What happened: Mascara Dorada captured the CMLL World Welterweight Championship for a record fourth time, defeating BUSHI when Atlantis helped neutralize Naito. Barbaro Cavernario defeated Titan to hold onto his own Mexican National Welterweight Championship.
Ultimo Guerrero defeated Mistico in the main event to build towards the singles match in two days. Likewise, Virus defeated Dragon Lee before their title match tomorrow.
What was good: I really like Titan/Cavernario, and Dorada/BUSHI and the main event were not far behind. Most of this card was worth watching.
Where can I watch it: It’s on NJPWWorld.
Match 1: Fuego & Stuka Jr. vs Sho Tanaka & Yohei Komatsu
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 01/22/2016
Winner: Fuego & Stuka (Flashina on Komatsu)
Match Time: 5:40
Review: [ok] fine for an opener, with the NJPW Kids getting to show off a few lucha-esque spots, but the CMLL guys still winning strong and easy. It did make me nostalgic for 2013 when Stuka & Fuego were teaming more often; they were still good as a tag team on this show.
Match 2: David Finlay, Guerrero Maya Jr., Jyushin Thunder Liger, Kushida, The Panther vs Boby Zavala, Gedo, Hechicero, Okumura, YOSHI-HASHI
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 01/22/2016
Winner: rudos (Hechicero rolling half crab on Finlay)
Match Time: 10:13
Review: [good] fun match that made the most of having ten guys to keep the action going, and still had enough time for everyone to get in a few trademark spots. Hechicero got in the most, which was a little surprising – thought it’d be a harder sell for the tag title match with the result, but they just did promos to build it up. Panther’s bail out on the springboard headscissors was disappointing, but the rest of the match went well. Seeing the star/tapatia spot – with none of the lucha guys! – was amusing. This was some good chaos.
Match 3: Atlantis & Juice Robinson vs EVIL & Tetsuya Naito
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 01/22/2016
Winner: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Out of Control on Robinson)
Match Time: 7:59
Naito made ring announcer Ivan drag out his introduction for a long time, and threw his shirt at announcer/retired wrestler Milano Collection AT. Naito fouled Juice to set up the Out Of Control (which is a two man press slam powerbomb) and took Atlantis’ mask again. Naito got into a fight with Milano when retrieving his shirt.
Review: [ok] the least exciting match so far, but the purpose was for the Ingobernables to destroy the tecnicos and humiliated them, and that they did. Atlantis did a bit, Robinson tried hard to be a fiery babyface, and the rudos play their characters fine, but the match itself didn’t do much for me.
Match 4: Titán vs Bárbaro Cavernario © for the Mexican National Welterweight Championship
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 01/22/2016
Winner: Bárbaro Cavernario (cavernaria)
Match Time: 10:57
Review: [great] exactly the match they should’ve done for this show and this audience – all their big spots with a hot start and a fast pace to get everything in. I prefer their Mexico matches because they get more time to let matches breath, but they paced everything as well as possible here and both men had their moments to look like stars. Cavernario is so charismatic that he doesn’t need to do need to do insane things like top rope splashes to the floor, but he still does them. This was clearly his match, but Titan’s offense still came off sharp enough that he did very well for himself in this. Definitely a match worth checking out and really worth the 3:30 AM wakeup call.
Match 5: Máscara Dorada vs Bushi © for the CMLL World Welterweight Championship
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 01/22/2016
Winner: Mascara Dorada (Dorada Screwdriver)
Match Time: 13:33
Notes: Naito and Atlantis were seconds. Naito got involved late, but Atlantis dropkicked and chased him off. EVIL tried to get involved, but Dorada took him out with a tope, then won the title back cleanly.
Review: [good] More of a storytelling match that the crazy move exhibition from the last show, with the Ingobernables interfering having to be countered before Dorada could win the match It was worked at a slower speed too, but the crowd cared far more about Dorada having seen him for the last year (and plenty before.) Dorada’s definitely improved himself over the last year, and this is a different match than he would’ve had before. BUSHI was alright, good in parts, and had a cool look, but didn’t click with me as much as he has on other shows. I liked Titan/Cavernario better but this was still good.
Match 6: Dragon Lee, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi vs Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura, Virus
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 01/22/2016
Winner: rudos (Virus MotoVirus Dragon Lee)
Match Time: 15:09
Virus declared he’d take his title back tomorrow.
Review: [ok] Standard NJPW trios match, with maybe the NJPW guys doing a little more but really working much with the CMLL guys. It seemed like Dragon Lee and Virus were mostly being saved for tomorrow, because they did far less than I would’ve expected and there was a lot of Pharaoh Taguchi comedy.
Match 7: Mistico & Volador Jr. vs Mephisto & Último Guerrero
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 01/22/2016
Winner: rudos (Guerrero Special on Mistico)
Match Time: 18:28
Guerrero said he’d prove he’s on another level on Mistico.
Review: [great] amusing match. They did a lot of light comedy early, but the crowd went with it. UG tries twice as hard for these matches then he would for a random show in Mexico and the Korakuen Hall crowd loves him for it. Mistico is also totally over as a tecnico, and pulled out one of his best individual performances since the motorcycle accident. It wasn’t just his offense looking good (it did), but he came off as much more charismatic than usual and almost made you wish they could find a way to make him face in Mexico. Volador and Mephisto were good as well, and this way overachieved what I was expecting. Maybe I should’ve expected more because it was a main event, but they finished off the show well.
