By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “Battle in the Valley”
January 11, 2025 in San Jose, California at San Jose Civic
Streamed live on New Japan World and TrillerTV.com
An upper deck was fairly empty; there may have been 400 or so fans in attendance for the pre-show, but it felt empty in a venue this big. (NOTE, it grew to an estimated 1,800; it was empty as we began but by the main show, it was fairly full.) The lighting was really good. Veda Scott and Walker Stewart provided commentary.
NJPW Battle in the Valley Pre-show:
1. Zane Jay vs. Viento. Zane is the top student at the NJPW U.S. dojo and I’ve really been impressed with him. He’s now bald and no longer wears a chain. (He used to give off young Jack Evans vibes.) Viento’s mask and long hair makes me think of Psicosis. They traded armdrags to open, and Zane kept him grounded. Viento hit a second-rope flying clothesline for a nearfall at 4:30. Zane hit an impressive dropkick. He nailed a top-rope elbow drop and applied a Boston Crab, and Viento immediately tapped out. Solid opener; this wasn’t a breakout match for Jay but I really have liked what I’ve seen from him overall.
Zane Jay defeated Viento at 6:23.
2. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Shane Haste and Bad Dude Tito vs. Matt Vandagriff and Fred Rosser. It felt strange not having Haste and Mikey Nicholls on the Wrestle Kingdom shows. Rosser came out first but Vandagriff brushed past him on the way to the ring; that’s an ominous sign of how well they are going to get along! Tito immediately hit an Exploder Suplex on Matt, who quickly tapped out. TMDK worked over Rosser in their corner. Haste hit a double-underhook suplex for a nearfall at 3:00. Tito hit a slingshot senton to flatten Fred’s chest. Haste hit a dropkick and a rolling cannonball at 5:00 for a nearfall.
Rosser hit a clothesline on Shane and they were both down. Matt got the hot tag and hit some chops on Tito, then a spear on Tito at 6:30 and he was fired up. Rosser slammed Shane on the ring apron. Vandagriff hit a top-rope corkscrew moonsault to the floor! In the ring, Rosser hit a Gut Check knees to Haste’s ribs for a believable nearfall. Rosser accidentally kicked Matt! Haste hit a tornado DDT on Fred and a running knee to the forehead for a nearfall at 8:30. Fred went to tag out, but Matt hopped off the apron, gave Rosser the middle finger, and left! Rosser applied the Crossface Chickenwing on Tito, but Haste made the save. Tito hit a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall. Matt took a step back toward the ring, but left. Tito hit an F5 faceplant and pinned Rosser. Veda noted that Matt could have broken up that cover.
Shane Haste and Bad Dude Tito defeated Matt Vandagriff and Fred Rosser at 10:22.
NJPW Battle in the Valley Main Card:
* The crowd has grown to maybe 1,100; the upper deck is far more filled than when those opening matches got underway.
1. Gabe Kidd vs. Tomohiro Ishii for the New Japan Strong Openweight Title. They stared at each other from across the ring for a while before locking up. Stewart said this is a first-time-ever singles matchup. They traded shoulder tackles with neither going down. Kidd finally hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 2:30. Gabe jawed at the fans; he’s just a great heat magnet. They traded chops and forearm strikes. The blows just woke up Ishii! He dropped Kidd with one stiff forearm at 6:30 and that got a big pop. He hit a shoulder tackle that again dropped Kidd, then a powerslam for a nearfall at 8:00.
More chop exchanges; this kept going and going. “Somehow this is getting more intense the longer this goes on,” Veda remarked. The 10-minute call was a bit late. This is just gripping and the crowd got fired up as the speed between blows picked up! We got a “Fight forever!” chant. Gabe hit a suplex at 12:30 to end a four-minute chop exchange. Ishii hit a brainbuster and a German Suplex, and they both collapsed. The “This is awesome!” chant couldn’t be more correct. Gabe bit Ishii in the corner; the 15:00 call was nearly spot-on. Ishii hit a leaping headbutt in the corner.
Ishii hit a second-rope superplex, then a clothesline for a nearfall, then a back suplex for a nearfall at 17:30. Kidd hit his own back suplex for a nearfall. They hit stereo clotheslines. What is the time limit on this? The 20:00 call was finally spot-on, as Kidd hit some clotheslines, then a running knee to the sternum but he only got a one-count. Ishii nailed a Dragon Suplex and a decapitating clothesline. Kidd hit a brainbuster. Kidd stopped the ref from counting Ishii down on the mat. Ishii got up and they went back to a chop exchange! Ishii was now rocked, so he hit a headbutt, and they were both down at 24:30 and we got a “Fight forever!” chant again.
(The floor is completely sold out; nice camera view here while they were down.) They got up and traded open-hand slaps to the face. Ishii hit an enzuigiri, then another decapitating clothesline for a nearfall at 27:30. Gabe hit a piledriver for a nearfall. I believe the announcer said we do have a 30-minute time limit. Gabe hit a clothesline for a nearfall. A two-minute warning was spot-on. Kidd hit a jumping piledriver and they were both down at 29:00. They traded forearm strikes. Ishii hit a brainbuster at 29:59 and the bell rang before he even had a chance to make a cover. WOW! I’ve seen many draws or matches that went deep past 25 minutes; these two didn’t set a pace early on like they were going 30.
Gabe Kidd vs. Tomohiro Ishii went to a time-limit draw at 30:00; Kidd retains the New Japan Strong Openweight Title.
* Kidd got on the mic and issued a challenge to Ishii for a 30-minute Iron Man match in Chicago! Yes! Tickets go on sale Thursday and I plan to buy mine!
2. “West Coast Wrecking Crew” Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs vs. Yoh and Rocky Romero for the New Japan Strong Openweight Tag Team Titles. Yoh and Jorel opened, with Yoh twisting Nelson’s left arm. Rocky tried a dive to the floor, but Jorel caught him and suplexed him on the thin mat at ringside at 2:00. In the ring, the WCWC worked over Rocky. Yoh got a hot tag at 5:00 and hit a top-rope somersault onto both heels. Romero hit a missile dropkick on Jorel for a nearfall. Jorel hit a fadeaway stunner on Rocky, and tied him up on the mat in a crossface at 7:30. Romero and Yoh hit team jumping knees, and Yoh hit a Falcon Arrow, with Rocky making the cover for the nearfall.
Yoh accidentally superkicked Rocky! Royce hit a German Suplex, but then Jorel accidentally hit a stunner on Royce! Yoh and Rocky hit a team Flatliner move for a nearfall at 10:00. Isaacs hit a German Suplex on Yoh. Isaacs hit Rocky in the head with a title belt. Jorel hit a standing powerbomb, then Isaacs hit a Death Valley Driver across Jorel’s knees; they both made the cover and pinned Rocky. Good match.
Jorel Nelson and Royce Isaacs defeated Rocky Romero and Yoh to retain the New Japan Strong Opwenweight Tag Team Titles at 11:21.
3. Hanako, Maika, Viva Van, and Mina Shirakawa vs. Johnnie Robbie, Anna Jay, AZM, and Trish Adora in an elimination match. Worth reiterating that rookie Hanako is nearly 6 feet tall and just towers over everyone else. Robbie recently returned from a serious neck injury and it’s good to see her back. Hanako and Trish opened and traded shoulder tackles with neither going down. Hanako slammed Mina onto Trish. Anna and Viva Van each tagged in at 2:00; Walker Stewart acknowledged that Viva has signed an ROH contract. Robbie got in and battled Hanako, as Veda discussed Johnnie’s injury I just mentioned. Hanako hit a Samoan Drop, then a Stinger Splash, then a brainbuster on Robbie, then a faceplant for the pin at 5:16! AZM immediately entered and fought Hanako. AZM rolled up Hanako and pinned her at 6:22! It is 3-on-3.
Anna and AZM hit team dropkicks on Viva. Anna applied a Queenslayer chokehold, and Viva tapped out at 7:21! Mina hit a DDT and celebrated. Trish and Mina traded forearm strikes. Trish was thrown over the top rope to the floor, which is an elimination, at 8:32. Anna hit a double Ace Austin-style Fold flipping neckbreaker. So, it’s 2-on-2. Mina leapt off the top rope and slammed onto AZM. Mina and AZM both fell off the apron to the floor at 10:55, leaving just Anna vs. Maika. Anna hit a Flatliner into the corner turnbuckle for a nearfall. Maika hit a poweslam for a nearfall. Anna hit a Lungblower to the back. Maika hit a second-rope superplex for a nearfall at 13:00. Maika hit a discus clothesline to knock Anna to the floor and win the match.
Hanako, Maika, Viva Van, and Mina Shirakawa defeated Johnnie Robbie, Anna Jay, AZM, and Trish Adora in an elimination match when Maika was the sole survivor at 13:34.
4. El Phantasmo vs. Jeff Cobb for the NJPW TV Title. A reminder this has a 15-minute time limit. They traded shoulder tackles. Jeff went for Tour of the Islands, but ELP escaped. Cobb dropped him with a forearm. Cobb hit a delayed vertical suplex and tossed Phantasmo across the ring, then ‘surfed’ on his back at 2:30. He hit a clothesline that flipped ELP. He again went for Tour of the Islands, but ELP turned it into a DDT. ELP bounced on the top rope before hitting a huracanrana and a Lionsault for a nearfall at 5:00. Cobb hit a Spin Cycle swinging back suplex for a nearfall. He hit a uranage and a diving forearm; he went for a standing moonsault but Phantasmo got his knees up.
ELP finally got Cobb on his shoulders, spun him around, and hit a neckbreaker for a nearfall at 7:00, then a superkick and the Thunderkiss 86 frogsplash. Cobb popped up and hit a dropkick! ELP dove through the ropes, with Cobb somehow flipping over the guardrail and landing in the crowd at 9:00. ELP leapt off the corner post, flew over the guardrails, and slammed onto Cobb on the floor! ELP hit a superkick and was about to get in the ring. Cobb realized he wasn’t going to get back in before the 20-count, so he threw a Young Lion onto ELP, knocking him down so Phantasmo couldn’t get back in, either! An insane way to end the match. The crowd chanted, “Let them fight!” but ref Scarlett Donovan waived that off. Good match.
El Phantasmo vs. Jeff Cobb ended in a double count-out at 10:40; ELP retains the NJPW TV Title.
* A video package aired for Sumie Sakai, who is about to have her retirement match, after 27 years in the ring! It showed her approaching Hiromu Takahashi, and they agreed to a six-person tag for her final match.
5. Sumie Sakai and “House of Torture” Sho and EVIL vs. Hiromu Takahashi, Mayu Iwatani, and Yuka Sakazaki. This is Yuka’s NJPW debut. EVIL attacked Hiromu from behind as Hiromu was posing with his teammates; I started my stopwatch at first contact. EVIL got on the mic and jawed at Hiromu in Japanese. Sumie didn’t look happy at watching her teammates beat up Hiromu. The bell rang to officially begin at 1:18. Iwatani hit a dive through the ropes on the heels, and Yuka hit a top-rope dive onto the men. So, it was just Hiromu and Sumie in the ring; they hugged but then she attacked him. She got some flash rollups on him, and she applied a cross-armbreaker. He hit a chop and was loudly booed!
EVIL hit Hiromu on the floor and threw him right back in. EVIL slid a chair to her, but Sumie tossed it to the floor, refusing to cheat. Sho slammed Sumie onto Hiromu at 5:00. EVIL hit Yuka and Mayu and was booed. Sho and EVIL worked over EVIL. They did a fun abdominal stretch spot, with everyone holding hands and going deep into the crowd for added leverage. EVIL and Sho kicked Sumie in the gut! They whipped her into Hiromu! Yuka and Mayu hit springboard dropkicks on EVIL and Sho at 8:00! Yuka bodyslammed Sumie for a nearfall. This has been a fun, light-hearted comedy. Yuka hit a sliding clothesline for a nearfall. Veda said Yuka had never faced Sumie before.
Sumie yanked off Yuka’s tail! The crowd was aghast! Yuka hit a running knee on Sumie, then a basement dropkick for a nearfall at 10:00. Yuka and Mayu hit some punches on Sho, then kicks on EVIL. They hit a team suplex on EVIL! We got a “this is awesome!” chant. Sumie hit a swinging faceplant on Hiromu for a visual pin, but Sho pulled the ref from the ring! EVIL choked Sumie with a shirt! We got a “F— you, EVIL!” chant. Yuka grabbed Sho’s wrench, hit him in the head with it, and bodyslammed Sho! She hit a German Suple on EVIL. Hiromu hit a uranage on EVIL at 13:00. Hiromu’s team surrounded Sumie, as the HoT were out on the floor. She hit blows on each opponent, going from one to the other, until she was winded and collapsed. Everyone looked emotional now.
Mayu hit a superkick. Hiromu hit a Sling Blade for a believable nearfall at 15:00; everyone thought that was it, me included. Yuka slammed Sumie to the mat. Mayu nailed a top-rope moonsault. Hiromu hit a Time Bomb sideslam and pinned Sumie. What a fun match; that was supremely watchable. (And one of the reasons I don’t post star ratings anymore, because how do you grade that? Not a mat classic but so much fun.) Sumie got a big ovation and a “Sumie!” and then “Thank you, Sumie!” chants.
Hiromu Takahashi, Yuka Sakazaki, and Mayu Iwatani defeated Sumie Sakai, EVIL, and Sho at 16:21/official time of about 15:03.
* Yuka spoke on the mic; this is where we need Chris Charlton. Mayu also spoke on the mic. Walker Stewart did a quick translation; I don’t know if someone was feeding him lines or if he was using a quick translator service. Mayu hugged Sumie. Hiromu put his jacket on Sumie and thanked her. A lot of wrestlers got in the ring and celebrated, including the women in the earlier match. They all left except for Sumie, who had been handed a bouquet of flowers, and she got a 10-bell salute. (I associate that with a wrestler’s death, not a retirement. Right on cue, Walker noted that.) What a great way to retire.
6. Konosuke Takeshita vs. KUSHIDA for the NEVER Openweight Title. Walker noted that Takeshita just signed a NJPW deal that will also allow him to continue wrestling in AEW and DDT. They immediately went to the mat and traded reversals. Takeshita hit a Mafia Kick and a flying clothesline at 2:30. They went to the floor, where Takeshita whipped Kushida into the guardrails. Kushida applied a cross-armbreaker on the apron. Back in the ring, Kushida continued to work over the left arm. He hit a top-rope doublestomp on the arm at 6:00, then snapped it over his shoulder. Takeshita stomped on Kushida’s head but sold the pain in his arm. Kushida went to an ankle lock. Takeshita hit a clothesline and they were both down at 7:30.
Kushida hit a straight punch to the jaw, and he went back to the cross-armbreaker. Takeshita hit a modified piledriver move for a nearfall at 10:00, and Kushida rolled to the ropes to regroup. Kushida slammed Takeshita’s knee on the apron, then on the floor! He applied a Figure Four on the thin mat at ringside as the ref was counting! Kushida let go and jumped in at the 18-count. Takeshita dove in just before a 20-count at 12:30! Kushida hit a Small Package Driver for a nearfall. He kicked at Takeshita’s arm. Takeshita hit a clothesline for a nearfall and they were both down. Takeshita hit the Raging Fire (twisting falcon arrow) for the pin. Good match.
Konosuke Takeshita defeated Kushida to retain the NEVER Openweight Title at 15:07.
* Takeshita got on the mic and he called out Hiroshi Tanahashi in the Ace’s final U.S. match on April 11 at Windy City Riot! He said he will show Tanahashi that he is the Ace.
7. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hechicero in a non-title match. These two have each gotten a win over each other in the past year, as Hechicero won in Mexico (I didn’t see that one), but Sabre got his win back in the UK. This is NOT a title match; it is billed as a “special singles match.” Stewart noted that Sabre spent more than an hour in the ring between his matches on Jan. 4 and 5, as these two traded mat reversals. Sabre applied a cross-armbreaker at 3:00, then he twisted Hechicero’s ankle. He switched to a leg lock around the neck at 5:00. Hechicero tied Sabre upside-down on the mat. They each grapevined a leg and slapped each other in the face. They got up and traded chops, with Sabre hitting some European Uppercuts. Sabre tied up the arms in the ropes at 9:30.
Back in the middle of the ring, Sabre applied an Octopus, but Hechicero hit a faceplant. Hechicero tied up the legs on the mat. He hit a crossbody block to Sabre, who was against the ropes at 13:00. Sabre tied him in an Octopus Stretch on the top rope. We had a split chant for both men. Sabre nailed a running Penalty Kick at 15:30. Hechicero hit a springboard clothesline for a nearfall. Sabre hit a Pele Kick to the shoulder, then a Zack Driver, and he went back to the cross-armbreaker at 18:00, but Hechicero reached the ropes, and we got a “This is wrestling!” chant. Sabre stomped on the elbow, even though Hechicero was in the ropes! Hechicero hit a running knee for a nearfall.
Hechicero spun Sabre and hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 20:30. He kept Sabre grounded. Sabre went back to the Octopus Stretch. They traded basement dropkicks. They traded rollups. Sabre got a jackknife cover and scored the pin. I LOVE that this was not a title match; it presented a lot of mystery over who was winning. (I assumed Sabre was still going to win, but it wasn’t a lock, either.) Sabre indicated he would still like another match.
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hechicero in a non-title match at 23:40.
8. El Desperado vs. Taiji Ishimori for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title. A reminder that Desperado won the title when Douki got injured Jan. 4 at Wrestle Kingdom, and they showed footage of the injury. Ishimori scored a pin on Ishimori in an eight-man scramble on Jan. 5. A feeling-out process to open. Desperado set up for a dive to the floor, but Ishimori cut him off with a spin kick at 3:00. As the ref checked on Desperado on the floor, Ishimori removed a pad over one of the turnbuckles. He whipped Desperado into that exposed corner and was loudly booed, and he applied a cross-armbreaker and kept Desperado grounded. Desperado rolled to the floor at 7:00 to regroup. Back in the ring, Ishimori again shoved him into the exposed turnbuckles, then he hit a shoulder-breaker over his knee.
Desperado hit a back suplex and that fired up the crowd. He hit a brainbuster for a nearfall at 9:00, then a Dragonscrew Legwhip, and he focused on Taiji’s leg. Ishimori hit his sliding German Suplex at 11:30. He slammed Desperado stomach-first on the apron in a Divorce Court armbreaker, and got more loud boos. As Desperado got back in the ring, Ishimori hit a basement dropkick. Ishimori hit a Lumbar Check move to the ribs. Desperado hit a chop block and applied the Stretch Muffler at 14:00, but Ishimori escaped and applied the Bone Lock! They got up and traded forearm strikes. Desperado hit the Angel’s Wings faceplant.
Ishimori got a rollup and re-applied the Bone Lock at 16:30, and he hit the Bloody Cross knee strike to the sternum for a nearfall. Ishimori hit a sit-out powerbomb move. Ishimori went back to the Bone Lock! Desperado escaped and re-applied the Bone Lock, then hit a piledriver along his back for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. The crowd chanted for Desperado as the 20:00 call was spot-on. Desperado hit a Jay Driller, then another Angel’s Wings for the pin. A very good match.
El Desperado defeated Taiji Ishimori to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title at 20:44.
* Desperado spoke in English and thanked the crowd for coming. A nice way to end a very good show.
Final Thoughts: A really strong show. Ishii-Kidd stole the show out of the gate and they earned best match. Just because it was so fun and memorable, I’m going with Sumie’s retirement match for second, with Sabre’s mat-based match for third. (Their match in the UK was a bit better, as he had such strong fan support, and of course, he had lost the first meeting.) A very good main event takes honorable mention. No real complaints here… when a Takeshita match doesn’t crack the top four, you know you’ve had a good show.
This also was a LONG event… if it had been shorter, I would say the women’s elimination match needed more minutes, but this was nearly four-and-a-half hours. I also can’t say enough good things about the Walker-Veda duo on commentary. I’ve noted it before, but Veda’s depth of knowledge about women’s matches is so important, especially as I’ve seen some of these women in ten or fewer matches. And while the crowd was shockingly small for that first pre-show match, it turned out to be a good turnout and the fans were hot and into everything.
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