It was the fresh-faced champion versus the wily veteran as Hirooki Goto challenged Yota Tsuji for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Destruction in Kobe. There were a lot of head locks, arm bars and such before both men settled into a decent pace.
Goto stomped on Tsuji after the arm drags and shoulder tackles softened him up a bit. He began focusing on Tsuji’s ribs. Tsuji sliding drop kicks Goto out of the ring to the floor. They throw each other in the barricade. Tsuji leaps through the ropes sending Goto crashing into the barricade again.
Tsuji hit the Gene Blaster but Goto kicked out. Both men were exhausted and lay on the mat for several minutes. Goto kicked out of a Guerrero Special off the top rope. Tsuji goes for another Blaster but Goto side kicks him in the skull. A wicked flying head butt off the ropes…and I mean WICKED…but gets taken down with a Fireblaster tackle and another pins Goto.
As Tsuji was celebrating, Ryohei Oiwa came down trophy in hand. It will be a styles clash when they finally meet, Oiwa gets his title shot on October 12 at King of Pro-Wrestling.
In the semi-main event former allies in War Dogs, Gabe Kidd and Drilla Moloney went to war over the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship and it was one of the best matches of the year, for sure. Both men tried to take the other down but they just collided again and again. Drilla misses a clothesline so Gage slaps him dead in the face. They throw hands and forearms. A series of forearms sends Gabe to the floor.
Drilla waits patiently in the ring as Gabe goes walkabout all around the floor. He gets back in the ring. They trade chops. A running shoulder tackle has Kidd down on the mat again. Gabe heads to the floor. Drilla motions for him to come back into the ring. That is where he wants to win the title.
On the floor, Gabe picks up Drilla slamming him over the ringside barricade and through a table. Drilla barely makes it back into the ring. Drilla goes up to the top rope although his back is hurting him. He misses a flying elbow smash.
Moloney hits the Drilla Killer but as he does so Gabe’s legs kick the official in the face. There is no official to make the count. Right in front of President Tanahashi, Gabe grabs the belt hitting Drilla in the head with it. In the ring, Moloney hits another Drilla Killa but Gabe has his foot on the ropes to stop the count.
Drilla kicks out of a Tombstone Piledriver and Gabe’s version of a Driller Killer. He is finally pinned with a Fisherman Buster.
Gabe got on the microphone trashing NJPW…and out came Shota Umino. Gabe falls on the mat laughing. They get into each other’s faces. Kidd slaps Umino in the face. They go punch for punch. One clotheslines turns Gabe inside out. Umino grabs the belt.
“You took this from me and I am going to make you feel every bit of my frustration and pain,” shouts Umino with the belt to an unmoving Kidd.
NJPW Destruction in Kobe Results
Shota Umino, Boltin Oleg, El Desperado, Mistico and Toru Yano versus House of Torture (Ren Narita, Sanada, Douki, Sho and Dick Togo)
Sho says Kobe is populated by a bunch of hicks. He says Mistico is afraid of taking on such an idol in Douki. House rushes the faces before the bell can ring. Umino catches Togo with a big drop kick. Mistico and Desperado dive through the ropes onto members of the House on the floor. Togo pokes Umino in the eyes, lands some Dusty-like rabbit punches. Umino blocks one landing a punch that knocks Togo to the mat. A stalling suplex from Umino pins Togo.
Winners: Shota Umino, Boltin Oleg, El Desperado, Mistico and Toru Yano
YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato versus Unbound Co. (Taiji Ishimori, Robbie X and Gedo)
Wato hits a big flying upper cut on Gedo. Wato pins Gedo. Gedo made no effort to kick out. The crowd and announcers are stunned. One cannot tell if that one clipped him for real or not. Robbie X gets in Yoh face after the match. He wants a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Winners: YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato
Unbound Co. (Yuto-Ice, OSKAR and Daiki Nagai) versus United Empire (HENARE, Great-O-Khan and Zane Jay)
Ice gives Henare a big boot to the face. They shower each other with forearm shots and haymakers.
“F–k you!” yells Henare in Ice’s face. Ice knocks him to the mat with one punch. Henare slams Ice to to the mat with a Samoan Drop. Zayne Jay enters the equation with a fallaway slam for a two count. Jay leaps off the top rope. Ice kicks him in the knee and buzzsaw kicks him in the face. The other Empire members make the save. Once the ring clears, Ice pins Jay with the Cruella knee smash.
But…
Henare rushes back into the ring to trade blows with Ice some more. Khan takes a steel chair smashes Oskar’s knee with it over and over. Ice finally stops the assault kicking the chair out of Khan’s hands but…the damage has been done to Oskar. They try to give Khan their double-team finisher but Oscar cannot even stand right. Oscar and Henare trade submission holds. Ice kicks Henare in the head sending him to Dreamland.
Ice gets on the microphone saying he cannot make any money off of The United Empire and they cannot draw either, even when they were champions.
“We have to take everything away from you,” said Ice challenging Ospreay to return to face him.
Winners: Unbound Co. (Yuto-Ice, OSKAR and Daiki Nagai)
Aaron Wolf and Taichi versus TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr.)
Oh, look. It is the Most Electrifying Wrestling in the World, ZSJ.
Oiwa has Taichi in the Grip headlock. Taichi escapes and they trade kicks and punches. Oiwa pins Taichi with the Grip clothesline.
Winners: TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr.)
Jeff Cobb versus Callum Newman
Before they square off both men stand face to face. Cobb shoulder tackles Newman down and then…flying drop kicks him. Wow.
Cobb pounds Newman down in a corner to the point that an official has to force him to back off. Cobb whips Newman so hard into a corner he almost flies out of the ring. Newman heads out to the safety of the floor.
Cobb works over Newman’s back whipping him from corner to corner. Cobb misses a charge and Newman kicks him in the back of the head. Cobb heaves Cobb into a ringside barricade. Newman throws Cobb into the fifth row where he takes a seat. Newman gouges his eyes and face. Newman gathers speed as he drop kicks Cobb through the chairs. Cobb picks up and throws a Young Lion right at Newman. Cobb backdrops Newman on the ring apron.
Back in the ring, Cobb backdrops Newman into the atmosphere. When Newman crashes back to Earth he lands awkwardly on one of his knees. Cobb shoulder tackles Newman in a corner over and over. He picks up Newman throwing him across the ring. Newman regains the advantage with a German Suplex. Cobb nails Newman with his own version of Kiss the Crown. Newman pushes Cobb into the official. Cobb backs away apologizing. Newman punches him in the “lower abdomen”. He pins Cobb with Make Way…For The Prince.
Winner: Callum Newman
NJPW World Television Championship: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Shun Skywalker
House of Torture arrives surrounding the ring. They distract the official. Skywalker throws some kind of dust or powder into Takeshita’s eyes, face. Takeshita kicks out of Skywalker’s double knee drop. As Takeshita has Skywalker, Ren Narita distracts the official. Takeshita whips Skywalker into Dick Togo who was standing on the ring apron with a steel chair in hand. Takeshita punches Narita in the face. Takeshita tries to hoist up Skywalker but Skywalker hits Skyfall for the win.
The House swarms the ring kicking the hell out of Takeshita. Toru Yano makes the save scaring the House off.
Winner: …and new NJPW World Television Champion, Shun Skywalker
Shingo Takagi vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Takagi hits Burning Dragon for only a two count but Last of the Dragon pins Claudio.
Winner: Shingo Takagi
Gabe Kidd (c) vs. Drilla Moloney – IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship Match
Winner: …and still IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, Gabe Kidd.
Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Hirooki Goto – IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Winner:
