NJPW Sengoku Lord in Nagoya Results and Grades: Another all-action main event

EVIL vs. Hiromu Takahashi for IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Titles

Result: EVIL retains

The main event of the night saw the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi challenge his former stablemate EVIL for the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental titles that he won at Dominion earlier this year. EVIL and Takahashi had a unique relationship when they were stablemates when Takahashi was out with an injury for over a year EVIL would take his ring jacket with him to the ring for each match that he was a part of.

Takahashi’s opening offense was reminiscent of his match with Will Ospreay at Wrestle Kingdom 14 which ended with him earning his IWGP Junior Heavyweight title as he came out of his corner in a flash driving EVIL back into his own turnbuckle before forcing him to escape to the outside in the protection of his manager Dick Togo allowing him to recuperate for a few moments.

Togo earned his paycheck early in the match stomping on the back and neck of Takahashi while the referee had his back turned before allowing EVIL to wrap a steel chair around his neck and break it with another steel chair driving the Junior Heavyweight into the concrete floor of the arena.

While Takahashi was crumpled outside the ring EVIL took the opportunity to pull the turnbuckle pad off of the red corner driving Takahashi into the exposed turnbuckle back and neck first. EVIL seemed intent on re-injuring the recently returned wrestler and showing why you should not make the mistake of challenging for his titles.

EVIL maintained control of the match picking apart and seemingly playing with Takahashi for several moments stretching and slamming the smaller man before backing him into the red corner and delivering a few devastating chops before Takahashi was able to reverse the momentum and begin to mount an offense of his own.

Takahashi displayed his own strength when, while on the outside of the ring, he pulled EVIL into a powerbomb position, and while holding EVIL there, held Dick Togo at bay by kicking at him before power bombing EVIL into his manager. Unfortunately for Takahashi, his momentum was short-lived as EVIL quickly took control of the match back punishing the smaller man.

EVIL tried at one point to deliver a Darkness Falls to Takahashi on the apron but it was revered into a Darkness Falls of Takahashi’s own leaving EVIL on the outside of the ring. Once there Takahashi climbed to the top rope and delivered a moonsault to the man leaving both outside the ring leaving Red Shoes Unno no choice but to deliver a count.

Takahashi was able to break the count at 16 bringing both men back into the ring. After a few moments, the action resumed with EVIL battering Takahashi in the corner before taking him to the top rope delivering a massive superplex into the center of the ring and following it up with a pin attempt that was kicked out of at two. After the kick out EVIL german suplexed Hiromu expecting to leave him lying prone in the ring but Hiromu was quickly back to his feet taunting the champion.

EVIL suplexed Takahashi five more times over the next few minutes hoping to break his spirit if not his spine before dragging him around by his wrist and setting up for his finisher Everything is EVIL before he collapsed. EVIL pulled him up again and with a last-ditch burst of strength Takahashi drove him into the corner with the exposed turnbuckle driving the air from his lungs.

When EVIL came out of the corner Takahashi pulled him into a triangle choke position hoping to force the submission before breaking the hold and transitioning into a swinging DDT leaving the champion prone on the canvas.

Hiromu was able to perform a few high impact moves leading to a pair of near falls with EVIL kicking out at the last possible second before pulling him up onto his shoulders and running him into the corner. EVIL then positioned himself between Takahashi and Red Shoes Unno goading Takahashi into running at him before ducking out of the way leading Takahashi to hit Red Shoes.

Dick Togo then entered the ring and began to beat down Takahashi even at one point assisting EVIL with his and SANADA’s tag team finisher Magic Killer before being driven out of the ring by Takahashi.

Takahashi recovered slightly picking EVIL up onto his shoulders and running him into the exposed turnbuckle before using his finisher the Time Bomb pulling EVIL into another pinning predicament leading him to kick out at 2.5. Takahashi then used Time Bomb II leading to another near fall this time broken up by Dick Togo pulling the referee out of the ring by his leg and throwing him into the barricade before choking Takahashi with a length of chain. Allowing for EVIL to preform his finisher Everything Is EVIL and pinning Takahashi to retain his titles.

Grade: A+ 

This match was incredible and lends massive credibility to Takahashi’s eventual jump to the Heavyweight division.

Following the match, Bone Soldier came out and attacked Takahashi setting himself up as the next challenger for his Junior Heavyweight title. The attack was then broken up by Naito who came out and stared down EVIL with a mic in hand and said, “You’ve talked about justice a lot. Justice and darkness. Are you confused, EVIL? Two belts seem much too heavy for a guy like that. Rental time is over. Give ’em back. ”

It seems that a rematch is in the cards for Naito most likely at the final Summer Struggle show at Jingu Stadium.

In his post-match comments EVIL, flanked by both Bone Soldier and Dick Togo, said, “I sent your neck, your heart, your hopes and your dreams to hell. Naito, I am what’s just!”

We’ll see an incredible summer of New Japan Pro Wrestling conclude with the next and possibly last chapter in the Naito/EVIL saga in one month’s time on August 29th!