Jake Mulligan here once again, with your Puro update. This week, for the benefit of those attending ROH in April, we have a breakdown and some information on Japanese indy worker Kota Ibushi, who is doing a 4 show tour of ROH. Also, we have a new title match for New Japan’s next PPV. Finally, we have a full preview of Dragon Gate’s next big show from Hakata Star Lanes, with a Dream and Brave Gate defense!
NEW CHAMPIONS IN NJPW, V1 SIGNED FOR 2/17
Results from NJPW’s 1/27 TV taping featured a title change, a successful defense, and a tag team match that told the story of NJPW in 2007. But first, the Zero-One MAX vs. New Japan war raged on, as Masato Tanaka and Ikuto Hidaka invaded to take on Koji Kanemoto and Tetsuya Naito. Z-1 were victorious again, Tanaka pinning Naito. A Z-1 vs. NJPW match is expected to be added to the 2/17 PPV soon, as this feud is heating up fast. Next up, in a match featuring 4 of NJPW’s main players in 2007, and featuring every IWGP Champion dating back to the Lesnar era of mid-2006, rivals Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi teamed up to defeat the RISE team of Shinsuke Nakamura and Hirooki Goto, Nagata pinning his 2/17 opponent, Goto, with a backdrop hold.
The show was main evented by a pair of junior title matches. First, the K-Dojo team of Dick Togo and TAKA Michinoku lost their IWGP Junior Tag Titles, to the RISE duo of Minoru and Prince Devitt (Fergal Devitt, of SoCal indies fame). Devitt pinned Togo to win in almost 22 minutes in a match that was said to be excellent. The main event was a rematch of the last IWGP Junior title switch, as Ryusuke Taguchi got his rematch against champion Wataru Inoue. Inoue got the best of him once again, however, busting out a new variation of the Staggering Blow for the win. After the show, Devitt and Minoru nominated their first challengers, a LEGEND team of Jushin “Thunder†Lyger and AKIRA. The match has been accepted, and will happen on the 2/17 PPV.
DRAGON GATE 2/3 PREVIEW: BALLSHOT REVENGE~!
Dragon Gate runs their next big show this week in Hakata, on 2/3. The first big match is a trios contest as the Triangle Gate champions Don Fujii, K-ness, and Masaaki Mochizuki take on former champions Shingo Takagi, BxB Hulk, and Cyber Kong. Of course, should the New HAZARD team win, they would be able to claim a title shot, while a win by the champs may allow two of them to challenge for Hulk and Takagi’s GHC Jr. Titles. In the semi-main, Masato Yoshino makes his V4 defense of the Brave Gate, against Dragon Kid, who is on a major roll right now. I expect Yoshino to take another win here, however, likely in a long match. Finally, the main event is a rematch of the King of Gate finals, as Gamma challenges CIMA for his Dream Gate title. In there last match, Gamma kicked CIMA in the balls so hard the match was stopped. Previous matches have seen Gamma take CIMA’s hair, and CIMA win contendership for the Dream Gate he currently holds, so this one is long built up. This is a tough one to call, as the face, CIMA, should win in the end, but there is not much to do with him with the belt. But, I feel in the end, CIMA will come out victorious, and prove himself the “ace†once and for all.
KOTA IBUSHI PREVIEW
Kota Ibushi is coming to ROH for a couple weekends in April, so here’s a quick preview and guide. Ibushi is a very versatile worker, and can go in many styles. He is very “flippyâ€, but often holds back, and can work a more technical style too. He is very young, debuting in 2004, so he clearly has a big upside. He often finishes with the Phoenix Splash, a corkscrew 450 Splash. He works for DDT, where he holds the Independent Junior Title, and has had many defenses across the indies. He is known not only for his flying, but his array of suplexes, so obviously he should fit right into ROH. Here are a few matches to get acquainted with him.
Kota Ibushi and Naomichi Marufuji vs. KENTA and Taiji Ishimori (NOAH 7/15/07)
Kota Ibushi, Shingo Takagi, and Cyber Kong vs. Don Fujii, K-ness, and Masaaki Mochizuki (Dragon Gate 9/22/07)
Kota Ibushi and Madoka vs. Dick Togo and TAKA Michinoku (K-Dojo 12/1/07)
And with that, I’m out. Next week, I’ll have a Kota match review, along with some more news outta Japan. As always, questions, news, and comments to jmull911@yahoo.com. See ya next week!
