NJPW The New Beginning In Nagoya Results
Did Tanahashi leave as NEVER Openweight Champion?
Jan 30, 2021
New Japan Pro-Wrestling held its first major event since Wrestle Kingdom 15 earlier today and The New Beginning In Nagoya featured the end of bitter rivalries and a NEVER Openweight Title match between Shingo Takagi and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Check out the results below:
Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano def. EVIl & Yujiro Takahashi
Kazuchika Okada's quest for a singles match against EVIl continued at The New Beginning In Nagoya. The two men have faced off in tag team matches on numerous Road To shows, but The King Of Darkness has so far refused to meet Okada in singles action.
The former IWGP Heavyweight Champions fought back and forth in the early going in a match which involved the usual Bullet Club interference, but they took a backseat down the stretch as the action focussed on Toru Yano and Yujiro Takahashi.
Yano performed his usual comedy spots and survived a shot to the head from Yujiro's pimp cane. Yano then tried to use the cane against The Tokyo Pimp but Dick Togo entered the ring and grabbed the weapon. This ultimately distracted the official and Yano capitalised with a Low Blow to Yujiro and rolled up the Bullet Club member for the 1-2-3.
Kota Ibushi, SHO, Master Wato & Tomoaki Honma def. SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI & Tetsuya Naito
The next match was very much a preview for The New Beginning In Hiroshima. All eight men took turns fighting their future opponents and Tetsuya Naito continued to become frustrated with Tomoaki Honma.
The match came to an end after Master Wato caught BUSHI with a Spinning Heel Kick. This left him vulnerable for the Last Ride from SHO and after the LIJ member initially kicked out, SHO followed up with Shock Arrow for the win.
Great-O-Khan def. Hiroyoshi Tenzan - Loser Must Retire The Mongolian Chop
In the battle over the Mongolian Chop, Great-O-Khan picked up the win over his veteran opponent.
Both men wasted no time in going after one another in the early going as Great-O-Khan charged up the ramp during Hiroyoshi Tenzan's entrance. Tenzan caught the United Empire member with his mask, though, and battered Great-O-Khan around ringside until they eventually entered the ring.
With the unique stipulation, Great-O-Khan and Tenzan exchanged Mongolian Chops throughout the match and O-Khan played into his Jiangshi gimmick. Both men battered each other for several minutes and Great-O-Khan eventually wore down Tenzan to the point where he went for the Dominator. Tenzan managed to escape, though, and they battled in a Mongolian Chop-Off.
Tenzan won the exchange, but the match went downhill for the four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion moments later after he missed a Moonsault Press. Great-O-Khan capitalised with more Mongolian Chops and after Tenzan went for a TTD, O-Khan rolled out of it and connected with more Screaming Mongolian Chops.
This left Tenzan exhausted and Great-O-Khan hit his opponent with a TTD. Tenzan somehow kicked out but O-Khan immediately stopped his brief comeback and connected with the Dominator for the victory.
With that, Tenzan must retire the Mongolian Chop, a move he has become synonymous with throughout his career.
Will Ospreay def. Satoshi Kojima - No Disqualification Match
The second bitter rivalry between TenCozy and The United Empire came to a head in a No Disqualification Match.
Both men battered each other with weapons and Ospreay took much of the punishment. At various points, Ospreay was Hip Tossed onto a steel chair, Back Body Dropped onto a trash can, took a guitar shot to the head, and was sent crashing through a ladder on the outside following a Lariat from Kojima.
Ospreay fought back with his own weapon spots and Powerbombed Kojima through a table in the corner. He followed up with an Os Cutter but Kojima kicked out at two.
During the finish, Kojima caught Ospreay with a Brainbuster onto a pile of chairs, but Ospreay somehow kicked out. The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion then tried to follow up with a Lariat, but The Ariel Assasin blocked it and capitalised with the Knockout Blow to the back of Kojima's head. He then put his rival away with Stormbreaker for the 1-2-3.
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Shingo Takagi - NEVER Openweight Championship
In a match that was as epic as fans expected, Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Shingo Takagi after 36 minutes to win the NEVER Openweight Championship.
Both men tried to wear each other down for the first 20 minutes and Takagi was noticeably hobbled following multiple Dragon Screw Leg Whips.
Takagi and Tanahashi then started to call upon their signature moves and The Ace continued to work over the champion's knee with a Cloverleaf. With Shingo almost unconscious, Tanahashi let go and connected with a High Fly Flow, but he crashed and burned on the second attempt after Takagi rolled out of the way.
The match then featured a dangerous spot as Takagi drilled Tanahashi with Made In Japan, but dropped The Ace right on top of his head. Tana was somehow able to continue and both men continued to fight back and forth in the ensuing 10 minutes.
This all led to the climax where Shingo went for Last Of Dragon but Tana countered into a Slingblade. He then capitalised with Aces High and a Dragon Suplex for a near fall and followed up with another High Fly Flow to pick up the win and begin his first reign as NEVER Openweight Champion.
Tanahashi didn't have long to celebrate, though, as Great-O-Khan charged to the ring and attacked the new champion from behind. The United Empire member then called back to their Wrestle Kingdom 15 match and announced he would exact revenge by taking the NEVER Openweight Title from Tanahashi.
