By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “King of Pro Wrestling”
October 14, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan at Ryogoku Sumo Hall
Streamed live on New Japan World
Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided commentary. This is a small arena. (Late in the show, Walker said there were 6,000 in attendance.)
1. Mistico vs. Hiromu Takahashi. Basic reversals to open and Mistico dove through the ropes onto him at 1:00. In the ring, Hiromu tied up Mistico’s legs. Mistico hit his corkscrew plancha to the floor. In the ring, Takahasi hit a German Suplex at 5:00. Mistico hit a Spanish Fly for a nearfall, ten a Canadian Destroyer. Hiromu applied his standing Figure Four Leglock. Hiromu turned it over so it looked like a Sharpshooter, and Mistico tapped out! That was unexpected! Mistico indicated to Hiromu he wants a mask-vs-hair match!
Hiromu Takahashi defeated Mistico at 7:52.
2. “Bullet Club War Dogs” Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors vs. Kevin Knight and Kushida for the IWGP Junior Tag Team Titles. BCWD attacked at the bell. Kevin hit his picture-perfect dropkick. They went to the floor, and Knight was tossed into the crowd. Kushida hit a Flatliner on Connors onto an open chair. Knight hit an impressive missile dropkick on Connors. In the ring, BCWD hit stereo German Suplexes, then stereo spears. They worked over Kushida in their corner. Knight hit a top-rope double clothesline at 6:30. Knight hit a springboard dive over the guardrail and onto the heels in the front row. That was an impressive dive.
In the ring, Knight hit another dropkick on an opponent on Kushida’s shoulders. Moloney hit a spinebuster at 9:00. Kushida accidentally bumped into Knight, and Connors immediately hit a spear on Kushida, and everyone was down. Moloney hti a powerbomb with Connors catching Kushida’s head for a stunner as well! Connors hit a spear on Kushida. The heels hit front-and-back spears on Kushida for a believable nearfall at 11:30; I thought that was it. Knight got a jackknife rollup and pinned Connors! New champions!
Kushida and Kevin Knight defeated Drilla Moloney and Clark Connors to win the IWGP Junior Tag Team Titles at 12:26.
3. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls vs. Bad Luck Fale and Caveman Ugg for the IWGP Tag Team Titles. I noted this last week when Fale returned, he now has a short gray beard. Ugg is looking more and more like 1980s Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and he wears his caveman gear. The heels attacked TMDK before the bell and they all brawled to the floor. Ugg leapt off the apron and splashed onto Mikey, who was lying on a table at ringside at 2:00. In the ring, Fale stood on Haste’s back and ‘surfed.’ Haste hit some roundhouse kicks on Ugg. Ugg hit a fallaway slam at 5:00. Haste caught Ugg with a dropkick. Nicholls got the hot tag and the commentators were astounded he was back in. Mikey hit a DDT on Ugg. Nicholls hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall but Fale made the save. TMDK hit a back suplex move on Fale at 7:00. They hit a team swinging side slam and pinned Ugg. Really good action for the time given.
Shane Haste and Mikey Nicholls defeated Bad Luck Fale and Caveman Ugg to retain the IWGP Tag Team Titles at 7:51.
* Great-O-Khan and Henare got in the ring! O-Khan congratulated TMDK on their victory. They want a title shot.
4. Shingo Takagi vs. Ryohei Oiwa for the NEVER Openweight Title. They went to the floor, and Shingo whipped him into the guardrail at 1:30. In the ring, he hit a suplex and some Moxley-style elbow strikes to the side of the head. Oiwa dropped him with a shoulder tackle, and Stewart noted that Oiwa is just 25 years old. Shingo hit a top-rope superplex at 5:00, then a sliding clothesline for a nearfall. They traded clotheslines, and Oiwa hit a German Suplex and an Angle Slam, and they were both down. Shingo nailed the Made In Japan pump-handle powerbomb for a nearfall at 7:30.
Shingo hit some jab punches. Oiwa hit a German Suplex for a nearfall, and he applied a sleeper, then he hit a short-arm clothesline. Oiwa nailed a Doctor Bomb/gut-wrench powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 9:00. Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber clothesline for a believable nearfall. Oiwa hit a dropkick. Shingo hit a Saito Suplex, then another Pumping Bomber clothesline, then a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. He hit another Pumping Bomber and the Last of the Dragon (modified Death Valley Driver) for the pin. Wow, that was hard-hitting and fun. I was curious if they would put the title on Oiwa this early. Even though he didn’t win, he looked great here. Stewart raved about the performance, noting it was Oiwa’s first singles match since returning from excursion.
Shingo Takagai defeated Ryohei Oiwa to retain the NEVER Openweight Title at 10:44.
5. Jeff Cobb vs. Yota Tsuji and Ren Narita for the NJPW TV Title. A reminder these matches have a 15-minute time limit. Cobb and Yota attacked Ren to open! Cobb hit a standing moonsault on Ren, who rolled to the floor. Yota and Cobb now traded forearm strikes. Walker noted this was only the second three-way match in NJPW this year. Yota bodyslammed Cobb for a nearfall at 2:30. Ren tripped Yota and dragged him to the floor. Ren applied a cross-armbreaker, but Shota immediately reached the bottom rope at 4:00. Yota dove through the ropes onto Cobb. In the ring, Cobb caught Yota and tossed him across the ring. In a great spot, Cobb got them both on his shoulders and hit a double Samoan Drop at 7:00.
Cobb slammed Ren onto Yota, but Ren went to cover Yota and got a nearfall! Cobb hit a diving forearm. Tsuji went for a Stomp but Cobb blocked it. Yota hit a swinging powerbomb on Cobb for a nearfall at 9:00. Ren sat on the top turnbuckle and choked Tsuji. He hit his flying Guillotine knee across the throat. Ren tied up Cobb’s legs, but Jeff reached the ropes at 10:30. Ren went for the Double Cross (X-Factor) but Yota blocked it. Yota set up for the Gene Blaster (spear), but Cobb caught him and hit the Tour of the Islands swinging powerslam! However, Ren pulled the ref from the ring! Ren hit a low blow on Cobb. He grabbed his push-up bar and struck Cobb in the head with it. Ren hit the Double Cross on Cobb and scored the tainted pin. New champion!
Ren Narita defeated Jeff Cobb and Yota Tsuji to win the NJPW TV Title at 12:28.
* The Young Bucks appeared on the screen! They said they are returning for Wrestle Dynasty!
6. Hiroshi Tanahasi, El Phantasmo, and Shota Umino vs. “House of Torture” EVIL, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Yujiro Takahashi (w/Dick Togo). The HOT attacked before the bell and all six immediately brawled to the floor. In the ring, ELP hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and pointed at Hiroshi for approval. EVIL whipped Tanahashi into an exposed corner. The heels began working over ELP in their corner. Kanemaru hit a basement dropkick on Phantasmo’s knee and got a nearfall at 3:30. Phantasmo hit a suplex. Shota got a hot tag and hit some armdrags and a basement dropkick on Yujiro’s knee.
Umino hit a fisherman’s suplex on EVIL for a nearfall at 5:30, then an Exploder Suplex on EVIL. Hiroshi tagged in and battled Yujiro. He hit a second-rope summersault senton for a nearfall at 7:00. Togo hit Tanahashi in the back with a corner pad. Togo hit his knife-edge chop to Hiroshi’s groin. The ref saw EVIL with a walking staff and confiscated it. Tanahasi hit a sling blade clothesline on Yujiro, then the High Fly Flow frogsplash on Yujiro for the pin. Good match.
Hiroshi Tanahasi, El Phantasmo, and Shota Umino defeated EVIL, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Yujiro Takahashi at 9:13.
* HIroshi got on the mic and noted he has wrestled for 25 years, and he said the fans have given him love and support that entire time. However, “the finish line is in sight.” Tanahashi said he will retire in January 2026, so he will wrestle for one more year. EVIL and Togo attacked Hiroshi from behind! Phantasmo returned to the ring and made the save. Ren Narita hopped in the ring and struck ELP with his push-up bar, then Ren helped EVIL stomp on Hiroshi. EVIL got on the mic and told Tanahashi he should just retire right now, and EVIL proclaimed, “This is my company.”
7. Douki vs. Sho for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title. The cameras panned to the entrance ramp, where Sho was choking Douki, so I started my stopwatch at first contact. Sho got a chair and cracked it over the top of Douki’s unprotected head, then he hit a piledriver on a thin mat at ringside. They got into the ring and Sho ripped off Douki’s mask! However, Douki had paint on his face. He sprayed mist in Sho’s face! Douki laughed like a maniac. The bell rang at 3:20 to officially begin. Douki hit a German Suplex with a high bridge for the pin! Douki continued to make strange faces and looked demented. This match is exactly why I start the bell at first contact!
Douki defeated Sho to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title at 3:35/official time of 14 seconds.
* Kanemaru got in the ring and attacked Douki. However, Master Wato jumped in the ring and beat up Kanemaru. It’s the first time we’ve seen Wato since he tore his ACL months ago. Wato got on the mic and said he is back, he’s healthy, and he is challenging Douki for the belt. Wato looks like he has put on some healthy muscle mass in his time off. (Also, no blue tint in his hair, which is an improvement. He doesn’t look like a Smurf today.)
8. David Finlay (w/Gedo) vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP Global Title. Goto’s children are in the front row. Goto won their prior matchup in the G1 this year. They fought to ringside and Finlay walked over to Goto’s kids and jawed at them. Charlton said Goto believes that if his kids are with him there, he cannot lose. They continued to fight at ringside, and Goto hit a back bodydrop at 5:30, with Finlay crashing onto a pile of folded chairs. Goto whipped Finlay into the guardrails. In the ring, Goto hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 8:00. They traded forearms while on their knees, then while standing. Finlay hit a hard clothesline and they were both down at 10:30. He nailed a Dominator swinging face plant for a nearfall. He hit some crossface blows and jawed at Goto’s children.
Finlay hit a buckle bomb, but Goto popped up and hit a clothesline, and they were both down at 12:30. Goto jumped on Finlay’s back and applied a sleeper. Goto hit the neckbreaker over his knee, then the GTR slam for a believable nearfall at 14:30. Goto hit his swinging side slam. Gedo tried to interfere but Yoshi-Hashi pulled him off the apron. Finlay got his shillelagh and struck Goto with it for a believable nearfall. Finlay hit a standing powerbomb with a jackknife cover for a believable nearfall. Goto went for the GTR but Finlay avoided it. Finlay nailed the Overkill (pop-up kneestrike to the sternum) to score the pin.) The cameras panned to Goto’s children, who were crying that he lost.
David Finlay defeated Hirooki Goto to retain the IWGP Global Title at 17:00 even.
* Finlay got on the mic and proclaimed that his next challenger will be Yuya Uemura. The announcers pointed out that Yuya is injured and Finlay knows this. Yuya’s Just 5 Guys teammate Taichi came out of the back and got in the ring. They brawled, and Taichi made it clear he wants a title shot.
9. Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (w/TMDK) for the IWGP World Title. The crowd was split at the bell and they just glared at each other from across the ring. Sabre immediately tied up Naito on the mat. Stewart pointed out that Naito has won seven of 12 prior matchups, so it’s almost 50-50. Sabre applied a leglock around the neck at 3:00. Sabre got in a cross-armbreaker at 6:00. They brawled to the floor, and Naito shoved Sabre into the guardrail and slammed his head on the ring apron. Back in the ring, Sabre again tied up Naito’s legs and kept him grounded. Naito snapped Sabre’s neck between his ankles (Zack’s move!) at 10:30, and Sabre sold the pain it sent from his shoulders to fingertips. Naito hit a neckbreaker over his knee and a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker for a nearfall.
Naito applied a leglock around Sabre’s neck, but Zack reached the ropes at 13:00. Sabre applied a cross-armbreaker in the ropes and let go at the four-count. Sabre reapplied a leglock around Naito’s neck in the center of the ring. They stood up and Sabre hit a series of European Uppercuts at 15:30. Naito hit a tornado DDT and they were both down. Naito hit a Frankensteiner at 17:00, and he tied up Sabre’s neck, but Zack got his feet on the ropes to break it. Naito hit a flipping neckbreaker off the second rope at 19:30. He hit a Destino for a nearfall. Sabre tied up both arms on the mat in a modified Rings of Saturn, and he twisted the left wrist and fingers. Naito reached the ropes.
Naito hit a brainbuster. He went for another Destino but Sabre avoided it, and Sabre hit a Gotch-style Piledriver at 22:30. Sabre hit a running Penalty Kick. Naito hit a second Destino for a nearfall. Sabre blocked a Destino. Naito went for a springboard tornado DDT but he got a rollup instead. Sabre hit a clothesline and a Zack Driver for a nearfall at 24:00. He hit a second one for a believable nearfall. Sabre hit a third Zack Driver for the pin! New champion!!!!!! Charlton went nuts on commentary. “I’ve got a lump in my throat,” Chris said.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP World Title at 24:42.
* Sabre celebrated in the ring with his TMDK teammates. He had both the title belt and the G1 Climax trophy. Sabre got on the mic and said in Japanese that he will “always be here” in New Japan. He continued to speak in Japanese. Sanada got into the ring wearing a sharp yellow suit (as sharp as a yellow suit can look anyways!) These two will square off next week in England, and Sanada wants to make it a title match. Sabre agreed and they shook hands. Shota Umino walked to ringside and he also got in, and he was lightly booed! Charlton and Stewart noted that Umino beat Sabre in the G1. Shota also wants a title shot. Now Shingo Takagi came to ringside and he barked as he also got in the ring! Shingo also has beaten Sabre in the past and wants a title shot! Sabre convinced all three challengers to leave, which they did. (Kudos to Sabre for doing that whole segment while speaking in Japanese, and of course kudos to Charlton for his translation.) The confetti cannon went off to cover Sabre in streamers to end the show.
Final Thoughts: I firmly believe that title change needed to happen. Naito has struggled this year to deliver memorable matches. Despite being in the main event on most A Block nights of G1 Climax action, his matches rarely stood out. Sabre is the hot hand and it’s a fresh new direction on top. And we saw in one great post-match segment, that three quality challengers have quickly emerged, with all three having a legitimate claim to being No. 1 contender.
A really good, notable show. I love this change in direction for Douki. We saw some title changes, and learned that Tanahashi is retiring in about 15 months. Oiwa-Shingo was predictably good and I’ll give that second-best. Cobb-Tsuji-Ren was really good for third.
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