It wouldn’t be January 4th in the Tokyo Dome without Hiroshi Tanahashi on the card. While he’s no longer in the main event, he has a big match set for January 5th against KENTA for the IWGP United States Championship. Tonight, they will meet in a preview of that clash – with Tanahashi having the Mega Coaches in his corner, while KENTA has the BULLET Club’s (self proclaimed) Cutest tag team!
Hiroshi Tanahashi Hits Different In Tokyo Dome
Romero would kick this match off with Phantasmo, and they’d show some agility before a big diving hurricanrana. Taguchi tagged in and hit a running hip attack, before Ishimori got the tag. There are few faster than Ishimori, but Taguchi knows his movements and caught him with the hip attack. Ishimori & Phantasmo tried to toss Mega Coaches into each other, but a quick Dosey Doe led to hip attacks instead.
Romero was thrown to the outside, and Taguchi had his crotch stomp in the corner. A super back rake would follow, and KENTA would ensure Taguchi remained in the right corner for a three on one beatdown. Taguchi tried for a flying hip attack, but was thrown ass first into the mat… before finally catching KENTA.
Tanahashi & KENTA would finally hit the ring, and Tanahashi was hitting dropkicks and dragon screws aplenty. KENTA went for a roll up but was shoved into the referee. Some kendo stick shots would follow from both men, with Tanahashi becoming unhinged as he whacked down at KENTA again and again – forcing a DQ! KENTA has brought the worst out of Tanahashi, and we could see someone very different than the Ace we know and love tomorrow.
The A-Team Of The United Empire Is Back!
On night two of Wrestle Kingdom, The United Kingdom have a trio of big singles matches – including Will Ospreay getting a chance to regain the belt he never lost. However, on the first night of action they will be in action in a trios match against L.I.J’s Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI. Naito has Cobb tomorrow, and SANADA has O-Khan, so a win here could help their odds of getting their arm raised in their bigger matches.
The United Empire would rush L.I.J as they got their entrance gear off. Cobb was left alone with Naito, and hit by Combinación de Cabrón before Naito was thrown to the outside. He’d be driven right into the barricade, and back into the ring to be mauled by Great-O-Khan, before Ospreay tagged in just to drive Naito into the corner.
Cobb hit a big diving shoulder into the corner, before Naito fired back with a flying forearm. Naito would get BUSHI in for some tag team offense, with SANADA helping out before going after the knee of Cobb. SANADA got O-Khan in the Paradise Lock, but needed to let him free eventually. O-Khan nailed a big knee facecrusher in response before getting two off the European Clutch. SANADA would hit a big dropkick when free, and got BUSHI in. A DDT planted O-Khan, before Ospreay got the tag and failed to hit Stormbreaker. L.I.J and the United Empire broke down into a fight, with BUSHI being dropped with a boot, before Hidden Blade ended this.
Can Will Ospreay leave Tokyo Dome tomorrow as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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