We’re solely 22 days into 2023 and already now we have a candidate for the worst match of the 12 months. It might have sounded good on paper however the MMA match for the King of Professional Wrestling Championship between champion Shingo Takagi and challenger The Nice-O-Khan was nothing however a borefest at NJPW The New Starting.
“A thirty rely match would have been higher,” mentioned commentor Kevin Kelly referring to the opposite stipulation that was on supply and he was proper.
As per the stipulation, there have been no pinfalls. Both man might solely win by way of knockout, stoppage or submission. The match additionally should happen within the ring. The winner additionally wins the appropriate to problem Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on February eleventh at The New Starting in Osaka.
Khan and Takagi come to the ring in martial arts Gis. They each battle to realize management at first every reaching for and slapping away the opposite. Khan takes Shingo down into an arm lock. Shingo breaks free and heads to a nook leaving Khan on the mat. Khan goes for an ankle lock however Takagi reaches for the ropes.
Shingo flips Khan out of the ropes, hits him with a shoulder sort out and a senton splash. Shingo mistakenly goes for a pin which Crimson Sneakers waves off. Khan rolls to the skin of the ring. Ospreay requires a day trip as Henare followers Khan with a United Empire flag. Crimson Sneakers calls for Shingo return to the ring. LIJ comes right down to the ring in full pressure after the United Empire’s shenanigans. The followers cheer their arrival.
Khan monkey flips Takagi out of the ring. The United Empire instantly throws Takagi again in. Khan takes Takagi right down to the mat into an arm lock. Khan kicks Takagi out of the ring. LIJ take their time sending Takagi again in. Shingo backs Khan into the ropes with haymakers and kicks. Khan targets Shingo’s ribs in type. Shingo beats the rely as he’s knocked down.
Shingo will get fed up and tosses off his Gi, a lot to the delight of the followers. Shingo forsakes the MMA nonsense and hits Khan with a DDT and a sliding lariat. Khan locks on a choke and Shingo’s solely hope for escape is the ropes. Khan smothers Takagi along with his Gi. Khan takes off his belt and begins strangling Shingo. Hiromu Takahashi will get on the apron to protest and Francesco Akira rushes into the ring and knocks Hiromu again out. Khan asks Akira to depart.
Khan hangs Shingo excessive rope utilizing his belt. The United Empire fends off LIJ so they can’t assist their comrade. Crimson Sneakers lastly breaks up Khan’s shenanigans however the harm has already been finished. Naito and Sanada attempt to assist out Shingo. Ospreay throws Naito into the metal barricade. Henare holds Shingo so Ospreay can hit an OzCutter on Shingo off the ringside barricade.
Khan slams Shingo to the mat forcing the official to put a rely on Shingo. Shingo barely manages to beat the rely. Shingo battles again to a Final of the Dragon and the rely begins on Khan. Khan will get up at 9. Shingo blasts Khan with elbow smashes to the neck and head. He follows up with a chokehold which sends Khan to Dreamland for the win.
After the match Kazuchika Okada got here right down to the ring to jaw with Shingo. It’s nice timing as a result of Shingo has an necessary announcement to make.
“If you’re placing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the road how about I put the KOPW Championship on the road as properly?” asks Shingo demanding that the match observe the principles of KOPW with a stipulation that followers vote on.
“This KOPW stuff is unbelievable however I don’t need two belts on the similar time. I can not love two belts. I solely have eyes for one. I solely love the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship,” joked Okada.
“Do you suppose with out some gimmicky rule that you just can not beat me? If that’s the case, you actually don’t deserve a shot,” replied Okada saying they need to wrestle for the title and nothing extra.
“I figured you’d say that. In that case, after the match I would be the double champion,” mentioned Shingo.
NJPW The New Starting in Nagoya Outcomes Evening One
Toru Yano & Togi Makabe vs. Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima
Makabe pins Yuto with the King Kong Kneedrop.
Winners: Toru Yano & Togi Makabe
Tomoaki Honma, Ren Narita, El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki vs. Home of Torture (Dick Togo, EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
Earlier than the match Suzuki stares Narita down. On the finish of the match Suzuki reaches for a tag however Narita refuses. Suzuki slaps him throughout the chest so Narita has no selection however to enter the match. Evil distracts the official. Sho slides Togo his garrote. Togo begins to choke out Narita. Suzuki makes the save. Narita makes Togo faucet out to the Cobra Twist. On behalf of himself, Narita and Desperado, Suzuki challenges Home of Torture (Evil, Sho and Yujiro Takahashi) to a match for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Group Championships.
Winners: Tomoaki Honma, Ren Narita, El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki
Ryohei Oiwa, Tomohiro ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita)
Shane Haste pins Fujita with a dropkick and a powerbomb.
Winners: TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita)
Jado, Grasp Wato & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bullet Membership (KENTA, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo)
The faces have the heels all tied up in simultaneous submission holds. El Phantasmo kicks out of Jado’s backbreaker slam. Kenta prevents Jado’s Dream Killer on Phantasmo. Phantasmo pins Jado with Sudden Dying.
Winners: Bullet Membership (KENTA, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo)
United Empire (Francesco Akira, TJP, Aaron Henare & Will Ospreay) vs. Simply 4 Guys (Taka Michinoku, DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Taichi)
Douki stuns Ospreay with a few kicks. Akira intervenes with a swinging DDT on Douki. Ospreay leaps throughout the ring with a Hidden Blade to pin Douki.
Winners: United Empire (Francesco Akira, TJP, Aaron Henare & Will Ospreay)
YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi, Shota Umino & Kazuchika Okada vs. Los Ingobernables De Japon (Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI)
Umino runs roughshod on Naito close to the tip of the match taking the chief of LIJ abruptly. Naito kicks out of a Fisherman’s Suplex. Umino and Naito commerce forearm photographs in the midst of the ring. An atomic drop, elbows to the pinnacle and a neckbreaker halt Umino’s momentum. Bushi nails Umino with a missile drop kick from the highest rope. A pop-up forearm smash and a reverse DDT rating Umino a two rely on Bushi. Umino pins Bushi with Dying Rider. Hiromu shoves his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship belt in Sho’s face. They get right into a shoving match. Naito and Umino have a staredown.
Winners: YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi, Shota Umino & Kazuchika Okada
Shingo Takagi (c) versus Nice-O-Khan – King of Professional Wrestling Championship Match
Winner: …and nonetheless King of Professional Wrestling Champion, Shingo Takagi.
