Welcome to Fightful.com's live coverage & discussion for tonight's NJPW The New Beginning in Sapporo event.
We'll be bringing you full, match by match coverage of every bout on the card and you can watch along with us, sending in your feedback on our Disqus boards below!
Toa Henare defeated Yota Tsuji
Tiger Mask and Manabu Nakanishi defeated Ayato Yoshida and Shota Umino
Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Ren Narita defeated Takashi Iizuka and TAKA Michinoku via Disqualification
Toru Yano Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma and Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Yujiro Takahashi, The Guerrilas of Destiny and Taiji Ishimori
Jay White, Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens defeated YOSHI-HASHI, Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi
Shingo Takagi and BUSHI defeated El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru to retain their IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
SANADA and EVIL defeated Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
Tetsuya Naito defeated Taichi to retain his IWGP Intercontinental Title
Yota Tsuji vs. Toa Henare
Using strikes early, Henare bullied Tsuji into the ropes but Yota fired back, initiating an early exchange that resulted in a stalemate. Henare then took control though, overpowering Tsuji and stringing together some body slams too. Tsuji then returned the favor though, landing his own body slam and rallying with strikes too. He then applied the Boston Crab but Henare made it to the bottom rope and rallied, scoring with his big tackle and then unleashing some knees in the corner as well.
Once again though,Tsuji gave Henare a taste of his own medicine and that resulted in a wild strike exchange. Henare came out on top, landing a headbutt and huge lariat for 2. In response, Henare quickly closed the show, hitting his Uranage for the win.
Winner: Toa Henare
Shota Umino and Ayato Yoshida vs. Tiger Mask and Manabu Nakanishi
Tiger Mask immediately got the upper hand on Umino, landing a heavy kick before running into a shoulder tackle. Umino then continued his attack in the corner before Tiger Mask fired back, next bringing in Nakanishi. Yoshida met him in center ring and went to work with strikes but was soon tackled to the mat. The spear then followed too, with Tiger Mask coming in next to continue their momentum. Yoshida eventually created some space though, bringing in Umino who run wild before unsuccessfully thinking bodyslam.
Nakanishi countered with one of his own and then followed up with his big splash for 2. Nonetheless, Umino indeed landed a body slam in the end and brought in Yoshida too, flurrying on both of his foes and almost closing the show with a Rear Naked Choke. Nakanishi broke it up though and Tiger Mask quickly fired back, hooking a kneebar and forcing Yoshida to scramble to the ropes. Tiger Driver came next but Umino broke the fall. Nakanishi quickly removed him regardless and in the meantime, Tiger got the win via Double Underhook Suplex off the top.
Winners: Tiger Mask and Manabu Nakanishi
Takashi Iizuka and TAKA Michinoku vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Ren Narita
Once again, Tenzan grabbed a microphone and goaded Iizuka as Suzuki-gun took immediate control via crowd brawling tactics. Returning to the ring, Narita was now isolated but fired back regardless, flurrying with strikes and hitting a belly to belly suplex for 2. However, Iizuka then attacked him from behind, allowing TAKA to seize while he assaulted Tenzan in the crowd again. Still without a potential tag, Narita fell victim to Iizuka's trademark biting and Tenzan followed suit as well.
TAKA soon returned too, battering Narita with strikes as Tenzan pleaded for a tag. Narita eventually created some space regardless, scoring a dropkick and suplex before finally making the tag. Tenzan run wild, landing a salvo of Mongolian Chops until Suzuki-gun used the numbers game to cut him off. Narita made the save though, allowing Tenzan to rally. TAKA then cut Hiroyoshi off in response and a DQ finish quickly followed as with his Iron Fingers, Iizuka assaulted Tenzan both before and after the bell.
Winners: Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Ren Narita via Disqualification
Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Yujiro Takahashi, The Guerrilas of Destiny and Taiji Ishimori
Junior Heavyweight Champion and Challenger got us started here, exchanging holds until a Hip Attack sent Ishimori to the floor. In response, Taiji brought in Tama but he opted out, tagging in Takahashi who was greeted by Honma. Tonga prevented Jado from cheating too but things broke down regardless, with everyone brawling until Bullet Club isolated Honma in-ring. Even still, Tama refused to get overly involved, mostly watching on as his partners dominated their foe.
Eventually though, Tanga prevented Tama from tagging out, forcing him to work Honma over before quickly opting out regardless. Either way, Honma soon fired back, creating space and landing a Kokeshi headbutt too. Makabe was in next, wiping out his opposition until a double dropkick stopped him in his tracks. Takahashi's Fisherman Buster followed but Makabe kicked out at 2, soon bringing in Taguchi who run into immediate trouble opposite Takahashi and then Ishimori. Out of nowhere though, Taguchi countered Bloody Cross and applied the Ankle Lock too.
A Jado kendo stick shot turned the tide regardless, with Taichi almost scoring a quick win until Taguchi's Hip Attack reset things. That brought in Toru Yano and Tanga Loa, with Yano falling into his own illegal trap much to Tonga's chagrin. Yano stayed alive either way and as Tama prevented Loa's cheating, he then seized, landing a low-blow and scoring the quick roll-up win too.
Winners: Toru Yano, Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma and Ryusuke Taguchi
Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens and Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada, YOSHI-HASHI and Hiroshi Tanahashi
Okada made his stance clear before the first bell, taking center ring opposite Chase Owens as Fale opted out. It was all a ploy though, with Fale instead jumping Okada from behind until misdirections put 'The Rainmaker' back in control. Some tandem offense followed but YOSHI-HASHI was unable to fire up a group taunt, going to work on Chase regardless. White quickly re-entered though, being greeted by Tanahashi who immediately flurried with strikes. The leg quickly became White's target again though, with a chop-block halting Tanahashi's momentum as Bullet Club went to work across the board.
When the action returned in-ring, Tanahashi was isolated, being worn down by all three of his foes along the way. This culminated in a single leg Boston Crab but YOSHI-HASHI broke the hold before being dispatched for his troubles. Tanahashi soon fired back regardless, constantly focusing on White before creating enough space to bring in Okada. He run wild on Owens, flurrying big until Fale re-entered to score an emphatic splash for 2. Okada came back right away in response, landing a body slam and then heading up top for his trademark elbow drop as well.
in the meantime, a brawl commenced outside the ring but either way, Fale countered with a Samoan Drop and then brought in White too. YOSHI-HASHI soon met him in center ring, running wild and even almost closing the show. A Gedo interference stopped him in his tracks though, allowing Bullet Club to maul YOSHI-HASHI without quite managing to close the show. Instead, Okada made the save and things broke down, with signature moves landing across the board including Tanahashi's Twist and Shout to floor White.
YOSHI-HASHI followed up as well, landing a huge lariat but having his Swanton Bomb blocked. White seized, staring Tanahashi down as he scored the submission win via TTO. Post-match, Tanahashi made the save but ate Blade Runner for his troubles as White again left with the IWGP crown.
Winners: Jay White, Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Shingo Takagi and BUSHI (C)
Kanemaru went right to work with forearms on Takagi but failed to have much impact, soon being powered to the mat after initially evading his foe. BUSHI and El Desperado were in next, meeting in the middle for a brawl, and both looking to unmask each other until a dropkick put BUSHI into control. Takagi then re-entered, going to work on Desperado and isolating him too. This included some tandem offense but BUSHI soon found himself on the wrong side of town, falling victim to Kanemaru on the outside as the challengers turned the tide.
Takagi was forced to make the save at this juncture but it was to no avail, with Suzuki-gun instead continuing their dominance on the outside. Left rocked in the crowd, BUSHI slowly made his way back to the ring but was immediately jumped, being worked over until a hurricanrana allowed him to reset things. A tag to Takagi followed and Shingo indeed run wild, overpowering both of his foes and overcoming a damaged leg in doing so. Desperado's spear halted him slightly but Takagi stayed on top regardless, landing a massive lariat and then tagging in BUSHI.
He entered with a missile dropkick off the top, next removing Kanemaru and hitting some tandem offense for 2. Suzuki-gun fired back though, almost closing the show until an isolated BUSHI kicked out at 2. He avoided the follow-up as well, hitting a neckbreaker to floor both men. The incoming Takagi and Kanemaru then met in the middle, with Shingo getting the better of things until his damaged leg failed him again. A huge DDT then flattened him too, with Kanemaru heading up top and hitting a moonsault for 2.
Shingo then avoided Deep Impact though, launching Kanemaru over his head and hitting a pop-up Death Valley Driver for another 2. The Pumping Bomber soon followed but Desperado halted the count, yanking the referee outside the ring and then bringing a steel chair into the fold. BUSHI took advantage though, using the chair himself and then misting Kanemaru to set up Pumping Bomber for yet another near-fall! With Desperado taken out though, Rebellion then closed the show.
Post-match, Desperado jumped the champions but was quickly floored and then unmasked for his troubles.
Winners and STILL Champions: Shingo Takagi and BUSHI
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr vs. EVIL and SANADA (C)
Suzuki-gun jumped the champions in the midst of their introductions, but EVIL and SANADA almost immediately rallied nonetheless. Suddenly isolated, Sabre Jr fell victim to some tandem offense as LIJ went to work. Zack avoided Sanada's Paradise Lock though, allowing Suzuki to catch an armbar before the challengers mauled their foes on the outside. In the end, Sanada scurried back in-ring at 19 but walked directly into an armbar as Sabre Jr went right to work. Suzuki then joined in on the act too, continuing their focused attack and unleashing some strikes as well.
He then applied an armbar of his own, with SANADA barely making the ropes as Sabre Jr re-entered to continue the onslaught. Eventually though, a pair of dragon screw leg whips allowed SANADA to create some space and a tag to EVIL soon followed. He immediately flurried on Sabre Jr but was then quickly cut off before using a lariat to regain control. A salvo of kicks put Zack back on top though and he brought in Suzuki who landed PK for 2. EVIL quickly countered regardless, bringing in SANADA who was almost immediately floored by some Suzuki-gun tandem offense.
LIJ returned the favor though, isolating Suzuki until Sabre Jr made the save. Suzuki-gun then simultaneously applied submission holds, with Minoru almost closing the show via kneebar. Instead, SANADA made it to the bottom rope but a pair of PK's flattened him again, forcing EVIL to barely break the fall. EVIL and SANADA then fired back, hitting Magic Killer for 2 before Skull End was countered into a Rear Naked Choke. EVIL made another save though, allowing the champions to hit one more Magic Killer as SANADA then closed the show via moonsault.
Winners and STILL Champions: SANADA and EVIL
IWGP Intercontinental Title
Taichi vs. Tetsuya Naito (C)
Before Naito can even make it to the ring, he's jumped on the ramp-way by a ladder-wielding Iizuka. Takashi is eventually restrained but the damage is done as Taichi plays innocent bystander in response. Iizuka took immediate advantage too, landing Black Mephisto on the ramp. While Naito was being tended to, Taichi celebrated with the title in center ring before grabbing a microphone and claiming that the match is now over. Naito was then helped to the back as Taichi told everyone to go home. This included a suddenly enraged Makabe, rising from the announce table but being restrained by Masahiro Chono.
Taichi continued to taunt as an announcement was made that the doctors were currently checking on Naito's health. Red Shoes and Chairman Sugabayashi were here next, seemingly calling the match off as Taichi continued to state his championship case. Eventually though, BUSHI led Naito to the ring and at long last, our match had begun. However, Naito's first strikes had zero effect, instead collapsing as Taichi went to work. A dropkick did earn Naito some momentum though, flooring Taichi but then failing to capitalize.
Even still, Naito soon flurried out of nowhere, stringing together some trademark offense before a Taichi lariat dropped him on the apron. Taichi then positioned a table at ringside, thinking Black Mephisto but being reversed as Naito hit a piledriver through the table instead. Nonetheless, Taichi managed to just avoid the count-out defeat but Naito still followed up, hitting a hurricanrana for 2 before being floored by a headkick. Now back in control, Taichi scored with another lariat before applying the Dragon Sleeper too.
Naito barely survived though, making a brief comeback after scoring with a hurricanrana counter. The swinging DDT came next and then Gloria as well but Taichi still managed to kick out. As Naito began to think Destino though, Iizuka returned, wiping out BUSHI and distracting Naito as he launched him into the barricade. In the meantime, Taichi had secured the title but Naito ducked and opted for Taichi's microphone instead. Naito ignored Taichi's pleas for mercy and unleashed with the microphone before turning into a chair shot out of nowhere.
Taichi uncorked another violent chair shot over the head from there, next landing a massive back suplex for 2. Naito then reversed Black Mephisto but Taichi avoided Destino too, catching a quick roll-up for another near-fall. Taichi then followed up with a super-kick but Naito again kicked out and scored a low-blow to set up Destino. That wasn't enough though, as Taichi kicked out of that and more before eventually succumbing to a 2nd Destino.
Winner and STILL Champion: Tetsuya Naito
Post-match, Naito was joined by his LIJ peers and credited their efforts tonight. He then said that he intends to win the IWGP Heavyweight Title again, becoming the first man to hold both belts at once!
