Jay White is no longer welcome in Japan. White, the leader of Bullet Club, lost a Loser Leaves Japan match against Hikuleo at NJPW’s The New Beginning in Osaka event.
It should be noted that even though there were many Bullet Club members on the card nobody came to help out White during the match.
White tried to get into Hikuleo’s head right away saying the giant wasn’t going to have a future in NJPW as the bell rang to start their match.
“I, on the other hand, am going to have one more at your expense. This is the last time I have to see you in this f—–g country!” snapped White.
White ran around and dodged Hikuleo at the start calling him too slow. White eventually bails out to the floor when Hikuleo has him trapped in a corner. He spits at Hikuleo from the floor raising the ire of the crowd who don’t appreciate such disrespect. Back in the ring, a big boot to the face stuns White. White tries to crawl out of the ring. Instead, he is dragged into a corner by Hikuleo. Hikuleo punches and kicks the heck out of White. A beal sends White from one side of the ring to the other.
White dodges Hikuleo and heaves him over the top rope. White steps out to the floor only to be chopped by Hikuleo. Hikuleo chokes White on the floor. Hikuleo whips White over the ringside barrier, over the announce desk and into another barrier.
Hikuleo stares down at White and his handiwork. Courtesy: NJPW.
Hikuleo stalks, chases White right into the seats as fans flee the area.
There is nowhere to run for Jay White. Courtesy: NJPW.
Hikuleo slams White into the ringside barricade. Gedo distracts Hikuleo so White can shove him into a steel post. White rams Hikuleo’s head over and over into the side of the ring. He then speared him into a barricade. The two men went through the fencing and landed hard on the floor. White slipped back into the ring demanding the official start his count on Hikuleo. Hikuleo makes it back into the ring. White starts working over Hikuleo’s knees. White starts to rip apart a turnbuckle. The official stops White.
“I just want to bash his head in!” yells White.
As the official tries to put the turnbuckle back in place White batters Hikuleo with a steel chair. White manages to pick up Hikuleo and drop him with a Kiwi Crusher. Hikuleo kicks out. White rips open Hikuleo shirt and lays in some chops on his bare chest as he makes the Bullet Club sign in the air.
His chops are too sweet! Courtesy: NJPW.
Hikuleo eventually grits his teeth, stands up and shakes off the pain and punishment. Hikuleo blocks the Bladerunner by grabbing White around the throat. Hikuleo throws White accidentally into the official. White punches Hikuleo in the “lower abdomen”.
“Stay up! Don’t you f–k this up for me!” shouts White at the official as he drags him to his feet.
As White turns around he gets clotheslined. Hikuleo throws White off the ropes. White hits Bladerunner on Hikuleo. White tries to lift up Hikuleo for another. Hikuleo delivers a massive powerbomb. White barely kicks out. Hikuleo grabs White around the throat again. A defiant White throws up another ‘Too Sweet’ hand gesture. Hikuleo does “too sweet” him before slamming White down with a chokeslam. White is pinned.
White isn’t going down quietly. Courtesy: NJPW.
The announcers wonder how White can be Bullet Club’s leader any more when he cannot come to Japan? A staggering White is helped out of the ring by Gedo. White offers to and bumps fists with Hiroshi Tanahashi who is on Japanese commentary. White and Gedo stop at the entrance way so that White can get one last look at the NJPW crowd. The crowd does cheer him and some chant his name.
Chris Charlton says that White losing has opened up a massive power vacuum in NJPW.
There was another big change on tonight’s show as Minoru Suzuki’s new team defeated The House of Torture for the NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championships.
As the faces came to the ring, The House of Torture attacked Ren Narita hitting him from behind with the championship belts. El Desperado and Minoru Suzuki meet them on the ramp for some get-back. House of Torture has the numbers though. Dick Togo holds up Narita so that Sho can hit him in the head with one of the championship belts.
The House closes the door on Desperado. Courtesy: NJPW.
When the bell rings to start the match Narita is still knocked out on the arena floor so the House just swarms Suzuki and Desperado. Suzuki snaps and grabs a steel chair. As the official is tied up with him House chokes Desperado in their corner. They tear off a turnbuckle pad and hurl Desperado into the corner.
Evil and Yujiro strangle Suzuki on the floor with a microphone cord. His response? “I am going to murder you!”.
As Yoh distracts the official Evil chokes out Suzuki on the ring with a t-shirt.
“They are playing all the hits today,” said Kevin Kelly of House of Torture.
Eventually, Ren Narita makes it to the apron and he gets a massive pop when he is tagged in. As he partners tie up the others, Narita dodges Yujiro’s cane and puts him in the Cobra Twist to win his team the belts.
“Get the f–k out of here!” yelled Suzuki at the House of Torture as they made their way to the back all battered and bruised.
Suzuki explained to the crowd that he didn’t win the belts alone. That his partners deserve praise too.
“And we have all of you!” he continued speaking to the crowd.
Suzuki christens the team with a new name. Courtesy: NJPW.
Suzuki reveals that this new team is now called Strong Style.
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada retained his championship in a grueling, punishing battle with Shingo Takagi. Okada went for his short-arm clothesline and Takagi just stared at him and no-sold it. A Takagi Driver 98 got Shingo a two count. With both men barely able to stand Okada Rainmaker Clotheslined his way to another victory after 32 minutes.
After the match Okada chatted about his next title defence. Okada called out Hiroshi Tanahashi who was sitting at the commentary table. The crowd immediately began cheering for The Ace.
“If you aren’t too tired how about you challenge for me Battle in the Valley in San Jose?” said Okada. Tanahashi came into the ring.
The Ace is ready to go again. Courtesy: NJPW.
“I have never been tired for a moment in my life,” laughed The Ace as he reviewed their past and accepted the challenge.
NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka Results
United Empire (Aaron Henare and Great-O-Khan) versus Oskar Leube and Toru Yano
Henare pins Leube out of a corner.
Winners: United Empire (Aaron Henare and Great-O-Khan)
Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask, Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma versus Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito)
Takahashi puts away Taguschi with Time Bomb 2.
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito)
Taiji Ishimori versus Master Wato
Ishimori gains the advantage when he rams Wato shoulder-first into a steel post. He then removed one of the turnbuckle pads. With his hometown of Osaka wildly behind him Wato pushes on despite Ishimori targeting his shoulder. Wato loses though to Ishimori’s Bloody Cross.
Winner: Taiji Ishimori
Hiroshi Tanahashi versus KENTA
Kenta and The Ace renew their rivalry here. Now able to cheer again the crowd goes nuts for Tanahashi. As both men encourage the crowd to cheer for them, Kenta attacks The Ace from behind. A well-fought, tough battle but it takes two Aces High for him to pin Kenta.
Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Ren Narita, El Desperado and Minoru Suzuki versus House of Torture (EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, & SHO (House of Torture) (c) – NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championship Match
Winners: …and new NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions, Ren Narita, El Desperado and Minoru Suzuki.
Hikuleo versus Jay White – Loser Leaves NJPW/Japan Match
Winner: Hikuleo
Tama Tonga (c) versus El Phantasmo – NEVER Openweight Championship Match
Tonga blocks a Sudden Death to fight back and spike Phantasmo for the win.
Winner: …and still NEVER Openweight Champion…Tama Tonga.
Kazuchika Okada (c) versus Shingo Takagi – IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match
Winner: …and still IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada.