NJPW Road to Wrestle Kingdom 11 results: The final stop before the Dome

More action from New Japan took place once again in Korakuen Hall this morning. The show was headlined by the two stars that will headline the big January 4th show at the Tokyo Dome, as Kenny Omega teamed up with Bad Luck Fale to take on Kazuchika Okada and YOSHI-HASHI. We also saw Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata face each other in the battle of NJPW old dudes. Here are this morning’s results:

Ryusuke Taguchi & Yoshitatsu defeated Jushin Thunder Liger & Henare

Good opener. Henare looked good, as did everyone else. Liger even pulled off the rolling senton to the floor. Henare and Taguchi worked the last few minutes of the match. Henare got a few close near falls, but eventually ate the Dodon and was pinned.

Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii defeated Yujiro Takahashi & Bone Soldier

Not much of a match. Yano did his usual tricks, mostly against Yujiro. He tagged in Ishii, who quickly took care of Bone Soldier with a lariat. 

Juice Robinson & Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma) defeated Chase Owens & IWGP Tag Team Champions Guerillas of Destiny

The heels devised a plan before the match where Owens pretended he didn’t know where his partners were. Tama Tonga and Tanga Roa came in through the crowd for a surprise attack but it failed as the faces laid them out anyway. Pretty okay tag match overall. Makabe was about to score the win with the knee drop off off the top rope on Owens when Yano came in and rang the bell again like yesterday. Makabe hit the knee drop anyway and scored the win.

Ishii came in to clear everyone out of the ring. GoD looked to double team him, but Yano low blowed them and Ishii laid them out. Yano stole the belts, meaning he and probably Ishii want to be involved in the tag team title match at Wrestle Kingdom.

Yuji Nagata defeated Manabu Nakanishi

This was way, way better than it sounded on paper. Nakanishi was slow as molasses in this match and not everything looked great, but you can’t deny he worked hard. Nagata looked great in this match, and overall it was very, very good.

As noted, Nakanishi was obviously slow, but busted out some cool stuff, including a superplex, a very bad tope, and a missile dropkick. Nagata kicked out of a lariat and a torture rack into a slam. Nagata hit a fisherman’s suplex off the top rope then followed with the exploder but Nakanishi still kicked out

Nagata went to hit another exploder but Nakanishi blocked it and hit a German suplex. Nagata came back with a brainbuster but Nakanishi kicked out at one. Nagata waffled Nakanishi with more kicks then laid him out with another exploder for the win.

NEVER Openweight Champion Katsuyori Shibata & Tiger Mask defeated Jado & Hirooki Goto

Okay match. Both Jado and Goto worked on Tiger Mask for a while until he made the hot tag to Shibata, who stomped on Goto in the corner and laid out Jado, causing him to do the Flair flop. Shibata picked up the win, booting Goto in the face then delivering the penalty kick to Jado in one swift motion.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, KUSHIDA, Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated BUSHI, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi & IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito

Since this is the last time Tanahashi is coming out to this music (he is getting a new tune at the Tokyo Dome) everyone on his team came out and strummed the air guitar. Hiromu acted like he was going to start against his Dome opponent, but BUSHI jumped KUSHIDA. Hiromu’s first big spot in the match was to do this scary forward senton to the floor that looked amazing.

Tanahashi came in for a hot tag and cleared everyone out. When Kojima came in, that was LIJ’s cue to come in and take the advantage. KUSHIDA came in and gave Hiromu the hoverboard lock. Kojima blasted BUSHI with the lariat and pinned him.

Hiromu and KUSHIDA brawled in the crowd after the match. Naito stayed in the ring and stared down Tanahashi, dangling the IC title. Tanahashi’s song played out for the last time as he made his exit.

Kenny Omega & Bad Luck Fale defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI

This was pretty solid, your typical New Japan tag main event, with Fale working over YOSHI-HASHI, and Okada and Omega occasionally coming in and doing spots during the first half of the match.  It varied more in the second half as Fale and Omega tried for a double team but YH mounted a comeback.

YH tried a hurricanrana but Omega stopped it, powerbombed him, and let Fale hit an elbow. Okada came in and missed a dropkick, allowing Fale to splash him as he rolled out of the ring. Omega hit the knee strike then pinned YH with the One Winged Angel.

Fale brought in a microphone, but Okada grabbed it and cut a promo in front of Omega, talking about the title match. Omega said you can’t prepare for what is to come, it was just a taste. He brought up that it will soon be Christmas, and this is the last show of the year. He said he has a present for Okada. Fale blindsided Okada as the rest of Bullet Club came out and set up a table.

Omega set up Okada for the One Winged Angel and laid him out through the table. The rest of BC threw Okada back in the ring as Omega said his catchphrase, snow falling over the arena. Okada was stretchered out as the show closed.