New Japan Road
March 1st 2017
Korakuen Hall
Tokyo, Japan
The VOD for tonight's all the matches are now available on @njpwworld Sign up to Watch full video! https://t.co/XHvpfN0XQy pic.twitter.com/qVbwPdKTbB
— njpw_global (@njpwglobal) March 1, 2017
Many of the matches on this show were previewing bigger matches taking place this Monday at NJPW’s 45th anniversary show, or for first round matches of the upcoming New Japan Cup tournament.
Yujiro Takahashi (Bullet Club) vs. Tomuyoki Oka
Standard opening match with the young lion, Oka, taking on “the Tokyo Pimp” Takahashi. Takahashi wins clean with a seated DDT.
Winner: Takahashi
El Desperado, Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Taka Michinoku (Suzuki-Gun) vs. Rocky Romero, Beretta and Jado and Yoshi-Hashi (CHAOS)
This match was previewing the junior heavyweight tag title match between Roppongi Vice (Romero and Beretta) and the Suzuki-Gun team of Kanemaru and Taichi. The bout is scheduled for Monday at the promotion’s 45th anniversary show.
Finish of this match came when Yoshi-Hashi hit a backstabber on Taka and then locked him in a butterfly lock for the submission win. After the match Roppongi Vice and the Suzuki-Gun team stared each other down a bit.
Winners: CHAOS (Taka submitted to Yoshi-Hashi)
Kenny Omega, Bad Luck Fale, Tonga Loa, and Tama Tonga (Bullet Club) vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi KojimaÂ
Bullet Club don’t have a very big role on Monday’s anniversary show, but 5 members of the faction will participate in the upcoming New Japan Cup tournament.
Finish of this match came when Tama Tonga hit a cutter on Nakanishi and got the pin. Not bad for Tonga picking up the win for his team. It’ll be interesting to see how far he goes in the cup tournament this year.
Winners: Bullet Club
Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, and Tomohiro Ishii (CHAOS) vs. Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma (GBH) and Jushin Liger
This match was building towards GBH vs. Yano and Ishii for the tag team titles at the anniversary show on Monday.
As per usual, Yano hit Liger with a low blow and rolled him up for the pin. Several of the young lions were attending to Liger, and so did Honma and Makabe. Not much building to the title match on Monday.
Winners: CHAOS (Yano pinned Liger)
Minoru Suzuki and Davey Boy Smith Jr. (Suzuki-Gun) vs. Katsuyori Shibata and David Finlay
This match was previewing the 1st round New Japan Cup match between Suzuki and Shibata. Suzuki was trying to soften Shibata up and took the match to the outside. He wrapped Shibata’s arm in a chair and did various things to show he was trying to hurt the guy enough that he would still be injured when they meet on March 11th.
Finish of the match came when Smith pinned Finlay with a sit down power bomb. Suzuki and Shibata brawled for a bit after the match.
Winners: Suzuki-Gun (Smith pinned Finlay)
Ryusuke Taguchi, Michael Elgin, Kushida, Juice Robinson and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Evil, Hiromu Takahashi, Sanada, Bushi and Tetsuya Naito (Los Ingobernables)
This match was previewing Takahashi vs. Taguchi on Monday for the junior heavyweight championship. They did some teasing of Taguchi going after Takahashi’s ankle.
Juice Robinson hit the Pulp Friction on Bushi for the win, something he’s been doing a lot of lately. After the bell Naito attacked Juice from behind. Evil and Tanahashi, who will meet in the first round of the New Japan Cup, brawled after the bell as well and had to be separated. Evil came back to the ring several times to continue the fight with Tanahashi.
Winners: Taguchi, Elgin, Kushida, Robinson and Tanahashi (Juice Robinson pinned Bushi)
Tiger Mask IV and Tiger Mask W vs. Kazuchika Okada and Gero (CHAOS)
This match was a preview of Kazuchika Okada vs. Tiger Mask W coming up on Monday’s anniversary show. Tiger Mask W is Kota Ibushi under a tiger mask. This all has to do with the latest Tiger Mask anime series airing in Japan.
Finish of the match came when the Tiger Masks gave Gedo double diving headbutts, Ibushi took out Okada on the outside and Tiger Mask IV pinned Gedo with a dragon suplex.
After the match Okada cut a promo directed towards Tiger Mask W (Ibushi). Â Tiger Mask IV then spoke for awhile as well. NJPW will have english comments from the wrestlers up at njpw1972.com in a few days. Show closed with the Tiger Masks shaking hands and celebrating.
Winners: the Tiger Masks (Tiger Mask IV pinned Gedo)
