New Japan returned for another action packed show this past Sunday morning called Invasion Attack 2015 which was headlined by the Internet dream match of AJ styles defending his IWGP Heavyweight Title against Kota Ibushi plus plenty more.
Ten Man Tag: Alex Shelley, KUSHIDA, Captain New Japan, Yohei Komatsu and Yugi Nagata toppled Jushin 'Thunder' Liger, Manabu Nakanishi, Rysuke Taguchi, Sho Tanaka and Tiger Mask
Average ten man tag to open the show nothing special really happened, there was a good exchange between KUSHIDA and tiger mask but that was about it. The finish saw Shelley drill Sho Tanaka with a tusion fusion to pick up the win. It was simple booking with Shelley picking up the win meaning he would next be next in line for a IWGP Junior Heavyweight title shot and it would set him up nicely for his angle he would have later on, on the show with kenny omega.
Six Man Tag: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima and Toamaki Homna bested The Bullet Club (Cody Hall, Tama Tonga and Yujiro Takahashi)
Another average match which again didn't feature anything special, all six men Were over (too a degree) with the crowd and they did there big spots but nothing really stood out in this match in my opinion. The finish saw Homna counter a second razor edge attempt by Cody Hall and Koijma and Tenzan nailed hall with a dudley death drop (3D). Homna went up top and dropped a flying headbutt to hall to pick up the win for his team.
Roppongi (RPG) Vice (Trent Berretta&Rocky Romero) rolled over The Young Bucks (Matt&Nick Jackson) to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
You either love a young bucks match or hate it and in my case I really do like a young bucks match. This show finally kicked into high gear after two lacklustre matches to open the show. Both teams worked well together and they had a very dramatic encounter indeed, hopefully we get to see more of these two teams doing what they do best and that is fast paced, spot heavy action. RPG vice survived the indie taker double team combo by the bucks after Berretta saved Romero from getting pinned for the 3 count. Then the bucks gave Romero the more bang for buck double team combo but unbeknownst to the bucks Berretta blind tagged himself in and RPG vice gave the bucks the stun gun combo to pick up the win and we have new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
Kenny Omega beat Mascara Dorado to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title
A very good match were both men incorporated a lot of Lucha spots and sequences into there match which also had a splash of classic puro near falls, the finish saw dorado counter omega reverse electric chair but he couldn't follow up as omega gave dorado a running knee smash then his reverse Electric chair driver to pick up the win and retain his title. Afterwards omega cut a promo saying how he had cleaned up new Japan and taken out the garbage in japanese and Mexican wrestlers and was now turning his attentions to the U.S. And more specifically the motor city. He was directly calling out Alex Shelley who was at ringside for this one, the two then had a stare down to simply set up a match between the two for next month. Take note wwe sometimes you don't need a convoluded storyline to set up a match as new Japan showed here. Sometimes it's just easier to do what promoters have been doing for years and that is people will pay to see two wrestlers who are precieved as winners face off with one another.
The Kingdom (Michael Bennett&Matt Taven)/with Maria Kanellis dropped The Bullet Club (Doc Gallows&Karl 'The Machine Gun' Anderson) to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles
It caught me a little off Guard that the kingdom team won this match as gallows N Gun had only just recaptured the gold last month but I also said this about gallows and gun regaining the belts last month. Early on the bullet club got the upper hand on Taven and Bennett then turned there attention to maria Kanellis on the outside. They got her into the ring but her husband Michael Bennett just saved her skin. The kingdom took over control of the match with there hardy inspired offensive when Bennett gave anderson a twist of fate and Taven nailed anderson with a swantime Bomb for the nearfall. Then the bullet club came back with some double team combos to the kingdom and it looked all but over for the ROH regulars but maria got up on the apron and shook her money maker in the direction of anderson. This obviously distracted the machine gun (as it would with any man) who walked towards her, gallows came over to her as well and grabbed her by her hair. Back in the ring Bennett recovered and nailed anderson with a spear to pick up the win and titles for him and taven (take that IWC).
Six Man Tag: Hiroki Goto, Tetsuya Naito and Togi Makabe downed Choas (Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Iishi and YOSHI-Hashi
This was an all action six man tag which helped set up two feuds at least coming out of it. Nakamaru, Ishii, Makabe and Goto all had enjoyable exchanges with one another, shame it can't be said about Naito and HASHI who seem to be going nowhere after this one. The finish saw nakamaru nail Goto with a Bombay running knee smash but on the second attempt Goto countered and after some back and fourth he drilled the IWGP intercontinental champion with samoa joes old ROH finish the Island driver (Joe used the move between 2002-03 period in ROH until he found the muscle buster or stole it for Shinya Hashimoto) to pick up the win. Unlike in wwe when someone pins the intercontinental champion it means something because Shinsuke hasn't been beaten every week on tv so when Goto pinned him he didn't just get a title shot as his win actually meant something because he beat someone who was winning streak since last years G-1 tournament.
Choas (Kazushi Sakaruba and Taro Yano) hammered Hiroshi Tanahashi&Shiabata
Average match which broke the card up nicely, the finish saw Shibata tap out to Sakaruba's MMA arm bar. I kind of fill sorry for Shibata as I felt he shouldn't have been taping out to veteran Sakaruba, but I guess it sets up a match between the two former MMA fighters.
Kazuchika Okada defeated Bad Luck Fale
As with most Fale matches it needs a far superior worker to make it at least passable. As Okada worked a miracle here and got an ok match out of new Japan's verison of the great Khali with Okada bumping like a boss to make Fale offensive at least look believable. Also I guess it did its job in rehabbing okada following his high profile loss to Tanahashi earlier in the year at Wrestle Kingdom. Again it was simple booking with this one win setting up a Okada v styles rematch but you wouldn't find that out to later, so in summary this all made a lot of sense. The finish saw Okada pick up the massive Fale and nail him with a tombstone Piledriver then a rainmaker for the win.
MAIN EVENT
AJ Styles pinned Kota Ibushi to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Title
The two lock up twice which is broken by both men, then another lock up and AJ arm drags kota Ibushi to the outside then kota Ibushi does this to aj. Ibushi jumps onto the second rope and then moonsualts out onto AJ who is still on the floor but AJ moves. Ibushi then goes for a jumping spin kick but AJ moves and gives Ibushi a German suplex onto the mats on the outside. AJ then focuses in on Ibushi back working him over in the process with a back breaker and a inverted surfboard. Ibushi makes a brief comeback with a drop sault (dropkick/moonsault) but AJ comes back and again is focusing right back on Ibushi back. Ibushi then cuts AJ off by pushing him off the top rope as AJ goes for the springboard forearm smash. Ibushi goes up top and comes off with a moonsault to AJ for a 2 count. Ibushi hurts his knee and AJ focuses on that sore limb now but ibushi comes back with a double foot stomp to AJ, a spring board drop kick and another moonsault but Ibushi is too banged up and can't capitalise by pinning AJ. Both men get back up and Ibushi drills AJ with a German suplex for another two count. AJ battles back and drills ibushi with a suplex into the corner turnbuckle pad. AJ then nails Ibushi with a inverted ddt which folds Ibushi up like a accordion and covers Ibushi for a near fall as the challenger just kicks out. Both men exchange a number of kick, punches and forearm smashes as well as trading a pela kick with one another. AJ nails Ibushi with the flying forearm smash then a cradle Bomb for another near fall. AJ then gives Ibushi the Bloody Sunday ddt for another nearfall, AJ applies the calf killer but Ibushi battles out of it by eventually reaching the ropes. Larito by AJ to Ibushi but again it only gets a two count. AJ goes for a styles clash off the second rope but Ibushi blocks it and goes for a Frankensteiner but AJ blocks that and Ibushi falls to the apron but then he pops back up with a spring board and hooks AJ into the Frankensteiner. Ibushi covers AJ for the nearest of near falls. Ibushi botches a sit down power Bomb attempt but is able to nail AJ with it seconds later for another near fall. Ibushi climbs up top as he senses victory as he is there former tag team partner (best friend) and DDT cohort Kenny Omega who is now in the bullet club pops up on the ring apron and the two exchange a look. This is enough of a delay Ibushi as AJ has time to recover, then Ibushi comes off with the pheonix splash but AJ catches him and drills Ibushi with a styles clash to pick up the win and retain the IWGP heavyweight title.
Afterwards there is a clear look of resentment and displeasure on AJ and omegas face, possibly for one another.
To end the show the bullet club celebrate but it seems as if the cleaner kenny omega is not in a celebrating mood. Then Kazuchika Okada shows up and he gives AJ a rainmaker to set up a match between those two, hopefully for next months show.
This was what I expected an incredible match which bulit and bulit throughout until the satisfying conclusion which saw AJ and Ibushi pull off one of the most spectacular finishing sequences in new Japan this year. It's getting rave reviews for a reason because it really was that good and it's hint of a split between omega and styles to end the show really had me marking out at the thought of a AJ v omega match at next years wrestle Kingdom.
Rating&Round Up
Another cracking new Japan show which may have had some duds on it but it delivered with all the big matches and the booking of the show couldn't have been any better, it was a simply exucution by NJPW who actually set up a lot of meaningful feuds going forward. The wins by omega, Shelley, Goto, RPG vice and Okada all made sense and set up some mouth watering matches for next months shows and beyond. Also the omega and styles stare at one another may not have meant a whole lot to some people but this was great booking as its the first chapter (hopefully) in a long line of chapters between the two. Overall I would give this show a 7.5 out of 10 and my match of the night can only go to one match and that was Ibushi vs styles, which is getting a lot of praise and for good reason as it really was that good.
By Good_Brother_Billy @billy222me or @RantsWrestle
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