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NJPW Wrestling Dontaku results: SANADA challenges Okada & more

By Corey Collins

OSAKA,JAPAN - FEBRUARY 11: Kazuchika Okada enters the ring prior to the match between Kazuchika Okada and Bad Luck Fale during the New Beginning of NJPW at Edion Arena Osaka on February 11, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
OSAKA,JAPAN - FEBRUARY 11: Kazuchika Okada enters the ring prior to the match between Kazuchika Okada and Bad Luck Fale during the New Beginning of NJPW at Edion Arena Osaka on February 11, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /
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El Phantasmo Is The Junior Heavyweight Division Reborn

Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo vs Dragon Lee & Will Ospreay

For weeks, the not-so-secret “X” was billed as the partner for Taiji Ishimori at NJPW Wrestling Dontaku. To the surprise of nobody, “X” wound up being El Phantasmo making his New Japan and Bullet Club debut against a pair of former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champions.

This was my first time seeing ELP in action and the first thing you’ve got to notice about him is that he is ridiculously fast! He and Ospreay had an exchange at the start of the match that was “blink and you’ll miss it” fast, highlighting the fact that both men are formidable members of the Junior Heavyweight division.

Breaking the Birthday Curse of Bullet Club, ELP and Ishimori finally pulled out a win for their group in the final BC match of the tour. Countering the Oscutter with a superkick to the back of the head, El Phantasmo followed up with a spinning TKO neckbreaker and an arm-trap front-face piledriver to put the former NEVER Openweight Champion to rest.

Despite the loss, Ospreay has proven that he’s able to cross between the Heavyweight and Junior Heavyweight divisions with ease. After some great battles with large opponents like Lance Archer and Jeff Cobb, Ospreay seamlessly transitioned back into Junior form here in a match highlighting 4 of the 20 men competing in this year’s Best of the Super Juniors.

In a fun Bullet Club sidenote, Taiji Ishimori debuted as Bone Soldier Reborn one year ago at 2018’s NJPW Wrestling Dontaku event. Ishimori took the Junior Heavyweight division by storm and quickly made himself the man to beat. Could El Phantasmo have the same fate debuting exactly one year after Ishimori at the very same event?

For New Japan’s somewhat waning Junior Heavyweight division, this match was a breath of fresh air and a perfect preview of things to come with BOSJ. ELP brings a style all his own to the division and could be the one to watch as the brackets unfold starting on May 13.

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