NJPW New Year Dash!!
#njdash
Event Date: January 6, 2021 (18:30 JST)
aired live on NJPW World
City: Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
Venue: Tokyo Dome City Hall
Attendance: 1,019
Commentary (English): Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton
Commentary (Japanese): Milano Collection AT, Yusuke Okamoto, Haruo Murata
Ring Announcer: Kimihiko Ozaki (1 – 3), Makoto Abe (4 – 6)
Ring Area
In the ring, Kimihiko Ozaki announces tonight’s matches.
Match 1
Gabriel Kidd vs Yuji Nagata
(referee: Kenta Sato)
Result: Yuji Nagata wins via submission with the Nagata Lock 2
Time: 7:59
Match Thoughts
This was a good opener. Kidd managed to get a good amount of offense on Nagata in the early part of the match, but once Nagata got rolling Kidd had a hard time keeping up. Regardless, this was a strong match for Kidd.
Match 2
Douki & Minoru Suzuki vs Yuya Uemura & Tiger Mask
(referee: Kenta Sato)
Result: Minoru Suzuki pins Yuya Uemura after a Gotch-style piledriver
Time: 10:45
Match Thoughts
Good match. Uemura, for some suicidal reason, wanted to fight Minoru Suzuki throughout the entire match. Uemura got his wish, and he also got a beating. To be fair, Uemura did stand up to Suzuki and had a few good strikes and even a few pin attempts, but Suzuki never had too much trouble with the young lion. Tiger Mask came in towards the middle of the match and had an exchange with Suzuki, and Douki fought Uemura a bit, but the focus was really on Uemura versus Suzuki.
Match 3
Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan & Will Ospreay (RPW British Heavyweight Champ) w/ Bea Priestley vs Yota Tsuji & Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
(referee: Marty Asami)
Result: Jeff Cobb pins Yota Tsuji after an assisted OsCutter (Cobb and Khan held Tusji up horizontally at eye lever for Ospreay to hit a second-rope OsCutter)
Time: 9:44
Match Thoughts
Good match. The Empire was on a mission tonight after Ospreay, Cobb, and Khan all lost in their Wrestle Kingdom matches. They went about their business with brutal efficiency and didn’t allow their opponents much room for any offense. This match was a statement for The Empire, and that statement was that they are powerful and they rise rise up once again.
Ring Area
After the match, Ospreay attacks Tsuji. Tenzan comes in to help Tsuji, but Tsuji gets taken down by Great-O-Khan with a tombstone piledriver. Kojima throws his body onto Tenzan as The Empire stomps them both. Ospreay then hits Kojima with the Hidden Blade.
Ospreay gets on the mic and says anyone who thinks The Empire is weak is wrong. If you thought Ospreay was angry before Wrestle Kingdom, he is furious now. 2021 is the year The United Empire takes over. Hiroyoshi Tenzan is attended to by the medical staff as The Empire leaves the ring area, and Tenzan is stretchered out of the ring after a few minutes.
Intermission
The show takes a brief break as the ring is cleaned and sanitized.
Match 4
Yoshinobu Kanemaru (IWGP Jr. Tag Champ) & El Desperado (IWGP Jr. Tag Champ) & Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi w/ Douki vs El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori & Guerrillas of Destiny (IWGP Tag Champs) w/ Jado
(referee: Marty Asami)
Result: El Phantasmo pins Yoshinobu Kanemaru after a superkick
Time: 11:35
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Taichi was still angry about the Guerrillas of Destiny stealing his iron fingers at Wrestle Kingdom, and that anger was felt among the entire Suzuki Gun team as they fought dirty and with purpose. With both of these teams being made up of cheaters and dirty fighters though, I don’t think anyone expected a clean match. Bullet Club definitely seemed more in-control though, and that helped them to dominate large parts of the match by getting Suzuki Gun to act on impulse and out of frustration. This was a fun fight that ended up having some implications in the Jr. Heavyweight tag division (plus there were some more implications that El Phantasmo is walking around with a loaded boot).
Match 5
Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale & EVIL w/ Dick Togo & Jay White w/ Gedo vs YOSHI-HASHI (NEVER 6-Man Champ) & Tomohiro Ishii (NEVER 6-Man Champ) & Hirooki Goto (NEVER 6-Man Champ) & Toru Yano (KOPW 2021 Provisional Champ) & Kazuchika Okada
(referee: Red Shoes Unno)
Result: Tomohiro Ishii pins Jay White after a vertical drop brainbuster
Time: 13:47
Match Thoughts
As expected with ten guys in the ring and two more at ringside, this was a chaotic matc with a whole lot of stuff going on all over the place. Neither team really had a sustained advantage throughout the match, so this was just a fun back-and-forth brawl. The one narrative within the action was that Jay White had been making comments since his loss to Ibushi last night that he might not want to wrestle anymore. The commentators speculated about how serious White was about that statement, and that played a large role in making the final few minutes of the match significant. White ended up facing Ishii in the final segment of the match, and with White hurting after his war with Ibushi (and his neck heavily taped), Ishii’s attacks were extremely effective. The finish of the match was well done, but more than that, it adds intrigue to the idea that Hay White might be done. At least for a while.
Match 6
BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champ) & Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi (NEVER Openweight Champ) & SANADA vs SHO & Rocky Romero & Master Wato & Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi (IWGP IC & Heavyweight Double Champ)
(referee: Red Shoes Unno)
Result: BUSHI pins Master Wato after MX
Time: 17:23
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Just like the previous match tonight, this was a huge fight with people fighting in and all around the ring. There was a lot more order to this match though, and that helped it feel different in a good way. Though the previous match was largely focused on Jay White’s possible future in NJPW, this match had more traditional setups for future rivalries and matches. Sho fought Hiromu in a clear bid to get a Jr. Heavyweight title shot, Shingo repeatedly targeted Tanahashi in a possible challenge for a singles match, and SANADA continued to focus on Ibushi for a potential double-title match. It was interesting seeing Naito take such a step back in support of his fellow LIJ members, but that’s nothing new for Naito. In the past, Naito often stands aside to help his faction-mates shine. Both teams looked strong, but LIJ looked stronger (as they should since they are a well-established team).
Ring Area
After the match, BUSHI gets on the mic and talks about how most of the members of LIJ have plans for their next match, but he and Naito don’t. BUSHI says he might as well challenge Master Wato which just leaves Naito without a plan. BUSHI then closes the show.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. There were no big surprises, but the action was fun and some of the rivalries we’ll see going forward were solidly established.
Match of the Night
Los Ingobernables de Japon vs Romero & SHO & Wato & Tanahashi & Ibushi
A fun, energetic match.
Official Results (Japanese): https://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/269328?showResult=1