This morning’s New Japan show in Korakuen Hall is all about the Super Jr. Tag Tournament, the single elimination tournament held around this time each year. Well, that and of course the usual eight and six man tags, because we can never escape from that on any New Japan card anymore. Tonight we’ll see the opening round with eight teams vying for a spot in the semifinals. As for the show itself, it’s a multi camera show, but no commentary.
It was announced that David Finlay suffered a left ankle injury and would not be competing tonight. The eight man to kick off the show would be made into a six man, with Finlay and Captain New Japan removed.
Togi Makabe, Hirooki Goto and Katsuyori Shibata defeated Yohei Komatsu, Jay White and Sho Tanaka
Pretty good opener. White showed some great fire against Shibata, who destroyed the young lions for a good part of the match. Shibata won after White submitted to a Boston crab.
Shinsuke Nakamura, Tama Tonga, Toru Yano and Kazushi Sakuraba defeated Karl Anderson, Tama Tonga, Doc Gallows and Bad Luck Fale
Pretty good at times. Some brawling throughout, including Anderson and Nakamura going at it in the stands. Anderson also mocked Nakamura at one point by putting on his ring jacket and doing his pose on the ropes. Fale and Yano interacted a bit as well, seems like they’re teasing a feud between these two. Nakamura gets the win with the boma ye, pinning Tama Tonga.
Kazuchika Okada, Gedo and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma and Juice Robinson
Good match, but felt pretty long. They went fifteen minutes, far more than other matches on the show so far and just about everyone got to work with one another. Robinson, who got a lot of time in the ring and looked good, was pinned after a Rainmaker by Okada.
They announced dates for the 2016 Fantasticamania tour with CMLL right before intermission. 1/17 in Kouchi, 1/19 in Kyoto, 1/20 in Osaka and 1/22, 1/23 and 1/24 in Tokyo.
reDragon defeated Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask
Fish pinned Tiger Mask with the Chasing the Dragon. Solid match, but not a lot to it.
Roppongi Vice defeated Chase Owens and Kenny Omega
Good match towards the end. Crowd didn’t seem all that into it for large parts of the match. The start was really goofy. Omega’s antics work in short doses but he was hamming it up big time at the start of this match. Beretta and Romero double teamed Owens and pinned him with their finish, the Omori Driver/dropkick combo. So RPG Vice will face reDragon in the semifinals.
The Young Bucks defeated Mascara Dorada and Ryusuke Taguchi
Another good match. Dorada did some crazy moves throughout the match, including a hurricanrana off the apron and to the floor. There was a spot where Nick jammed his thumb in Taguchi’s butt, I guess to thwart him, but Taguchi came back and made him stick it in his mouth. Ew. Matt pinned Dorada after the Bucks hit the Meltzer Driver.
Ricochet and Matt Sydal defeated The TimeSplitters
Very good match. It started off slow, but got pretty got towards the end. Kushida had Sydal’s arm in the kimura a couple of times throughout the match and was selling it by the end. The TimeSplitters hit every big time maneuver they could think of but could not pin Sydal as he either kicked out or Ricochet interfered on his behalf. It looked like Shelley was going to the top rope to do something when Ricochet cut him off and Sydal hit a reverse rana on Kushida. They then both hit a shooting star press from the top rope, Sydal pinning Shelley to win the match. So they will face the Young Bucks in the other semifinal.
Good show overall. Nothing completely outstanding, but the last two matches were pretty fun to watch.