One of the most vile actions in NJPW history came when Tetsuya Naito finally stood tall as IWGP Heavyweight Champion to close out a show in the Tokyo Dome. While addressing the crowd of 30,0000 fans with the rousing cheer of ‘De Ja Pon’ – KENTA would strike from behind. Naito was able to successfully defend against KENTA at New Beginning, but the wound remains fresh for him.
KENTA got his win back later that year in the G1, and the record sits at 1-1. Naito needs to keep on winning if he hopes to make the G1 Climax finals and make it back to the main event of the Tokyo Dome – so KENTA can’t win here tonight. Naito enters tonight on a two match win-streak, and just needs to keep winning.
KENTA Tries To Get Into The Head Of Naito
The crowd was fully behind Naito as this one began, but KENTA stunted this advantage by hiding in the ropes and confusing the crowd for a moment. Naito would have to be patient before getting the armdrag. KENTA would be sent to the floor, before Naito hit the signature pose. Naito would be sent to the floor soon after, and KENTA struck a pose in the ring, before being pulled outside and driven into the barricade.
After being thrown around the floor, Naito would kick out at two in the ring – before being draped over the top rope and hit with a knee drop to the neck. The necklock would be applied, before KENTA would lay in the hard midkicks. Naito got to his feet, but an elbow would take him back to the mat for a rear chinlock.
KENTA was unable to keep Naito down, and would quickly lose his ground with a swing neckbreaker. Naito hit the back elbow and the dropkick to the back of the head, before setting up the sweep dropkick in the corner – and nailing KENTA in the face. Leg applied Full Nelson would follow, with the neck of KENTA being cranked and softened for Destino.
A Cornered Tetsuya Naito Is Incredibly Dangerous
KENTA would fight free, and was able to hit the snap powerslam. Swinging hotshot would be followed by the flying lariat, getting KENTA a two count. STF would be applied, but Naito fought free before being spiked with the DDT. Forearm smash to the face was followed by a swing DDT from Naito – helping him regain some ground.
The downward elbow smashes would be relentless, beating KENTA down to a crawl – before Naito nailed Gloria. KENTA would be planted with the spinebuster, before setting up a top rope Green Killer for the reset. Naito was spiked on his head and loopy after the impact – before KENTA nailed a soaring dropkick in the corner.
Double foot stomp would land, but Naito kicked out and avoided the Go to Sleep. KENTA was hit with the neckbreaker, before Esperanza would land. Running knee strike was the response, but Naito blocked Go To Sleep into the Destino. Naito & KENTA would trade forearm smashes, before KENTA was dropped with the flying forearm.
Destino was blocked into an inside cradle, before Naito was driven off the exposed steel and rolled up for two. Running knee strike would get another close fall, and Naito was bleeding. Go To Sleep was blocked, Valentia was not. Destino would be set, and KENTA was spiked on his head – and stayed down for the three count. Naito remains alive after a hard fight, and has Zack Sabre Jr next – the man who ended his 2021 G1 with injury.
Can Tetsuya Naito make the finals? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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