New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV is back this week with another double helping of great wrestling as we have two episodes which both feature championship matches! In our first episode the entire show is dedicated to Tetsuya Naito challenging Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and in episode 2 we have Hiroshi Tanahashi taking on Bad Luck Fale then in the main event Kenny Omega is taking on Michael Elgin in his first title defense!
Episode 1
Kazuchika Okada vs Tetsuya Naito IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match
JR compares Naito to Stone Cold Steve Austin with the anti-authoritarian side and Okada with the charismatic one, comparing him to The Rock. They lock up for a clean break to start the match then Okada tells Naito to bring it as Naito takes his time. They exchange holds then Naito gets into the ropes and Naito turns Okada around for another clean break before sending Okada over the top rope then onto the floor before hitting his signature pose in the center of the ring. Okada comes back in, but Naito rolls to the outside immediately, Naito starting to get back in then doesn't, even rolling into one side of the ring and back out of the other side. Okada charges Naito when he does get back in and Naito capitalizes on it, hitting a snap mare then a dropkick to the side of the head of Naito before putting on a straight jacket hold on Naito, but he gets to the ropes quickly. Okada drops Naito with a back elbow then hits a senton for a quick 2 count, following up with a fall away slam into springboard senton, but Naito gets out of the way and dropkicks Naito to the outside as we see BUSHI at ringside. Naito whips Okada into the railing then does the same to Gedo, BUSHI getting up on the apron as Naito bring Gedo into the ring and Naito stomps and chokes on Gedo before we see EVIL put a chair around the neck of Okada then hit him with another one. Gedo is sent back out of the ring and into the railing as we go to commercial.
Okada gets back into the ring and Naito hits him with a forearm in the corner before tying him into the tree of woe and stomping on him, Red Shoes backing him away, but BUSHI chokes Okada from behind, Naito hitting a low dropkick then puts on a head scissor submission as Josh talks about how if Karl Gotch or Minoru Suzuki had that move on you you'd tap or have your neck broken as Okada gets his foot on the ropes. Naito stomps Okada in the corner more then hits him with a series of right hands then forearm shots, Okada sitting him up on the top rope, but he kicks him away when he goes for a dropkick then hits a neckbreaker then a dropkick for a quick 2 count. Okada hits a straight jacket neckbreaker then turns Naito inside out with a big boot to the face then sits Naito on the top rope before hitting a dropkick and sending him to the floor. Okada sends Naito into the first row of the fans then EVIL is as well when Okada side steps him then Okada sends BUSHI into the crowd before hitting a cross body, taking all three of them out. Okada sends Naito back into the ring and hits a scoop slam then goes for an elbow drop, but Naito meets him and hits an inverted atomic drop into a neckbreaker. Okada hits Naito with a series of forearms and Naito spits in his face then Naito catches Okada when he runs at him and hits a tornado DDT using the ropes. Okada hits a flapjack then falls to the mat exhausted as we go to commercial.
They exchange forearms in the center of the ring then Okada hits a DDT then finally a sliding back uppercut, Okada following up with Red Ink, but Okada breaks it up himself when EVIL gets up on the apron. Okada hits EVIL to the floor then Naito hits a low blow then a Koji Clutch, but Okada gets his foot on the ropes. Naito hits his trademark double foot stomp, leg trip, dropkick combo then a frankensteiner for a close 2 count then follows up with Gloria, but Okada kicks out at 2 somehow. Naito hits a spinebuster then goes for Destino, but Okada counters into his signature reverse neckbreaker. Okada hits a shotgun dropkick that sends Naito head first into the turnbuckle then a series of basement dropkick for a close 2 count. Okada hits a springboard shotgun dropkick for another close 2 count as we go to commercial.
Okada hits a scoop slam on Naito then an elbow drop off the top rope, playing to the crowd and calling for the RAINMAKER, but Naito counters and sends referee Red Shoes into Okada who accidentally hits him with a right hand, BUSHI and EVIL attacking Okada, but he hits Heavy Rain on EVIL then ducks the mist by BUSHI, drop kicking Okada as an at the time unknown and masked SANADA comes into the ring when Okada hits a tombstone piledriver on Naito. SANADA hits a TKO on Okada then hits a moonsault before going out of the ring, Naito hits an enzuigiri on Okada then goes for Destino, but Okada counters and hits a German suplex then goes for RAINMAKER, but Naito counters into Destino for the pin and the win.
Winner: Tetsuya Naito via pinfall
Episode 2
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Bad Luck Fale
Tana tries to pick Fale up immediately, but cannot budge him then tries again, but Fale falls on top of him for a quick 2 count. Fale sends Tana to the outside then throws him into the railing repeatedly then Tana whips him into the railing and goes for a cross body, but Fale catches him and slams him onto the floor. They're back in the ring and Tana hits Fale repeatedly, Fale winging shots at him, but missing then Tana ends up slamming Fale as we go to commercial.
Tana head scissors Fale to the outside then hits a cross body that sends them both to the floor as we come back then they get back into the ring and Tana hits a dragon screw leg whip on the ground before trying for a cloverleaf, but Fale powers out instantly. Tana dropkicks the knee of Fale then goes for a sunset flip, but Fale falls on top of him then splashes him for a close 2 count. Tana hits a superplex on Fale then goes to the top rope and Fale meets him and hits a superplex of his own. Fale spears Tana for a close 2 count then goes for The Bad Luck Fall, but Tana counters into a roll up for a quick 2 count. Fale splashes Tana then hits the Grenade for a close 2 count then Tana hits a series of sling blades then finally the High Fly Flow for the pin and the win.
Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall
Kenny Omega vs Michael Elgin IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match
They lock up to start the match and Elgin pushes Omega across the ring and out of it then they lock up again, Elgin backing Kenny into the corner, but Kenny turns it around and hits Elgin with a series of right hands. Elgin drops Kenny with one hand then hits a powerslam when Kenny runs at him, following up with a stalling suplex for at least 20 seconds then Kenny goes to the outside. Kenny throws a mop then a trash can at Elgin then tries to spray him with cold spray, but that doesn't work either and Elgin punches Kenny over the railing then Kenny crawls around ringside before hitting a moonsault off of the railing then grabs a tiny ladder and hits Elgin with it, but he catches him and Elgin backs him into the railing. Kenny dropkicks Elgin and the ladder then hits a piledriver onto the trash can, flattening it. Elgin gets back in at the count of 19 then Kenny hits a Green Bay plunge into a moonsault for a quick 2 count, following up with a rake to the eyes then rakes his face against the ropes before they exchange strikes in the center of the ring. They run the ropes and Kenny hits a dropkick to the knee of Elgin then sends him to the outside before hitting Rise of the Terminator, but Kenny hits his legs right onto the railing when Elgin catches him. Kenny sets up a tiny table at ringside, but the Japanese tables may be small, but they usually are made out of a much harder wood than the pressed wood used in the states, usually not even breaking when someone is dropped onto them. Elgin hits a catapult that drops Kenny from the apron then splashes Kenny from the front and the back, Kenny chopping him repeatedly then Elgin hits a gorilla press slam for a close 2 count. Kenny tries to suplex Elgin out of the ring, but cannot then goes for a cross body off the top rope, but Elgin catches him and slams him down for a quick 2 count as we go to commercial.
Kenny hits a kick, but Elgin hits a jumping enzuigiri, dropping Kenny then hitting him with clubbing lariats from the front and back then Kenny chops him, Elgin hitting a scissor kick then Kenny hitting the V-Shot, but Elgin is right back up then Kenny hits a snap dragon suplex then a gut wrench powerbomb for a close 2 count. Elgin hits an avalanche falcon arrow for a close 2 count then Elgin powerbombs Kenny out of the ring and threw the table that broke in half, it not splintering into pieces like most tables. Elgin rolls Kenny back into the ring for a close 2 count then stomps on Kenny before going up top, but Kenny meets him only to be kicked away then knocked away then Elgin goes for a rolling swanton bomb, but Kenny rolls out of the way. Elgin hits a buckle bomb then Kenny hits a reverse frankensteiner then goes for the One-Winged Angel, but Elgin counters then goes for a discus clothesline, but Kenny hits the V-Shot then hits another reverse frankensteiner. Elgin hits a powerbomb for a close 2 count then hits another buckle bomb, but Kenny hits the V-Shot then a running knee for a close 2 count of his own. Kenny hits another V-Shot then hits the One-Winged Angel for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kenny Omega via pinfall
