NJPW King of Pro Wrestling 2018

Liger and Tiger Mask get jumped by Desperado and Kanemaru to start. The heels begin unmasking the faces and Rocky is a big fan of this since he was unmasked as Black Tiger 9 years ago, so he's bitter. Liger rolls up Kanemaru for a quick 2 and then a Fujiwara armbar. Tilt a whirl backbreaker and a powerbomb leads to a Tiger Mask headbutt for 2. Ref bump and Liger hits a somersault senton off the apron to the floor. TIGER SUPLEX BUT THERE'S NO REF! Pop-up ball kick, a whiskey bottle shot, and the Angel's Wings ends it. BOOO! I wanted Liger to win the Jr Tag Titles - so hey, they found a great way to make the nothing opener matter.

Juice and Henare face Makabe and Honma, which is Honma's return to an actual tag match. Hopefully Honma has either improved his health or Makabe is in for 90% of this. Honma and Henare clash with shoulderblocks and lariats before Honma wins a suplex battle. Henare hits a rugby tackle to Makabe for 2 thanks to a Honma save. Double lariat to Henare before a kokeshi and the king kong knee to win. Honma looked fine-ish here. He's certainly not what he was, and never will be, but in shorter matches like this, he can roll back the clock enough.

Bucks, Page and Chase are out to face the OG BCs - who come out to Shot 'Em, which isn't the OG theme, but the best one. Fale, Loa, Tonga, and Ishimori are out. Tonga destroys Matt's back, which is all taped up. They take the tape off and splash him in the corner. Page moonsaults off the top onto the pile. Fale eats a double superkick, but Taiji gets a double rana and a twisting dive. Gun stun into a cradle for 2. Chase hits a pump kick and a pump knee! The 3D hits though and the OGs win it.

Goto, Ishii, and Ospreay face Suzuki, Taichi, and IIzuka - whose Hannibal mask is a great touch. Ishii and Suzuki brawl while Goto snap suplexes Tacihi onto Iizuka. Suzuki beats the shit out of Goto's chest with kicks. Front choke, but Goto counters into a suplex. ISHII AND SUZUKI YAY! They charge like bulls at each other a ton before a tackle gives Ishii a edge - Suzuki moves so well for a 50 year old who has been through that many wars. Taichi eats a flaoting kick by Will for 2. Storm Runner hits and he beats Taichi - give him the NEVER Title so he can go into the heavyweight division officially. He holds the belt high.

LIJ's newest member is hyped up with a video showing them all playing poker. We get a slick recap of all of the existing members of LIJ's joining alongside their date - so it's been three years since Watanabe found charisma and both Hiromu and SANADA have been in for around 2 years. I love the overall look of this video - it's so slick and major league. BUSHI, SANADA, Naito and X are up for an 8 man tag. Naito has a cape and it looks amazing. Naito teases that it's Milano Collection AT, but it's not.

 
X comes out with THE DRAGON on the screen and it's Shingo Takagi! They'll face Sho, Yoh, Okada, and Yano! Sho and Shingo have great chemistry to start. Yano gets tied up in the ropes before Shingo gets 2 on Yoh with a suplex. Okada and Naito battle it out a for a bit with Naito getting the combination dropkick. Shingo hits last falconry on Yoh to win.

 

 

 ZSJ is out to face EVIL, who has a slick caravan of evil. One of EVIL's druids IS THE IWGP IC CHAMPION CHRIS JERICHO! Jericho with the rain slicker on, minimal face paint, and letting the grey show in his beard really does look fantastic. ZSJ denies knowing anything about this. Jericho debuts a new Alpha Club shirt. ZSJ can't get a win, but he does destroy EVIL, the ref, and young boys.

Marty is out for the finals of the IWGP Jr tourney to face KUSHIDA, who he has never beaten. The story is told of KUSHIDA always beating Marty - making wins and losses so very important. Cradles aplenty result in no counts until a flash cradle gets 2. Marty gets a surfboard, but it doesn't last long. They fight up top for a diablo armbar by KUSHIDA, which Rocky puts over as his move. Scurll goes for Graduation, but KUSHDA gets the air raid crash. Marty powerbombs him and lifts him into Graduation for 2.9! KUSHIDA hits the back to the future and then a second one to win!

Switchblade is out with Gedo to face Tana. They parlay White's red and black gear into a knock on Nakamura. Tanahashi in white, black, and red is such a perfect look for him. Tana poses on the top rope and you scan see his deformed bicep. I love the detail work in having the document in the briefcase, having it look legit, and making an important match out of a piece of paper with a date on it.

Jay White stalls for a bit before they brawl on the floor for a long time. HIGH FLY FLOW BODYBLOCK OFF THE TOP TO THE FLOOR! Rocky hypes up Tana as a man who fights more strategically than ever before. White nails a flatliner and a stiff German! White gets a brainbuster/neckbreaker combo, but Tana gets a dragon suplex off a blade runner! High Fly Flow bodypress! High Fly Flow gets 2.9, but GEDO PULLS RED SHOES OUT! Gedo has a giant pair of knucks, but he misses - Switchblade doesn't miss a low blow. A giant GO ACE chant breaks out. Jay goes for a chairshot, but Tana slugs him in the nuts! Blade runner is turned into a small package and Tana wins! Tana will return to the Tokyo Dome main event!

White attacks folks, and goes for Tana, but OKADA SAVES TANAHASHI! Goddamn that's so cool! Okada goes to beat up Gedo, but Jado saves him. The BC OGs are out are grab Jado and Gedo so Okada can beat them up. It's a trap as Tonga gun stuns him! Gedo and Jado join up with the OGs to beat up Okada before Jay White joins in! TOO SWEET INTO A BLADE RUNNER! So I guess we'll get White vs. Okada at the Tokyo Dome - possibly for a title shot. It's time for the main event, with Cody facing Ibushi and Omega in a triple threat. Omega is in a great getup tonight.

Cody eats big chops, but gets a figure 4 as a counter to a dragon suplex. Ibushi hits a corkscrew dive into Kenny. Cody eats a nasty V trigger, but Cody powerbombs Kenny into an Ibushi German for 2. Disaster kick is met with a round kick to the chest by Ibushi! Ibushi gets mounted palm strikes and then punches. SPIKING CROSSROADS FOR 2.9 ON KENNY! Cody punts Ibushi on the rope and goes for Din's Fire, which gets 2.9 when Omega pulls Cody's leg off the cover. Cody gets a chair, but Omega shields Ibushi. Cody kicks Kenny away, while Ibushi gets the chair from Cody. Ibushi high kicks Cody and eats a reverse rana from Kenny and then the Jay driller hits for 2.9! V trigger and then the one winged angel end it! Omega retains!