Kicking off tonight’s NJPW PPV event, we have six man tag team action. Originally, BUSHI & Shingo Takagi were going to have NJPW Legend ‘The Original Dragon’ Tatsumi Fujinami on their team, but COVID-19 changed plans. Now instead, Zack Sabre Jr, Taichi & TAKA Michinoku needed to plan for an unknown opponent for this match. Shiro Koshinaka would once again hit a NJPW ring in 2022, having faced the Los Ingobernables de Japon unit alongside Great Bash Heel at the 50th Anniversary show.
Taichi Gets His Win Back In The Opening Match
ZSJ would kick things off against Koshinaka, with them locking up hard before Koshinaka would hit some quick takedowns. The flying hip attack would land before BUSHI made his way into the ring. BUSHI hit some hip attacks of his own, before a neckbreaker for a two count. ZSJ would look for a huge submission, but BUSHI got wrapped up in the ropes.
Instead, ZSJ would go for a kneebar on the floor – potentially taking the leg of BUSHI out early in this match. Taichi kept the beatdown coming, before applying the Greco Roman Throat Hold in the corner. Michinoku would hit the running knee strike, but BUSHI made the tag into Shingo Takagi.
Shingo started hitting fast in the corner, before Taichi & ZSJ tried to make the save but were tossed aside. Taichi would go for a huge kick, but wound up in the Dragon Sleeper instead. Koshinaka hit a diving hip attack before going to the top rope for a super hip attack. Taichi was brutalised in the ring with Axe Bomber before hitting a takedown into the the Gedo Clutch for the victory.
This potentially sets up Taichi to once again challenge for the King of Pro Wrestling Championship. Shingo claimed it in a 30 count match, but Taichi got a six count here… potentially setting the rules for the next match.
Hiromu Takahashi Shuts YOH Down
Last year, YOH & Hiromu Takahashi would end up facing each other in the finals of Best of the Super Juniors, with YOH finally showing he has potential in the singles ranks. Takahashi won that encounter, but tonight just ahead of the 2022 tournament – they are going to run things back. YOH has a chance to start off this tournament in a big way, and a win here could set the tone of the rest of his year. A loss from YOH tonight could well make him miss the tournament.
Takahashi & YOH kicked things off with some heavy overhand chops, before YOH took Takahashi down hitting a big shoulder tackle. Sliding dropkick from Takahashi was dodged, before he’d hit the Death Valley Driver into the corner. Time Bomb was set up very early, but YOH slipped free to the apron.
Sunset Flip Bomb to the floor was blocked into a hurricarana, before YOH hit a flipping dive over the top rope. Back into the ring, Takahashi hit a pop-up powerbomb, only for YOH to shoot back with a Falcon Arrow. Victory Royale would be the follow up to a lariat from YOH, this one being a hard hitting back and forth battle. A lariat from Takahashi barely got a one count.
YOH would hit the D.M.V before looking for Direct Drive, only to be driven into the corner. Takahashi instead took a Dragon Suplex, before countering out of Direct Drive again. Belly to Belly Suplex into the corner and Time Bomb would land. Takahashi set up Time Bomb II soon after, and this one was over.
Will YOH make the BOSJ field after this loss? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: Get TheOvertimer’s Hottest Stories, Breaking News and Special Features in your email, CLICK HERE!
