{"id":17954,"date":"2015-03-19T07:15:27","date_gmt":"2015-03-19T11:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/?p=17954"},"modified":"2015-03-18T19:23:21","modified_gmt":"2015-03-18T23:23:21","slug":"fighting-spirit-review-new-japan-road-to-the-new-beginning-13015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/reviews\/fighting-spirit-review-new-japan-road-to-the-new-beginning-13015\/","title":{"rendered":"Fighting Spirit Review: New Japan “Road to the New Beginning” 1\/30\/15"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nA Casual Review by Kevin Wilson of Puroresu Central<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Date:\u00a0 January 30th, 2015
\nLocation:\u00a0 Tokorozawa Citizen Gymnasium Sub Arena, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
\nAnnounced Attendance:\u00a0 1,200<\/strong><\/p>\n

New Japan’s “Road to the New Beginning” is a smaller tour without any major matches that is mostly being used to build up to the “New Beginning” show on February 11th. Hence the clever name of the tour. Even though these are basically house shows, three of them were filmed and being shown on NJPW World. This is the first one, with the only thing of note being Jay White making his New Japan debut. Here is the full card:<\/p>\n

– Alex Shelley vs. Jay White
\n– Kyle O’Reilly vs. Yohei Komatsu
\n– KUSHIDA and M\u00e1scara Dorada vs. Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson
\n– Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, and Jushin Liger vs. Nakanishi, Captain New Japan, and Tiger Mask
\n– Shinsuke Nakamura, Toru Yano, Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Yuji Nagata, Togi Makabe, Tetsuya Naito, and Honma
\n– Bad Luck Fale and Yujiro Takahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada and Gedo
\n– Hiroshi Tanahashi, Goto, Shibata, and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, Tama Tonga, and Omega<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get straight to the matches.\u00a0 There is just one hard camera for this event, definitely house-show quality here coming up.<\/p>\n

Alex Shelley vs. Jay White<\/strong><\/span>
\nTie-up to start but they break cleanly.\u00a0 They jockey around for leverage until White hits a dropkick, side headlock by White, Shelley gets out of it but White puts it back on.\u00a0 Shelley finally gets out of it with a backdrop suplex, he then hits a back bodydrop.\u00a0 White regains the advantage in the corner but Shelley throws him hard into the opposite one and White collapses to the mat.\u00a0 Shelley avoids a White dropkick and applies a crab hold.\u00a0 Camel clutch by Shelley but White gets out of it and slams him to the mat.\u00a0 Elbow drop by White but the cover gets two.\u00a0 White goes up top and he delivers a missile dropkick.\u00a0 White charges Shelley but Shelley kicks him in the face, he goes up top but White moves when he jumps off.\u00a0 Release German by Shelley and he hits a superkick.\u00a0 Automatic Midnight by Shelley and he gets the three count.\u00a0 What you\u2019d expect here, this was White\u2019s debut match and Shelley was just being the veteran showing him around.\u00a0 Both looked fine, nothing looked sloppy here, but not much to it.\u00a0 Score:\u00a0 5.0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Yohei Komatsu<\/strong><\/span>
\nWristlock by O\u2019Reilly but Komatsu gets away.\u00a0 Side headlock by O\u2019Reilly and he shoulderblocks Komatsu.\u00a0 Kicks by Komatsu but O\u2019Reilly hits a knee to the stomach.\u00a0 Knees to the ribs by O\u2019Reilly and he applies an abdominal stretch.\u00a0 O\u2019Reilly slams Komatsu\u2019s arm into the mat and kicks him in the chest.\u00a0 Komatsu knocks O\u2019Reilly into the corner and he hits a running elbow.\u00a0 Single underhook suplex by Komatsu and he goes for O\u2019Reilly\u2019s arm, but O\u2019Reilly gets in the ropes.\u00a0 Knee to the stomach by O\u2019Reilly and he slaps Komatsu in the face.\u00a0 Inside cradle by Komatsu but it gets two.\u00a0 Stomps and punches by O\u2019Reilly and he hits a brainbuster.\u00a0 O\u2019Reilly Factor by O\u2019Reilly and he gets the three count.\u00a0 Another acceptable match, nothing earth shattering but solid throughout.\u00a0 Komatsu is really coming along nicely, I think he shows a lot of potential.\u00a0 Score:\u00a0 6.0<\/span><\/p>\n

KUSHIDA and M\u00e1scara Dorada vs. Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson<\/strong><\/span>
\nI know what Matt and Nick look like, but this far off camera is going to make this play by play a pain.\u00a0 Nick and Dorada start off, Dorada flies around and armdrags Nick out of the ring.\u00a0 Matt runs in and attacks him, but Dorada sails out of the ring onto both of them.\u00a0 Nick is rolled in for KUSHIDA, I assume it is Nick, Matt wore a ponytail just to make it harder.\u00a0 Matt pulls Dorada out of the ring and Nick kicks him from the apron.\u00a0 They then double team KUSHIDA before taunting the crowd.\u00a0 Dorada gets back in and Nick tags in Matt.\u00a0 Matt and Nick double team Dorada at the corner, cover by Nick but KUSHIDA breaks it up.\u00a0 Nick and Matt Irish whip Dorada but Dorada hits a double springboard elbow.\u00a0 Dorada tags in KUSHIDA and KUSHIDA attacks both Matt and Nick.\u00a0 Nick elbows KUSHIDA but KUSHIDA kicks him in the head.\u00a0 Nick tags in Matt as KUSHIDA tags in Dorada.\u00a0 Dorada rolls up Matt, kick by Dorada and he runs around in the corner before hitting a dropkick.\u00a0 Matt slides away from Dorada, he sets him up and with Nick he hits the Indy Taker for the three count.\u00a0 Well that match ended super quickly, felt like they were just getting warmed up.\u00a0 A bit too short, would have liked to see these guys go a bit longer.\u00a0 Score:\u00a0 4.0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Kojima, and Liger vs. Nakanishi, Captain New Japan, and Tiger Mask<\/strong><\/span>
\nTenzan and Nagata start off, and Nagata shoulderblocks Tenzan to the mat.\u00a0 Tenzan regains the advantage but Nagata clubs him to the mat.\u00a0 Tenzan tags in Liger and Nagata tags in Tiger Mask.\u00a0 Side headlock by Tiger Mask but Liger gets out of it and hits a shoulderblock.\u00a0 Jumping double chops by Liger but Tiger Mask hits a dropkick.\u00a0 Tiger Mask then sails out of the ring with a tope suicida onto Liger.\u00a0 They both get back in the ring and Tiger Mask hits a vertical suplex.\u00a0 Tiger Mask tags in Captain New Japan, punches by Captain New Japan and he tags in Nagata.\u00a0 Double Irish whip to Liger, Nagata goes off the ropes but he lariats Captain New Japan by accident.\u00a0 Nagata clubs Liger but Liger avoids the knee drop and tags in Kojima.\u00a0 Chops in the corner by Kojima and he hits a jumping elbow.\u00a0 Diving elbow drop by Kojima and he gets a two.\u00a0 Elbows by Kojima but Nagata hits a lariat.\u00a0 Another lariat by Nagata but Kojima hits a lariat, he goes off the ropes but Nagata hits a spear.\u00a0 Nagata tags in Captain New Japan, chops by Captain New Japan but Kojima hits a Cozy Cutter before tagging in Tenzan.\u00a0 Nagata and Tiger Mask come in the ring and everyone attacks Tenzan.\u00a0 Tenzan avoids Captain New Japan\u2019s diving headbutt, which brings in Kojima and Liger to clear the ring.\u00a0 Hirai End by Captain New Japan to Tenzan and he gets a two count.\u00a0 Tenzan and Kojima hit the 3D on Nagata, they go for it on Captain New Japan but Captain New Japan chops them back.\u00a0 Lariat by Kojima to Captain New Japan, Tenzan applies the Anaconda Vice and picks up submission victory.\u00a0 This is exactly as you would expect, although I will give them credit for not coasting.\u00a0 Everyone got to hit their big moves and get the crowd excited before going to the ending stretch.\u00a0 Just a fun midcard match but nothing more than that.\u00a0 Score:\u00a0 6.0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nakamura, Toru Yano, Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Nagata, Makabe, Tetsuya Naito, and Honma<\/strong><\/span>
\nNagata starts off with Nakamura and they immediately start trading kicks and kick attempts.\u00a0 Nakamura drives Nagata back and he tags in Naito.\u00a0 Yano is tagged in too, Naito applies a wristlock but Yano gets out of it.\u00a0 Elbow by Naito and he tags in Honma.\u00a0 The fight goes out to the floor, with Yano and Honma eventually returning.\u00a0 YOSHI-HASHI is tagged in and he drops Honma on the top rope.\u00a0 Nakamura comes back in, snapmare by Nakamura and he applies a double kneedrop.\u00a0 Ishii is next and he chops Honma, but Honma chops him back.\u00a0 Ishii goes for a suplex but Honma reverses it into his own vertical suplex and tags in Makabe.\u00a0 Makabe clears everyone off the apron and hits a powerslam to Ishii.\u00a0 Lariat by Makabe in the corner and he hits mounted punches.\u00a0 Irish whip by Ishii and he hits a lariat.\u00a0 Makabe and Ishii trade elbows until Makabe hits a lariat onto Ishii.\u00a0 Back bodydrop by Ishii and both wrestlers are knocked to the mat.\u00a0 Nakamura and Nagata tag in and they trade elbows.\u00a0 Nagata kicks Nakamura into the corner and then hits a big boot.\u00a0 Knee by Nakamura but Nagata avoids his charge.\u00a0 Running knee by Nakamura and he hits an inverted powerslam on Nagata.\u00a0 Nakamura goes for a Boma Ye but Nagata kinda suplexes him, dropping Nakamura on his face.\u00a0 Nakamura tags in YOSHI-HASHI and everyone hits running strikes on Nagata in the corner.\u00a0 Cover by YOSHI-HASHI but the pin is broken up.\u00a0 Lariat by YOSHI-HASHI, cover, but it still gets two.\u00a0 Naito hits a missile dropkick on YOSHI-HASHI and everyone trades signature moves on each other.\u00a0 Makabe lariats Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI , Nagata goes for a suplex but YOSHI-HASHI blocks it.\u00a0 Kick by Nagata and he hits the backdrop Hold for the three count.\u00a0 \u00a0This was another fun but pretty standard match.\u00a0 Notice a pattern?\u00a0 These guys can put on good matches with their eyes closed but there isn\u2019t much of a reason to care about the match on an emotional level.\u00a0 But solid nonetheless.\u00a0 Score:\u00a0 6.5<\/span><\/p>\n

Bad Luck Fale and Yujiro Takahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada and Gedo<\/strong><\/span>
\nFale and Okada start off and Okada hits a sliding kick to Fale.\u00a0 Okada goes off the ropes but Fale catches him with a shoulderblock.\u00a0 Yujiro and Gedo are tagged in, Yujiro pushes Gedo in the ropes but Gedo applies a side headlock.\u00a0 Stomps by Yujiro but Gedo punches Yujiro in the face.\u00a0 Gedo kicks back Yujiro but Yujiro drops him throat-first on the top rope.\u00a0 The action spills out of the ring as Fale and Yujiro continue to dominate.\u00a0 Yujiro and Gedo return to the ring and Yujiro tags in Fale.\u00a0 Fale stands on Gedo, snapmare, and he punches Gedo in the head.\u00a0 Sliding kick by Yujiro, cover, but it gets two.\u00a0 Yujiro tags in Fale, Yujiro tries to tag out but Fale cuts him off and tags in Yujiro.\u00a0 Yujiro rakes Gedo in the eyes and tags in Fale.\u00a0 By far the most boring event of the match so far.\u00a0 Okada punches Fale from the apron, giving Gedo time to tag him in.\u00a0 Okada knocks down both Fale and Yujiro, he goes for a bodyslam on Fale but Fale blocks it.\u00a0 Lariat by Fale in the corner and he hits a body press for two.\u00a0 Okada dropkicks Fale back but Fale tags in Yujiro.\u00a0 Yujiro chops Okada into the corner, Irish whip, and he hits a big boot.\u00a0 Okada makes the hot tag to Gedo after a moment, punches by Gedo but Yujiro rakes his eyes.\u00a0 Gedo returns the favor and Okada comes in the ring to dropkick Yujiro.\u00a0 Gedo Clutch to Yujiro, but it gets two.\u00a0 Okada hits a pescado out of the ring onto Fale, Gedo punches Yujiro in the ring but Yujiro regains the advantage and hits a Fisherman Buster for two.\u00a0 Yujiro picks up Gedo and hits the Miami Shine, and this time he gets the three count.\u00a0 This one bored me to tears, Fale and Yujiro are just so not interesting on offense and that was 90% of the match.\u00a0 This one needed a lot more of Okada since he was the only entertaining one in the ring, just a chore to watch.\u00a0 Score:\u00a0 3.0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Hirooki Goto, Katsuyori Shibata, and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, Tama Tonga, and Kenny Omega<\/strong><\/span>
\nBullet Club naturally attacks their opponents before the match starts and they brawl both in and out of the ring. Tanahashi is isolated in the ring and Anderson stays in it but Tanahashi hits a rebound crossbody and makes the hot tag to Goto. Goto and Anderson trade elbows and Goto hits a lariat. Shibata comes in the ring and they hit a double shoulderblock. Anderson rakes his eyes and tags in Gallows. Shibata and Gallows trade strikes and Shibata kicks Gallows to the mat. Shibata tags in Taguchi while Omega is also tagged in. Taguchi kicks around Omega and he hits a hip attack. Gallows runs in and Taguchi hip attacks him, but it has no impact. Omega stomps on Taguchi and the action spills to the floor again. Taguchi and Tonga get back in the ring and Tonga stomps down Taguchi in the corner. Body press by Tonga and he tags in Anderson. Anderson elbows Taguchi and tags in Gallows. Elbow drops by Gallows and he slams Taguchi to the mat. Gallows tags in Omega and Omega hits a backbreaker. Snap vertical suplex by Taguchi but Omega stops him from making the hot tag. Taguchi kicks back Anderson and Omega and hits a double DDT. He finally tags in Goto and Goto hits a lariat on Anderson. Shibata comes in the ring and they double team Anderson, German suplex by Shibata and Goto hits a backdrop suplex. Anderson hits a spinebuster to Goto and Goto tags in Tanahashi while Omega is also tagged in. Tanahashi hits a somersault senton on Omega and he gets a two count. Tanahashi is tripped from the floor but so is Omega when he goes off the ropes. Tanahashi is tripped again and is double teamed, powerbomb by Omega but it gets a two count. Omega picks up Tanahashi but Tanahashi gets away and hits a Sling Blade. Omega tags in Anderson as everyone runs into the ring and Tanahashi is attacked in the corner. Tonga stays in with Tanahashi and hits a slam for a two count. Tonga picks up Tanahashi but Taguchi runs in and hits a hip attack. This leads to all the wrestlers coming in one at a time and attacking each other. Tanahashi grabs Tonga and he hits the Styles Clash. Tanahashi goes up top and he hits a High Fly Flow for the three count victory. This was… maybe good, I guess, but some of the beatdown segments just went too long. Taguchi is not and never has been interesting and he spent too much time in this match when he was so clearly the least talented wrestler on his team. Some of the middle portions with Goto and Shibata were good but overall it was just average at best. Score: 5.5<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\" \"\" \"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Final Thoughts:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This was pretty bland. New Japan has some of the best wrestlers in the world so even when the matches have no purpose they are only going to be but so bad, but either way this event wasn’t very exciting. The main event was definitely watchable and there were some highlights here and there, but for the most part not a whole lot happened. No hidden gems here, you can safely skip this event.<\/p>\n

Grade: D+\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tanahashi, Goto, Shibata, & Taguchi vs. Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, Tama Tonga, & Omega, Bad Luck Fale & Takahashi vs. Okada & Gedo, more<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":15294,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[399,40],"tags":[234,233],"class_list":["post-17954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fsreview","category-reviews","tag-new-japan","tag-puroresu"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17954"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17954\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17959,"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17954\/revisions\/17959"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crazymax.org\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}