Night one of Castle Attack was focused on dealing with grudge matches between CHAOS & Bullet Club, but tonight we have gold on the line. The IWGP Intercontinental Championship, NEVER Openweight Championship, IWGP Junior Heavyweight & IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships are all on the line! Three of those title matches come in the main event portion of the show, but Guerrillas of Destiny are at the top of the undercard against Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI.
TenCozy (Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan) vs United Empire (Jeff Cobb & Will Ospreay)
Starting off the night is legendary tag team TenCozy taking on Jeff Cobb & Will Ospreay of United Empire. United Empire came out on top last night in a six man tag team match, and in singles matches on the New Beginning Tour, but can Cobb & Ospreay best the six time tag team champions in their purest form?
Empire struck first, brawling on the outside and throwing TenCozy into each other before Ospreay dove onto them. At least that was the plan, with him catching Cobb with the dive. Kojima & Tenzan pingponged Ospreay with strikes, before Kojima got him in the corner with the machine gun chops. Cobb tried to save, accidentally got Ospreay with the chop, and then got machine gun chopped himself.
Kojima would go up top for the elbow drop, Cobb picking him off but getting hit with the DDT. Empire would finally get some offense in the ring as Ospreay hit a PK, and Cobb hit a jumping back elbow. Ospreay went for a powerbomb and instead took the Koji Cutter. Tenzan tagged in, and he’d be tempted by the now banned Mongolion Chop, but instead hit the brainbuster.
Ospreay hit the springboard forearm strike and tagged Cobb in, who lost control of Tenzan and Kojima tagged in. Empire double teamed him for a swinging back suplex, before they’d just batter Tenzan with some Mongolion Chops. Tenzan finally snapped and hit Mongolion Chops with zero consequences. TenCozy hit the Koji Cutter, Tenzan hit the Anaconda Buster, and Kojima absolutely rocked Cobb with a Cozy Lariat for the win!
This was as good as an opening tag team match gets. From the miscommunications of The Empire, to Tenzan deciding to just use the Mongolion Chops again regardless of the consequences, to the surprise victory from the legends? Just a great way to start the show. Match Rating: 3.5/5 (*** 1/2)
CHAOS (Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii & Kazuchika Okada) vs BULLET CLUB (Jay White, Chase Owens & EVIL)
Last night was all about Bullet Club vs. CHAOS, with Okada & Yano beating EVIL & Owens, while White was able to overcome Ishii. Tonight, these six men meet again in a tag team contest, as all men look forward to the New Japan Cup. BULLET CLUB also has both Gedo & Dick Togo at ringside, double the manager fun.
Ishii & White would seem to start before Owens got a very quick tag. Owens couldn’t drop Ishii with the shoulder tackle, but a full Bullet Club mauling got him down. White got a tag just in time for Ishii to maul him with more throat chops. Ishii was thrown rib first into the corner, hurting that injury from last night. EVIL came in and hit some big scoop slams before Owens applied the abdominal stretch with the Bullet Club chain starting.
Ishiii would finally fight them all off, and tag in Yano who started on the corner pads. Yano would neutralize both Togo & Gedo, before Togo saved EVIL from hitting exposed steel. Owens tagged in and was hit with an atomic drop, before Okada tagged in to hit a big boot.
Okada would be dropped by a neckbreaker, and Owens wanted a package piledriver. Yano made the save as everything broke down. Okada would be left alone with Owens, apply the Money Clip and easily submit Owens.
A fairly standard undercard six man tag team match, with all six men beat up after wars the night before. Okada beating Owens was very obvious from the get go, as he looked to blaze through the New Japan Cup, which starts Friday! Match Rating: 2.75/5 (** 3/4 )
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships- Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) vs CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto)
Last night saw two singles matches between champions and contenders, as Hirooki Goto was able to beat Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa dropped YOSHI-HASHI. This puts them on even footing, as Goto & YOSHI-HASHI look to claim the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships tonight.
YOSHI-HASHI and Goto would maul Tama to start, hitting a leapfrog stomp before Loa came in and Goto hip tossed YOSHI-HASHI onto him. Jado came in and was beaten down, but this simply allowed Guerrillas of Destiny (G.O.D) to attack from behind. Loa would all but knock out YOSHI-HASHI, but Tama came in to continue beating him down.
YOSHI-HASHI would start to fight back, but G.O.D were too much for him in the early going. Ten of his shots were worth one from Loa. Loa had the basement dropkick scouted after last night, but took the rewind kick to the chest. Goto got the tag, and took out both members of G.O.D, taking Loa down and suplexing Tama onto his brother.
Loa fought back and traded lariats with Goto, before both collapsed after impact. YOSHI-HASHI & Tama tagged in, and Tama was hit with the headhunter. Tama next took the left arm lariat, but kicked out at two, then hitting Tongan Twist for a two count of his own. G.O.D wanted Magic Killer, but YOSHI-HASHI fought out and took a Reverse 3D instead.
Goto came in to save YOSHI-HASHI, only to take Guerrilla Warfare and be taken out. YOSHI-HASHI took Magic Killer, but somehow kicked out! He’d counter the powerbomb from Loa, before being flapjacked by Tama. They wanted YOSHI-HASHI to bring it earlier, but now he refuses to stay down.
Jado called for the double diving splash, but YOSHI-HASHI dodged the first one and Goto threw Tama off the top rope. Goto got the tag in, and ran into both members of G.O.D with lariats, before Jado ran a distraction. G.O.D’s advantage would be short lived, as Goto hit a double lariat and alongside YOSHI-HASHI hit a double neckbreaker.
They’d nail GYW, but Tama kicked out at two. Next up was GYR, but Loa saved his brother and the match. Goto was set up for Magic Killer, but YOSHI-HASHI made the save and hit a German Suplex. Tama was hit with the Ushigoroshi, but Loa power slammed Goto. With all four men down, YOSHI-HASHI & Loa were first to their feet, and Loa won right hands until YOSHI-HASHI nailed the back cracker. Goto and Tama were legal in this match, and they’d rush into it.
Tama went for Gun Stun but Goto countered into an attempt at the Ushigoroshi. They’d use their insane speed, Tama dodging a spinning lariat and wanting the jumping DDT, only to end up on Goto’s shoulders. YOSHI-HASHI was in and hit a superkick, and Goto hit the Death Valley Driver for a close two count. Loa came in with a belt to stop GYR, and as the referee sent him out, Jado whacked Goto with the kendo stick. One Gun Stun later, and G.O.D retain!
A very solid tag team title match from two talented teams. G.O.D are the standard bearers in this company for a reason, but Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI are becoming a very natural tag team. It’s a matter of when, not if, they become champions, but tonight wasn’t their night. Match Rating: 3.75/5 (*** 3/4)
Who will challenge next for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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