Csonka’s NJPW Kizuna Road 2016 Review 7.03.16

Csonka’s NJPW Kizuna Road 2016 Review 7.04.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Chase Owens defeated David Finlay @ 6:45 via pin [**½]
– Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Mask IV, Ryusuke Taguchi & Jushin Thunder Liger defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Kazushi Sakuraba, Baretta & Rocky Romero @ 11:45 via pin [**½]
– Yujiro Takahashi & Hangman Page defeated Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan @ 10:43 via pin [*½]
– Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Togi Makabe & Juice Robinson @ via [**¾]
– NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Title Match: Satoshi Kojima, Matt Sydal & Ricochet defeated The Elite @ 15:07 via pin to become the NEW Champions [****]
– Elimination Match: The CHAOS defeated Los Ingobernables @ 20:05 via pin (Ospreay survived) [****]
– NEVER Openweight Title Match: Champion Katsuyori Shibata defeated Tomoaki Honma @ 16:26 via pin [***¾]

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David Finlay vs. Chase Owens: One of the best things to happen to Owens was the injuries to the Young Bucks, a she got to pick up the extra dates and work another BOTSJ tournament. Getting that chance for a second straight year has been really beneficial to his growth as a performer. This was a nice little opening match, rock solid stuff; Owens looked good in his heel role here as Finlay continues to be a lot of fun to watch. He also does some nice things as a fiery babyface. Owens hit a neck breaker out of the corner, and then the package piledriver to secure the victory.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Mask IV, Ryusuke Taguchi & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Kazushi Sakuraba, Baretta & Rocky Romero: As always, a fun/odd mix of undercard personalities here. We got early spots revolving around Taguchi’s ass, and Sakuraba trying to kick it, literally. After some laughs, the CHOAS B-Team took control, working over Taguchi for a bit. Tiger Mask got a tag, ran wild for a bit, and even got a near fall on Romero. The crowd was pretty out of it until Tenzan tagged in, they woke up for that, seemingly waiting for his part, and that alone. He and Ishii went back and forth, pummeling on each other to show who was tougher; Tenzan then totally no sold a suplex only to eat a clothesline. Baretta & Rocky cleared out Team Tenzan, worked him over with some double teams until it broke down. Baretta ate everyone’s signature moves, we got some dives, and then Baretta hit the moonsault to pick up the win. Tenzan picks up another win in his “I have been shunned from the G1 and am pissed” angle. I still expect a worked injury, where he gets in and picks up some big wins as a, “I may be old but still valuable” type deal. This was another rock solid match, it felt a little long during the bland middle, but the ending stretch was fun and well done.

Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Hangman Page: Oh great, Yoshitatsu doing his Dollar Tree Triple H CosPlay gimmick. Bullet Club took out Yoshitatsu right away and worked the heat on the good Captain. Page and Takahashi have developed some nice chemistry as the new B-Squad Bullet Club team. Yoshitatsu got the Luke warm tag and did his Triple H tribute gimmick, which is funny because the moment he tried his own shit, he got cut off. Takahashi avoided the pedigree, low blowed Yoshitatsu and got a near fall. This feels so slow, and is not really good. The Caption got his usual run near the end, where he looks like a threat for a minute or two and even got near falls on Page. It broke down, and Page dropped Captain New Japan on his head with last rtes to pick up the win. Yeah, this was not good; it went too long, never felt like it had any sort of cohesive flow and with Page and Takahashi being positioned for a tag title shot, going 10-minutes with the undercard comedy goofs is not the way to book them. This should have been 5-minutes tops; with the faces maybe getting a strong open and a hope spot, but otherwise, Page and Takahashi should have dominated here. Also, Yoshitatsu is basically the drizzling shits, and his Triple H Cosplay gimmick needs to die in a fire. Page has been presented well so far in his early NJPW run.

Togi Makabe & Juice Robinson vs. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi: Makabe started out with Nagata, because he wanted to get his work in early before Team YER DADZ took the heat on Robinson. Nakanishi looked particularly surly this evening, s-l-o-w-l-y working some back and forth with Robinson. Robinson got some run and actually got the crowd fired up; Nakanishi then fought back with the superplex, which the crowd also loved, and Nagata tagged in for our heat segment on Robinson. Nakanishi was particularly inspired tonight, also hitting a high cross. Makabe finally got the hot tag, got some run on Nakanishi, but Nagata cut him off, leading to back and forth strikes center ring. Makabe then decapitated Nagata, and tagged in Robinson. It would break down, Nakanishi and Makabe to the floor, and then Nagata hit the knee strike and backdrop driver for the win. YER DADZ HUZZAH! Planet Nakanishi was slow, but felt a bit more inspired than usual this evening. Nothing great here, but it was slightly better than some of the early matches. Outside of Yoshitatsu & Captain New Japan vs. Yujiro Takahashi & Hangman Page, this has been a rock solid undercard.

Don't you dare be sour, clap your hands and feeeeel the powaaaah! #NJPW #njkizuna pic.twitter.com/H9JhJQkZRO

— LARIATOOOOO!!! (@SenorLARIATO) July 3, 2016

“Shout out to our boys!”

NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Title Match: Champions Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks vs. Satoshi Kojima, Matt Sydal & Ricochet: Omega and the Bucks wore New Day shirts to the ring. Ricochet and Sydal controlled the early portion, forcing the Elite to bail to the floor to regroup. Kojima joined the party, sending the heels packing once again. The Elite then battled back, did their Terminator gimmick and scored with the triple dives. The Elite then took the heat on Sydal, using a mixture of heel shenanigans, along with double and triple teams to keep him isolated from his corner. Sydal finally got the tag to Ricochet, who ran wild on the Bucks with his speed and freak athletic ability. After some fun interaction between Omega and Ricochet, Kojima came in and worked chops on all three elite members. Nick cut him off with a belt shot, Sydal and Ricochet were sent to the floor and Omega hit the Finlay roll into a moonsault for a near fall. Kojima fought back and hit the cutter on Omega and then tagged in Sydal. He and Ricochet both hit the ring to take out the Elite, Sydal went for Meteora but was caught and powerbombed to the corner. The Bucks accidentally ice sprayed Omega, but then took out Sydal with double superkicks. Ricochet countered the one winged angle with a reverse RANA, and Kojima hit the Michinoku driver on Omega, followed by Meteora from Sydal for a great near fall. The Bucks saved Omega and Matt tagged in, the cleared the ring and worked double teams on Sydal until Kojima made the save. He got tosses, and Sydal ate a platter of triple superkicks for a near fall. Some really nice stuff down the stretch, with the faces countering the Meltzer driver several times. It totally broke down, Kojima killed fools with lariats and the double shooting star presses from Ricochet and Sydal connected and we have new champions. That was a great match, with an insane pace that never stopped. All six busted their asses, and this was easily the best thing on the show. The crowd reacted huge to the title change.

– Post match, Kojima called out Tenzan. Kojima then GAVE Tenzan his spot in the G1, as long as Tenzan promised to win; Tenzan accepted. Well then, that’s rather newsworthy. On one hand, I appreciate the story, but on the other I was way more excited for Kojima in the G1 than Tenzan.

Special Elimination Match: Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Will Ospreay vs. Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI: The CHAOS vs. Los Ingobernables feud has been great, and the elimination match is one many were hoping for. Eliminations are pin, submission or over the top. CHAOS controlled early, with Ospreay and SANADA having some really fun back and forth. The others brawled to the floor as SANADA took control of the match. Los Ingobernables isolated Ospreay, BUSHI did his shirt choke spot and then they worked quick tags. Ospreay survived, making the tag to Okada, who worked over BUSHI as the others brawled to the floor. After Naito and Okada had some back and forth, Los Ingobernables cleared out CHOAS and worked over Okada, scoring a great near fall off a double team. Okada scored with the top rope elbow drop on Naito, they then battled to the apron (after both going over the top) and Naito countered a tombstone into a reverse DDT, which eliminated both at about 11-minutes in. I actually dig them going out that way, as it allows the others time to shine. We they got EVIVL vs. Goto for a bit, with EVIL eliminating him over the top at around 13-minutes in. HASHI then eliminated EVIL shortly after with a superkick on the apron for the elimination. HASHI and SANDA then continued their feud, with some really nice back and forth; SANADA countered a cradle into a roll up of his own for the elimination at around 15-minutes in (they keep building on each encounter, which has made their interactions a ton of fun). Ospreay was left alone, and ended up eliminating SANADA via over the top at 16:30, leaving us with Ospreay vs. BUSHI as the final two men in. Ospreay countered the MX with a jumping spin kick, he fired up and they exchanged strikes center ring. SANADA got involved, but BUSHI accidentally misted him. We they got a brawl, with Okada and Goto taking out Naito and EVIL. Ospreay it a series of kicks, did the Rainmaker pose and scored with the Spanish fly for a near fall. Ospreay then hit the springboard cutter for the win. This was another great match, with excellent pacing and not only playing well off of the feud between the factions, but also the individual feuds within. The booking was also well done in the fact that they made Ospreay look great.

NEVER Openweight Title Match: Champion Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tomoaki Honma: Shibata just won the title back, so I can’t see him losing here. That means that this will be every major Honma single match ever, the key will be the build and giving us one or two real spots where we believe that he can win. Shibata had a very, “I give no fucks and plan to kick your face off” look about him pre-match. Shibata controlled early, using a mix of stiff forearms and uppercuts, along with some grappling. After failing a knee bar attempt, Shibata locked in the figure four; Honma eventually rolled and made the ropes. Honma took a powder on the floor, returned and started to put some offense together, and getting the crowd into his comeback. But he went for a kokeshi that only connected with the mat. Shibata then connected with a series of running kicks, and then the corner dropkick. They traded forearms, and then Honma finally connected with a lariat and running kokeshi. Honma laid in a series of chops, only for Shibata to challenge him for more before dropping to the mat after a chop to the throat. Honma then hit a charging kokeshi, sending Shibata to the floor. He then went up top and hit the kokeshi all the way to the floor. They did the double countout tease, Honma tossed Shibata back in and covered for a near fall. Shibata hit a desperation German, Honma no sold it but then ran into a dropkick and they did the double down. Honma fired up, challenging Shibata to hit him, and they laying into him with forearms in the corner. Shibata grabbed a hanging guillotine, but then Honma deadlifted Shibata into a suplex. Honma then connected with the sitout piledriver for a near fall. he then headed up top for the homerun, but a swing and a miss as he ate mat on the kokeshi. They then just beat the hell out of each other, Shibata hi an uppercut as Honma leaped at him with a kokeshi. Honma again fired u, and went for the kokeshi, but Shibata caught him in the sleeper. The PK then finished it. This was an overall strong main event, with some great hard-hitting action and good counters (like the finishing sequence of catching the kokeshi), but really lacked the drama to make it great. Usually in a great Honma match they get me to bite, but it wasn’t even close here. Shibata winning was a given, and it never felt in doubt, even for a second. Still, an quality main event, if a step down from the previous matches.

– Post match, Shibata helped Honma to his feet and then tossed him to the floor like a piece of trash.

GET THE FUCK OUT pic.twitter.com/7cSorgz3Pm

— Dan (@GolazoDan) July 3, 2016

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”