Welcome to Fightful.com's live coverage & discussion for tonight's NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019.
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!
Match Card
Ren Narita and Shota Umino defeated Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji
TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Minoru Suzuki and Taichi defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask, Toa Henare, YOSHI-HASHI and Jeff Cobb
Jushin Thunder Liger, Toru Yano and Togi Makabe defeated Jado, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa
Tomoaki Honma, Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson and Hirooki Goto defeated Hikuleo, Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale and Jay White
Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo defeated Will Ospreay and Dragon Lee
Shingo Takagi, BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito defeated SHO, YOH and Kota Ibushi
Tomohiro Ishii defeated EVIL
IWGP Heavyweight Title
Kazuchika Okada (C) defeated SANADA
Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji vs. Ren Narita and Shota Umino
Narita and Uemura got this one underway, wrestling for position until an exchange of strikes commenced. Ren came out on top, bringing in Uemura to control things further. This culminated in a Boston Crab but after an immense struggle, Uemura made it to the bottom rope. He remained isolated nonetheless but soon rallied, firing back with some forearms and then finally a dropkick as well. That allowed Tsuji to enter and flurry, getting the better of Umino and combining well with Uemura too.
A responding dropkick then halted him though, with some tandem offense swiftly coming next. Umino then closed the show, hitting a Fisherman Suplex to pin Tsuji in center ring. Post-match, Narita followed up with a couple extra shots in Uemura's direction.
Winners: Ren Narita and Shota Umino
Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask, Toa Henare, YOSHI-HASHI and Jeff Cobb vs. TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Minoru Suzuki and Taichi
Starting in a more traditional sense, Tiger Mask matched up with TAKA here, trading strikes while Suzuki-gun loitered at ringside. In the meantime YOSHI-HASHI went to work and his team then combined, singling out Michinoku after removing his partners. Suzuki-gun soon re-entered though, taking things to the outside and unsurprisingly coming out on top. YOSHI-HASHI beat the count but was isolated for his troubles, eventually firing back and tagging in Cobb.
He flurried immediately, landing a standing moonsault and then suplexing both Kanemaru and Desperado at once. Taichi was his next victim, finding himself flattened by a lariat as Henare then came in. He initially run wild but Suzuki-gun then seized, stringing offense together in the corner before things broke down. Suddenly only the legal men remained and after being in trouble briefly, Taichi closed the show, hitting his superkick and pinning Henare while the others brawled at ringside.
Winners: TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Minoru Suzuki and Taichi
Jushin Thunder Liger, Toru Yano and Togi Makabe vs. Jado, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa
With the crowd on his side, Liger was in first here, initially squaring off with Jado. Before that though, Liger hesitated in response to a handshake and was jumped for his troubles, with Bullet Club smartly seizing control. With Liger isolated, they then went to work in center ring, each taking turns on the legend until he made a tag to Makabe. His hot tag was brief though, being cut off by GOD but then using a lariat to reset things once more. That brought in Yano, unsuccessfully attempting his usual antics but being taken out for his troubles.
Jado then joined in on the act, applying a crossface until the hold was broken up. With the referee distracted, Jado then retrieved a kendo stick but Makabe made the save, allowing Yano to hit a signature low blow before rolling his foe up for the win.
Winners: Jushin Thunder Liger, Toru Yano and Togi Makabe
Hikuleo, Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale and Jay White vs. Tomoaki Honma, Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson and Hirooki Goto
Hoping to continue their recent singles match, Goto wanted White here but Owens jumped him instead. Goto swiftly responded regardless, gaining control and tagging in Nicholls for some double-team offense. Honma and Goto then joined in on the act too, all combining without any positive results as Bullet Club swiftly took over proceedings. This included Owens' in-ring control over Honma and he then tagged in White as well, applying a Single Leg Boston Crab and forcing his foe to reach the bottom rope. That brought in Fale and then Hikuleo too.
Chase's own failed attempt at a Kokeshi allowed Honma some reprieve but White quickly halted that, grabbing a hold but soon running directly into a Kokeshi himself. That allowed Goto's entry and he flurried on all involved, shifting the momentum and landing a back suplex for 2. White avoided Ushigoroshi though, landing his own suplex and bringing Hikuleo back in. His size caused Goto some trouble but a lariat soon floored him nonetheless, with Robinson then entering as a result. With Nicholls by his side, Juice went to work, even combining for an impressive double suplex.
Things then broke down though and Robinson was suddenly isolated until Honma made the save. Goto helped out as well and soon only Juice and Hikuleo remained. The US Champion seized, landing a sharp DDT and using Pulp Friction for the win.
Winners: Tomoaki Honma, Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson and Hirooki Goto
Post-match, the same video aired as Juice watched on, reiterating the message that "time's up."
Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo vs. Will Ospreay and Dragon Lee
Bullet Club's newest member is getting this one started, first taking on Ospreay after rejecting his handshake and signalling 'Too Sweet' instead. He and Will then met in center ring, trading flashy counters until Phantasmo used a dropkick to take control. He then walked the ropes, eventually taking his foe down with a springboard headscissors takeover. Ishimori then came in, grounding Ospreay further until he used a handspring kick to turn the tide. That allowed Dragon Lee's entry, meeting Taiji in center ring as a brawl commenced.
Their exchange was brief though, with Lee next landing a German Suplex on Phantasmo as Ospreay swiftly re-entered. He hit Pip Pip Cheerio and then soon after landed his crisp stunner too. The fight then headed up top, with Phantasmo eventually walking the ropes before scoring a spectacular moonsault out to the floor. He and Ishimori then combined for some innovative tandem offense but Lee made the save, allowing Ospreay to rally and hit Spanish Fly for 2.
OsCutter was blocked by a kick though, as El Phantasmo instead hit a spinning neckbreaker before closing the show via elevated facebuster.
Winners: Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo
Shingo Takagi, BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito vs. SHO, YOH and Kota Ibushi
Much to the crowd's delight, Ibushi and Naito got this one underway, feeling things out before eventually reaching a stalemate. At this point, Naito opted out, bringing in BUSHI who was greeted by YOH. Those two quickly exchanged chops to the chest before YOH used a neckbreaker to take control. He and SHO then combined, furthering the team's momentum until Takagi's entry allowed BUSHI to turn the tide. Naito was tagged in as a result, flooring Ibushi while landing some signature offense on SHO in the meantime.
Takagi flurried next, landing an elbow drop for 2 and benefiting from BUSHI's interference until SHO rallied on both. That included a suplex counter that reset things, allowing Ibushi's entry as he run wild on all involved. He eventually went head to head with Takagi, trading strikes but soon falling victim to a pop-up death valley driver. Naito seized, coming back in and hitting a frankensteiner too. He followed up with a sharp kick and hit a stunning Gloria only for the pin to be broken up just moments before Kota responded with a massive strike of his own.
Naito was then double-teamed by Roppongi 3K and after removing SHO, he then turned into a Falcon Arrow as well. Things broke down next, with the ring being cleared by carnage as Naito closed the show via Destino.SUGGESTING
Winners: Shingo Takagi, BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito
- Post-match, Naito grabbed a microphone and suggested Dominion for their Intercontinental Title rematch. Ibushi agreed, going face to face with his challenger and confirming the match.
- Hiroshi Tanahashi then arrived, surprising the fans and taking a microphone in center ring. He says he came out of his cast yesterday but that he really wanted to be able to wrestle on this May 4th. However, he was in a dark place this time last year too but came back, winning the G1 and becoming IWGP Champion again. On the other hand, he's since come down the mountain's other side, now reaching rock bottom but nonetheless, he'll be back on June 5th and he's ready to become champion again. Soon after, Jay White emerged with Gedo by his side.
He took the microphone and made it clear that the line starts behind him while Tanahashi stands at the very back. As Tanahashi turned in Gedo's direction, White then jumped Tanahashi too, throwing punches and even stomping his rival's injured elbow. Jay next planned to use a chair as well but the young lions saved him while White reiterated that he's next in line regardless.
EVIL vs. Tomohiro Ishii
As you'd expect, these two immediately met in the middle, colliding with tackles and then trading forearms. This was unsurprisingly physical but after a struggle, EVIL was the first man to floor his foe. Things then spilled to the floor, with EVIL throwing Ishii into the ring-post before using the barricade to isolate his leg too. In-ring, that attack continued, wearing Ishii's leg down and using chops to further his dominance as well. EVIL then returned his focus to the leg, attempting Scorpion Deathlock but failing to deter his defiant foe.
With a limp, Ishii tackled EVIL to the mat, next using his signature chops and landing the powerslam also. The superplex was his next plan and eventually, Ishii impressively landed it for 2. EVIL swiftly responded nonetheless, using the referee before landing a violent suplex into the corner. The action then headed to the floor and after a back and forth, EVIL scored a swinging neckbreaker on the floor. He then used his signature steel chair attack, returning Ishii to center ring and scoring a top rope superplex of his own. Even still, Ishii kicked out.
EVIL then applied the Scorpion Deathlock regardless but Ishii refused to tap, barely reaching the bottom rope after stopping Red Shoes from prematurely ending the match. He then rallied as well, landing the back drop suplex to reset things. Ishii then got the better of a pivotal exchange too, flooring EVIL with a lariat and applying the Scorpion Deathlock himself. Though EVIL made it to the bottom rope, Ishii continued his onslaught, eventually using a sudden forearm to drop EVIL and then landing his sliding lariat for 2.
The brainbuster was blocked though, with EVIL using a German Suplex instead before resetting things with a headbutt and lariat. Ishii fired back with his own German Suplex though and both men then landed brutal lariats to floor the other. In the end, both men made it upright but Ishii's headbutt returned EVIL to his knees only for a half and half suplex to arrive in response. Another wild strike exchange followed but Ishii's crisp enzuigiri concluded this one and just moments later, his brainbuster closed the show.
Winner: Tomohiro Ishii
IWGP Heavyweight Title
Kazuchika Okada vs. SANADA
Main event time now and a feeling out process gets this one underway. Both men are wrestling for position here early, with the champion seemingly gaining an advantage as he wrenched SANADA's arms without answer. That resulted in an explosion as the pace quickened while an exchange of pins emerged. Things then settled down again, with Okada slowing things until SANADA got angry and paid the price for his aggression. Okada was firmly in control now but SANADA soon responded, going after his foe's leg and landing a hurricanrana before even applying the Paradise Lock as well.
With the tide now turned, SANADA went to work, landing a crisp snap suplex but then having his standing moonsault avoided, as Okada landed a European Uppercut to reset things. Okada then rebuilt his prior momentum, stringing together some signature offense including a DDT for 2. After being yanked to the floor, Okada remained on top too, sending SANADA over the barricade and following him there with a crossbody. Back in-ring and the momentum swung again though, with SANADA landing a dropkick before hitting a dive over the top as well.
Okada avoided Skull End nonetheless, landing a flapjack but failing to follow up as SANADA landed a springboard dropkick instead. The champion's patented neckbreaker soon scored either way, resetting things once more. His elbow drop followed but the Rainmaker did not, with Okada settling for a cobra clutch instead. The dropkick came next and eventually, the tombstone piledriver did as well. SANADA still avoided Rainmaker though, somehow catching Skull End until Okada countered and forced him to use a swinging neckbreaker in transition.
The challenger continued to build momentum from there, landing a Tiger Suplex for 2 before Okada evaded the moonsault and reclaimed control. Skull End was swiftly re-applied regardless, with SANADA swinging his foe's body before fully ensnaring the hold on the mat. After an immense struggle, Okada still couldn't reach the bottom rope and after seemingly leaving the champion unconscious, SANADA released the hold. Looking to close the show, he immediately hit a moonsault to the spine but the 2nd effort was blocked as Okada smartly got his knees up.
Both fatigued, a weary exchange of forearms commenced, with both men fighting to their feet until SANADA appeared to come out on top. Okada fired back though, scoring his shotgun dropkick and applying his own Skull End as a spectacular exchange of counters took center stage. In the end, SANADA landed Rainmaker himself but Okada kicked out and responded, connecting with a spinning tombstone and closing the show via Rainmaker.
Winner and STILL Champion: Kazuchika Okada
Post-match, Okada extended his hand in a sign of respect. SANADA signaled for one more match, parting ways with a fist-bump in acknowledgement. Okada then grabbed a microphone and said that he was happy to be called a "rival" by SANADA. He feels the same way and while their story is just beginning, he's not going to lose to SANADA. Okada then seemingly signed off until the lights went off and a video package played. It was Chris Jericho and he announced that at Dominion, he'll challenge Okada for his IWGP Heavyweight Title. Okada comically accepted, making it clear that he'll win and return as champion.
