NJPW New Beginning in Osaka 2-11-15

I've got NJPW World and Chrome sideloaded on the FireTV Stick, and it allows NJPW World to be streamed perfectly in any part of my house on TV easily - not bad for a $16 device. We start off with a WK 9 recap and then a rundown of tonight's card. YAY BRUCE THARPE! Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu are out for the young lions singles match - Tanaka looked fantastic in the WK 9 pre-show match and I can't wait to see him get some seasoning and distinctive gear. Tanaka has the knee wrap on his right knee, while Komatsu has it on his left and Tanaka has medium-length hair while Komtasu's is short. Hard overhand chop exchange starts this.

 

 
Tanaka clubs the back and gets 2 off a slam. Komatsu forearms him and gets 2 off a half-hatch suplex. Nice half-crab, but Tanaka gets the ropes. Good high dropkick from Tanaka. Flash small package gets 2 for Komatsu. Komatsu rains down forearms, so Tanaka responds with a massive slap to the face! Falling shouldermount powerslam from Tanaka gets 2. Komatsu elbows out of a deadlift German and gets a stretch muffler slam into a half crab. Now it's a full crab elevanted into almost a lion tamer for the win! Really fun match here - Tanaka continues to look really good.

Tiger Mask and Mascara Dorada versus Nakanishi and Captain New Japan is up so the juniors can create movement for Nakanishi. Camo gear for Captain tonight. Dorada is in red and gold and matches Tiger Mask. Love Dorada walking the ropes for his intro.

 Nakanishi kicks away at Dorada, avoids a flippy do, and just clubs him down with a Polish Hammer. Does it again. Well, he at least knows his place in this match. Tiger Mask comes in to kick the knee and shoulder. Nakanishi doesn't budge for a whip and instead just chops him! Double suplex to the juniors from Nakanishi. Captain is in with his camo gear slugging away at Tiger Mask. Nakanishi's back in. Nakanishi's offense consisting ENTIRELY OF CLUBBING BLOWS amuses me. Captain's back in and gets taken down for 2. Flying shoulderblock to Dorada. NAKANISHI GETS A HOLD - A TREE SLAM! Diving headbutt misses for Captain. Tiger slams him down and Dorada gets a spinning thingy for 2. Dorada gets a cradle on Captain for the win...this was quite a bit less good than the opener.

 

BRUCE THARPE HAS HIS FINEST SHINY GOLD SUIT ON! And he has his own trading card! KONICHIWA! This is Conway and Chase Owens against Tenzan and Liger since they're NWA belt rivals. Chase looks more like a star than say...Big Daddy Yum Yum. He's at least got some good pleather gear, a vest, and ear cans.

Conway's in great shape for a guy who just had appendicitis not too long ago, and is in his early '40s. MONGOLIAN CHOPS TO TENZAN! Well, Tenzan fights fire with fire and wins! Chase comes in and Liger gets a huge pop for his tag. Shoulder charge gets nothing, SO THEY START CHOPPING! Palm strike takes Chase down. Tharpe trips Liger, but denies it. Tharpe's got shades that match his jackets - fantastic! I think I've figured out what he is - a live-action cartoon version of an '80s manager. Conway gets a back elbow and does the bicep kiss elbow drops to Liger. Last one misses and Liger brings in Tenzan to run wild. MONGOLIAN CHOPS! Corner charge lariat leads to calf branding for 2. Forearm exchange mid-ring leads to a Conway eye rake. Headbutt to the gut leads to a knee clip and 2 for Conway. Conway hits the lighting forearm clubs to the chest ever for 2. Liger's in and palm strikes Owens down. Chase gets a blockbuster for 2. Double knee gutbuster gets 2. Another shotay to Owens. Powerbomb leads to Tharpe going on the apron and distracting him - Ego Trips to the faces leads to Chase getting a package piledriver for the win! This was fun and I dug the long post-match helping Liger to the back.

 

Honma vs. Kota Ibushi is up - I like the long steel partial cylinder set. It's not huge, but still looks decent. Ibushi's theme is fantastic. Ibushi needs a ring jacket - he's got a definitive color scheme, but would benefit from a jacket or hoodie. Honma backs him into the ropes for a clean break. Ibushi gets a headlock and Honma elbows out of it. Double shoulder charge no-sell. Honma clubs him down after an elaborate bit and then Homa goes down! Ibushi snapmares him into a chinlock. Honma up-kicks Ibushi, but Ibushi does the marching stomps! Honma's had enough of this and just chops hm to death. Headbutt from Honma misses! Slow-lift suplex from Homna hits and leads to a big Honma chant. Flying corner forearm hits leading to a facebuster. Elbow lariat combo from Honma! Ibushi avoids a brainbuster with a knee, but a shot to the knee off a kick leads to a brainbuster for 2. Snap slam, but Honma takes too long for a headbutt and Ibushi meets him up there. Pele kick takes Honma down. Dragon into a German suplex for 2. Massive Honma chant for the kickout. Ibushi slams him, but Honma meets him up there and gets elbowed down.

 

 

 

 
Massive missile dropkick misses for Ibushi. Mid-ring forearms lead to a Honma slap, an Ibushi rana cradle, and a double stomp!  Flying standing headbutt hits! TO THE BACK! TO THE BUCKLE! Honma gets a super back suplex, but it only gets 2! Fire Thunder driver gets 2! Slam! THE HEADBUTT MISSES! NO! Ibushi runs wild with stuff leading to Honma countering with elbows and forearms. Ibushi wins that war, but Honma counters the seated last ride with a sunset flip for 2! Big Iubushi lariat hits for 1! High kick to Honma leads to a seated powerbomb for 2.9! Phoenix splash hits for 3! IBUSHI WINS! This was by far the best match so far. Post-match, Ibushi begs forgiveness, but slaps him and they exchange slaps.

 Jr. tag title three way is up with the Bucks against ReDragon and the Time Splitters. Bucks are out with jackets pimping their ProWrestlingTees page. I love that the Time Splitters entrance video shows Kushida doing flips as a kid.  ReDragon's theme is something else. Kick exchange sets up a double dropkick between Nick and KUSHIDA. Matt comes in with Shelley and does a SUCKITSUCKITSUCKITSUCKITSUCKITSUCKIT bow, but eats a knee to the gut and some chops while KUSHIDA comes in. Great tag in and out armwringers become almost a running joke before a double sledge. Eye poke, but Kyle tags in. Low bridge to KUSHIDA sets up a Kyle larait on the floor. Nick's in and eats a big strike combo from Kyle. Decapitation kneedrop hits. Double team double-arm DDT into a wheelbarrow German gets 2.

Fish comes in with a snap suplex and gets 2 on KUSHIDA. Flying elbow hits and leads to a Michinoku driver for 2. Bucks miscue takes out one of them - Nick needs blonde hair again. KUSHIDA handspring elbow to both Bucks. Tag to Shelley sets up a FUCK YOU double crossbody and a COME ON MOTHERFUCKER bulldog/lariat combo. KUSHIDA runs in and runs wild and gets 2 off a German. Fish tackles him into the corner. Kyle dive to a pile on the floor. Buck moonsault to it. Kyle misses a Nigel lariat, but eats a Pele from KUSHIDA, who dives on the pile. KUSHIDA hits a moonsault right into a triangle choke. Diving headbutt onto KUSHIDA during an armbar. Everyone does flying things onto someone else. If you though the X Factor looked fake, then Nick's double X factor to both Dragons will send you into a rage. Swanton to Shelley led to a dive to KUSHIDA on the floor. KUSHIDA counters the IndyTaker, but eats it after some help from the Dragons. Kyle catches one superkick, but eats another. More Bang For Your Buck hits and gets the win! This was fun, but I still enjoyed Honma-Ibushi more.

 

 

 

 

 

Intermission with highlights of the card so far. Omega-Taguchi hype video is up. Love Taguchi crying about the loss and I'm LOLing at this Taguchi hype video having sad piano music play while he attacks with and then shakes his ass. The Funky Weapon is out dressed like a hipster. Love Omega getting an artsy blurry intro. Armwringers set up AN ATOMIC DROP from Kenny. HIP ATTACK to Kenny! Pair of seated hip attacks. A Buck distracts Taguchi leading to a Fameasser from Kenny. Kenny gets the Bullet Club flag and puts it on Taguchi's ass then waves the flag before getting attacked by Taguchi with the pole and then violated by it. Hip attack on the ropes for Taguchi. Kenny tries to pull Taguchi's tights down, but the ref kicks that off and then Taguchi is low bridged. Love them calling the ref Marty and Taguchi Chavo.

 

 

Flying corner back elbow from Kenny. Kenny revs up the arm chainsaw and rakes the face while the ref desperately gets the forearm hair away from Taguchi's face. Taguchi takes a couple of atomic drops, BUT HE HAS POWERED UP HIS ASS AND ENDURES THEM! Flip dive to Kenny on the floor. Springboard dropkick to Kenny gets 2. Kenny goes for an RVD sell off a DDT that gets 2. Taguchi avoids Kenny's needlessly convoluted finisher, but eats a chop. Ankle lock by Taguchi leads to a German. SNAP GERMAN BY KENNY! Cesaro lift into a doctor bomb gets 2 for Kenny. Kenny exposes the knee and bonks Taguchi, but Taguchi turns Kenny's finisher into a reverse rana! Wheelbarrow German is turned into a head drop by Taguchi for 2. Flying hip attack gets 2. Taguchi gets a torture rack, but Kenny escapes and they exchange punches. Taguchi goes up top, but Kenny grabs him and hits whatever his wacky electric chair Ki Crusher is called to win. Heels triple tombstone Taguchi out of the title picture while Dorada saves to set up the next program.

 

Okada, Yano, and Sakuraba are up against Fale, Tonga, and Nakahashi. Tonga looks so cool with the face paint, while Fale without the dyed beard just looks wrong. Love Fale jumping the faces at the bell. Okada and Fale have decent chemistry, although Fale is still fairly bad. Tama comes in after Fale chokes Okada with a tie. Leaping frog splash from Tonga, who has all the music between the notes down - he's a heavy mannerism guy and that makes him fun to watch at all times. Nakahashi runs wild with elbows and forearms to Okada leading to a huge OKADA chant. Big neckbreaker hits Okada. Great bit with Nakahashi cheering him on for a tag and then attacking his partners. Yano comes in and does some fun spots with Nakahashi and Saku attacking on the apron. Nakahashi DARES TO ATTACK YANO AND DO HIS POSE! YANO ATTACKS AND DOES HIS POSE! Fale and Yano do big guy spots until Fale misses a splash and Okada comes in and after a while, gets a slam. Fale gets a Samoan drop. Fale preps the thumb, but Okada elbows him. Women screech during the Bad Luck Fall setup, but Okada dropkicks the back. Tonga's in and nails a sweet dropkick to Okada. Heels all charge Okada in the corner. Flapjack to Okada from Tonga gets 2. OKADA DROPKICKS HIM AND THEN FALE! Flying HBK elbow hits Fale. RAINMAKER TO TONGA GETS THE WIN!

 

Next up, it's Nagata, Naito, and Kojima against YOSHI-HASHI, Ishii, and Nakamura. Ishii has no neck. Fun intro for the heels, but nothing amazing for Nakamura. None More Blue lighting for Nagata. Nagata and Nakamura are so much fun together. Hashi's in with Naito now. Lots of flippy dos and ranas. KOJIMA AND ISHII HIT EACH OTHER HARD. They hit approximately 70 billion forearms. Ishii wins that war, BUT EATS A FOREARM TRYING A HEADBUTT! HA! DDT to Isshi leads to Isshi selling the shoulder. Big corner chop exchange from them both. Corner forearm hits for Kojima. Diving elbow misses awkwardly. Nakamura kicks Nagata on the railing. Hashi slams Naito on the ramp. Isshi's right knee is also taped up now. Giant leaping kneedrop to Kojima from Nakamura. Hashi's in with Kojima. Rope gordbuster sets up a dropkick to Kojima's back.

YAY MORE KOJIMA AND ISHII HITTING EACH OTHER! Suplex to Kojima. Face wash to Kojima from Nakamura. Ace Crusher from Kojima! Nagata gets a running boot in the corner to Nakamura. EXPLODER! Nagata rolls through to avoid a high kick, but Nakamura blocks a teased dropkick BUT EATS A DROPKICK TO THE KNEE! EYE ROLL ARMBAR FROM NAGATA!

Nakamura gets a sliding knee. Naito runs wild with Hashi and hits a somersault senton to a sea of boos. Hardy dropkick gets more boos. Ishii and Hashi attack Naito in the corner. Hashi gets a powerbomb with a jackknife flip cover for 2.9. Naito's face is all busted from something and he wins with the stardust press. Tag title match is up next with Goto and Shibata against Anderson and Gallows. Karl has new ink on his right shoulder. Doc has a black and pink top. His all-white painted head look is fairly awful. Goto takes Karl down with a tackle before tagging in Shibata. Doc's in and eats corner forearms from Shibta before getting the hell kicked out of him. Figure four to Doc. Test of strength is won WITH KICKS by Shibata.

 

Karl and Shibata brawl on the floor in the crowd. Doc gets a chinlock on Goto in the ring. Series of two counts after an irish whip in the corner to Goto from Karl. Doc attacks Goto in the corner. Goto gets a BIIIIGGGG SUUPPLLEEXXX on Doc. Karl runs in and forearms Shibata, who counters with more forearms. Basement dropkick to Karl. Half hatch suplex without a bridge gets 2. Crossface chickenwing to Karl is countered by European uppercuts. Goto attacks Doc on the apron. Goto backdrop suplexes Karl for 2. Shibata prevents Bad Intentions and Goto avoids a corner charge and gets a lariat. Mastadons meet in the middle with lariats. Shibata forearms Doc to death in the corner. Stereo corner spinkicks to the heels. Pump kick from Karl saves Doc from an alarm clock. Over the knee neckbreaker to Goto and Doc gets a seated powerbomb for 2.Flying neckbreaker from Karl saves Doc during a sleeper. GUN STUN TO GOTO!  Shibata fights out of Bad Intentions and he elbows everyone. Superkick from Doc sets up a Gun Stun and they hit Bad Intentions to win the tag titles! Sucks to see Goto and Shibata's run cut so short, but this was quite good.

 

 

 

AJ-Tanahashi hype video is up. We see Tana retain at WK 9 and then AJ beat Tana afterwards. It's hard to believe that a year ago, AJ was slumming it in TNA in goofy bullshit matches with Magnus and now he's a top-level guy in the number 2 company in the world. It's the Ace of the Universe against The Phenomenal One! AJ's out with the Bullet Club and his surprisingly vulgar theme. Crowd chants for Tana to start. Basic armwork begins this match while Captain looks on concerned. AJ gets a grounded chinlock and then a headlock. AJ tries for a dirty break but Tana counters. AJ gets a dropkick. Tana hits a dropkick on the apron. Somersault senton off the apron misses for Tana and he goes splat! Bullet Club beatdown on the floor for Tana and Captain. AJ gets a Bret backbreaker mid-ring. AJ is working him over v.e.r.y. s.l.o.w.l.y. Tana gets some corner forearms and AJ hits a far better one. Second one misses, but AJ turns a Slingblade into a back suplex for 2.

 

AJ gets a surfboard, which is not making this anymore exciting. Tana comes back and gets a somersault senton for 2. Tana tries to skin the cat, but he gets attacked by the Bucks, shakes them off, and headscissors AJ to the floor before high fly flowing the pile and bonking heads with a Buck. He is split open something fierce now. Double clothesline mid-ring. AJ snap suplexes him into the corner. Matt is also split open on the floor and AJ hits the springboard elbow for 2. Tana's out of it. AJ goes for Bloody Sunday, but Tana counters it into a dragon, and then a straightjacket suplex for 2. German gets 2 for Tana. AJ grabs the ref to prevent another suplex and low blows Tana. TANA LOW BLOWS AJ! 900th forearm exchange mid-ring is won by AJ with an eye poke. Tana gets some body shots and an uppercut. Reverse dragon screw to AJ. Slingblade hits for 2.

AJ gets the knees up for the High Fly Flow! Tana's cut is next to his left eye and is disgusting even in sub-HD. SPRINGBOARD 450, BUT TANA GETS THE KNEES UP! Tana goes up but gets crotched. AJ goes up and elbows his head. AJ goes for a super rana, BUT A SUPER CLASH IS TEASED! PELE WHILE TANA'S ON TOP! THREE TEASES lead to a Styles Driver and a Bloody Sunday! Gun point leads to the Clash and the win! Tana is helped to the back by Captain and officials while AJ and the Club celebrate.

 

 

Karl gets on the mic and says Osaka has been blessed by the Bullet Club, the best faction in 20 years. Karl puts over Cody Hall and the SON OF THE LEGENDARY KING HAKU TAMA TONGA! Love the Bullet Club tracksuits on the Bucks. Karl calls AJ the best wrestler on Earth, and he's up there. AJ says they're THE BIZ CLIZ AND THEY ARE REAAAAALLLL! So Karl was a better promo than AJ here. AJ goes for some confetti angels.