NJPW NEW BEGINNING IN SAPPORO REPORT (2/24): Lansdell’s report on Naito vs Sanada for the IWGP World Title, Uemura vs. Tsuji Hair vs. Hair, and more

NJPW THE NEW BEGINNING IN SAPPORO REPORT
February 24, 2024
HOKKAIDO, JAPAN
HOKKAIDO PREFECTURAL SPORTS CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD

Announcers: Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton

(1) KATSUYA MURASHIMA & TOMOAKI HONMAI vs. TOMOYA & TORU YANO

Essentially a repeat of yesterday’s opener, with Murashima in the place of Shoma Kato. With Tanahashi being injured and unable to compete in the Okada farewell match later, Yano pulled double duty with this match and the aforementioned tag match. Given his style and the fact that the later match is a ten-man tag, it’s not exactly the most demanding of nights.

The match essentially played out as a repeat of the previous night, although this time Tomoya picked up the win with a Michinoku Driver.

WINNERS: Yano & Tomoya via pinfall in 8:00. (*1/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Eminently skippable.)

(2) EL DESPERADO & OLEG BOLTIN & SHOTA UMINO & TOGI MAKABE & YOH vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Dick Togo & Evil & Ren Narita & Sho & Yujiro Takahashi)

In a change of pace, Desperado jumped Sho on the outside before the bell which of course led to a brawl. Things unfolded as they generally do in any HoT match, with the added fun of seeing more exhibitions of the strength and development of Boltin Oleg.

Umino was the clear star of the match, taking out everyone on the HoT side and picking up the win with Death Rider on Kanemaru.

WINNERS: Umino & Desperado & Makabe & Yoh & Boltin via pinfall in 8:00. (**)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Just a way for the faces to get a win back after the downer of last night’s results. Boltin Oleg continues to be protected in a way no Young Lion ever does, this time needing three people to stop him in his tracks.)

• After the match. Yoh was shown at the top of the ramp holding the Junior Heavyweight title and looking pensive. Sho gave chase, so clearly that’s our next feud. The former partners have feuded before but never for a title, so that’s at least a fresh take.
  We got a video package for Scapegoat Jack Perry, who it seems is coming for Umino.

(3) CHAOS (Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano & Yoshi-Hashi) vs. UNITED EMPIRE (Francesco Akira & Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman & Jeff Cobb) & MATT RIDDLE

I did not envy Okada’s opponents in this match. None of this was about them. The crowd was chanting for Okada from the second the coin dropped.

We started with the intriguing matchup of Riddle and Okada, which was a stiff strike exchange that ended in a stalemate. From there things degenerated into a free-for-all, with Chaos hitting their trademark clubbing forearm flurry.

We did not get much of the payoff from the previous night’s tease of O-Khan and Okada. Callum Newman did get some shine against him, but ultimately we all knew he was there to eat a Rainmaker.

WINNERS: Chaos via pinfall in 12:00. (**)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I knew I was going to cry at the end of this match, and cry I did. I think if you had told me in November that Okada would leave NJPW and that his last match would be a ten-man tag against United Empire, I would have laughed considerably. The actual match barely mattered. It could have, if they had chosen to make someone like O-Khan into a major threat instantly. They chose to go the greatest hits route, with a Rainmaker pose and all.)

• Okada took to the mic after the match, naturally. He thanked the fans for looking after him all these years. He said there was more amazing action to come from NJPW, and that this was not the end. He would see them all again.

(4) GUERILLAS OF DESTINY (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) vs. GUERILLAS OF DESTINY (El Phantasmo & Hikuleo)

Interesting card placement here, I would have expected this farewell to be before the Okada one. Jado came out first in a referee shirt, showing off his guns of course. It is after all a day ending in Y. I smell some sort of shenanigans here.

ELP and Hikuleo are still the Strong Tag Team champions. The original GoD came out to their old theme and in their old ring gear, complete with face paint. Chris Charlton told us this was the 1,065th NJPW match for Tama Tonga. That is not a small number.

All five men bumped fists before the bell, with Tama and Hikuleo starting us off. Hikuleo shrugged off a dropkick and ran through Tama with a shoulder tackle. He went for a leaping elbow drop but Tama moved. ELP and Loa tagged in and they worked a rollup reversal spot. Jado literally gave up trying to count them all, shrugging his shoulders and waiting for both men to get back up. A showing match ensued until Jado implored them to have a clean fight, but not too fast.

After some back and forth Hikuleo caught Tama in a side slam, and ELP came off the middle rope with Bret Hart elbow drop. Well it wasn’t Bret’s elbow, it was in his style. You get what I mean. Loa tried to hold his own against both opponents but ran into a Hikuleo DDT. ELP and Loa were the legal men as things settled down. ELP hit a big kick in the corner and tagged in Hikuleo, who laid in chops and kicks. As we passed five minus Hikuleo powerslammed Loa and ELP came in off the blind tag with a springboard senton and a lionsault for a two-count.

Loa reversed a whip to the corner and came charging in with a clothesline. He went to the top and connected with a big missile dropkick, sending ELP into the opposite corner. Loa tagged Tama, who landed a flurry of strikes and a clothesline to level ELP. He hit a Stinger splash and an exploder suplex for a two-count. ELP reversed an inverted DDT attempt and lifted Tama for the UFO, then tagged in Hikuleo who hit the big boot and start the spin. Hikuleo covered for a two-count as Loa broke the pin.

ELP and Hikuleo hit a tandem kick to knock Loa down, then Hikuleo blocked a Gun Stun fr4om Tama and held on to him long enough for ELP to hit the Sudden Death superkick on Tama.Another Sudden Death connected with Loa, followed by the chokeslam from Hikuleo. ELP went to the top for Super Thunderkiss…GUN STUN! Tama came out of nowhere to hit that! Hikuleo grabbed Tama by the throat for a chokeslam, but Loa flattened him with a spear.

Tama called for Magic Killer, and they nailed it at the ten-minute call. Both men went to the top…diving headbutt from Loa! Supreme Flow from Tama! 1…2…no! They called for the Super Powerbomb, but instead whipped Hikuleo to the corner. Loa charged in with a clothesline, followed by Tama. They set for the Super Powerbomb but Tama could not lift Hikuleo who reversed the suplex attempt. Loa came of the top with an axehandle to Hikuleo, but ran into the snap powerslam.

Hikuleo again tried the Godsend chokeslam, but Tama fought it off. Tama tried for Gun Stun but twice Hikuleo blocked it. Hikuleo picked up Tama for a running powerslam…and turned it into his own popup Gun Stun! That looked gorgeous. He turned Tama inside out with a lariat, but only got a one-count as Tama fired up. MASSIVE powerbomb by Hikuleo! 1…2…no! Once again Hikuleo tried for Godsend…and connected! 1…2…3!

WINNERS: El Phantasmo & Hikuleo via pinfall in 14:00. (***1/2)
(Lansdell’s analysis: That was tremendously entertaining and a fitting sendoff for a tag team that has become legendary in the promotion. Hikuleo keeps going from strength to strength, and this was one of his better showings for sure. That pop-up Gun Stun needs to be a regular move for him. Whether he stepped up his game for his brothers or not, I am encouraged by the signs. It’s not clear if Tanga Loa is leaving with his brother at this point, but the emotion in the ring from and for Tama Tonga was palpable.)

(5) NIC NEMETH & RYUSUKE TAGUCHI vs. BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (David Finlay & Gedo)

Gedo no longer looks like a wrestler. He looks like the wise Japanese grandfather in an anime. I kept waiting for him to talk about the value of a good cup of tea.

Nemeth and Finlay started with a mat exchange that was easily controlled by Nemeth. People forget he was a collegiate standout. Once they got back to their feet, Nemeth slammed Finlay and tagged in Taguchi. They took turns hitting hip attacks to a seated Finlay, before gyrating and hitting a tandem hip attack. Gedo tried to intervene and…well he got the same treatment. Bummer, man.

I am still not sorry.

Taguchi hit consecutive running hip attacks on both opponents, but missed the flying butt-butt. Finlay knocked Nemeth off the apron and returned the hip attack favour to Taguchi. Finlay draped Taguchi over the top and hit a running forearm to the buttocks. Taguchi went over the top to the outside. While Finlay distracted the ref, Gedo – and I cannot believe I am about to type these words – grabbed the timekeeper’s hammer and hammered Taguchi’s Funky Weapon. He followed up that ignominious assault with a hammer shot to the head, then rolled Taguchi back inside.

Finlay covered Taguchi for a two-count, then tagged in Gedo. Gedo measured him and…hit a superkick to the butt. The universe is punishing me. Finlay tagged back in, and countered another flying butt-butt attempt with an atomic drop. Taguchi avoided a charging Finlay, hit the butt-butt on Gedo, then finally connected with one to Finlay. He tagged in Nemeth, who came in like a house afire. After a series of dropkicks he hit a neckbreaker on Gedo and then landed repeated elbow drops for a two-count. Finlay broke up the cover but ate a superkick and a butt-butt, sending him to the floor. Nemeth hit a Stinger Splash and the Danger Zone on Gedo for the finish.

WINNERS: Nic Nemeth & Ryusuke Taguchi via pinfall in 8:00. (**1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: God help me, I actually enjoyed the butt-focused segment of this match. It was a pretty basic confirmation win for Nemeth, but enjoyable. What this means for Finlay remains a mystery.)

After the match, Nemeth says his dream was to have a tag match with Tanahashi as his partner. Now he wants to defend the Global Championship against him. Tanahashi accepted. That is an intriguing match and one that should suit both men’s styles very well.

(6) TAKA MICHINOKU vs. BUSHI

The fact that Taka still uses his Kaientai theme makes me so happy. I just realised that Kaientai stopped being a thing 23 years ago and that many of you were not born then, and now I feel very very old. Bushi’s fit is impeccable tonight, a suit and fedora to go along with the overmask, and even gloves to match the mask.

The match started out quickly, with both Bushi sidestepping a charging Taka and sending him to the floor. Bushi went for a tope, but Taka slid back in and took him down with a drop toehold. He locked in the Just Facelock but Bushi made the ropes. Taka took Bushi down with a headlock takeover and clamped down with a headscissors hold, but again Bushi made the ropes. A snapmare and low dropkick to the back of the head got a two-count, and Taka went back to the headscissors hold. He went for Just Facelock again, this time keeping it applied for longer before Bushi made it to the ropes.

Bushi ducked a PK attempt and dropkicked Taka in the knee. Taka charged right into a Bushi boot, then ate a middle rope missile dropkick. Taka went to the outside, but was quickly taken out by a Bushi tope. Back inside, Bushi again dropkicked the knee and hit a spinning neckbreaker for a two-count at the five-minute mark. Taka blocked a Codebreaker attempt, then reversed a flying headscissors into Just Facelock! Bushi crawled for the ropes, Taka prevented that by rolling to the middle. Taka locked Bushi’s arm into the hold as well, but Bushi finally got to the ropes.

Bushi hit a rewind kick but was taken down with a dropkick. Taka went for the Michinoku Driver…Bushi countered with one of his own! 1…2…no! Bushi went to the middle rope and called for MX, then leapt right into a superkick. Taka connected with a rising knee, but again Bushi kicked his leg out of his leg. Bushi went to the middle rope and hit a missile dropkick to the knee, then applied a modified figure four submission for the victory.

WINNER: Bushi via submission in 9:00. (**1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: A little repetitive with the limited offence we saw, but there was a story being told and it worked. These two are veterans and can keep your attention without going all out, and that’s exactly what was needed in this situation.)

(7) HIROMU TAKAHASHI vs. DOUKI

Douki came flying out of the ring during Hiromu’s entrance with a tope, then threw him back in and went for Daybreak. Hiromu blocked it and dumped Douki on the apron, then went for a sunset bomb. Douki held on to the rope and stomped Hiromu on the face. They exchanged counters on the outside until Hiromu lifted Douki in a fireman’s carry and ran him into the barricade. Ouch. Back inside, Hiromu hit a corner lariat and a basement dropkick. He called to the crowd and hit a falcon arrow for a two-count.

Douki stopped Hiromu’s momentum with a beautiful dropkick. He peppered Hiromu with forearms and hit a springboard back elbow and an Asai moonsault to the floor. Back inside Douki nailed a slingshot double stop and applied the Douki Chokie at the five-minute mark. Hiromu made it to the ropes to break the hold, but got dropped with the Gory neckbreaker for a near fall. Douki tried another slingshot move but only found the foot of Hiromu, who then hit the sunset flip bomb to the outside.

With both men down on the floor, the referee started his count. Both men got back in the ring at 17, and Hiromu took control with a running DeathValley driver into the corner. He attempted Time Bomb, but Douki slipped out. Hiromu rolled through and tried again, and again Douki escaped. Douki went for Suplex de la Luna but Hiromu blocked. Again Douki escaped a Time Bomb and got a crucifix rollup for two. Hiromu reversed a Douki Chokie attempt into a jackknife cover for a near fall. At the ten-minute mark, Hiromu leveled Douki with a lariat and hit Dynamite Plunger for another near fall.

The crowd was chanting for both men as they exchanged escapes. Hiromu caught Douki with a superkick, then a second one, then a third after absorbing a Douki clothesline. Lariat by Hiromu! Time Bomb! 1…2…no! Hiromu went for Time Bomb Two, Doukiescaped. Hiromu went for a suplex, and Douki countered into the Douki Chokie! Hiromu was able to power out of it and lifted him for Victory Royal…countered into an Implant DDT! 1…2…no! Douki hit a spinout blue thunder bomb, then finally nailed Suplex de la Luna! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Douki via pinfall in 15:00. (***3/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: This was really good. They told the story of both men knowing each other’s finishers inside out, and it was only by breaking out a couple of new moves that Douki was able to take the win. Hiromu is not capable of a bad match, and this was absolutely a good one.)

(8) TAICHI vs. SHINGO TAKAGI

Okada joined the Japanese broadcast team during the entrances. That can’t have happened very often.

As you might expect, they started off just running into each other. They progressed to exchanging chops, then forearms. Taichi laid in some Kawada-style kicks but got run over by a shoulder tackle. Shingo dropped an elbow, then a senton. His back drop driver attempt was blocked, and Taichi hit a smooth hook kick to take control. Shingo caught Taichi’s attempted roundhouse kick, and dropped him with a dragon screw. Shingo connected with a sliding lariat and a suplex. He measured Taichi and hit a strike combo to take him back down.

Shingo charged and missed. Taichi kicked him right in his head at the five-minute mark. He hit an air raid crash before playing to the crowd and tearing off his tearaway pants. He attempted the Last Ride powerbomb but Shingo powered out and faked a left-arm lariat, making Taichi duck into a DDT. Shingo squashed Taichi with a corner lariat, then positioned him for a superplex. Taichi fought it off and they jockeyed for position on the turnbuckle. Shingo managed to lift Taichi to his shoulders…super Death Valley driver! Taichi got to his feet and hit a back suplex! Shingo returned the favour! Taichi had one more in him, this time a high-angle back drop driver, and both men were down.

As we passed ten minutes, they both struggled to their feet. Taichi hit a short arm clothesline, and Taichi returned fire with his own. It became an exchange, with both men refusing to go down. They collided again, and both collapsed. Once they got up they resumed where they left off, with big clothesline collisions. Shingo outlasted Taichi on the exchange, peppering him with alternating forearms, but Taichi starched him with a single shot. Again they traded big blows, both men again going to the mat after a clothesline from each. The ref started to count both men down at the 15-minute mark.

At the count of nine they grabbed each other, Taichi with the upper hand. A big head kick sent Shingo reeling to the ropes, but he came back with another lariat. Taichi got a burst of energy and hit a pump kick and a lariat. He found another fuel reserve and went for the jumping head kick…Shingo swatted it away! Taichi ducked the pumping bomber and hit a dropkick! Dangerous back drop driver! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Taichi via pinfall in 17:00. (***1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I am going to rank this lower than most. It was an intense physical encounter for sure, and it had plenty of exciting moments, but the clothesline exchange went on far too long and really killed my enjoyment of the match for a stretch. It picked up beautifully at the finish, but these two are capable of so much more in terms of variety. This could have been well over four stars.)

(9) YOTA TSUJI vs. YUYA UEMURA – Hair vs. Hair match

It’s not often we get a match like this outside of Mexico. Considering how heated this rivalry has been, it was strange to see them lock up and exchange reversals to start the match. Tsuji backed Uemura into the ropes, Uemura turned it around and chopped Tsuji. They exchanged rollup attempts in a mad flurry, and Tsuji escaped to the floor. Uemura chose not to follow.

Back in the ring, they ran the ropes crisscross. Uemura dropped down first and hit a crisp arm drag. He dropped an elbow on Tsuji’s arm before tying that arm up in a submission. Tsuji quickly got his foot on the bottom rope. He got a boot up into a charging Uemura and was able to hit with his own charging splash. A running splash by Tsuji got a two-count. He buried a fist in the gut of Uemura, who went down like an empty sack. Tsuji covered for a two-count, then continued beating down on Uemura.

Tsuji tried to lock in a Boston crab, but Uemura kicked him away. Tsuji countered a bulldog attempt into a backbreaker, then succeeded in applying that Boston crab. Uemura made the ropes, so Tsuji hit a sliding dropkick to send him to the floor. Tsuji teased a dive but changed his mind at the ten-minute mark. He slowly brought Uemura back inside, but Uemura picked up the pace and hit an arm drag and a dropkick. Uemura found a second wind and kipped up, then hit a back suplex for a two-count. He hit an arm throw and kicked out that same arm for another two. He tried to apply an armbar but Tsuji fought it off, so Uemura switched it up into a kimmura. He transitioned into the cross armbreaker but like lightning Tsuji made the ropes.

Uemura tried to hit the Deadbolt suplex, but Tsuji came up with a gorgeous counter and rolled into a Boston crab. At the 15-minute mark Tsuji shifted into a high-angle crab, then the Lion Tamer. He voluntarily broke the hold, only to execute a giant swing. Uemura blocked the attempt to reapply a crab and snapped Tsuji’s arm, then hit divorce court. Both men working body parts? It’s like they are wrestling this match just for me!

Uemura pounded away at the head of Tsuji in the corner. Somehow Tsuji was still smiling that trademark grin. He ducked under a double chop and rolled Uemura up for a pair of near falls. Tsuji got an arm drag of his own and an innovative pinning combination with a headscissors for a near fall. They exchanged back slides for two-counts at the 20-minute call. Tsuji ended the rollup hijinks with a kick to the face of a seated Uemura…or did he? A trifecta of rollups got two-counts for Uemura, but he ran into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. He escaped another backbreaker attempt and hit…a double underhook falcon arrow? I think? It was sweet, either way. It got another two-count.

Uemura went to the top rope, which seemed ill-advised. As expected, Tsuji caught him with a kick and went up top with him. SUPER SPANISH FLY! Tsuji is not human. 1…2…no! Tsuji with a suplex…no! Deadbolt by Uemura! But he couldn’t capitalise! They each nailed a forearm to the jaw, and both men went down hard. For some reason the ref checked on both men several times but did not count them down. Eventually, after both men tried and failed to stand, the count started. Both men got to all fours at the count of eight, with only five minutes left in the match.

They went right back to a lockup? Huh? They each hit a shoulder tackle and got a one-count on the other. Tsuji blocked a body slam attempt and hit his own, then a second one. They are basically back to their Young Lion moveset days. Tsuji charged and got backdropped. Uemura to the top…crossbody missed! Tsuji hit the curb stomp! Falcon arrow! 1…2…no! Nobody kicks out of that! Tsuji wasted precious seconds posing, then had his spear countered with a frankensteiner and an armbar attempt! Tsuji rolled into a schoolboy, then hit a knee lift and a superkick. Another spear was countered with an arm drag. Crucifix attempt by Uemura got a near fall. Yet again the spear was countered, this time with a cutter. Uemura tried Deadbolt but Tsuji headbutted free. German suplex by Uemura! GENE BLASTER! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Yota Tsuji via pinfall in 29:00 to keep his hair. (****1/4)
(Lansdell’s analysis: Wow. What a showing from these two. The story of Tsuji wanting to win with his finish while Uemura just wanted to win, Tsuji trying to humble Uemura with Young Lion moves, the flash vs fundamentals angle, the working of a body part…the only thing hurting the match was the number of dead spots with nothing happening. You still should go out of your way to see this match, it was excellent.)

• Uemura accepted his fate with honour, letting Tsuji cut off the long locks before taking the clippers into his own hands and buzzing himself bald.

(10) TETUSYA NAITO (c) vs. SANADA – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match

In the early going Sanada was able to apply the paradise lock, something he did not manage to do in the dozens of preview tags. He dropkicked Naito to set him free, sending him to the outside. Sanada ran as if to dive, but Naito slid back in the ring. Sanada landed safely on the apron, so Naito tripped him and dropkicked the back of his head to send Sanada to the outside. Naito then hit the tranquilo pose to slow things down.

The five-minute call rang out as Sanada pursued Naito to the floor and whipped him to the barricades. Sanada went for the draping DDT to the floor but Naito wriggled out and hit it himself right in front of Okada. Naito rolled back into the ring as the referee started to count. Sanada made it back in at the count of 18 and fell victim to an arm drag and basement dropkick. Naito locked in a cravate, then hip tossed Sanada onto his knee. Sanada rolled to the floor clutching his neck.

Naito followed Sanada and applied a leg nelson on the floor while the referee counted. Naito rolled in at 15, and Sanada followed at 18. Sanada held on to the ropes to avoid a hip toss, then dropkicked the knee of Naito. Sanada avoided a charging Naito by backflipping over him and again dropkicked the knee. Sanada whipped Naito in, leapfrogged him several times, and hit a dropkick. Naito rolled to the outside where Sanada clobbered him with a slingshot plancha. Back inside, Naito reversed a whip to the corner and hit a rope-assisted reverse DDT to the knee. He followed up with another hip toss neckbreaker. He positioned for a superplex but Sanada slid out under him and dropkicked his butt, sending Naitor face-first into the corner post.

From the top rope, Sanada dragged Naito off and dropped Naito’s head over his knee. Ouch. A green killer got a two-count. Sanada rolled through an O’Connor roll attempt and applied Skull End. He broke the hold voluntarily and went up top for a moonsault…knees up from Naito! Both men were down at the ten-minute mark. Naito hit repeated elbows to the side of Sanada’s head, then again perched him on the top rope. This time he succeeded with the super frankensteiner. He looked for Destino and ran into a dropkick. Sanada lifted Naito for a TKO but Naito countered with an inverted DDT.

Again Naito went to the elbows to the head. He hit a spinebuster but his Destino attempt was blocked. A second attempt was turned into a Deadfall attempt, which in turn was blocked. Naito ducked a shining wizard and connected with an enzuigiri. Again both men escaped the other’s finisher, reaching a stalemate until Sanada was able to connect with the TKO at the 20-minute call. Sanada slammed Naito into position for the moonsault…it connected! 1…2…no! Sanada went to the well again…connected again! Deadfall…blocked! Destino! Second Destino! Neither of those looked remotely good.

Sanada blocked Naito’s follow up and hit an enzuigiri and a shining wizard to a standing Naito. Deadfall blocked again by Naito! Tornado…what on earth was that? It’s almost as though Sanada just bailed on the bump and they collapsed gently to the mat. Naito made it look like he intended to apply a guillotine choke. Sanada fought free, and Naito hit a Deadfall of his own! Sanada shrugged it off and hit a shining wizard! A second shining wizard connected! Deadfall…again no! Tornado DDT by Naito, no a small package! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Tetsuya Naito via pinfall in 24:00 to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. (**1/4)
(Lansdell’s analysis: This was really, really not up to standard. Both men are very talented and the rating reflects that, because this was a massive disappointment. It was sloppy, it was slow, there was no real story being told. The rematch didn’t make a lot of sense to start with, and we endured weeks of two factions facing each other, only for this wet squib of a match. Who was served by this? Who came out looking better? This match was the wrestling version of “this meeting could have been an email.”)

• After the match, addressed the crowd and did his roll call. He called Okada into the ring as Naito’s music played, and Okada obliged. The music cut off and Naito put up his fist for the LIJ salute. Okada went to touch fists, and Naito spit in his face and attacked him. Okada went for a dropkick, Naito held the ropes, Okada ducked a clothesline, Naito ducked the Rainmaker and hit the Tranquilo pose. He invited Okada to kindly leave his ring, and Naito’s music played again.

Final thoughts: Half of tonight’s card was dedicated to Just Five Guys and LIJ finally (hopefully) finishing their feud. Tsuji and Uemura overdelivered, Hiromu and Douki did too, but everything else was pretty unimpressive in my mind. The main event will stick out for a long time as a colossal disappointment. I know the promotion is in upheaval right now, but they seem to be totally lost for direction and devoid of a plan. That is a very bad sign.

You can contact me at lansdellicious@gmail.com or on Twitter @lansdellicious . Thanks for joining us!