NJPW CAPITAL COLLISION RESULTS (8/30): Lansdell’s report and analysis of Moné vs Watanabe, Kidd vs Rush, Ali vs Takahashi, and more

NJPW CAPITAL COLLISION REPORT
AUGUST 30, 2024
ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS ARENA
WASHINGTON, D.C.
AIRED LIVE VIA PPV ON NJPW WORLD

Walker Stewart was on commentary with Veda Scott. Once again the lighting in the venue was awful, but to their credit they sorted out the sound issues within a minute this time.

(A) MATT VANDAGRIFF vs. ALLAN BREEZE – Strong Survivor match

Allan Breeze came out first and reminded me of someone, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on who. Vandagriff has been running the table on these matches, having been in the first one and coming up on a year as the Survivor. His look has completely changed, from a steampunk vibe to The Acolytes meet the Young Bucks. It is not an improvement.

A quick grapple exchange led to a pair of early one-counts for Breeze. Vandagriff showed some acrobatics to escape a suplex and hit a neckbreaker for a two-count. He pounded Breeze down to the mat, but Breeze reversed a whip to the corner and hit a running chop. Vandagriff used a sliding trip to halt the momentum, then went to the floor. He propped Breeze’s head against the post on the apron, then hit a running kick to the head. That was a nice spot.

Back inside, Vandagriff mounted Breeze and punched him. A hard whip to the corner sent Breeze down in a heap. He continued the beatdown in the corner, then went to the floor and grabbed both Breeze’s arms to stretch him out. With Breeze propped across the middle turnbuckle, Vandagriff went to the top and hit a cannonball senton for a near fall.

Vandagriff kicked away at Breeze’s chest. Breeze shook it off, fired up and hit a big facebuster and a gutwrench powerbomb for a two-count. Vandagriff escaped the follow up and hit a beautiful tiger suplex, a superkick, and a Bloody Sunday to pick up the win.

WINNER: Matt Vandagriff via pinfall in 6:00. (**½)

(Lansdell’s analysis: Vandagriff continues to impress, but Breeze actually looked dangerous here. At some point you have to assume Vandagriff will get a main-card chance. He’s ready.)

(B) HANAKO & MINA SHIRAKAWA vs. VIVA VAN & TRISH ADORA

Trish Adora’s last three NJPW Strong events have gone preshow – title match – preshow. It’s a crying shame, because she is VERY good. Viva Van…is also in this match. Hanako and Mina are stablemates in ENexusV. I have not seen Hanako, but Mina is excellent.

Adora and Hanako ran into each other multiple times, then tagged in their partners. Van and Mina hugged, then ran around a bit, then ducked a lot…and Mina kicked Van in the spine for a two-count. After some more dodges and ducks, Mina hit a kick to the head for another two-count. She teased applying a surfboard, but just stomped on both of Van’s knees. Mina applied a figure four but Van got to the ropes right away. Van avoided an attack on the apron, slingshotted back into the ring, and hit a spinning wheel kick for a two-count. Van tagged in Adora, then applied a tarantula in the ropes while Adora chopped Mina.

Adora sat on the upper back of a seated Mina and stretched Mina’s arms. That’s a unique one. Adora ran the ropes but Hanako cleaned her clock (illegally). After a double-team move Hanako took it to Adora. They each tried for a suplex, with Hanako ultimately successful at the five-minute mark. Adora connected with a German suplex for a near fall, then tagged in Van. A crossbody from the top got a two-count before Mina broke it up. Van got slammed by Hanako, who then tossed Mina on top of Van for a near fall. Mina tried the figure four, Van escaped and hit an implant DDT for a very near fall. Van ran into a spinning elbow, then Mina rolled into a figure four with a bridge to get the submission win.

WINNERS: ENexusV via submission in 7:00. (**1/4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: It was a little clunky at times but not awful. They wanted Mina Shirakawa on the card to dance, and to show off Hanako, and both those things happened.)

(1) ROBBIE EAGLES & BAD DUDE TITO vs. HIROSHI TANAHASHI & TOMOHIRO ISHII vs. GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS

GYV were making their NJPW debuts. The Ishii and Tanahashi team felt a bit forced and an excuse to get them on the card, but that’s OK. The crowd reaction justified it.

An all-out brawl before the bell left Eagles and Drake in the ring. Eagles ran up the ropes and hit a lucha-style arm drag, then a spinning kick to take control. Tito tagged in and blistered Drake with a succession of chops. He dropped Drake with a military press, then ran the ropes…and Tanahashi tagged himself in. He hit a Kevin von Erich-style crossbody, Drake made a blind tag to Gibson and GYV hit a corner splash and a spinning heel kick to take Tanahashi down.

Eagles tagged back in and ran into a boot from Gibson, a trip from Drake, and a leaping basement kick from Gibson. GYV continued the beatdown on Eagles, with Gibson slamming Drake on top of Eagles for a two-count. Drake applied a chinlock. Eagles escaped with a snap mare and hit a German suplex, but Gibson kicked Tito out of the corner to prevent the tag. Gibson tagged in and went for a back suplex, Eagles landed on his feet and got a rollup for a two-count. Eagles attacked the legs of Gibson, who kicked him away…and right into Ishii’s corner.

Ishii tagged in and leveled Gibson, Eagles, and Drake. He ran into Tito, then countered a Tito suplex into a brainbuster. GYV tried to double-team Ishii, who avoided it and had a German suplex for each man at the five-minute mark. Gibson begged off in the corner, to no avail. Ishii laid in some chops, Gibson ducked under one and held Ishii in place for a corner dropkick by Drake. Assisted shiranui by Gibson! 1…2…Tanahashi broke it up, and was promptly deposited on the floor. GYV set for their Total Elimination variant, but Tito tagged himself in. He ran through a GYV tandem clothesline and leveled them both with his own double clothesline. He hit an enzuigiri on Gibson, then dropped Drake on top of Gibson with a single-arm spinebuster.

Tito measured Ishii and took him down with a clothesline. Ishii popped right up but ran into a Death Valley driver for a near fall. He tried an F5 but Ishii escaped, and both men decided to headbutt each other at the same time. That did not end well. Ishii tagged in Tanahashi, who peppered Tito with body blows. A flying forearm and a scoop slam were followed by a middle-rope senton for a two-count. Tanahashi called to the crowd but was ambushed by Gibson. Drake hit Tanahashi with an enzuigiri, Gibson followed up with a back suplex, then they kicked Tanahashi to the floor. He took Gibson down and hit a sliding forearm to the back of Gibson’s head.

Eagles played to the crowd, then leveled Tanahashi with a flurry of kicks. Tito hit an airplane spin bomb for a two-count while Tanahashi hit a senton to the outside. Ishii leveled Tito with a lariat, Eagles came off the top with a dropkick to Ishii’s knee, then everyone came into the ring one by one only to get their legs kicked out of their legs. At the end of the sequence, Tanahashi hit a Slingblade on Tito, Ishii followed with a sliding lariat, and Tanahashi came off the top with High Fly Flow. 1…2…3! Did not see that coming/

WINNERS: Ishii and Tanahashi via pinfall in 11:00. (***)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Nothing special here, though the result was not what I expected. I guess they needed to confirm Ishii and Tanahashi would have a reason to be on the next card. We didn’t get to see much of GYV, but what we saw was very good. Ishii and Tanahashi will not be winning the Strong tag titles, I would be willing to bet.)

(2) KEVIN KNIGHT & YOSHI-HASHI & ROCKY ROMERO vs. BULLET CLUB WAR DOGS (Drilla Moloney & David Finlay & Clark Connors)

This was essentially a preview tag for Yoshi-Hashi’s title shot against Finlay. Yoshi-Hashi did not even come out in his usual gear, just a black t-shirt and his tights. Certainly not phoning it in at all.

Connors and Knight started off and after a knee to the midsection by Connors, Knight came out firing with an arm drag, a slam, and a standing frog splash. He tagged in Yoshi-Hashi who rang up the arm before tagging in Romero. Connors was able to make the tag to Moloney, who ran into an arm drag. They ran the ropes and Moloney flattened Romero with a tackle. Moloney invited Romero to hit him, so Romero poked the eyes. With Moloney on the outside, Romero hit a tope then rolled Moloney back inside for a two-count. Connors made a blind tag and absolutely obliterated Romero with a Pounce. Moloney and Finlay blindsided Romero’s partners in the corner, knocking them to the floor. Connors whipped Romero hard to the corner, then hit an elbow drop for a two-count.

The beatdown of Romero continued at the five-minute mark. Finlay tagged in and violently stomped on Romero. He hit a running back elbow in the corner and a release suplex. He pinned Romero with a foot on the chest, but only got a two-count.Finlay went for a powerbomb, Romero punched his way free. He escaped Finlay’s grasp and was able to tag in Yoshi-Hashi. Yoshi-Hashi cleaned house, then hit a Headhunter on Finlay. A slight “Yoshi-Hashi” chant broke out. A DDT connected for a near fall. They exchanged blocks and counters, Finlay winning the exchange with a Northern Irish Curse backbreaker.

Knight and Moloney tagged in, and Knight blitzed Moloney with punches and a sweet dropkick. He charged into the corner, Moloney sidestepped but Knight hit a springboard lariat. Connors attacked him from behind, Knight jumped over the tandem lariat attempt and hit a kick on both opponents. Moloney caught him coming in with an elbow, he went to the middle rope but Knight caught him with a middle-rope huracanrana. Knight measured Moloney for the leaping DDT…Connors blocked it! Superkick by Moloney! They hit their tandem spear/leg sweep combo for a near fall that was broken up at the ten-minute mark. After a brawl, Romero was left in the ring with Connors and Moloney.

Romero avoided a corner splash, hit a huracanrana, then alternated corner clotheslines on Connors and Moloney. He set for a tandem move with Knight, but Connors speared Knight and Moloney hit the Drilla Killa on Romero! They set for Full Clip but Knight escaped…Leaping DDT to Connors! Moloney went for Drilla Killa…Knight escaped again! Jackknife pin! 1…2…3!

WINNERS: Kevin Night, Rocky Romero and Yoshi-Hashi via pinfall in 12:00. (**3/4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: Maybe the best showing from Kevin Knight, and Moloney looked very good too, but we barely saw Yoshi-Hashi or Finlay. The match was pretty good, but I was hoping for more. I’m not sure where Kushida was, the fact that Knight pinned Moloney makes me think a title shot is in his future. Again. He’s had several chances to stick at the top of the junior tag ranks, maybe this time he will grow into it.)

After the match, the War Dogs beat down Kevin Knight.

(3) DIRTY WORK (Tom Lawlor & Fred Rosser) vs. WEST COAST WRECKING CREW (Royce Isaacs & Jorel Nelson) – No Disqualification match

Before either team could enter, we cut to the back and saw both teams brawling backstage. Nelson and Isaacs beat on Rosser as Lawlor went back through the curtain, then came back out with a chair. He leapt off the stage onto his opponents, and finally all four men were in the ring.

Rosser hit a corner clothesline, Lawlor hit a spear in the corner, and a tandem move took Isaacs down. Nelson came back in the ring with a chair, but was quickly relieved of it. Rosser dropped him neck-first over the back of the erected chair. Lawlor and Nelson brawled on one side of the ring, Lawlor and Isaacs on the other. They traded opponents, and Lawlor sat Nelson on a chair. Nelson avoided the running kick, leaving Lawlor tangled in the chair. A pounce from Isaacs freed him and sent him into the barricade.

Nelson and Isaacs found baking sheets, a perfectly normal item to be around a wrestling ring. They beat down Rosser with them. Lawlor interrupted briefly but ended up getting beaten down too. Nelson hit a spinebuster on Lawlor through two erected chairs on the outside. He then slingshotted Lawlor into an Isaacs powerslam.

At the five-minute mark, WCWC taunted Lawlor. Isaacs mounted Rosser and pummeled him, while Nelson retrieved a….door…from under the ring. Of course he did. Then he got a second door. Because that also belongs under a wrestling ring. They propped the door between apron and barricade, and tried to suplex Rosser through it. Rosser fought them off and hit a back suplex to the apron on Isaac. He took down Nelson with a lariat, then an overhead throw. He picked up Isaacs in a reverse fireman’s carry and launched him with a slam. Lawlor applied a modified camel clutch while Rosser basement dropkicked a chair into Nelson’s face. 1…2…no! Nelson pulled the ref to the outside!

Nelson slid into the ring, then hit a diving tackle to Lawlor on the floor. Isaacs hit a deadlift dragon suplex on Rosser, then erected another door in the corner. Lawlor and Nelson brawled in the floor, Isaacs when to help him and put a garbage can over Lawlor’s head and smacked it with a chair several times at the ten-minute mark.

WCWC got back into the ring, where Isaacs hit a piledriver onto a chair on Rosser. There was a cover and a VERY slow count, followed by the ref calling the count off as it was clear Rosser was knocked loopy. Rosser did eventually lift his shoulder, but hardly moved. Nelson went to the top, Lawlor came in with a chair and waffled Isaacs on the back, then hit Nelson with it. Lawlor tried to hook a German suplex to send Nelson through the door on the outside, but Nelson fought it off. Lawlor clamped on a sleeper on the top rope, Isaacs came over to break the hold but Lawlor refused to let go. Rosser lives! He locked on a crossface chicken wing on Isaacs, letting Lawlor and Nelson fall off the top and through the door. Rosser hit a Death Valley driver through the second door to pick up the win.

WINNERS: Dirty Work via pinfall in 12:00. (***1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: It was pretty good aside from the scary moment where it looked like Rosser was hurt. I have to wonder why WCWC never seem to get a big win, they seem to have it all. I would love to see both these teams in World Tag League this year.)

(4) ZACK SABRE JR vs. TITAN

This seemed to be a mismatch on paper, with Titan being a junior heavyweight and ZSJ having just won the G1. Titan is technically sound, so that’s where I was hanging my hopes.

ZSJ got a full nelson early, but Titan worked his way free. They exchanged holds, and ZSJ worked on the leg of Titan, who turned the hold into a pinning predicament for a quick two-count. ZSJ applied a headscissors, Titan flipped out into an Indian deathlock, and ZSJ scrambled to the ropes. Another slick series of escapes and counters and somersaults and rolls ended in a stalemate and with me out of breath.

ZSJ decided the time for technical wrestling was done, and hit a stiff European uppercut. Titan replied with a kick to the gut, a flying crossbody, and a dropkick to send ZSJ to the floor. Titan went to dive, but ZSJ slid back in and hit the neck twist thing he does with his feet. ZSJ tied up Titan in a pretty package, and used his legs to make a bow. I have no other words for it. Titan made it to the ropes somehow. ZSJ laid in some kicks, Titan fired up and hit a pair of loud slaps to the chest. ZSJ kicked him in the head, and Titan went down like a lead balloon.

Titan matrix-ducked a lariat and hit a jump kick to send ZSJ to the outside, then followed with a tope. Back inside the ring Titan locked in an inverted figure four. ZSJ headed to the ropes, but Titan transitioned into…a kneeling inverted surfboard I guess? ZSJ was able to counter with a variation on a dragon sleeper, and before the knots got too complicated they were in the ropes. This match made me question my knowledge of wrestling holds.

Both men stood in the middle of the ring and exchanged strikes at the ten-minute mark. A faint chant broke out for each man. The strike exchange picked up pace, and ended with a misdirection tornado DDT by Titan, followed by a face-first suplex and a superkick. Titan went to the top…double stomp missed! ZSJ rolled through and into an ankle lock, Titan escaped and got a trio of near falls with rollups. ZSJ escaped the third by locking in a sleeper, and again Titan made it to the ropes before too many of his limbs were tied up.

ZSJ avoided another tornado DDT and hit a PK. He sat on Titan’s chest for a pin, but only got a two-count. Another rollup exchange led to a big superkick from Titan. He charged and hit a leaping Northern lariat in the corner. From the top…double stomp connected! 1…2…no! Titan tied up the legs and went for Llave Immortal! ZSJ quickly escaped, applied a kneebar, and grabbed a few extra limbs for good measure to secure the tapout win.

WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr via submission in 15:00. (****1\4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: My recap here does not do the match justice, simply because it would be impossible to keep up with all the elaborate counters and escapes each man used. I loved this match. This could be seen as a breakout performance for Titan against arguably the number two guy in the company. Go out of your way to watch this match.)

(5) TETSUYA NAITO vs. TJP

Much like ZSJ faced Naito’s stablemate, here Naito was facing Great-O-Khan’s. It was not full-garb Naito but t-shirt Naito, generally a bad sign.

TJP made me his fan for life by not waiting for Naito to finish his stripping routine. He charged Naito and took the champ down with a headscissors. Naito countered with one of his own. TJP used a headstand to escape. Naito taunted TJP, and after some brawling TJP went to Naito’s leg. He sent Naito to the floor and followed with a slingshot plancha. TJP continued to attack the leg, slamming it off the corner post then hitting a drive-by kick on the knee. He retrieved a set of ring steps from under the ring, but merely set them up to climb to the apron. The referee counted all the way to 19 with TJP just casually standing on the apron for some reason. TJP hit a slingshot senton for a two-count, then tried an Irish whip. Naito’s leg gave out. TJP worked on the legs some more, and then locked in a sharpshooter. He transitioned to a Mutalock, but Naito crawled to the ropes.

TJP hit a flying back elbow in the corner, then tore off Naito’s t-shirt. He acted like he would throw it to the crowd, but instead…put it on? He hit a running boot in the corner to a seated Naito, then tried a second one but ran into a back elbow and an inverted atomic drop. Naito held TJP in place for a neckbreaker, then eventually dropped him. An arm drag, a back elbow, and a basement dropkick to the back of the head followed. He sat TJP backwards on the middle turnbuckle and hit a delayed neckbreaker. He took the t-shirt off TJP and put it back on, then posed in the middle of the ring.

A lazy cover by Naito was good for a two-count. He clutched TJP’s wrist and hit a series of back elbows, then connected with Esperanza out of the corner. He went for a running Destino, TJP sidestepped and clamped on an octopus hold at the ten-minute mark. Naito struggled briefly, then made the ropes.TJP hit a trio of half-hatch suplexes, then went to the top for the Mamba…Naito moved! TJP landed on his feet but then ate a tornado DDT.

TJP avoided a charging Naito and went for his own tornado DDT, but Naito pushed him off and into the ref. Naito checked on the ref, which allowed TJP to mist Naito in the face! Running knee strike! 1…2…no! TJP went to the top…Mamba Splash! Another near fall! TJP went straight into a figure four. Naito fought and grasped for the ropes, finally making it there. TJP measured Naito and went for a TKO…countered into a half Destino! 1…2…no! Not sure what TJP was trying to do there, and Naito took forever to get up. Naito hit an enzuigiri, he went for a running Destino but rolled all the way through into a small package! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Testsuya Naito via pinfall in 9:00. (***1/4)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: This was better than a lot of Naito’s recent matches, but he still looked slow and disinterested. TJP is a great opponent right now because he made everything look much faster. Maybe Naito is on the mend? TJP played up the heel role here, which could be a function of how over Naito is, but could also be a sign of things to come.)

(6) SHANE HASTE & MIKEY NICHOLLS (c) vs. HECHICERO & VIRUS – NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship

The commentators mentioned that Hechicero and ZSJ are kind of circling each other, and I will admit that I want to see that match badly. This one…less so.

Hechicero and Nicholls started with some mat exchanges. Walker Stewart mentioned that Hechicero has been wrestling for over 20 years and is only now getting the recognition as one of the best in the world. They wrestled to another stalemate, then tagged in their partners. Virus is one of the trainers in CMLL and is known as a mat wizard. He took Haste down with ease, but fell victim to a kick in the gut. He quickly reasserted himself and applied a hammerlock. Haste tried to power out but Virus pulled him back with an armdrag. A dizzying sequence of escapes and counters led to all four men in the ring, which ended with TMDK in control.

Nicholls tagged in and went to town on the chest of Virus and covered for a two-count. Haste tagged in, Virus mounted a brief comeback but a tandem back suplex-neckbreaker cut him off. Haste applied a hold, then tagged in Nicholls. They wishboned Virus, then Nicholls hit a powerslam for a two-count. Haste tagged back in, Virus avoided a pair of tandem moves and tagged in Hechicero. A springboard dropkick and a mid-air ankle pick were the highlights of his offensive flurry, then turned a crucifix pin into an innovative submission on Haste. Nicholls broke the hold and they beat Hechicero down and to the floor.

TMDK perched Virus on the top turnbuckle, but Hechicero interrupted with a flying knee in the corner. Haste took him out with a running boot, but then ate a huracanrana from Virus. Haste rolled to the outside and immediately ate a dropkick between the ropes from Virus. Nicholls clotheslined Virus off the apron, then got clotheslined over the top in return by Hechicero. Haste with a schoolboy! 1…2…no! Haste followed up with a roundhouse and a uranage for a near fall. Hechicero ducked under a lariat and hit a leg lariat. Nicholls interrupted the cover, he ran the ropes, and Hechicero almost decapitated him with what I assume was meant to be a lariat to the floor. Instead Hechicero caught himself on the ropes to prevent disaster, draped Nicholls over the top, and Virus dropkicked him to the outside.

Haste got flattened by Hechicero. A splash from Virus got a near fall. The luchadors hit a tandem monkey flip DDT. Hechicero lifted Haste in a surfboard, from whence Virus dropped him with a reverse DDT. That was pretty. A cover was still only good for two as Nicholls made the save. Nicholls caught a charging Hechicero and dropped him with a blue thunder bomb, then ate a basement dropkick from Virus for another two count. Virus went to the top but was intercepted by Nicholls. Tankbuster out of nowhere! 1…2…3!

WINNERS: TMDK via pinfall in 14:00 to retain the NJPW Strong Tag Team championships. (***1/2)

(Lansdell’s Analysis: I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. At 55, Virus puts a lot of people to shame, and his technical style is pretty impressive. TMDK played the heel role and played it well, cutting corners and taking shortcuts to secure the win. A fun match and good showcase for the CMLL team. )

After the match, Ishii and Tanahashi came out to confront the champs. Tanahashi made the challenge for Royal Quest, then abused his power completely and confirmed the match. Haste accepted the challenge.

(7) HIROMU TAKAHASHI vs. MUSTAFA ALI
We had an El Hijo de Darryl sighting! The first time these two faced off, the stuffed toy was a big part of the match. I hope that does not continue.

We got a rollup exchange right off the bat, leading to a near fall for Ali. They exchanged hammerlocks, Ali dropped Hiromu with a back elbow, they ran the ropes and Hiromu connected with a dropkick to send Ali to the outside. Hiromu came off the top with an attack but Ali ducked it, and Hiromu landed on his feet. Ali hit a running knee lift, he tried to whip Hiromu into the cornerpost on the outside but it got reversed and Ali hit hard.

Hiromu got El Hijo de Darryl and went for a leg…I mean, a Darryl drop off the apron. Ali moved out of the path of certain death, did a headstand on the apron, and turned it into a DDT on the floor. Beautiful. Oh no, El Hijo de Darryl has been unmasked! Ali threatened to punch Darryl, but instead gently put him back in the corner…then shoved him off. The crowd booed him as he rolled Hiromu back inside. Ali hit a rolling thunder neckbreaker for a two-count.

Ali went to work on the neck of Hiromu, applying a face-up Mutalock. Never seen that before. Hiromu escaped, they exchanged chops, and after a series of reversals Ali clapped Hiromu’s ears and rolled the dice for a near fall. Ali taunted the crowd, but the ring mics were so low that we couldn’t hear anything. Ali tried a sliding dropkick to the outside, Hiromu sidestepped…German suplex on the outside! DDT on the outside! Hiromu took a minute to recover, then noticed Darryl’s mask.

Back in the ring, Hiromu hit a running headscissors and a corner clothesline. A basement dropkick followed for a two-count. A dueling “We want Darryl! Darryl sucks!” chant broke out. Another reversal sequence led to a falcon arrow and a two-count for Hiromu. They exchanged strikes, Hiromu charged into a drop toehold that left him hanging over the bottom rope. Ali rolled to the outside and dropkicked the dangling head. He lined up Hiromu and ran right into a clothesline, while Hiromu’s head was still draped over the bottom rope. A smart spot, that.

Hiromu charged but was lifted over the barricade. Ali hit a cutter on to the barricade, then went back to the ring. He took a running start, cleared the ropes AND the barricade, and hit a tope con giro to Hiromu in the crowd. Wow. Back in the ring. Ali went to the top for a 450…Hiromu moved! Ali rolled through the landing and charged, but Hiromu hip tossed him into the corner pad. Both men crawled to the middle of the ring, where they again traded strikes. Ali hit an enzuigiri, Hiromu hit a lariat, Ali hit a superkick, Hiromu hit another lariat. Ali locked in an STF! Hiromu edged to the ropes, so Ali locked up his arm. Hiromu kept crawling and got there with his other arm.

Ali argued with the fans, then went for a powerbomb. Hiromu fought out of it but ended up sitting on the top tornbuckle. Ali hit a Cheeky Nando’s dropkick, then…a Monémaker? That’s not a good idea. He covered, but only got a two-count. Hiromu escaped from another powerbomb, then hit a butterfly piledriver for a two-count. He went for Time Bomb, Ali escaped and hit a poison rana. Ali went up to the top…450 into the knees! Hiromu rolled it through…Time Bomb! 1…2…3!

WINNER: Hiromu Takahashi via pinfall in 18:00. (***3/4)

(Lansdell’s analysis: I could have done without Ali’s excessive jawjacking with the fans. I liked this much better than the comedy-fest that was their first match though. There has to be a third now, right? )

(8) GABE KIDD (c) vs. LIO RUSH – NJPW Strong Openweight Championship match

Lio Rush got an ultra-rare special entrance, with live music played over his own rap track. Even at WrestleKingdom we don’t get entrances like this very often.

Both men took turns circling the other and working the crowd. Rush used his speed to make me very tired, I mean avoid Kidd. With Kidd on the outside, Rush hit a trio of high-speed topes. Kidd was able to come back by dropping Rush back-first on the apron. He followed up with a powerbomb on the same entrance. That’s the hardest part of the ring!

Kidd dropped Rush with a chop. Rush escaped a gutwrench, and took Kidd down with a grounded kick. Rush went to the top, Kidd moved but Rush rolled through. Running kick from Kidd! That turned Rush inside up and outside-down.Rush tried to fire back but Kidd casually tossed him overhead. Kidd again taunted the crowd as we passed the five-minute mark. Another overhead throw got another one-count. He tried for another one, Rush fought it off and grabbed a desperation sleeper. Kidd went to his knees but powered back up and ran Rush into the corner. Kidd again looked for the belly-to-belly…reversed by Rush into one of his own!

Rush fought back with a flurry of strikes. He tried a cutter, Kidd blocked it but Rush had another flurry for him. He went for the cutter again, but Kidd caught him and hit an inverted suplex! Rush avoided a running kick and hit one of his own. Falcon arrow! 1…2…Kidd kicked out! Nobody kicks out of the falcon arrow! The crowd chanted “Let’s go Lio” as he went to the top rope. Kidd rolled under the bottom rope to avoid it. Rush met him on the apron, Kidd flattened him with a shot and went to suplex him from the apron to the outside. Fortunately Rush wriggled free and hit an enzuigiri, bringing Kidd back into the ring at the ten-minute mark.

Rush tuned up the band and hit a superkick. He tried the rebound cutter again but Kidd leveled him with a clothesline for a two-count. He dragged Rush to a corner, and applied a guillotine choke while sitting on the top turnbuckle. He went for a gutwrench bomb off the top…countered into a huracanrana! Spear by Rush! Rebound stunner! 1…2…no! Rush went back to the top rope…Kidd intercepted him with a slap, then went to the top as well. They slugged it out on the top turnbuckle, an exchange Kidd won with a headbutt. Top rope belly-to-belly by Kidd! 1…2…no!

The crowd was firmly behind Lio as Kidd went to the outside to find a chair. The referee warned him not to use it, Kidd pushed him away and took a swing while the ref was distracted. Rush moved and the chair bounced off the ropes into Kidd’s face! Rush to the top…Final Hour!!! 1…2…no! Rush laid in some stiff elbows, but Kidd absorbed them and got to his feet. Rush avoided as many swings as he could but sadly, Kidd had an extra strike and turned Rush inside out with a lariat. Rush came up bleeding. Busaiku knee by Kidd! Brainbuster! 1…2…no! Kidd hit the piledriver! 1…2…Still no!!! A second piledriver…countered into a jackknife! 1…2…no! Kidd held on through the kickour, hit another piledriver, then hit a Doctor Bomb for the win.

WINNER: Gabe Kidd via pinfall in 18:00 to retain the NJPW Strong Openweight championship. (***3/4)

(Lansdell’s analysis: I liked that a lot. Kidd has needed this sort of match to show he has even more versatility. Although the result seemed obvious on paper, there were several occasions where I thought Rush might pull it out. That’s the sign of a good match. My issue is that Rush physically did not look like a threat. He put on a good show nonetheless, and Kidd was able to keep pace for the most part. I’m curious who will step up next, since we don’t usually see any build to the Strong title matches.)

(9) MERCEDES MONÉ (C) vs. MOMO WATANABE – NJPW Strong Women’s Championship match

Both women exchanged arm locks early. Moné got a side headlock takedown and held on. Momo grabbed a handful of hair to reverse the hold, then blocked an Irish whip and ground her heel into Moné’s back. They ran the ropes and Moné returned the heel-grinding favour. Both women squared up, Momo kicked Moné in the gut and beat her down in the corner. Moné avoided a charging Momo and got an O’Connor roll for a two-count. Moné hit a lucha arm drag and transitioned into the Statement Maker! Momo broke the hold with a foot on the ropes.

Moné hit a meteora for a near fall. Momo rolled to the outside, and Moné followed. On the outside, Momo repeatedly slammed Moné’s head into the apron. Momo got herself a chair and brought it into the ring. The referee tried to snatch it away but of course took a bump, allowing Momo to get her bat. A wild swing missed, Moné went to the top and jumped right into a bat to the midsection. Moné rolled to the outside as Momo posed in the ring, copying Moné’s dance.

Moné slid back in and tried to rally, but one shot from Momo put an end to that. Momo applied a chinlock, then pulled Moné’s hair. Again Moné tried to battle back, this time it was a chest kick that ended the comeback. Momo choked Moné in the corner, then applied a sleeper. Eventually Moné broke the hold with a jawbreaker, then followed up with a lungblower. Moné set for a suplex but Momo countered, hanging Moné upside down in the corner, then laid in a series of kicks to the chest. Momo taunted Moné, who found a big slap to create separation.

Moné escaped her predicament, hitting three meteoras and a flurry of kicks in the corner. Moné from the second rope…Meteora! 1…2…no! Moné went for a Monémaker, Momo countered into a sunset flip, Moné kicked out and then locked on a Boston crab. Momo pulled herself to the ropes for the break. Both women ran the ropes and collided knee-to-knee. Both women slugged it out on their knees, getting to their feet and continuing to exchange strikes. Momo hit a flurry of elbows, then knocked Moné down with a head kick. Moné was playing possum but ate a bastard driver nonetheless. A cover got another two-count. Momo locked in a crossface chicken wing, but Moné used the ropes to roll into a cover and a near fall. Peach sunrise by Momo! 1…2…no!

Momo followed up with a pair of suplexes, but Moné interrupted the third and started her own trio. Momo interrupted this time, just casually kicking Moné in the head. Vertical suplex by Momo! 1…2…no! Momo went to the top rope, Moné went up with her…superplex! 1…2…no! Moné went for the Monémaker but Momo wriggled free and hit multiple round kicks to the chest, then one to the head. Momo went for Peach Thunder…Moné escaped! Statement Maker! Momo made it to the corner, surreptitiously hiding her bat under her. Bet she’s fun at parties.

Moné spotted the bat, they fought over it and the referee got knocked over. Both women struggled to get the bat, Moné made her drop it, and set for the Monémaker…connected! Statement Maker! Momo fought it…and tapped out!

WINNER: Mercedes Moné via pinfall in 20:00 to retain the NJPW Strong Women’s title.. (***1/2)

(Lansdell’s analysis: Moné’s issue has never been her work between the ropes, which is why she is such a perfect fit in New Japan. Where she has wavered in AEW is when she has to talk. Momo held up her end of the bargain, though the bat stuff was a little weird. I fully expected another contender to present herself at the end of the show, but it was just a Mercedes dance party. Nothing really blew me away here but it was a fun watch and I hope this is a sign that Mercedes is knocking off the ring rust and getting back to her best self.)

Final thoughts: What a weirdly uneventful show. Three title matches, no title changes. No surprise appearances, no real story developments…it just seemed like something they did because they had to. Several times Walker Stewart claimed the show was a sellout, but the sound levels were so bad that it sounded cavernously empty in the building. Titan and ZSJ was the class of the show, with Hiromu and Ali not far behind. If you just want to see several hours of quality wrestling, there is plenty here. If you have limited time and need to only watch something consequential…I can’t say this was it.

You can contact me at lansdellicious@gmail.com or on Twitter @lansdellicious. We’ll be back next weekend on the Road to Destruction. Also keep your eyes and ears open for the 7-Star Podcast and Radican Worldwide on PWTorch VIP to hear more of my thoughts on the show. Thanks for joining us!