New Japan Pro Wrestling On AXS Recap (1/16): Tanahashi Vs. Okada From Wrestle Kingdom 7
Hiroshi Tanahashi welcomes the viewers to the show and welcomes fans to New Japan on AXS. He talks about the history leading to the Wrestle Kingdom 7 match betwen he and Okada in 2013. He also ran down the history of his character.
- We go to Tanahashi and Okada's Wrestle Kingdom 7 match, with Mauro Ranallo and former UFC Champion Josh Barnett calling the action. The two make their grand entrances and we go to commercial.
WRESTLE KINGDOM 7
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
The match starts off slow, with Tanahashi working a headlock, after Okada applying one of his own. Okada battles out and goes to work on the arm of Tanahashi with arm ringers. The two also trade shoulder blocks. Tanahashi kept going to the drop toe hold to work out of Okada's attacks to the arms. Tanahashi counters with a body press out of the corner as we go to commercial.
Back from the break Okada scores with a draping DDT that sends Tanahashi to the floor. Okada continued attack and putting his neck through the guard rail and kicking it, as well as applying a camel clutch through the rails. Tanahashi beats the 20 count, but gets kicked in the head for two. Okada then applies an unusual submission that analyst Josh Barnett criticizes.Tanahashi battles back with slaps, and skins the cat but walks right into an Okada flap jack and is trapped in the DID.
Tanahashi with a beautiful crossbody to the floor after making a big comeback. Back in the ring Tanahashi tries to work on the leg, but Okada counters with a dragon screw leg whip, and re-applies the DID. Tanahashi blocks a top rope elbow drop and calls for the High Fly Flow frog splash. Okada stops it, climbs to the top and hits a magnificent dropkick that sends Tanahashi out.
The two fight on the ramp with Tanahashi catching Okada with a Slingblade lariat. Tanahashi has to throw Okada back in the ring. Tanahashi reverses a Samoa drop with the Slingblade . Michinoku driver and goes for the frog splash but Okada gets his knees up in time before the commercial.
Back from commercial, Okada lands Heavy Rain and a flying elbow drop. He calls for the Rainmaker, but Tanahashi stops it and hits a bridging German suplex and then a dragon suplex for a two. Tanahashi finally lands the frog splash but Okada kicks out at 2.9! Tanahashi applies a Texas cloverleaf and pulls him to the middle of the ring but Okada finally breaks out! The crowd is going crazy.
Tanahashi ducks the Rainmaker but takes a huge signature Okada dropkick to the back of the head. Okada hits the tombstone piledriver, but Tanahashi blocks another Rainmaker with another Slingblade before the commercial.
As we're back, Tanahashi blocks a second tombstone and kicks the knee of Okada as both are exhausted. Tanahashi hits a tombstone of his own that plants Okada! Tanahashi with a top rope crossbody version of the High Fly Flow and then another for the win!
Winner: Tanahashi via pinfall (High Fly Flow) to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
- The show cuts to Okada's post match comments where he says more thunderstorms are on the way.
- Tanahashi is in the ring talking to the crowd, celebrating. He's shown at the post-show presser giving Okada credit. He's also shown in a studio talking about lessons he's learned in the past.
- Ranallo and Josh Barnett put over both competitors and welcome you back to watch next week.