Bit smaller column this week, we’re off days this week to cover NJPW 1/4 ASAP but I’ll be back on schedule next Friday for the foreseeable future. Then, some random Dragon Gate news (WrestleJAM 3 lineups, with mucho indy stars) and some All-Japan for once.
New-Japan WRESTLE KINGDOM Results~!
If you don’t know by now, this show was a full on TNA vs. NJPW series, with wrestlers from DRADITION and Zero-One MAX also competing.It was spurned on by Kurt Angle carrying around the stolen IWGP Title, which he won from Brock Lesnar. Here are the results with some analysis, match-by-match.
1. THIS IS WAR! ~NONSTOP RISING~: Christian Cage, AJ Styles & Petey Williams beat Milano Collection AT, Minoru & Prince Devitt (10:25) when Styles used the Styles Clash on Milano.
Expected result here. TNA side was very strong with AJ and Christian. Surprised to see Milano taking the fall here, but Minoru and Devitt are getting a junior tag title shot soon so that may explain it. Also of note, Milano was injured here, and is out 2-3 months. Match was said to be quite good as an opening sprint.
2. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Wataru Inoue (c) beat Christopher Daniels (10:17) with a modified Staggerin’ Blow (1st defense).
Another expected result. Inoue is scheduled to make his v2 defense soon, against the man he won the belt off of, Ryusuke Taguchi. Match was said to be average.
3. Japanese Muscle Monster vs. The American Monster: Manabu Nakanishi beat Abyss (6:00) with the Dai*Nakanishi German.
This is the only match I incorrectly predicted. Nakanishi said he was looking for title shots after the match, so it seems he’s getting some form of push. The match featured thumbtacks and all that jazz. Nakanishi’s finisher is a big man German. Match said to be average at best.
4. NEW JAPAN vs. The Alliance GROUND ZERO: Masato Tanaka, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Yutaka Yoshie & Katsushi Takemura beat Takashi Iizuka, Koji Kanemoto, Tiger Mask & Ryusuke Taguchi (8:36) when Yoshie used a diving body press on Taguchi.
It seems they’re carrying on with this feud, specifically Kanemoto vs. Tanaka. Another short match that was said to be good for what it was. It seems like a feud-continuer though, so it’s ok. Yoshie got the pin, but apparentely Tanaka did the majority of the damage.
5. GET THE TABLE! GET THE HIGHEST! – Hardcore Match: “Team 3D” Brother Ray & Brother Devon beat Togi Makabe & Toru Yano (13:12) when Devon pinned Makabe after the 3D.
This was a hardcore brawl, with table spots, brawling, and things of that nature. 3D won, mainly because I’d assume they wanted to be protected, but Makabe and Yano really could have used a win here, for reasons we’ll get to later. Match was said to be the usual Dudleys brawl.
6. ONE NIGHT STAND ~LEGEND vs. VBH~: Tatsumi Fujinami, Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA beat Jado, Gedo, TARU, Shuji Kondo & “brother” YASSHI (7:18) when Choshu used a lariat on YASSHI.
Sounds like a simple way to trot the legends out there. Fujinami and Choshu apparently had problems but it probably won’t lead anywhere. Short match, again, but said to be decent.
7. Generation of Chaos: Great Muta beat Hirooki Goto (13:04) with a moonsault press.
Another match where the NJPW guy could have used the win. Goto lost, but also apparently was dominated in his loss. Muta is high enough on the totem pole where it shouldn’t really hurt him, but we shall see.
8. IWGP Tag Team Title: Giant Bernard & Travis Tomko (c) beat Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner (12:50) when Bernard pinned Rick after the Magic Killer (5th defense).
The quick match time here is key, as I imagine the Steiners couldn’t keep up with the champs for very long. Cool little passing of the torch, and said to be very over. After the match, GBH of Makabe and Yano made their challenge for the titles, and there’s a definite chance the belts will switch there.
9. Final Resolution~REAL vs. Justice~IWGP 3rd Belt: Kurt Angle (c) beat Yuji Nagata (18:29) with an ankle lock.
Here’s one of the biggies. Match was said to be VERY over and VERY awesome. Finish, also, sounded identical to Royal Rumble 2003 with Angle against some guy we don’t talk about anymore. I just downloaded this match, so we’ll have some thoughts next week.
10. IWGP Heavyweight Title: Shinsuke Nakamura beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) (23:08) with the Landslide to become the 48th champion.
And hopefully we’ll have some thoughts on this too. Big change, and a bit sad, but I suppose there’s a lot to do with Nakamura as champion. Angle challenged him, and it’s a unification match at the February PPV, and I’d be SHOCKED if Nakamura didn’t go over there, too. From there it’s a crapshoot, but I’m sure they’ll build to a match with Nagata.
Good looking show here, and I’ll take a look at some of the matches next week, after I see them and stuff. Oh yeah, 9 for 10 on predictions, fuck yeah! Damn you, Nakanishi. Damn you.
Random News and Other Stuff!!!
Dragon Gate released their lineups for January. We may do a full preview next week, but there are some big matches I would like to comment on now. On 1/15, Speed Muscle make their second defense of their GHC Jr. Tag Titles, from NOAH. It is against Takagi and Hulk, so four DG guys going for a NOAH belt. I give BxB Shingo no chance at winning, but I do hope that this belt switch leads to an all out Dragon Gate vs. NOAH war. The next night, Speed Muscle defends their Dragon Gate tag titles against two guys who aren’t from Dragon Gate (figure that out), Joel and Jose Maximo, the SAT’s of bad 2001 indy fame. Again, Speed Muscle 100% to retain there. Finally, later on in the tour, Masato Yoshino defends his Brave Gate title against El Generico. I give Generico a small, small shot at winning, but it’s quite unlikely. How he looks in the match, however, could determine if he becomes an Evans like regular (he has gotten a decent push, and has gotten a singles win over CIMA before), or just a guest. We will see.
Some news out of All-Japan this week. Voodoo Murderers is falling apart, it seems. Minoru Suzuki and Abdullah the Butcher, as a team, had a great weekend. On ½, they won a tag match, and then Abdullah won a battle royal for one million yen, which Minoru proceeded to steal. Then, on night two, they defeated Kensuke Sasaki and one of his students, and as a reward, Minoru used all the yen to buy Abdullah Kobe beef! In the main event, Mutoh and Joe Doering won the tag titles off of the Murderer’s, then Suwama left the stable. Things are going downhill for them, so keep an eye on that…
And with that, I’m out. Back Friday with thoughts on the ¼ matches and maybe some DG previewing, among other things. See ya then!
