NJPW Road to The New Beginning results: 10-man elimination match
Recommended matches —
- SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Kota Ibushi, Tomoaki Honma, SHO & Master Wato
Report —
Yota Tsuji defeated Gabriel Kidd (7:26)
This was a well-worked opener. They focused on technical wrestling for the bulk of the match.
Kidd went after Tsuji’s left arm, hoping to soften him up for a butterfly suplex later. Tsuji worked the legs, looking to set up the Boston crab.
Tsuji hit a hip toss and a splash for a near fall. Kidd hit a dropkick and a vertical suplex for his own near fall. Kidd went for the butterfly suplex. Tsuji blocked and hit a spear, then used a running powerslam for a two count.
Tsuji got the full Boston crab applied and Kidd was forced to tap.
SANADA, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI defeated Kota Ibushi, Tomoaki Honma, SHO & Master Wato (15:14)
SANADA and Ibushi began with a chain wrestling sequence that ended in a stalemate. Wato and BUSHI tagged in and traded strikes. Wato looked good and had some unique counters to an attempted hurricanrana and a leapfrog.
BUSHI was cut off and briefly worked over by Wato and Honma. Honma missed a kokeshi and LIJ stomped him down 4-on-1. They then took turns working him over. Hiromu used a dropkick for a near fall.
Naito got a tag and used a neckbreaker and an attempted jackknife cradle for a two count. Honma came back with a DDT. Ibushi and SANADA got tags and traded strikes. SANADA hit a house show plancha for a near fall.
Ibushi blocked a TKO. Both missed standing moonsaults. SANADA missed a springboard attack. Ibushi countered with a springboard dropkick.
SHO and Hiromu got tags and the action really picked up. Hiromu hit a dragon screw. A sequence of counters ended with a SHO kick to the back. They traded strikes again. SHO hit a lariat. Hiromu hit a superkick.
Wato got a tag and hit a dreamcast for a two count. Everyone hopped in for a big move. Ibushi teased a Kamigoye on SANADA, but BUSHI saved.
BUSHI hit a backstabber on Wato into a Time Bomb II from Hiromu. Hiromu then pinned Wato.
SHO and Hiromu, Ibushi and SANADA, plus Naito and Honma stared each other down after the match.
Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii defeated EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & Dick Togo (10:25)
This was notable for the post-match, but practically a carbon copy of every match EVIL, Yujiro and Togo have been a part of with Okada and his rotating partners on this tour.
Bullet Club attacked before the opening bell. Yano was worked on 3-on-1. Yano’s team worked over Togo 3-on-1. Yano and Togo did some comedy with the turnbuckle pads. Yujiro exposed a buckle and Yano got sent into it.
Yano managed a tag to Okada. Okada hit some trademark offense on Yujiro. Okada got whipped into the exposed buckle. Okada hit a flapjack into a double down.
Ishii got a tag and was promptly subdued by Bullet Club. Togo took the referee and Yujiro hit Ishii with his cane. Ishii no-sold one cane shot. Yujiro hit a second for a near fall as Okada saved.
The finish saw Okada jump in and hit an air raid crash neckbreaker on Yujiro. Ishii then hit the vertical drop brainbuster and pinned Yujiro.
**********
Jay White ran in and attacked Ishii after the match. EVIL, Yujiro and Togo pulled Okada and Yano to the floor, laying them out.
White hit a series of strikes on Ishii, then left him laying with a Blade Runner. Ishii was helped to the back.
**********
Elimination match: Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Jado defeated Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI (24:01)
This was a decent match with an impossibly bad finish.
Suzuki-gun attacked before the opening bell. The teams brawled around ringside.
Taichi and Tama started as the legal men. Both teased eliminations over the top rope. Sabre tagged in and cranked on Tama’s neck.
Suzuki-gun isolated Tama in their corner. DOUKI tagged in. Jado teased a kendo stick shot. DOUKI threw Tama out, but the ref’s back was turned and Tama got back in the ring. DOUKI was then isolated in the Bullet Club corner.
ELP tagged in for some comedy. Ishimori taunted Sabre by using the same neck cranks on DOUKI. DOUKI and Jado did some spots together and I began questioning my chosen profession.
Taichi got a tag and made a house of fire babyface comeback that was pretty great. Kanemaru and ELP got tags and had a nice sequence. ELP hit a quebrada. ELP got dumped over the top but his feet didn’t hit. Ishimori and Kanemaru fought on the apron.
Ishimori got knocked off the apron but ELP caught him on his shoulders. Kanemaru got bounced off the apron as Desperado hit the ropes for the first elimination. *Kanemaru eliminated*
Desperado then hit a right hand and knocked Ishimori to the floor for the elimination. *Ishimori eliminated*
DOUKI and Desperado doubled up on Tama. Ishimori tripped Desperado, then Tama used the distraction to toss Desperado. *Desperado eliminated*
DOUKI teased Daybreak on Tama. Tama caught him off the ropes with a spinebuster, then used a sharpshooter for the elimination. *DOUKI eliminated*
Sabre entered and used an armbar, then a triangle on Tama. Sabre used the hold to pull Tama to the apron, then dropped him to the floor. *Tama eliminated*
Tanga jumped in while Sabre was still on the apron and knocked him off for an elimination. *Sabre eliminated*
Taichi used a jumping high kick to eliminate Tanga. *Tanga eliminated*
It was down to Taichi and Jado. Jado begged off and tried to raise Taichi’s hand in victory. Taichi declined and lit him up with kicks.
Tanga jumped back in. Sabre got in the ring and used a guillotine, distracting the ref. Jado used a kendo stick on Taichi, then Tama entered and hit Taichi with the iron fingers, knocking him out.
Jado covered for the pin on Taichi. *Taichi eliminated*
Sabre grabbed the mic after the match and cut a promo on G.O.D. and the NJPW tag division. Sabre promised to save the division. Sabre helped Taichi out of the ring.