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

By Josiah MacDonald

OSAKA, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 03: Kazuchika Okada enters the ring during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling 'Power Struggle' at the Edion Arena Osaka on November 03, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
OSAKA, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 03: Kazuchika Okada enters the ring during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling 'Power Struggle' at the Edion Arena Osaka on November 03, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /
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https://twitter.com/njpwglobal/status/1213392985326419968

Lance Archer (c) (Suzuki-gun) vs. Jon Moxley – Texas Death Match for the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship

Moxley went right after Archer, but Archer followed up with a crossbody right at the start. Moxley sent Archer to the floor and hit a suicide dive, and then they already spilled into the crowd when Moxley sent Archer into the barricade multiple times. Archer took the advantage with a chair, throwing it into Moxley’s face and then beating on hm with a trash can lid.

Archer continued to beat on Moxley with a kendo stick, leaving him laying in the ring with multiple shots. Archer swung the kendo stick at Moxley’s chest before grabbing him by the wrist and walking across the ropes. Moxley grabbed a kendo stick and beat on Archer with it. Archer saw it coming and fell to the apron.

Moxley smashed Archer with a trash can lid and suplexed Archer into two chairs before hitting a knee to Archer’s head. Mox went to the floor, but Archer hit an apron bomb on Moxley before chokeslamming a young lion off the apron onto Moxley. Archer hit the ropes and hit a giant tope onto a bunch of men on the floor.

Archer setup several chairs in the ring, but Moxley tried to hit a Death Valley Driver into the chairs. Lance fought out and hit the Blackout into the chairs! Moxley wouldn’t stay down, so Archer locked on the EVD claw, but Moxley transitioned into an armbar! Archer fought out and did an overhead throw that almost saw Mox land on his head.

Moxley countered a chokebomb with a Death Rider, leaving Lance on the mat, but Archer was able to get up at the count of 9. Mox went for the Elevated Death Rider, but Archer fought out and hit the Derailer and chokeslammed Mox on a chair. Moxley got back to his feet at 9, but barely. Archer hit a big boot and then locked on the EVD claw with a plastic bag over Mox’s head.

Moxley almost went out but got his arm up before the third drop. Archer was not happy with this, so he setup two tables on the floor. Archer grabbed his spiked helmet he wore to the ring and drove it into Moxley’s head before trying to hit the Blackout from the apron to the floor. Moxley fought out and hit the Death Rider from the apron through two tables! Archer and Moxley were both down as the referee began his count. Moxley managed to get to his feet at 7 as the referee counted to 10, and Archer was out! Jon Moxley is the IWGP US Champion!

Result: Jon Moxley

Rating: ****1/4

This was an excellent match from Moxley and Archer. Archer took advantage of a bad situation when he won the title, having replaced Moxley, who couldn’t make it because of the weather. NJPW decided to go with Archer there, and he definitely made the most of it, having the best run of his career in his 40s. Moxley has now reclaimed the title in a great hardcore match that is very different from anything else you will see on a NJPW show.

Moxley grabbed a mic and said “I’m a gambler. I came here to leave with nothing, or everything.” He then said he was going to settle the score with Juice Robinson tomorrow night, once and for all. Simple, but great promo from Moxley here. NJPW is clearly high on Moxley and Archer both, and both have a lot left to offer NJPW. NJPW is also high on Juice, otherwise they wouldn’t have his rematch with Moxley tomorrow night.

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