Kemo
07-02-2017, 05:04 PM
NJPW G1 Los Angeles Special Night 1
July 1st 2017
Long Beach Convention Center
(AXS TV, Fight Network)
Beretta, Rocky Romero, Will Ospreay & the Briscoes (CHAOS) vs. the Young Bucks, Marty Scurll, Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale (Bullet Club)
Matt Jackson directly into the camera: “They put us in the opening match, are you kidding me?”
High paced fun match.
Scurll got in a period of offence, using his normal moves: finger breaking spot, super kick to the shin, then got countered when he elaborately announced he was going for the chicken wing.
Ospreay hit a standing spanish fly on Scurll. Also a springboard shooting star press onto everyone.
Romero got a period of offence in as well, hitting “clotheslines forever” on the Young Bucks.
The Bucks looked to be going for the Meltzer Driver onto Romero, but Nick was pulled to the ground from the outside while Romero rolled up Jackson for the pin.
Romero seemed surprised he got the pin.
Matt Jackson to the camera “I’ve got a deal with Hot Topic, I can’t lose on TV!”
Winners: Roppongi Vice, the Briscoes and Will Ospreay (Romero pinned Matt Jackson)
Titan, Dragon Lee, Volador Jr. & Jushin Liger vs. Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI, EVIL & SANADA (Los Ingobernables)
Liger got a big ovation before the match began.
Seemed like Los Ingobernables had the bulk of the offence.
Takahashi distracted the ref, which allowed Evil to hit Titan with a chair.
Takahashi then hit Titan with the Time Bomb for the pin.
Winners: Los Ingobernables (Takahashi pinned Titan)
IWGP US Heavyweight Title Tournament (Quarter-Final)
Jay Lethal vs. Hangman Page (Bullet Club)
The IWGP United States Championship Belt was brought out by the CHairman of NJPW.
Before the match, Ross mentioned that Lethal suffered bruised ribs in a match with the Beer City Bruiser in ROH 8 days ago.
Page attacked Lethal before the bell to gain the early advantage.
The story of this match was Lethal battling through his injured ribs.
Lethal went for the Lethal Injection but Page countered it into an abdominal stretch.
He then went for the Lethal Injection a 2nd time, but Page countered again.
Lethal finally hit the Lethal Injection on his 3rd attempt (kinda botched) but he couldn’t make the cover because his ribs were too sore.
They both got back up and started exchanging strikes. Lethal got the advantage with an enziguri, hit Lethal Injection again and got the pin.
Winners: Jay Lethal
IWGP US Heavyweight Title Tournament (Quarter-Final)
Juice Robinson vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (Suzuki-Gun)
Sabre Jr. focussed on Juice’s arm for most of the match.
Robinson hit a jackhammer like slam, a standing senton, and a cannonball in the corner.
He then went for the Pulp Friction but Sabre Jr. countered that into an abdominal stretch.
Robinson went for the ropes, but Zack pinned both of his arms back in a modified stretch, causing Juice to submit.
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr. via submission
David Finlay, Jay White, KUSHIDA, & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Sho Tanaka, Yohei Komatsu, YoshiTatsu, & Billy Gunn
Josh and Ross talked about Tanahashi having an injured arm, and he has to defend the IC title against Billy Gunn tomorow night.
Kushida got a big cheer when he held up both the ROH TV title and the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight championship.
A good portion of this match previewed the Billy Gunn vs. Tanahashi match tomorrow.
Gunn’s team isolated Kushida, though he eventually made the hot tag to Tanahashi, who cleared house.
With everyone on the outside, Jay White hit a flatliner on Yoshi Tatsu for the win.
Tanahashi and Gunn had a brief staredown afterwards.
Winners: Finlay, White, Kushida & Hiroshi Tanahashi (White pinned Tatsu)
Intermission
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Guerillas of Destiny ©(Bullet Club) vs. War Machine
Before the match, Rowe cut a promo saying that their opponents introduced weapons into the last match, so let’s have them legal in this match.
Tama Tonga was about to answer but then both brohters attacked War Machine to start the match. Weapons are legal.
GoD used a trash can early, which gave them the advantage for a bit.
Hanson started a comeback for War Machine by giving both members of GoD his own version of Clotheslines Forever.
A lot of good double team moves from each team.
Chase Owens interfered on behalf of his Bullet Club teammates, hitting members of War Machine with chairs.
War Machine battled back and hit Fallout through a table on Tanga Roa and got the pin to win the belts.
Winners: War Machine (New Champions)
IWGP US Heavyweight Title Tournament (Quarter-Final)
Tomohiro Ishii (CHAOS) vs. Tetsuya Naito (Los Ingobernables)
Naito attacked Ishii before the bell to start the match.
Each guy landed a lot of their moves.
Naito hit a frankensteiner, 2 flying dropkicks, german suplex, dragon suplex, but couldn’t hit Destino on 2 attempts.
Ishii hit mainly power moves, several lariats, chops, head butt, power-bomb, and countered Destino twice.
Ishii hit a brainbuster and got the pin.
Winner: Tomohiro Ishii
IWGP US Heavyweight Title Tournament (Quarter-Final)
Michael Elgin vs. Kenny Omega (Bullet Club)
Commentary mentioned that Elgin has never lost to Omega in a 1-on-1 match.
Elgin got most of the offence early, with a gorilla press slam and springboard splash.
Omega hit a hurricanrana which sent Elgin to the outside. He hit a plancha, and a fameasser on the ramp.
Omega gave Elgin a body slam on the outside at an 18 count and then got back in the ring. Elgin got back in just before the 20 count.
Elgin got back on offence, hitting moves such as a series of rolling german suplexes, which Ross referred to as the “3 Canucks”.
Elgin hit a turnbuckle powerbomb, Omega hit a dragon suplex, and each hit various other moves as well.
The finish of the match started when Omega hit Elgin with a running knee. Elgin initially shook off the first knee and charged back at Omega who gave him a 2nd knee, and that one wobbled him.
Omega hit some more knees and then a reverse-hurricanrana for a near-fall.
He hit yet another knee on Elgin and eventually got him up for the 1-Winged Angel and pinned him.
Winner: Kenny Omega
Updated IWGP US Championship Tournament Brackets:
Kenny Omega vs. Jay Lethal
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tomohiro Ishii
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match
Kazuchika Okada (c)(CHAOS) vs. Cody (Bullet Club)
The crowd really did not like Cody Rhodes (although some fans would later chant for him), this despite his all-American apparel he had on. Brandi was wearing a USA flag dress.
The match started with some grappling and then each trying to hit a few signature moves but getting blocked or avoided.
Okada went on offence first, landing a running dropkick to a seated Cody.
Cody escaped to the outside, where Okada eventually hit him with a running crossbody that took them both about 3 rows deep in the crowd.
Cody got on offence by catching Okada as he was getting back into the ring. He hit a flatliner, facebuster, and a springboard dropkick.
Cody got some heat by spitting at the referee and flipping off the fans.
It was mentioned that Cody has an injured shoulder.
Okada hit a neckbreaker and goes back on offence. He hits a series of running elbows to knock Cody down.
Okada continued on offence with a ddt and a running uppercut for a near-fall.
Cody was perched on the top turnbuckle, when Okada hit a dropkick to take him to the outside.
Cody countered a tombstone attempt on the outside into a back body drop.
Okada countered Cody’s draping ddt into his own draping ddt, and eventually thew him back into the ring.
Okada was going to the top rope but Cody countered by hitting a an arm drag off the top.
Cody then hit a Disaster Kick for a near-fall.
Okada countered a 2nd Disaster Kick with a flapjack.
Okada then hit a side-slam neckbreaker combo that nobody ever refers to by a name. He then hit a flying elbow and called for the Rainmaker.
Cody countered the Rainmaker attempt by grabbing Okada’s leg and rolling into a modified calf-slicer. Okada would eventually get to the ropes.
They ended up in a slap and strike contest, which was won soundly by Okada. He eventually knocked Cody all the way down and stomped on his back several times. This brought Brandi to ringside.
Okada hit him in the back with a dropkick, then landed a tombstone piledriver and called again for the Rainmaker.
Cody countered the Rainmaker attempt again, this time by spitting at Okada.
Okada just wiped off the spit and hit him with a partial Rainmaker, then picked him up and hit him with another Rainmaker.
This brought Kenny Omega to ringside with a white towel, just like Cody did for his match with Okada in Osaka.
The Young Bucks tried to talk some sense into Omega, as he started encouraging Brandi to throw in the towel for Cody’s sake.
Cody then countered another Rainmaker but was eventually hit with yet another dropkick.
Cody then countered yet another Rainmaker with his own Rainmaker and got a near-fall.
Cody grabbed the towel, wiped off his sweat from it, then made a rude gesture with it, and threw it at Kenny. This caused Ross to state that there are clearly issues within Bullet Club.
Okada then countered Cody’s Cross Roads attempt with his own Cross Roads for a near fall.
Cody went for Cross Roads again but Okada countered with knees, so Cody hit him with a slam instead for another near-fall.
Cody went for the 1-winged angel but was countered by Okada into a German suplex.
Okada then hit a jumping spinning tombstone followed by one more Rainmaker for the pin.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada (7th Title Defence this Reign)
After the match Omega called for a mic as Okada was going to speak.
Omega said that he would not steal Okada’s moment, but said they have a date for a rematch in the G1.
Gedo then spoke english. He told the crowd that Okada is the future of strong-style.
Okada then spoke english and asked everyone how New Japan Pro Wrestling was? this got a big pop and the crowd chanted “New Japan! New Japan!”.
We then saw a backstage interview with Okada that was very loosely translated by Josh Barnett. Basically Okada said he underestimated Cody and complimented the American media.
July 1st 2017
Long Beach Convention Center
(AXS TV, Fight Network)
Beretta, Rocky Romero, Will Ospreay & the Briscoes (CHAOS) vs. the Young Bucks, Marty Scurll, Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale (Bullet Club)
Matt Jackson directly into the camera: “They put us in the opening match, are you kidding me?”
High paced fun match.
Scurll got in a period of offence, using his normal moves: finger breaking spot, super kick to the shin, then got countered when he elaborately announced he was going for the chicken wing.
Ospreay hit a standing spanish fly on Scurll. Also a springboard shooting star press onto everyone.
Romero got a period of offence in as well, hitting “clotheslines forever” on the Young Bucks.
The Bucks looked to be going for the Meltzer Driver onto Romero, but Nick was pulled to the ground from the outside while Romero rolled up Jackson for the pin.
Romero seemed surprised he got the pin.
Matt Jackson to the camera “I’ve got a deal with Hot Topic, I can’t lose on TV!”
Winners: Roppongi Vice, the Briscoes and Will Ospreay (Romero pinned Matt Jackson)
Titan, Dragon Lee, Volador Jr. & Jushin Liger vs. Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI, EVIL & SANADA (Los Ingobernables)
Liger got a big ovation before the match began.
Seemed like Los Ingobernables had the bulk of the offence.
Takahashi distracted the ref, which allowed Evil to hit Titan with a chair.
Takahashi then hit Titan with the Time Bomb for the pin.
Winners: Los Ingobernables (Takahashi pinned Titan)
IWGP US Heavyweight Title Tournament (Quarter-Final)
Jay Lethal vs. Hangman Page (Bullet Club)
The IWGP United States Championship Belt was brought out by the CHairman of NJPW.
Before the match, Ross mentioned that Lethal suffered bruised ribs in a match with the Beer City Bruiser in ROH 8 days ago.
Page attacked Lethal before the bell to gain the early advantage.
The story of this match was Lethal battling through his injured ribs.
Lethal went for the Lethal Injection but Page countered it into an abdominal stretch.
He then went for the Lethal Injection a 2nd time, but Page countered again.
Lethal finally hit the Lethal Injection on his 3rd attempt (kinda botched) but he couldn’t make the cover because his ribs were too sore.
They both got back up and started exchanging strikes. Lethal got the advantage with an enziguri, hit Lethal Injection again and got the pin.
Winners: Jay Lethal
IWGP US Heavyweight Title Tournament (Quarter-Final)
Juice Robinson vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (Suzuki-Gun)
Sabre Jr. focussed on Juice’s arm for most of the match.
Robinson hit a jackhammer like slam, a standing senton, and a cannonball in the corner.
He then went for the Pulp Friction but Sabre Jr. countered that into an abdominal stretch.
Robinson went for the ropes, but Zack pinned both of his arms back in a modified stretch, causing Juice to submit.
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr. via submission
David Finlay, Jay White, KUSHIDA, & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Sho Tanaka, Yohei Komatsu, YoshiTatsu, & Billy Gunn
Josh and Ross talked about Tanahashi having an injured arm, and he has to defend the IC title against Billy Gunn tomorow night.
Kushida got a big cheer when he held up both the ROH TV title and the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight championship.
A good portion of this match previewed the Billy Gunn vs. Tanahashi match tomorrow.
Gunn’s team isolated Kushida, though he eventually made the hot tag to Tanahashi, who cleared house.
With everyone on the outside, Jay White hit a flatliner on Yoshi Tatsu for the win.
Tanahashi and Gunn had a brief staredown afterwards.
Winners: Finlay, White, Kushida & Hiroshi Tanahashi (White pinned Tatsu)
Intermission
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
Guerillas of Destiny ©(Bullet Club) vs. War Machine
Before the match, Rowe cut a promo saying that their opponents introduced weapons into the last match, so let’s have them legal in this match.
Tama Tonga was about to answer but then both brohters attacked War Machine to start the match. Weapons are legal.
GoD used a trash can early, which gave them the advantage for a bit.
Hanson started a comeback for War Machine by giving both members of GoD his own version of Clotheslines Forever.
A lot of good double team moves from each team.
Chase Owens interfered on behalf of his Bullet Club teammates, hitting members of War Machine with chairs.
War Machine battled back and hit Fallout through a table on Tanga Roa and got the pin to win the belts.
Winners: War Machine (New Champions)
IWGP US Heavyweight Title Tournament (Quarter-Final)
Tomohiro Ishii (CHAOS) vs. Tetsuya Naito (Los Ingobernables)
Naito attacked Ishii before the bell to start the match.
Each guy landed a lot of their moves.
Naito hit a frankensteiner, 2 flying dropkicks, german suplex, dragon suplex, but couldn’t hit Destino on 2 attempts.
Ishii hit mainly power moves, several lariats, chops, head butt, power-bomb, and countered Destino twice.
Ishii hit a brainbuster and got the pin.
Winner: Tomohiro Ishii
IWGP US Heavyweight Title Tournament (Quarter-Final)
Michael Elgin vs. Kenny Omega (Bullet Club)
Commentary mentioned that Elgin has never lost to Omega in a 1-on-1 match.
Elgin got most of the offence early, with a gorilla press slam and springboard splash.
Omega hit a hurricanrana which sent Elgin to the outside. He hit a plancha, and a fameasser on the ramp.
Omega gave Elgin a body slam on the outside at an 18 count and then got back in the ring. Elgin got back in just before the 20 count.
Elgin got back on offence, hitting moves such as a series of rolling german suplexes, which Ross referred to as the “3 Canucks”.
Elgin hit a turnbuckle powerbomb, Omega hit a dragon suplex, and each hit various other moves as well.
The finish of the match started when Omega hit Elgin with a running knee. Elgin initially shook off the first knee and charged back at Omega who gave him a 2nd knee, and that one wobbled him.
Omega hit some more knees and then a reverse-hurricanrana for a near-fall.
He hit yet another knee on Elgin and eventually got him up for the 1-Winged Angel and pinned him.
Winner: Kenny Omega
Updated IWGP US Championship Tournament Brackets:
Kenny Omega vs. Jay Lethal
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tomohiro Ishii
IWGP Heavyweight Title Match
Kazuchika Okada (c)(CHAOS) vs. Cody (Bullet Club)
The crowd really did not like Cody Rhodes (although some fans would later chant for him), this despite his all-American apparel he had on. Brandi was wearing a USA flag dress.
The match started with some grappling and then each trying to hit a few signature moves but getting blocked or avoided.
Okada went on offence first, landing a running dropkick to a seated Cody.
Cody escaped to the outside, where Okada eventually hit him with a running crossbody that took them both about 3 rows deep in the crowd.
Cody got on offence by catching Okada as he was getting back into the ring. He hit a flatliner, facebuster, and a springboard dropkick.
Cody got some heat by spitting at the referee and flipping off the fans.
It was mentioned that Cody has an injured shoulder.
Okada hit a neckbreaker and goes back on offence. He hits a series of running elbows to knock Cody down.
Okada continued on offence with a ddt and a running uppercut for a near-fall.
Cody was perched on the top turnbuckle, when Okada hit a dropkick to take him to the outside.
Cody countered a tombstone attempt on the outside into a back body drop.
Okada countered Cody’s draping ddt into his own draping ddt, and eventually thew him back into the ring.
Okada was going to the top rope but Cody countered by hitting a an arm drag off the top.
Cody then hit a Disaster Kick for a near-fall.
Okada countered a 2nd Disaster Kick with a flapjack.
Okada then hit a side-slam neckbreaker combo that nobody ever refers to by a name. He then hit a flying elbow and called for the Rainmaker.
Cody countered the Rainmaker attempt by grabbing Okada’s leg and rolling into a modified calf-slicer. Okada would eventually get to the ropes.
They ended up in a slap and strike contest, which was won soundly by Okada. He eventually knocked Cody all the way down and stomped on his back several times. This brought Brandi to ringside.
Okada hit him in the back with a dropkick, then landed a tombstone piledriver and called again for the Rainmaker.
Cody countered the Rainmaker attempt again, this time by spitting at Okada.
Okada just wiped off the spit and hit him with a partial Rainmaker, then picked him up and hit him with another Rainmaker.
This brought Kenny Omega to ringside with a white towel, just like Cody did for his match with Okada in Osaka.
The Young Bucks tried to talk some sense into Omega, as he started encouraging Brandi to throw in the towel for Cody’s sake.
Cody then countered another Rainmaker but was eventually hit with yet another dropkick.
Cody then countered yet another Rainmaker with his own Rainmaker and got a near-fall.
Cody grabbed the towel, wiped off his sweat from it, then made a rude gesture with it, and threw it at Kenny. This caused Ross to state that there are clearly issues within Bullet Club.
Okada then countered Cody’s Cross Roads attempt with his own Cross Roads for a near fall.
Cody went for Cross Roads again but Okada countered with knees, so Cody hit him with a slam instead for another near-fall.
Cody went for the 1-winged angel but was countered by Okada into a German suplex.
Okada then hit a jumping spinning tombstone followed by one more Rainmaker for the pin.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada (7th Title Defence this Reign)
After the match Omega called for a mic as Okada was going to speak.
Omega said that he would not steal Okada’s moment, but said they have a date for a rematch in the G1.
Gedo then spoke english. He told the crowd that Okada is the future of strong-style.
Okada then spoke english and asked everyone how New Japan Pro Wrestling was? this got a big pop and the crowd chanted “New Japan! New Japan!”.
We then saw a backstage interview with Okada that was very loosely translated by Josh Barnett. Basically Okada said he underestimated Cody and complimented the American media.