SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NJPW SOUL REPORT
JULY 3, 2024
KORAKUEN HALL
TOKYO, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Chris Charlton was on commentary.
(1) EL DESPERADO & YUJI NAGATA & TOGI MAKABE & TOMOAKI HONMA vs. JUST FIVE GUYS (Douki & Sanada & Yuya Uemura & Taka Michinoku)
Just Five Guys came out to Douki’s theme. I cannot imagine any other faction where the ostensible leader (and the rest of the group) would come out to a junior heavyweight’s theme. Douki really has grown a huge amount since his debut as a “make up the numbers” junior heavyweight in Suzuki-Gun to take the place of an injured El Desperado. In five years he’s gone from the fall guy to a main contender in the division, and with the fans behind him.
This was the purest form of a preview tag. Douki and Desperado started off, showed off their chemistry, and then tagged out to let everyone else get their moves in. We got Nagata Locks, a Kokeshi, big Makabe lariats, Just Facelock…all the hits. Douki and Desperado then briefly interacted on the outside while others decided the fall, in this case Uemura pinning Honma after a high crossbody.
WINNERS: Just Five Guys via pinfall in 9:00. (**1/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Yeah that was fine, if formulaic. Desperado and Douki have some history and the preview here gave us some ideas about what to expect when they face off for the Junior Heavyweight title. Otherwise, nothing of note took place.)
(2) LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPÓN (Yota Tsuji & Hiromu Takahashi & Titan) vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita & Sho & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
LIJ came out looking fresh, but Charlton also mentioned that Tsuji was not happy that they were only on the preshow. That’s OK buddy, we weren’t happy either. We found out that Tsuji will open the G1 against Konosuke Takeshita, which…just yes. Inject it directly into my eyeballs. Narita and Tsuji are in the same block, so this served as something of a preview of their eventual match.
The preview told us nothing though, except that we should be very afraid of having House of Torture representation in each block of the G1. Tsuji had Narita in a Boston crab, and transitioned it into the rocking horse variation, grabbing the arms as well to swing Narita back and forth. This caused all of House of Torture to swarm the ring…causing a DQ!!!
WINNERS: LIJ via disqualification in 6:00 (1/2*)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Finally! Real consequences! We learned nothing here.)
Shingo got on the mic and called out House of Torture, and they made a 12-man tag match. What a weird way to bring Naito out for the first time as champion.
(3) LOS INGOBERNABLES DE JAPÓN (Tetsuya Naito & Bushi & Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji & Hiromu Takahashi & Titan) vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita & Sho & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Evil & Dick Togo & Yujiro Takahashi)
I would rather they had just let the DQ stand, but I guess LIJ did ask for the match. Nothing really of note here, except House of Torture running train on Naito in the corner. He did however manage to take them all out while Chris Charlton made a veiled reference to the title match with Moxley being bad. Well yes, but you didn’t have to say it out loud.
Bushi tapped out Togo with the Fable lock. No, that is not a typo. Bushi actually won a match.
WINNERS: LIJ via submission in 5:00. (*1/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I am utterly confused. Your biggest star won back the title that half your roster was complaining about, that was being held by a foreigner who was not in Japan, and his first appearance with the title in front of a Japanese crowd is a run-in and an unceremonious 12-man tag in which he did not even secure the win for his team? What? It was five minutes of high-paced action that was OK, but the absolute lunacy of that decision will haunt me for days.)
(4) HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. BOLTIN OLEG – G1 B Block Qualifier Semi-Final
The story coming in was that Oleg had already beaten one of his tag partners in Toru Yano, and would have to go through the (much better) other one to get into the main draw. The crowd was pretty split before the bell, chanting equally for both men.
Oleg showed off his power early, dropping Tanahashi with a shoulder tackle and pounding him down with clubbing forearms. Tanahashi came back with a dropkick to the knee and a dragon screw. He continued working on the leg in the corner. He locked on a leg hold, but Oleg made the ropes. Charlton pointed out that this was Tanahashi’s 455th match in Korakuen, and his 73rd singles match. It was Oleg’s 18th singles match period. Wow.
Oleg tried to fight back and nailed a dropkick to take Tanahashi down, He scooped Tanahashi and slammed him, then followed up with a running splash for a two-count. He hit the Boltin Shake and nipped up, selling the leg in the process. That leg did not stop him from hitting a Stinger splash, but his ill-advised Vader Bomb follow-up found nothing but canvas.
Tanahashi charged into a fireman’s lift, but escaped the Kamikaze attempt. He ducked a lariat and hit a Twist and Shout at the five-minute mark. A Slingblade got a two-count. Tanahashi went to the top, but took his sweet time getting there. He came off with Aces High…fair catch by Oleg! He hoisted Tanahashi onto his shoulders…Attitude Adjustment! 1…2…no! Oleg got caught showboating and Tanahashi rolled him up! 1…2…no! That was intense.
Tanahashi went back to the basement dropkick to the knee. He looked for Slingblade…blocked! Kamikaze! A second one! 1…2…3!!! He did it!
WINNER: Boltin Oleg via pinfall in 7:00. (***1/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: It was a short and simple match, but they went hard and it was effective. Finally, a young talent got a meaningful win over a massive name in an important singles match. I do not expect him to make the main draw, but this is a win on which he can hang his hat for a long time. Kudos to Tanahashi for making the young man look like a threat, losing clean, and not making it a fluke rollup. This felt like a shift.)
(5) CALLUM NEWMAN vs. KENTA – G1 A Block Qualifier Semi-Final
If Newman were to win, he would be on the way to becoming the youngest G1 competitor since La Sombra, who you might know as Mr Charlotte Flair.
Naturally, Kenta jumped Newman before the bell and threw him to the outside. He hurled Newman into and over the barricade, then repeated the act on the opposite side. He kicked away at Newman on the outside, then rolled him back in. Kenta posed for the crowd, allowing Newman to recover and dropkick him off the apron. Newman hit a slingshot plancha to the outside. Well, I say “hit” but he actually overshot Kenta by several inches. Impressive.
Newman returned the favour on the outside, whipping Kenta hard into the barricade. Kenta blocked a second attempted whip but could not block the ensuing dropkick. They went out into the crowd where Kenta was able to reverse a suplex on the wooden floor. He continued to plant kicks into the gut of Newman, then rolled him back inside again at the five-minute mark.
The kicking persisted in the ring. Newman tried to fight back by kicking at Kenta’s legs, but the return fire was stronger and more effective. Newman fled to the floor, and called Kenta on. Kenta obliged with yet more kicks. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes I guess.
Back inside, Kenta took Newman over with a snap mare and dropped a succession of knees to the head. A cover got a quick two-count, then Kenta applied a chinlock. Newman made it to the rope, and again Kenta posed and toyed with Newman. Kenta taunted Newman, inviting the youngster to hit him. Newman found a burst of energy and ducked under a pair of attacks before hitting a running boot. A running dropkick in the corner and a big PK got a two-count.
After a long pause while Newman got to his feet, they went through a series of reversals that led to a rolling elbow by Newman. He went for another running kick but Kenta avoided it, and the referee got wiped out at the ten-minute mark. Kenta used the distraction to hit a DDT, then went to the outside to retrieve weaponry. He came up with a kendo stick and wore Newman out with it, smacking him repeatedly over the back.
Newman blocked a shot at his ribs but it led to nothing as Kenta just stomped on him and got the cane back. The beating continued, then Kenta went to the timekeeper’s table and collected his Defy World Championship belt. Newman ducked the belt shot and hit a GORGEOUS Os-cutter that looked like he floated. Like Peach in Mario Bros. 2. He covered Kenta but of course the poor ref was down on the outside. Newman went to get him and brought him into the ring, admonishing him for not being able to count.
Kenta caught Newman with a low blow before the ref recovered. A cover got a near fall. Kenta followed up with a busaiku knee for an even nearer fall. He lifted Newman for Go To Sleep…blocked! Kenta took that personally and absolutely plastered Newman with an open-handed slap that rattled MY jaw. He followed up with three more, but ran into a tiger knee lift! Helluva kick! Double stomp to the back! Os-cutter! 1…2…3!
WINNER: Callum Newman via pinfall in 15:00. (**3/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Large portions of this match dragged, but the action sequences were largely good. Kenta has slowed a lot but he can still entertain. Newman on the other hand is a dynamic talent. When he is on the ascent you cannot blink or you will miss something. Two massive wins for young guys in a row, both clean. This was slightly less fun because of the slow brawling parts, but the climax was exciting at least. I do expect Newman in the main draw, mainly because neither Ishii nor Yoshi-Hashi would really benefit from a mediocre run in the tournament. They have something in Newman, and I hope they realise that.)
(6) TAICHI vs TJP – G1 B Block Qualifier Semi-Final
Taichi sang and all is right with the world. Charlton told us that Taichi has never had a positive record in the G1, which is why he had to earn his way in. My heart said TJP for this one but my head said Taichi. There was again a split in crowd chants here, which was to be expected.
TJP took control of the opening exchanges with some acrobatics and a headscissors takedown. Taichi turned the hold into a pin, put TJP kicked out and took Taichi over again. Taichi changed approaches and reversed into a headscissors of his own. TJP did a headstand, held it for a while, and used the leverage to escape. After a couple of quick reversals TJP hit a dropkick sending Taichi into the corner. Taichi escaped to the outside to avoid the Ohtani face wash. TJP tried to hit a triangle dropkick to the outside, but Taichi sidestepped and connected with a lariat.
On the outside Taichi whipped TJP into the barricade. They went out into the crowd, where Taichi kicked the stuffing out of his chest. Taichi got back in the ring, with TJP following at the count of 16. Taichi threw him back out, TJP came back in, Taichi threw him out again. TJP came in once more, and Taichi kicked him in the face. Taichi beat down TJP in the corner, even resorting to the face wash boots. TJP fired up with forearm strikes but a hook kick from Taichi cut that off in short order.
Taichi clamped on a chinlock, but TJP made it to the ropes. Taichi again washed TJP’s face, but the finishing kick was cut off by a dropkick and a flying headscissors by TJP. Taichi sidestepped a charging TJP, who used a series of agile escapes to lock up Taichi’s arm and snap back his shoulder. Taichi retreated to the floor at the ten-minute mark, only to have his repose interrupted by a triangle dropkick that connected this time.
Back in the ring, as the ten-minute call was made, TJP hit a top-rope clothesline and a spinning wheel kick in the corner. Ity was TJP’s turn for the face wash, and his running kick at the end was successful. The crowd wanted a second one, and TJP obliged. He went up for the Mamba splash but was intercepted. Taichi climbed the tunrbuckle, looking for a superplex. TJP blocked it, slid down off the turnbuckle and kicked Taichi’s leg out of his leg. A final cut off the ropes got a two-count. TJP called for the running knee strike…Taichi sidestepped. TJP still managed a boot to the head, but Taichi hit a bigger one to leave both men down.
Taichi made everyone happy by tearing away his pants, but the ensuing superkick got nothing but air! Pinoy stretch…countered into a rollup! 1…2…no! TJP ducked a big head kick…and applied the Pinoy stretch! Taichi crawled to the ropes, loosening the hold in the process, and finally got there at the 15-minute mark. TJP rang up the arm of Taichi repeatedly, but Taichi kept landing sharp blows to the head. TJP maintained wrist control, ducked under a shot and tried for an octopus hold. Taichi escaped and absolutely flattened TJP with an elbow. Back drop driver by Taichi! 1…2…2.8!
Both men were slow to stand up. Taichi was up first, and he circled TJP slowly. He nailed a head kick and went for Black Mephisto…TJP escaped! Lariat by TJP! Spinning back elbow by Taichi! Both men hit superkicks! TJP with a back heel kick! Taichi was rocked but rebounded with a lariat…countered into a mouse trap pin! 1…2…no! Taichi found a dropkick out of nowhere. He leveled TJP with an axe bomber! 1…no! TJP fired up…into a MASSIVE superkick! Black Mephisto! 1…2…3!
WINNER: Taichi via pinfall in 20:00. (***1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Now THAT is more like it. That’s the Taichi everyone fell in love with a couple of years ago. He was stiff and aggressive and sold well, and everything looked crisp. TJP looked completely comfortable at home in the ring with a heavyweight and also continued the story of being unable to win the important matches. Everything about this match worked from a storyline and a development perspective, especially if Taichi is on the list of people to elevate. With the mind-boggling Naito stuff aside, this has been a great night.)
(7) TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. YOSHI-HASHI – G1 A Block Qualifier Semi-Final
It is the year of our Lord 2024 and Yoshi-Hashi is in a main event singles match. And against a man in Ishii who will not be creating much movement. This could be a tough watch.
They locked up and tussled for position. They broke cleanly after ending up in the ropes, and Yoshi-Hashi connected with a pair of chops. He clamped on a headlock. Ishii tried to power out, but Yoshi-Hashi maintained his grip. Ishii fought free, and then they decided to run into each other a few times. As you might expect, that ended poorly for Yoshi-Hashi.
Ishii kicked away at Yoshi-Hashi’s spine while he sat on the canvas. Yoshi-Hashi absorbed it and the subsequent forearms, then returned fire. He whipped Ishii to the corner, Ishii came out charging but ran into a solid shoulder tackle. Yoshi-Hashi laid in some chops, Ishii called for more, and he got more. They were no more effective, so Yoshi-Hashi snapmared Ishii and kicked him in the back of the neck, then slapped the back of his head for good measure. Except it was bad measure, as it annoyed Ishii enough to fire him up. Ishii chopped Yoshi-Hashi in the throat at the five-minute mark.
Ishii continued the beatdown in the corner, as Yoshi-Hashi crumpled to the mat. To his credit, Yoshi-Hashi tried to fire back out of the corner with a succession of forearms. Ishii stood there like a bored teacher hearing the 15th consecutive rendition of Hot Cross Buns on the recorder, then starched Yoshi-Hashi with one chop. The chops continued and Yoshi-Hashi had no answer. He collapsed, so Ishii picked him up and chopped him some more. That was brutal.
Ishii tried a back suplex, Yoshi-Hashi blocked and fired in some shots but Ishii put a stop to the comeback with a single shot. The punishment continued with more chops and forearms in the ropes. Ishii whipped Yoshi-Hashi into the ropes, but was caught by a surprise dropkick to the knee that left both men down. Yoshi-Hashi charged Ishii in the corner and returned some of the punishment visited on him by Ishii. A whip to the corner followed by a chop, a superkick, and a neckbreaker dropped Ishii to the mat. Yoshi-Hashi went to the top…Headhunter connected for a near fall. At the ten minute mark, Ishii escaped a fisherman buster and hit a Saito suplex to leave both men down again.
Ishii hit a charging clothesline in the corner, but Yoshi-Hashi shrugged it off. Both men traded chops in the middle of the ring, but unlike most exchanges like this the shots maintained their intensity. Ishii was the first to stagger his opponent, but then got staggered himself. Yoshi-Hashi switched to the double-handed chops, but Ishii would not go down. A clothesline did not take him down. A second one did not bring him down, but it did wake Ishii up enough to make him fire back with a chop. Clothesline from Yoshi-Hashi and Ishii went down! He popped up with his own clothesline to take Yoshi-Hashi down! They both clotheslined each other, then collapsed.
Ishii ducked two shots, then hit a succession of his own. He headbutted Yoshi-Hashi but then ate a dropkick. He popped right back up with a shoulder tackle! After a couple of dodges Yoshi-Hashi came back with a superkick and Ishii crumbled as we went past 15 minutes. The kumagoroshi connected for Yoshi-Hashi, but only got a two-count. He hit a lariat, but Ishii would not stay down. A second yielded the same result. A third led to a near fall. The crowd was heavily engaged, chanting for Ishii. Yoshi-Hashi went for Karma, Ishii blocked. He tried again, Ishii escaped but missed the enzuigiri.Yoshi-Hashi double-stomped his back but got knocked loopy by a headbutt. Back suplex by Ishii! Both men were down again.
Ishii was first up, and he leveled Yoshi-Hashi with a lariat. Yoshi-Hashi got up and dropped Ishii with a stiff elbow! Yoshi-Hashi called for a knee strike, hit the ropes, and ran into a lariat. Running powerbomb by Ishii! 1…2…no! At the 20-minute mark, Yoshi-Hashi ducked a sliding lariat and hit a Codebreaker! Ishii rebounded and hit the sliding lariat for a two-count. Ishii signaled the end and went for the brainbuster…Yoshi-Hashi escaped! Karma…Ishii escaped! Brainbuster attempt…DDT by Yoshi-Hashi! Both men staggered around the ring. Yoshi-Hashi recovered enough to hit a running clothesline to the back of the head in the corner. He tried for a powerbomb, but Ishii countered with a back body drop.
Ishii caught Yoshi-Hashi’s foot mid-superkick, and headbutted him down. Ishii ran the ropes…and got his head almost removed by a Yukon lariat. Yoshi-Hashi went for a piledriver…countered into a back body NO! Canadian Destroyer by Yoshi-Hashi! 1…2…no! Again both men were slow to rise, and this time Yoshi-Hashi hit the lariat for a near fall. He appealed to the crowd and tried for Karma again…countered into a dragon suplex by Ishii! Yoshi-Hashi would not go down, so he charged. They exchanged very stiff shots, then Ishii scored the knockdown with a brutal head kick. Lariat by Ishii! 1…2…still no!
As we went past 25 minutes, Ishii went for the brainbuster…Yoshi-Hashi escaped out the back! Dragon suplex! Superkick! Another superkick! And a third! Crucifix bomb! Karma attempt…connected! 1…2…3!
WINNER: Yoshi-Hashi via pinfall in 26:00. (***1/2)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: OK OK, I admit it. That was pretty darn good. While I cannot call it an exciting match, at least not until the last five minutes, it was definitely engrossing. It did go maybe two or three minutes long for my liking, but the match built extremely well and the crescendo was excellent. I’ll hand it to Yoshi-Hashi, he held up more than his share of the match and looked like a talented wrestler for a change.)
Final thoughts: This card truly did feel like a major change. I predicted Oleg and Newman winning, but I could not have foreseen Taichi rediscovering his best form, and Yoshi-Hashi finding another gear. I still think Newman will advance, likely with Taichi, to finish out the lineup. Newman beating Yoshi-Hashi is more palatable than Newman beating Ishii. Oleg can afford to wait a year, and I think Taichi needs to spend this year coming close to winning.
You can contact me at lansdellicious@gmail.com or on Twitter @lansdellicious. I’ll be back this weekend to bring you the recap of the finals of the qualifier tournament. Thanks for joining us!
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