David Finlay had a breakout performance in the G1 Climax, beating three of the top names in D-Block with Will Ospreay, Shingo Takagi, and Juice Robinson all falling to The Rebel. Tonight, he teams up with Hiroshi Tanahashi to face off with one of the most iconic tag teams in NJPW history with Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson.
Yesterday in eight man tag action, Tanahashi & Yano pinned Gallows – and tonight Tanahashi could secure a shot at the Impact Wrestling Tag Team Championships. Anderson is also the NEVER Openweight Champion, meaning any loss for The Good Brothers will lead to a title shot.
Hiroshi Tanahahsi Earns A Handful Of Title Shots
Anderson & Finlay would begin this match with some grappling to start, with them having some history in Impact Wrestling – and Finlay taking control with some boots to the midsection in the ring. Wrist Lock would crank down on the arm of Anderson, before a double elbow drop from Finlay & Tanahashi. Anderson grabbed Tanahashi by the hair, and Gallows would get the tag.
Gallows applied a tight rear chinlock, sucking the life out of Tanahashi before Anderson hit the scoop slam and running senton splash. Tanahashi would catch Anderson with the Dragon Screw – before Finlay hit some fast uppercuts on Gallows in the corner for a two count. Anderson would hit Tanahashi with a big spinebuster to block to Slingblade, before the double team neckbreaker got a two count.
Toru Yano would come out and would lure Gallows away from the ring. Finlay hit the Stunner, Tanahahsi hit the slingblade, and High Fly Flow would land! Hiroshi Tanahashi has pinned the NEVER Openweight Champion, and one half of the Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions – setting himself up for a very productive fall of title matches. He’d particularly take aim at the NEVER Openweight Championship, which Anderson seemingly refuses to defend.
KUSHIDA & Tama Tonga Secure Their Title Shots
KUSHIDA is back in NJPW after some time away, and has taken aim right at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Taiji Ishimori. Tonight, he’s got another chance to go after Ishimori, as he teams with Tama Tonga. Tama is flying high after getting a pinfall over White in the G1 Climax and could be keen on going after the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship soon – making this a potential double title match preview of a tag match.
White & Tama would kick things off, with White taking the edge. Ishimori would get the tag and got some blows in, before KUSHIDA would focus in on the arm of Ishimori before the kneebar would be applied. KUSHIDA & Ishimori are very submission focused wrestlers, and it was showing. White would pull KUSHIDA to floor however, and choked him with a camera cable.
KUSHIDA would make the comeback with the back handspring elbow, before White & Tama got tags. Tama avoided the Sleeper Suplex & Blade Buster, but not the chop to the throat. White would be run down with a lariat, and the stinger splash was followed by a backdrop suplex. Tama was hit with the backdrop driver, and Ishimori would apply the crossface – but was unable to make the man tap. KUSHIDA got the tag and took White off the apron, and focused in on Ishimori. Hoverboard Lock would be blocked, but KUSHIDA managed a roll up to defeat the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion! Now, he’s earned the title shot – and would apply that Border City Stretch on Ishimori after the bell to send a message as Tama drove White off.
Will KUSHIDA become the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion soon? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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