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

Jay White (c) (Bullet Club) w/ Gedo vs. Tetsuya Naito – IWGP Intercontinental Championship

White didn’t want to engage Naito right away, so Naito grabbed Gedo on the outside, which drew White out. Naito taunted White with his Tranquilo pose, and Naito decided to hold the ropes open for him. White tried to cheap shot Naito as he got back in the ring, but Naito caught his foot and then hit a neckbreaker from the apron to the floor, which caused the crowd to explode.

The crowd is delighting in the violence committed against White on the floor, as he has done it to so many others. Naito chased Gedo off and threw White into the guardrail before bringing it back into the ring. Gedo got involved and White stomped Naito in the corner in response. White hit a chop and elevated Naito to the apron.

Gedo grabbed Naito’s feet and then White tripped him and pulled Naito crotch first into the ring post. As White distracted the referee, Gedo hit Naito with a chair on Naito’s knee. White attacked Naito with the guardrail, continuing to work over the heavily taped knee of Naito. White hit a Saito suplex in the ring that dropped Naito on his head.

White locked on a Muta Lock, leaving Naito screaming in pain. White pulled Naito’s face into a smile and yelled “Smile for the camera!” Great heel spot. White chopped Naito and drove him back into the corner. Naito got the feet up twice and then hit a hurricanrana, but White did enough damage to the knee to keep Naito down.

Both men got to their feet, and Naito hit a few strikes, a back elbow, and a dropkick on White before hitting a neckbreaker on White again for a 2 count. Naito faked a punch to the face and then spit on White. Naito went for the triangle dropkick, but White got his hands up. Naito paused, and as soon as White lowered his hands, he dropkicked him right in the face. Awesome spot.

Naito locked on a full nelson with his legs, keeping White down on the mat. White dragged himself to the ropes and got out of the submission. Naito went for a German suplex, but White got to the ropes. White countered an attack from Naito and hit a huge spike DDT that made the crowd groan. White hit a Death Valley Driver for a 2 count.

White tried for Blade Runner, but Naito fought out and hit several big elbows on White, sending him to the mat. Naito maintained wrist control, looking like he was going to hold onto for a Destino. Naito hit a forearm smash and went for another, but White countered with a flatliner and then hit a dead lift German suplex.

White put Naito on the top rope and chopped him. White went for a superplex, but Naito fought out and hit a reverse DDT onto his knee before putting White on the top rope and going for a frankensteiner. White pulled his feet out, and Naito crashed face first into the top turnbuckle and crashed to the mat.

White blocked a kick and went back to the knee, and then hit a knee breaker with his shoulder. White spit at Naito and then hit a dragon screw leg whip on Naito. White tried to throw Naito to the ropes, but he fell to the mat. White taunted him, but Naito got back to his feet and hit an elbow. White sent Naito to the ropes again, but he fell again.

Every time Naito tried to walk or run, he fell, and this time he fell right into a uranage from White for a 2 count. White hit a Saito suplex on Naito over the top rope to the floor, and Naito crashed into the apron back first. Thank God it wasn’t headfirst. White went for the Kiwi Crusher, but Naito blocked it twice.

White hit the Blade Buster, and then the Kiwi Crusher on his third try, but Naito kicked out. White hit a chop block on Naito and then hit an inverted dragon screw before locking on an inverted figure four. White two sweeted the cameras he was so confident that this was it. Naito barely made it to the ropes, to Gedo’s great rage.

White kept hammering on the knee and tried to lock on the submission again, but Naito spit in his eye. White was infuriated, but Naito caught him with a kick to the face. Natio stood up and a hit a koppo kick. After a few counters, Naito was able to hit a pop-up spinebuster and both men were down. Naito tried to hit Gloria, but White fought out with elbows.

As Naito was hammering White elbows, Gedo got into the ring and tried to distract the ref. Naito spit on Gedo then hit an enziguri and a tornado DDT on White. Naito hit the Frankensteiner and Gloria! White kicked out. Naito went for Destino, but White sat right down, so Naito dropkicked him. Naito went for it again, but White drove Naito into the referee.

Gedo came in with a chair and tried to hit Naito with a chair, but Naito countered. White low blowed Naito, but Naito was able to hit a suplex. Naito then low blowed Gedo and as he turned around, White hit Naito with a chair and a sleeper suplex. White went for a Blade Runner and spit on Naito’s face. Naito countered into a Destino and both men were down!

Both men got up and White went for Blade Runner again, but Naito fought out. White blocked a Destino, but Naito managed to hit a poison rana! Naito hit Desino, but White kicked out! Naito tried to hit Destino again, but White countered. Naito countered and hit a side brainbuster and then Destino again! Naito got the pinfall! Naito is the IWGP Intercontinental Champion!

Result: Tetsuya Naito

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

This wasn’t as good as the last match, but it was still a very, very good match. Naito and White were smart to rely on more traditional storytelling in this match, with White being more of a traditional heel. NJPW knew the right choice was having Naito win here, and the logical story is having him win tomorrow too, taking both belts.

However, Naito is clearly hurting. If there was ever a time to do it, it has to be now, because Naito is very much so suffering several injuries. NJPW knows what they have here, and I can’t see anyone but him walking out with both titles. Who will NJPW have Naito face at night 2? Read on for the main event.