NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2018 Night 1: Review, Grades, and Analysis

Kota Ibushi (Bullet Club?) vs. Cody (Bullet Club)

Ibushi starts this match working over Cody’s neck, and Cody sells it repeatedly, leaving the referee concerned. Cody rolled to the outside of the ring and Ibushi believed he was hurt. This cost Ibushi, who was soon suplexed on the apron by Cody. Cody did a big dive to the outside of the ring, and rolled Ibushi back in before getting an extended heat segment.

Cody has set the pace and this one is a little too slow. The match picked up a bit when Ibushi hit the Golden Triangle and him and Cody began to exchange strikes. Ibushi killed Cody with a clothesline, and both men struggled to their feat. The ref took a bump as Cody hit a splash onto him by accident, so there is no referee at the moment.

Cody pulled a table out from under the ring and set it up in the corner. He struggled with Ibushi and putting him through the table. Ibushi knocked Cody onto the table before hitting a flying stomp onto Cody. The table didn’t break. Ibushi does it again, and the table sort of breaks, but only puts a hole in it. Cody’s back was bleeding everywhere afterwards. Ibushi hit a Golden Star Powerbomb, but Cody kicked out.

Ibushi hit a big dive to the outside of the ring onto Cody over the guardrail. Ibushi rolls him back into the ring and Cody hit the Cross Rhodes, but Ibushi kicked out. Cody then hit a Vertebreaker, but almost killed himself. He protected Ibushi very well, but almost died in the process.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/992150356867117056

Result: Cody Rhodes

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

This was not spectacular, but the story told was good. Nothing wrong with that, but I expected more like their Wrestle Kingdom match. With that being said, it was fine.