NJPW Kizuna Road results: Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado

Here are this morning’s results from Korakuen Hall for the second of three Kizuna Road shows that will be broadcast live on New Japan World. We’ll also see bracketing for next month’s G1 Climax tournament.

Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura went to a time limit draw

This was pretty fun. These two have improved tons in the last few months and a built a very basic, solid opening match. The two traded near falls that got the crowd into the match. Tsuji trapped Uemura in a Boston crab and struggled to get him to submit, but wouldn’t and the time limit soon expired. 

Yujiro Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori defeated Ren Narita and Shota Umino

A solid match. These kind of matches are usually designed to showcase the young lions,  and both looked good here. Umino actually busted out a la magistral cradle for a cool nearfall. Yujiro cut him off and hit the pimp juice DDT for the win,

Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Tomoyuki Oka

Another solid match featuring guys who didn’t make the cut for this year’s G1. Nagata not being in is so crazy, he’s always the one that has sleeper matches with some of the best talent. An average, pretty good tag team bout. Nagata pinned Oka with a back suplex.

Roppongi 3K, Toru Yano and YOSHI-HASHI defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Togi Makabe, David Finlay, Henare 

Fast-paced, really good match. Lots of tags that allowed everyone to get some shine in. For someone that’s mostly done tags this year YOSHI-HASHI has bandages everywhere. Boiled down to Henare and YOSHI-HASHI. Henare showed some good fire, but got cut off by YOSHI-HASHI who submitted him with the butterfly lock.

Time for block announcements:

A Block: Togi Makabe, Michael Elgin, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Jay White, YOSHI-HASHI, Bad Luck Fale, Hangman Page, EVIL, Minoru Suzuki

B Block: Juice Robinson, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Tama Tonga, SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, Zack Sabre Jr., Kota Ibushi, Kenny Omega

So yes, in other words, Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi is happening very soon. Get ready!

Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI, SANADA and EVIL defeated Taichi, Takashi Izuka, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Taka Michinoku  

Hey, guess what. This match started with Suzuki-gun jumping everyone and they ended up brawling on the outside. It was an ok match, but kinda short. BUSHI scored the win for his team after hitting Michinoku with the MX.

SANADA refused to fist bump Naito after the match, teasing their eventual match in the B Block.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin, Juice Robinson, Jeff Cobb and KUSHIDA defeated Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Jay White, Tomohiro Ishii and Gedo

Ishii and Elgin went at it and had some good back and forth. Cobb and Goto did some brief exchanges as well, since they are likely to be the next NEVER title match. KUSHIDA scored the win, submitting Gedo with the hoverboard lock.

White jumped KUSHIDA and Elgin after the match, laying them both out. White then threw Robinson into the barricade. He took him back into the ring, planted him with a back suplex and went for the Bladerunner but Juice started to fire back .Robinson went for pulp friction but White low blowed him and beat him up with elbows. He followed up by wrapping Robinson’s hand with a chair then used another to smash Robinson’s hand.

The IWGP Jr. title got a cool champions roll call package before the main event.

Hiromu Takahashi defeated El Desperado to retain the IWGP Jr. title

Takahashi came out to the ring with a guitar case. Inside the cage was a nice bouquet of flowers that Takahashi gave to Desperado. When Takahashi turned his back, Desperado very rudely jumped him with the flowers to kick off the match. 

Takahashi gained control and took Desperado into the stands. Takahashi charged toward him but Desperado drove the guitar case into his chest. Desperado followed by clearing out an aisle and drove Takahashi head first into the row of chairs.

Desperado continues to wear and tear Takahashi until he finally fires back with a running dropkick into a barricade on the outside. Desperado counders by undoing the turnbuckle pad. When Desperado tries to whip Takahashi into the turnbuckle, he counters and sends Desperado into the post. 

Takahashi continued to do crazy stuff, including hitting a sunset flip bomb to the floor and landing a gigantic senton from the top rope to the outside. Back inside the ring, the two have a big striking match where Takahashi gets the upper hand.

Desperado went for the guitara de angel but Takahashi blocked it, After a low blow attempt fails, Desperado nailed Takahashi with a lariat. Yoshinobu Kanemaru then came in with a chair. As the ref was taking care of him, Desperado used the chair to wallop Takahashi. Hiromu used the opportunity to plant Desperado with the dynamite plunger on the chair.

BUSHI took out Kanemaru with the mist as Takahashi hit the running driver into the corer. Desperado dodged, taking out the ref and low blowing Takahashi. Desperado grabs the belt, but Takahashi grabbed the mask. Desperado was stunned at first, but then whalloped Takahashi with the belt and hit the guitara de angel, but didn’t get it.

Desperado went for another but Takahashi went for a triangle. Desperado powerbombed him, but Takahashi kept it on. Desperado escaped and after a brief flurry Takahashi put it on again. This time, Desperado deadlifted him and powerbombed him into the exposed turnbuckle. Desperado went for a charge, but Takahashi responded with a belly to belly into the turnbuckle.

Takahashi followed with the running driver into the turnbuckle and hit the time bomb for the win. Excellent match. Good start, Takahashi made a great comeback and the layout of the finish was awesome.

Takahashi cut a short promo to end the show. Main event is strong enough to check out on its own.