NJPW King of Pro Wrestling: Results, Grades, and Analysis

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jay White (CHAOS) w/ Gedo – For the IWGP Heavyweight Championship Match at Wrestle Kingdom 13

Gedo played a big role in the early portion of this match, interfering and helping Jay White take advantage of Hiroshi Tanahashi. When Tanahashi’s focus was on Gedo, White took out Tanahashi’s knee and then played air guitar on it. White worked over Tanahashi’s knee for the next several minutes, leaving the Ace in a precarious position.

White threw Tanahashi over the top rope, but Tanahashi skinned the cat, and came back in. However, White was ready and went right back to the knee. White kept working over the knee until Tanahashi managed to hit a dragon screw, which gave Tanahashi some room to breathe. Tanahashi hit a series for forearms and slammed White to the mat before hitting his flipping senton off the middle rope.

It was now White’s turn to deal with an attack on the knee as Tanahashi hit another dragon screw and went for the Texas Cloverleaf. White made the ropes, as Tanahashi had trouble locking it in due to the previous work on the knee. White kicked the knee and hit a Saito suplex over the top rope, sending Tanahashi to the floor. Jay grabbed a chair, but Tanahashi hit another dragon screw and then hit the High Fly Flow to the floor!

Back in the ring, White managed to hit a flatliner and a dead lift German Suplex, driving Tanahashi to the mat. White was exhausted though, and he couldn’t keep it up. Both men stood and started to exchange forearms. Tanahashi hit a Twist and Shout, and a White hit a suplex of his own. Tanahashi hit another Twist and Shout and a sling blade before hitting a dragon suplex that White kicked out of.

Tanahashi hit a High Fly Flow, and followed up with a second, but Gedo pulled the referee outside of the ring! The crowd exploded in boos. Gedo had a pair of brass knuckles, and he was going to nail Tana with it, but Tana ducked and hit a big left hand to drop Gedo. White then low blowed Tanahashi and left him laying on the mat. Tanahashi hit a low blow of his own while the referee was down, and Tana slammed White on one of the chairs.

Tanahashi went for the High Fly Flow, but White rolled out of the way and Tanahashi crashed stomach first into the chair. White hit a chairshot to Tanahashi’s head while the referee was down. White picked up Tanahshi and went for the Blade Runner, but Tanahashi countered and put White in a cradle that saw him get pinned! Tanahashi wins!

Result: Hiroshi Tanahashi

Rating: ****3/4 (4.75 stars out of 5)

White continued to assault Tanahashi after the match, but Kazuchika Okada ran out and made the save! Okada saved Tanahashi, his greatest rival, to a massive pop from the crowd! White attacked Okada, but Okada sent him to the outside of the ring. Okada then beat on Gedo, to another massive pop. When Okada went for the tombstone, Jado came out and tried to calm Okada down.

Jado stopped Okada from attacking Gedo further. As Jado was doing this, the Bullet Club Firing Squad came down to the ring! Gedo, Jado, White, and the Bullet Club Firing Squad attacked Okada! It appears Jay White has joined the Firing Squad with Jado and Gedo! It appears that Jay White has joined the Bullet Club, but it wasn’t Kenny Omega’s Bullet Club, it was Tama Tonga’s. Okada and Tanahashi were both left for dead, and The Firing Squad reigned supreme even though Tanahashi won the match.