New Japan on AXS TV Episode 4
February 6, 2015
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Josh Barnett
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Kazuchika Okada welcomes us to the show.
Okada: “June 22nd, 2013, the Osaka match, Part 3, World Pro Wrestling returns.”
On this week’s show, we will see two matches from the “Dominion” iPPV in Osaka, Japan at the Bodymaker Colosseum from June 22, 2013.
Grudge Match: “The Real Rock ‘n’ Rolla” Prince Devitt w/The Bullet Club vs. “The Ace of the Universe” Hiroshi Tanahashi
We join this match in progress. Tanahashi with a flying forearm, then hits a crossbody, knocking Anderson & Tonga off the apron. Tanahashi with a slam, followed by a 2nd Rope Senton Bomb for 2. Tanahashi goes for the Slingblade, but Fale grabs his leg. Tanahashi dropkicks Fale off the apron, then sends Devitt outside. Tanahashi heads up top, HIGH FLY FLOW CROSSBODY WIPES OUT DEVITT & FALE!!! Back in, Devitt avoids the Slingblade, Tanahashi blocks Bloody Sunday, Devitt blocks the Dragon, hits the Pele Kick. Tanahashi slips out of Bloody Sunday, Devitt again blocks the Dragon, Tanahashi again blocks Bloody Sunday, Devitt hits Reverse Bloody Sunday, Tanahashi kicks out! Devitt heads up top, Tanahashi avoids the Coup de Grace. Devitt with a chop, Tanahashi catches him with the Slingblade! Devitt again blocks the Dragon, Strait-Jacket German by Tanahashi, Devitt kicks out! Twelve-Six by Tanahashi, he heads up top, but Fale goozles him from the apron and brings Tanahashi down with the Grenade!
BLOODY SUNDAY!!!! 1-2-3!
Winner: “The Real Rock ‘n’ Rolla” Prince Devitt by pinfall (Bloody Sunday)
Devitt & The Bullet Club stand over a fallen Tanahashi afterwards.
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to comments from Okada prior to his match with Togi Makabe.
Okada: “I had beaten Togi Makabe at G-1 and ever since I came back, I hadn’t fought him much in the IWGP. (We see highlights of their G-1 2012 match. ) My impression was that he wasn’t one of the top wrestlers. Well, the image of him being powerful is all I have. I had a debt mack from the Minoru Suzuki match, so after that was paid, I just faced whoever came out, I mean it was a title match after all.
(We see Makabe challenging Okada after Okada’s title defense against Suzuki in May 2013.
Makabe: “Hey you, Mr. Big Shot champion, your name won’t be known to the world. The world won’t hear you. I will personally show you what real pro wrestling is all about.”)
Okada: “I doubt that’s ‘real” pro wrestling. I am a genuine pro wrestling, so I think my wrestling is the real deal, so I can’t tell if Togi Makabe’s pro wrestling is real or not.”
Former IWGP Champion Stan “The Lariat” Hansen comes out before the main event.
Main Event for the IWGP Title: “The Unchained Gorilla” Togi Makabe vs. “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada (c) w/Gedo
The two go nose-to-nose before the bell, then Makabe shoves Okada. Hansen shakes both men’s hands as the bell sounds. Dueling chants for both men as the bell sounds. Makabe backs Okada into the ropes and shoves him. Chain wrestling, then Okada with an elbow drop to the leg of Makabe. Makabe quickly locks in an armbar, Okada gets out, stalemate. Okada with a gut kick and an elbow to the back of the head. Side headlock, but Makabe with a shoulder tackle. Makabe blocks a hiptoss, Okada avoids a clothesline, Makabe avoids the Rainmaker, stalemate. They go nose-to-nose again and Makabe motions for Okada to bring it. Okada with forearms, but then Makabe unloads with looping head shots and gut shots in the corner. Makabe sends Okada outside, then sends him into the barricade. Makabe then clotheslines Okada over the barricade and into the crowd. Okada sent into the ringpost, then back in, Makabe with a big slam. Series of forearms by Makabe in the corner, then he goes for the 10 punches in the corner, but Okada spins him around, hits an uppercut, then hits the Too Awesome Dropkick, sending Makabe all the way down to the outside. Okada goes out after Makabe and sends him chest-first into the barricade, followed by a running boot that sends Makabe over the barricade and into the crowd. Okada grabs Makabe, DRAPING DDT ON THE FLOOR!! Okada rolls back in as the ref begins his 20 count. Makabe gets back in as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as the ref checks on Makabe. Okada locks in a Japanese Stranglehold, Makabe gets to the ropes. Okada with a running back elbow in the corner, followed by a neckbreaker for 2. D.I.D. applied by Okada, but Makabe fights out. Okada stomps away at Makabe in the corner, but Makabe fights back with a series of forearms. Okada then comes back with a DDT for a close 2. More stomps by Okada, but Makabe yells and motions at him to give him some more. Big forearm by Okada, but Makabe again gets in his face. Makabe catches a running boot by Okada and hits a big clothesline. Series of looping shots by Makabe, followed by 2 corner clotheslines, the 10 punches in the corner and a Northern Lights for 2. Okada avoids a Lariat by Makabe and hits a big boot, followed by another neckbreaker. Okada with a slam, then heads up top and hits the Top Rope Elbow Drop. Okada does the Rainmaker Pose, but Makabe instantly gets in his face again! Strike exchange, Makabe fires up. Another strike exchange, big clothesline by Makabe, but Okada does not go down! Another clothesline, but now its Okada who gets in Makabe’s face. Another clothesline does knock down Okada. Makabe off the ropes, but Okada catches him with the Too Awesome Dropkick as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as both men are down. Another strike exchange, then Okada with a series of uppercuts. Makabe misses a clothesline, but then hits a left-arm lariat. Makabe runs into a boot, but gets Okada off a victory roll attempt. German by Makabe gets a close 2. Makabe hits the swinging DVD, then heads up top for the King Kong Knee Drop, but Okada moves out of the way! Okada locks Makabe in Red Ink, but loses his grip due to the damage done to his neck. Okada re-applies the hold, but Makabe is able to reach the ropes to force a break. Okada goes for the Tombstone, but Makabe blocks it, then avoids the Too Awesome Dropkick. Okada blocks a powerbomb by Makabe and hits him with the Emerald Frosion across the knee, followed by Heavy Rain for a close 2. Okada tries for Red Ink again, but Makabe quickly grabs the ropes. Okada hits the running sliding basement dropkick, sending Makabe to the outside. Okada goes out after Makabe and goes for the Tombstone, but Makabe blocks it. Okada charges, but Makabe catches him with a snap slam on the floor! Makabe grabs the announce table and hits Okada in the head with it! Makabe goes to the entranceway and sets up the table. Makabe grabs Okada and POWERBOMBS HIM THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!! Makabe rolls back in as the ref begins his 20 count while we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Okada is still down on the outside while the ref continues his 20 count. Makabe goes outside and brings Okada back in. Makabe with another powerbomb to Okada for a close 2. Makabe with a Rabbit Lariat in the corner, then places Okada up top. Okada blocks the Spider German, but Makabe sends him head-first off the ringpost and this time hits the Spider German! Makabe goes again for the King Kong Knee Drop, but Okada again moves out of the way! Okada with the Too Awesome Dropkick to the back of Makabe’s head, but Makabe again blocks the Tombstone. Makabe goes for the Tombstone on Okada, but Okada slips out. Makabe avoids the Rainmaker and hits a Dragon for a close 2. Makabe fires up and goes off the ropes, but Okada avoids a big clothesline and a left-arm lariat, then lifts up Makabe and this time hits the Tombstone!
Okada fires up, RAINMAKER!!!! 1-2-3!
Winner and STILL IWGP Champion: “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada by pinfall (The Rainmaker)
We go to post-match comments from Makabe.
Makabe: “What is it you want to ask me?
Reporter: “Wasn’t that a close match?”
Makabe: “A close match? You should ask him. You’d know if you saw. Well, I lost the match, its too bad, I’ll try it again, that’s how I’ve survived. That bastard Okada, I won’t accept him, but that’s because others accept him. Until I crush him, I won’t accept him. Why would I? That’ll never happen. So in the end, I’ll kick him out with my King Kong Knee Drop? That’s not a possiblity, that’s why I’ll keep on chasing. What’s wrong with that? My neck took it hard, its no good, its too bad. Everyone has their baggage. Such a brisk comment came out after a match, that must mean I’m partially satisfied. I think I’m more satisified than unsatisified. Satisfaction isn’t the right word. The dumb audience must’ve understood a little about me by now, right? You’re hopeless, if you don’t notice unless I tell you. I’ll keep doing my own wrestling, I’ll brainwash the audience.”
Back to the ring, Hansen presents Okada with the IWGP Title belt, then Gedo has the mic.
Gedo: “Hey, Osaka! Did you see what ‘real’ pro wrestling means? Hey, Makabe! I won’t say you’re not real, but its just, he’s on a ‘different level’, damn it!”
All of a sudden, we see Prince Devitt and the Bullet Club make their way to the ring.
Devitt gets into the ring and has a mic.
Devitt: “Oi, Oi, Okada! I’m the best of the Super Junior 2013, I’m the IWGP Jr. Champion, I just beat Tanahashi and next, you.”
Okada grabs the mic.
Okada: “Please tell Devitt in English (to Fale). Devitt, if you want this belt, there’s just one condition. Let’s have you bet that IWGP Jr. Championship belt too. However, as you all know, I am in the heavyweight class, so I can’t challenge that belt, but…………Gedo will fight for your IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship belt. If you accept that condition, I will accept your challenge.”
Crowd chants for Gedo.
Devitt: “Oi, Oi, first, I’ll fight you (Gedo, makes gun sounds and gun motions with finger). Second, I’ll fight Rainmaker (gun sound and gun motion with finger.) Prince Devitt, the REALLLL Rock ‘n’ Rolla is the next IWGP Heavyweight Champion!”
Devitt makes the gun motion at Okada, who in turn, does the Rainmaker pose at Devitt. Devitt and the Bullet Club leave the ring as the crowd chants for Okada.
Okada: “I’ll have Gedo speak now.”
Okada gives Gedo the mic.
Gedo: “Devitt, hey! In the next defending match, Kazuchika the Rainmaker will teach you what it means to be ‘real.’ Listen up, as long as Rainmaker is the champion, money will rain on New Japan Pro Wrestling!”
Okada celebrates in the ring as confetti falls from the ceiling.
We go to post-match press conference comments from Okada.
Okada: “I think the winner speaks the truth. I’m the ‘real’ pro wrestler.”
Back in the New Japan TV studio, Okada on the match with Makabe and the challenge from Devitt.
Okada: “Looking back at winning the Togi Makabe match in 2013, there were so many people watching and the view from the ring was superb. Each of his punches were heavy and some were really rough ones. The table piledriver did some damage, but all in all, that had no effect on me. That day Prince Devitt challenged me, he beat Tanahashi. It wasn’t often I fought with a Junior class, so it was refereshing and found it to be interesting. That was a trade-off, I couldn’t challenge him, so I thought Gedo could do it. I lost to Makabe in the 2013 G-1 because I underestimated him, since I defeated him twice in a row. (We see highlights of Makabe defeating Okada in the 2013 G-1 Climax.) I’ll easily win the next time I face him. If he wants the belt again, I’m ready to take him on. I’ve had enough of Makabe since I beat him in a title match once. I’d rather fight someone new in the next match.”