New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV (July 29th) reDragon vs The Time Splitters & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Bad Luck Fale

Welcome to the recap for this weeks episode of New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV, I’m Ryan Cook and I’ll be taking you through all of the action as reDragon defend their IWGP Tag Team titles against The Time Splitters and in our maint even Hiroshi Tanahashi takes on Bad Luck Fale. 

reDragon vs Time Splitters IWGP World Tag Team title match

KUSHIDA and O’Reilly start it off, but KUSHIDA tags in Shelley and they get the upper hand on O’Reilly. Kyle tags in Bobby Fish who hits a front flip senton for a quick 2 count. reDragon are doing a good job cutting the ring in half. O’Reilly has very good submissions, going for an arm bar then transitioning to an omaplata. Kyle tags Bobby back in as KUSHIDA is dying to get in the ring. Alex hits a reverse sto into the turnbuckle and finally manages to tag KUSHIDA in, who drops Fish with a springboard back elbow. KUSHIDA reverses a roll up into the Hoverboard Lock until O’Reilly tries one on KUSHIDA, only to get dropped with a right hand. KUSHIDA goes for another Hoverboard Lock, but Fish counters with a dragon screw leg whip as we go to our first commercial.

Alex Shelley is cleaning house as we come back to the action, throwing Fish into O’Reilly, Fish tries to get back in, but KUSHIDA stops him then Shelley hits the Blockbuster, but only gets a 2 count. Time Splitters hit a double team move and nearly win, but Fish comes out of no where to break it up. KUSHIDA goes out after Fish, but Bobby picks him up and shoulder tackles him into the railing. Alex and Kyle exchange forearms in the ring then superkicks until O’Reilly hits a rebound clothesline then a brainbuster for a close two, but Kyle instantly transitions to an arm bar as Fish hits a headbutt off the top rope. KUSHIDA hits a moonsault on O’Reilly, Shelley almost getting the 3. reDragon hit a backbreaker into a knee off the top rope for a very close 2 count. KUSHIDA comes in and stops them then everyone goes outside of the ring, They get back in the ring, but reDragon hit a lot of double team moves on KUSHIDA. reDragon end up hitting Chasing The Dragon on Alex Shelley for the pin and the win. Very good, high paced match by these four.

Winner: reDragon via pinfall with Chasing The Dragon

-After the match Roppongi Vice come out and congratulate all four men, at first until they take out all four men. They hit a Strong Zero on Fish then Rocky says they’re coming for the belts.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Bad Luck Fale G1 Climax Briefcase Match

Tanahashi has to defend his G1 briefcase, as has been the case for about 5 years now, just because you win the G1 never means you’ll make it to Wrestle Kingdom with the briefcase, kinda like the Money in the Bank for WWE, except you have to defend the right to have the briefcase. We start the match off with a test of strength then see some impressive athleticism as Fale sweeps the legs out from under Tanahashi then a knuckle lock. Fale tosses Hiroshi outside, but quickly goes out after him, Tanahashi getting back in then as soon as Fale gets back in Tanahashi goes on the attack. Tanahashi thinks he’s John Cena as he tries to hit a suplex onto the much larger Fale, only to be tossed to the apron then dropped to the floor with a lariat. The referee is distracted as Tama Tonga attacks Tanahashi then Fale hits a big splash onto the apron, throwing him into the railing afterwards.

Fale whips Tanahashi into another railing, in complete control by this point. Tanahashi gets back into the ring at the count of 19, only to get stepped on by Fale. Fale picks him up with ease then goes for the foot on the chest pin, but Red Shoes isn’t having it. They skip ahead a little bit as Tanahashi gets Fale up, but he can’t hold him and Fale falls on top of him for a 2 count. JR mentions that Tanahashi has a bad shoulder and a bad neck as Fale focuses on the shoulder. Tanahashi goes for anothe body slam, only to get slammed himself, but gets out of the way of a Fale body splash. Tanahashi finally drops Fale after two flying forearms then hits an elbow and a senton for a quick 2 count as the crowd gets behind the once in 100 years talent. Tanahashi hits a headscissors onto Fale that sends him over the top rope then hits a High Fly Flow onto Fale on the outside as we go to commercial.

Fale is still down on the outside as we come back from commercial, getting back into the ring at the count of 11, Tanahashi catching his leg and hitting a dragon screw leg whip, quickly trying to roll him over for a cloverleaf, but Fale powers out. Fale runs into Tanahashi in the corner, dropping him to the mat then hits a splash for a close 2 count. Fale counters a sunset flip into just jumping and sitting on Tanahashi’s chest for a very close 2 count. Fale goes for the Bad Luck Fall, but Tanahashi slides out the back then hits a right hand that drops the Bullet Club enforcer. The two get to their feet and exchange forearms, Tanahashi going for something that doesn’t materialize off the ropes as Fale hits a samoan drop. Fale hits a spear out of no where then goes for the Bad Luck Fall, but Tanahashi reverses it again. Tanahashi hits a sling blade for a close 2 count then goes up top for the High Fly Flow, but is countered into a chokeslam in mid air, Fale getting a very close 2 count. Fale then goes up to the top rope, but Tanahashi meets him, hitting a superlex off the top rope. Somehow Fale is up, but Tanahashi slams him down then hits a third High Fly Flow for the pin and the win. Tanahashi really got a lot out of Fale in this match. 

-After the match Hiroshi calls out Tetsuya Naito who comes out with a chair, but instead of going after Tanahashi, he sets it up on the ramp. Tanahashi says the right to fight at the Tokyo dome is in the case and the chance is right in front of him, asking if he’ll fight him. Naito gets up and puts the chair down and heads to the ring, but turns and heads right back up the ramp without saying a word. Tanahashi says the pressure is on, saying he will defend it and fight at the Tokyo dome for 6 years in a row.