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RADICAN’S NJPW “CAPITAL COLLISION” PPV REPORT
MAY 14, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AIRED LIVE ON FITE.TV
(1) REN NARITA vs. KARL FREDERICKS
They had a big strike exchange early, but Fredericks caught Narita coming off the ropes with a nice dropkick. Both men traded hard kicks and forearms to the spine. Fredericks got the advantage and hit some light kicks to Narita’s head and the fans booed. Narita caught him a short time later with a belly-to-belly suplex. Fredericks went for a stalling dropkick in the corner Shibata Style, but Narita got out of the way. Narita hit a t-bone suplex for a nearfall. He then went for a cloverleaf. Fredericks tried to fight out of it, but Narita finally got the hold and the fans applauded. Fredericks tried to get to the ropes and Narita sat down on the hold. Fredericks finally managed to crawl to the ropes to break the hold. They went to a strike exchange and Narita got a big strike. He got the choke hold. He then transitioned to a cobra twist. Fredericks powered out and Narita grabbed the choke again. The 10 minute mark came and went. Fredericks countered a choke and hit a backbreaker. He then hit Manifest Destiny for the win.
WINNER: Karl Fredericks in 10:00. (***1/2)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was a really good opener that was worked extremely snug with some nice hard-hitting exchanges. It was really a toss as to who would win the way the match was so evenly laid out.)
Both men showed respect to each other after the match.
Q.T. Marshall and The Factory attacked Fredericks on the ramp after the ramp. Marshall wrapped a watch around his hand and hit Fredericks while he was held by Aaron Solo and Nick Comoroto.
(2) TEAM FILTHY (Tom Lawlor & Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson & Danny Limelight & J.R. Kratos) vs. FRED ROSSER & DAVID FINLAY & TANGA LOA & YUYA UEMURA & THE DKC
Rosser slid out of the ring and went right after Tom Lawlor early on during the match. Rosser hit a powerslam on the floor on Lawlor. Riccaboni mentioned Rosser was willing to put his NJPW contract on the line for a shot at the Strong Openweight Championship. Team Filthy cleared the ring and posed over a beaten down Finlay. Koslov said he was going to turn the moment into a NFT, which was pretty funny. Loa got a hot tag and ran wild. He hit a spinning powerbomb on Limelight and danced much to the delight of the crowd. Lawlor went for a PK on Loa, but Loa blocked it only for Lawlor to get a front facelock. He managed to fight Lawlor off and he nailed him with a spear and both men were down.
Rosser got the tag and went right at it with Lawlor. Rosser hit several blows, but Lawler caught him with a kick. Rosser then wiped him out with a clothesline and both men were down. DKC got the tag and ran wild. The 10 minute mark passed with DKC and Kratos squaring off in the ring. Kratos ended up in a strike battle with Loa a short time later. Kratos eventually landed a big back suplex to win the exchange. He flipped off the fans, but he didn’t realize Narita was behind him. Narita and Finlay eventually worked together and hit a double dropkick on Kratos. They then hit a double suplex on Kratos as well. The WCWC isolated Uemura and tossed him to the floor.
Lawlor had a choke on Finlay, but Rosser came behind him and grabbed a chicken wing. Lawlor ended up throwing them both through the ropes to break the hold. Limelight eventually caught DKC with a tornado DDT for the win.
WINNERS: Team Filthy in 15:00. (***)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was a solid enough match to further the Rosser vs. Lawlor feud.)
After the match, Finlay got his shillelagh and attacked Team Filthy with it. Rosser and Lawlor brawled until they were broken apart. Rosser will face Lawlor at the NJPW Strong tapings tomorrow for a shot at the Openweight Strong Championship with his contract on the line.
(3) CHASE OWENS vs. GREAT-O-KHAN
The fans chanted for Great-O-Khan after the bell rang to start the match. Owens is one half of the new IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Champions after Bullet Club won the titles at Wrestling Dontaku. O-Khan trapped Owens in the corner and sat down on him and the crowd applauded. He then pulled on Owens’s arms much to the delight of the fans. Owens fired back and began working over O-Khan as the fans booed his cheap tactics. Owens went after O-Khan’s braid and the fans booed. The fans chanted for O-Khan and Owens mocked them by pointing to his ear. O-Khan blocked a double chop out of the corner and hit a suplex with a bridge for a two count. O-Khan then began hitting his signature Mongolian Chops on Owens.
Owens fired back and hit a C-Trigger to the back of O-Khan’s head in the corner. He hit the Jewel Heist for a two count. Owens taunted O-Khan with some light slaps and he fired up and hit a forearm. Owens caught O-Khan with a pump knee and a C-Trigger. He set up for the Package Piledriver, but O-Khan backdropped him. O-Khan tripped OWens in the corner and went for The Eliminator, but Owens escaped and rolled him up with his feet on the ropes for the win.
WINNER: Chase Owens in 9:00. (**½)
(Radican’s Analysis: The crowd was into O-Khan but the cheap finish fell flat.)
Owens taunted O-Khan with the belt and he chased him to the back.
(4) BAD DUDE TITO & JONAH & SHANE HASTE & MIKEY NICHOLLS vs. THE UNITED EMPIRE (Jeff Cobb & Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis & Aaron Henare)
TMDK and Tito cleared the apron and went after Henare. Everyone ended up brawling on the floor while Tito and Henare went at it in the ring. Cobb tagged in and lifted up Tito before dropping him into the powerslam position and driving him into the corner. Henare got cut off and worked over for several minutes. Henare tagged out and Aussie Open hit a series of tandem maneuvers on Nicholls for a nearfall. Haste got caught in a double team when he ran in, but he countered it. Haste and Nicholls worked together to wipe out Aussie Open. They hit a DDT on Fletcher for a nearfall.
They built up to Cobb and Jonah backing up into each other. The fans fired up as the two giants went face-to-face and began throwing bombs. Neither man would go down as they continued to trade blows until Jonah caught Cobb with a spear. Cob and Jonah were helped back to their feet by their partners. All eight men then began brawling. Aussie Open and TMDK both went for their finishers on each other, but were unsuccessful. TMDK eventually caught Fletcher with Up The Ladder for the win.
WINNERS: Jonah & Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls & Bad Dude Tito in 13:00. (***¼)
(Radican’s Analysis; This was a good match. They built up to a fun exchange between Cobb and Jonah, which was the high point of the match. I’d love to see that match in a NJPW ring.)
After the match TMDK officially inducted Bad Dude Tito in their stable.
(5) MINORU SUZUKI vs. BRODY KING
King got the upper hand after a chop battle and they went to the floor. Suzuki ducked a chop and King chopped the ring post. Suzuki then began working over King’s injured arm. Suzuki began twisting King’s fingers as he smiled and the fans gasped. Suzuki got a kimura, but King was able to quickly get to the ropes. They traded strikes and Suzuki rocked King, but King caught him with a suplex as he came off the ropes to stop his momentum. King went for the Gonzo Bomb and Suzuki escaped. Suzuki slid around King and kicked his legs out from under him, so he could grab the choke easily. Suzuki let go and went for the GSP, but King backdropped him after Suzuki was close to landing it. Suzuki got the choke again and dragged King down to his knees. King hit a series of big clothesline and the Gonzo Bomb for the win.
WINNER: Brody King in 8:00. (***)
(Radican’s Analysis: Suzuki got some momentum early, but then King quickly turned the tide late and got a convincing win that the announcers made a big deal out of.)
Suzuki was not happy once he recovered and he wiped out an attendant with a GSP.
Eddie Kingston got a big pop coming out to face Tomohiro Ishii. They went head-to-head once Ishii got into the ring.
(6) EDDIE KINGSTON vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII
The crowd was into the action early and Kingston eventually caught Ishii with a single arm DDT. Kingston began focusing his attack on Ishii’s arm. Kingston hit the Kobashi style chops on Ishii in the corner, but Ishii fired back with some big chops of his own. Ishii fired back and caught Kingston with a suplex, but Kingston kicked out at one. Both men began slapping each other across the face and the pace picked up. The fans cheered as they continued to slap the crap out of each other. Both men slapped each other at the same time several times. Kingston hit a German, but Ishii got right back up and hit a German of his own. Both men then staggered around the ring and fell down and the fans lost their minds at the ten minute mark.
Ishii ducked a spinning backfist. Kingston then ducked an enzuguri attempt. Ishii then caught Kingston with an enzuguri and both men were down. Kingston ducked a lariat, but Ishii caught him on the rebound. Kingston fought out of his clutches and hit a chop. Kingston hit a DDT, but Ishii got right up and hit a sliding lariat for a nearfall! WOW! Ishii went for the VDBB, but he couldn’t get Kingston up. Ishii took one spinning backfist, but wouldn’t go down. Ishii hit a heabutt, but Kingston hit a second spinning backfist and both men collapsed with the crowd going crazy again. Ishii hit a HUGE clothesline a short time later. He then hit the VDBB for the win. MY GOD!!!
WINNER: Tomohiro Ishii in 16:00. (****½)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was everything you could have expected out of a match from these two in front of a red hot crowd. This match was amazing hard-hitting NJPW action at its best.)
(7) BULLET CLUB (Jay White & Hikuleo) vs. CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Rocky Romero)
The opening bell rang and the fans chanted for Okada. He went at it with White and decked him with a big boot. Hikuleo tagged in and he wanted Romero. The fans started a huge chant for Romero. Okada stalled before tagging in Romero for a big pop. Romero got the better of Hikuleo initially, but it wasn’t long until he decked him and tagged in White, who got booed by the crowd as he worked over Romero. Romero got worked over for a long period of time and he crawled to tag out after Okada got a shot in on White from the apron. Romero nearly tagged out several times, but Hikuleo kept cutting him off. Romero countered a move from Hikuleo into a big DDT. He made the tag to Okada to a big pop from the crowd.
Okada caught Hikuelo with an elbow and the fans applauded. White tagged in and the fans yelled out sweet as he decked Okada with a chop. White seemed to like the crowd playing along with his sweet gestures. White grounded Okada and lifted him for a sleeper suplex. Okada countered White and hit his signature neckbreaker. Romero took Hikuleo off the apron and drove him into the guardrail. Okada hit the Rainmaker pose and the fans applauded. White blocked a Rainmaker and went for a Blade Runner, but Okada blocked it. Okada nailed White with a dropkick and appeared to hurt his ankle. Romero tagged in and ran wild on Hikuleo. Okada placed White over the ropes and Okada came off the top with a stomp. Romero went for an armbar, but Hikuleo made the save. Okada sent Hikuleo to the floor with a clothesline. White snuck up on Romero and went for a Blade Runner, but he rolled him up for a nearfall. White countered a sliced bread attempt and Romero got a backslide for a great nearfall. White blocked another sliced bread attempt and hit a Blade Runner on White for the win.
WINNERS: Jay White & Hikuleo in 16:00. (****)
(Radican’s Analysis: Just really good bell-to-bell action that delivered big time. Romero was so over and got several nearfalls on White before getting pinned.)
After the match, White jawed with Okada. Hikuleo then wiped him out from behind. Riccaboni hyped up their IWGP World Hvt. Championship match on June 12 at Dominion. The fans booed as White stood tall over Okada. White lifted Okada and hit a Blade Runner. White held up Okada’s title. Tonga Loa finally ran down to make the save. Hikuleo held up the Too Sweet, but Loa shook his head. Loa told him to join his family. White got in Hikuleo’s ear and they left together and the fans booe. There’s some really good storyline seeds being planted tonight for Dominion and beyond.
Juice Robinson was out first with a new Bullet Club remix to his theme.
Tiger Hattori was brought out to a big pop to present the IWGP U.S. Hvt. Championship.
(8) HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. JUICE ROBINSON vs. WILL OSPREAY vs. JON MOXLEY – IWGP U.S. Hvt. Championship match
Moxley went right after Ospreay and they brawled up to the entrance ramp. Robinson and Tanahashi also went at it. Robinson went for a cannonball, but Tanahashi got out of the way and he went right into the guardrail. Moxley noticed Tanahashi alone in the ring and he went back to the ring and began trading blows with him. Ospreay hit a springboard forearm on Moxley and cleared the ring before making the cover, but he only got a two count. Moxley fired back on Ospreay, but Ospreay landed on his feet after Moxley went for a German. Moxley quickly fired back and lifted him up halfway for a suplex before dumping him right on his face. Ospreay went for a handspring, but Robinson nailed him with a chairshot. Robinson got into the ring and hit Tanahashi with a chair. Moxley hit a dive to the floor on Robinson at the five minute mark. Moxley set up the chair in the middle of the ring. Robinson suddenly countered Moxley and suplexed him through the chair. Robinson set up a chair in the corner. Moxley tried to counter, but Robinson spun around and sent him right into the chair in the corner.
Moxley came up bleeding and Tanahashi ran into the ring and stopped Robinson from hitting Moxley. The announcers questioned his strategy. The pace picked up and Moxley hit a double DDT on Robinson and Ospreay. Tanahashi caught Moxley with a Slingblade a short time later and everyone was down on the mat. Tanahashi began going after Moxley’s leg. He hit a dragon screw and locked in the high angle cloverleaf. Ospreay moved the ref and set up for a Hidden Blade on Tanahashi, but Robinson stopped him. Robinson grabbed the title and hit Tanahashi in the back of the head with it to break up the submission and the fans booe. Robinson hit Tanahashi with another belt shot, but Moxley broke up the pin. Ospreay hit a 450 on Tanahashi and made the cover, but Mox broke it up. Moxley made the cover, but Robinson tossed him out of the ring. Robinson then covered Tanahashi, who kicked out at the very last second. The fans chanted for Tanahashi at the 10 minute mark. They went to a crazy sequence between Moxley and Ospreay. Tanhashi suddenly caught Moxley with a Slingblade. Tanahashi caught Moxley with Aces High, but Robinson came out of nowhere and hit Tanahashi with Pulp Friction. Moxley hit a Death Rider, but Ospreay did not sell it. Moxley avoided a hidden blade and hit a Death Rider for a nearfall. Moxley then grabbed a bully choke. He transitioned and got behind Ospreay’s back. Tanahashi went up top and hit Ospreay and Moxley with a High Fly Flow to the back. Tanahashi went up top again, but Robinson cut him off.
Robinson hit a left hand and lifted Tanahashi, but he fought out of his grasp. Robinson hit Tanahashi with the LHOG, but Moxley sent Robinson flying off the apron to the floor. Moxley wanted a Death Rider on the apron, but Tanahashi hit a Slingblade. Tanahashi set up Moxley on a table on the floor and went up top. Tanahashi then put Moxley through a table with the HFF to the floor. Robinson and Ospreay traded near falls at the 15 min mark. Robinson shoved the ref and hit a low blow. He then hit a spinning falcon arrow on Ospreay for the win. WOW!
WINNER: Juice Robinson in 15:00 to become the new IWGP U.S. Hvt. Champion. (****½)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was one of the craziest 15 minute multi-man matches I’ve ever seen. I have no idea why Robinson spun the ref to hit a low blow at the end when it was clear there were no rules in the match. That was the only downside of the match.)
The announcers mentioned Ospreay’s foot might have been under the ropes when Robinson got the pin, so that story is continuing. Hattori handed Robinson the title. Robinson got ton the mic and talked trash on Moxley and Tanahashi. He called the fans out and said they all act like the whole world shines on Ospreay’s ass. He said Ospreay is called the best in the world, but he can’t beat him. Robinson bragged about beating Ospreay, Moxley, and Tanahashi at the same time. Robinson said he’s the booster because he’s the boost that BC needed. Robinson said he’s now a three time IWGP U.S. Hvt. Champion. The fans booed. Robinson said he’s rock hard and he’s Bullet Club. Robinson said BC is too sweet.
Moxley got on the mic after everyone left. He said he didn’t win, but they’re not going to end the night with Bullet Club. He pointed to the lion mark and said it means something to him. Moxley talked about Okada, Suzuki, and Ishii. He said he feels privileged to watch those guys perform. Moxley thanked the fans for experiencing the show with him. He promised to whoop Tanahashi’s ass next time they got in the ring together.
Overall thoughts: (8.5) – The card started out a little slow, but the second half of the show was really strong, especially Kingston vs. Ishii, White & Hikuleo vs. Okada & Romero, and the four-way main event for the IWGP U.S. Hvt. Championship. Replay is recommended on Fite.tv.
Contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @SR_Torch
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