NJPW Road to Tokyo Dome live results: Kazuchika Okada vs. Gedo
The feud between Gedo and former protege Kazuchika Okada will come to a head this morning at Korakuen Hall.
Gedo shocked the world when he turned on Okada following Destruction in Kobe back in September. He has since aligned himself with Jay White and have taken over the Bullet Club name. Okada would probably love nothing more than to get his hands on Gedo, but it is likely there will be plenty of interference to even the odds this morning.
The main event will be an eight man tag team match, with members of the Elite (Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens) taking on CHAOS members Hiroshi Tanahashi, Will Ospreay, Togi Makabe, Toru Yano and the person that’s been aligned with CHAOS as of late, Hiroshi Tanahashi.
A singles match between Shingo Takagi and young lion Shota Uminto will take place on the show as well.
Join us for live coverage starting at 4:30 a.m. PT.
**********
The show began with a year in review video package. It was lengthy, but well done.
Chris Jericho is posting on his social media from Tokyo, so expect him here tonight or tomorrow.
KUSHIDA, TIGER MASK, JUSHIN LIGER & TOMOAKI HONMA DEFEATED YUYA UEMURA, REN NARITA, AYATO YOSHIDA & TOA HENARE (11:17)
They got a fair amount of time, and had a nice opener.
Liger and Uemura began the match. Liger used a Romero special, then a kimura, but Uemura forced a rope break and threw a chop. Another break on the ropes, and another chop from Uemura.
Honma tagged in, and Uemura bullied him into his team’s corner, and tagged Yoshida. Honma hit a slam, but missed a kokeshi. Yoshida hit a flying boot, then tagged Narita. Narita used a vertical suplex for a nearfall.
They went to the ground, and Honma pulled guard. Narita threw some strikes. Honma reversed the position, and threw some strikes from a mount position, then tagged Tiger. Tiger hit a suplex, and tagged KUSHIDA.
KUSHIDA hit a pair of body slams, then tagged Liger. Liger used the Romero special on Narita, but gave up the hold. KUSHIDA got a tag, and immediately made three pinfall attempts, but Narita kicked out at two on all of them.
KUSHIDA hit a cartwheel dropkick. Narita used a standing switch into a belly-to-belly, then tagged Henare. Henare and KUSHIDA had a nice exchange, ending with a Henare tackle. All of KUSHIDA’s partners jumped in to break up a Samoan drop, but Henare fought them off and executed the move.
KUSHIDA hit a DDT, and tagged Tiger. Uemura tagged in. Uemura and Narita doubled up on Tiger, and hit a double suplex. Uemura used a crab on Tiger. Liger came in for the save, but ate a dropkick.
The match broke down, and everyone hit a big move. Senton off the apron by KUSHIDA. Shotei by Liger. Spear by Henare. Kokeshi by Honma. Tiger hit a tiger driver on Uemura and got the pin.
SHINGO TAKAGI DEFEATED SHOTA UMINO (10:45)
Big night for Umino. This was excellent. Exactly what it needed to be.
They started with some chain wrestling. Umino slipped out of a side headlock and hit a back elbow and a dropkick. Umino missed a second rope dropkick, and Shingo clotheslined him over the top to the floor. Shingo slammed Umino into the ring frame, and then the barricade.
Shingo used a slingshot kneedrop, then a double stomp back in the ring. Shingo hit a pair of elbow drops, then used a senton for a nearfall. Umino threw a couple of chops. Shingo chopped the hell out of Umino, then used a vertical suplex. Shingo hit another chop. Umino cut off a pumping bomber attempt with a dropkick.
Umino hit a dropkick off the top rope for a nearfall. Shingo hit a DDT out of nowhere, two corner lariats, and a reverse elbow off the second rope for a nearfall. They traded strikes. Shingo went for the pumping bomber again, but Umino ducked it, and hit a bridging german for a great nearfall.
Shingo hit a huge lariat for a nearfall. Umino was bleeding from the mouth. Shingo went for his finish, but Umino kicked out. Shingo hit noshigami, but Umino kicked out. Shingo hit a pumping bomber, then hit the last of the dragon for the pin.
Shingo offered a handshake after the match, but Umino slapped his hand away.
HIROOKI GOTO & ROCKY ROMERO DEFEATED MINORU SUZUKI & TAKASHI IIZUKA (11:24)
Suzuki has such an aura that he can’t really have a bad match, but this was just okay.
Suzuki-gun jumped Goto and Romero before the bell. While Iizuka choked Goto with his ring jacket on the floor, Rocky and Suzuki went at it in the ring. Rocky hit a flying headscissors. Suzuki used an armbar over the ropes, then pulled Rocky to the floor.
They brawled into the crowd, and Suzuki hit Rocky with chairs. Rocky beat the count back to the ring at 19. Suzuki used an armbar. Goto tried to break the hold, but Suzuki put him in a heel hook.
Suzuki removed Iizuka’s muzzle. Iizuka bit Romero and Goto. Iizuka and Suzuki stomped Romero in their corner. Suzuki and Romero traded chops. Rocky hit a jumping knee strike, then made a hot tag to Goto.
Goto suplexed Iizuka on to Suzuki. Goto hit a leg lariat and a suplex for a two count. Suzuki hit a knee, a boot in the corner, and a PK. Suzuki went for the Gotch, but Goto backdropped out of it, then hit a lariat. Both tagged out.
Rocky did some moves on Iizuka. Suzuki sent Goto to the floor and hit Rocky with a PK. Iizuka covered for a nearfall. Iizuka grabbed the iron glove, but Goto cut him off. Goto hit an ushigoroshi on Suzuki, then hit a lariat on Iizuka, and Rocky used a schoolboy for the pin.
TOMOHIRO ISHII, SHO & YOH DEFEATED TAICHI, YOSHINOBU KANEMARU & EL DESPERADO (13:14)
Miho Abe, in a Santa suit, accompanied Taichi to the ring. Write your own joke.
Business picked up when Ishii tagged in, but the match wasn’t much before then. Lots of YOH selling, which was fine, but Suzuki-gun working him over dragged a bit.
Suzuki-gun did NOT jump their opponents before the bell. Desperado and YOH started. Kanemaru jumped in quickly for a double team opportunity, but SHO jumped in and evened the odds.
The fight went to the floor, and this did not go well for Ishii, SHO and YOH. Back in the ring, Taichi worked over YOH with heel tactics. Kanemaru hit a running dropkick on the floor, as YOH was draped over the apron.
They worked YOH over in their corner for a long time. YOH finally hit dragon screws on Desperado and Kanemaru, and was able to tag SHO. SHO hit a jumping knee and a german on Desperado, picking up a nearfall.
Desperado hit a spinebuster, then tagged Taichi. Taichi went for a last ride, but SHO hit a spear, then tagged Ishii, who saw his first action of the match. Ishii made Taichi look great with an intricate series of misdirection spots. Ishii hit a powerslam.
Taichi used kicks to chop at Ishii’s legs. Ishii hit a big chop, cutting Taichi’s chest. Taichi hit a lariat in the corner, then took his pants off. Taichi hit an axe bomber. Kanemaru and Desperado hit a double team move, then Kanemaru hit deep impact. YOH jumped in to break up the pinfall.
SHO and YOH hit stereo knees on Desperado. Kanemaru spit whiskey, but Ishii ducked it. Kanemaru used a rollup for a nearfall. Kanemaru hit a lariat for a nearfall. Ishii hit a lariat for a nearfall, then hit the vertical drop brainbuster for the victory.
Kanemaru and Desperado, and SHO and YOH went at it after the match.
TAMA TONGA, TANGA LOA, BAD LUCK FALE & TAIJI ISHIMORI DEFEATED TETSUYA NAITO, EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI (11:57)
No Jericho angle here. The match itself was just kind of there.
BUSHI and Ishimori did a couple of quick spots, then BUSHI tagged Naito. Ishimori teased locking up with Naito, but begged off and tagged Fale. Naito ducked a grenade, then spit on Fale. Loa took the referee, and Jado hit Naito with a kendo stick. From there, the Bullet Club went to work on Naito.
Fale stood on Naito. Tonga got a tag and hit a suplex. They made a series of quick tags, keeping Naito in their half of the ring. Naito made a comeback against tonga, hitting an inverted atomic drop and an enziguri. Fale went for a grenade, but Naito hit him with a sloppy DDT and they rolled to the floor.
EVIL and Loa tagged in. EVIL ran wild and hit a lariat on Tonga while hitting a bulldog on Loa. SANADA tagged in and hit a senton on Tonga. SANADA flipped out of a suplex attempt. SANADA missed a moonsault, but landed on his feet. He went for a standing moonsault, but Tonga got his knees up. SANADA hit a pescado on Jado.
Loa avoided a springboard dropkick. SANADA escaped a powerslam attempt, and reversed a suplex into one of his own. EVIL cleared the apron, while BUSHI tagged in. BUSHI, EVIL and Naito hit a triple dropkick on Loa.
Loa escaped an MX. Ishimori hit a springboard senton. Fale took out Naito. Jado hit BUSHI with the stick. Loa hit a lariat and covered for a nearfall. Fale and Ishimori went to the floor with Naito, EVIL and Naito, allowing Loa to hit the super powerbomb on BUSHI for the pin.
KAZUCHIKA OKADA DEFEATED GEDO (12:37)
This was obviously more of an angle than a match, and it was done perfectly.
Gedo came out with his arm in a sling, and walking with a crutch. He said he was in a car crash this morning, and the stupid driver was wearing a CHAOS shirt. Gedo said the match is canceled.
Okada wasn’t having any of this. He said we have to have a match. It doesn’t have to be a seven star classic, it can be quick. Okada kicked away the crutch, and Gedo could stand perfectly fine.
Gedo sprayed Okada with pepper spray, then hit him with brass knuckles. The bell rang, Gedo made a cover, but Okada kicked out at two.
Gedo sent Okada outside, and hit him with a chair. Okada got whipped into the security fence. Gedo hit a draping DDT off the barricade. Okada sold his neck on the floor, but beat the count back in at 17.
Gedo sent Okada into an exposed turnbuckle twice, then threw him to the floor again. They went into the crowd, and Gedo piled chairs on top of Okada. Gedo threw Okada back inside, and mocked him with a rainmaker pose.
Okada reversed a whip and sent Gedo into the exposed buckle. Okada hit a back elbow, a back elbow in the corner, then a DDT, before getting a nearfall. Gedo tried to run away, but Okada chased him down and sent him back into the ring. Okada hit a woo dropkick.
Jado made his way to ringside and distracted Okada, then took the ref. Gedo hit a low blow, then used a Gedo clutch for a close nearfall. The ref took a bump. Okada ducked a kendo stick from Jado and hit him with a boot.
Okada hit a neckbreaker and made a cover, but the ref was out. Jay White ran in and attacked Okada. They traded strikes in the center of the ring. White hit a huge uranage. Rocky Romero left the commentary and jumped in for the save. He went for sliced bread, but White hit him with a blade runner.
White went for a blade runner, but Okada slid out and hit him with two dropkicks. Okada hit Gedo with a tombstone, then hit the rainmaker for the win.
Okada hit White with three forearm shots after the match. White dropped Okada with a half nelson suplex, and Okada sold it big.
HIROSHI TANAHASHI, WILL OSPREAY, TOGI MAKABE & TORU YANO DEFEATED KENNY OMEGA, KOTA IBUSHI, YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & CHASE OWENS (14:58)
Good main event. Lots of teases for the Tokyo Dome.
Ospreay and Ibushi began by locking up. Ibushi backed into the ropes, and Ospreay made a clean break. Ibushi kipped up out of a shoulder tackle. They did a ridiculous sequence, ending with both kipping up. These two are going to tear the Tokyo Dome to the ground.
Yano and Yujiro tagged in for some comedy. Makabe tagged in and hit ten punches in the corner. Owens jumped in for the illegal double team. Yujiro and Owens cleared the apron. Ibushi got a tag and hit Makabe with a mid kick.
Omega tagged in and taunted Tana. Omega tagged Owens, and they hit the three sweet elbow drop. Yujiro got a tag. Omega and Owens hit a drop toehold on Makabe, and Yujiro followed with a low dropkick. Yujiro hit a running boot. Yano attempted to help Makabe, but Yujiro sent Makae into Yano, knocking him to the floor.
Yano used a chair from the floor on Yujiro. Makabe and Yujiro tagged Tana and Omega. Tana hit a dropkick to Omega’s legs. Omega stood up at Tana went for his second rope senton, taunting him.
Tana and Omega traded chops and slaps. Tana blocked a v-trigger. Omega sent Tana over the top, but Tana skinned the cat. Tana blocked a one-winged angel, and hit twist and shout. Tana went for a cloverleaf, but Ibushi jumped in and broke it up.
Ibushi got sent over the top, and hit his back on the ring frame. That looked eerily like the bump that HBK took on the casket that took four years off his career. Tana hit a dragon screw.
Ospreay got a tag and hit a 619 on Omega. He went for a standing shooting star but Omega got his knees up. Ospreay hit a cutter. Omega blocked the oscutter, and hit a snap dragon. Ibushi tagged in, and lit Ospreay up with strikes. Ibushi hit a standing moonsault for a two count.
Ospreay escaped a last ride, but Ibushi hit him with a lariat, and Ospreay took a flip bump. Owens hit a gutbuster on Ospreay, and Omega powerbombed Ospreay on to Owens’s knees.
Everyone jumped in for big moves. Yano hit a DDT. Ibushi and Omega hit Tana with a double team attack. Makabe hit a double clothesline. Ospreay hit a Sasuke special. Owens hit a slingshot DVD on Ospreay. Ospreay escaped a package piledriver. Tana hit Owens with slingblade. Ospreay hit Owens with a storm breaker for the pin.
Ospreay and Ibushi had a staredown after the match, but it was cordial. Tana and Omega had a staredown, and they talked some trash.
As Ospreay cut the show-closing promo, Omega jumped on English commentary and said that Ospreay is clearly on the Tanahashi diet. I wonder what that means? I know what that means.
Ospreay said that January 4 will be the biggest night of his life, and promised to win the NEVER title at Wrestle Kingdom.
Tanahashi thanked the fans for making him the Tokyo Sports MVP for the fourth time. Tana promised to win the IWGP title at Wrestle Kingdom. He said he didn’t bring his air guitar with him, and ended the show saying he loves the fans.