New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) is back again and we’re onto our last show before the G1 Climax. The show will be broadcast worldwide on AXS TV. (It should be uploaded after the fact on New Japan’s streaming service, NJPW World.)
The show takes place tonight (Sat., July 7, 2018) at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Get full results from the entire show here:
Bullet Club (Chase Owens, Haku, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, & Yujiro Takahashi) vs. Chaos (Gedo, Rocky Romero, SHO, YOH, & YOSHI-HASHI)
Haku and YOSHI-HASHI to start, the younger man game to fight but Meng is still one of the baddest men on the planet and knocks him away. Rather than divide and conquer, Bullet Club allow the usual New Japan “shift through the matches” format to play out, with Loa and Romero up next. Rocky uses his speed advantage to pull ahead, but Bullet Club go underhanded to turn it around and chaos reigns.
HAKU WITH A JUMPING PILEDRIVER BUT ROMERO MANAGES TO KICK OUT AT THE LAST FRACTION OF THE COUNT! Biz Cliz isolate Rocky after, Chase Owens working him over for a while before tagging Yujiro in. Romero manages to break free with a bit of lucha libre and tags YOH in. RPG3K take control on the Tokyo Pimp, but he takes advatage of their relative inexperience and tags out after an inverted DDT.
Tama in, running hot, Gedo comes in for the first time and takes control for a moment but the match quickly breaks down into the “everybody do something cool” section of the match. Gedo looks to win with a superkick but here comes Haku with the Tongan Death Grip! GUN STUN!
Bullet Club win by pinfall with a Gun Stun from Tama Tonga on Gedo.
Chaos (Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano) vs. Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre, Jr.)
Ishii and Suzuki slugging it out, after they destroy each other with forearms things move on to Sabre/Yano, but Tom keeps fighting Minoru on the floor, putting him into the post. The Sublime Master Thief in full effect, keeping ZSJ from closing, but the Technical Wizard grabs a wristlock to show he means business. Toru finds himself interrupted mid-taunt and heads for the ropes, but he’s too close to Suzuki and is made to regret it!
Zack targets the arms, wrenching and tearing and tagging Minoru in after a bit, which leads to the scariest thing in pro wrestling today, ZSJ and Suzuki working Yano over at the same time. Minoru full of disdain, slapping Yano, but he gets caught with the Manhattan Drop and here comes Ishii again! Right back to the forearms, they’re firing each other up, slap rush into the sleeper!
Countered with a snapmare, duck the lariat, back suplex, and back to Sabre vs. Yano! Toru removes the turnbuckle pad, Zack grabs the octopus hold and Suzuki beats him with the pad! Tom breaks it up before going back after Minoru, ZSJ catches a low blow, takes over, European Clutch... NOPE! Uppercut, charge sidestepped, Sabre takes the exposed buckle, blocks a low blow by clenching his legs but Ishii comes back with the blindside...
Chaos win by pinfall with a cradle from Toru Yano on Zack Sabre, Jr.
The Suzuki-gun team take their anger out on some young lions post-match.
Bullet Club (Hangman Page & Marty Scurll) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi & KUSHIDA
KUSHIDA and Scurll to start, mat grappling, trading wristlocks, KUSHIDA gets the ride, a waistlock, a full nelson, Marty reverses to one of his own before transitioning to the octopus hold. Heating up a bit with takeovers, Scurll breaks into the wings taunt and KUSHIDA takes a break himself, leading to tags. Page grabs a quick headlock on Tanahashi, but gets it turned around on him in the corner.
Springboard crossbody into some air guitar and Hiroshi tags KUSHIDA back in to work the Hangman over, but a back body drop sends the Time Splitter to the floor for the superkick and the shooting star press from the Bullet Club men! They move on to beating Ryusukue Taguchi (who had been at ringside seconding his semi-regular teammates) down until KUSHIDA recovers, another shooting star press in the ring... NOPE!
Tag to the Villain, but KUSHIDA gets a Poetry in Motion dropkick off him before going for the handspring back elbow and tagging the 1/100 Ace in! Back elbows, whip reversed, flying elbow, a dropkick clears Page from the apron, catch the boot, dragon screw! Body slam sets Scurll up, somersault senton off the second for two! Nearly caught into the chickenwing but Marty can’t lock his hands.
Trading shots, palm strikes, KUSHIDA back in with kicks but Scurll blocks one, hip toss into a cartwheel dropkick, sidestep the kick, Hangman catches him with a rolling elbow! Tanahashi in, Sling Blade! Fake-out superkick takes care of the Ace, stomp to the Time Splitter’s hand but he counters the finger dislocator! Rolling elbow, float-over Hoverboard Lock and Hiroshi’s running interference with the cloverleaf!
Page throws Tanahashi out, huge lariat takes KUSHIDA out and he tags in to follow it up. Looking for Rite of Passage, countered to a sunset flip for two! Elbow for pele kick, punt to the shoulder, tilt-a-whirl Hoverboard Lock denied...
Bullet Club win by pinfall with Rite of Passage from Hangman Page on KUSHIDA.
Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Jeff Cobb (NEVER Openweight Championship)
Intense struggle in a lockup, Goto clubs away immediately after a break, showing the vicious streak he’s cultivated as NEVER Openweight Champion. Cobb uses his strength to push Hirooki around, and here come the suplexes! A low bridge sends Jeff to the floor and Goto follows with a plancha that wipes him out! Putting Cobb into the post head-first, the champion brings the action back inside.
Overhead elbow, snapmare, corkscrew elbow drop, moving onto a crooked headscissors, clearly attacking the head to set GTR up. Rear chinlock applied but Mr. Athletic blocks the elbow and hits a dropkick! Pasting him with chops, running uppercut into the swinging back suplex but it’s only a nearfall! Big Samoan drop, into the standing moonsault but Goto rolls away!
Kick in the corner, back suplex of his own, Hirooki’s fighting back into it but not all the way back in just yet. Fireman’s carry blocked, Jeff cold-cocks him with an elbow and scoops him up... OKLAHOMA STAMPEDE GETS A NEARFALL! Trading lariats, Cobb wipes him out, standing moonsault... STILL NO! Off the ropes, Tour of the Islands countered into a sleeper hold!
Snapmare escape but not a lot of energy in it, Goto gets a lariat and a headbutt in, fireman’s carry... USHIGOROSHI! NOT GONNA DO IT! Blocking Shouten, but a lariat connects...
Hirooki Goto wins by pinfall with GTR, retaining the NEVER Openweight Championship.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL & SANADA) vs. Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) (c) (IWGP Tag Team Championship)
SANADA and Nick to start, fast-paced from the jump, Skull End denied, ducking and dodging, Matt and EVIL in in the same fashion and we get a four-man submission centipede with headscissors and a Sharpshooter! Double-teams from the Bucks, running hot, but SANADA gets a dropkick off and takes Matt’s hamstring out! Paradise Lock applied on Nick, the customary kick to break it and EVIL tags in.
Big back elbow / senton combo, a kneeling surfboard applied, Jackson trying to power out, he gets his way... and SANADA blocks the tag yanking Matt to the floor! Matt comes in off a tag in short order, fighting LIJ two-on-one, fired up, punches and chops to the King of Darkness, thrown to the apron, shoulder block and a somersault Ace Crusher to take SANADA out on the floor!
Sharpshooter applied on EVIL, Nick takes SANADA out, double team X-Factor, moonsault to SANADA misses, Skull End, no good! EVIL runs the ropes but is cut off with a superkick party and SANADA hits a double missile dropkick to leave all four men laying! Trading shots, ANADA moonsaults into Skull End, backflip counter, reversed, inverted facelock swing! Up top... moonsault comes up empty!
Duck a lariat, to the apron... SPRINGBOARD DDT PUTS THE COLD SKULL INTO THE APRON! 450 splash... NOT ENOUGH! Sharpshooter applied, senton atomico to add insult to injury, Nick puts EVIL to the floor and does a step-up senton atomico to the floor! SANADA reaching, flagging but not failing and he gets the ropes! More Bang For Your Buck countered with the knees up and EVIL gets the tag!
German suplexes for both brothers, but Nick is able to pop-up into the corner... where he just takes a wicked charging lariat into Darkness Falls for two! EVIL blocked, Nick staggered but still fighting, going for a suplex but it gets countered into a double team and only Matt making the save keeps the titles safe! Going for EVIL again, Matt fends SANADA off... and they accidentally take the referee out with a superkick party!
Double lariat from EVIL, everybody’s down and out. EVIL gets a chair, they throw it back and forth and he takes a chair-assisted superkick party! Matt sets the chair up, looking for Indytaker, reversed... SPIKE PILEDRIVER ON THE CHAIR FROM THE CHALLENGERS BUT NICK JACKSON SAVES THE TITLES! Superkick, Matt hits EVIL on EVIL, superkick party cuts SANADA off on a dive, they set the King of Darkness up again...
Young Bucks win by pinfall with a Meltzer Driver on EVIL to retain the IWGP Tag Team Championship.
The ring announcer hypes up New Japan’s upcoming United States shows, Fighting Spirit Unleashed in September and Lion’s Break in November before heading to intermission.
Chaos (Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI & Tetsuya Naito)
Okada and Naito to start, soaking in the atmosphere at first. Kazuchika makes the first move, but Tetsuya ducks his lariat with lazy aplomb before moving to the lockup. Okada gets him in the ropes and does his condescending break, earning the Stardust Genius’ wrath and a tranquilo pose off the ropes. Tags made, shift to the juniors, and BUSHI comes in with a kick.
Snaps off a Frankensteiner but Ospreay lands on his feet, to the floor, handspring into a pose and he runs Naito off on some attempted interference! Big chops, boot, but BUSHI gets a drop toehold and here’s Tetsuya with a dropkick as the match breaks down and they take the Rainmaker out in the same fashion! Keeping Will down in the corner, chokes and strikes, and Naito tags in as they keep the pressure up.
BUSHI choking him with the t-shirt, neckbreaker connects, but when Naito comes back in Ospreay catches him with the enzuigiri and he makes the tag! Ducking lariats, turning shoulder block, fighting BUSHI off by flpajacking him into his partner! Scooping the Stardust Genius up, the Rainmaker heads up top and hits a diving crossbody for a nearfall!
Tombstone reversed, basement dropkick lands true, Gloria denied, dropkick to the back, off the ropes but Naito stops short of the second! Off the ropes with a forearm, wringing the arm, up for Destino... REVERSED TO THE TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER BUT NAITO SLIPS AWAY! Tornado DDT blocked... Reverse Neckbreaker! LIJ turn the tide, BUSHI’s got MX lined up but Ospreay clocks him with a roundhouse kick as the match breaks down into “everybody do something cool” time!
Robinson Special lined up, Will’s fired up, underhooks...
Chaos win by pinfall with Stormbreaker from Will Ospreay on BUSHI.
Dragon Lee vs. Hiromu Takahashi (c) (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship)
OUT THE GATES WITH THE SUICIDE FRANKENSTEINER FROM LEE! Hard whip into the barricade, back in the ring... SUICIDE DIVE! Back inside, slingshot dropkick, Dragon mocking Naito to try and get into Naito’s head, forearms in the corner, HUGE hesitation dropkick but it’s only good for two! Slowing it down, trapping Hiromu in a reverse chinlock, following it up with a kick to the back and a whip to the corner, which gets Takahashi a headscissors takeover only for Lee to land on his feet!
Second try works better, corner lariat into a basement dropkick and Hiromu sends Dragon to the floor... dropkick off the apron! DIVING SEATED SENTON FROM THE TOP TO THE FLOOR! Trading strikes on the apron, a superkick staggers Lee, Takahashi sets him up top but Dragon cuts off the superplex to the floor and they slug it out some more atop the turnbuckles. A headbutt staggers Hiromu... TREE OF WOE DOUBLE STOMP AND BOTH MEN SPILL TO THE FLOOR! Slowly recovering... TAKAHASHI YANKS LEE OFF THE APRON WITH A POWERBOMB TO THE FLOOR!
BOTH MEN BARELY BEAT THE COUNT! Wheelbarrow suplex from Hiromu, Dragon returns a German suplex, they’re trading, just viciously dumping each other on their neck and shoulders time and again! Slugging it out as an interlude, Lee hits a Poison Frankensteiner and gets a lariat in return and again both men are down and out! Slow to rise, beating the standing ten count, trading slaps on their knees and rising to their feet all while continuing to paste each other.
Picking up the pace, chopping each other right in the neck, batting knees and kicks away, Dragon lands a bicycle knee... and gets back body dropped into the turnbuckles! Front fireman’s carry slam to follow it up, only a nearfall! Lee goes for the capture Orange Crush and doesn’t get it but does get a Spanish Fly off the ropes for two! Orange Crush countered this time with a headscissors and Hiromu rolls it into his triangle choke!
Deadlift powerbomb counter but the champion keeps the choke locked in! Deadlifting him up again, shifting... PACKAGE DRAGON DRIVER AND TAKAHASHI LANDS ON HIS DAMN DOME! Orange Crush lands... HIROMU FINDS THE WILL TO KICK OUT! Knee to the face, up for a powerbomb... REVERSED TO THE FLIP PILEDRIVER BUT DRAGON LEE WON’T GIVE UP HIS CHANCE AT THE TITLE JUST YET! Up for one more...
Hiromu Takahashi wins by pinfall with Time Bomb, retaining the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
We’re informed before the match that if Juice Robinson uses the cast on his broken left hand as a weapon it will be a disqualification.
“Switchblade” Jay White (c) vs. Juice Robinson (IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship)
Juice is right in punching with his legal right hand, overwhelming White! Spilling to the floor, Robinson with the cannonball senton off the apron! Putting Switchblade into the barricade, and then through it, Juice poses with the title for a moment before pressing the attack back in the ring, turning jabs, he almost finishes with the left before remembering and landing a chop.
Corner lariat, fired up... BUT JAY BACK SUPLEXES HIM OVER THE ROPES TO THE FLOOR! Returning the favor into the barricade, grinding him down on the floor and back inside with a half-halch suplex into the turnbuckles for a nearfall. Stomping the broken hand now, backhammer body slam, continuing to trap the arm as he attacks, locking in a cutthroat Muta Lock at one point only for Robinson to make the ropes.
Trapping him in the ropes, uppercuts and chops, turning Juice’s chest raw. Mocking Robinson’s turning jabs, into a chop for chop slugfest and Juice is fired up only to get felled by an arm wringer to the broken hand! Off the ropes, he’s still in it spinning spinebuster, trying to will life back into the broken hand! Reverse STO / German suplex combo for a nearfall for the champ and he follows it up with a Fujiwara armbar!
Wrenching the fingers on the broken hand, shifting into a Rings of Saturn but Robinson’s able to get to the floor. White with a half-halch suplex into the barricade in front of Josh Barnett, landing with a sickening thud! Josh getws up from commentary and heads after Switchblade but Jay isn’t having it and gets away. White gets some chairs out, looking to Pillmanize the hand but Juice slips away and throws a chair at him!
Suplex on the floor, Robinson lands on his feet after a back suplex... SPINEBUSTER INTO THE APRON! Jay recovers, looking for a German suplex off the apron, Juice blocks, holding on for dear life... AND COUNTERING TO A RUSSIAN LEGSWEEP TO THE FLOOR! Back inside beating the count, jockeying for position in the corner, and Juice gets the superplex! Looking for Pulp Friction... JAY COUNTERS INTO THE CRUCIFIX ELBOWS!
Referee Red Shoes Unno pulls white off, Blade Runner denied, Juice goes for a left, Unno warns him off, backslide... NOT QUITE! Blade Runner reversed into a Pulp Friction attempt, sandwiching Red Shoes... and White gets a low blow in. Charge in the corner dodged... A LEFT HAND WITH THE CAST BUT UNNO DIDN’T SEE IT! Underhooks, spinning through, Pulp Friction... SO CLOSE HE CAN TASTE IT!
Another Pulp Friction attempt countered with a hammer blow to the broken hand, half nelson suplexes dump Juice on his dome, Blade Runner... reversed!
Juice Robinson wins by pinfall, reversing a Blade Runner attempt into a folding press to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship!
Cody Rhodes vs. Kenny Omega (c) (IWGP Heavyweight Championship)
Circling, collar and elbow, Rhodes with a waistlock, standing switch, armbar to break, wristlock, reversed, into the ropes and Cody breaks dirty with a shove. Back to the lockup, Omega in charge this time, but again Cody is dirty on the break, shoving him. Trading kicks, off the ropes, shoulder block for a hip toss, side headlock takeover, reversed to a headscissors, and Kenny cracks off a wicked chop.
Back suplex, Cody lands on his feet, drop down uppercut, Omega to the floor and he follows after, smashing Kenny’s face into the apron. Omega gets a few licks in and we go back inside where Rhodes fires off chops. Kenny turns him around, chops of his own but is caught by the snap scoop powerslam off the ropes! Ducking and diving, Omega with a basement dropkick into the Kotaro Krusher!
Terminator dive is cut off when Cody pulls Brandi in the way as a human shield! Kenny comes up lame in one knee after a plancha that comes up empty and Rhodes dives on him! Ramming Omega into the barricade, taking his weight belt off but he throws it to Matt Jackson rather than using it as a weapon, choosing to attack with a whip into the barricade.
Kenny getting back into it, passing Cody onto a table at ringside... SPRINGBOARD DOUBLE STOMP THROUGH THE TABLE! Omega gets a table and sets it up in the entryway as Rhodes recovers. Chopping him onto the table, Kenny heads back inside but Cody rolls away before the springboard and Omega stops himself short! Shoving the table into Kenny’s midsection to slow him down, and a lariat / reverse STO combo gets a nearfall back in the ring.
Straight suplex gets two, snapmare into a cravate but Kenny gets away and snaps a Frankensteiner off that sends Rhodes back to the floor. Off the ropes, the tope con giro connects at last! Back inside, Kenny heads up top, missile dropkick, Aoi Shoudou connects, V-Trigger sidestepped but a drop toehold puts Cody in the ropes and the knee lands to the back of his head!
Another V-Trigger to the head, snap Dragon suplex, duck a lariat and Rhodes gets a Dragon suplex of his own off! Going forearm for punch in the middle of the ring, Kenny with a boot, off the ropes, sunset flip, Cody rolls through and into a figure four leglock! Sitting up in the figure four, trading punches and slaps until they get sick of it and head to the floor for plunder.
Omega gets a ladder, Rhodes has a chair and is able to slam Kenny over the ladder! To the floor, Cody pokes the ladder out over the apron and hits a gourdbuster into it! Whip into the barricade, the Bucks try to talk Rhodes down as he sets up the table and the ladder with evil intentions. Cody shoves Matt Jackson away and ascends the ladder. Kenny climbs up after him with the Bucks on either side of him on the apron and trades slaps with Rhodes.
Directing traffic... BUT CODY SUPERPLEXES HIM OFF THE LADDER TO THE CENTER OF THE RING! After he recovers, Omega snaps off a Poison Frankensteiner and throws Red Shoes into the corner! Rhodes gets the IWGP Heavyweight Championship title belt and brings it in the ring but choses not to use it. Jockeying for position... Cross Rhodes almost does it!
V-Triggers ensue, Kudo Driver denied, spinning wheel kick connects, Rhodes gasping in the corner and he takes the V-Trigger to the back of the head! Tenryu powerbomb comes up empty, another V-Trigger, more jockeying for position into another knee but you’re not gonna put the grandson of a plumber away just yet! Looking for One-Winged Angel but he adjusts, turns him around... POWERBOMB TO THE FLOOR INTO THE TABLE!
Back inside, Brandi comes into the ring to shield her husband from yet another V-Trigger, and when the time comes Rhodes is able to counter! Slow to their feet, trading punches, another couple V-Triggers, a piledriver... STILL NOT ENOUGH! Up for One-Winged Angel...
Kenny Omega wins by pinfall with One-Winged Angel to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Kenny holds the title high, celebrating with the Young Bucks.
He talks about how success means more and more people lining up to knock you down but everybody deserves a second chance, even Cody, and his effort was nothing short of valiant. Whether it be a wrestler, an idol, or the guy working the popcorn stand, we all need to stand behind good people for the best life possible.
That’s the show, folks.
...or is it?! Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and Haku attack Kenny! They hit an assisted powerbomb on him and put boots to the Bucks when they try to help! Hangman Page makes the save but is overwhelmed shortly by the Tongan islanders! Marty Scurll suffers the same fate! Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi come down and check on Omega... and get taken out in turn!
Tonga adds a chair into the mix and the beatdown continues until Cody makes his way back to ringside. He gets in the ring and Tama offers him the chair. He takes it and considers it a moment as Kenny reaches out... AND HE ATTACKS THE GUERRILLAS OF DESTINY! Haku cuts him off and he eats the Gun Stun! PILEDRIVER ON THE CHAIR!
The new Tongan faction take their leave with the wreckage of Bullet Club in the ring behind them. Loa tells us to remember this and that they’re the foundation of Bullet Club.
As the remainder of Bullet Club stirs, Rhodes offers a hand and Omega takes it. The two men embrace, joined by Matt Jackson. At last, Kenny picks up the chair to help himself get around a little better, and they start to disperse.
THAT’S the show, folks.