By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “Golden Fight Series”
April 20, 2022 in Tokyo, Japan at Korakuen Hall
Streamed live on New Japan World
The main event is a rematch from two shows ago (earlier in the week). This event had Japanese-only commentary. As noted earlier this week, a lot of wrestlers are still not back from the U.S. shows, and we also are missing Kenta, Sanada, and Kota Ibushi due to injuries, so the roster is a bit thin.
Shingo Takagi and Taichi came to ringside to start the show. Takagi showed off an art book that had Japanese writing on the pages. It appears they agreed to the stipulation of their match. No punches were thrown.
1. Kosei Fujita defeated Yuto Nakashima at 9:42. Both Young Lions wore the generic black trunks. Nakashima is much bigger. Basic reversals. Fujita dominated and worked over the left arm. Nakashima clubbed him with some forearm shots. Fujita applied a Boston Crab, and Nakashima tapped out. Another basic match among the Young Lions.
2. Zach Sabre Jr., Douki, Taka Michinoku, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Tomoaki Honma, Tiger Mask, Master Wato, and Ryusuke Taguchi at 10:21. The heels attacked to start the match. The heels worked over Tiger Mask early. Tiger Mask hit a tiger bomb on Taka at 5:00. Wato entered and hit a top-rope forearm. Kanemaru and Taguchi traded enzuigiris. Sabre and Honma entered at 7:00 and Sabre hit his European uppercuts. The heels all applied submission holds on the mat, and Sabre got Honma to tap out. Just a so-so match with Sabre only in at the very end.
3. Sho and Yujiro Takahashi defeated Tanga Loa and Jado at 10:00. They all brawled on the floor, with Sho vs. Jado and Yujiro vs. Tanga Loa. The heels worked over Jado in the ring. Tanga made the hot tag at 5:00 and he hit an Exploder Suplex on Yujiro. Loa hit an enzuigiri. Jado re-entered at 8:00 and was fired up. He hit a clothesline for a nearfall, then he applied a Crossface on Sho. Yujiro distracted the ref. Sho hit Jado with his wrench, knocked him out, and got the pin. Best action was Sho vs. Tanga Loa, which would be a far better singles match than Loa-Yujiro.
4. Yoshi-Hoshi, Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano, and Togi Makabe defeated Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, Gedo, and Taiji Ishimori at 8:48. The heels attacked and everyone brawled to the floor. In the ring, the heels worked over Yano. Yoshi-Hoshi finally got in at 5:00 and traded good offense with Ishimori. Yoshi-Hoshi and Goto hit their team slam move on Gedo for the pin. There just wasn’t much to this match.
5. Taichi and El Desperado defeated Shingo Takagi and Bushi at 11:58. Shingo and Taichi opened with good, quick reversals. Bushi and Desperado then entered a minute in, and Desperado applied a Stretch Muffler leg hold. They brawled to the floor and Desperado threw Bushi into the guardrail. In the ring, Taichi tied up Bushi’s left leg. Bushi hit a huracanrana, and they were both down at 7:00. Shingo made the hot tag and hit a senton on Desperado.
Taichi entered; he and Shingo traded some good offense. Bushi hit a swinging neckbreaker on Taichi for a nearfall. Bushi hit a dive to the floor. Taichi hit a superkick on Bushi for a nearfall, but he picked him up at the two-count. Taichi then nailed the Air Raid Crash for the pin. Far better than any of the first four matches of the show.
6. Tama Tonga and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated EVIL and Dick Togo at 9:54. EVIL attacked Tonga and took control early. Togo worked over Tanashi’s arm. The heels used cheating tactics to stay in control of Tanahashi. Tonga made the hot tag at 4:30 and hit several dropkicks, and he was fired up.
The heels worked over Tama. The heels hit their team Magic Killer faceplant at 8:30, but Tanahashi made the save. Togo got his wire and choked Tonga. Tonga escaped and hit the Gun Stun cutter on Togo for the pin. Solid but never made it to third gear.
7. Kazuchika Okada and Yoh defeated Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi at 18:11. This match previews two top singles matches on the May 1 show. Yoh and Hiromu charged at each other at the bell and traded stiff shots. Hiromu tied him up in the ropes. Naito got in and grounded Yoh, who later hit a spinning neckbreaker on Hiromu at 7:00. Okada finally tagged in, for the first time in the match, and he clotheslined Hiromu, then hit a DDT. Naito hit a basement dropkick to Okada’s back for a nearfall.
Okada dropkicked Naito as Naito was seated on the top turnbuckle, causing him to tumble to the floor at 11:00. Okada applied a sleeper in the ring, but Naito escaped. Naito hit a spinebuster and they were both down. Hiromu and Yoh re-entered. Hiromu put Yoh on his shoulders and slammed him into the corner at 14:00. Yoh hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Naito went for Destino, but Okada blocked it and Okada hit a dropkick at 16:30.
Hiromu superkicked Yoh who responded with one of his own. Yoh performed a neckbreaker over his knee and a modified brainbuster on Hiromu for the pin. The last half of this match was really good.
Final Thoughts: The show clocked in at just under two-and-a-half hours. The main event was the best match, and the Shingo/Bushi-Taichi/Desperado match was second best. While nothing was terrible, none of the other matches were really above average. New Japan needs to get the rest of the roster back soon for the 5/1 show that will feature Okada vs. Naito, Will Ospreay vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hiromu Takahashi vs. Yoh, and Shingo Takagi vs. Taichi.
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