NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019 Night One Live Coverage and Results!
Live coverage for night one of NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019.
Welcome to Fightful.com’s live coverage & discussion for tonight’s NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2019.
We’ll be bringing you full, match by match coverage of every bout on the card and you can watch along with us, sending in your feedback on our Disqus boards below!
Results
Ren Narita, Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma defeated Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji and Toa Henare
TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Minoru Suzuki defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger and YOSHI-HASHI
Will Ospreay, Toru Yano and Togi Makabe defeated Hikuleo, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa
SHO, YOH and Kota Ibushi defeated Shingo Takagi, BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito
Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson and Hirooki Goto defeated Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale and Jay White
EVIL and SANADA defeated Tomohiro Ishii and Kazuchika Okada
NEVER Openweight Title
Taichi defeated Jeff Cobb (C)
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title
Dragon Lee (C) defeated Taiji Ishimori
Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji and Toa Henare vs. Ren Narita, Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma
Narita and Tsuji got this one underway, with the former using his speed early until Yota powered himself on top. That brought Umino in, briefly flurrying but then being stopped in his tracks by a Tsuji dropkick. Nonetheless, Shota swiftly fired back and then tagged in Honma as well. He went right to work with some chops, dropping Tsuji and hitting a Kokeshi headbutt too. The Single Leg Boston Crab followed but was quickly broken up as Honma brought Narita back in. His trio remained on top, sharing responsibility while still keeping Henare out of the ring.
Eventually though, Tsuji fired back, landing a defiant back body drop and finally tagging in Henare. He immediately run wild, flattening all three of his foes and then hitting a delayed vertical suplex for 2. A dropkick soon cut him off regardless, resulting in Narita and Uemura meeting in center ring. The latter came out on top, bringing his partners in for some sequenced offense that resulted in a near-fall. He then snatched a tight armbar but Narita got his foot on the bottom rope and was then saved by an Umino save as well. With things reset, Narita responded in an instant, hitting his textbook bridging suplex for the win.
Winners: Ren Narita, Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma
TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Minoru Suzuki vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Tiger Mask, Jushin Thunder Liger and YOSHI-HASHI
As usual, Suzuki-gun didn’t wait for the first bell, initiating their usual tactics as YOSHI-HASHI got the better of Kanemaru in center ring. That allowed his team to take control too, flurrying big on their foe until Suzuki and co made the save. Suddenly it was Taguchi that found himself isolated, paying the price as things spilled to the floor yet again. Taguchi was the main victim of that approach, taking some chair shots as he only barely beat the 20 count. He soon fired back in-ring though, hitting a hip attack on TAKA only for Suzuki to halt him again.
Minoru began to dominate right away, unleashing some strikes and briefly catching the choke only for a hip attack to drop him in an instant. That allowed Liger’s entry, with the legend running wild on all involved until Suzuki snatched an armbar out of nowhere. Liger made it to the ropes but remained in trouble, struggling to recover as Suzuki taunted him. He eventually fired back though, going back and forth with strikes but soon falling victim to a sharp knee regardless. TAKA and Tiger Mask then met in the middle, with the latter eating sequenced Suzuki-gun offense but responding in a big way, hitting Tiger Bomb for 2.
TAKA fired back in an instant though, landing Michinoku Driver for the sudden win while on the outside, Suzuki continued to batter Liger’s arm. The pair then had a stand-off of sorts, each retrieving a steel chair only for things to surprisingly remain in control.
Winners: TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Minoru Suzuki
Will Ospreay, Toru Yano and Togi Makabe vs. Hikuleo, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa
While the others fought to the floor, Tonga and Yano got things underway inside the ropes. However, Yano was quickly double-teamed, still using evasive tactics to somehow survive until he was swiftly flattened for his troubles. That allowed Hikuleo’s entry, unleashing a salvo of chops and then hitting a suplex that forced Ospreay to make the save. Tonga then came back in, launching Yano into the exposed turnbuckles but then having his hair yanked in an instant. That brought Makabe in and he was greeted by Loa, initially flurrying but then being speared out of nowhere.
Makabe had more success opposite the returning Hikuleo, landing a sharp lariat and tagging in Ospreay. He unsurprisingly run wild, flurrying with speed until Jado’s kendo stick suddenly cut him off. The Tongan Swing followed but this time Yano made the save. Soon only Ospreay and Hikuleo remained, with the latter landing a heavy lariat for 2 only to be finished just moments later, falling victim to the OsCutter.
Winners: Will Ospreay, Toru Yano and Togi Makabe
Shingo Takagi, BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito vs. SHO, YOH and Kota Ibushi
YOH and BUSHI got this one underway, wrestling for position until strikes put the former in control. That allowed Ibushi’s entry but his flurry was brief, with BUSHI blocking the moonsault as Naito seized with a swift interference. Those two were soon the focus, as Naito grounded Ibushi before bringing in Takagi as well. He went to work on Kota too, isolating him further and tagging Naito back in only for him to be cut off by a double foot stomp. That allowed SHO’s entry and he was greeted by Shingo, running wild until a violent combination cut him off.
He fired back regardless, with a strike exchange commencing that eventually left both men floored. Roppongi 3k then combined though, going to work on Takagi until a double suplex cut them both off at once. BUSHI then re-entered, building momentum and landing a sharp DDT for 2. Ibushi then returned the favor, exploding with a spectacular hot tag and after the ring had been cleared, swiftly closing the show via Kamigoye.
Winners: SHO, YOH and Kota Ibushi
Post-match, Ibushi grabbed a microphone and asked Naito when and where he wants his rematch. Naito returned to the ring in response, teasing a match for tomorrow but instead walking away without giving an answer.
Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale and Jay White vs. Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson and Hirooki Goto
Nicholls and Fale got this one started, locking up in center only for a yank of the hair to put the latter immediately on top. Some evasive action allowed Nicholls to fire back though, eventually flooring Fale with Juice’s help while Goto removed White. Bullet Club soon regained control anyway, thriving in the brawling environment and dominating things on the outside. Nicholls was now isolated, finding himself worked over by Fale and then Owens as well. White soon joined in too, grabbing a hold in center ring and using a neckbreaker to stay on top.
Mikey eventually fired back though, landing a sharp DDT and tagging in Goto. He run wild on White, eventually hitting a back suplex for 2. White then returned the favor, leaving both men floored but managing to tag Owens in. He cut Goto off initially but fell victim to a suplex, with the former next tagging in Juice who unsurprisingly flurried right away. Fale halted his Boston Crab attempt though, allowing Bullet Club to land a crisp combination for another near-fall. Things soon broke down nonetheless, with brawls spilling to the floor as only Chase remained opposite Robinson.
Juice barely avoided the Package Piledriver and with the others preoccupied, he closed the show too, landing Pulp Friction for the win.
Winners: Mikey Nicholls, Juice Robinson and Hirooki Goto
Post-match, Robinson’s celebration was cut short. The lights went down and a video began to play. It listed June 5th, the Best of Super Juniors Final and included the phrase “time’s up.”
EVIL and SANADA vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Kazuchika Okada
Okada and SANADA fittingly opened this one up, feeling each other out and after a stunning sequence, reaching an unsurprising stalemate. Both men then handed over the reigns, allowing Ishii and EVIL to butt heads in center ring, trading shoulder tackles without either giving ground. In the end, Ishii came out on top but that only fueled a brutal exchange of forearms, eventually ending as EVIL landed a sidewalk slam. That allowed SANADA to remove Okada from the apron while in the meantime, EVIL continued to batter Ishii with strikes.
At the first chance, Ishii returned the favor, knocking SANADA off himself but paying the price when turning back into EVIL. SANADA then entered, going after Ishii in the corner but falling victim to a salvo of chops. He then landed his patented powerslam as well, next hitting a suplex before finally tagging in Okada. The IWGP Champion cleaned out EVIL in an instant, flying over the top rope to the floor and then hitting a DDT for 2. EVIL fired back though, landing a sharp kick to the midsection and tagging SANADA back in.
Okada blocked the Paradise Lock right away though, landing some of his own famed offense but running into a dropkick for his troubles. Skull End came next but Okada scurried free, reversing position and hitting his signature neckbreaker. Suddenly that left Ishii and EVIL in the spotlight again, trading strikes once more until the latter hit Darkness Falls for 2. Ishii fired back, hitting a sharp back suplex but then finding himself floored by some tandem LIJ offense. He avoided Magic Killer though and then Okada returned, removing SANADA while Ishii landed a heavy lariat for another near-fall.
SANADA then returned nonetheless, combining with EVIL to hit Magic Killer only for the Scorpion Death Lock to be applied afterwards. As Okada looked to break the hold, he was suddenly ensnared in Skull End and after an immense struggle, the referee stopped the match on Ishii’s behalf.
Winners: EVIL and SANADA
NEVER Openweight Title
Taichi vs. Jeff Cobb (C)
After stalling early, Taichi eventually attempted a cheap-shot from behind but Cobb was unfazed, going to work with strikes right away. That culminated in a textbook dropkick but Kanemaru then interfered, distracting Cobb and allowing Taichi to seize with his microphone stand. After being worn down on the outside, Cobb returned to an immediate onslaught, being grounded as Taichi slowed the pace. Cobb eventually fired back though, hitting a spectacular dead-lift superplex to reset things. A pair of corner attacks followed and then a Samoan Drop as well.
However, the standing moonsault missed, with Taichi evading before landing a sharp kick of his own. That wasn’t a solitary effort either, continuing to build momentum with further kicks until Cobb used a flurry of right hands to slow his foe down. In the end though, Taichi came out on top of the exchange, flattening Cobb with a sudden kick to the face but initially struggling to recover himself. He soon followed up nonetheless, applying a modified Stretch Plum that failed to close the show. Cobb responded with his own highlight reel, rattling off moves and refusing to break his grip until he’d landed an incredible piledriver.
Taichi avoided Tour of the Islands though, unleashing his own strike salvo and then later on, almost stealing the title with a low-blow. In the end, Taichi didn’t need a quick win but instead, he found an emphatic one, landing a superkick and then scoring Black Mephisto to become NEVER Openweight Champion once again.
Winner and NEW Champion: Taichi
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title
Taiji Ishimori vs. Dragon Lee (C)
Feeling out process early in our main event here, with both champion and challenger trading positions while failing to gain an early advantage. Ishimori then gained the upper hand though, using a sharp headscissors and unleashing some chops in the corner. Dragon Lee fired back, landing a big boot in the corner and soon following up with a spectacular dive to the floor. He then paid tribute to Katsuyori Shibata, hitting his patented dropkick as well as his signature pose too. Ishimori responded though, landing a handspring kick to reset things in an instant.
He then used the tree of woe, scoring a dropkick in the corner while operating at a suddenly cerebral pace. Grounding his foe with a hold, Ishimori remained well in control and the sliding German Suplex only furthered his momentum. Dragon Lee smartly rolled to the floor in response but Taiji followed him there, hitting a spectacular moonsault to the outside. Shotgun dropkick came next and then double knees in the corner also. Nonetheless, the champion still kicked out at 2. Moreover, his comeback soon arrived as well, landing an STO and Straightjacket German Suplex for another near-fall.
Ishimori’s speed allowed him to quickly respond though, almost closing the show via crucifix bomb but then falling victim to a one arm powerbomb for 2. Dragon Lee’s hurricanrana off the apron followed but his control was short-lived, with Taiji using a beautiful counter to sling the champion into the barricade. Both men struggled to beat the count too, making it in at 19 and then brawling to their feet. Dragon Lee was almost asking for more punishment and eventually, Ishimori collapsed in the midst of a back and forth. He swiftly returned to form though, landing Canadian Destroyer only for Dragon Lee to respond with a Falcon Arrow reversal.
Things then headed up a level, with the champion eventually landing a double foot stomp on Taiji as he hung onto the top rope. Ishimori avoided Desnucadora though, catching a quick roll-up and then applying the LeBell Lock. After an immense struggle, Dragon Lee used his leg to barely force a rope break, finally breaking the hold but eating a gut-buster for his troubles. He soon fired back though, hitting a Reverse Rana as well as a spectacular knee strike for another near-fall. The champion soon retained his title nonetheless, hitting Desnucadora for the win.
Winner and STILL Champion: Dragon Lee
Post-match, Dragon Lee said that this win was for Hiromu Takahashi and that he’ll be waiting for him!
Thanks for following along folks and I’ll be back tomorrow for Night Two.
