By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “The New Beginning”
February 11, 2025 in Osaka, Japan at Edion Arena Osaka
Streamed live on New Japan World
This is a large arena. Walker Stewart provided English commentary and he said this venue is sold out. (NOTE: a Google search tells me that this building has a capacity of 8,000.) It is about to close for two years for major renovations, thus, this is the final time Hiroshi Tanahashi will ever wrestle here.
1. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Togi Makabe. Togi has the overall win advantage (22-14) in prior singles matches, with many of those coming when they were Young Lions. Basic reversals early on and they battled to the floor at 2:00. They got in the ring and traded forearm strikes. Tanahashi hit a somersault senton for a nearfall at 5:30. Makabe hit a powerslam and a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall, then a German Suplex for a nearfall, then a clothesline for a nearfall, but he missed the top-rope knee drop. They traded more forearm strikes. Tanahashi hit a sling blade, but he missed the High Fly Flow frogsplash at 9:00. Instead, Tanahashi got an O’Connor Roll and leaned back for added leverage to get the win. Solid match; they worked hard.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Togi Makabe at 9:24.
2. Drilla Moloney (w/Clark Connors) vs. Shingo Takagi. Drilla has always flirted with the 100 kg/220 pound weight limit to stay a junior, but he’s transitioning to the heavyweight division. Connors sat down on commentary with Stewart. They immediately traded forearm strikes, and Shingo hit a suplex. He backed Drilla into a corner at 2:30 and hit a chop-and-forearm exchange. They traded forearm strikes. They went to the floor, where Moloney whipped him into the guardrail, and they went into the crowd at 4:00. Back in the ring, Shingo hit a clothesline at 6:00, then a top-rope superplex, and they were both down.
Moloney nailed a Gore for a nearfall at 7:30. He hit the Made in Japan pumphandle powerbomb (Shingo’s move!) for a nearfall. Shingo hit a clothesline and hit his own Made in Japan. He hit a sliding clothesline but Moloney quickly kicked out. Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber clothesline. However, Moloney hit the Drilla Killa swinging piledriver and scored the clean pin! A nice upset victory for Moloney here. Stewart and Connors both stressed what a huge victory this was for Drilla.
Drilla Moloney defeated Shingo Takagi at 10:39.
* Connors is still on commentary. Good; I like what he had to say last week. (I assumed he was just going to be there for Drilla’s match.)
3. Great-O-Khan vs. Shota Umino. Shota beat O-Khan last fall in a G1 Climax match. O-Khan came out first; when Shota got in the ring, he immediately hit a shotgun dropkick and I started my stopwatch at first contact; we got the bell 30 seconds later. They brawled to the floor, and Walker pointed out the fans in this building turned on Shota the last time they were here. O-Khan hit a double-underhook flip onto the guardrails along the entrance ramp at 2:30. (For the first time I can see the far ends of this building; there must be 4,000 to 6,000 here.) In the ring, O-Khan flipped Umino around the ring and was in charge. Umino nailed an Exploder Suplex and we heard some boos! Walker pointed it out, saying it can’t be ignored. Shota hit a running twisting neckbreaker for a nearfall at 6:00.
O-Khan hit a clothesline, but Shota hit a DDT and they were both down. Umino nailed a Death Rider double-arm DDT out of nowhere for a believable nearfall at 7:30. O-Khan hit some blows to the back of the head, and he shoved the ref aside (risking a DQ). Shota hit a tornado DDT off the ropes. O-Khan locked in the Sheep Killer, and he hit a straight punch to the jaw at 9:30, then a Flatliner, then the Eliminator (claw-to-face slam to the mat) for the clean pin. A bit surprising of an outcome. Clark remarked about what this means for the ‘future face of the company.’
Great-O-Khan defeated Shota Umino at 10:06/official time of about 9:37.
* O-Khan grabbed an electric razor and went to use it. Shota took it from him… but then Shota used it across his own head!! “Shota has fallen on his own sword here tonight,” Walker said. Intriguing…
4. Sanada (w/Taiji Ishimori) vs. Taichi (w/Taka Michinoku). Again, Sanada turned on Taichi months ago; this should have been a hot feud entering Wrestle Kingdom, and instead it has felt like cold leftovers. Hopefully the singles match is better than the preview tags. Sanada came out first with some weird speakers on the shoulders of his jacket; Connors tried to claim it was an expensive garment. Sanada hit a plancha as Taichi approached ringside and I again started the stopwatch at first contact. They got in the ring, where Sanada swung a guitar and missed; Taichi hit a Mafia Kick and he still has his jacket on. Clark pointed out we haven’t had a bell. They went back to the floor, where Taichi whipped Sanada into the guardrail. We got a bell at 1:50 as they fought at ringside. Taichi hit Sanada across the back with a chair and Connors was irate! “We’re just gonna let this happen? This is bull!” Clark said.
They got back into the ring, but Sanada hit a low blow in the ropes and a Magic Screw neckbreaker out of the ropes at 3:30. Taichi hit a Russian Leg Sweep. Sanada hit a missile dropkick, then a low blow mule kick and a Shining Wizard at 7:30, then a top-rope moonsault for a believable nearfall. He set up for Deadfall (Blade Runner), but Taichi escaped, and Taichi hit an enzuigiri, and they were both down. Taichi hit his own low blow, a clothesline and a suplex for a nearfall. Sanada hit another low blow, then he nailed the Deadfall for the cheap pin. Connors laughed and celebrated the win. Good action.
Sanada defeated Taichi at 10:33/official time of about 8:43.
* Ishimori got in the ring and beat up the referee… just because, I guess. Sanada got the guitar and was going to hit Taichi with it. However, Yuya Uemura ran in and beat up the heels and got a massive pop! He’s finally back!! (He’s been out of action with an arm injury at G1 Climax.) Connors said, “I hate to say it, but he looks great.” Yuya helped Taichi up and they hugged. He hugged Taka too.
5. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Robbie Eagles and Kosei Fujita (w/Hartley Jackson) vs. Yoh and Rocky Romero for the IWGP Jr. Hvt. Tag Team Titles. Rocky and Eagles opened and traded quick reversals and armdrags. Yoh and Rocky hit stereo dropkicks. Yoh hit a kneedrop on Kosei and worked him over. Rocky dove through the ropes onto Eagles at 4:30. Kosei hit a moonsault off the apron, but Rocky and Yoh caught him and bodyslammed him onto the thin mat at ringside. Rocky hit a doublestomp on Eagles’ chest on the floor, too! In the ring, Yoh accidentally superkicked Romero! Yoh and Eagles hit their team X-Factor move for a nearfall at 6:30. Rocky hit a Lungblower on Kosei, and they hit a team powerbomb move on Fujita for a nearfall.
Eagles hit a top-rope Frankensteiner, and suddenly all four were down at 8:00. Rocky hit a double huracanrana, then the Forever Clotheslines in opposite corners. TMDK hit a team slam on Romero for a nearfall. They hit a Tankbuster team stunner (Walker said it is a “Sweetbuster.”) Eagles hit a dive through the ropes on Yoh. In the ring, Fujita hit a springboard dropkick on Rocky. Rocky hit a piledriver along his back for a nearfall at 11:00, but he couldn’t get the Sliced Bread. Kosei hit a German Suplex with a high-angle bridge for a believable nearfall. Kosei then hit his Abandon Hope (pop-up stunner) and pinned Rocky. That was a great junior tag match. “That was a heart-stopping match,” Connors said.
Kosei Fujita and Robbie Eagles defeated Rocky Romero and Yoh to retain the IWGP Jr. Hvt. Tag Team Titles at 11:43.
* Taiji Ishimori came to the ring and spoke in Japanese, but it’s clear he is issuing a tag team challenge, and his partner will be Robbie X. (Brit star Robbie X teamed with Ishimori during Super Junior Tag League last fall.)
6. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Boltin Oleg for the NEVER Openweight Title. Oleg’s team just lost the six-man belts, and I wrote that day that I hope it leads to Oleg getting some singles feuds. They immediately traded shoulder blocks with neither man going down. Oleg finally dropped him and that got a pop. They fought on the floor, and Oleg crashed into the ring post at 2:00. Takeshita then pushed Oleg shoulder-first into the ring post, and Oleg sold the injury. Takeshita hit a top-rope superplex at 4:30, with Boltin continuing to sell the arm pain. Boltin hit a shotgun dropkick. He bodyslammed Takeshita across the ring! Oleg flipped Takeshita around in his arms and hit a gut-wrench suplex, then a Vader Bomb for a nearfall at 7:30.
Takeshita hit a Blue Thunder Bomb. They got up and traded forearm strikes while clenching onto each other’s wrist. This has been great. These blows were LOUD and they both collapsed. Oleg got up and hit the Kamikaze (forward Finlay Roll) for a believable nearfall at 9:30. Takeshita got a clothesline but only got a one-count! He hit a running knee for a nearfall. Oleg hit a fireman’s carry. Takeshita applied a front guillotine choke and locked it in, but Oleg refused to pass out. Takeshita hit the Raging Fire (swinging Falcon Arrow) and scored the pin. WOW. “I truly think we need an intermission after that!” Stewart said.
Konosuke Takeshita defeated Boltin Oleg to retain the NEVER Openweight Title at 11:33.
* Ryohei Oiwa immediately came to the ring and confronted Takeshita. Clearly, he wants the next title shot.
7. “Young Bucks” Nick Jackson and Nick Jackson vs. “Los Ingobernables de Japon” Hiromu Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Tag Team Titles. The Bucks wore plain white gear with blue on the back of the shirt. Pretty subdued entrance, honestly; I expected more. All four fought at the bell. Hiromu ran on the floor and hit a crossbody block. Nick hit a twisting dive to the floor on LIJ at 1:00. In the ring, Matt hit a rolling cannonball on Naito in the corner. Hiromu hit a basement dropkick. Matt hit a series of Northern Lights suplexes on Hiromu at 5:00. Nice. Nick hit a top-rope doublestomp on Hiromu and they continued to work him over. The Bucks hit stereo superkicks on Naito. Nick hit a Swanton Bomb as Naito was in the ropes for a nearfall at 7:00.
The Bucks went for the EVP Trigger but their knees collided. Seconds later, they hit it on Naito for a nearfall, but Hiromu made the save. Hiromu went for a crossbody block but the Bucks caught him. LIJ managed to turn it around and hit a Spike Piledriver on the Bucks! Naito hit a tornado DDT, then a Destino on Nick and scored the pin! New champs! I actually didn’t expect that! A bit on the short side, but a good match. Nothing worth going out of your way to see, but a good match. Matt shouted, “Thank you, Japan! We’ll be back.”
Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi defeated “The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles at 9:50.
8. Yota Tsuji vs. Gabe Kidd for the IWGP Global Title. Kidd came out first and got a massive pop. Clark said that “Gabe is the most over wrestler in this entire company,” and I can’t argue with that. (I noted recently this feels like spring 1997 and heel Steve Austin is about to turn into a massive babyface.) They immediately slapped each other in the face then locked up. Kidd knocked him down with a shoulder block at 1:30. Tsuji hit a head-scissors takedown but Kidd landed on his feet for another pop. They traded loud chops. They went to the floor, where Kidd hit an Exploder Suplex at 3:30. Back in the ring, they traded forearm strikes and overhand chops, and it kept going and going! “Nothing fancy, just fighting,” Connors said.
Yota hit a superkick and they were both down; he got a nearfall at 9:00. Tsuji applied a Boston Crab as the 10-minute call was spot-on. Gabe eventually reached the ropes and that got a massive pop. (The crowd isn’t booing Yota — yet! — but they are fully behind Kidd.) Tsuji hit a running knee in the corner and a pop-up knee and a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall at 12:30. Kidd applied a Cobra Twist/Octopus Stretch. They traded ‘thudding’ headbutts while fighting on the ropes. Kidd clotheslined him off the top rope and they both crashed to the mat. Kidd then hit another clothesline for a believable nearfall at 15:30. Tsuji hit a running knee and they were both down.
Tsuji yelled at him (if I had to guess, Yota was taunting him to get up.) Kidd got up and Tsuji slapped him in the face, but it woke Kidd up. They traded more hard slaps to the face. This has been great. Yota hit a decapitating clothesline and a release powerbomb, then a Stomp at 18:30. He went for the Gene Blaster (spear), but Kidd caught him and hit a piledriver and got a nearfall! They got up and Kidd hit a clothesline. Tsuji nailed the Gene Blaster and they were both down at 20:30. This crowd was INSANELY hot right now. The ref started counting! Neither man could get to their feet as the ref reached 10. A deflating finish to a superb match. Kidd is so incredibly over.
Yota Tsuji vs. Gabe Kidd went to a no contest at 21:43; Tsuji retained the IWGP Global Title.
* Four members of the House of Torture jumped in the ring and stomped on the prone Tsuji! Still no sign of EVIL. The lights went out! A video played, showing a creepy house. This looked like a horror film. The lights came on, and EVIL and Dick Togo walked down the ring. They wore plain black shirts. EVIL hit an Everything is Evil uranage on Tsuji. Ren Narita hit the Double Cross (X-Factor) on Kidd! EVIL got on the mic and taunted the crowd in Japanese. He declared that the loose affiliation between the HoT and the Bullet Club War Dogs is over! All the heels stomped on Kidd. Clark Connors tried to get into the ring to make the save, but he got beaten up, too. (Great job here; this is how you finally turn BCWD into full-fledged babyfaces.) Stewart read a full translation, saying EVIL also addressed his comments to David Finlay. So, a war has begun!
NOTE: I expected a release of names here for the New Japan Cup. No one said it was coming today… but I thought it would happen between some of the big matches. Oh well. We gotta wait a bit longer.
* We see Toru Yano and El Desperado on Japanese commentary. Also, Clark Connors re-appeared and re-joined Stewart on commentary just before the bell.
9. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hirooki Goto for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Again, Goto earned this title shot by winning a Rambo (modified Royal Rumble) at Wrestle Kingdom. A feeling-out process and standing switches, and Sabre immediately began twisting the left arm. Goto knocked him down with a shoulder tackle at 1:30; Connors noted the crowd was “firmly behind Goto.” Sabre snapped the neck between his ankles. He did it again in the ropes. Sabre switched to an ankle lock and tied up Goto on the mat at 4:30. Goto hit a neckbreaker over his knee and they were both down. Goto hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 7:00.
Zack repeatedly stomped on the right elbow and worked over that arm. Goto hit a Russian Leg Sweep, then a Shoto slam out of the ropes. Sabre nailed a Zack Driver at 10:30 and they were both down. Goto hit a face-first GTR on his knee. Sabre hit another Zack Driver, and he locked in a cross-armbreaker! Sabre locked both arms behind the back in a modified Rings of Saturn; Goto somehow got his left arm free and reached the ropes at 14:00. Sabre applied a standing sleeper. Goto escaped and hit a hard clothesline at 16:00, then a Yes Kick that knocked Sabre over. He hit the GTR slam for a nearfall. Zack hit a series of slaps to the face.
Goto nailed a swinging uranage at 19:00. Sabre got a rollup for a believable nearfall, then a Pele Kick to the shoulder, but Goto hit a clothesline and was fired up. Goto hit another neckbreaker over his knee! He hit another one and scored the pin!!! New champion! “Osaka is losing their minds!” Connors said. Wow, good thing I don’t bet on pro wrestling, because I would have lost money again here.
Hirooki Goto defeated Zack Sabre Jr. to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at 20:05.
* Goto got on the mic and said in Japanese, “Today was for my father.” (Walker is getting instant translations, which is really nice.) Goto’s two children; a boy (perhaps age 9) and girl (perhaps age 5) got in the ring and hugged him. “This right here, are the moments we live for,” Walker said, and he even sounded choked up while calling the moment. The confetti cannons went off and covered them in streamers.
Final Thoughts: Kidd vs. Tsuji was insanely good. Even without a clean pin, it was great action. Now, how do they keep these two separated until next year’s Wrestle Kingdom? I’m not kidding here; that could be a main event. And the post-match segment was just perfect. The crowd has been behind Kidd, and to a lesser extent, David Finlay. Now, the Bullet Club is about to return as full-fledged babyfaces in a war with the always-hated House of Torture.
I’m admittedly not a big fan of Goto. But Walker and Connors spun such a compelling story during the match, talking about how Goto had never won the belt in his 17-year career, and how much he wanted to win it for his recently deceased father, and how hard he’s fought over the past year. I just expected Sabre to overcome that; Zack got a rollup just after the 19-minute mark that I truly thought was going to lead to the pin. So, a very compelling match that takes second. I wasn’t ready for the Sabre-era to end, but we’ll see where NJPW goes from here with Goto on top.
Takeshita-Oleg takes third. Oleg looks so incredible in the ring and it’s too bad he started pro wrestling later in life. That match was held back largely because I never once considered the possibility that Takeshita was losing here. Takeshita continues to give every opponent he has their best match, though!
Maybe we are just so used to the Bucks’ offense… that match was a fine TV match for them. Nothing bad at all, but ultimately, rather forgettable in their long list of good matches. I really didn’t see the title change coming, and it wrapped up so quickly after that one Destino, I was a bit surprised.
I want to point out how great Clark Connors did on commentary. While I love having anyone join Stewart in the booth… some guys try too hard to be funny (Cobb, El Phantasmo), some blend into the background (Kidd, Hartley Jackson). I’d put Connors in the top tier of guest commentators with TJP.
A great show, top to bottom. The Shota decision to shave his own head was intriguing, and we’ll see where that goes, too. Taichi-Sanada wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be, but the return of Uemura was a nice payoff. The junior tag match was a blast but will unfortunately be overlooked, largely because Rocky wasn’t here during the build-up to this match to help promote it.
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