NJPW Destruction in Kobe and Okayama

[Gibby]

The cards have been announced for the two Destruction events and the run of house shows leading up. Bit of a curate's egg on paper, much like the New Beginning cards in February.

http://img.njpw.jp/mobile/show_match_icon.php?nosize=1&di=1&f=event/series_322.jpg
KOBE

- Fale v Nakamura (IC)
- Tanahashi v Shibata
- Makabe v Goto
- Okada & YOSHI-HASHI v Gallows & Gun (non-title)
- Ibushi & Naito v AJ Styles & Tama Tonga
- KUSHIDA v Taguchi (Jr title)
- Yano & Sakuraba v Suzuki & Iizuka (ahahahahahah)
- TenKoji, Liger & Honma v Nagata, Nakanishi, CNJ & Tiger Mask IV
- Alex Shelley, BUSHI & Maximo v El Desperado, TAKA & Taichi
- Ishii & Forever Hooligans v Yujiro & The Young Bucks

http://www.njpw.co.jp/english/match/images/poster_no_image.jpg

OKAYAMA

- Okada v Anderson (YEN IN THE BANK)
- Naito & Tanahashi v Styles & Gallows
- Ishii & Nakamura v Fale & Tonga
- Honma & Makabe v Shibata & Goto
- Sakuraba, Yano & Gedo v TAKA, Suzuki & Iizuka
- Time Splitters v Taichi & Desperado (Jr Tags)
- Forever Hooligans v The Young Bucks
- TenKoji & Taguchi v BUSHI, Nakanishi & Nagata
- YOSHI-HASHI v Yujiro (non-title)
- Liger & Tiger v Maximo & CNJ.


Not exactly the greatest way to keep those fans you hooked with great pure wrestling but I'll be tuning in.

[Hero!]

LIGER

[OD50]

Yen in the Bank? Some sort of MitB knockoff?

[Cewsh]

Yen in the Bank? Some sort of MitB knockoff?

The winner of G1 gets the title shot at Wrestle Kingdom, and it's become in vogue for whoever wins to defend that guarantee in matches leading up to the show. Naito did it last year too.

[Ringo]

The winner of the G1 now receives a title shot at the Dome but they tend to put the contract on the line in big singles matches. It's not actually called "yen in the bank" or anything. Although it should be.

[Gibby]

Yeah, what Ringo said. Just my addition.

[Tainted Eclipse]

Kobe's show looks pretty good. I like the idea of Ishii brutalizing the Young Bucks.

[Defrost]

AJ Styles gonna defend this title at some point?

I do not like these cards at all. I do not like what they portend for 1/4.

[Tainted Eclipse]

I agree that booking wise these are very uninteresting. NJPW's booking and direction still seems to be in the shitter when they have so many exciting options available to them. Where have we heard that one before.

[Gibby]

They're certainly not the strongest cards of the year but I think they'll be used to get angles over. I expect Suzuki will stop feuding with Yano and more-or-less fully switch to Sakuraba. I also can't see Nakamura beating Fale here and expect they'll keep Fale strong. Looks like Naito will probably get the next shot at the IWGP, what with beating Styles and working a pair of tags together here.

I am gladdened by a YOSHI-HASHI singles match where he gets to show his stuff. It's been a long time coming.

Sleeper match of the two could be the GBH v Goto/Shibata tag from Okayama.

[OD50]

The winner of G1 gets the title shot at Wrestle Kingdom, and it's become in vogue for whoever wins to defend that guarantee in matches leading up to the show. Naito did it last year too.

:yes:


The winner of the G1 now receives a title shot at the Dome but they tend to put the contract on the line in big singles matches. It's not actually called "yen in the bank" or anything. Although it should be.

:yes:


Yeah, what Ringo said. Just my addition.

:yes:

[Psycho666Soldier]

Tanahashi/Shibata II should be good, but I think it should have been saved for a rematch at WK or something. If nothing else, the rubber match should be there.

Chaos Hooligans vs. Bullet Bucks possibly the best tag match, GBH vs. Goto/Shibata should be fun, and I always enjoy Hooligans vs. the Bucks. A few other matches have potential to surprise, but the rest will be worth skipping over.

[Cewsh]

The show after G1 is never anything special. But getting Tanahashi/Shibata II is a pretty major cout this early on.

No idea what all this complaining about booking is about.

[Defrost]

Okada and Yoshi Hashi vs Gallows and Anderson in Kobe is now for the tag titles.

[Defrost]

This is what the cards look like now



NJPW “DESTRUCTION IN KOBE”, 9/21/14 (WPW)
Kobe World Hall

1. Tomohiro Ishii, Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson
2. Alex Shelley, Maximo & BUSHI vs. TAKA Michinoku Kaientai Dojo, El Desperado & Taichi
3. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Jushin Thunder Liger & Tomoaki Honma vs. Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, Tiger Mask & Captain New Japan
4. Special Tag Match: Kazushi Sakuraba & Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: KUSHIDA (c) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
6. Special Tag Match: Tetsuya Naito & Kota Ibushi vs. AJ Styles & Tama Tonga
7. IWGP Tag Team Title: Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI
8. Special Singles Match: Togi Makabe vs. Hirooki Goto
9. Special Singles Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata
10. IWGP Intercontinental Title: Bad Luck Fale (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

NJPW “DESTRUCTION IN OKAYAMA”, 9/23/14 (Samurai! TV)
Convex Okayama

1. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Maximo vs. Captain New Japan, Ryusuke Taguchi & BUSHI
2. Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson
3. Kazushi Sakuraba, Toru Yano & Gedo vs. Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & TAKA Michinoku Kaientai Dojo
4. Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley (c) vs. El Desperado & Taichi
6. Special Tag Match: Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga
7. NWA World Tag Team Title: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (c) vs. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi
8. NEVER Openweight Title: Yujiro Takahashi (c) vs. YOSHI-HASHI
9. Special Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tetsuya Naito vs. AJ Styles & Doc Gallows
10. Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Karl Anderson

[Gibby]

If I had one miniscule complaint then I'd switch the two Nakamura matches around. Looking forward to them both though.

[Psycho666Soldier]

http://www.ustream.tv/njpw

Wasn't G1 supposed to be the last show o Ustream? What happened?

[Gibby]

I think Ustream were happy to continue streaming but not taking payments or helping people out with tech issues.

[Psycho666Soldier]

Also, I just read something and it said the cut-off date was October 1st. So this should be the last one.

[Defrost]

Kobe was a great show until the main event

[Gibby]

Enjoyed Kobe, should have switched out the main and semi but they respect their titles and I like that. Guess KUSHIDA's title win was an audible? Dunno what the thinking with Fale is.

[Defrost]

Tanahashi post match post hug comments translated by everyone's friend Yottsume

http://puroresushop.com/blogs/news/16753627-hiroshi-tanahashi-post-match-interview-njpw-destruction-in-kobe-9-21

[Tainted Eclipse]

god damn i'll be mad if honma doesnt have a meaningful match at kopw

[Defrost]

Prepare to be mad

[Tainted Eclipse]

christ why does every wrestling promotion in the entire world suck at booking. let's have the guy who is at minimum top 3 in work and overness in the whole company curtain jerk in meaningless tags. boo hoo the yakuza.

[Gibby]

Don't think Honma is THAT good but I would like to see him challenge for a title in a singles match. The crowd would go mad for it and we'd all be entertained if/when he loses.

[Defrost]

NJPW “DESTRUCTION IN OKAYAMA”, 9/23/14 (Samurai! TV)
Convex Okayama
3,600 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. Captain New Japan, Ryusuke Taguchi & BUSHI beat Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Maximo (5:05) when BUSHI used the MX on Maximo.
2. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson beat Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov (9:57) when Nick pinned Romero after the More Bang For Your Buck.
3. Kazushi Sakuraba, Toru Yano & Gedo beat Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka & TAKA Michinoku Kaientai Dojo (5:51) when Yano used the Uragasumi on TAKA.
4. Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma (7:31) when Shibata used a PK on Honma.
5. IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Title: KUSHIDA & Alex Shelley (c) beat El Desperado & Taichi (15:01) when KUSHIDA pinned Taichi after the I-94 (2nd defense).
6. Special Tag Match: Shinsuke Nakamura & Tomohiro Ishii beat Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga (11:44) when Nakamura used the Boma Ye on Tonga.
7. NWA World Tag Team Title: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (c) beat Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi (15:08) when Kojima used a lariat on Nagata (4th defense).
8. NEVER Openweight Title: Yujiro Takahashi (c) beat YOSHI-HASHI (13:29) with the Miami Shine (1st defense).
9. Special Tag Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat AJ Styles & Doc Gallows (13:15) when Naito used a Stardust press on Gallows.
10. Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Title #1 Contender Match: Kazuchika Okada beat Karl Anderson (19:55) with the Rainmaker.

[Cewsh]

christ why does every wrestling promotion in the entire world suck at booking. let's have the guy who is at minimum top 3 in work and overness in the whole company curtain jerk in meaningless tags. boo hoo the yakuza.

Everything about that is an insane overstatement. You could frame it and show it to schoolchildren to teach them about hyperbole.

[Tainted Eclipse]

no way honma is below the third best worker in the company and he is insanely over. and where in wrestling right now is there good booking right now?

WRONG AGAIN CEWSH!!!

[Cewsh]

Nakamura, Tanahashi, Ishii and Okada are all better workers right now, and I wouldn't turn my nose up at including Styles, Shibata and Naito as well. WWE and New Japan are both enjoying prolonged periods of exemplary booking, and Honma's popularity is a product of his storyline. It'll fade to Makabe level with his first few real wins.

[Tainted Eclipse]

i would certainly give ishii then edge and could CONCEIVE of an argument for Styles. although Styles' argument rests on the G1 and Honma had a better G1 (although he was in a much stronger field). plus Honma/Ishii is better than anything Styles has done outside the G1 and is arguable the NJPW MOTY. so i could only even entertain the idea of honma at #3 at most. but, yeah, "OPINIONS."

i dont know why honma would become less over when things the fans want to see start happening, ie him winning. just because he's an over guy in a losing streak gimmick doesnt mean he's only over because of the losing streak gimmick. he's over because he's charismatic, likable, a veteran and is great in the ring. fans like the underdog but they like to see the underdog win too.

[Cewsh]

He'll be over still, don't get me wrong, but his populrity right now is a bubble created by fan expectation of his first big win. When he gets it and becomes just like everyone else at his level, he won't be as special and will revert to Makabe level. I say Makabe, because he went through a similar transformation and has a great spot as a beloved upper card babyface.