It’s time for NJPW to get things back to a bigger scale. After a shutdown following a COVID-19 breakout, and the postponement of their two major stadium show, NJPW got going with the ‘Road To’ tour like usual. Aside from Dangerous Tekker taking the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships from Guerrillas Of Destiny, nothing major happened: but that changes tonight with Dominion. Two undercard matches will get us going, an all-star 10 man tag kicking us off, as Hiroshi Tanahashi & CHAOS take on Bullet Club.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, SHO, YOSHI-HASHI & Tomohiro Ishii vs BULLET CLUB (EVIL, Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo, Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi)
First up is Hiroshi Tanahashi & an elite group from CHAOS taking on Bullet Club. Lots of moving parts in this match, with Goto, Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI as NEVER Six Man Champions, SHO & El Phantasmo gunning for shots at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight championship and so much more.
After BULLET CLUB all hit the too sweet, Owens would want to start with Tanahashi. Tanahashi took him down with a headlock in the middle of the ring, before taking a cheap shot from Ishimori. SHO helped the ace out, before YOSHI-HASHI & Yujiro Takahashi entered the ring. Goto tagged in and showed his tag team chemistry with YOSHI-HASHI, before EVIL yanked YOSHI-HASHI outside to slow them down.
BULLET CLUB set up some high risk back rakes, with El Phantasmo even going coast to coast to rake the back. EVIL tagged in and abused YOSHI-HASHI a bit, before Ishiii got a tag and started to tear BULLET CLUB apart alongside Goto & SHO. Ishii would throw chops and forearms in the corner, before EVIL fought out and hit the Fisherman Buster.
SHO & Ishimori took focus on the middle of the ring, with SHO dropping Ishimori with some big kicks, and catching the back handspring into an armbar before Phantasmo dove in to save Ishimori. This one broke down as everyone came in and hit their finishers, and SHO looked to set up Shock Arrow, but instead took Bloody Cross from Ishimori for the loss.
This match likely puts Ishimori higher in the ranks and took El Phantasmo with him, as they worked together to pin half of the Junior Tag Team Champions. Some chaotic action in this one, but nothing to write home about. Match Rating: 2.5/5 (** 1/2)
EVIL would take aim at the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tags after this match. He’s the former champion, as it was him betraying L.I.J and vacating the titles that allowed this current reign to start. This win could bring big things for BULLET CLUB.
Suzuki-Gun (Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & DOUKI) vs Los Ingobernables De Japón (Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI)
After winning the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, Dangerous Tekkers got a hunger for more gold. They want to finally get their trio with DOUKI, Los Locos Dangerous Tekkers off the ground, and beating the L.I.J trio tonight would be a step in that direction.
Taichi & Naito would start this match, and Naito would stop a single leg takedown from the referee, who was really just moving in the ring. Naito would trade blows with Taichi in the middle of the ring, before being locked in the Greco Roman Throat Hold. ZSJ & SANADA would hit the ring, and we’d get a stand off.
DOUKI would get a tag alongside BUSHI, picking the pace up as DOUKI blocked a running hurricanrana and was thrown to the corner, before being caught with a flying headscissors. Suzuki-Gun would brawl with L.I.J on the outside, using the wires and barricades as weapons. Back in the ring, Taichi would get a Greco Roman Throat Hold pinfall, but the referee refused to count for three.
DOUKI tagged in to attack BUSHI before taking an enziguri, BUSHI quickly getting Naito into the ring. Naito launched off a running hurricanrana and a neckbreaker, before setting up and missing Combinación de Cabrón in the corner. SANADA got a blind tag in, only to take an axe bomber. ZSJ would tag in and look to help set up Holy Zack Driver but failed. SANADA & ZSJ would have a signature grappling exchange, with SANADA countering the European Clutch into a pinfall of his own and got the win.
L.I.J & Suzuki-Gun always have fun brawls, and any match that comes with ZSJ vs. SANADA is a good one. Just a fun undercard clash that sets up Naito & SANADA going for the IWGP Heavyweight Championships. Match Rating: 2.75/5 (** 3/4)
Will SANADA & Naito get their chance to become the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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