NJPW Destruction in Kobe live results: Ospreay vs. Tsuji title match
The IWGP United States-United Kingdom title is on the line in the main event of NJPW Destruction in Kobe.
Champion Will Ospreay will defend the US title, which he has re-christened as the UK title, against Yota Tsuji in the headline match, the first career singles meeting between the two.
In the semi-main, Tetsuya Naito faces Jeff Cobb with Naito’s Wrestle Kingdom title shot unofficially on the line.
Shingo Takagi vs. Great-O-Khan is another featured singles match on the show.
Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI will defend the IWGP Tag Team titles against TMDK’s Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste.
The provisional KOPW 2023 is on the line as Taichi defends against SHO.
The undercard:
- Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre Jr. & Bad Dude Tito
- Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Lio Rush & YOH
- Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Hikuleo, El Phantasmo & Jado vs. David Finlay, Chase Owens, Alex Coughlin, Gabe Kidd & Gedo
- SANADA, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo
- Tiger Mask & Kevin Knight vs. Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney
Our live coverage begins at 3 a.m. Eastern time.
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Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney defeated Tiger Mask & Kevin Knight
This was a good open.
This match opened fast, with Knight rushing the War Dogs, but without TM’s help, the younger pair took little time to gain the upper hand. Once TM tagged in, the babyfaces retook the lead for some time. In the end, TM couldn’t hold onto the lead, falling to a jumping spear/suplex combination.
SANADA, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku defeated EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo
The match opened with a brawl and an extended Yujiro/DOUKI sequence. As the match continued, HoT used all of their normal tactics to gain and maintain a lead. This lead fell apart in a skirmish, leading to TAKA hitting Togo with the Michinoku driver and winning the match.
EVIL still has possession of the IWGP World Title.
Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Hikuleo, El Phantasmo & Jado defeated David Finlay, Chase Owens, Alex Coughlin, Gabe Kidd & Gedo
This match could have been better, but Kidd and Coughlin looked great throughout.
This match opened with a brawl before transitioning into a Bullet Club control sequence. The eventual hot tag to Tama led to a babyface rally. Tama was able to win the match for his team by hitting Gedo with a gun stun.
After the match, another short brawl happened, ending with the babyfaces standing tall.
Lio Rush & YOH defeated Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI
This was an action-packed, hyper-athletic match.
Rush and YOH scored an early lead with tandem offense. As Hiromu bounced back, Rush kept up the pace, leading to multiple athletic back-and-forth sequences. BUSHI then entered the fray, leading to more chaotic exchanges. Ultimately, Rush would win the match for his team with a long-distance splash on BUSHI.
Zack Sabre Jr. & Bad Dude Tito defeated Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii
This was a fantastic match.
Tito and Okada opened the match, where Tito held his own before Ishii tagged in. Tito knocked Ishii to the floor and tagged in ZSJ, who worked to maintain this lead.
Eventually, Ishii tagged out to Okada, who then unloaded on Tito. This intense exchange forced a double tag, leading to a just as wild back-and-forth between Ishii and ZSJ. The match then broke down with all four men in the ring, with multiple major momentum shifts. ZSJ won the match with a trap pin on Ishii in the center of the ring.
KOPW Championship: SHO defeated Taichi (c)
Before the match could begin, Dick Togo and TAKA Michinoku, Yujiro Takahashi and DOUKI, and EVIL and SANADA were handcuffed to each other.
Immediately after the opening bell, SHO ran to the outside in an attempt to free his faction mates. Taichi met him on the floor, whipped him into the barricade, and carried him back to the ring, establishing control early.
Handcuffed or not, the HoT squad continued interfering, allowing SHO to work his way into the match. Taichi held on through most of the chicanery, but a ref bump, a face full of powder from Togo, and a low blow, all in quick succession, left SHO far ahead. SHO attempted a wrench shot, but Yoshinobu Kanemaru hit the ring to make the save. Instead of helping Taichi, Kanemaru betrayed him, spitting his whiskey in Taichi’s eyes, dropping him with a bottle, and revealing a House of Torture shirt. SHO then hit Taichi with Shock Arrow and won the KOPW belt.
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (c) defeated Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste
This match was built around tandem control/isolation segments from both teams. TMDK worked a nasty match, being mean when the opportunity was presented.
After being isolated for some time, Goto hit a double bulldog and secured the hot tag to YH. YH took out both of his opponents before scoring a nearfall.
Haste avoided the finish and hit YH with a superplex/powerbomb combination with Nicholls. The pair then isolated YH, scoring a couple of nearfalls before Goto hit the ring. TMDK attempted a tank buster, but YH reversed into a crucifix bomb to win the match and retain the belts for Bishamon.
Shingo Takagi defeated Great-O-Khan
This was the best O-Khan performance in ages.
O-Khan opened the match with a double-leg takedown, some grounded strikes, and a shirt-assisted choke. O-Khan then threw Shingo to the floor, where the intensity continued. O-Khan beat Shingo with a chair before taking him back to the mat.
Shingo eventually started to rally, landing multiple strikes to put O-Khan on the back foot. Just as Shingo seemed to be advancing, O-Khan landed a suplex and a cutter for a nearfall; a massive lariat and Eliminator scored O-Khan another.
A late strike exchange allowed Shingo to stay in the match, and a sudden lariat put him ahead. To close, Shingo landed Last of the Dragon and won the match.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Jeff Cobb
Naito put Cobb on the backfoot early, forcing him to the floor and landing some light offense. Once the action returned to the ropes, Cobb hit a belly-to-belly, gaining an upper hand. Similar shifts played out several times, establishing the match’s pace.
Cobb launched Naito with an F5000 for a nearfall. Naito blocked the Tour of the Islands before landing a perfect poison rana. Cobb reversed Destino but failed to follow up immediately. After surviving multiple rollups, Cobb landed a suplex and a lariat, but again, Naito escaped Tour of the Islands. Naito then hit Destino and won the match to retain his spot at Tokyo Dome.
IWGP United States Championship: Will Ospreay (c) defeated Yota Tsuji
The match opened with a standard feeling-out grappling sequence that escalated into a more athletic affair. Tsuji hit a tope to gain the upper hand early, but Ospreay responded with a plancha to equal things out. After a brief exchange in the ring, Tsuji landed a Fosbury flop, regaining the lead.
Ospreay ate a brutal stomp before hitting a stunner to keep himself in the match. Tsuji was quick to answer with a powerbomb for a nearfall. Ospreay reset the match by cutting off Tsuji’s strikes.
Tsuji and Ospreay traded strikes in the center of the ring, where Ospreay won out. The pair then worked their way to the apron, where Ospreay attempted an OsCutter, but Tsuji reversed. Tsuji attempted a stomp but missed, opening the door for an OsCutter from the top rope to the floor.
Back in the ring, Ospreay landed a long-distance dropkick but was stuffed on the follow-up. Tsuji dropped Ospreay before landing a fantastic stomp. Tsuji then pulled Ospreay to the top rope but ate a Spanish fly. After Tsuji kicked out, Ospreay hit a powerbomb and an OsCutter, but again, Tsuji held on.
Ospreay attempted Storm Breaker, but Tsuji reversed into a cutter. Tsuji immediately followed up with a picture-perfect spear, but Ospreay found the bottom rope at the last possible second. Tsuji hit another stomp and Storm Breaker, but Ospreay kicked out. Tsuji tried for another spear but was knocked silly with a hidden blade instead. Ospreay then hit a spear of his own and the Storm Driver 93 for another nearfall. Tsuji stood tall, staring down Ospreay, only for Ospreay to take off his head with another hidden blade and a storm breaker to win the match.
After the match, Zack Sabre Jr. walked to the ring and challenged Ospreay to a title match at Royal Quest 3. Ospreay accepted. After shaking hands, Ospreay tried for a hidden blade, but ZSJ avoided the attack. ZSJ then walked to the back.
Ospreay cut a short show-ending promo, calling himself the best in the world.