#d'courage

New Japan Pro Wrestling

The New Japan Cup first round continued here today, and you can see it now on NJPWWorld. As stated previously, Great O-Khan has a bye into the second round due to Kota Ibushi’s withdrawal, where he will face Taiji Ishimori on 3/12/2022.

- 3/6/2022, Fukushima Big Palette

Yuji Nagata d. Kosei Fujita (Nagata Lock II, 7:36)

Chase Owens, El Phantasmo & Gedo [Bullet Club] d. Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Tiger Mask IV (ELP > Honma, Thunder Kiss ‘86, 9:03)

Ryusuke Taguchi, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato d. EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi [Bullet Club] (Tanahashi > Yujiro, Roll-Up, 9:59)

Shingo Takagi, SANADA, Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi [Los Ingobernables] d. Tomohiro Ishii, Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & YOH [CHAOS] (SANADA > YOH, Skull End, 13:23)

Bad Luck Fale & Taiji Ishimori [Bullet Club] d. Jeff Cobb & Great O-Khan [United Empire] (Fale > O-Khan, Grenade, 11:12)

New Japan Cup 2022 1st Round: Aaron Henare [United Empire] d. Yuto Nakashima (Rampage Tackle, 8:40) 

New Japan Cup 2022 1st Round: Zack Sabre Jr. [SZKG] d. Ryohei Oiwa (Heel Hook, 10:35) 

New Japan Cup 2022 1st Round: Will Ospreay [United Empire] d. BUSHI [Los Ingobernables] (Hidden Blade, 12:48) 

There should be absolutely no surprises as to who advanced on this show, given we had two Young Lions in Cup matches, and they never give BUSHI anything anyway. The second round matches for today’s winners look like this:

- 3/12/2022, Aichi Dolphin’s Arena

New Japan Cup 2022 2nd Round: El Phantasmo [Bullet Club] v. Will Ospreay [United Empire]

New Japan Cup 2022 2nd Round: SANADA [Los ingobernables] v. Aaron Henare [United Empire]

New Japan Cup 2022 2nd Round: DOUKI [SZKG] v. Zack Sabre Jr. [SZKG]

New Japan Cup 2022 2nd Round: Taiji Ishimori [Bullet Club] v. Great O-Khan [United Empire]

More TBA

Yesterday also had the first NJPW Strong from the Rivals taping in February, from the Vermont Hollywood in LA.

TJP [United Empire] d. Brogan Finlay (Pinoy Stretch, 9:06)

Christopher Daniels [FREE] d. Karl Fredericks (Best Moonsault Ever, 11:40)

JONAH & Bad Dude Tito d. Juice Robinson & David Finlay Jr. (Tito > Finlay, Frog Splash, 8:16)

Bad night for the Brothers Finlay, I guess.

Elsewhere, last night at Impact’s Sacrifice PPV event, Jay White beat Alex Shelley, whilst Eric Young & Joe Doering, now with Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa aligned with Violent By Design against Jay’s Bullet Club faction, beat The Good Brothers for the Impact World Tag Team titles.

The Cup’s final 1st Round matches take place tomorrow.

- 3/7/2022, Tokyo Ota Ward Gymnasium

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma v. Will Osreay, Great O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aaron Henare [United Empire]

Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI [Los Ingobernables] v. Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo [Bullet Club]

Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & YOH [CHAOS] v. El Desperado, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI [SZKG]

New Japan Cup 2022 1st Round: Chase Owens [Bullet Club] v. Jado [Bullet Club]

New Japan Cup 2022 1st Round: Ryusuke Taguchi v. EVIL [Bullet Club]

New Japan Cup 2022 1st Round: Hiromu Takahashi [Los Ingobernables] v. SHO [Bullet Club]

New Japan Cup 2022 1st Round: Tomohiro Ishii [CHAOS] v. Shingo Takagi [Los Ingobernables]

Dragon Gate

The two nights of Champion Gate 2022 in Osaka have taken place, and you can see them now on DG Network. The opening matches of both cards (I think) are on YouTube, so do check those out. Many title matches were had across the two nights.

Champion Gate 2022 in Osaka Night 1 - 3/5/2022, Osaka EDION Arena Subarena (Dragon Gate Network)

Open The Brave Gate Championship: Dragon Dia [D’Courage] © d. Takuma Fujiwara (Double Cork, 11:00) - Dia succeeds his 1st defense

Masaaki Mochizuki, Gamma, Shuji Kondo & Churaumi Saver [Ryukyu Dragon] d. Dragon Kid [HIGH-END], Ben-K [HIGH-END], La Estrella & Gurukun Mask [Ryukyu Dragon] (Kondo > Estrella, King Kong Lariat, 10:13)

Yuki Yoshioka [D’Courage] d. SB KENTo [Z-Brats] (DQ, 8:31)

HYO & Diamante [Z-Brats] d. Eita & Yosuke Santa Maria (HYO > Yosuke, Schoolboy, 4:17)

YAMATO, Kagetora & Jason Lee [HIGH-END] d. Don Fujii, Takashi Yoshida & Jason Lee (YAMATO > Fujii, Frankensteiner Of The Almighty, 11:21)

Big Boss Shimizu, Susumu Yokosuka & Genki Horiguchi [Natural Vibes] d. KAI, BxB Hulk & Shun Skywalker [Z-Brats] (Shimizu > KAI, La Magistral, 9:29)

Open The Triangle Gate Championship: Naruki Doi, Kota Minoura & Kaito Ishida [Gold Class] d. Kzy, U-T & Jacky “Funky” Kamei [Natural Vibes] © (Minoura > U-T, Gang, 14:30) - Kzy/U-T/ Kamei fail their 1st defense - Gold Class are the 77th champions

I mean, once Gold Class had their name and look, it was obvious they were winning these titles. Almost seems a bit facetious now to have had that tournament a few weeks back, but I am not a pro wrestling booker. Takumi Hayakawa is still Minorita, and accompanied the unit to the ring. It’s also pretty obvious that KAI will retain at tomorrow’s show, given Big Boss Shimizu now has another direct win before the title match. It’s just pro wrestling rules and logic; AEW gave away a few finishes for tonight’s PPV on Dynamite on Wednesday too.

Takuma Fujiwara showed out on this show, showing heavy young Jun Akiyama vibes in his title challenge against Dragon Dia. He and Ryu Fuda are gonna be good ones, just wait.

Z-Brats were in a good spot on this show. Gurukun Mask and Churaumi Saver (I thought it was Sabre but apparently it is Saver) from Ryukyu Dragon appeared today too. Gurukun Mask & YAMATO fell to Jun Kasai & Takashi Sasaki at the RDPW show in Shinjuku on Friday. However, Kzy & U-T did win the Twin Ryuo Tag Team titles from Churaumi Saver & Minoru Fujita, becoming the 4th champions of those titles. NOAH’s Kendo Kashin was also on that show, beating Hibiscus Mii.

 Champion Gate 2022 in Osaka Night 2 - 3/6/2022, Osaka EDION Arena Subarena (Dragon Gate Network)

Naruki Doi, Kota Minoura & Kaito Ishida [Gold Class] d. BxB Hulk, Shun Skywalker & Diamante [Z-Brats] (Minoura > Hulk, Engranaje, 10:35)

Masaaki Mochizuki & Ho Ho Lun d. Shuji Kondo & Ryu Fuda (Mochizuki > Fuda, Twister, 6:59)

Takashi Yoshida, Strong Machine J & Gurukun Mask [Ryukyu Dragon] d. Don Fujii, Gamma & Churaumi Saver [Ryukyu Dragon] (Gurukun > Gamma, Gurukun Leg Roll Clutch, 8:43)

Ben-K [HIGH-END] NC Jason Lee (10:15)

Kzy, Susumu Yokosuka, U-T & Jacky “Funky” Kamei [Natural Vibes] d. YAMATO, Dragon Kid, Kagetora & Keisuke Okuda [HIGH-END] (Kzy > Kagetora, Running Elbow Smash, 10:08)

Open The Twin Gate Championship 3-Way Match: Dragon Dia & Yuki Yoshioka [D’Courage] © d. HYO & SB KENTo [Z-Brats] and Eita & Yosuke Santa Maria - Yosuke > KENTo, Inside Cradle, 14:12 - Yoshioka > Eita, Pinfall, 16:27 - D’Courage succeed their 2nd defense

Open The Dream Gate Championship: KAI [Z-Brats] © d. Big Boss Shimizu [Natural Vibes] (Authorized Gannosuke Clutch, 18:23) - KAI succeeds his 2nd defense

I’ve not had a chance to watch any of this show, so no idea who if anyone challenged KAI to be the next defense. D’Courage did retain their belts, however Yosuke got some measure of revenge over the two members of Z-Brats who usurped Eita’s position in R.E.D., so maybe that will take this Eita/Yosuke thing somewhere. Kota Minoura continues to be the one who wins for Gold Class, and I can’t help thinking there is a storyline thing here somewhere; Minorita was there as well this time too. Ben-K v. Jason Lee ended due to Z-Brats interference, leading into this 3-way match for I guess the rights to Jason Lee’s unit membership? I don’t know, seems a bit goofy.

The next show is on Saturday, a house show from Okayama. Eita has a title match challenge in NOAH next weekend, as does Masaaki Mochizuki, so I wouldn’t expect them on the Sunday 3/13/2022 show at least. The next livestreamed event is on 3/19/2022 from Kyoto KBS Hall, and the next one after that is not until 4/7/2022 from Tokyo Korakuen Hall, the retirement match for K-Ness.

GLEAT

GLEAT came back to action yesterday, with an all-Lidet-UWF-Rules show, which makes it an automatic must-see. The event was live on YouTube, so check it out.

GLEAT LIDET UWF Ver. 2 - 3/5/2022, Tokyo Shinjuku FACE (YouTube)

UWF Rules: Kaz Hayashi & Soma Watanabe d. TAKA Michinoku [JTO] & Akira Jumonji (8:30)

UWF Rules: Madeline d. Michiko Miyagi (4:55)

UWF Rules: Daisuke Sekimoto [BJW] d. Rionne Fujiwara (8:40)

UWF Rules: Takanori Ito & Minoru Tanaka d. Kengo Mashino & Takuro Niki (KO, 14:02)

UWF Rules: Daisuke Nakamura d. Daijiro Matsui (7:28)

UWF Rules: Tetsuya Izuchi d. Yu Iizuka (Referee’s Decision, 0:39)

That’s a… short main event there.

DDT / Tokyo Joshi

Tokyo Joshi ran their final prelude show on Saturday before Grand Princess ’22 on 3/19/2022 from Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan. It was announced that Hidekazu “Kero” Tanaka, the former NJPW ring announcer who was just at the 50th Anniversary Show on Tuesday, will be at that event; apparently he just had a brink-of-death recovery from COVID-19 recently, so glad to hear he is OK from that!

Tokyo Joshi 2022 Winter - 3/5/2022, Tokyo Ryogoku KFC Hall (Wrestle Universe)

Mahiro Kiryu & Haruna Neko d. Nao Kakuta & Kaya Toribami (Kiryu > Toribami, Spinebuster, 10:34)

3-Way Match: Hyper Misao d. Yuki Aino & Arisu Endo (Misao > Endo, La Magistral, 7:53)

Hikari Noa & Yuki Kamifuku d. Raku & Pom Harajuku (Noa > Harajuku, Blizzard Suplex, 8:50)

Nodoka Tenma d. Marika Kobashi (Killswitch, 9:12)

Miyu Yamashita, Maki Itoh, Yuka Sakazaki, Mizuki & Suzume d. Shoko Nakajima, Yukai Arai, Rika Tatsumi, Miu Watanabe & Moka Miyamoto (Itoh > Arai, Ioth Punish, 23:45)

Maki Itoh gets a direct win on her challenger on 3/19, as the champions team beat the challengers team. Hope this isn’t any sort of omen. Nodoka Tenma and Marika Kobashi are both leaving TJPW around the same time, after having started around the same time, and now Tenma has beaten Kobashi as they both are on the way out.

TJPW also ran some sort of gimmick show today from Itabashi Green Hall that won’t be on Wrestle Universe until Wednesday, so no idea what all these gimmicks are.

TJPW Universe Member Box Office – Pure Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling 6 - 3/6/2022, Tokyo Itabashi Green Hall

Cooking Match – Rice You Want To Make On White Day: Arisu Endo d. Yuka Sakazaki (Omelet Rice > Napolitan Rice by Daisuke Kiso Judgement)

Banned Act Lost Point System Tag Match: Miu Watanabe & Moka Miyamoto TKO Miyu Yamaashita & Maki Itoh (11:03)

Foot Sole Reading Anagram 5-Way Match: Shoko Nakajima d. Mizuki, Yuki Kamifuku, Raku & Kaya Toribami (11:01)

Hyper Misao & Haruno Neko d. Mil Nodcaras & Yuki Caras (Misao > Nodcaras, Jackknife Hold, 9:53)

Costume Change Match: Rika Tatsumi, Marika Kobashi & Suzume d. Hikari Noa, Nao Kakuta & Mahiro Kiryu (Tatsumi > Kiryu, Torso Squeeze Dragon Sleeper, 13:59)

I am making a wild guess that the “Caras”es in the semi-main were Nodoka Tenma & Yuki Aino in Mil Mascaras masks.

DDT has announced that Kazuki Hirata is back from COVID-19, and will be in a 6-man tag match on DDT’s 3/13/2022 show. They also announced that a match inside a moving train from Goi Station to Yoro Valley Station, both in Chiba Prefecture, will take place on 4/2/2022. The trip usually takes an hour and a half, if Google Maps is to be believed. 32 fans will be aboard this train as well.

Tokyo Joshi is done until Ryogoku, whilst DDT runs next weekend.

STARDOM

STARDOM, another joshi promotion heading to Ryogoku later this month, ran two shows this weekend themselves.

- 3/5/2022, Osaka Rinkai Sports Center

Saki Kashima [Oedo Tai] d. Hanan [STARS] (Kishikaisei, 6:59)

Natsupoi [Donna del Mondo] d. Momo Kohgo (9:34)

Giulia, Himeka, Thekla & Mai Sakurai [Donna del Mondo] d. Tam Nakano, Mina Shirakawa, Unagi Sayaka & Waki Tsukiyama [Cosmic Angels] (Thekla > Tsukiyama, Toxic Spider Death Drop, 11:47)

Syuri, Maika & MIRAI [Donna del Mondo] TLD Mayu Iwatani, Koguma & Hazuki [STARS] (15:00)

AZM, Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani & Lady C [Queen’s Quest] d. Rina, Ruaka, Starlight Kid & Momo Watanabe [Oedo Tai] (C > Rina, Chokeslam, 17:06)

- 3/6/2022, Shizuoka Kira Messe Numazu

Saki Kashima [Oedo Tai] d. Waka Tsukiyama (5:16)

AZM [Queen’s Quest] d. Hanan [STARS] (German Suplex Hold, 8:54)

Utami Hayashishita, Saya Kamitani & Lady C [Queen’s Quest] TLD Tam Nakano, Mina Shirakawa & Unagi Sayaka [Cosmic Angels] (20:00)

Ruaka, Fukigen Death, Starlight Kid & Momo Watanabe [Oedo Tai] d. Giulia, MIRAI, Thekla & Mai Sakurai [Donna del Mondo] (Ruaka > Thekla, Freezer Bomb, 16:05)

Syuri, Maika, Himeka & Natsupoi [Donna del Mondo] d. Mayu Iwatani, Koguma, Hazuki & Momo Kohgo [STARS] (Syuri > Kohgo, White Tiger, 16:26)

I’m confused as to what unit Momo Kohgo actually belongs to. Maybe none, and she’s an unaffiliated rookie or something? It’s possible. Ruaka gets a direct win over the SWA champion, so I am expecting a title match to come from that pretty soon. STARDOM’s English Twitter account really liked AZM v. Hanan, so check that one out when it hits STARDOM World I guess.

STARDOM’s next show is on Friday 3/11/2022, New Blood v1, which will have the debut of Miyu Amasaki against Utami Hayashishita. The company also runs on Saturday and Sunday next weekend too.

Pro Wrestling NOAH

NOAH held another N Innovation show yesterday, from Yokohama Radiant Hall.

N Innovation - 3/5/2022, Kanagawa Yokohama Radiant Hall (Wrestle Universe)

Super Crazy [Perros del Mal de Japon] d. Yasutaka Yano (9:03)

Tadasuke & Nio [Kongo] d. Alejandro & Kai Fujimura (Nio > Fujimura, Stuka Splash, 11:22)

Kaito Kiyomiya & Daiki Inaba d. Kotaro Suzuki & Ikuto Hidaka [Perros del Mal de Japon] (Inaba > Hidaka, DDD, 15:00)

NOSAWA Rongai [Perros del Mal de Japon] d. YO-HEY (9:47)

HAYATA, Yoshinari Ogawa & Yuya Susumu [STINGER] d. Daisuke Harada, Hao & Junta Miyawaki (Ogawa > Miyawaki, 22:15)

Atsushi Kotoge d. Hajime Ohara [Kongo] (KIllswitch, 24:15)

Kotoge gets a win over his now-former Momo no Seishun Tag partner Hajime Ohara, whilst NOSAWA Rongai gets one over on the guy he kicked out of Perros del Mal de Japon. There’s a lot of other NOAH-related news down at the bottom of this post, as a bunch of NOAH talents worked ZERO1 today.

NOAH’s next show is a big one, Grand Voyage in Yokohama, next Sunday, which will be shown live on Wrestle Universe. The GHC Heavyweight Tag Team vacancy will be filled here, and there’s a GHC junior title match as well.

Great Voyage 2022 in Yokohama - 3/13/2022, Kanagawa Yokohama Budokan (Wrestle Universe)

Junta Miyawaki v. Kinya Okada

GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Tournament 1st Round: Naomichi Marufuji & Masaaki Mochizuki [M’s Alliance] v. Kaito Kiyomiya & Daiki Inaba

GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Tournament 1st Round: Kenoh & Masakatsu Funaki [Kongo] v. Takashi Sugiura & Hideki Suzuki [Sugiura-gun]

HAYATA [STINGER], Yoshinari Ogawa [STINGER] & Yasutaka Yano v. Tadasuke, Hajime Ohara & Nio [Kongo]

Atsushi Kotoge, Hao & Alejandro v. NOSAWA Rongai, Super Crazy & Ikuto Hidaka [Perros del Mal de Japon]

YO-HEY v. Kotaro Suzuki [Perros del Mal de Japon]

Go Shiozaki v. Manabu Soya [Kongo]

Kazuyuki Fujita, Kazushi Sakuraba & Kendo Kashin [Sugiura-gun] v. Masato Tanaka [M’s Alliance], Masa Kitamiya & Yoshiki Inamura

GHC Juniorheavyweight Championship: Daisuke Harada © v. Eita [Perros del Mal de Japon]

GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Tournament Final: TBD

Other News

Pro Wrestling ZERO1 ran today in Tokyo Korakuen Hall billed as “Shinjiro Otani Debut 30th Anniversary Year – ZERO1 21st Anniversary Launch.” ZERO1, founded by Shinya Hashimoto & Shinjiro Otani, did run their first show on 3/2/2001 from Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan, the main event of which had NOAH’s Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama beating Shinya Hashimoto & Yuji Nagata. The debut show was a Who’s Who of Japanese wrestling at the time. In today’s ZERO1, NOAH’s Takashi Sugiura is their World Heavyweight Champion, and remains so, having beaten Takuya Sugawara today. Post-main, none other than Shinjiro Otani challenged Sugiura for that title. There was also a title change, as Junya Matsunaga & Takafumi beat Gajo & Tomohiko Hashimoto for the NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship. Masato Tanaka also beat the Big Tank Yoshiki Inamura. If you want to see this one, it was shown on Wrestle Universe, so have at it.

Speaking of the Hashimoto family and title changes, Big Japan also have new tag team champions, as Okami (Daichi Hashimoto & Hideyoshi Kamitani) beat Strong BJ (Daisuke Sekimoto & Yuji OKabayashi) in the main event of their Korakuen Hall show today. That will be on Samurai! TV soon enough. That does actually sound like a good main event. I still think BJW has done wrong by Kamitani (and maybe Hashimoto) over the years, but to their credit, they’ve stuck by BJW regardless.

Osaka Pro held a Pre-Launch Battle card, before their relaunch, earlier today in Osaka, oddly enough. The main event had Black Buffalo, Kazuaki Mihara & Quiet Storm beating Ares, Billy Ken Kid & Zeus. Some of the other Osaka Pro standbys of old including Tsubasa, Ebessan, Kuishinbo Kamen and Tigers Mask were on the show too.

Other promotions that ran this weekend include 2AW, 666, Ice Ribbon, Diana, HEAT UP, Michinoku Pro, PURE-J, Marvelous, ChocoPro, as well as some one-off shows.

Ah a triple submission!