NJPW Power Struggle 2018
- WSBF
- Nov 4, 2018
- 7 min read
There have been an awful lot of folk moaning about NJPW recently in their Western fan bubble, but I have not been one of them (obviously).
This weekend we had a major show in Power Struggle featuring Chris Jericho in the main event and the Super Jr Tag Tournament Finals - here is my quick recap.
TIGER MASK, JUSHIN LIGER, VOLADOR, & SOBENARO v TAGUCHI, ACH, HENARE, & CHRIS SABIN
- Team Taguchi came out in their fun rugby gimmick which still isn't old to me.
- They started the match off with the American football being thrown in the ring. Lolz.
- Grumpy veteran Tiger Mask wasn't amused.
- Sobenaro continued to have trouble on the Japanese ropes.
- Taguchi playing coach directing traffic from the centre of the ring is gold.
- The Funky weapon is a great move. Don't @ me.
- I think Henare would be a good low tier BCOG member.
- Taguchi pinned Sobenaro for the pin!
- Sobenaro has been pinned almost consistently throughout the Power Struggle tour. Poor chap.
- This was a FUN opener played for shits and giggles.
TAMA TONGA, TANGA LOA, & ROBBIE EAGLES v. TOGI MAKABE, HONMA, & KUSHIDA
- Ishimori came out on MASSIVE crutches and dragging his ankle after his reported injury.
- BCOG's attack before the bell. Booooo.
- Jado was outside the ring for BCOGs and he used his kendo stick to good effect.
- Honma is OVER and his kokeshi headbutts remain hilarious/horrifying.
- KUSHIDA showed amazing fire throughout and held his own with the heavyweights.
- Honma was used as the sympathetic babyface here.
- Robbie Eagles has impressed throughout the tour and did so again here.
- KUSHIDA was attacked by Ishimori using the crutch. It was a RUSE!
- Tama Tonga pinned KUSHIDA with the stun gun!
- After the match the BCOGs attacked KUSHIDA with Ishimori seemingly getting a title shot soon.
- This was great stuff with the loveable faces getting shitcanned by the heels. Perfect. KUSHIDA v Ishimori at The Dome? Yes please!
KAZUCHIKA OKADA & TRENT v JAY WHITE & BAD LUCK FALE
- I loved that this match started with Okada going crazy to start after all the shit Jay White has put him through of late.
- We see a MEAN Okada here. White is pushing him to the brink.
- Chuckie T calling White a Knife Pervert on commentary made me happy.
- Okada with his foot on White's throat to adulation from the crowd was pleasing.
- Trent's selling for Fale was excellent.
- Trent kicked out of a Big Fale Splash!
- Trent pins Fale with a sunset flip!!
- Post match Okada and White brawl around the ring - with Okada hitting the Lions!
- Jay White grabs the mic and says 'Anywhere, anytime. You get rid of your guys, I get rid of mine. One on one - let's go.
- Okada responds and says right now!
- Jay White walks back to the ring gets to the gate... then closes it, locks it and walks back to the backstage area. What a cunt. I love to hate him.
- This was a very short match at under 5 minutes, with the purpose being to continue the feud between White and Okada. Okada killed him throughout but White still manages to have the last word and get the upper hand. He's so brilliantly annoying! Also this was a big pin for Trent - literally and metaphorically!
HIROSHI TANAHASHI & DAVID FINLAY vs. THE GOLDEN LOVERS
- Omega hangs back to keep the limelight for his entrance as Ibushi is all business heading to the ring.
- An interesting layout here with Finlay being the legal man almost throughout. forcing him to hang with big name players.
- Tanahashi plays the role of guardian angel, saving Finlay from many attacks and pinfalls.
- Hiroshi reverses you can't escape and the one winged angel - does he have Omega's number?
- Omega gives a shout out to The Bucks hitting an Indie Taker on Finlay with Ibushi.
- Tanahashi saves Finlay from a Golden Trigger with a crossbody on both Omega & Ibushi. Ace!
- Eventually the Lovers do hit Golden Trigger on Finlay for the 3.
- Post match Omega takes the plaudits again from the crowd as Ibushi takes a back seat.
- This was fun, with Finlay putting in a good showing and the relationship between Omega and Ibushi continuing to intrigue. Omega told him to 'know his place' at the last big show and he is playing along currently - but how long for? They also showed that Omega struggled to find a way through Tanahashi and he needed the help of Ibushi to win. I like it.
SUPER JR. TAG LEAGUE FINAL: DESPERADO & KANEMARU vs BUSHI & SHINGO v ROPPONGI 3K
- I love that this was a 3 way. The champs against two top contenders... who comes out on top?
- SHINGO is new to me as I never watch Dragon Gate and WOW is he amazing or what?
- The final stretch of this match was BRILLIANT.
- I wonder which would hurt more to the eyes? The mist of BUSHI or the whiskey of Kanemaru?
- Sho kicks out of an LIJ pumping bomber and a Suzuki Gun belt shot. He's going to be a singles star soon enough.
- Sho hits project Ciampa & Shock Arrow on Despy and that gets the 3!
- I like that they pinned the champs as that keeps LIJ strong as well as proving RP3K deserve the shot.
- The crowd absolutely ate this up and I did too. Roppongi 3K win the tournament and will now get a shot at the titles at Wrestle Kingdom. God love those big tournament trophies in NJPW. Seek this one out if you can.
NEVER OPENWEIGHT TITLE MATCH: TAICHI (c) v HIROOKI GOTO
- This was supposed to be Will Ospreay's title shot before his injury at Rev Pro.
- Goto replaced him proving once and for all that he is in NEVER openweight hell.
- Taichi attacks before the bell, obvs.
- We get the usual Taichi arena brawling and a count out tease on Goto.
- Tell you what those Japanese crowds love, by the way... Taichi ripping his trousers off. They have popped for that for years. Cesaro did it for months and got zero response! Maybe he is the man they are rumoured to be signing...
- Goto sold really well here, whilst Taichi taunted him and acted up.
- Chuckie T on commentary called Taichi a “gothy theatre dork who learned karate.”
- Taichi gets the title belt and shoves the ref down.
- Goto lands the shouten kai and the GTR for 3!
- Goto is the new NEVER Openweight Champion!
- This was a big step down from the tag before it, but Ospreay v Goto at WK13 sounds like a fresh and fun matchup.
REV PRO BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE: TOMOHIRO ISHII (c) v MINORU SUZUKI
- As someone who has been going to Rev Pro shows since 2013, the sight of their British title being defended on a New Japan show is mind boggling to me. So proud.
- Kevin Kelly runs down the list of previous champs. Sha Samuels got a shoutout on NJPW!
- This match is fucking mental.
- British Strong Style? I'll fucking say.
- For about 8 minutes these two sadistically lariat, chop, forearm, punch, headbutt and kick the shit out of each other. There are no 'moves' to speak of as such.
- Wobbly legged, Suzuki spits blood from his mouth and smiles!
- They then do a more conventional wrestle for three or four minutes before Ishii lands a brainbuster for the win!
- I watched this with my fiancee and she couldn't believe what she was seeing. I knew what to expect, but was still open mouthed at how hard hitting this was. INSANE. Go and see them at York Hall on Friday!
TETSUYA NAITO v ZACK SABRE JR
- I wish I had Taka Michinoku as my hype man. Indeed.
- My fiancee though Naito's LIJ stable mate SANADA was called SANDRA. Lolz. That's going to be his name forever now as far as I'm concerned.
- ZSJ outclasses Naito on the mat to begin.
- Naito counters out of the bow and arrow, and tranquilos
- Sabre uses the rope when putting a submission on Naito, lets go and flips off the crowd. He used to be such a nice boy...
- ZSJ ties to win by countout applying a submission and then slamming Naito's knee on the ramp.
- Sabre counters the super hurricanrana - rolling through and transitioning into an STF and then a rings of Saturn. The boy ain't right!
- Naito avoids orienteering with napalm death
- ZSJ reverses the Destino
- DESTINO!
- ZSJ kicks out at 2!
- DESTINO! That is all. Naito wins!
- Naito picks up a big win here, defeating ZSJ who had beaten his twice this year alone. The match was excellent - such a different style to the bout before and that made this even more captivating to watch. ZSJ is a master at the moment in getting you to cheer his opponent and Naito is a charismatic bloke to get behind. Lovely.
IWGP IC TITLE MATCH: CHRIS JERICHO (c) v EVIL
- My fiancee was not impressed with Y2J's appearance.
- A select few comments... 'He looks like me when I'm hungover - he looks like a sack of shit.'
- This was a fun Jericho NJPW brawl, much akin to his bouts with Naito and Omega.
- Angry, drunk dad Jericho throwing tables about, mouthing off and flipping the bird is so much fun to watch.
- He can still hit his Lionsault perfectly.
- EVIL put in a very good performance here, with the crowd believing he could win in the finishing stretch.
- Those Japanese tables look like they HURT.
- EVIL taps to the Walls of Jericho.
- Y2J continues to beat down on EVIL post match.
- His LIJ stablemate Naito arrives for the save and Jericho powders.
- Naito gets on the mic and says he wants a rematch for the intercontinental title.
- In his backstage interview after the show Y2J says he is undefeated against Japanese wrestlers in this promotion and Naito won't get a rematch... NEVER!
- Whilst Jericho is some way off his prime and looks like Mickey Rourke, he still puts in a great effort to perform for us and this again delivered in my opinion. I look forward to the Naito match.
Another fun NJPW show here, with the home grown Japanese stars getting plenty of mid card and top end action. This was a lot less heavy handed in terms of driving storylines than recent efforts and featured a lot less Bullet Club and The Elite shenanigans. Add Naito looking main event and I am sure it will go down well with the recent NJPW defectors. For me, this was as good a show as the recent ones that have had the criticism - I appreciate both slow burn in ring action and the silly, melodramatic side of the graps. Bring on the Tag League!
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