As part of my mission to improve my Puro knowledge, I've been investing in some DVD's from IVP Videos to get a better view of the Puro scene. I'm starting to work my way through NJPW's 2009 so here's the first show of the year.
Yujiro & Tetsuya Naito vs. Milano Collection AT & Taichi Ishikari
Aside from Yujiro and Naito’s brief TNA spell, I’m not at all familiar with any of the guys in the ring. It’s a solid little tag match, which opens nicely with Naito and Milano trying to work each other over on the mat, only for Ishikara and Yujiro to do the same with a little more stiffness. There is a nice early spot with Ishikari kicking Yujiro off the apron, then using Naito’s own limbs to tangle him up in the ropes. Milano and Ishikari have the early advantage and work in some nice double team manoeuvres to stretch Yujiro. After a brief flurry of offence from Team No Limit, Milano manages to capture both opponents in a two-man single-leg crab, which is just the right side of goofy for me to enjoy. Milano has a habit of tying his opponents up in knots, which is pretty cool. Naito fires back with a huge flying forearm, getting great air, before nailing a crisp moonsault for 2. The ending sprint sees all four men in the ring desperately trying to finish each other off, only for the bell to signal a time limit draw. A fun opener, I was particularly impressed with the team of Milano and Ishikari, who had nice chemistry and really cool snug offence.
Koji Kanemoto & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Minoru & Nobuo Yoshihari
This is essentially a competitive squash match, as Kanemoto and Taguchi take it in turns to beat up the rookie Yoshihari, especially Kanemoto, who reaches high levels of dickishness here, including a brutal face wash in the corner. After an extended heat session, Minoru finally gets the hot tag and works a far more competitive exchange with Kanemoto, leading to a nifty submission reversal sequence, which ends with Yoshihari saving Minoru from a heel hook. Minoru’s selling leaves a little to be desired -he seems to hit moves normally, before remembering afterwards that his ankel is supposed to hurt. Kanemoto takes Minoru out on the outside, allowing Taguchi to hit a cross-arm breaker on Yoshihari for the tap out. An entertaining squash made by Kanemoto’s nasty offence and wanker behaviour.
Manabu Nakanishi, Tiger Mask & Kazuchika Okada vs. Jado, Gedo & Tomohiro Ishii
Super enjoyable sixman, with the larger Nakanishi being the wildcard here, who barely sells some Gedo chops before levelling him with one of his own. Okada, who is currently with TNA in an attempt to get some seasoning, has a load of fun, spunky face offence, but gets caught by a rookie mistake, and the heels take full advantage, neatly cutting off the ring while beating him down. Okada makes the hot tag following a crossbody on two men, and Nakanishi is a house of fire with some nice power offence, before Tiger Mask is equally effective, this time with some fun high flying moves, culminating with a suicide dive to the outside. Okada and even Nakanishi both follow with dives of their own. Back in the ring, Tiger Mask plants Gedo with a tombstone and a standing moonsault for the win. Short, simple and effective.
15 Man Battle Royal KOSHIGAYA: Tetsuya Naito, Yujiro, Milano Collection A.T., Taichi Ishikari, Koji Kanemoto, Ryusuke Taguchi, Minoru, Nobuo Yoshihashi, Tiger Mask, Kazuchika Okada, Manabu Nakanishi, Tomohiro Ishii, Jado, Gedo & Kuniyoshi Wada.
Just a fun little battle royal that features all the previous guys, plus Wada. Nothing amazing, but features some fun spots, including Minoru trying to double-cross Yoshihashi, only for the double cross to backfire. There is a comedy spot featuring Jado’s tights falling down, but the ending is really a showcase for Makanishi, who hits a double suplex on Jado and Ishii, before putting Jado in a torture rack for the win.
Yuji Nagata vs. Mitsuhide Hirasawa
This is very much a veteran vs. rookie match, with Nagata enjoying an early dominance on the mat. As the match progresses, Nagata continues to enjoy the majority of the offence, with Hirasawa having to settle for the occasional hope spot. Nagata does miss a yakuza kick in the corner, which allows Hirasawa to enjoy his main spot of dominance, hitting a belly-to-back suplex and locking Nagata in a crossface, which Nagata counters out of fairly easily. Hirasawa hits a nice looking spine buster on Nagata, but there is never any doubt as to the victor, Nagata locking in a crossface on Hirasawa for the win.
Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA vs. Togi Makabe, Toru Yano, Takashi Iizuka & Tomoaki Honma
Some 8-man mayhem here, with the veterans playing face, and there is a noticeable divide between the slightly broken down legends and the evil younger wrestlers. A chaotic opening culminates with the faces working over Honma, giving me my first chance to see Liger in many a year, and it’s nice to report that he’s still aces. The heels finally get an advantage by singling out Tenzan on the outside and proceed to work him over, despite several failed attempts by AKIRA to save him. The heels work Tenzan over like a gang assault, with chokes and biting which keeps it looking vicious. A hot-tag is prevented by attacking Liger and AKIRA on the apron, but a second chance sees both men pre-empt the assault, allowing the hot-tag to Chono. STF to Yano, but the heels make the save. Yano receives a series of finishers (palm strike, Yakuza kick) but is saved once more. Tenzan is tagged back in too soon and falls prey to more heel chicanery, but Makabe hits Yano with a chain-lariat by accident, allowing Tenzan to hit the Tenzan Driver for 3. Solid match with both teams playing their roles well.
Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Wataru Inoue
This was the first time I’d really seen any of these guys, and I was pretty impressed as they worked a solid tag team encounter. After some back-and-forth action, the Tanahashi/Inoue combo took the advantage by working over the leg of Nakamura, with Tanahashi looking particularly good- not only did he get great air on an elbow and hit a sweet second-rope senton, he also gave Nakamura time to make his comeback before stopping him off with kicks to the injured leg. Inoue was certainly portrayed as the weaker link of his team as not only did he fare less well than his partner during the opening exchanges, it’s also his mistake that allows him to be caught by Goto in Shouten for the win. Nakamura and Goto looked more cohesive as a team, with Goto especially looking good.
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