NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night 2: Results, Grades, and Analysis

Bullet Club (El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori) (c) vs. Roppongi 3K (SHO & YOH) w/ Rocky Romero – IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

RPG3k immediately dropkicked the Bullet Club and hit a flip dive onto both men. They threw ELP back into the ring and sent him to the ropes before hitting a drop toe hold/dropkick combo. They also hit double team kicks on him. They sent ELP to the ropes, but he slid out of the ring and he and Ishimori decided to regroup.

ELP pulled SHO to the floor and threw him into the guardrail, which allowed them to get the heat on him for a bit, with Ishimori missing a 450 splash, but hitting a neck twister with his feet. ELP and Ishimori then exchanged several tags working over SHO’s back. Ishimori used a high flying Greco Roman back rake.

ELP decided to one up him and walk across the ropes and back flip into a back rake. He did rake the back while in midair, which was quite impressive. ELP hit a springboard crossbody, then a springboard moonsault, and then a dive on Rocky Romero before hitting a splash on SHO for a 2 count that YOH broke up.

Ishimori put SHO in the tree of woe and both men dropkicked SHO. They went for a double dropkick but stopped in midair and stood on SHO’s crotch instead. They then put YOH in the tree of woe too and stood on both men’s crotches. This is some very creative cheating. Excellent heel work. The crowd was not pleased with them.

SHO avoided a springboard from Ishimori and nailed him with a spear and finally mad the tag to YOH. YOH took out both Ishimori and ELP, but ate a kick from ELP that briefly brought them back into control. YOH threw Ishimori out of the ring onto ELP, but ELP caught his partner. YOH used this as a chance to hit a dive onto both men.

YOH and Ishimori hit the ropes, but Ishimori did a handspring into a kick that floored YOH. SHO and ELP tagged in and SHO hit 2 rolling German suplexes on ELP, but ELP grabbed Ishimori to try and prevent himself from being thrown for the third. SHO just threw both of them. Excellent spot. ELP rolled up SHO, but he kicked out.

ELP put SHO in a torture rack, and Ishimori hit a flying knee to SHO’s head. ELP turned that into a neckbreaker on SHO that earned a 2 count. ELP put Ishimori on his shoulders and threw him towards SHO. Ishimori turned that into a Code Breaker, and then ELP hit a moonsault while SHO he was on Ishimori’s knees. Ishimori went for a flapjack, but SHO countered it into a Canadian Destroyer on ELP!

SHO superkicked Ishimori and sent him to the floor. ELP managed to hit a Styles Clash on SHO, which got a massive pop from the crowd because NJPW spent 2 years making it one of the most dangerous finishers in wrestling. Ishimori distracted the referee and ELP went to use the title to smash SHO, but Rocky took it away.

With that being out the window, ELP tried to punch SHO in the crotch. ELP hurt his hand doing it though, and SHO pulled out a cup to show he was prepared. RPG 3k then sent Ishimori back to the floor before hitting a combo Package Piledriver and double stomp for the 3 count! We have new IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Champions!

Result: RPG3k

Rating: ****1/4 (4.25 stars)

This was an absolutely excellent tag match between these two that saw all 4 four men use some incredibly innovative offence. All 4 are excellent workers and it’s clear SHO and YOH have a ridiculously bright future, both as a team, and as singles wrestlers.