New Japan Pro Wrestling On AXS Recap (8/15): Title Match, Bullet Club, AJ Styles, Sakuraba, KUSHIDA
Welcome to Wrestling Inc's coverage New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS.
Sakuraba & Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka
Sakuraba and Suzuki have a nice grappling exchange, and Suzuki locks up a double wristlock and exchanging words even though Yano has tagged in. Iizuka and Yano go at it until Iizuka applies the Iron Claw to Yano's throat. Everything breaks down and the fight goes into the crowd. Back inside, Sakuraba ends up with a double wristlock of his own, but Suzuki gets to the ropes.
Sakuraba and Suzuki fight outside again, while Iizuka and Yano brawl inside with weapons. Suzuki locks on an armbar over the top rope, and Suzuki turns it into a straight ankle lock. Iizuka misses with the iron fingers, and Yanno hits him between the legs and cradles Iizuka for the win.
Winners: Sakuraba & Toru Yano via pinfall
Sakuraba and Suzuki continues fighting outside the ring.
- We see highlights of Kota Ibushi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Bullet Club (AJ Styles & Tama Tonga). Ibushi and Styles go toe-to-toe with strikes, which Ibushi gets the better of. Tonga pulls Ibushi outside, allowing him to hold Ibushi in a full nelson while Styles baseball slides him. The two teams go back and forth until Ibushi wins with a corkscrew 450.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
KUSHIDA (c) vs. Ryusuke Taguchi
The two feel each other out as KUSHIDA repeatedly threatens to apply the Hoverboard lock, but eats a Dodon and powders to the outside. Taguchi gets KUSHIDA inside and works on the leg of KUSHIDA with a Figure Four. KUSHIDA works his way out and hits a Pele kick, but it takes a toll on him as well, as he springboards off the ropes, but favors his leg.
KUSHIDA applies the Hoverboard Lock with a nice S-grip, but Taguchi gets to the ropes. KUSHIDA follows up with a beautiful handspring elbow and a tilt-a whirl Hoverboard Lock, but Taguchi counters into an ankle lock. The two end up rolling each other up to no avail, and Taguchi gets locked in a guillotine. He doesn't let this faze him, as he hits the Three Amigos before a commercial break.
Back from commercial, KUSHIDA is landing kicks at will, and he ends up trading strikes with Taguchi. KUSHIDA manages to apply the Hoverboard Lock, but Taguchi rolls it into an Ankle Lock. Dodon's Throne and another Ankle Lock from Taguchi, and Kushida taps!
Winner: Ryusuke Taguchi via submission (Ankle Lock)
KUSHIDA slaps Taguchi and shakes his hand after the match, but the Suzuki Army jumps both of them. Alex Shelley makes the save, but gets the boots put to him as well.