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From the Tokyo Dome, Tokyo Japan:
Pre-show: King of Pro Wrestling 2024 Ranbo Match:
This was a Royal Rumble style match. Takashi Izuka made an appearance in the match and attacked everyone. Taichi brought the Iron Finger which Izuka took and hit everyone.
The final four were Toru Yano, Great O-Khan, Taiji Ishimori and YOH.
All four men will meet in a 4-way match tomorrow night at New Year's Dash to determine the KOPW 2024 Champion.
Main show:
1 - IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Francesco Akira and TJP vs. Drilla Moloney and Clark Conners
Akira came out with a coffin. Akira opened the coffin and TJP came out looking like an anime character. He had a mask on like Bray Wyatt's Fiend character. Akira had his body spray-painted in green flames like Finn Balor.
Match was short but solid. Bullet Club took the match to the floor, with everyone taking bumps. TJP moved like an animal in the ring on all fours, as if the mask were his other persona. Akira hit a sweet Destroyer on Moloney. Moloney came back with a Drilla Killa on TJP. Akira hit a top rope Spanish Fly on Conners. TJP spit red mist in Moloney's face and Catch 22 hit 2X2 on Moloney.
TJP pins Moloney
Catch 22 wins the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
Lots of WWE-type gimmicks in this match, which seemed unnecessary. Both teams could have had a good match without all the theatrics.
2 - NJPW World Television Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
TMDK came to the ring with Zack Sabre Jr.
The match began as a wrestling match, until Tanahashi hit 3 Twist and Shouts. He hit a Sling Blade and Aces High. ZSJ got his knees up for the High Fly Flow, and they began a submission/grappling style of match. Lots of near falls. They traded reversals till Tanahashi got ZSJ in a Victory Roll.
Tanahashi pins ZSJ.
Hiroshi Tanahashi wins the NJPW World Television Championship.
ZSJ presented the title to Tanahashi and bowed respectfully. Tanahashi got the mic and thanked the fans.
Tanahashi, new President of New Japan Pro Wrestling, is the World TV Champ, a belt that was originally marketed to develop young talent to get experience on televised matches. I think, as the President, Tanahashi should be transitioning out of a full time role in the ring and focusing his attention elsewhere in the company. He has stated that his goal is to have sell out cards at every arena in Japan. That will depend on the booking. Tanahashi can now be called a Grand Slam Champion who has won every title in New Japan.
3 - Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura
Good wrestling match. Both men put on a nice showcase of their skills.
Uemura pins Tsuji with a Deadbolt suplex.
4 - Kaito Kiyomiya and Shota Umino vs. EVIL and Ren Narita
All of House of Torture comes to the ring. They cut up a Pro Wrestling NOAH t-shirt to anger Kiyomiya.
This was a two on five match. House of Torture kept interfering all around ringside. Umino hit Narita with a slingshot DDT on the ring apron. Umino dropkicked both Yujiro Takahashi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Umino with a spring board dropkick to Narita's head and followed with a Trident. Narita kicks out at two. Umino and Kiyomiya double team Narita. EVIL makes the save and chokes Umino with t-shirt. Kiyomiya punches EVIL in the back and hits an STO on EVIL. Yujiro distracts Kiyomiya. EVIL hits Everything is Evil on Kiyomiya.
Narita and Umino begin grappling. Narita kept going for a rear naked choke. Referee is distracted. Narita hits Umino with a push up bar. Narita hits an X-Factor.
Narita pins Umino
Narita puts his foot on the chest of Umino as the crowd boos loudly.
Narita's win will continue this feud, as it should. This should be a generational type of feud that New Japan is building similar to Great Muta vs. Hiroshi Hase or Minoru Suzuki vs. Jyushin Thunder Liger. This is the best on-going story in New Japan right now. The fans will be excited (and pay) to watch Umino get his revenge on Narita.
5 - NEVER Openweight Championship: Tama Tonga vs. Shingo Takagi
Good match with both men going back and forth. Tama hit a Gun Stun but he could not make the cover. Takagi hit a Gun Stun, a Pumping Bomber and Made in Japan. Tama kicks out. They trade blows. Tama hits a Styles Clash and a Gun Stun. Two count. Tama hits a Drive Shack Driver.
Tama pins Takagi.
Tama Tonga wins the NEVER Openweight Tag Team Championship.
After the match, Tama Tonga acknowledges the fans and bows to the Tokyo Dome crowd.
Nick Nemeth (fka Dolph Zigger) and Ryan Nemeth make their way to ringside for a seat.
6 - IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship and New Japan Strong Tag Team Championship: El Phantasmo and Hikuleo vs. YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto
All four men show respect to each other before the match.
Competive match. Bishomon focused on the smaller ELP to get the advantage. Bishomon hit a Shoto on ELP. Hikuleo makes the save. Hikuleo with a lariat on YOSHI-HASHI sending him to the floor. Goto hits an ushigaroshi on Hikuleo. Hikuleo avoids a GTR and ELP hits Sudden Death in Goto's face. ELP hits a moonsault on YOSHI-HASHI on the floor. Hikuleo hits a chokeslam on Goto. ELP hits a Super Thunderkiss 86. Hikuleo goes for the pin. Goto kicks out at two.
ELP hits a CR3 (a piledriver version of CR2) on Goto. Hikuleo hits a Super Thunderkiss 86 on Goto. Holy Crap!
Hikuleo pins Goto.
El Phantasmo and Hikuleo win the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship and New Japan Strong Tag Team Championship.
Wow, good match. ELP and Phantasmo came up short at World Tag League but they now are the top of the Tag Team World in the Tokyo Dome.
7 - IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: El Desperado vs. Hiromu Takahashi
Desperado hits a tope suicida on Hiromu before he even gets in the ring. Desperado starts to hammer Hiromu with strikes. Hiromu takes the match to the floor and they batter each other against the guardrails. Back and forth match.
They fight to the top rope. Desperado hits a twisting back suplex off the ropes. Desperado hammers Hiromu with stiff elbows. Hiromu with a lariat. Desperado with an Olympic Slam and follows with Pinche Loco. Two count. Hiromu reverses another Pinche Loco and applies the Hiromu Roll. Two count. Desperado hits a right fist to the jaw. Desperado hits a Pinche Loco Piledriver then hits another Pinche Loco.
Desperado pins Hiromu
El Desperado wins the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship.
Awesome match. I would expect a rematch between these two down the line, with Master Wato in the mix somehow.
8 - IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Jon Moxley vs. David Finlay vs. Will Ospreay
Massive cheers for Ospreay in the Tokyo Dome. They know he is leaving so they are giving him an ovation now.
Ospreay and Moxley take turns beating on Finlay. Match goes to the floor. Finlay gets put through a table by Moxley and Ospreay on the floor. Ospreay and Moxley throw strikes in the ring. Ospreay goes for an Oscutter but Moxley turns it into a rear naked choke. They grapple on the mat with submissions.
Finlay recovers and sends Moxley headfirst into the ring post. Finlay hits a neckbreaker on Ospreay on the ring apron. Moxley is bleeding from the head. Moxley hits a cutter on Finlay. Finlay fights back and attacks Moxley's bleeding head. All three men battle in the ring. Moxley hits Death Rider on Ospreay. Two count. Moxley appplies the Bulldog Choke on Ospreay. Finlay goes to break it up. Moxley hits a piledriver on Finlay onto Ospreay. Moxley throws chairs into the ring. Finlay hits a uranage on Moxley on top of chairs. Finlay hits a Dominator on Ospreay on top of Moxley. Ospreay avoids Oblivion and reverses into a Stunner. Finlay with an Irish Curse. Moxley hits a running knee. Moxley with a Death Rider on Ospreay, who pops up and hits a Hidden Blade. Finlay tosses Ospreay to the floor and goes for the pin on Moxley. Two count. Finlay hits Oblivion on Moxley. Ospreay hits a Hidden Blade on Finlay. All men are laid out.
They all trade strikes. Gabe Kidd and Alex Coughlin jump into the ring and attack Moxley and Ospreay. Finlay tells War Dogs to spike Moxley. Moxley fights them off. Ospreay hits a top rope Oscutter on Coughlin. Moxley puts the War Dogs on the tables at ringside. Ospreay hits a flipping senton putting them through the tables. Moxley hits 2 Death Riders on Finlay. Ospreay with a Hidden Blade on Moxley. Two count. Ospreay with a Flying Hidden Blade and a Storm Breaker on Moxley. Finlay grabs Ospreay and hits Into Oblivion. Two count. Finlay drives a knee into the back of Ospreay. Finlay picks up Ospreay for Into Oblivion but hits a knee strike into Ospreay's face.
Finlay pins Ospreay.
David Finlay wins the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
After the match, Finlay gets in the face of Nick Nemeth. They start fighting and officials rush to break up the fight. Nick Nemeth goes after Finlay and they continue to fight.
9 - Special Single Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson
Danielson comes out wearing an eye patch.
Match goes to the floor. Okada hits a DDT on the floor. Danielson hits a high knee into Okada's face. Danielson goes after Okada's arm. Danielson goes for the Labell Lock. Okada breaks the hold and Okada hits a tombstone on the apron. Okada rips off the eye patch and stomps him in the face. Okada hits a dropkick and signals for the Rainmaker. Danielson hits a kick to the face. He hammers Okada with elbow strikes. Okada screams and powers out. Danielson hits a Psycho Knee and a Yes Lock. Okada goes for the ropes. Danielson rolls him into a pin. Okada kicks out and applies an arm submission. Okada reverses out and hits a lariat. They trade strikes. Danielson stuns Okada with a Psycho Knee. Danielson starts a "Yes" Chant and misses another knee. Okada hits a Landslide and hits a Rainmaker.
Okada pins Danielson.
Okada pats Danielson on the back, and gets to his knees and bows to Danielson, which is the ultimate form of respect. Danielson gets to his knees and bows to Okada. Classy act by both men. Crowd pops for this.
Good match. Crowd was into this and familiar with Danielson. The eye patch seemed odd, especially since in promotional posters Danielson was not wearing a patch. However, it was a storyline point in the match so it did add to the drama.
10 - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Tetsuya Naito vs. SANADA
The Tokyo Dome is LOUD for Tetsuya Naito.
Good match. Both men know each other well from their time as partners.
Naito is bleeding from the above the left eye. Naito hit two Destinos. SANADA kicks out. SANADA hits a Deadfall, but he cannot make the cover. SANADA with a Sliced Bread #2. Naito comes back with a flipping kick and a tornado DDT. SANADA with a roll up and a bridge. Two count. SANADA with a Shining Wizard. Naito hits a Deadfall on SANADA. Naito hits Valencia. Naito hits a Destino.
Naito pins SANADA.
Tetsuya Naito wins the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
The crowd chants loudly for Naito. The referee puts a towel over the eyes of Naito. Naito is presented the World Heavyweight belt. As Naito is about to address the crowd, EVIL and Dick Togo attack him from behind. The crowd is pissed off. EVIL says he will not let him do the Roll Call and he will take the belt off his hands. SANADA hits a Shining Wizard on EVIL. SANADA hold Togo while Naito dropkicks him in the privates. SANADA makes a motion to Naito for one more match. SANADA leaves the ring.
Naito finally gets the mic and thanks SANADA for giving him this chance hold this mic. SANADA leaves ringside in tears of happiness. Naito thanks everyone for their support. He gets everyone ready.
"BUSHI, HIROMU, TAKAGI, TITAN, YOTA, NAITO, LOS INGOBERNALES DE JAPON!"
Damn that was loud.
Thank you for reading.
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