We begin a new era in New Japan with today’s retro review as we dive into Bushiroad’s first PPV since buying the company. Heading into this PPV we’re coming off of a Wrestle Kingdom whose headline saw Hiroshi Tanahashi become the record holder for most title defences as the IWGP Champion as well as a young Kazuchika Okada controversially challenging the champion to a match that will headline this very show.

Since Wrestle Kingdom New Japan has been on their usual tour in which Okada has pinned Tanahashi in a tag match, Hirooki Goto has been announced as challenger to Masato Tanaka’s IC championship and Tetsuya Naito has renewed their feud with Shinsuke Nakamura. Elsewhere tonight both No Remorse Corps and Bad Intentions will look to regain the tag titles they lost at Wrestle Kingdom against Apollo 55 and Tencozy respectively.

Before I jump into my review there’s two matches I’m not able to watch on NJPW world, these matches and their results are the following:

• CHAOS (Yoshi-Hashi & Yujiro Takahashi) Beat King Fale & Tomoaki Honma
• CHAOS (Takashi Iilzuka, Tomohiro Ishi & Toru Yano) Beat Captain New Japan, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tama Tonga

IWGP Junior Tag Team Championships
Apollo 55 (Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi) v No Remorse Corps (Davey Richards & Rocky Romero)

Summary: A rematch from Wrestle Kingdom where these two teams delivered a great match, lets hope they can follow this up with another stella bout. Rocky and Davey are challenging, looking to regain their titles they lost at WK 6. Devitt and Romero will start us off, rest holds are exchanged before Devitt gets caught in a waist lock he reverses but Romero is on the rope, Romero uses this time to make a cheap shot beating down the champion with stiff shots. Devitt takes a shoulder tackle before running the ropes, Romero dodges till Devitt scouts it hitting a low double dropkick to the head.

Richards and Taguchi are next in, Taguchi has the wrist lock synched in and Richards tries to flip out multiple times but can’t. A springboard dropkick from Taguchi drops Richards as they exchange blows. Romero is now in, as Taguchi hits a blow to the fist from the top rope before Devitt follows with the same, a low dropkick from each downs Romero but the champs can’t capitalise as Devitt falls victim to the double team. Romero hits five clotheslines in the corner before Devitt cuts him off. Taguchi comes in sending Romero into Richards, he hits two suplexes on Romero before hitting a double DDT on both members of NRC.

It’s Taguchi and Romero in now. Taguchi lands a falcon arrow for the two count, but then gets hit with a neck breaker and knee by the heels, but he kicks out at two. A back elbow takes out both the challengers as Devitt tags back in. A clothesline to Romero then a spear to Devitt, Devitt takes out both Richards and Romero with a running dropkick before the champs both hit Tope Suicda’s. Devitt crotches Romero on the top rope before a double stomp in the tree of woe, Devitt goes up top with the Coup De Grace but Richards breaks up the count. Romero kicks out of an assisted codebreaker and Richards breaks up a pin from the muscle buster, a backslide gets a two count for Romero and so does a roll up. A spin kick downs Devitt as both men make the tag.

A kick to Taguchi from Richards gets another near fall, a clothesline and German suplex gets Richards another two as he signals the end. The powerbomb is reversed into a roll up by Taguchi but Richards kicks out, Devitt hits a Coup De Grace and Taguchi hits a slam that Romero just manages to break up. Richards get the knees up for Taguchi’s Frog splash as Romero hits a flying knee electric chair that Taguchi kicks out of. JUST!!!!! The torture rack knee hits but Devitt breaks up again! Romero hits a sunset dive into Devitt on the outside before Richards gets a kick on Taguchi followed by the powerbomb that finishes Taguchi and the match.

Winners and NEW IWGP Junior Tag Team Teach Champions Davey Richards and Rocky Romero

Stitch’s Rating: 6.75/10. Not as good as there WK effort but only marginally, the reason this is not a 7 for me is it took too long to get going that when it did it had too much to squeeze into too little time. That being said the final stretch was amazing and I really had no clue who would take the titles. I just think the pacing was slightly wrong. That being said this is a good opener just doesn’t compare to their earlier matches. I didn’t expect Apollo to lose the titles already, so I’m interested to see where this goes next.

Ten Man Tag Team Elimination Match
Seigigun (Wataru Inoue & Yuji Nagata), KUSHIDA, Tiger Mask & Togi Makabe vs Suzuki-Gun (Lance Archer, Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & TAKA Michinoku) & Yoshihiro Takayama

Summary: This match has a unique twist to traditional elimination match rules as a competitor can be eliminated by going over the top rope as well as pinfall and submission. Togi Makabe starts off against Minoru Suzuki with a (trumpets) Chopfest!! The two unload on each other and they spend about a minute chopping until Makabi gets a takedown leading to the entirety of his team stomping on Suzuki. Tiger Mask is next in with an arm breaker locked in (as his team rushes across the ring like the Avengers to stop Suzuki-Gun breaking it up) but Suzuki does get to the ropes.

Yuji Nagata nearly eliminates Suzuki over the top rope but he manages to survive. Takayama is next in, he tussles with Inoue before we get a series of tags from both teams where very little happens. A spinning kick from Tiger Mask nearly eliminates Michinoku before he tags in Taichi who of course whips off his trousers. Taka and Taichi try to double team KUSHIDA but KUSHIDA hits a back elbow before Archer tags in. Archer hits a blackout on KUSHIDA and gets the three count.

KUSHIDA is eliminated by Lance Archer

Tiger Mask is next in for his team he lands a double dropkick on Archer but gets his offence cut off by Taichi, Michinoku hits Mask with a superkick that allows Archer to hit the F-5 and eliminate another one of his opponents.

Tiger Mask is eliminated by Lance Archer

Inoue is next to take on the big man from Suzuki-Gun, he nearly eliminates Archer with a backslide but Archer just kicks out at two. Archer goes for the chokeslam but Inoue reverses into the German suplex, this would have been a three but Taichi pulls the referee out of the ring. Inoue hits a spear on Archer in the corner but gets caught in an F-5 that launches him over the top rope and out of the match.

Wataru Inoue is eliminated by Lance Archer

Togi Makabe and Yuji Nagata are the two remaining for their team against the whole of Suzuki-Gun. Makabe steps in next managing to hit clotheslines on both Taka and Taichi before eliminating Taka over the top rope!!

TAKA Michinoku is eliminated by Togi Makabe

Four on two now, Makabe and Suzuki are annihilating each other with strikes, a slam drops Suzuki before Taka returns with a chair (for some reason?), this allows Taichi to hit Makabe with a chair in the ensuing chaos. Takayama is back to exchange punches with Makabe before tagging out again. Makabe is torn apart with kicks and punches before Suzuki returns to lock in an arm breaker that Nagata eventually breaks up. Makabe narrowly kicks out of a side slam from Takayama. Takayama hits a suplex for another two count but a running powerslam allows Makabe to make the tag to Nagata who clears out all of his opponents. Nagata and Suzuki exchange strikes, Nagata reverses a sleeper but is eliminated by Suzuki as he goes for a running knee in the corner.

Yuji Nagata is eliminated by Minoru Suzuki

Makabe is on his own now as Suzuki locks in a sleeper. He powers out but Archer and Takayama hit a double chokeslam; a knee from Suzuki looks to finish him but he kicks out at two! Makabe fights back with a double clothesline to Archer/Takayama as well as punches. Suzuki gets the sleeper in before passing Makabe around his team mates for a slam and German. Suzuki hits the piledriver for the win

Winners Suzuki–Gun

Stitch’s Rating: 5/10. The middle was great where we got a few eliminations but otherwise it was a slow match that wasn’t bad by any means but just not great for me, the story was there but it was just a bit slow for my liking. The one thing this match did well was make Suzuki-Gun look like monsters, their decimation of their opponents was fun to watch and their booking here was very good.

IWGP Tag Team Championships
Tencozy (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima) (C) v Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson)

Summary: Another WK rematch here, Bad Intentions also look to reclaim their gold after losing in a really good match at WK, lets hope for similar here.

Kojima and Anderson start. A lockup into a wrist hold by Kojima, Anderson reverses this before getting caught in a headlock. Lock up again sees Kojima take down Anderson with shoulder tackles, a big kick from Anderson rocks Kojima before both men make tags. Lock up’s lead to Bernard stomping away at Tenzan in the corner, headbutts to Tenzan do nothing but a shoulder tackle takes him down. Both teams tag again with Kojima double teamed in the corner. Anderson misses the knee drop, Tencozy unload with elbows but a splash elbow drop combo is missed. Tenzan gets double teamed with elbows and knee drops after Kojima was thrown into the barriers on the outside.

A backbreaker elbow double team gets a two count for Bad Intentions. It’s Kojima and Anderson in the ring as Kojima gets slingshotted into the ring ropes. Bad Intentions exchange tags as Kojima takes a body slam before knee’s to the leg as the heels work on the former world champions knee. Bernard continues the work on the leg with a leg lock before Anderson tags in doing the same as well as taking out Tenzan on the apron. BI hit a double kick to Kojima’s head but he kicks out at two, the splash misses and Kojima follows up with a cutter. The tag is made to Tenzan who unloads the double chops on Bernard before taking down the big man with a spinning kick, the headbutt gets a two count, so does a bulldog.

Tenzan has an anaconda vice locked in but Anderson makes the save, a flying headbutt from Tenzan misses as Bernard makes the tag, Anderson takes a Samoan drop from Tenzan before a (trumpets) CHOPFEST in the corner from Kojima. Kojima hits the elbow from up high but Anderson kicks out at two, a (even more trumpets) CHOP OFF ensues before the heels double team Kojima. A Bernard splash gets a two count, followed by a Bernard bomb that gets another near fall before the shatter machine!!!! The ref counts the 1..2.. Kojima kicks out at two!!!!! Kojima hits a cutter on Anderson before we get another Bernard bomb (I don’t know if this is the official name but it should be) that still can’t put Kojima away. Kojima and Bernard exchange clotheslines that fail to take the other down before Kojima unleashes one hell of a lariat to retain the titles.

Winners and STILL IWGP Tag Team Champions TenCozy

Stitch’s Rating: 6/10. A match that was enjoyable but didn’t really hit any heights for me, I enjoyed the latter stages but I don’t think this was better than their WK bout. It felt too samey in my opinion but for a match to tie up a rivalry and allow Bernard to move on it was fine.

The two teams show respect as the heels leave in what would be Giant Bernard’s final match before heading back to WWE. TenCozy are confronted by Lance Archer and Yoshihiro Takayama challenging the tag champs.

IWGP Intercontinetal Championship
Hirooki Goto v Masato Tanaka (C)

Summary: It’s time for the IC title match as Goto is challenging Tanaka for the second time, I was really impressed by Goto in his match at WK 6 it was one of my favourite matches so I’m looking forward to seeing what these two do today. Tanaka is a legend who could have a good match with anyone so high hopes here.

Tanaka (who is accompanied by CHAOS stablemate Yujiro Takahashi) and Goto lock up early, both men exchange rest holds before the stale mate. The two exchange more holds before Goto goes for the leg with a leglock, this leads into the headlock before both competitors floor each other with a shoulder tackle. Yujiro gets involved early as Goto gains an advantage, Yujiro removes him from the ring throwing Goto into the railings before Tanaka follows up with a clothesline on the outside.

Goto is thrown into the ring post by Tanaka before we return to the ring, stiff chops are followed by Tanaka throwing Goto out of the ring, once more allowing Yujiro to beat down the challenger further. Tanaka is in full control hitting chops and smacks to the face, Goto tries to fight back once more but Tanaka cuts it off by raking the eyes. A forearm by Tanaka is followed by a Goto suplex, a lariat from Goto grounds the champ before Goto goes high, the elbow drop connects but only gets a two count. Next, a clothesline in the corner by Tanaka, who then hits a top rope suplex followed by a big lariat after Goto jumped to his feet. Tanaka up high again with a big powerbomb on Goto before the running lariat gets a two count!

A big German suplex from Goto but Tanaka rises to his feet! Another big lariat from Goto before elbows are exchanged. Goto hits a spinning kick in the corner, a backbreaker from the second rope follows and Tanaka kicks out at two!!! An elbow to the face drops Goto but he kicks out once more, the brainbuster follows but Goto just won’t quit. A headbutt to Goto is followed by a lariat but Tanaka kicks out at two!! These men are just slugging each other now as another lariat nearly gets Goto the win. A backbreaker from Goto into a Shouten Kai!!! 1..2..3 he does it!!!!

Winner and NEW IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hirooki Goto

Stitch’s Rating: 7/10. A good all out war between these two where they pretty much just destroyed each other. The match started slow, with Yujiro trying his best to give the advantage to Tanaka but once they got into gear this was a good match. A solid IC title match that does a good job at elevating the title.

Following the match Yujiro takes the mic and makes a challenge to Goto, these two have been starting a feud over the touring shows so this continues that. Goto accepts to end the segment.

Tetsuya Naito v Shinsuke Nakamura

Summary: A tense start with Nakamura already trying to get in Naito’s head. Shinsuke has Naito trapped in a body scissors before switching to a sleeper before the rope break. Nakamura continues to antagonise with smacks to Naito’s head but Naito fights back with slaps of his own before stamping on his opponent. Nakamura responds with knees to the gut and a kick to head whilst taunting his opponent. On the outside Naito is sent into the railings. On the stage ramp Nakamura chokes his opponent before attempting to return to the ring, taking advantage of this Naito hits a jumping dropkick on the stage.

Both men manage to get back inside the ring, and Naito is much more riled up here hitting kicks to the head and choking Nakamura on the ropes. Nakamura rolls to the outside with Naito in pursuit, Nakamura uses this advantage to send Naito first into the railings and then over the railings with a kick to the back. Nakamura follows up with kicks to the chest before once again throwing Naito into the railings. Nakamura places Naito on the apron before hitting a knee to the head. Back in the ring Nakamura gets a near fall with a knee drop to the head, kicks to the face follow before Nakamura once more stamps on the neck. More brutal knees from Nakamura, who is relentless, Naito keeps kicking out but can’t muster any offence against the King of Strong Style.

Naito finally drops his opponent with a powerbomb out of nowhere, and Nakamura goes back on the offence but he gets caught in a swinging neck breaker from Naito. A standing cannonball is followed by a knee drop and a dropkick to the head by Naito but Nakamura kicks out at two. Kicks to the head from Naito but this time he gets caught with a brutal kick to the gut from Nakamura, more kicks drop Naito but the running knee in the corner misses; Naito is hung up on the top rope and takes a brutal knee to the gut followed by a modified falcon arrow for the two count. Nakamura once again has control. He goes for a German but Naito lands on his feet, he dodges the kick and takes down Nakamura with a big shoulder check.

A face off ensues with the two exchanging huge elbows, it’s Naito’s strikes against Nakamura’s kicks with Naito hitting a German for the near fall. A back body slam gets Naito close to the win again but Nakamura survives! Naito goes for a corkscrew but misses getting hit with the Kinshasha to the back of the head, Nakamura can’t capitalise on this but does follow up with an exploder suplex. He goes for another Kinshasha but Naito scouts it, getting a near fall with the roll up. Nakamura misses a kick but breaks the full nelson, a back body slam from Naito gets another near fall. Naito goes up top once more hitting the Stardust Press for the win.

Winner Tetsuya Naito

Stitch’s Rating: 7.5/10. A really good showcase here as both men brought everything they had. The story was simple and follows on from their past rivalry, Nakamuras plan was to get in Naito’s head and he did that. The back and forth nature of the match kept this interesting and I really like how Naito was presented here, it’s another huge win for him. It doesn’t get an eight for me on the count of lack of wow factor it was good but it didn’t blow me away.

IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi (C) v Kazuchika Okada

Summary: A ground breaking match in New Japan history as Okada and Tanahashi face off for the first time ever. The story has been built around Tanahashi’s belief that Okada isn’t ready to be challenging even stating that Okada’s WK match left a lot to be desired (which admittedly is an understatement). Okada is now managed by Gedo and looks to make one of the biggest upsets in New Japan history. Lets get into the Ace versus the Rainmaker

We begin with the lockup with Okada powering his opponent into the corner, a miss from Okada allows some big forearms from Tanahashi but Okada responds first with a forearm then with a shoulder block. Tanahashi fights back getting a headlock synched in, he brings Okada back to the match multiple times but Okada keeps fighting back, another side headlock from Tanahashi once again brings the match to Tana’s pace. Okada fights out by holding the hair but Tana hits a springboard cross body to floor the challenger. Another headlock for Tana, this time Okada powers out and hits a dropkick unleashing some aggressive forearms to a floored Tana.

At the five minute mark Okada manages to kick Tanahashi off the top rope to the outside, Tana is sent into the ring post on the outside as Okada takes his time with the champion, he chokes Tanahashi in the railings before breaking the twenty count and returning to the ring. Okada in control now with a face lock with the knee to the back, a neck breaker follows and Tana kicks out at two. Okada hits a backbreaker but misses a jumping senton as Tanahashi fights back with punches; Tana goes for a dropkick but Okada holds on to the ropes allowing him to hit a dropkick of his own. Okada fully in control now with big elbows that lead to the flapjack.

Ten minutes in and Okada is in full control, much to the crowds fury, more forearms ground Tana in the corner but Tana fights back with chops before Okada is taken down with the forearm. Okada hits uppercuts to the champ before throwing him out of the ring but Tana hangs on skinning the cat. Okada rolls outside and Tana meets him with a Frog Splash on the outside both men break the twenty count but as Okada gets in the ring Tana hits a dragon screw and by a reverse dragon screw working on stopping Okada’s leg game. The cloverleaf is in and Okada eventually forces the rope break, Tanahashi has lost a tooth at some point and his day gets worse as Okada hits him with a piledriver. After a triangle submission Okada looks to continue his offence but a dropkick to the knee from Tana sends Okada to the outside.

Tanahashi goes for a cannonball on the outside but Okada dodges sending Tanahashi flying into the railings and the arena floor. Okada hits a big kick that send Tanahashi into the crowd, Okada then hits a tombstone on the concrete floor in what is a brutal but incredible spot. Okada rolls Tana back into the ring hitting a body slam and an elbow drop before he goes for the rainmaker but Tana counters into the sling blade for the two count. Tanahashi hits a German suplex but Okada’s still fighting; a falcon arrow is followed by a Frog splash, as Tana goes for another but Okada gets the knee’s up! Okada responds with a neck breaker and a big DDT but Tanahashi kicks out at just about two, a suplex gets another close pinfall but Okada doesn’t relent. However the Rainmaker attempts a dragon suplex which can’t keep Okada down! A sling blade is reversed into a rain maker and Okada wins the IWGP championship to gasps and shrieks from the crowd as Okada ends Tanahashi’s record breaking title run.

Winner and NEW IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada

Following the match Okada is confronted by Tetsuya Naito who had vowed to win the world title before he turned 30 years old (which would be a few months from this ppv). Okada leaves without answering Naito’s challenge.

Stitch’s Rating: 8.5/10. Talk about start of an era this match is really the start of the New Japan revolution that is coming in this time period. An excellent match where Okada showed just how good he could be and Tanahashi showed why he is the one of the greatest of all time. The pacing was brilliant allowing Okada to take that time to show the crowd why he was in this sort of match. Of course this was a big gamble at the time as Okada was green and untested where as Tanahashi had beaten everyone but wow did it pay off. This match was all about making Okada look like a star and it did, the tombstone spot on the concrete was incredible and Okada winning by outsmarting Tanahashi was just genius. The reaction from the crowd really sold the moment as you would have thought someone died, it was wrestling storytelling at it’s very best.

Final Rating: 7/10. A good show but one that is only really remembered for one match I can see exactly why. A lot changed for the future on this show mainly with Goto winning the IC title and Okada managing to beat the unbeatable Tanahashi for the Heavyweight title. This is, in hindsight, such a turning point for the company and for what we now come to expect from them. Having said that the last three matches do pull the rest of the card up ratings wise. The undercard is largely forgettable with two tag team Wrestle Kingdom title rematches and an elimination throwaway, but, with that being said, I would definitely check out those matches on NJPW, especially the final match if you are looking to make your way through the Okada era of New Japan. To conclude a solid show that has some big moments in, well worth a watch if only for the end.