Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Farewell to Shinsuke Nakamura

New Japan Pro Wrestling: NJPW Road to New Beginning 1/30/16 Review

Location: Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan inside Korakuen Hall (1,806 in attendance)

There comes a time in life, where we all have to make a change. Whether it be to move away from our childhood homes, or perhaps to try something new, or even just to find better fulfillment in the workplace. For Shinsuke Nakamura, all three of these things are changes he will be making very soon.

At a press conference six days ago, the former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion cited frustration with the lack of determination in New Japan Pro Wrestling and he felt he had done everything he could for the promotion. He’s leaving because he wants to continue to grow in his profession and to feel that rush again doing what he loves.

Three days later, the longstanding rumors and reports were confirmed when at the latest WWE NXT tapings, a video was shown of Nakamura telling Sami Zayn that he would see him at NXT Takeover Dallas.

As the internet exploded in excitement at the prospect of a potential Match of the Year contender that could take place between he and Zayn, Nakamura still had two final dates to fulfill for NJPW. This is Shinsuke Nakamura’s final show as a member of the New Japan Pro Wrestling roster, a company he’s worked for since 2002.

Nakamura leaves NJPW with a tremendous amount of accolades; he’s the youngest ever to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at 23 year’s of age, he’s a five-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, which is a belt that will forever be known as the championship he made important. I’d go as far as to say it is the most prestigious secondary title in all of professional wrestling. He also is the final National Wrestling Federation Champion, as he defeated Yoshihiro Takiyama in a title unification match that merged the NWF belt with the IWGP Heavyweight belt. (The NWF Championship was a historic belt that dates back to before NJPW’s inception, which was revived in 2002 to crown a MMA champion within the promotion.) He’s also a Wrestling Observer Hall of Famer, the 2011 G1 Climax winner, he started the mega stable CHAOS and most of all he was a huge draw for NJPW and will be very hard to replace. Not only for his terrific wrestling, but also for his limitless charisma, which can instantly fill an arena with smiles the moment he walks out onto that stage. Personally, I’m also going to miss that fantastic entrance music, I love “Subconscious” so much that it is a ringtone on my phone.

However, as much as this show was a farewell to one of the company’s greatest stars, it was also a house show to help build to the double shot of New Beginning shows happening next month. You could say that they certainly remembered the past, but also looked forward to a future without Shinsuke Nakamura.

Match 1: David Finlay Jr. (Young Lion) vs. Hirai Kawato (Young Lion)

Winner: David Finlay Jr. (After making Kawato TAP OUT to the Boston Crab)

Kawato is 18 and is fresh from the NJPW dojo, in fact, this is only his third match on a NJPW tour. Although his stuff is pretty basic, as is the case for Young Lions, I felt he got to show a lot here. Finlay came in cocky and confident, but also showed he is light years ahead of the inexperienced Kawato. Finlay has grown a ton since debuting last May, as he put Kawato away with some nasty kicks to the head before locking in the trademark Young Lion Boston Crab. ** and ¼ *

Match 2: Jay White (Young Lion) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (CHAOS)

Winner: YOSHI-HASHI (After a Powerbomb Pin)

This wasn’t anything too special when you look at it from the macro level, but if you analyze it from a more microscopic view, this is the closest probably any of the new crop of Young Lions have come to a win. Jay seemed very confident in himself and took over for part of this match, but when he locked in that Crossface, flipped over, and easily switched the submission to a Regal Stretch he got me to believe this might be it. Unfortunately, YOSHI-HASHI got to the ropes and quickly dashed away my hopes. This was a very good outing for Mr. White, who continues to improve by leaps and bounds. ** and ¾ *

Match 3: 6-Man Tag Team Match: Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima (Ten Cozy) & Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs. Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi & Tiger Mask IV

Winner: Ten Cozy & Liger (After a Cozy Lariat by Kojima on Nakanishi)

This is your old guys tag match with the story being that the “face” team (maybe?) kept knocking the much bigger Nakanishi off the apron any chance they got. Business picked up when Nakanishi was finally tagged in and he sort of ran wild on everyone with Lariats, and he also had Kojima in the Torture Rack and then threw him onto Liger, who ran in trying to make the save. Kojima would have the last laugh as he and his Cozy Lariat would pick up the win for his team. This had some fun comedy, a nice payoff to the story, and everyone got in their trademark spots. ** and ¾ *

Match 4: Tag Team Match: (1/3 of the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Champions) Toru Yano & Kazushi Sakuraba (Both CHAOS) vs. Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi (Both Bullet Club)

Winners: Bullet Club (After a low blow by Yujiro and Fale hits the Grenade on Yano for the pin)

This is the definition of fine. It was rather dull until Sakuraba got involved and Yano turned up the comedy. The finish was the best part because it shows that the Bullet Club members are learning from past mistakes and they caught Yano trying to do one of his big trademarks, a low blow, and Yujiro did it to Yano instead to setup the Grenade. This helps build to the Six Man Tag Title match at the 2/11 show in Osaka, but that’s about it. **

Match 5: 6-Man Tag Team Match: (IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion) KUSHIDA, Ryusuke Taguchi, & Captain New Japan vs. Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, & BUSHI (Los Ingobernables de Japon)

Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon (After a STO by EVIL to Captain New Japan)

The only ones that really matter here as far as building to something are BUSHI and KUSHIDA as they face off for the Jr. Title at the 2/14 show in Niigata. These two had some terrific interactions to get you excited for that match. BUSHI continues to show that he might be the bigger of the two sidekicks to Naito in this faction, as he impressively countered KUSHIDA’s cartwheel Dropkick and his Baseball punch as well. Taguchi got in some Hip Attacks, Naito really didn’t have much offense, allowing for the other two to be more prominent in the match, and Captain New Japan took the fall as always. EVIL had an impressive final sequence and I really like the double team move he does with Naito on Taguchi. Los Ingobernables de Japon continue to look strong. *** After the Match: BUSHI cut a promo saying he was looking forward to the Jr. Title match and called him a Pendejo, (which basically means stupid a** in Spanish.)

6. 8-Man Tag Team Match: Juice Robinson, Michael Elgin, & (IWGP Tag Team Champions) Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe (Great Bash Heel) vs. Cody Hall, Kenny Omega, Karl Anderson, & Doc Gallows (All Bullet Club)

Winners: Bullet Club (After Omega hits Juice Robinson with a Big Knee against the Ropes)

Michael Elgin strikes again with another impressive performance doing his power stuff early and late, while also being a trooper for taking that SICK Reverse Rana from Omega during the finish. Omega took a lot of offense in this one, but he sold it all extremely well and looked very strong in the end so it balances out. Everyone worked hard and thank God Anderson was caught on that Powerbomb to the outside by Elgin. This was a fun match and gave Gallows and Anderson a win heading into their Tag Title rematch at the 2/14 show in Niigata. *** and ¼ *

7. 6-Man Tag Team Match: MAIN EVENT: Shinsuke Nakamura Farewell Match: (NEVER Openweight Champion) Katsuyori Shibata & Hirooki Goto (Meiyu Tag) & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Shinsuke Nakamura, & (IWGP Heavyweight Champion) Kazuchika Okada w/ Gedo (All CHAOS)

Winners: Okada, Ishii, & Nakamura (After Ishii Hit Shibata with a Brainbuster)

This was certainly a farewell fit for a king. The video package beforehand was incredible, highlighting big moments in his career, from his humble beginnings until his Wrestle Kingdom 10 match with AJ Styles. The crowd was super into everything and also loudly cheered for Okada, Ishii, and even Shibata. The match itself was much more of a look forward with the four men involved in the build to the two major 2/11 Osaka New Beginning Matches doing the bulk of the work.

While his interactions with Okada were kept short, Goto was heavily booed anytime he did anything, showing that his attacks on Okada have made the crowd turn on him. The majority of this match was between Ishii and Shibata as they did all of the stuff you’d expect with the stiff elbows, kicks, lariats, and more. There were also two triple team moves from the CHAOS brethren, along with everyone’s trademark offense. It put a smile on my face the two times Nakamura and Tanahashi were put in the ring together, as the two that have supported New Japan the longest locked horns one final time. There were some slow spots in here, which take it away from being a “great” match, but it was still very good and more than a fitting sendoff for the “Best in the World” Shinsuke Nakamura. *** and ¾ *

After the Match: Kenny Omega came out to kill the party, as he wanted Nakamura to tell the world why he was really leaving New Japan and then Tanahashi stepped in front of Nakamura and said that this was about Nakamura’s last match, but that if he wanted an opponent for the Intercontinental Championship, he could face him. Then Tana proclaimed “I am X.” So, the main event of New Beginning in Niigata on 2/14 is set.

The stage was then left for Nakamura to say a final speech where he thanked the fans, the company, his comrades, and everyone. He wants to show the world Nakamura and says he wants to be able to comeback stronger, so he doesn’t want to say goodbye, just thank you. Then he gave everyone one final “Yeah-Oh!”

The entire CHAOS stable came out and got in the ring to do a pose with Nakamura. Okada was visibly weeping, as was Nakamura, and as was I. I totally lost it when I saw Okada shed tears. I’ve only watched NJPW religiously since Wrestle Kingdom 9, but I’ve gone back and watch plenty of shows and matches. Nakamura is the reason I fell in love with this promotion. Even though I’m going to be at NXT Takeover Dallas to see Nakamura’s first match in WWE live, there’s just something touching about this moment that was overwhelming. You could feel the emotion from everyone coming through the screen, just something that I’m always going to remember. YOSHI-HASHI and Okada carried Nakamura on their shoulders to the back.

Nakamura also had a press conference afterwards as well, where he had some interesting things to say (I want to thank E. Key Oide for all of his translations, which makes it so easy for us to understand promos and interviews.)

OVERALL RATING: 7.0 Outside of all of the Nakamura stuff, there really isn’t anything else memorable from this show wrestling wise. I would recommend obviously watching the main event, but if you have time the two matches before that are good in their own right. This was a show meant to build to bigger shows coming down the line, while also remembering a big star. I feel it accomplished both of those things pretty well.

Until we get to see you again Shinsuke, Here’s a YEAH-OH! For you.

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