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October 7, 2019, Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan
There is Japanese commentary for this event. Most of the foreign talent did not appear on the card, possibly due to the King of Pro-Wrestling event and Super Jr. Tag League coming later this month.
Before the first match, there was a contract signing between Kazuchika Okada and SANADA, for a title match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Both wrestlers were dressed in suits and respected the moment. Both played to the crowd who chanted their names.
Match 1: Yuya Uemura, Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Yota Tsuji, Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata
Tenzan forces Tsuji to submit with an Anaconda Vice.
Match 2: Toa Henare vs. Shingo Takagi
Good match. Takagi had his right shoulder taped up and seemed to favor it during the match. Henare continues to improve and has the charisma to get cheers from the Japanese audience. Takagi pins Henare with Made in Japan.
Match 3: Tiger Mask and Jyushin Thunder Liger vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Minoru Suzuki
Suzuki-gun entered first. Liger and Tiger Mask came to the ring ready to fight. Suzuki-gun attacks them as they enter the ring and take the fight into the crowd. Announcers scream to the audience to stay out of the way. Suzuki beats Liger with chairs. Suzuki grabs a fan’s umbrella and tried to stab Liger in the throat. Referee starts the count and the wrestlers get back to the ring. Suzuki goes after Liger’s mask while Kanemaru goes for Tiger’s mask. Referee breaks it up and Suzuki and Liger trade chops in the chest. Suzuki hits Liger with a vicious elbow knocking him on his back. Kanemaru tags in and gets a two count. Suzuki-gun brutalize Liger in the corner with double teams and baiting Tiger to get in the ring. Suzuki attempts his sleeper choke submission but Liger hits him with a brain buster and tags Tiger. Kanemaru tags in, misses a series of kicks which Tiger reverses and locks Kanemaru in an ankle submission. Kanemaru gets to the ropes for a break. Tiger hits a tombstone on Kanemaru but misses a top rope flying headbutt. Kanemaru counters with a clothesline and a moonsault for a two count.
Tiger hits a Tiger Driver on Kanemaru and both men tag out. Suzuki and Liger continue chopping each other. Suzuki hits Liger with a chair. Suzuki throws a chair to Liger and they duel with chairs, almost hitting the referee. Referee tries to stop them but Liger hits the ref with the broken chair. The bell rings to end the match. Liger and Suzuki continue to brawl.
Tiger and Kanemaru try to break them up. Suzuki takes the mic and screams at Liger saying “Yamada” (which could be Liger’s real name). Liger and Suzuki grab chairs from the crowd and ready to fight again. They are separated again. Suzuki attacks a young lion on his way out of the ring.
Fun match. It will be interesting to see what they are building to with Liger and Suzuki.
Match 4: SHO, YOH, Tomohiro Ishii and Hirooki Goto vs. Jado, Gedo, Taiji Ishimori and Yujiro Takahashi, with Pieter.
It is Chaos vs. Bullet Club. Good match! Bullet Club worked over Ishii for the early part of the match till he made the tag to YOH. YOH and SHO double team Ishimori and Takahashi. Jado hits YOH with the Kendo stick. YOH makes the hot tag to Goto. Too much action to describe here. Goto hits an ushigaroshi and GTR on Gedo for the win
Match 5: BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito vs. DOUKI and Taichi
Good to see Taichi again since the G1 Climax. Mind games being played between Taichi and Naito. DOUKI and Taichi take a page from the King of Suzuki-gun and take the fight into the crowd. Taichi works over Naito with a chair and taunts Shingo Takagi who is on commentary. DOUKI and Taichi work over Naito’s neck. Naito hits a reverse neck breaker on Taichi and tags BUSHI. BUSHI hits a drop kick and DDT for a two count. DOUKI tags in hits a spring board DDT on BUSHI. Naito stops the pin attempt. Action gets fast and furious. BUSHI hits a codebreaker on DOUKI and follows up with MX for the pin.
Naito and Taichi continue the mind games after the match
Match 6: YOSHI-HASHI, Tomoaki Honma, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano, and Togi Makabe
Tanahashi and Taguchi start and showcase their great mat wrestling skills. Yano and YOSHI-HASHI tag in for some comedy spots. Makabe and Honma jump in for some comedy as well. Lots of silliness but the crowd ate it up. Yano pins Honma with a roll up. Fine for what it was.
Match 7: Kota Ibushi and Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL and SANADA
Ibushi has a new briefcase with his Wrestle Kingdom contract. All four men are in the IWGP Heavyweight Championship picture. EVIL and Ibushi start the match. EVIL attempts some power moves but Ibushi hits him in the face with a drop kick. SANADA and Okada tag in. Crowd is HOT for this title match! SANADA shows the champ he is ready by hitting him with a drop kick and taking the match to the floor. EVIL tags in and hits Okada with a bronco buster. SANADA tags in and slows it down with a headlock. Okada counters with a flapjack. Ibushi and EVIL tag in and Ibushi hits wicked kicks to EVIL’s chest. EVIL counters with a lariat and kick to the stomach. SANADA tags in and puts Ibushi in the Paradise Lock. SANADA with a two count and Ibushi hits a hurricanrana. He makes the hot tag to Okada. Okada and SANADA trade punches and chops. Okada hits a neck breaker and top rope elbow on SANADA for a two count. EVIL and Ibushi hit the ring and bodies are flying everywhere. Okada goes for the tombstone on SANADA, who reverses into his Skull End submission. Ibushi breaks it up before Okada can tap out. SANADA attempts Skull End again, Okada reverses out and attempts the Rainmaker. SANADA ducks and is hit with an Okada dropkick. Both wrestlers are exhausted and crawl to tag out. Ibushi and EVIL tag in and hit each other with vicious shots. Ibushi hits a powerslam and moonsault for a two count. Ibushi hits a bridging German suplex, but EVIL kicks out. Ibushi signals for Bomaye. EVIL counters with a lariat and hits Darkness Falls on Ibushi. Okada breaks up the two count. Action is non-stop as all four men battle. Okada attempts a tombstone on EVIL, but he powers out. Okada goes for the Rainmaker and EVIL hits Everything is Evil (STO) on Okada. Ibushi blasts EVIL in the face with a Bomaye. Ibushi tries for Kamagoye on EVIL, but SANADA grabs him in Skull End. Ibushi counters but SANADA hits a pop-up cutter. EVIL recovers and hits Everything is Evil on Ibushi and gets the pin.
Awesome match! EVIL vs. Ibushi and Okada vs. SANADA on October 14 will be such great matches.
EVIL took the mic and reminded everyone that Everything is Evil!
The next New Japan events are King of Pro-Wrestling on October 14, and the Super Jr. Tag League 2019 starting October 16.
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