Tetsuya Naito & Yujiro Takahashi were once a successful tag team as NO Limit – but that was years ago. They now are rivals, with Naito becoming the vastly more successful singles wrestler. Takahashi has since moved from faction to faction, now currently following EVIL within the brand of the House of Torture faction, while Naito leads Los Ingobernables de Japon. In singles matches, Takahashi maintains a 17-3 record in singles matches, mostly from their Young Lion days.
Tetsuya Naito Brings Out The Best In Yujiro Takahashi
Naito would be unable to play his normal mind games with Takahashi, who simply knows him too well. Instead, he’d try to focus on his wrestling – applying a hammerlock. Takahashi went for the ropes, but was taken right down with a side headlock. Naito was sent to the outside, and unlike his recent House of Torture matches – Takahashi took him back into the ring, looking to win this one honestly.
Takahashi would nail the basement dropkick, before hitting a Fisherman Buster for the near fall. Naito would fight back with a kick to the back of the neck, and would follow up in the corner with Combinación de Cabrón. Takahashi would fight back – showing his skills as he went for the Olympic Slam for the near fall.
Naito was able to get some downward elbow strikes, softening up the neck of Takahashi for the eventual finish. A quick enziguri would help as well, before Esperanza out of the corner. Takahashi shot back with Miami Shine, but was unable to keep Naito down. A forearm exchange saw the fire of Takahashi win out, but Naito would fight away from Pimp Juice.
Big Juice would fail as well, before Naito nailed the rolling wheel kick. Flying Forearm Smash would follow, before the referee was taken out during a Valentia attempt. SHO & EVIL would attack Naito with the referee down – and Takahashi didn’t want to win like this.
They’d respect his wishes, but Takahashi still hit a low blow which would certainly help his odds. A big lariat would get a near fall – before EVIL passed Takahashi his cane. Naito dodged and hit his own low blow before getting the victory off a jackknife pinfall. Tetsuya Naito will now go on to face Gedo on March 9th in Korakuen Hall.
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion vs. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion In Opening Round Of New Japan Cup!
Normally, the IWGP Heavyweight Champion would wrestle the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion on the NJPW Anniversary show. This year however, these two champions will meet in the first round of the New Japan Cup! It’s Kazuchika Okada vs. El Desperado, a first time match! Desperado is the underdog when faced with someone like The Rainmaker, but Okada would be a fool to overlook his opponent.
There was a big match feel as these two stared each other down, with some shoulder tackles coming to start. Okada looked for Landslide early, but Desperado got the armdrag. Rainmaker was set up, but Desperado rolled him up and almost into Numero Dos. Okada went outside, and Desperado would follow and drive him into the barricade.
Desperado knew that Tetsuya Naito had targeted the knee of Okada during the Golden Series tour – and was targeted on the knee here. It was a deliberate attack, but wasn’t enough to stop the Sky High flapjack of Okada. Again, this one would go to the outside – but this time Okada was the one using the barricades.
Back in the ring, Okada would hit a neckbreaker – starting the work towards the Rainmaker finish. Desperado would throw some chops, before being planted down with the DDT. He’d fire back with the attacks to the knee, before nailing the High Angle Back Suplex. Maintaining leg control, the knee would be smashed off the canvas of the ring.
Kazuchika Okada Shows El Desperado The Power Of The Rainmaker
A modified Figure Four Leg Lock was applied in the middle of the ring, and Okada would fight to reach the ropes. Okada would manage to prop Desperado on the top rope, and hit the dropkick to send Desperado to the floor. He’d roll out of the ring and nail the draping DDT using the barricade before spiking Desperado down.
Back into the ring, Okada would take a spinebuster. Desperado chopped Okada into the corner causing some welts on the chest – before Okada exploded out with the shotgun dropkick. The diving elbow was missed, and Desperado hit a chop block before nailing the Blue Thunder Bomb. Desperado followed up with the Mad Splash, but only got a two count.
Okada would slow things down with the Money Clip, and when swung aside with the armdrag – he’d nail the dropick. Elbow Drop from the top would follow, before Desperado again attacked the knee with the inverted Dragon Screw. Another dragon screw plucked Okada out of the sky, before Numero Dos was applied in the middle of the ring.
Okada was able to survive and apply the Money Clip once again. Short Arm lariat would follow, before Rainmaker was blocked with a punch to the jaw. Pinche Loco would land, but Okada blocked the second into a heavy shot of his own. Landslide and Rainmaker would follow, and Okada wins.
Kazuchika Okada will now face Master Wato on March 9th. Can Wato hope to stop The Rainmaker? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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