After a strong card of mostly singles matches with Hyper Battle, NJPW has descended back into its tag team booking with the first night of Golden Fight Series.
All in all, it was a pretty bland evening. The matches were fine, nothing memorable and no interesting happenings except for Shingo Takagi reminding Taichi that he is getting a crack at the KOPW provisional title.
The Los Ingobernables de Japon team of Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi took on Chaos (IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada and his partner Yoh) in the main event.
As always Naito and Okada had a spirited contest but it was Hiromu scoring the win for LIJ with a Time Bomb on Yoh.
A disappointed Okada walked off with his title while Hiromu berated Yoh for losing. Naito interviewed Hiromu in the middle of the ring. Hiromu predicted that Naito would become the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion at Wrestling Dontaku on May 1st.
The Golden Fight Series continues on the Tuesday and Wednesday (VOD only) and concludes on April 25th with Shingo Takagi meeting Taichi in a match with no time limit for the KOPW provisional title as well as Tanahashi and the Guerrillas of Destiny challenging the House of Torture for the Never Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships.
Golden Fight Series Night One Results
Ryohei Oiwa versus Kosei Fujita
Oiwa wins via Boston Crab submission.
Winner: Ryohei Oiwa
Yuto Nakashima and Master Wato versus Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
Nakashima submits to Kanemaru’s figure four.
Winners: Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
Togi Makabe and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr. and Douki)
A bit of comedy here as Suzuki-gun works over Taguchi’s ass until he lays twitching on the mat with his butt in the air. ZSJ makes Makabe submit as Douki makes Taguchi submit. Douki mocks Taguchi.
Winners: Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr. and Douki)
Toru Yano, Tiger Mask, Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto versus Bullet Club (Gedo, Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale and Taiji Ishimori)
Owens hilariously picks on a fan knocking her Tanahashi teddy bear off the barrier again and again. What a dick. Gedo goes for his brass knuckles. Yano dodges, punches both Gedo and Owens in the “lower abdomen” rolling up Gedo for the win.
Winners: Toru Yano, Tiger Mask, Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto
Jado, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga versus The House of Torture (Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi and Evil)
Tanahashi puts Togo away with a High Fly Flow.
Winners: Jado, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Bushi and Shingo Takagi) versus Suzuki-gun (TAKA Michinoku and Taichi)
Takagi gets the win with a Pumping Bomber on Taka. Takagi takes Taichi’s microphone stand and the KOPW trophy dangling them in front of the provisional champion. Taichi has taped the trophy to his microphone stand. Takagi eventually politely hands it back to Taichi.
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Bushi and Shingo Takagi)
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi ) versus Chaos (Kazuchika Okada and Yoh)
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi )