idolo chinlocks him. Idolo drops Yota with a chop. Idolo throws him down off the side headlock. Yota hits chops. Yota gutbusters him. Yota tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him.
Yota corner splashes Idolo and hits mounted corner elbows. Yota orange crushes him for 2. Idolo figure fours him. They trade forearms. Yota hits a marlow crash for 2. They trade forearms. Idolo hits triple suplexes for 2. Idolo goes up top and is kicked. Idolo 2nd rope reverse spanish flies him and Yota rolls out.
Idolo springboard triangle tornillo's him. Idolo does a top rope moonsault into a standing moonsault for 2. Idolo takes a pumping knee in the corner. Yota 2nd rope hurricanrana's him down. Yota goes for a spear, Idolo rolls him up and suplexes him. They go head to head.
They trade chops. Idolo hits lariats. Yota does his curbstomp combination on him then alley oop's him for 2. Yota runs at him and is dropkicked. Idolo hammerlock ddt's him for 2. Idolo hits a double underhook canadian destroyer for 2. Idolo corner meteora's him. Yota his superkicks and takes a spinning back elbow for 2.
Idolo is crotched up top. They fight on the buckles and trade headbutts there. Idolo goes for a powerbomb and is hit with a canadian destroyer for 2. Yota reverse suplexes him off the top. Idolo spears him for 1. Yota cradles him then spears him. Yota hits another spear for 2. Yota crabs him and Idolo taps.
Thoughts: I didn't like it. It was an indy style match with canadian destroyers, spanish flies and a stupid boston crab finish. They did each other's moves here and the selling wasn't good at all.
Yota thanks the fans for coming to an NJPW show and thanks Idolo. Yota says he's the IWGP champ and the IWGP Global champ after. He says his name is Yota Tsuji. He says he's not the future, it's his time. He says this is his era and name. He says there are many great promotions but believes NJPW is the best.
Overall thoughts: It was a longer show and everything on here got plenty of time. The crowd wasn't mic'd well and the arena wasn't lit well and that hurt some of the matches. Ishii/Oleg was the best match here and the tag title match was the second best bout but nothing was great. I thought it was an average show but the bookers tried to make it an appealing card. I'd give this a 5 out of 10.
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