NJPW Kizuna Road 2018 Night 1: Results, Grades, and Analysis

Michael Elgin (c) vs. Hirooki Goto (CHAOS) – NEVER Openweight Championship Match

Elgin is fresh off winning the title at Dominion and looked to retain here. Early on, Elgin hit a double foot stomp off the apron to the back of Goto’s head. Now, it’s entirely possible that He barely touched Goto and it just looked like he killed him, but it looked like he stomped directly onto the back of Goto’s head and neck. Goto showed no ill effects, so I’m guessing it wasn’t as stiff as it looked, but goodness, it didn’t look good.

Elgin worked over Goto with some suplexes and chops. The chops seemed to wake Goto up a little, and he started to strike back with his own before Elgin hit a big dropkick on Goto. Elgin continued his assault for a few more minutes before Goto took him down with a lariat. He hit a gorilla press into a powerslam and hit a lariat that staggered Goto. Elgin pushed Goto back into the corner, and both men crushed the referee. Poor Red Shoes didn’t know what hit him.

Taichi came out and nailed Elgin with his mic stand, to boos from the crowd. Taichi hit Goto too and beat on both men with the weapon. The crowd was not pleased at all, as they chanted “Go home Taichi!” Jeff Cobb ran out and suplexed Taichi on his head, which was a wonderful sight to behold.

Goto struggled to suplex Elgin from the apron into the ring. Elgin almost suplexed Goto to the outside, but Goto blocked it. Goto then blocked an attempt at a Death Valley Driver on the apron, kicked Elgin off it, and hit a PK that Elgin caught. Elgin then hit a Fisherman’s Buster on the outside of the ring.

Elgin hit a big splash off the top rope, but Goto kicked out. Goto reversed a powerbomb attempt, and both men killed each other with lariats. Elgin hit a rolling forearm and a massive powerbomb, but Goto kicked out. Elgin decided this wat the time to go for the Burning Hammer, but Goto kept fighting it off before Elgin hit a massive lariat that knocked Goto off the top rope. An attempt at a Crucifix Bomb from the middle rope was stopped by Goto, but Elgin hit an enzuguri.

Elgin went for a superplex, but Goto blocked it and hit a Code Red off the middle rope! Elgin kicked out. Goto hit a Shouten Kai but Elgin kicked out. Elgin escaped a rear naked choke and hit a big left handed lariat on Goto. A second lariat turned Goto inside out, and Elgin hit a Crucifix Bomb. Goto kicked out. Goto hit two big headbutts that rocked Elgin. Elgin went for a Burning Hammer, but Goto landed on his feet hit a lariat, and then followed up with a GTR. He hit a second GTR and got the pinfall! We have a new champion!

Result: Hirooki Goto

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

This was an excellent match that saw Goto win back his title. Goto has kind of dominated the scene with the NEVER Openweight title, and it seemed entirely appropriate that he won it here. However, a question must be asked? Why change the title at Dominion if NJPW was going to make Elgin lose it less than a week later? Regardless, an excellent match, and it is good to see Elgin drop the title back to Goto. I was never a fan of Elgin beating Goto for it anyway, so this seemed to fix that problem.

Jeff Cobb came out after the match, and challenged Goto for the title! That’s a match I could get behind. NJPW will likely be doing this match at the G1 Special in San Francisco

Final Thoughts

Show rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

Next: Sami Zayn Out With Two Torn Rotator Cuffs

This show was a very easy watch and featured some very interesting angles. The whole thing with Jay White was very entertaining. NJPW knows they have something with him, and the G1 will be a chance for him to prove himself. I’m surprised but very interested in seeing where they go with Okada now. It’s very striking that he hasn’t entered to his entrance music and hasn’t even posed that much. He looks completely and totally crushed by the loss to Omega. The Rainmaker, the man in NJPW, is broken. It might be that the storytelling for the next 6 months to a year in NJPW will be about the redemption of Kazuchika Okada, and I am all in for that kind of story.