New Japan on AXS TV Episode 16
June 5, 2015
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Josh Barnett
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
Togi Makabe welcomes us to the show.
This week, its Part 2 of 3 from the June 22, 2014 “Dominion” iPPV from Osaka, Japan. We go to the opening match.
NWA Tag Team Titles: The Killer Elite Squad (“The American Psycho” Lance Archer & “The Canadian Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith Jr.) w/TAKA vs. TenCozy (Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan) (c’s)
KES attack the champs before the bell. No one goes down off a shoulder tackle between Smith & Tenzan. Tenzan then with a shoulder tackle to Smith. Series of Mongolian chops by Tenzan, but Smith with a forearm. Smith off the ropes, but Tenzan with a spinning heel kick. Archer & Kojima tag in. Kojima with a side headlock, but no one goes down off a shoulder tackle. Archer runs into a boot and a forearm. Tenzan and Kojima trade strikes on Archer, knocking him down. Slingshot elbow drop/falling headbutt combo by the champs on Archer, Smith knocked off the apron by Kojima. Kojima hits the rapid-fire chops on Archer, then knocks TAKA off the apron, but the distraction allows Archer to hit Kojima with a Black Hole Slam.
Archer with a series of short-arm clotheslines on Kojima. Smith in, double shoulder tackle and a legdrop/splash combo by KES for a nearfall as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as the crowd wills on Kojima. Kojima fights back, but Smith with a series of knees to the ribs. Suplex by Smith, Tenzan breaks up the pin. Smith sends Tenzan to the outside. Camel Clutch applied by Smith, then he removes Kojima’s nasal strip. Archer in, avalanche to Kojima. Archer with a delayed suplex on Kojima, Tenzan breaks up the pin again. Archer sends Tenzan to the outside. Back club to Kojima, Smith tags in. Smith with a kick to the groin of Kojima. Russian Leg Sweep and a legdrop by Smith for a nearfall. Crowd again wills on Kojima. Big slam by Smith, Archer tags in. Kojima avoids a corner charge, then hits a big forearm.
Tenzan in, but Archer blocks the Mongolian Chop. Tenzan with a headbutt, avoids a corner charge and hits a corner clothesline. Series of headbutts and stomps in the corner. Tenzan with a shot to Smith on the apron, then heads up top and hits the falling knee drop to the back of Archer’s head for a 1 count. Mongolian Chop, then Tenzan blocks an Archer goozle. Archer comes back with a big boot, then knocks Kojima off the apron. Archer with a slam on Tenzan, then heads up top. Archer with a moonsault for a nearfall. Archer gets in the ref’s face, then mocks Tenzan with his own Mongolian Chops. Archer off the ropes, but Tenzan catches him with the Mountain Bomb. Kojima in, but Smith with a running knee. Kojima avoids a corner charge and hits the rapid-fire chops on Smith. Running forearm in the corner, then Kojima heads up top. Top Rope Elbow Drop by Kojima for a nearfall. Strike exchange, with Kojima gaining advantage. Rolling elbow by Kojima, but Smith catches him with a powerslam for a nearfall. Kojima slips out of a suplex and hits a DDT. Archer knocked off the apron, then Kojima with an Ace Crusher on Smith. Off comes the elbow pad, but Kojima runs into a boot. Smith blocks the Lariat with a boot, then KES with a Hart Attack variation on Kojima for a nearfall. Tenzan knocked off the apron, then KES calls for the Killer Bomb. Kojima fights back, but Archer catches him. Tenzan stops the Killer Bomb and sends Archer to the outside. TenCozy with a 3-D on Smith, but Archer breaks it up. Archer with a chokeslam on Tenzan, but Kojima clotheslines Archer to the outside. Smith with a Tiger on Kojima for a nearfall. KES again call for the Killer Bomb and hit it on Kojima, but TENZAN BREAKS UP THE PIN!! Smith calls for the Bulldog Bomb, but Kojima slips out. Smith with knees to the ribs, but Kojima catches him with the Lariat!
Second Lariat by Kojima to Smith for the win.
Winners and STILL NWA Tag Team Champions: TenCozy by pinfall (Lariat)
TenCozy celebrate their title retention afterwards as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to the TV-Asahi studios with Togi Makabe, talking about the build to the IWGP Tag Team Title match on this show.
Makabe on why he decided to team up with Tanahashi:
“The championship belts represent each wrestling group and the groups that have them now are the non-Japanese forces and CHAOS. With that being said, its time the New Japan Army got its dignity back. That’s why, and Tanahashi is the #1 wrestler in the New Japan Army, to be honest.
Makabe on wrestling the match with a broken jaw:
“That’s professional wrestling. I’ll say it again, that’s professional wrestling. I’ll say that to the camera, that’s wrestling. You get injured with wrestling, you collide on purpose, of course, you get hurt. (We see video from the May 25, 2014 Yokohama Arena iPPV where Makabe broke his jaw in a tag match against Goto & Shibata.) But, you can’t say, ‘I’m taking time off because I’m hurt.’ No one will say, ‘OK, try harder next time.’ Taking time off due to an injury is like disappearing, so that’s how I feel. Its from when I was young, starting at the bottom, being taught that way. I’ll fight with a minor injury. Well, I kept going because I knew I could, that’s how I am.”
Makabe on Anderson & Gallows as a team:
“If you ask me, they are specialists. They are good at everything. They can also take hits, as if they were made of jelly. They’ll absorb and take in many moves, but in the end, they’ll make the best move on you. Its hard to tell if your moves affect them, but you just have to keep attacking them. Everything from their technique, their speed, and their ability to sneak up on you….from every one of their aspects…they are specialists, no doubt.”
Commercial
Back from commercial, we go to the main event.
IWGP Tag Team Titles: King Ace (“The Ace of the Universe” Hiroshi Tanahashi & “The Unchained Gorilla” Togi Makabe) vs. Gallows & Gun (“Machine Gun” Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) (c’s)
Anderson throws his shirt at Tanahashi before the bell. Tanahashi & Anderson start. Tanahashi with a side headlock into a hammerlock. Tanahashi with a side headlock takeover, Anderson with a headscissors to get out, but Tanahashi with a kip-up to get free, then Tanahashi does some air guitar to taunt Anderson. Tanahashi goes back to the side headlock, but Anderson grabs his hair. Tanahashi with a series of sledges to the ribs, but then Gallows pulls his hair from the apron. Anderson with a series of uppercuts, then bites his forehead in the corner and taunts the crowd. Anderson runs into a back elbow, then Tanahashi with a crossbody off the middle rope. Makabe in, but Anderson quickly gets free and tags in Gallows. Gallows talks trash to Makabe, but no one goes down off 3 shoulder tackle attempts. Gallows then with a big right hand to the injured jaw of Makabe. Tanahashi quickly tags in as Makabe drops down to the outside. Anderson in, series of uppercuts to Tanahashi. Tanahashi with an armdrag and a dropkick. Gallows catches Tanahashi off a crossbody and Anderson with a kick that sends Tanahashi to the outside. Gallows knocks Makabe off the apron, then sends him into the barricade and hits another big right hand to the injured jaw. Gallows then grabs a PIECE OF THE BARRICADE and drops it across Makabe multiple times! Makabe is still holding his jaw as Gallows then chokes Makabe with his own chain, followed by another right hand to the injured jaw. Anderson then hits Tanahashi with the apron powerbomb! Gallows & Gun taunts the crowd while the ref begins the 20 count on King Ace. Tanahashi JUST BARELY gets back by the count of 20. Anderson stomps away at Tanahashi, then unloads with right hands from the mount as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Gallows tags in, snap suplex to Tanahashi while Anderson sends Makabe into the barricade. Series of elbow drops by Gallows to Tanahashi for a nearfall. Big right hand, Anderson tags in. Snapmare into a chinlock. Crowd wills on Tanahashi. Tanahashi fights back, but Anderson with another uppercut. Anderson avoids a Tanahashi dropkick, but Tanahashi avoids an Anderson back senton. Tanahashi goes to make a tag, but Makabe is still down on the outside. Gallows in and stomps away at Tanahashi. Anderson in, but Tanahashi fights out of the Gallows & Gun corner. Anderson rakes Tanahashi’s eyes, but Tanahashi comes back with a flying forearm.
Makabe in, knocks Gallows off the apron. Series of corner clotheslines to Anderson, followed by the 10 punches in the corner. Northern Lights for a nearfall. Anderson blocks a German, but Makabe with a clothesline for a nearfall. Makabe goes for another clothesline, but Anderson catches him with a spinebuster. Gallows in, but no one goes down multiple times off stereo clotheslines. Gallows with a gut kick, but misses a clothesline and Makabe nails him with a big clothesline. Tanahashi in, series of forearms and gut shots to Gallows. Dropkick to the knees, but Gallows catches a crossbody and hits a fallaway slam. Anderson in, running kick, followed by a Gallows avalanche. Back Suplex/Neckbreaker combo by Gallows & Gun, Anderson with a back senton, then Gallows with a big splash, but Makabe breaks up the pin. Gallows with another right hand to the injured jaw of Makabe. Anderson with a TKO to Tanahashi for a nearfall. Gallows & Gun go for the Magic Killer, but Makabe breaks it up. Makabe clotheslines Gallows to the corner, then hits a clothesline to Anderson. Tanahashi hits the Slingblade on Anderson, then heads up top. Tanahashi goes for the High Fly Flow, but Anderson gets the knees up, then cradles Tanahashi for a nearfall as we go to commercial.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Gallows with another shot to Makabe’s jaw on the outside. Tanahashi slips out of the Bernard Driver, but Anderson blocks the Dragon. Tanahashi slips out of the Gun Stun and another Bernard Driver attempt and hits the Dragon Screw. Makabe in, but Anderson gets the boot up off a charge. Gallows with a double sledge from behind. Makabe avoids a Gallows & Gun double team, double clothesline to Gallows & Gun! Tanahashi wipes out Gallows with a slingshot plancha, then Makabe with a powerbomb to Anderson for a nearfall. Makabe with a Death Valley Driver, then Tanahashi heads up top and hits the High Fly Flow! Makabe heads up top, but as the ref is checking on Tanahashi, Gallows nails Makabe in the back with a chair, knocking him off the ropes! Gallows then grabs Tanahashi and nails him with a chairshot to the back. In the ring, Gallows then hits Makabe with the Gallows Pole. Anderson covers Makabe, but MAKABE KICKS OUT!! Gallows & Gun go for the Magic Killer on Makabe, but Tanahashi breaks it up. Tanahashi with a series of gut shots and a jawbreaker to Gallows. Tanahashi off the ropes and goes for the Slingblade, but Gallows catches him. Magic Killer by Gallows & Gun to Tanahashi, sending him to the outside. Makabe fights back on Gallows & Gun, then goes off the ropes, but Anderson catches him with the Gun-Stun!
Magic Killer on Makabe by Gallows & Gun to retain the titles.
Winners and STILL IWGP Tag Team Champions: Gallows & Gun by pinfall (Magic Killer)
Gallows & Gun celebrate their title retention afterwards.
We go backstage to post-match comments from Gallows & Gun.
Anderson: “Bullet Club is Ichiban, huh?”
Gallows: “We’re the Bullet Club and we’re dropping bombs.”
We go to post-match comments from Tanahashi.
“I’ll only say what I’m thinking. This tag…..I don’t want it to end today.”
We go back to the TV-Asahi studios with Makabe.
Makabe on looking back on the match:
“Its good tactics to attack the opponent’s weakeness. But your jaw is where you bite down, right? Obviously, it hurts. It hurts, but what else can I do? I could’ve taken time off from the match, but my place would be gone. At a match, I’ll try to win with a big impact. I only think about fighting and winning for more glory. I don’t care if anyone else misses their matches, I just can’t miss a match. Its not because I’m too busy, or anything like that, I just don’t want to. How can I? I just can’t miss a match. I’m known as a professional wrestler. A broken jaw? How can I miss a match just from a broken jaw? That’s just how I feel.”
Makabe on tagging with Tanahashi:
“I didn’t think much of it. What that means is that it was a comfortable tag. I moved easily around him. Of course, we know each other. I understand him and he gets me too. We’ve known each other for 15, 16 years so we both know.
Makabe on why he & Tanahashi didn’t do double-team moves in the match:
“I think….I think that’s why Tanahashi and I…..its where we trust each other. In many ways, I think its boring otherwise. We can’t win without each of us doing our best. If we have more opportunities like this, I guess we’ll try it out. You know, there may be times when we must move together, like a shoulder tackle, or we can think of other moves to double-team, there are many ways, anything is possible, anything could happen.”
This closes the show.