NJPW Invasion Attack 2016

Better late than never. I've got a day off, no games to play, and I'm finished with 2/3 of WCW Capital Combat '90 via the Wayback Playback - so let's watch NJPW! Fale and Takahashi beat Juice and Taguchi quickly in a nothing match. Liger, Kojima, and Nagata had a fun match against Saku, Yano, and Yoshi-hashi.

 The Third Generation guys looked strong, and Nagata won with a backdrop driver pin. Goto and Ishii had a stiff little war with Bushi and Evil. Goto's finish and the sliding lariat by Ishii won this one. RPG Vice had a crazy-fast match with Ricochet and Sydal. Ricochet dropped the fall, but with him being offered a great Lucha Underground deal, he may not be headed to WWE after all.

 

Will Ospreay and KUSHIDA have an absolutely stellar match. It mixed flying with mat wrestling perfectly. There was one part that was poetry in motion - where Will went for a blind jump off the top and ate an armbar, and it could not have looked better. There was another where he hit KUSHIDA with a big forearm, and then yelled "c'mon ya fuckin' dickhead!" and they got into a forearm war. Hoverboard lock won this, but in one match, they made a star in Ospreay.

 

 

 

NEVER 6-man tag title is up. BIG MIKE, Tanahashi, and Yoshitatsu against The Elite. Corino and Kelly talk about Yoshi's injury and run down the new acronym for NEVER - which makes no sense whatsoever. Kenny tells the camera man to get the fuck over here and says that "last week, you all wasted your money - so I'm going to show you what you should have been watching all along!" Nice dig at WM there.

 

They start off hot and brawl into the crowd. Matt does a swanton dive onto the pile and Cody just never moves. Corino and Kelly aren't picking up on him being hurt - which is surprising for Corino especially. Omega hits Mike with an Elite trash can, then puts it on the can and runs him into a superkick on a cart. CHAIN OF DRAGON SCREWS by Tana! Hilarious bit where the Bucks do the Terminator theme drum for an Omega dive - but he kinda overshoots and hits his legs, while the Bucks hit perfectly. "I'M ALWAYS THINKING - I'M SO SMAAARRRT!" Omega rules.

Yoshi comes in and hits a spinkick to a Buck before landing forearms and kneeling kicks! Springboard back-bumping dropkick by Yoshi gets 2. Superkick misses and one buck hits the other. Yoshi gets a figure 4 deathlock, but eats that cooling spray to the face. Big Mike catches a Buck off a moonsault, but eats a tornado DDT instead. TRIPLE SUPERKICK TO YOSHI! Cooling spray to the face prevents a Clash. Big Mike comes in with an outside-in flying back elbow and hits a series of Germans to Matt and then a DOUBLE GERMAN ON THE BUCKS!

Big Mike's reverse Alabama slam for a Tana splash is countered with knees. Meltzer Driver is set up with Steve giving Dave a shoutout, but Mike catches him and Elgin bomb him to Omega on the floor. Super Falcon Arrow hits for 2! SUPER ELGIN BOMB WINS IT! Great celebration with Yoshi crying and then Elgin talking shit to Omega about wanting the title and him being the strongest motherfucker in New Japan. This ruled!

Tenzan vs. Shibata is up for the NEVER Title, with a hype video that makes it look like he has a chance to win one last singles title. Corino is telling the story exactly as it should be told here - that he can turn the clock back, he's dropped weight, and wants the gold. Shibata's theme is beautiful. So sad to see him just drag the belt around - Ishii at least holds it with pride. Forearm battle leads to a falling headbutt, which misses, as does a PK. Shibata wears down the leg on the mat and forearms the shit out of him in the corner. Tenzan gets a big lead with a cobra clutch akin to the vice for a long time. Tenzan goes for the cradle tombstone, but it's countered by Shibta into one for 2! RNC leads to a high kick by Shibata before a sleeper and PK win it.

Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa (Comacho) face Honma and Makabe. Good back and forth to start. King Kong kneedrop is avoided. Kokeshi headbutt gets 2. Loa lands a corner lariat, while Tama hits a Stinger splash and a spinebuster for 2. Makabe made a perfect save there. FLYING KOKESHI! FLYING KOKESHI OFF THE SECOND ROPE! OFF THE TOP MISSES! Forearm exchange for both Tama and Honma. Cutter counters the driver for 2. Samoan drop/neckbreaker hits, as does a powerbomb/deathdrop for 2! Snapshot hits for 3 and they win the gold! Comacho, like everyone, achieves NOTHING in TNA for years and then immediately comes off like kind of a star in New Japan instantly.

 

 

 Naito in his white suit looks amazing. Corino and Kelly talk about Naito being thought of as a second-tier guy - and not being the only one in wrestling. Corino says Naito was expected to "grow up" into a main eventer after facing Mutoh at WK 6 - but it wasn't until he went to CMLL where that happened. Okada comes out with his gold to face Naito and Kelly talks about how it's a new era, and it kind of feels like one with Tana being in the mid-card.

 

 

A gorgeous shot of Okada doing his pose while Naito stands defiant in the ring sets the stage for the main event. Corino says that Okada has beaten Naito twice before in IWGP Title matches, and that Naito is 0-4 for IWGP Title matches as a whole - which is great. Sets him up as a perfect underdog. I love Naito wearing a modified version of Okada's gear here to mock him. Back and forth work on the arm against the ropes. Naito leaves to stall a bit. He comes in and kicks the gut. He forearms away and throws him into the ropes, but eats a back elbow from Okada and a flying mare before a sliding kick.

Straightjacket choke furthers his edge. Senton hits as well. Bushi trips Okada and Naito dominates on the floor. AND HE BEATS UP GEDO! Naito ties him to a tree of woe and stomps away before landing a sliding dropkick after Bushi chokes Okada. Naito's headscissor choke gives him an even greater edge. Corner forearm blasts by Naito! Naito goes up, but avoids an Okada dropkick. Dead sea drop leads to a seated kick for 2 for Naito. Regal cutter by Okada gives him a brief window. BIG BOOT WITH A FLIP SELL! Okada counters a tornado DDT attempt by placing him up top for THE DROPKICK! Naito hits the barricade and is kicked into the crowd.

Goons are tossed into Naito in the crowd before OKADA DIVES ON THEM! In the ring, Naito hits an inverted atomic drop and a swinging neckbreaker while a Naito chant goes on. Rope-running tornado DDT hits for Naito! Okada lands a flapjack. Mid-ring elbow exchange lead to a gut kick and a DDT to Naito. Red Ink is on! Okada goes for a kick, but Naito catches the leg and kicks his balls before landing a flatliner and modified Koji clutch. Okada looks to be totally out of it, but he just barely gets to the ropes! Perfect! Naito's outside-in Hardy kick hits. Naito super rana hits for 2!

 

 

 

Naito cradle gets 2. Naito spinebuster is countered into the schnwein over the knee neckbreaker by Okada! Pair of basement dropkicks get 2 for Okada. Van Terminator hits for Okada and gets 2! Okada slams him and goes for the HBK elbow. Okada goes for Rainmaker, but Naito pulls Red Shoes into a forearm! Goons attack! Mist, but Okada ducks and Okada hits a dropkick on Naito. Tombstone! A man in black leather with a mask, who thankfully isn't with Tito Ortiz, comes in and attacks. It's Sanada and he moonsaults Okada! His new look makes him barely recognizable, but it's slick.

 

Elbow leads to a Destino attempt, but it's countered into a tombstone attempt. DESTINO HITS AND NAITO WINS! Okada eats mist and a bodyscissors dragon sleeper by Sanada! Chaos comes out to save Okada. This was an excellent main event and far better than anything at WM or the NXT show.

Screenshot Gallery -
http://www.imagebam.com/gallery/pie83ve71o1urn214jrlyuxa452o9gdz