NJPW New Year Dash 2020: Results, Highlights, and Grades

The New Year has arrived, and NJPW is ready to move onto New Year Dash, which is their first show the night after NJPW Wrestle Kingdom every year. On New Year Dash, NJPW doesn’t announce a card beforehand (which is the only show we of the year this happens).

NJPW New Year Dash always serves to be the show that advances all the angles and sets the tone for the rest of the year in NJPW. NJPW is known for booking a year in advance, and all the year’s stories begin here on New Year Dash. However, the first thing to happen on this show is the Jyushin Thunder Liger retirement ceremony.

All of the wrestlers that weren’t in a stable came out to the ring and posed with Liger, as Hiroshi Tanahashi gave him a bouquet of flowers. CHAOS came out next, led by Okada, to pose with Liger. NJPW management and his family all offered him flowers as well, which was a beautiful sight. Several wrestlers were crying at ringside, and there were tears all around in the building.

They also had a special message on the screen, and Antonio Inoki had a message for Liger! Liger grabbed a mic and said that he was looking forward to handing the mantle over to Hiromu Takahashi, as he saw him as the one to carry the division going forward. Liger said that the wrestling portion of his career is over, but NJPW will continue to grow.

He thanked his aging mother for being there, raising him, and being at his retirement. Liger thanked his wife and son and said that he was sorry for making them lonely, being on the road, so they would have to put up with him being home. They then gave Liger a 10-bell salute. The roster came in and hoisted Liger in the air and celebrated with him. The crowd and wrestlers then sang his theme song. This was a beautiful segment.

Toa Henare, Yota Tsuji, & Yuya Uemura vs. Karl Fredericks, Clark Connors, & Alex Coughlin

Uemura and Connors started the match exchanging basic holds. Connors was able to lock on a few submissions but got caught in a pinfall attempt as he went for a Bow & Arrow lock. Coughlin and Tsuji tagged in, and both men started hitting each other hard in the opening match. Fredricks and Connors double teamed Tsuji for a little bit, with Fredricks killing him with a chop.

Fredricks tagged out to Coughlin, and he hit several hard chops. Tsuji hit a scoop slam and tagged out to Henare, who ran wild, running over the LA Dojo Young Lions. Henare ate a chop from Coughlin, but Henare fired up and hit a spinning strike combo that ended with a spinning kick that absolutely killed Coughlin.

Henare blocked a German suplex but got hit with a combo from all three men for a two count. Uemura and Fredricks tagged in and both men starting hitting each other hard, ending with a double underhook suplex on Fredricks by Uemura.

Uemura managed to lock on a Boston crab, leaving Fredricks in the middle of the ring, but Coughlin broke up the submission. Fredericks hit a dropkick, a spinebuster, a big elbow drop, and locked on a single leg crab that got the win!

Result: Karl Fredricks, Clark Connors, & Alex Coughlin

Rating: **3/4 (2.75 stars)

Perfectly acceptable opening tag where each person got a chance to shine as the fight between the LA Dojo and the Japan Dojo has increased. Henare grab a mic at the announce table and said that 2020 was going to be his year, because Shingo brought ab fire out of him.