Tomorrow night, Hiroshi Tanahashi gets to go one on one with Bad Luck Fale – which is never an easy situation. Fale is notorious for spoiling tournaments, due to his size and power advantage over just about anyone he faces. Tonight however, Tanahashi teams with Tiger Mask IV to take on Fale & Chase Owens in tag team action. Owens is set to take on Tiger Mask in his next tournament match, so this one is a double preview.
BULLET CLUB Calaims The Opening Tag Victory
Owens would kick things off against Tiger Mask, and take a kick into the inside of his leg. Tiger Mask would get driven into the corner of the ring with a shoulder tackle – before being sent out to the floor. Fale would pull Tanahashi to the floor, while Owens worked over the back of Tiger Mask.
Tiger Mask would get stomped out by Fale, but was able to kick out of the following pinfall at two. Owens applied a sloppy bow and arrow stretch, before taking Tanahashi off the apron. Tanahashi would slip into the ring to break up a pinfall, and Tiger Mask would have Fale crash into his partner.
Finally getting the tag, Tanahashi would hit the ring and start to go after the leg of Fale with the basement dropkick before looking for the Texas Cloverleaf. Fale got the ropes before grabbing the throat and thinking Grenade. Tanahashi fought free, only for Fale to hit a basement dropkick.
Tiger Mask would soar into Fale with a headbutt, before looking for a cross armbreaker. Fale would get the ropes and nail the elbow smash for a two count. Owens would come in to hit Grenade Launcher with Fale – and this one was over! The knee of Tanahashi was giving him issues, and he’d need help to the back – not a sign of good things to come for The Ace.
House of Torture Take L.I.J Down
Tetsuya Naito was able to push past Yujiro Takahashi in the first round of the New Japan Cup, and now has to worry about Gedo. On paper, Naito beats Gedo every time – but you can’t look past just how devious Gedo and House of Torture can be. Naito has a chance to get some blows in on Gedo, as they clash in tag team action – with BUSHI & SHO in the mix as well.
Gedo would play some mind games with Naito, refusing to start the match – before poking Naito in the eye. SHO would hit the ring, and BUSHI was handed the tag. BUSHI went to the top rope, but Gedo rushed the ropes and tripped BUSHI up – allowing the show to take advantage. On the floor, Gedo hit Naito with the ringbell hammer.
BUSHI would take SHO down with the running hurricanrana, before Gedo stopped the attempted tag to Naito, but BUSHI would find Naitos hand soon after. Naito would run Gedo down with a dropkick, and would attack the beard of Gedo. SHO would take a step up enziguri to the face, before BUSHI hit a dive to the outside.
Back into the ring, SHO would get slipped into a dropkick from Naito – who once again went after the beard of Gedo on the outside. SHO would use BUSHI to drop the referee, and Gedo slipped in and used Brass Knuckles to punch BUSHI out – and SHO locked in Snake Bite for the win.
HOUSE of TORTURE Play Nice With Their BULLET CLUB Factionmates
The United Empire are the only faction to all make it to the second round of the New Japan Cup, and are once again united for an eight man tag team match. They have matched up with BULLET CLUB tonight, as Yujiro Takahahsi & EVIL of the House of Torture branch will team with Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo. Ishimori & ELP have had some issues lately, but tonight will have to be on their best behaviour.
Ospreay would call for ELP to start this match with him, but instead Yujiro would start with Cobb. Cobb would take some of the elbow strikes that Yujiro had to throw, before levelling him with a single blow. ELP & Ishimori tried to take down Cobb, but were just thrown aside – before EVIL took a shot as well.
Henare would tag into the match and look for a suplex, only for Yujiro to bite the hand… but the glove of Henare made the bite ineffective. Brawls broke out all alongside the ringside area, before EVIL took the ring alongside Henare. The King of Darkness was able to beat him down, before ELP & Ishimori would tease Henare with a back rake, before ELP would be forced to face Ospreay.
Ospreay would drop ELP, and EVIL & Yujiro would be next. Flying forearm got a two count on ELP, before ELP called for Sudden Death – and Ospreay called his bluff – knowing about the mental block. Yujiro came in and hit the reverse DDT, before ELP would match the speed of Ospreay before taking the Stunner.
O-Khan would drop Ishimori face first on the mat, before EVIL took the ring. These two bruisers would clash, before Ospreay & Henare would help out. EVIL would get the assist of a low blow from Ishimori to hit the STO – and claimed the win.
Which member of The United Empire will fall first in the 2022 New Japan Cup? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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