Tetsuya Naito was successful in his first defense of the IWGP heavyweight and IWGP intercontinental Championships against KENTA in the main event of New Beginning In Osaka. After the match, Naito challenged fellow Los Ingobernables de Japon member Hiromu Takahashi.
After the bell rang, KENTA rolled out of the ring and walked around the outside of the ring. KENTA got onto the apron and then jumped down and walked around the outside of the ring again. KENTA finally rolled into the ring and then quickly rolled to the outside of the ring. Naito knocked KENTA off the apron and Naito ran to the opposite side of the ring and exited.
Both men returned to the ring and exchanged a series of chops and the match spilled to the outside of the ring and both men brawled. When the match returned into the ring, Naito choked KENTA over the bottom rope. Naito spit on KENTA in the corner. KENTA kicked Naito who rolled to the outside of the ring. KENTA whipped Naito into the guard rail and followed up with another whip into the guard rail.
KENTA delivered a DDT on Naito in the aisle. KENTA took the turnbuckle pad off and whipped Naito into the unprotected metal. KENTA hit a DDT for a near fall. Naito hit a reverse DDT and put KENTA in a neck crank, who got to the rope to get a break. KENTA delivered a series of kicks which caused Naito to roll onto the apron. Naito hit a neck breaker on the edge of the ring.
The match returned into the ring and KENTA hit a series of kicks and attempted a double stomp off the top rope but Naito drove KENTA down hard into the mat. Naito delivered a series of elbows. However, KENTA was able to reverse it and grounded Naito in the center of the ring with a cross face hold.
KENTA attempted the Go to Sleep but Naito delivered a heel kick to KENTA and followed up with a neck breaker. Naito hit Gloria for a near fall. KENTA pushed Naito into red shoes, the referee. Jay White, Bushi, and Hiromu all came to the ring to brawl and took White away from the ring. KENTA drove Naito’s head into the unprotected metal turnbuckle for a near fall and Naito was busted open. Naito hit the Destino for the win and to retain the IWGP heavyweight and IWGP intercontinental Championships.
After the match Naito grabbed the microphone and said to KENTA, “No tranquilo, get out of here as quick as possible.”
Naito then turned his attention to the crowd and asked, “How was my first double gold title defense?”
Naito called out Hiromu Takahashi and asked, “Do you want to have a singles match with me or not?”
Hiromu Takahashi responded, “The answer is yes. There could be no other answer.”
In other matches,
Manabu Nakanishi & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata vs Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma & Toa Henare & Ryusuke Taguchi
Taguchi called out Nakanishi and both men locked up with Nakanishi pushing Taguchi into the corner and delivered a hard chop. Nakanishi cleaned house on everyone on the opposite team. Makabe and Nakanishi hit either other with clotheslines and both men went down.
Kojima delivered a lariat on Honma for the win. After the match Nakanishi grabbed the microphone and said, “I started in Osaka 27 years ago and I wasn’t good. You all stuck with me. New Japan will go onto new heights. Thank you for your support.”
Winners: Manabu Nakanishi & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima & Yuji Nagata.
SHO & YOH vs El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
SHO and YOH jumped Desperado and Kanemaru before the bell rang. The match quickly spilled to the outside of the ring with all men brawling. SHO was driven into the guard rail and the referee administered the count. SHO just made it into the ring before he was counted out. Kanemaru and Desperado worked over SHO’s leg.
Desperado applied a single leg Boston Crab in the middle of the ring. SHO was able to grab the rope to force a break. SHO made the tag to YOH who cleaned house on both Kanemaru and Desperado. Kanemaru attempted to spit whisky on SHO but SHO put his hand over Kanemaru’s month and German suplexed Kanemaru. SHO and YOH hit strong X on Kanemaru for the win. After the match Taguchi came out and asked Rocky Romero to join him to challenge SHO and YOH. YOH grabbed the microphone and accepted the challenge.
Winners: SHO & YOH.
Juice Robinson & David Finlay & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi vs Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa & Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens
Tanahashi and Tama Tonga started the match off with both men pushing each other into the ropes. Tanga Loa pulled the hair of Tanahashi and the members of Bullet Club went into the ring to dominate Tanahashi. Owens delivered a big boot on Finlay and Tama Tonga dominated Finlay in the middle of the ring.
Loa was tagged in and he covered Finlay for a near fall. Finlay made a desperation tag to Ibushi who delivered a series of strikes to Owens. Tanahashi hit his signature moves on the Bullet Club and pinned Loa with a roll up for the win. After the match the Bullet Club destroyed Tanahashi and Ibushi came into the ring to help Tanahashi.
Winners: Juice Robinson & David Finlay & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi.
Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay vs Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr.
This match is a continuation of the main event from a few days ago between Okada and Taichi. The match started with Taichi delivering a cheap shot punch on Okada while Ospreay and Sabre Jr. brawled outside of the ring. Taichi wrapped a camera cable around Okada’s neck. Ospreay and Sabre Jr. returned to the ring and the pace of the match quickened.
Sabre Jr. delivered stiff shots to Ospreay’s head. Ospreay attempted to reverse it with a storm breaker but Sabre Jr. applied a cobra twist. Ospreay was able to quickly escape and both men tagged out to their partners. Okada delivered a tombstone to Taichi and Taichi delivered a side suplex on Okada for a near fall. Okada hit the rainmaker on Taichi for the win.
Winners: Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay.
Sanada vs Jay White
The crowd loudly chanted “Sanada” and White said, They don’t know me. I’m so far above you.” Gedo hooked the foot of Sanada and Sanada turned his back to White since Sanada was dealing with Gedo. White applied a single leg Boston Crab to Sanada. Sanada was able to grab the rope so that White had to release the hold. Sanada delivered a series of forearm shots and followed up with a dropkick to White’s knee.
White delivered a desperation DDT and both men recovered on the mat. When both men returned to their feet Gedo grabbed Sanada’s foot. Sanada put White into the paradise lock and Sanada took his time to deliver a dropkick to release the paradise lock. White delivered a sleeper suplex. White followed up with a Regal suplex to almost end the match. White hit the blade runner on Sanada to win the match.
Winner: Jay White.
IWGP junior heavyweight Championship: (c) Hiromu Takahashi vs Ryu Lee
When the bell rang, both men ran at each other and exchanged a series of moves with both men going down. When they returned to their feet, both men exchanged numerous chops on each other, which went on for over 3 minutes. Lee delivered a head scissors off the apron and Hiromu hit the mat hard. Lee followed up with a dive between the second and third ropes while Hiromu was siting on the guard rail and both men hit the table.
Hiromu retaliated with a sunset power bomb from the inside of the ring to the outside of the ring. When the match returned to the ring, Hiromu applied a triangle choke on Lee who made his way to the ropes to force a break. Lee hit a double stomp from the top rope to the outside of the ring while Hiromu was in the ropes. Hiromu hit a Canadian Destroyer for a near fall. Hiromu followed up with a Time Bomb for a another near fall and then followed up with a second Time Bomb to win the match.
Winner: Hiromu Takahashi.
IWGP U.S. Championship: (c) Jon Moxley vs Minoru Suzuki
This match has been building throughout the Road to New Beginning events where Moxley and Suzuki would brawl around the outside of the ring. Moxley hit Suzuki with a guard rail before the bell rang. Both men brawled around the guard rails and into the time keeper’s table. Suzuki attempted a Gotch style piledriver but Moxley blocked it. When the match returned to the ring both men exchanged forearms and closed fist punches. However, the match went to the outside again and both men brawled into the English announce table.
Moxley set up a table but Suzuki was able to capitalize on it when Suzuki hit Moxley’s arm with a chair on the table. Moxley delivered a desperation power bomb through the table and Suzuki smiled as he was laying on the ground. Suzuki applied a sleeper hold, which put Moxley to sleep and Suzuki pinned Moxley who kicked out. After an exchange of strikes, Moxley delivered a clothesline followed by a Death Rider for the win.
After the match, Zack Sabre Jr. came to the ring and attacked Moxley. Sabre Jr. choked out Moxley and grabbed the U.S. Championship and draped it over Moxley.
Winner: Jon Moxley.
Don Davies is a life-long wrestling fan of 30 years that has enjoyed many eras from multiple promotions around the world.
