1. IWGP Tag Team Title: EVIL & SANADA [c] vs. Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr. (2/3/19)
There was something lacking here I can’t put my finger on, but overall this provided some solid action and did a good job putting The Champs in peril. The first half read as a tag that just wasn’t clicking – SANADA sold his arm admirably, but isn’t the most emotive babyface in peril. They got things moving for the back half though, with a lot of fun moments that took advantage of EVIL and SANADA being worked over for so long. I always dig a double submission spot, and they got a great near fall off the Magic Killer. I liked that when they hit the second Magic Killer, they knew it wasn’t enough, so SANADA topped it with a moonsault. Took a bit to get going but I two-billion percent support a match like this over whatever the hell the New Japan tag division has been for so long. ***1/2
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White & Bad Luck Fale (2/2/19)
I might be fine with never seeing another Jay White or Bad Luck Fale match again, but this had its moments and they worked it into a pretty incredible finish. I also really like pro wrestling matches where it’s one team clearly bringing everything of value to the match.
The Okada/Tanahashi team figuring out their teamwork was fun as heck: first a handshake elbow drop, then a double suplex on Fale, and finally some a ballsy thing where Okada did a tombstone piledriver then cautiously handed Jay to Tanahashi to perform a Styles Clash. Tanahashi’s rallying of the crowd as Okada tried to fight out of a chinlock was awesome, as was Okada later getting a hot tag and looking just excited as hell to beat some ass. They did a tremendous job of teasing what felt like an impossible White/Fale win at the end, and the cinematic shot of Fale dropping Okada with a powerbomb as Tanahashi lay trapped in a leglock he’d eventually submit to was special. ***3/4
