Csonka’s New Japan Pro Wrestling BOTSJ Night Four Review

Introduction
As a reminder, this will not be another traditional recap, but instead it will be a mash up of the Rs, Instant Analysis and my usual Twitter ramblings I would do during the shows; completely uncensored and as the ideas flow unfiltered to the old keyboard. Remember, this is a review; and I am here to review the show. As always, I encourage discussion and even disagreement, just do so in a respectful manner. I will be doing the review for Raw and most PPVs and iPPVs going forward.

New Japan Pro Wrestling BOTSJ Night Four 5.26.15

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– BOSJ Block A Match: Barbaro Cavernario defeated Gedo via submission [***½]
– BOSJ Block B Match: KUSHIDA defeated David Finlay via submission [***]
– BOSJ Block B Match: Rocky Romero defeated Nick Jackson via pin [***]
– BOSJ Block A Match: Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Beretta via pin [**]

* Note: This is one of the many shows that New Japan World is not airing live, but instead are making matches available the next day via VOD. On the next day airings they are only making the tournament matches available, so that is all that will be reviewed here. I will try to keep up with all of the tournament matches, but these reviews will be a bit more short form at times since we’re not dealing with a complete show. Thanks for joining me…

Barbaro Cavernario defeated Gedo: This was a great match here, one of the best tournament matches so far. Gedo, at age 46, is really working as if he has something to prove and it is so much fun to see. I have really enjoyed his tag work with Okada, but seeing him ring general in this tournament is very cool. Gedo was the old grizzled and salty veteran, using every trick in the book (low blows, cheap shots, eye rakes) to control Cavernario. It was just really fun and allowed him to get good heat, and build sympathy for Cavernario. Cavernario would eventually make his comeback and use most of Gedo’s cheap tricks against him, which worked very well in context of the story being told. Cavernario was able to reverse the Gedo Clutch into a La Cavernaria to score the win. This was really good and most importantly, a load of fun.

KUSHIDA defeated David Finlay: While not as good as the opening match, KUSHIDA vs. young David Finlay was a good match and I felt Finlay’s best outing in the tournament. He hadn’t connected with me thus far, but in this match clicked finally. His, for lack of a better term, Finlay style worked very well as a counter to KUSHIDA’s style. KUSHIDA can also hold his own with striking exchanges, which came in handy here. KUSHIDA picking up the submission victory was expected, but I felt that they worked a good match and most importantly, Finlay looked good here to me for the first time.

Rocky Romero defeated Nick Jackson: Rocky Romero defeated Nick Jackson in what was another good match. These guys have so much experience working tags together, you could tell that they were really comfortable working together here. This really felt like a singles version of one of their tag matches, which is not a bad thing at all. They know what worked and did it here. Romero picks up the important victory in another fun match.

Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Beretta: And this is the match you can skip. Beretta was good, but this was a match based on the Taguchi ass attack. Seriously he used like a baker’s dozen of ass attacks here, including the finishing version where he mocks Nakamura’s Bome ye. If I didn’t have to watch another Taguchi match I’d be perfectly fine with that. Taguchi won, I didn’t really like it but Beretta worked hard.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

* Alex Shelley is officially out of the tournament after suffering ligament damage and a fracture in his left foot. His remaining opponents will receive forfeit victories. Here are the updated standings (with Shelley’s forfeits already added in)…

BLOCK A
* Gedo (2-1)
* Bárbaro Cavernario (2-1)
* Ryusuke Taguchi (2-1)
* Kyle O’Reilly (2-0)
* Jushin Thunder Liger (1-1)
* Baretta (1-2)
* Chase Owens (0-2)
* Yohei Komatsu (0-2)

BLOCK B
* Tiger Mask IV (3-0)
* KUSHIDA (3-1)
* Bobby Fish (2-1)
* Rocky Romero (2-1)
* Máscara Dorada (2-1)
* Nick Jackson (2-2)
* David Finlay (0-3)
* Alex Shelley (1-6) – Now Out Of Tournament

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”