NJPW Power Struggle 2018 Review and Results: Chris Jericho vs EVIL

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Wrestle Kingdom season kicked into full gear Saturday morning with NJPW Power Struggle from Osaka. The show featured the finals of Super Jr Tag League, Goto vs Taichi for the NEVER Openweight Championship, Ishii vs Suzuki in a classic strong style brawl for the RPW British Heavyweight Championship, Naito vs ZSJ in a special singles match, and Y2J vs EVIL for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship…

The Undercard

The show began with an 8-man tag between Liger, Tiger Mask, Volador Jr, and Soberano Jr and Taguchi, Sabin, ACH, and Henare. The action was fast paced and fun throughout, effectively setting the tone for the night. ACH and Taguchi hit the X Factor on Soberano for the finish. This was a good way to send off all the Super Jr Tag League part timers.

Then, in the GOD/Eagles vs XXX match, Ishimori attacked KUSHIDA with his crutch towards the end of the match, allowing Tama to hit the Gun Stun and pick up the victory. Turns out the injured ankle was just a work to make the KUSHIDA/Ishimori build more interesting. Creative angle. Great stuff.

Time traveling Ash Ketchum vs Bone Soldier is all but confirmed for the Dome at this point. I’m excited. You’re excited. Everyone’s excited. Two thumbs up.

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Next, in the Okada/Beretta vs White/Fale contest, @TrentyLocks scored a quick roll up victory on the Underboss as the Rainmaker mixed it up with Switchblade and Gedo on the outside.

Post match, Okada and White continued to brawl. After a healthy dose of young lion casualties, Switchblade got on the mic and laid down the challenge for a one on one match- anyplace anytime. Okada wanted an impromptu match, but Jay refused and got out of Dodge. They’ll meet at Wrestle Kingdom.

The Okada/White build is honestly starting to feel somewhat tired at this point. I just don’t know what rising action is left other than the possible addition of a stipulation of some sort. Still, I’m very much looking forward to their Dome match.

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Finally, the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13 was teased in a tag match between Tanahashi and Finlay and The Golden Lovers in which Ibushi pinned Finlay after the Golden Trigger

I’ve been extremely excited for the Ace vs the Best Bout Machine since the conclusion of the G1, but seeing the pair go back and forth here raised my expectations to another level. Finlay and Ibushi also delivered solid performances.

After the pinfall, the victors celebrated to the back, but Ibushi didn’t seem to be nearly as enthused as his lover. It’s really starting to feel like this reunion isn’t destined to last too much longer. Ibushi’s going to snap, Kenny’s going to get exactly what he deserves, and all of us fans will explode in two.

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Super Jr Tag League Final: Roppongi 3K vs El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs Shingo Takagi & BUSHI

Despy and Maru clear the ring before the match. They try to work over an isolated SHO, but YOH makes the save and we’re off. Despy, BUSHI, and Shingo each have a go at beating up poor SHO until he fights back and tags in YOH.

YOH fights off BUSHI and Despy, but Maru interjects himself. The Champs hit double team offense on both opposing teams. Kanemaru tries to work over YOH, but he fires back with a falcon arrow before BUSHI whips him into Shingo, who tags himself in.

Takagi and BUSHI run off some offense. They look to finish Kanemaru with the Rebellion, but Despy makes the saves. SHO tags himself in. He and the Dragon go back and forth until YOH is able to get involved. 3K attempt, but BUSHI and Despy hit the ring and a brawl ensues.

Pumping Bomber to both SHO and Despy. A Gory Bomb and another Pumping Bomber on SHO earns a great near fall for Shingo. Last of the Dragon attempt, but it’s countered. The 3K connects out of nowhere, but Kanemaru pulls the ref out of the ring. Despy tries to finish SHO, but BUSHI mists him. YOH takes out Kanemaru as the Last Ride Backbreaker and Shock Arrow keeps Despy down for the three count.

Roppongi 3K def Despy/Mary and Shingo/BUSHI

Although the Super Jr Tag League was somewhat lackluster overall, the final completely delivered here with the best NJPW Jr tag team match of the year.

The controversial triple threat decision paid off as all three teams played their roles well. The Champs worked with more urgency than usual, which was cool to see on the Road to the Dome. Shingo and BUSHI dominated the majority of the match and looked good doing it, and SHO & YOH showed great babyface fire, making their victory feel satisfying and earned.

I’m not sure where Shingo and BUSHI go from here, but 3K and the Champs are set to reignite their rivalry on January 4th in a match that will most definitely exceed expectations.

****1/4

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NEVER Openweight Championship: Taichi(c) vs Hirooki Goto

Taichi jumps Goto before the bell and drops him on his head with an absolutely brutal looking Saito Suplex. The Holy Emperor proceeds to drag his opponent into the crowd and batter him with chairs. For some reason, the ref allows it cause NJPW makes zero sense sometimes. Oh well. All hail Lord Taichi.

Dueling “Let’s go Taichi” / “Go home Taichi” chants as the Champ continues to humiliate his opponent. Goto tries to fight back, but Taichi just shamelessly cheats to stay ahead over and over again. ALL HAIL LORD TAICHI.

The buzzsaw kicks gets a near fall and THE PANTS ARE OFF. Thrust kick attempt, but Goto counters into an Ushiguroshi. Taichi rakes the eyes and goes for the powerbomb, but Goto counters again.

Facebuster. GTR attempt as Taichi downs the ref. Low blow, Gator clutch, and the challenger barely kicks out. The last ride powerbomb follows, but Goto kicks out again and fights back with a desperation reverse GTR.

Taichi is first to his feet and he looks to hit his opponent with the NEVER belt, but Goto won’t let that happen. They go back and forth, and the Shouten and Goto Revolution (unfortunately) finishes The Holy Emperor

Hirooki Goto def Taichi

SIIIIGGGGHHHHH. I don’t understand this result at all. I know Taichi has his fair share of haters, but it’s hard deny that an extended title reign for him would’ve been interesting. Now we’re just back to Goto aimlessly carrying the strap around. Nothing wrong with Goto, but his recent on again off again with the NEVER belt feels entirely boring and uninspired at this point.

Apart from the booking, the match itself didn’t offer much either. It was building nicely, but neither man showed any urgency down the stretch whatsoever, and the finish felt flat and unearned. SIGH. Poor Taichi.

**

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RPW British Heavyweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii(c) vs Minoru Suzuki

Ishii gets ahead right away with a flurry of shoulder tackles and strikes. Suzuki fires back but Tom isn’t phased. They come to a stalemate and meet in the middle to trade heavy forearms. Suzuki’s rocked and retreats.

Ishii keeps up the pressure with knees to the body and chops. The King leans in and lays in chops of his own, taunting the champion. More Suzuki offense, and Ishii looks hurt.

Eventually, the Stone Pitbull gets fed up, lands some nasty chops, and taunts. Suzuki isn’t at all amused, and they’re back to trading forearms. One at a time, the blows become heavier until both men are rocked and wobbly. Ishii finally collapses after a pair of particularly stiff strikes.

Suzuki continues as Ishii slowly recovers and begins no selling. They go back and forth again. Ishii looks to be gaining some momentum, but a big boot stops him. Middle of the ring, they trade palm strikes. These two are completely insane.

Suzuki goes for the sleeper. Ishii counters, but gets caught with a sudden dropkick. Another sleeper, followed by the GSP attempt. Ishii gets free again, but eats more forearms. Another GSP is countered, and the champ drops the challenger on his head.

Brainbuster attempt. Suzuki slips out and goes for another sleeper, but Ishii frees himself and connects with an enziguri. Two lariats and the vertical drop brainbuster finishes it.

Tomohiro Ishii def Minoru Suzuki 

I don’t know much about the belt they were fighting for or the promotion the belt’s from, but I do know that I love watching Ishii and Suzuki beat the brakes off of each other.

Nobody in wrestling can execute this kind of match better than these two- just twenty minutes of no nonsense strike exchanges, high impact offense, and well-timed, meaningful no selling. I loved every second of it.

The build to the finish didn’t have many dramatic near falls or back and forth reversals, but it didn’t need any of that. Both guys took loads of punishment, so the quick and sudden ending felt completely appropriate.

****1/2

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Tetsuya Naito vs Zack Sabre Jr

They lock up to start, and Zack takes control. Naito’s grounded, but he remains tranquilo and shifts the pressure to ZSJ. Stalemate, tranquilo pose, and they lock back up after a short respite from Naito.

El Ingobernable nails a dropkick. He taunts, and Zack makes him pay with a triangle out of nowhere. The Technical Wizard proceeds to work Naito’s left arm for a bit. Back to their feet. Naito lays in some big strikes, so Zack takes it to the outside and grounds his opponent on the ramp. Naito recovers and makes it back in the ring just before the 20 count.

Submission attempt, but the rope break comes quick. Naito fights back with forearms. Headscissors, basement dropkick, and ZSJ tries to slow things down as he absorbs a barrage of offense. Top rope frankensteiner is somehow reversed into an STF, and Naito is saved by the ropes again. Middle of the ring, they trade strikes and Sabre gets the worst of it.

Tornado DDT, Gloria, and ZSJ is in real trouble for the first time in the match as the timekeeper announces the fifteen minute mark. Flying forearm attempt, but it’s turned into an octopus stretch. Submission transitions as Naito fights his way to the ropes for a third time.

Short European uppercuts and a PK gets a near fall. Zack Driver attempt is countered but Zack goes from submission to submission until Naito explodes back with a high German. Destino, but Zack kicks out. Two more Destino attempts are countered, but the third connects and that’s all she wrote.

Tetsuya Naito def Zack Sabre Jr.

****

It was obvious that Naito couldn’t afford to lose here, and that predictability limited the match’s potential to a degree. Still, both guys worked hard to put together a fun match with an interesting story. Zack dominated the majority of the match, so even though Naito found a way to win, it still feels like Sabre has his number if NJPW ever wants to revisit this matchup in the future.

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IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Chris Jericho(c) vs EVIL

EVIL charges Jericho before the bell and fires away with strikes. Y2J retreats at the first opening, and EVIL follows him into the crowd where they brawl.

The King of Darkness sets up a table at ringside. Powerbomb attempt is reversed into a backdrop, and Jericho takes advantage with a DDT on top of the announce table followed by a top rope crossbody.

Back in the ring, EVIL tries to fight back, but Jericho downs him, hits a picture perfect lionsault, and goes back up the turnbuckle. The flying back elbow gets a near fall. Eventually, EVIL gets some room and nails a big lariat that sends the IC Champ tumbling over the top rope. He follows up by literally breaking a chair on Jericho’s face.

EVIL goes for a suplex off the apron through the table, but Jericho counters and ends up on the apron as well. EVERYTHING IS EVIL out of nowhere through the table. Holy bleep.

Back in, and EVIL connects with the top rope senton. He keeps up the pressure, but the Walls of Jericho reverses the momentum out of nowhere. Rope break, and EVIL responds with a stiff lariat and the prettiest Darkness Falls I’ve ever seen.

Jericho’s up. They trade strikes and Y2J runs the ropes. Misdirection from EVIL, but the codebreaker connects out of nowhere. EVIL KICKS OUT! More back and forth, EVERYTHING IS EVIL. JERICHO KICKS OUT! Darkness falls attempt, but Jericho rolls through and locks in the Walls. Transition to the Liontamer, and EVIL is forced to tap out.

Chris Jericho def EVIL

If Y2J vs Omega/Naito were fantasy matches, this was some weird, trippy fever dream. I really cannot believe we just watched the actual CHRIS JERICHO wrestle the bleeping King of Darkness. 2018 is so weird and awesome.

Admittedly, this was quite sloppy and botchy at times. To be frank, Jericho looked like a 47 year old man that just got off a booze cruise. Still, I loved every second of it. EVIL brought a level of intensity that I’ve never seen from him before and Jericho was his usual rockstar self.

****1/4

After the match, Jericho puts the Walls back on and Naito’s out to make the save. Y2J retreats as Mr. LIJ gets on the mic and says he wants his rematch. Backstage, Jericho says there will be no rematch.

It’ll be interesting to see where they go from here. Jericho vs Naito seems inevitable for the Dome, but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be quite as straightforward as most thought it would be.