NJPW New Beginning In Osaka Results – February 11, 2023
Location: Osaka Japan
Venue: Edion Arena Osaka
Tag Team Match
United Empire vs. Oskar Leube & Toru Yano
Oskar Leube offer to start this match off with Aaron Henare then we get a early feeling out process saw Leube try his luck with shoulder tackles before he barged down Henare. A springboard enziguiri out of the corner took Leube down before Toru Yano tags into the match.
Great O Khan is in too then puts a stopping Yano from going after the corner pad as Yano did his usual shtick, including playing Bop It with O Khan’s head. Responding, O Khan chokes Yano to the mat with the braided hair before a claw to the stomach took Yano into the corner. Mongolian Chops follow to the front and the back as O Khan then took a seat.
Henare tags in to punch Yano right in the ass then followed up with some crossface punches as Yano was in the ropes. A hair pull gets Yano back in it as Leube tags in before landing a back elbow then a slam before O Khan came in to hit a backbreaker and a Sheep Killer to derail Leube.
Yano makes the save chucking O Khan to the outside before a double team led to Henare getting booted down for a two count. The Boston Crab followed from Leube but it’s broken in the ropes as Henare crawled to safety. Leube tries to Biel Henare out of the corner but Henare nails him with a leaping knee before a Rampage gets United Empire the win.
Winners: United Empire (4:38)
Rate: 4
8 Man Tag Team Match
Los Ingobnrables De Japon vs. Tiger Mask IV,Tomoaki Honma,Shota Umino & Ryusuke Taguchi
Tiger Mask & Bushi with Bushi taking a tilt a whirl backbreaker early on as Tomoaki Honma tags in and wanted Sanada. Honma locks up with Sanada into the ropes, only to get tripped up as Sanada gently placed him into a Paradise Lock which Honma escaped Greasy wrists make a fool of Sanada then he accidentally low blows Honma after he got tripped up.
Tetsuya Naito’s in & he is having troubles with a greasy Honma, taking him to the corner for a delayed Combinacion Cabron by way of a shot to Shota Umino on the apron. Honma tries to fight back with a headbutt, eventually landing a leaping Kokeshi as Umino tags in. Umino runs wild on Naito, scoring a hiptoss and a low dropkick before Hiromu Takahashi came in and got ‘rana’d to the outside.
Bushi & Sanada try their luck, but to no avail as Sanada takes a diving uppercut for his woes before a fisherman suplex drew a two count on Naito. Another distraction from Bushi allowed Naito back in leading to the see saw sunset flip and a low dropkick. There’s no cover from Naito, as he instead tags in Takahashi to clear the apron, only for Takahashi to take a Umino suplex.
Taguchi’s in next for a flying hip attack to Takahashi with triple teaming leading to a Tiger bomb and a pair of Kokeshi for a two count. Takahashi rolls out of a Dodon for a near fall but is caught in Oh My & Garankle it looked to morph into another Dodon but LIJ swarmed the ring as four low dropkicks almost put Taguchi away.
A Hiromu Chan Bomber misses as Taguchi instead eats a superkick then the Hiromu Chan Bomber. Bushi’s wild tope con giro takes out Umino at ringside before Time Bomb II puts Taguchi away.
Winners: Los Ingobnrables De Japon (8:43)
Rate: 5
After the match the lights went out amid LIJ’s celebration with Lio Rush’s music and video interrupting. Rush is here on tape and is issuing a challenge for Takahashi’s Junior Heavyweight Title. Takahashi accepted the challenge then sprinted backstage in case Rush was there to attack him.
Master Wato vs. Taiji Ishimori
Match opens with Master Wato opens up with kicks then they go for springboards early as Wato instead lands a bulldog that took Taiji Ishimori outside. Ishimori slides away from a dive before he lawndarted Wato into the ring post.
Ishimori rips off a corner pad as Wato eventually made it back to the ring only to get his shoulder charged into the exposed corner. A grounded cobra clutch follows as the submission attempt headed into the ropes with Wato forcing the break. Wato avoids a throw through the exposed corner returning to take Ishimori outside for a flip senton into the aisle.
Back inside a springboard uppercut takes Ishimori down before The Vendaval attempt ended in the ropes. Ishimori puts the blocks on a Recientemente coming in with an eye rake instead before a handspring enziguiri took down Wato. The baseball slide German suplex is next from Ishimori before an aborted 450 splash ended with him just throwing Wato back into that exposed corner.
A hammer locked shoulder breaker dumps Wato ahead of the Bone Lock which was rolled up as Ishimori’s Bloody Cross attempt gets blocked. Wato tries for Recientemente II then blocked a Cipher UTAKI before he got pulled back into the Bone Lock. Wato counters with a roll up for a two count then a lofty German suplex for a near fall.
Wato sits down on a wheelbarrow attempt, as he then went for another Recientemente II a leaping knee from Ishimori stops that as did a lariat before the Bloody Cross put Wato away.
Winner: Taiji Ishimori (11:18)
Rate: 6
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kenta
Kenta attacks Hiroshi Tanahashi from behind putting the boots to him in the corner before Tanahashi returned with a crossbody out of the corner. Kenta grounds Tanahashi, showing off the missing gnashers as he proceeded to wear down Tanahashi with elbows.
Kenta adds a neckbreaker to get a couple of two counts, before some kicks ended up getting caught by Tanahashi, who fired back with forearms. An eye rake stops that, but a leaping forearm took Kenta down ahead of a slam and a flip senton out of the corner. Shenanigans with Kenta and the ref led to a roll up for a two count and a ref bump on the kick out as Kenta scores a DDT.
Heading outside, Kenta grabs a chair and uses it on Tanahashi as the ref stayed down. Kenta puts the chair over Tanahashi and prepared to double stomp through it but Tanahashi rolled away then trips Kenta into the chair only to get tripped onto it seconds later. The referee returns and gets rid of the chair as the pair fought back to their feet, leading to Kenta taking things to the apron for a Green Killer draping DDT.
Kenta pulls further ahead with a stalling dropkick into the corner, before a double stomp off the top went thru Tanahashi for a near-fall. A Go 2 Sleep’s countered into a Twist & Shout by Tanahashi, only for a Busaiku Knee from Kenta to find its mark. Kenta lands a second one for a near fall but the follow up Go 2 Sleep’s blocked Kenta adds some right hands instead, only for the Go 2 Sleep to get countered into a Slingblade.
Tanahashi tries to add to it landing a regular slingblade for a near fall then the Ace’s High before a High Fly Flow got the win.
Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi (13:57)
Rate: 7
NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Titles Match
House Of Torture (c) vs. Strong Style
Ren Narita is attacked by the House Of Torture on his entrance with Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado having come out way before him. Suzuki & Desperado try to make a save but they get run into the guard rails as Sho wipes out Narita with a NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Title.
Evil declared they were ready to defend the NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Titles as this started as effectively a handicap match with Suzuki & Desperado getting stomped on before Evil went to work on Desperado’s leg. Suzuki grabs a chair from ringside but is stopped from hitting the ring to use it before Sho came in and threw Desperado into an exposed corner.
An eye rake through the mask has Desperado on the apron for more cheating, while Suzuki continued to distract the referee in his attempts to go after the House Of Torture. Kicks from Sho wear down Desperado, before an eye rake prevented a fightback. Desperado blocks a kick and hits a spinning back suplex, before finally tagging out to Suzuki, whose forearms knocked Sho into the corner.
Evil & Yujiro Takahashi are quickly in to try and make a difference but front kicks from Suzuki wiped out all House Of Torture. A clonking elbow sank Sho before Dick Togo tripped up Suzuki behind the ref’s back. Suzuki’s used to try and wipe out the timekeeper’s table, which took Evil 2 tries after getting the positioning wrong.
A front facelock from Sho took Suzuki back into the champion’s corner before Takahashi tags in to try and put Suzuki away with increasingly disgusted looks from Suzuki coming from each kick out. Evil is in for some t shirt choking to Suzuki before Ren Narita arose from the dead and took Dick Togo to the rails.
Evil knocks Narita off the apron as the ring began to fill and clear. A forearm from Suzuki drops Evil before Narita got the tag in showing few signs of that earlier beatdown then Kicks lay out Evil ahead of a half hatch bridging suplex for a near fall.
An eye rake and a thrust kick from Evil lays out Narita as Takahashi tag in to boot Narita in the ropes. Cue shenanigans that Narita dealt with, thanks to Suzuki & Desperado taking Sho & Evil out of the ring, ahead of a Desperado spinebuster, a Suzuki PK and a bridging exploder from Narita that nearly won it.
Cobra Twist followed from Narita but Yujiro bites his way free only to get caught with it a second time. Takahashi is tapping as Dick Togo distracts the ref allowing Evil & Sho to break up the hold as Takahashi then grabbed his pimp cane. Suzuki kicks everyone away as he & Desperado tied up Evil & Sho in submissions allowing Narita to apply the Cobra Twist on Takahashi for the submission win.
Winners By Submission & New NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions: Strong Style (12:51) (NEW CHAMPIONS!!!!)
Rate: 4
After the match Suzuki announced that himself, Narita & Desperado would simply be known as Strong Style. We even got a Loud Kaze Ni Nare from the Osaka crowd.
Loser Leaves Japan Match
Hikuleo vs. Jay White
Match starts off with some trash talking before Hikuleo cornered Jay White forcing him to try and bail between the ropes, before White began to play keep away. At least until he ate a big boot to the face.
Hikuleo corners White for some body blows before a Biel throw out of the corner had White in trouble. White hooks onto the ropes to avoid a powerslam then threw Hikuleo over the top to the floor. A chop from Hikuleo lays out White as he eventually headed outside, before Hikuleo tossed White over the guard rails and into the crowd.
Hikuleo uses the guard rails like how White uses the side of the ring, launching him into the bars before Gedo begs off and bought White enough time to escape a powerslam and shove Hikuleo into the ring post.
White throws Hikuleo into the side of the ring before Hikuleo got launched into the rails once more as White then demanded the ref start his 20 count. Hikuleo easily beat the count but rolled into the path of some stomps from White. He eventually swats White away only for a snap DDT to put White back in control for just a one count.
Chops from White just served to upset Hikuleo who proceeded to hurl White face first into a corner pad. A throat thrust keeps White down ahead of a snake eyes and a clothesline before Hikuleo scored a powerslam out of the corner for a two count. A missed kick into the corner hangs up Hikuleo’s leg, allowing White to chop block the other leg.
White charges across the ring to Hikuleo as a Complete Shot looked to lead to a deadlift German only for White to switch it up to a Saito suplex. A Blade Buster got a two count, before Hikuleo elbowed away a sleeper suplex only to take another chop block to the knee. White stays on Hikuleo’s knees & Gedo distracted the referee as White began to use a chair on Hikuleo.
A Kiwi Krusher follows, but it doesn’t put Hikuleo down for the count, as White proceeded to unzip Hikuleo’s top and throw some more chops. Hikuleo’s had enough as he looked to fight back with chops of his own, bouncing White off the ropes before a double-handed chop took White down.
Hikuleo adds a snap powerslam off the ropes before a goozle from Hikuleo led to him throwing White into the referee who misses a low blow before a 2nd snap slam was countered into a Blade Runner. White pulls up Hikuleo for a 2nd one but Hikuleo goozles his way out before he hauled up White for almost a Last Ride for a near fall.
White begins to lay out to avoid Hikuleo, only to get pulled back up as White tried to too sweet his way out of it. Hikuleo takes it then chokeslams White to score the win.
Winner: Hikuleo (25:08) (Since White lost he must leave Japan)
Rate: 8 (Recommend)
After the match White fist bumps Hiroshi Tanahashi at ringside as Gedo helps White to the back stopping to get a final ovation from the Osaka crowd as White’s time in Japan was done.
NEVER Openweight Title Match
Tama Tonga (c) vs. El Phantasmo
El Phantasmo grabs a side headlock on Tama Tonga then drags him to the mat before Tonga scored with a waist lock takedown only got ELP to get back up as they switched between takedowns and escapes. Tonga teases a Gun Stun but it’s blocked as they eventually reached a stand off.
A clothesline from Tonga takes ELP outside for a plancha, before Phantasmo vaulted over the rails to avoid being thrown into the guard rails. Tama Tonga heads after ELP but crashes and burns into the secondary rails as he went for Phantasmo, seemingly injuring his wrist as ELP proceeded to throw that into the rails then a table.
Going for the wrist, Phantasmo takes Tonga back to ringside so he could drop his knee onto the hand repeatedly. A finger snapper keeps Tonga down.
ELP springs on the ropes ahead of a ‘rana, before Tonga’s attempt at fighting back ended when he threw a punch. Phantasmo had no such issues, before he ran into a Tonga clothesline ahead of a Stinger splash into the corner. An exploder chucks ELP across the ring for a two count, ahead of a back body drop as Tonga looked to have shut down Phantasmo.
Tonga’s dropped with a leaping clothesline while ELP added a Manhattan Drop, a slam and a forearm drop. Sudden Death looks to follow but Tonga ducks it, landing an enziguiri for a two count, before he took Phantasmo into the corner only for ELP to hit a springboard crossbody off the ropes for a two count.
Tonga bails to escape a Quebrada but couldn’t avoid a tope into the aisle. Phantasmo heads back up for a moonsault off the top rope into the aisle before they were taken back inside. Phantasmo’s caught in the ropes with a couple of dragon screws before a DDT to the leg jarred ELP’s knee some more.
Tonga looks for a Sharpshooter rolling Phantasmo over in the middle of the ring but ELP gets to the ropes then went for the back rake as he hit a Tongan Twist of his own. They trade elbow strikes, but it’s ELP who looked to pull ahead as this descended into a hockey fight then a big boot from ELP led to him being sent into the ropes for a rolling Death Valley Driver before Tonga headed up top for a Supreme Flow that gets a near fall.
Phantasmo blocks a Gun Stun, countering it with hammer elbows before Tonga landed a TKO for a near fall. Tonga looks for Jay Driller but Phantasmo rolled out and went for a CRII switching it into a Styles Clash for a near fall as Phantasmo’s bum knee caused trouble. A float over into a Bloody Sunday sees they continue to hit former Bullet Club leaders’ finishers with Tonga pulling ahead as he went for a Gun Stun only to run into Sudden Death.
That’s not enough as Tonga got his shoulder up in time which prompted Phantasmo to head outside to grab the NEVER Openweight Title. A teased NEVER Openweight Title shot is stopped by the ref but ELP walks into a small package that nearly ended the match with Tonga adding a roll up and a backslide before ELP countered a Gun Stun into CRII for another near fall.
A 2nd Sudden Death’s blocked as Tonga flips ELP into a Gun Stun but we’re still going as Phantasmo peeled a shoulder up at two before a twisting Jay Driller puts away ELP.
Winner & Still NEVER Openweight Champion: Tama Tonga (27:07) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 7
IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. KOPW 2023 Champion Shingo Takagi
Shingo Takagi & Kazuchika Okada switch from attack to defense with Okada hammer locking and cradling Takagi to the mat for an early 1 count. A wristlock from Takagi ends with him getting tripped again before his headlock takedown was similarly escaped. A test of strength has Takagi down to his knees but Takagi over powers Okada and began to take him into the ropes for some knees to the midsection.
A suplex helps Takagi to a delayed two count before he chopped Okada into the corner only for Okada to switch things around lifting Takagi up top ahead of a dropkick to send him to the floor. Okada uses the crowd barriers to stretch Takagi through while a follow up kick then some more following after Okada refused to break a chinlock in the ropes.
An elbow from Okada rocks Takagi, whose attempt to fight back earned him a Money Clip which is instantly broken up in the corner. Okada keeps going, but ran into an elbow, jab and clothesline combo, while hammer elbows to the neck of Okada led to a sliding lariat attempt. Okada avoids, but got faked out for a DDT before he was clotheslined to the outside.
Takagi runs Okada into the guard rails then dropped him onto the ring apron ahead of a pop up Death Valley Driver onto the floor. Okada narrowly beats the count out but couldn’t avoid a clothesline in the corner as Takagi took him up for a superplex. A sliding lariat from Takagi gets a two count as Okada was very much on the back foot until he caught Takagi out of the corner with a neckbreaker slam.
Okada tries to scoop up Takagi for a landslide tombstone, but to no avail as Takagi chops free sending Okada outside for brief respite. It just earned him more trips to the guard rails before he scored with a tombstone on the floor. Back inside a Money Clip follows, taking Takagi to the mat and almost out of the match before Takagi shimmied his way to the ropes to force a break.
A top rope elbow drop from Okada’s next, leading to the Rainmaker zoom out but Takagi rebounds from a dropkick by clobbering the lights out of Okada with a lariat. Kicks from Takagi just piss off Okada, as they begin to tee off on each other with elbows before a headbutt and a knee drop from Takagi looked to cut off Okada’s response.
A Takagi style GTR then a Made In Japan gets a near fall before Okada backslid out of a Last Of The Dragon only for his follow up clothesline to be shrugged off. A Takagi Driver nearly got the win while a sliding punch and a Pumping Bomber looked to have Takagi on course for the win. Okada escapes a Last Of The Dragon again sitting down on a sunset flip for a near fall before landing the Rainmaker.
Okada landing a landslide tombstone only for his Rainmaker to get caught and turned into a Last Of The Dragon then some swings and misses from both men ahead of an enziguiri from Okada. Another landslide tombstone’s teased but Takagi counters into a German suplex before a Pumping Bomber got cut off with a dropkick.
Takagi’s Pumping Bomber cuts off a spinning Rainmaker but a lariat from Okada then an Cobra Flowsion led to the Rainmaker to put away Takagi.
Winner & Still IWGP World Heavyweight Champion: Kazuchika Okada (32:07) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 9 (Recommend)
After the match Okada cuts a promo talking about Battle In The Valley next week in San Jose where he’ll be defending the IWGP World Heavyweight Title against a challenger of Okada’s choosing. He calls out Hiroshi Tanahashi for that match of course the challenge is accepted.
