NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 1: Results, Grades, and Analysis

Guerillas of Destiny (Tanga Loa & Tama Tonga) w/ Jado (c) (Bullet Club) vs. David Finlay & Juice Robinson – IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

Finlay and Juice ran right up the ramp and attacked, but it didn’t pay off, as GoD were able to fight back and bring Juice into the ring to start to get the heat on him. Juice did manage to fight back and tag out to Finlay, but Finlay didn’t have much luck, as he was pulled off the top rope and crashed back first into the top turnbuckle. Loa then hit a running powerslam before tagging out to Tama Tonga. Tama and Tanga hit two slingshot sentons on Finlay for a 2 count.

Juice makes it in and hits two big elbows on Tanga Loa, a running clothesline, and then a spine buster on both men. Juice hit a lariat to each man, who were in opposite corners, and then hit a cannonball on both. Juice hit a running leg lariat on both men before tagging Finlay back in, who hit a dive on Tanga Loa. Finlay then hit a dropkick on Tonga, and Juice hit a Russian leg sweep for a 2 count.

Juice went to the top rope while Finlay tried to superplex Tama Tonga, but Tanga Loa came in and dropped him, and then Tama Tonga hit a flying elbow on Finlay. GoD went for the Magic Killer, but Finlay fought out. Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa hit a combo back suplex and neckbreaker on Finlay, but he kicked out. They hit Magic Killer on Finlay, but Justice broke it up.

They responded with a Magic Killer on Juice too, and then sent him out of the ring. They crushed Finlay in the corner and setup Finlay for a super powerbomb, but Finlay turned it around and hit a hurricanrana on Tanga Loa before rolling Tama Tonga up! Tama Tonga kicked out and sent Finlay into a kendo stick shot from Jado. Finlay kicked out again.

After an exchange of finisher attempts, GoD was not able to put Finlay and Juice Robinson away. Juice hit a big left hand on Jado, then Tanga Loa. Juice hit the Pulp Friction on Tanga Loa, another left hand on Tama Tonga, and then this sent him into a sliced bread by Finlay who scored the pinfall!

Result: Juice Robinson & David Finlay

Rating: ***1/4

Finlay and Robinson have won their first IWGP Tag Team Championship, with David Finlay getting his first taste of gold in NJPW. This was a very solid match that had a finish the crowd wasn’t expecting. They got a very pleasant reaction from the audience, though it is clear they aren’t as big stars as GoD. However, this will go a long way to making them move up the ranks. Very solid tag match. Will Juice Robinson also end up a double champion after tomorrow night? NJPW clearly has some plans for Juice, but I can’t see him becoming a double champion.