NJPW New Beginning In Sapporo Night 1 Results – February 4, 2023
Location: Hokkaido Japan
Venue: Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center
Great O Khan vs. Oskar Leube
The early exchanges see Great O Khan grabs a hold of a side headlock as he took Oskar Leube to the mat for a quick two count. Oskar takes O Khan to the ropes, chopping him on the break before a front kick knocked O Khan down. O Khan switches around as he faked out a trip and locked in a head & arm choke on Leube then he gets to the ropes.
Oskar’s choked in the ropes after the referee separated them but he’s able to mount a comeback, slamming O Khan off the ropes before forearms took O Khan into the corner. A leg drop lands for a near fall as did a powerslam before Leube went for the Boston Crab the ropes save O Khan this time but Leube is quickly cut off with a Judo throw as he came off the ropes, before the Sheep Killer forced the stoppage.
Winner By Submission: Great O Khan (7:25)
Rate: 6
8 Man Tag Team Match
House Of Torture vs. Minoru Suzuki,El Desperado,Ren Narita & Ryohei Oiwa
House Of Torture attacks Minoru Suzuki,El Desperado,Ren Narita start to get us going while Minoru Suzuki’s attempts to overcome it were stunted by him being outnumbered by Sho & Yujiro Takahashi. A right hand takes care of Sho before Suzuki tags in Oiwa with Ren Narita not trusting a tag, it seemed. Oiwa’s able to take down Takahashi with a body slam for a two count but Takahashi nibbling turns things around ahead of him hot shotting Oiwa into the ropes.
Things spill outside again, as Dick Togo took shots at Oiwa in the ring following up with a fist drop for a two count. Evil tries his luck with a myriad of covers on Oiwa but to no avail as Sho came in and dispatched Minoru Suzuki who ran and grabbed a chair that he had designs on integrating into Sho.
The referee stops Suzuki as Sho knocks him off the apron Oiwa tries to fight back, but his dropkick gets nothing but air. 2nd time’s the charm though as El Desperado gets a tag in and instantly cleared the opposite apron. Takahashi tries to cut him off but got the ropes kicked into him as Sho’s bounced with a sidewalk slam for a near fall. Sho recovered, using the referee for misdirection ahead of a spear, only for Desperado to come back with a spear.
Evil stops Desperado tagging out briefly, before a side Russian leg sweep got him free it’s Ren Narita who gets the tag after Suzuki gave him the floor, and it’s all Narita here with kicks to Evil ahead of a Cobra Twist attempt. A handful of hair helps Evil escape ahead of the cheating abdominal stretch, leading to Narita getting cornered by the entire House Of Torture, as a fisherman buster from Evil drew in everyone to break up the pin.
The ring clears out, but the referee’s distracted as Dick Togo uses his garotte Suzuki breaks it up and snapmares Togo for a PK from Narita then adds a Kanuki suplex and a Cobra Twist to get the submission win.
Winners By Submission: Minoru Suzuki,El Desperado,Ren Narita & Ryohei Oiwa (9:36)
Rate: 4
8 Man Tag Team Match
Chaos (IWGP Tag Team Champions Hirooki Goto & Yoshi Hashi & Tomohiro Ishii) & Yuto Nakashima vs. TMDK
We get going with Yoshi Hashi & Mikey Nicholls but Hirooki Goto’s in early to charge down Nicholls before Shane Haste ran in and got drummed on. Tomohiro Ishii helps charge down Zack Sabre Jr while Yuto Nakashima took care of Fujita as TMDK were on the back foot early on. A quick turnaround sees Haste & Nicholls land a back suplex/neckbreaker on Goto before Nakashima tries his hardest to fight off TMDK.
Eventually Nakashima’s overwhelmed and cleared away as ZSJ began to stretch Goto on the mat. Fujita takes over with a similar toe hold with ZSJ helping him with that on the job training. Yoshi Hashi tries to break it up but gets a toe hold from Fujita too before Nicholls & Haste resumed their focus on Goto.
Goto manages to break free with a bulldog on Haste, before tags to ZSJ & Ishii. Sabre wrings Ishii’s wrist before a barrage of shoulder tackles wipe out TMDK. ZSJ avoids a sliding lariat, but not another shoulder tackle as Ishii’s follow up German suplex left ZSJ laying.
Yoshi Hashi & Nicholls tag back in from there, trading blows ahead of a clothesline from Nicholls Yoshi Hashi avoids a Tagbuster as Goto makes the save, then helped with a double team leading to a side Russian leg sweep/Headhunter combo. It begins a parade of moves as a superkick aided ushigoroshi took care of Haste, before Nicholls kicked away a Shoto then dropped Goto with a Death Valley Driver instead.
Tags bring us to Fujita & Nakashima & they trade forearms ahead of a dropkick from Fujita Nakashima’s back body drop flings Fujita into the air, as a follow up Boston Crab gets kicked apart by ZSJ. Nakashima chops and kicks Fujita back to the mat for a two count, only for Fujita to return the favour with a dropkick before a backslide nearly won it. Fujita stays on Nakashima, rolling him to the mat for a double wristlock & Nakashima has no choice but to tap out.
Winners By Submission: TMDK (11:28)
Rate: 6
8 Man Tag Team Match
Bullet Club vs. Guerrillas Of Density,Master Wato & Hiroshi Tanahashi
We get going with Jay White is teasing starting the match off with Hikuleo but nope they tag out to El Phantasmo & Tama Tonga opening the match but nobody wants to fight with ELP claiming a dead leg, so it’s Kenta & Hiroshi Tanahashi starting only for Tanahashi to get caught from behind as the Bullet Club swarmed and emptied the ring.
Tanahashi’s taken to the Bullet Club corner as he’s choked across the bottom rope then thrown into everyone’s boots. Back rakes from ELP led to Kenta coming in, and the eventual Tanahashi comeback that ends with an eye rake. Tags give us Hikuleo & White & Hikuleo looks to pull ahead, lariating White for a two count before White baited Hikuleo into a Complete Shot.
ELP & Tonga return for their exchanges, including a clothesline out of the corner from Tonga then a crossbody from Phantasmo, who then had to block a Gun Stun. Tama slides under a Sudden Death attempt, as they proceed to trade rights before tags got us to Taiji Ishimori & Master Wato.
Wato’s dropkick caught Ishimori in the face, as did a flying uppercut, before a parade of moves led to White getting goozled over the top rope to the outside. ELP joins in, but eats a Tongan Twist before a Mistica into a jackknife from Wato gets the win for his team.
Winners: Guerrillas Of Density (12:48)
Rate: 5
8 Man Tag Team Match
Chaos (IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada,Yoh & Toru Yano) & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Los Ingobnrables De Japon
Yoh & Hiromu Takahashi kick this match off by trading blows before Takahashi was tripped up. He’s able to take Yoh into the corner for a clothesline, only to get caught with a neckbreaker as tags took us to Toru Yano attempting to swat Sanada with a corner pad, only to get caught in a Paradise Lock instead.
Freeing Yano, Sanada tags out to Shingo Takagi & he traps Yano in the ropes as Takahashi & Bushi took their turn on Yano’s arm. Sanada’s back but Yano pulls him down by the hair before tags took us to Kazuchika Okada & Takagi. Okada runs wild but got clobbered by a clothesline from Takagi then some more in the corners ahead of a back suplex.
Okada kicks out at two from that, but replies to strikes from Takagi with an uppercut before he whiffed on a dropkick. A back body drop and a sit down pin nearly stole the win there for Okada ahead of a neckbreaker slam out of the corner.
Taguchi tags in to take care of Takagi with the 3 Amigos and a Bummer Ye & that leads to Oh My Garankle on Takagi. Switching it up, Taguchi looks for Dodon but gets taken to the corner as LIJ swarm him, leading to Takagi’s Pumping Bomber for a near fall. Yoh breaks it up as another Parade of Moves led to a roll up from Taguchi for a near fall before Takagi kicks out of a backslide.
Bushi’s tope takes care of Okada on the outside allowing Takagi to get a measure of revenge on Taguchi as the Last Of The Dragon puts the match to bed.
Winners: Los Ingobnrables De Japon (11:02)
Rate: 7
After the match Yoh & Takahashi got into it at ringside, with both men getting yeeted into the guard rails before Yoh grabbed a knee bar on Takahashi.
Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match
Catch 22 (c) vs. Just 4 Guys
TJP & Yoshinobu Kanemaru get this one going with arm wringers and headscissors, leading to TJP handstanding his way free as he finger wagged Kanemaru. A kick to the knee has TJP hobbling, but he shrugs it off and caught Kanemaru with a corkscrew back senton as Catch 22 looked to pull ahead.
Akira’s in to take Kanemaru to the ropes, but he’s sent outside into the clutches of Douki as Just 4 Guys turned things around, lading to a tope suicida from Douki to TJP. A 2nd tope from Douki was even wilder, aiming for Akira as the match stayed on the floor with Kanemaru driving TJP’s knee into the ground.
Back inside Just 4 Guys stomp away on TJP’s knee while a low dropkick from Kanemaru continued the focus. TJP’s able to evade Douki in the ropes as Akira took over with an Asai moonsault. Akira tags in after that, staying on Douki before tagging TJP back in for an elevated back senton. A deathlock from TJP snapped back on Douki’s legs ahead of a Muta lock that Kanemaru quickly came in to stomp apart.
Akira’s back with a Tarantula to Douki before a low dropkick got Douki free and bought him time to tag in Kanemaru, who went back to TJP’s knee. A British Fall from Kanemaru looked to set up for a moonsault, but that’s cut off as Akira leapt off of TJP’s back for a dropkick to the challengers. Another crack at a Figure 4 sees Kanemaru get cradled by TJP for a near fall, while the cameras totally miss Akira going after Douki on the outside.
Meanwhile, TJP misses a Mamba Splash, allowing Kanemaru to finally lock in that Figure 4. TJP withstands it and drags himself to the ropes to break the hold before the ring filled up it led to Douki nearly losing to the Alley Oop before the Leaning Tower on Douki fell apart as TJP’s knee gave out.
Akira tries again, but ends up taking out Kanemaru with a missile dropkick instead before a Fireplex and jackknife cradle double team almost put Douki away. TJP’s knee gives again as he went for his half of a pair of diving knees Akira rolls him to the corner and tagged himself in only for Douki to roll him into Douki Choky. Kanemaru restrains TJP as the Douki Chokey almost won it.
Rolling out of the Douki Chokey Akira ends up getting caught with the Doton No Jutsu the Gory neckbreaker before Kanemaru’s dropkick left Akira prone for another moonsault. This time it lands, but Douki’s legal as a Henkei Doton No Jutsu was broken up. A Daybreak’s next on Akira almost got the win for Just 4 Guys.
Suplex De La Luna looks to follow, but Akira flips free, then rolled up for a DDT as TJP returned to help with a reverse DDT/stomp combo. Kanemaru breaks up that pin as it remained super heated, with Kanemaru’s knee breaker being avoided as TJP took him outside for a huge plancha while Akira’s Speedfire and a Nova Fireball gets the job done.
Winners & Still Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: Catch 22 (STILL CHAMPIONS!!!!)
Rate: 8 (Recommend)
Will Ospreay vs. Taichi
Will Ospreay & Taichi shot out of the blocks here, booting each other off the ropes before a missed enziguiri from Taichi almost earned him a Hidden Blade. A hotshot and a boot from Ospreay takes Taichi outside where he’s met with a plancha before a double stomp to the back of the head on the apron kept Ospreay in front.
Ospreay chops down Taichi as he badmouthed the hometown hero, before an Irish whip bounced Taichi into the corner. A chinlock keeps Taichi grounded, ahead of what looked like an early crack at a Storm Breaker which Taichi back body drops out of. A gamengiri meets Ospreay in the corner, as did some clotheslines while Ospreay’s attempt at a German suplex was countered with an overhead kick to the shoulder.
An Axe Bomber out of nowhere stops Ospreay’s threatened comeback, before a handspring enziguiri took down Taichi. Ospreay’s springboard forearm keeps him on track before Taichi threatened to counter an OsCutter into a Dangerous Backdrop Driver eventually doing so on the 2nd attempt. Kawada style kicks from Ospreay earn him receipts from Taichi as they went back & forth on those, before Ospreay tried to switch it up with some chops.
Taichi retaliated with kicks as they were left reeling and it’s back to the Kawada kicks as a head kick from Taichi had Ospreay sunk. An attempted Last Ride’s escaped as Ospreay instead lands a hook kick before the Hakuho elbow stopped a Hidden Blade in its tracks as both men were hell-bent on stopping the other from landing their Big Movez. Another attempt at an OsCutter’s stopped by way of an Axe Bomber to the back of the head, as a gamengiri then dropped Ospreay, who now looked to be in trouble.
Francesco Akira makes his way down to ringside as Ospreay tried to shrug things off turning a Storm Breaker almost into a Tiger Driver. An OsCutter followed for a two count before a 2nd one off the top was stopped leading to Taichi hitting a Ganso Bomb in retaliation for Ospreay’s attempt to block the Last Ride. Taichi adds another Axe Bomber to the back of the head as Ospreay’s almost put away while a dropkick kept Taichi on track as a Dangerous Backdrop Hold almost got Taichi with the win.
Taichi measures up Ospreay for another head kick, but Ospreay beats him to the punch before an Avalanche OsCutter missed. The Gedo Clutch nearly wins it for Taichi but he’s met with a Hidden Blade almost instantly as Ospreay managed to stop Taichi from getting back into a groove. Another Storm Breaker’s almost countered into the Black Mephisto from Taichi, but Ospreay slips out for a Dangerous Backdrop then a leaping Hidden Blade that still didn’t get the job done.
Ospreay tees up for the Hidden Blade once more but Taichi got to his feet so it’s forearms instead until Taichi waffled Ospreay with a shot of his own. A rolling elbow sinks Taichi in response, as the referee threatened to wave it off instead giving us a standing 10 count. Taichi pulls himself up using the referee but was instantly met with a Hidden Blade and a Storm Breaker puts Taichi away.
Winner: Will Ospreay (22:47)
Rate: 8 (Recommend)
Tetsuya Naito vs. Shota Umino
Tetsuya Naito looks for a toe hold early on but that ended in the ropes as Shota Umino returned with a side headlock. A handful of hair breaks it up, as Naito’s own side headlock gets shoved off leading to a missed dropkick from Umino ahead of a stand off.
Umino takes Naito outside but can’t quite follow up as Naito wandered away giving Umino the opportunity to mock Naito’s pose instead. Naito returns but can’t avoid a diving uppercut as Umino picked up a two count before an eye rake had Umino by the ropes. More hair pulling leads to Naito throwing Umino outside with a baseball slide dropkick taking Umino into the guard rails.
Naito pulls up Umino by the guard rails then dropped him neckfirst over the bars which led to somewhat of a count-out tease that Umino beat at 17. Naito pounces with the neckscissors, which end in the ropes before Naito took Umino to the corner for the Combinacion Cabron. A cravat keeps Umino down, while clubbing forearms eventually were broken free of as headscissors and a dropkick got Umino free.
Umino tries to change the pace with a back elbow and a low dropkick, while a Fisherman suplex bridges up for a near fall. A tornado DDT’s next from Umino, before he telegraphed a Death Rider and got charged into the corner with Naito then returning with an armdrag and another side headlock. Naito’s neckbreaker turns the tide some more as they trade blows until a dropkick from Umino took Naito to the outside.
A flip senton from Umino wipes out Naito in the aisle, before a missile dropkick back inside sent Naito flying for another two count. A STF followed, but again Naito gets to the ropes as Umino got a ticking off from his dad for not breaking. Umino keeps it on the mat for some hammer elbows before Naito cut him off with a swinging DDT before the Pluma Blanca is lock in.
The ropes save Umino, who was alert enough to elbow away the set up for a Destino, before he Rolled The Dice on Naito and again. A lifting reverse DDT gets a solid two count for Umino as Naito then found a way in, leading to Gloria for a near fall after a couple of kicks had rocked Umino. Naito trys lots of times to hit Destino.
Umino catches a Destino attempt, turning it into a package tombstone slam, then a Jig N Tonic lands from Umino for a near fall, as he then headed into the corner for the running flip neckbreaker that still only got a two count finally he’s pushing the pace only to get caught with Valentia as he went for the Death Rider.
Naito throws some elbows at Umino preparing for the inevitable but Umino roars back then more elbows left Umino in a heap. A Destino’s blocked as Umino snapped back with a Death Rider an attempt at an elevated one ended with Naito crumbling underneath him before Shota hit it at the 2nd attempt for a near fall. Another Death Rider’s escaped as Naito charged in with a short Destino, before a wind up Destino puts Umino away.
Winner: Tetsuya Naito (32:11)
Rate: 6
New Beginning In Sapporo Night 2 Card
8 Man Tag Team Match
United Empire vs. Just 4 Guys
8 Man Tag Team Match
House Of Torture vs. Ren Narita,El Desperado,Minoru Suzuki & Yuto Nakashima
Tag Team Match
Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori & Kenta) vs. Master Wato & Hiroshi Tanahashi
6 Man Tag Team Match
Bullet Club (El Phantasmo,Jay White & Gedo) vs. Guerrillas Of Density
8 Man Tag Team Match
Los Ingobnrables De Japon vs. Chaos,Shota Umino & Ryusuke Taguchi
IWGP Tag Team Title Match
Bishamon (c) vs. TMDK
Television Title Match
Zack Sabre Jr (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii
New Beginning In Osaka (Feb 11th)
Tag Team Match
United Empire vs. Toru Yano & Oskar Leube
8 Man Tag Team Match
Los Ingobnrables De Japon vs. Tiger Mask IV,Tomoaki Honma,Ryusuke Taguchi & Shota Umino
Master Wato vs. Taiji Ishimori
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kenta
Non Title Match
NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions House Of Torture vs. Minoru Suzuki,El Desperado & Ren Narita
Loser Leaves Japan Match
Jay White vs. Hikuleo
NEVER Openweight Title Match
Tama Tonga (c) vs. El Phantasmo
IWGP World Heavyweight Title Match
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. KOPW 2023 Champion Shingo Takagi
