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OKADA VS. TANAHASHI: NEW JAPAN ON AXS TV REPORT

By Mike Johnson on 2023-03-09 23:04:00

Welcome to the New Japan on AXS TV report!

We are in San Jose, CA at Battle in the Valley!

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

The match begins with some chain wrestling between Okada and Tanahashi, Tanahashi gets Okada in a wrist lock. Okada trips up Tanahashi and he goes to work on his leg, Tanahashi gets free and Okada gets a pin attempt. Okada backs Tanahashi into the ropes before taunting him, Okada kicks Tanahashi in the midsection before landing a shoulder tackle. Tanahashi recovers and he drops Okada with an arm drag, Okada fights back and Tanahashi drops him with a middle rope cross body block. Tanahashi misses a charge in the corner and Okada places him on the top rope, Okada then hits Tanahashi with a drop kick and Tanahashi falls to the arena floor. Okada leaves the ring and he backs Tanahashi into the barricade, Okada follows up by sending Tanahashi back first into the ring edge. Okada drags Tanahashi up the entrance ramp before landing a DDT, Okada gets Tanahashi back in the ring and he gets in there as well. Okada backs Tanahashi into the corner while landing a few strikes, Okada then hits Tanahashi with another DDT for a near fall.

Tanahashi tries fighting back and Okada drops him with a neck breaker, Tanahashi fights back again and the two exchange some strikes. Tanahashi stops a charging Okada before cracking him with some strikes, Okada fights back and Tanahashi drops him with a leaping forearm strike. Tanahashi stands Okada up before landing more strikes and a slam, Tanahashi then hits Okada with a middle rope swanton bomb for a near fall. Tanahashi follows up by nailing Okada with a drop kick to the knee, Tanahashi then hits Okada with a dragon screw leg whip. Okada leaves the ring and Tanahashi hits him with a High Fly Flow that sends them both crashing to the arena floor, Tanahashi gets Okada back into the ring and he follows him in there. Okada fights back and he manages to drop Tanahashi with a flapjack, Tanahashi then hits a charging Okada with a drop kick to the knee. Okada recovers and he nails a charging Tanahashi with a modified neck breaker for a near fall, Okada then hits a downed Tanahashi with a top rope elbow drop. Okada sets up for The Rainmaker and Tanahashi fights his way to freedom, Okada then applies the Money Clip to Tanahashi.

Okada releases the hold to hit Tanahashi with a back breaker, Okada reapplies the Money Clip to a downed Tanahashi. Tanahashi eventually gets to the ropes to break the hold, Tanahashi avoids a Rainmaker attempt to land a straight jacket German suplex for a near fall. Tanahashi escapes the grasp of Okada to land a slingblade for a near fall, Tanahashi goes to the top rope and he nails Okada with a High Fly Flow to the back. Tanahashi returns to the top rope and Okada gets his knees up on the second High Fly Flow attempt, Tanahashi and Okada have a striking exchange in the middle of the ring. Okada ends the exchange by hitting Tanahashi with a shotgun drop kick, Tanahashi fights back and Okada nails her with another drop kick. Okada then hits Tanahashi with a Michinoku Driver, Okada goes for the Rainmaker and Tanahashi blocks it by attacking his injured knee. Tanahashi follows up by dropping Okada with a sling blade, Tanahashi goes for a High Fly Flow and Okada counters with a drop kick. Okada goes for the Rainmaker again and Tanahashi counters with a roll up for a near fall, Okada recovers and he hits Tanahashi with an enziguri. 

Okada then hits Tanahashi with a northern lights bomb, Okada then hits Tanahashi with the Rainmaker for a three count.

Winner: Kazuchika Okada, still your IWGP World Heavyweight Champion

 

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