The Night NJPW Changed Forever

There is so much to discuss about what happened to the wrestling industry after this show that it only makes senses to jump into the event itself and discuss more at the end.

YOUNG BUCKS DEF. RICOCHET & MATT SYDAL, ROPPONGI VICE (TRENT & ROCKY ROMERO) & ReDRAGON (BOBBY FISH & KYLE O’REILLY) TO WIN THE IWGP JR. TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Excellent opening match. It was also my first time seeing Cody Hall (son of Scott Hall) as a member of Bullet Club. Interfering in the match, he did great and looked like a powerhouse. Bucks win after More Bang for Your Buck. It was a match that had eight great talents following their style, not overly scripted and done just right.

THE BRISCO BROTHERS (MARK & JAY) & TORU YANO DEF. BAD LUCK FALE, YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & TAMA TONGA TO WIN THE NEVER OPENWEIGHT 6-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

This was a hard hitting match with the usual Yano comedy. It was great to see the progression of of both the Briscoes and Tama Tonga since four years ago. Yano and Briscoes win after a dual Doomsday Device on Tama.

JAY LETHAL DEF. MICHAEL ELGIN TO RETAIN THE RING OF HONOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Good match, but it was the typical heel championship match with heel manager interference. Lethal wins with a Lethal Injection after Truth Martini hit Elgin with the Book of Truth. This was Lethal’s second big title match in three weeks, having beaten AJ Styles at Ring of Honor Final Battle.

KUSHIDA DEF. KENNY OMEGA TO WIN THE IWGP JR. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

This was great. It was very weird to see Omega in a junior heavyweight division match considering that all matches I’ve seen him in were in heavyweight. Kushida would spend most the match avoiding the One-Winged Angel, finally reversing the finisher into a roll up for the win. As a side note: watch throughout the matches and you can see some familiar faces within the Young Boys/ Young Lions training system from New Japan: Jay White, Juice Robinson, Sho, Yoh and a beardless David Finley can all be seen at ringside.

TOGI MAKABE & TOMOAKI HONMA DEF. DOC GALLOWS & KARL ANDERSON TO WIN THE IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

New champions crowned in a good match that I initially groaned at when I saw the line-up. Makabe and Honma got the shot after winning World Tag League and cashed in on this opportunity. Watching with eyes four years wiser, you can clearly see just how good Gallows and Anderson really were before coming to WWE. Just proof of how valuable they were compared to being wasted talent on the current roster.

HIROOKI GOTO DEF. TETSUYA NAITO

Goto would overcome consistent 3-on-1 odds with Naito having Bushi and Evil at ringside. There is a crazy spot in this match where Goto gives Naito a Code Red off the middle ropes and Naito lands neck and shoulders first onto the mat. It is no wonder why Dave Meltzer constantly says Naito’s neck is hurting. Goto winning makes sense considering that he would challenge for the world title at the New Beginnings Tour.

KATSUYORI SHIBATA DEF. TOMOHIRO ISHII TO WIN THE NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

This was a match that made your own head and mouth hurt after watching it. Shibata threw several head-butts that connected very loudly on the skull of Ishii. It is scarier to watch knowing what would happen to him a little over a year later. Shibata wins after a PK Kick and this was one of the first matches of his I saw and it was excellent. Such a bad situation for someone who seemed to be on the fast track to stardom in professional wrestling. I hope that one day he can get back into the ring.

SHINSUKE NAKAMURA DEF. AJ STYLES TO RETAIN THE IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Amazing match. Nakamura retains, but AJ Styles proved why he was and still is one of the best in the business. Nakamura was the “King of Strong Style” in Japan and has been killed in WWE. Great moment at the end with the fist bump as a show of respect between both men. They both seemed overwhelmed with emotion afterwards knowing the match that they just put on and likely knowing that this was basically it for them. Find this match and watch it.

KAZUCHIKA OKADA DEF. HIROSHI TANAHASHI TO RETAIN THE IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

This was a classic Okada and Tanahashi match. I preferred Styles and Nakamura over this, but it’s still a great title match to end the biggest show of the year. Very much a move and countermove match considering these their match history. Okada wins after a Rainmaker. Okada and Gedo close the show celebrating with the crowd.

There is so much to talk about after the show. Rumors had begun to surface just before Wrestle Kingdom that Styles, Nakamura, Gallows and Anderson had likely handed in their notices. All four men would move onto WWE throughout the next three months.

The next evening at New Year’s Dash, AJ Styles would be taken out by Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks in a revolt against the leader of Bullet Club. Omega would then declare himself a Heavyweight and gun straight for Nakamura and the Intercontinental Championship. The foundation of Bullet Club would be changed forever on Jan. 5, 2017.

Styles would make a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble as the #3 entrant. In a span of three months. He was in high-profile matches at Final Battle, Wrestle Kingdom and WrestleMania.

Nakamura would relinquish the Intercontinental Championship in his final appearance with the company. He would take a different route to the main roster by debuting at NXT TakeOver: Dallas against Sami Zayn and would win the NXT Championship by August. He and Styles would clash once again in a rematch at WrestleMania 34 in 2018, but sadly that match was a disappointment as it was easily over scripted and just didn’t come close to capturing that same magic they did on this evening.

For Gallows and Anderson, they would walk away from NJPW and ROH en route to WWE main roster jumping the Usos Brothers just weeks after WrestleMania. They wouldn’t capture Tag Team Titles until January 2017 and have since been used sparsely. Rumors of them asking for their releases and heading back to Japan about a year ago would be killed when they resigned their deals earlier this year to stay on board. I guess they like their spot more than most fans do.

It is amazing to see just how one night can change everything. With the departures of Gallows, Anderson, Styles and Nakamura, New Japan opened the doors for the stars we know today as Kenny Omega, “Switchblade” Jay White, Juice Robinson, Will Ospreay and a returning Kota Ibushi. While it sucks to see them all go, it is hard to argue that New Japan today is largely shaped after these events and The Elite forming AEW. It was great to finally see this show, especially the match between two of my favorites in Styles and Nakamura. Great show and I expect nothing less on January 4-5 at Wrestle Kingdom 2020.