NJPW Kizuna Road Night 2: Review, Grades, and Analysis

KUSHIDA, Juice Robinson, Michael Elgin, Jeff Cobb, & Hiroshi Tanhashi vs. CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, Kazuchika Okada, Gedo, & Jay White)

I find it very interesting that Okada didn’t come out to his entrance music here. He looked slightly broken by his title loss to Omega. He didn’t even play to the crowd. Is this a humbled Okada?

CHAOS attacked quickly, and Okada renewed his rivalry with Tanahashi. White and Juice were left in the ring while everyone else fought on the outside. Gedo proceeded to beat on Tanahashi for a little bit, but he didn’t stay in there long because there’s no way the smaller man could keep the advantage forever.

Okada tagged in and looked to take out some of his anger on Tanahashi as he drove him into the turnbuckles repeatedly. Ishii was eventually tagged in, and I suddenly want to see Tanahashi and Ishii have a 20 minute plus war. Tanhashi actually staggered Ishii with a headbutt, but ultimately couldn’t stop the Stone Pitbull. Ishii ate a dragon screw, and Tanahashi tagged out to Elgin. Elgin beat on Ishii for a bit, but Okada and White saved him. This didn’t last long, as Elgin threw White into Okada and hit a German suplex on Ishii. Ishii seems to enjoy getting hit hard though, and soon he’s exchanging strikes with Elgin before hitting a German suplex of his own.

Cobb got a chance to show off a little bit here, with throwing Goto around, and even Okada. The crowd reacted really well to it. Cobb went for a deadlift German suplex on Goto, but Goto escaped and drove Cobb down into his knee before tagging out to KUSHIDA. Gedo and KUSHIDA went at it, with Gedo cursing up a storm.

KUSHIDA reversed an attempt at the Gedo Clutch and went for the Hoverboard Lock, but Okada saved him. There was a wild exchanged of high impact moves from everyone as this match broke down. KUSHIDA hit a handspring elbow to Gedo, hit a DDT, and locked in the Hoverboard Lock to cause Gedo to tap out.

Result: KUSHIDA, Tanahashi, Cobb, Robinson, & Tanahashi

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Jay White killed KUSHIDA with a Blade Runner, Elgin with a suplex, and Tanahashi with a half nelson suplex after the bell. White continued his assault, attacking Juice Robinson. Woah. They are putting him over strong after the end of the match. He said to the camera, “This is my CHAOS.” It sounds like Jay White is claiming leadership of the group over Okada. White continued the beating, knocking Robinson out with a series of elbows.

While wrapped Juice’s hand in a chair, and slammed another chair on it, breaking his hand. This was a big time angle here. White was booed like crazy for this, and he responded by flipping everyone off. White is coming into his own as a character, and I like it.