NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling Results: Kazuchika Okada Vs. SANADA, Kota Ibushi Vs. EVIL

By Joshua Gagnon

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s live coverage of NJPW King of Pro Wrestling from Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Join us for live coverage beginning early Monday at 4 am ET / 1 am PT. The event will stream on NJPW World.

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- Jon Moxley and Zack Sabre Jr. aren't able to make the event due to typhoon Hagibis. Moxley is stripped of the title and it will be Juice Robinson vs. Lance Archer for the IWGP US Championship.

- Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton, and Gino Gambino on English commentary.

SHO & YOH vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado

After breaking his jaw a few months back, Desperado make his return to the ring. Desperado and Kanemaru get going before the match can even get started and action spills out to the floor. Back in the ring, Desperado played up his jaw was hurting, but gets in a cheap shot. Things go out to the floor again with SHO and YOH getting no offense at the moment. Referee starts up a 20 count, but SHO gets back in. Kanemaru and Desperado go back and forth, taking down SHO.

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Kanemaru locks in a high elevation boston crab while Desperado holds off YOH, but SHO is able to get to the bottom rope. More offense by Kanemaru keeps SHO dazed, who finally gets in a delayed vertical suplex. YOH gets tagged in, multiple clotheslines, dropkick sends desperado to the floor. Spinning forearm, kip up, back elbow in the corner, tiger suplex with the bridge, two-count.

Desperado back in, SHO gets tagged in, double team move attempt, but Desperado fights out of it for a moment, then eats stereo jumping knees. Lungblower by SHO, dropkick by YOH. They look for 3K, Kanemaru pulls YOH out of the ring. SHO with a clothesline on Desperado, dead lift german suplex with the bridge, two. SHO looks for shock arrow, ref gets slightly bumped. Kanemaru spits some booze in SHO's face, Desperado able to pop SHO in the face, plants him to the mat and picks up the 1-2-3.

Winners: Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado via Pinfall

Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomoaki Honma vs. Togi Makabe and Toru Yano

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Tanahashi and Makabe get things rolling, Tanahashi with an arm drag right off the bat. Back and forth until both Honma and Toru brought int. Toru goes right after the turnbuckle pad, but Honma cracks him in the back. Honma goes for a couple pins, no luck, looks for a headbutt, but Makabe drops him. Tanahashi gets in there and puts Makabe down, Tana and Honma go for stereo headbutts, but nobody home.

Toru finally able to take off the corner turnbuckle pad, sending Honma head first into it. Makabe with a body slam, Honma lands a couple chops, then eats a punch to the face. Tanahashi in for a moment, but Yano sends him back first into that exposed turnbuckle. Makabe throws a bunch of big shots to Honma's face. Honma able to drop Makabe with a shoulder block, Tanahashi is tagged in, flying forearm, dragon screw leg whip to Makabe and then Yano.

Body slam hits, second rope somersault senton, looks for slingblade, but eats a lariat. Yano in the ring, ends up getting sent into the exposed turnbuckle. Yano attempts a lowblow, but Honma stops that. Double headbutts on Yano, cover, Makabe breaks it up. Yano in the corner, Tanahashi charges in and runs chest-first into the exposed turnbuckle. He seems to recover just fine though, slingblade on Yano, high fly flow, 1-2-3.

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Winners: Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomoaki Honma via Pinfall

Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi & DOUKI

DOUKI and Naito start us off, Naito with an arm drag and yanks back hard on DOUKI's hair. Taichi gets tagged in shortly after, actions spills to the floor, Naito gets launched into the barricade a few times. Referee watching one pair allowing DOUKI to use the stick he brought to the ring to choke Takagi on the outside.

Referee started up a quick 20-count, DOUKI and Takagi get back in the ring though as DOUKI chokes Takagi with his foot. DOUKI with some throat thrusts, but Takagi hits a few chops and a massive lariat. Naito and Taichi both tagged in, they trades kicks and punches. Taichi tears away his pants, spinning heel kick. Naito tries for a tornado DDT, no luck, lands a couple kicks, tornado DDT then connects.

Takagi tags in, flurry of strikes lands, plants DOUKI, cover, Taichi breaks up the cover. Taichi sends Naito into the barricade again. Takagi with a big lariat and looks to end the match, but Taichi gets in the ring and cracks him with his microphone! Referee calls for the bell.

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Winners: Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi via Disqualification

- Post-match, Taichi then hits the referee with the microphone. Naito gets in the ring and tries to calm him down, the two battle, Naito looks for destino, no. Taichi cracks Naito with the mic and lands a huge last ride. He then "pins" Naito and DOUKI does the pin for three. Taichi gets on the mic and talks some trash to Naito, tells the crowd to shut up, calls Naito "weak."

Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Minoru Suzuki

"Battle" Liger look for this match, commentary putting over how Liger means business for this match against Suzuki. Bit of a stalemate at first, Liger spits at him and then drops to the mat, inviting Suzuki in. Scramble takes place, but then Suzuki gets back to his feet. Suzuki looks for a kimura early on, but Liger gets his foot on the rope.

Suzuki then drops to the mat and invites Liger down. Liger tries to work the leg, but doesn't have much luck at first, but then gets in a triangle lock, Suzuki gets his foot to the rope. Liger takes a long time to release the hold though, dropkick sends Suzuki out to the floor and into a barricade: back first and then chest first. Liger looks to use a chair, but the referee holds it. Suzuki with a kick, sending the referee flying, as well.

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Liger sent into the barricade and looks for a chair of his own. This match is not "No DQ" but Suzuki smashes Liger with a bunch of chairshots while the referee is dazed. Suzuki and Liger trade shots on the floor, finally making their way back into the ring. Suzuki tries to tear the mask, lands a big headbutt. Suzuki looking to submit Liger, but Liger locks in a submission of his own, stretching both arms behind his back.

Suzuki finally flips over and gets the rope breaker. Liger with multiple kicks, focus on the arm. Suzuki looks to choke Liger out, transition to a gotch style piledriver, but Liger flips him over to get out of that. Lou thesz press, brainbuster on Suzuki, cover, two-count. Liger trying to power back up, Suzuki with a flurry of chops and strikes! Liger powers back up, but hits only a weak chop before falling back to the mat. Suzuki asks for more shots, Liger tries his best but is weak.

Suzuki then returns fire with one stiff forearm and Liger crumples to the floor. Referee checking on Liger now, but Suzuki lifts him up. Liger with a couple chops, eats forearm, Suzuki looks for a gotch style piledriver again, up and down, pin, and that will do it.

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Winner: Minoru Suzuki via Pinfall

- Post-match, Suzuki gets a chair from commentary. Attacks some of the young lions. He looks to smash Liger with the chair and decides against it. Suzuki then kneels beside a fallen Liger and then bows down to him. Suzuki looking a bit emotional as he heads to the back. Liger makes his way back up, gets the mic and says "Thank you, Suzuki."

Will Ospreay (c) vs. El Phantasmo (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship)

Ishimori is in the corner for Phantasmo while Robbie Eagles will corner Ospreay. Maybe not, Phantasmo sends Ishimori to the back, they "too sweet" and he heads to the back. Eagles is then also sent to the back. Phantasmo looks for a handshake and Ospreay opts not to. Lots of reversals and flips to get things going. Phantasmo looks for a hurricanrana, Ospreay lands on his feet and goes for a roundhouse kick, which Phantasmo ducks. He looks for another handshake, Ospreay passes, Phantasmo then shakes the referees hand instead.

Phantasmo then looks for a test of strength, Ospreay is able to push him down, pin for a one count. They end up flipping all over the place while maintaining the grip. Phantasmo and Ospreay both end up on the shoulders, referee goes for the double count, they both bridge up and Phantasmo slaps Ospreay in the face. He then looks for a handshake? Ospreay slaps him in the face. Back and forth forearm shots. Ospreay then says he got caught in the arm, Phantasmo says he didn't mean to and said it was an accident. He helps Ospreay up, asks him if he's okay, then goes for the blatant eye rake, back rake, then yanks Ospreay to the mat.

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Phantasmo heads to the top with Ospreay's hand in, walks on the ropes, hops up and down then lands a hurricanrana. Taunts Ospreay, Ospreay with a springboard forearm, then a handspring moonsault out to the floor, taking his opponent down. Commentary was talking about Gino Gambino attacking Ospreay at a recent Australian NJPW show. Ospreay then looked at Gino and throws Phantasmo into Gino! Ospreay looks to leap off the barricade and Gino gets in the way, Phantasmo then launches a chair at Ospreay. The two battle through the crowd a bit and end up on the edge of a balcony.

They throw back and forth shots way up high. Ospreay slips for a moment, then looks to powerbomb Phantasmo. He then rakes the eyes and tries to throw Ospreay, who is able to grab the rail to slow his fall to the ground. Phantasmo then hits a crossbody off the balcony! The two slowly make their way back to the ring.

Ospreay gets sent hard into the turnbuckle, gets put upside down, and Phatasmo knees him, then puts his knee down between Ospreay's legs. He gets on the turnbuckle to taunt a bit, but Ospreay hits him with a snap suplex. Phantasmo looks for a springboard strike and gets dropkicked in midair. Ospreay heads to the top moonsault, no, standing moonsault and lands on his feet. Then hits a running moonsault, goes right to the top and flips down on his opponent.

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Ospreay heads to the top rope, gets clocked, Phantasmo heads up for a hurricanrana, but Ospreay sort of lands on his feet. They trade strikes, Ospreay with a nice reversal into a cutter. Looks for an OsCutter, caught in midair, Phantasmo with a spinning slam. They end up on the apron, back and forth strikes, Ospreay with some big kicks, leaps from the barricade with a flying cutter. Referee starts up 20-count, Phantasmo barely gets in and eats a coast to coast, shooting star press, cover, two. Ospreay with a robinson special, OsCutter hits, cover, and the referee gets yanked out of the ring by Ishimori!

Ishimori attacks Ospreay, Ishimori grabs the title and looks to whack the champion. Eagles returns and kicks Ishimori out of the ring, then lands a senton out to the floor. Eagles takes Ishimori to the back with him. Phantasmo then gathers up the title that was left in the ring. He swings at the champ, misses, hook kick delivers. Hidden blade misses, Phantasmo throws the title at him, lowblow, cracks Ospreay with the title. Phantasmo lands a crossbody off the top rope, cover, two!

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Phantasmo tucks Ospreay's head in the corner, kick to the face, he then puts Ospreay on his shoulders in the torture rack position from the second rope and drops him down, pin, Ospreay kicks out. CR2 attempt into a style clash, pin, 1-2-no! V-trigger hits into a one winged angel, Ospreay rolls through for two. Superkick by Phantasmo, but he eats a standing spanish fly.

Back and forth attacks, Ospreay with a hook kick, kick to the head, Ospreay heads to the top but Phantasmo shoves the referee into the ropes and causes Ospreay to fall. Phantasmo heads to the top, both lands strikes. Phantasmo looked for a top rope hurricanrana, but Ospreay reverses into a powerbomb! Hidden blade right to the face! Stormbreaker, cover, 1-2-3.

Winner: Will Ospreay via Pinfall

Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jay White, KENTA, and Yujiro Takahashi

White and Goto get the match started, but Bullet Club playing games with who will be in the match. Things get chaotic early on as Bullet Club gets the best of the other team. Ishii finally gets in the ring and able to get some momentum for his team as he chops the heck out of KENTA.

KENTA slaps Ishii in the face, stunning him. Ishii looks for a forearm and eats a big DDT. KENTA with a kick to the back that just seems to annoy Ishii, big strikes from both wrestlers ends with Ishii land a back suplex. White and Goto gets into the match, White dropped with a kick. Both end up on the floor, White sent into the barricade twice.

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Back in the ring, Goto with a spinning heel kick, saito suplex, pin, two. White looks for bladerunner, nope, takes a lariat. Takahashi hits a reverse DDT, cover, two. Goto with a headbutt, drops Takahashi over his knee, GTR hits, cover, and it's all over.

Winners: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI via Pinfall

- Post-match, Ishii attack KENTA as he heads to the back. Ishii wants a shot at the NEVER Openweight Title. White then gets on the apron and yells at Goto that he can't get in the ring with him. He taunts Tanahashi with the title and says he's the best.

Lance Archer vs. Juice Robinson (No DQ Match for the IWGP US Championship)

The match was originally scheduled to be a regular title match with Moxley out, but Archer said the fans paid for No DQ and that's what they are getting. Juice agrees and the match is on. Juice with a lowblow, inside cradle, two. Archer on the apron, Robinson with a spear to the floor. Juice grabs a chair and swings away then sends Archer into the barricade.

Archer recovers and chokeslams Juice through a table. He grabs a chair, whacks a young lion, then Juice's back. Archer removes all four turnbuckle pads. He walks back and cracks Juice with a chair. He gets in the ring with a chair, attempts to smack Red Shoes with the chair, but shoves chairs into two corners of the ring. He then sets up two tables in the other corners.

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Juice gets in the ring and launched right into two of the chairs. Juice gets a cut on his nose, holding his hand, too, possible dislocated finger. Archer climbs up to the top rope, walks all the way across from one turnbuckle to another, to another! Robinson then sweeps the legs to stop Archer. Headbutt to Archer, superplex, cover, two.

Juice with some big haymaker, then a senton cannonball, sending Archer through one of the tables, pin, two-count. Archer up and pounces Juice through the last table that was put in the ring. Tons of chairs are thrown into the ring, Archer swings and misses, Archer punches Juice's chair right into his face. Juice piles the chairs tightly together, looks for pulp friction, nope, Juice gets slammed down on them. Archer re-piles the chairs, puts Juice on the top rope and hits blackout on the chairs, cover, two! Archer then slams Juice's head on the chairs a bunch of times, he locks in the claw to Juice's head, pin, 1-2-3.

Winner: Lance Archer via Pinfall to become the new IWGP US Champion.

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- Post-match, David Finlay returns from injury, being out for 8-9 months after shoulder surgery. Finlay lands a stunner and another cutter off the turnbuckle, taking out Archer.

Kota Ibushi (holder) vs. EVIL (Rights to G1 Climax contract for Wrestle Kingdom 14)

EVIL gets the best of Ibushi early on, getting most of the offense thus far. The two end up on the floor, Ibushi gets sent into the barricade twice. Action makes it's way back into the ring, neckbreaker, EVIL goes for the cover, one-count. EVIL tries for a running senton, nobody home. Ibushi gets rolling now with a flurry of strikes, moonsault press, cover, two.

Ibushi looks for a springboard attack, nope, EVIL drops him and then stomps out Ibushi. EVIL looks for a bronco buster, Ibushi leaps and double stomps him instead. Ibushi tries for the deadlift german suplex from the apron into the ring, but EVIL counters with a cutter.

EVIL puts a chair around Ibushi's neck, then smacks it with another chair. Back in the ring, EVIL continues to dominate this match. Ibushi finally gets in some offense, works EVIL to the top rope and Ibushi follows. EVIL is able to smack Ibushi off and to the apron. Ibushi springs back up and hits a hurricanrana off the top rope for a two-count.

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Ibushi with a knee to the face, but EVIL reverses, tries for darkness falls, nope. EVIL tries for a release german suplex, Ibushi lands on his feet. Ibushi catches him with a forearm, but EVIL absorbs it, drops Ibushi with one of his own, cover, two. Darkness falls hits, cover, two. Ibushi hits a jumping inverted piledriver, but Ibushi can't follow up with the pin. Ibushi hits the last ride, pin, two. EVIL cracks Ibushi with a big lariat, another one, cover, two.

EVIL tries for everything is evil, nope, Ibushi with a german suplex with the bridge but doesn't get the shoulders, no pin. Ibushi looks for the knee to face, nope, EVIL hits two half and half suplexes. EVIL looks for a third lariat, but Ibushi catches EVIL first with one. They trade headbutts, Ibushi with a jumping knee, another knee to the face, cover, two. He hits another knee to EVIL's face, cover, 1-2-3.

Winner: Kota Ibushi via Pinfall

Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. SANADA (IWGP Heavyweight Championship)

Okada looked for the shotgun dropkick, SANADA dodges it. Multiple strikes from both wrestlers. Okada looks for a dropkick, nope, SANADA for a moonsault, no, rainmaker, no, skull end, no, double dropkick into a stalemate. The pace slows down after that intense start with Okada getting the best of SANADA, working him over at a meticulous pace. Sliding kick to the side of the head.

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Both spill out to the floor, Okada looks to drop SANADA, but he reverse with a spinning neckbreaker, dropping him on the floor, then sending Okada throat first to the barricade. Referee starts up his 20-count, but Okada is in at 16. SANADA tries for a standing moonsault, nobody home, eats a forearm. Okada gets in some offense, pin, two.

Both end up on the floor again, SANADA sent into the crowd and Okada with the massive leap over the barricade, wiping out his opponent right into the a row of seats. Red Shoes starts up his 20-count, SANADA didn't look like he was going to make it, but Okada stops the referees count because he didn't want the match to end like that.

SANADA back in the ring, throws some really weak shots, then eats a big forearm. SANADA catches Okada with a dropkick, he bails out to the floor, SANADA with a crossbody down to the floor and clears out Okada. SANADA jumps on the barricade to hype up the crowd and they respond.

Back in the ring, he gets the paradise lock in and the crowd reacts to it. SANADA puts his hand to his ear to egg the crowd on some more. He then kicks Okada on the backside, cover, two. Crowd is supporting Okada, but there are a bunch of "SANADA!" chants going on. Okada back on his feet and hits a shotgun dropkick in the corner. Both go for their finishers, no luck for either wrestler. Okada looks for the tombstone, reversed, and Okada gets dropped to the mat. TKO by SANADA, cover, two-count.

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Skull end gets locked in, but Okada fights it off, SANADA then reapplies the submission in the middle of the ring. Okada leans back for a pin attempt, SANADA kicks out, but SANADA maintains control. Okada then hits a rainmaker out of thin air! Cover, two! They slowly trade shots at each other, clearly worn down from the match. Skull end attempt, reversal, Okada has skull end for a moment and then dropkicks SANADA in the back of the head, then another more traditional dropkick. Okada looks for rainmaker, no, SANADA flips into skull end as Okada throws shots to fight his way out. SANADA then swings Okada around and drops down with skull end. Referee is checking on Okada and wants a response. Okada showing a little bit of life, SANADA tries for a pin, two, Muta moonsault lands, a second one, but Okada raises up the knees!

SANADA tries for skull end again, Okada climbs his away out, tombstone hits, rainmaker, no, tries again, no, SANADA rolls up Okada for a very close 3! SANADA gets back into skull end, goes for the swing, Okada arm drags out of it, dropkick lands. Rainmaker, no, SANADA tries for a rainmaker, no. SANADA tries for a TKO and dropkicks out of it. Rolling forearm on Okada, SANADA tries for a pop-up cutter, nope. Okada with a michinoku driver, rainmaker hits, cover, 1-2-3!

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Winner: Kazuchika Okada via Pinfall

- Post-match, SANADA showing some emotion at his loss. Okada puts his hand out, SANANDA shakes it and heads to the back. Okada tells SANADA they should do that again, maybe one day in the Tokyo Dome. He then says it seems like his Wrestle Kingdom 14 match is set and calls out Ibushi. Along with the suitcase, Ibushi heads out to the ring. Ibushi says he wants both the IC and Heavyweight Title and formally challenges him. Okada agrees and tells Ibushi to come at him first before Ibushi tries for the IC title. They face-off for a moment.

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