NJPW Road to Wrestling Dontaku results: SANADA, Okada in tag action

NJPW was at Korakuen Hall today for another Road to Wrestling Dontaku event. Kazuchika Okada and YOH teamed up in the main event to battle future opponent SANADA and BUSHI in the main event.

The participants for this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament was also announced, and you can check out that information here.

Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata and Toa Henare defeated  Yota Tsuji, Yuya Uemura and Shota Umino

Tsuji was highlighted during parts of the match, attacking Kojima before the match started. He got in some shine against Nagata, as did Umino. Henare cut off Uemura with a giant headbutt and suplex. He then scored the win following the uranage, which he calls the Toa Bottom. Fine opener.

Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask and Ren Narita

Suzuki zoned in on Liger, since they will be squaring off in another tag match tomorrow as part of Liger’s 30th anniversary under the gimmick. A solid match, not much more. Suzuki wore him down with a half crab. Narita kicked out of an assisted spear by Desperado, but fell to the angel’s wings.

Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi and Taka Michinoku defeated Tomoaki Honma, YOSHI-HASHI and Rocky Romero

Same structure as the other matches. Story was that Romero, as a result of the Ibushi/Naito storyline, was shuffled to teaming without his CHAOS teammates. He and Taichi were at it near the end, with Taichi eventually cutting him off and submitting him with a new neck crank submission.

Sabre attacked YOSHI-HASHI after the match, taking his arm, then took down the young boys that tried to stop him. That could be a future program.

Juice Robinson, Mikey Nicholls, Toru Yano and Togi Makabe defeated Guerillas of Destiny, Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens

The commentators pushed there was some dissension between Jado and Tama Tonga on social media. They argued in the ring, but then Jado attacked their opponents with kendo sticks, so it was pretty much just a swerve.

Yano immediately took out one of the turnbuckles. Heels were in control but Juice made the same for his team as the crowd came alive. Owens tried for the package piledriver, but Nicholls cut him off. Robinson came in with a punch, then Nicholls pinned Owens with the Mikey bomb.

Hirooki Goto, Dragon Lee and Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Jay White, Taiji Ishimori and Hikuleo

Goto and Jay White were the highlights here as the two faced off during the match. Hikulelo also got some time to shine and is progressing well, After Goto sent White out, Hikuleo came in and ate the GTR, giving Goto the win.

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL and Shingo Takagi defeated Kota Ibushi, Tomohiro Ishii and SHO

Both EVIL and Naito worked on Ibushi for a good while. EVIL was working on Ibushi when Ishii came in and kicked him square in the back. EVIL responded by giving Ishii a punch that sent him to the floor. Ibushi finally tagged in Ishii who came in like a ball of fire against EVIL.

Takagi and SHO had a short sprint before Naito came in and have him a hurricanrana off the top rope. Everyone came in and did a big move. SHO hit his deadlift German suplex on Naito, but he kicked out. He went for the shock arrow, but Naito blocked in and Shingo came in for the assist.

Takagi laid out SHO with the pumping bomber, then Naito pinned him following the Destino. This was easily the best match of the night, a great six man tag with a hot crowd.

Kazuchika Okada and YOH defeated SANADA and BUSHI

A very good main event. YOH and BUSHI looked great here, as did Okada and BUSHI when they were in. They stepped it up and had a really fun match.

Juniors and heavys paired off early. BUSHI reddened YOH’s chest with hard slaps, it looked ugly. Okada and SANADA came in and did their part. SANADA put Okada in the paradise lock and dropkicked him.

BUSHI and Okada went at it on the outside, but SANADA catches Okada with the skull end. He escapes and counters by driving him and BUSHI over the guardrail with a kick. YOH, who was at the bleachers area in the crowd, jumped off with a tope con hilo that wiped everyone out.

YOH and BUSHI had another hot exchange toward the end before Okada laid out BUSHI with the dropkick and a tombstone. Okada sunk in the cobra clutch (which could play in a role in his upcoming match against SANADA), then hit the rainmaker for the win.

Both Okada and YOH cut promos to close out the show. YOH had to repeat his catchphrase several times for whatever reason.