IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title: Hiromu Takahashi [c] vs. Ricochet
This is a whole lot of crazy shit. More of a showcase or demo reel than an actual professional wrestling match, but what a showcase or demo reel. Also started hotter than it finished because of it. Takahashi is a charismatic nutjob who gives me Sabu or Jeff Hardy vibes, if either of those guys hit stuff really crisply. He does everything full speed – a dropkick off the apron on the outisde, slamming his face into a turnbuckle pad. Ricochet meanwhile is just impressive as all hell in the athletic sense. He goes right at Takahashi at the start here with a flurry of springboards and dives and his speed and precision makes it so they all come off as legit wrestling holds. Some real batty stuff here… Ricochet’s handspring elbow countered into a German suplex, Ricochet setting up a springboard > Takahashi blocking it > Takahashi leaping over him and trying an apron sunset flip but Ricochet countering with a rana. Like I said, a lot of crazy shit. ***1/4
IWGP Intercontinental Title: Tetsuya Naito [c] vs. Juice Robinson
Aw man this was OK but really not very good. Juice just doesn’t feel there yet to do a 30-minute New Japan-style match, and yet here we were, with him doing a 30-minute New Japan-style match. For as many things as I like about Naito, he could’ve done some more douchebag stuff to keep this interesting. As it was, he stalled for like a minute and then worked over Juice’s leg. Some sweet counters, nice near falls, a good effort that rarely got me. **1/2
AWESOME promo battle between Tanahashi and Naito post-match, like the Japanese Flair and Piper were just tearing up the mics. Tanahashi comes out and reads a letter – “Right here, right now – I’m issuing a challenge for your belt. You bastard.” Naito mocks him to his face and rallies the crowd to his side… just incredible stuff.
