NJPW Lion’s Gate: Project 2

May 19th, 19:00 from Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo

As with Project 1, this card is primarily a showcase for the Young Lions of New Japan and youngish wrestlers of NOAH, with a couple of veterans from both companies making an appearance. Naomichi Marufuji vs. Jay White, Yoshinari Ogawa vs. David Finlay, and Go Shiozaki vs. Juice Robinson are among the matches on what looks like being a solid show.

Same venue as last time, the basic setup is retained with one light over the ring and a spotlight for entrances. Also, this is single camera, no commentary.

Here we go…

Video package to start running through the card with footage of the young boys training at the New Japan dojo.

Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Hirai Kawato

NOAH youngster Kiyomiya faced Ryusuke Taguchi at the last show in a decent bout and wears an outlandish green getup. Kawato wears the traditional black trunks. Both are 19-years old, although Kiyomiya is a regular in NOAH at this point.

Duelling elbows to start, then Kiyomiya took control with a powerslam and chinlock, before Kawato came back with a dropkick and applied the camel clutch. Kiyomiya eventually got his arms free and wriggled to the ropes, then hit a dropkick of his own. A big suplex got a two-count, then the Boston Crab was applied. Kawato almost got the rope-break twice, but ended up tapping. There was a bit of afters when Kawato refused the handshake. As expected, a basic match, although it’s refreshing to see standard moves treated as potential match-enders. *1/2

Shiro Tomoyose vs. Teruaki Kanemitsu

Teruaki Kanemitsu (NJPW) got the flu before Project 1 and couldn’t compete, so he finally gets his debut. Tomoyose is a year into his NOAH career, has a Judo and MMA background, and looks a bit of a bruiser. Both men are 23.

Kanemitsu unwisely tried to compete with strikes, which only succeeded in pissing Tomoyose off, and a shoulder tackle and powerslam earned a two-count. Tomoyose remained in control with stomps, a hip toss and a back body drop, then locked in the Boston Crab (which, at this point, should be officially renamed the Young Liontamer). Kanemitsu made the ropes then hit a nice dropkick and followed with stomps in the corner and a powerslam for a two-count. Now it was Kanemitsu’s turn to apply the Crab, but Tomoyose made the ropes at the second time of asking. Moments later, the bell was rung and the ten-minute time limit reached – a draw. Once again, the post-match handshake got salty. Tomoyose looked a bit lost during the early stages, but this was otherwise fine. *1/4

Hitoshi Kumano vs. Ayato Yoshida [K-DOJO]

Yoshida is a representative of Kaientai-DOJO, 23, and only debuted in November last year. Kumano of NOAH is 24, getting on to be a young boy, and – nearly four years into his career – ready to be elevated.

Holds and counter-holds to begin, then Kumano took control with an over-the-knee STO, a side slam, and a single-leg crab from which Yoshida just made the ropes. A missed charge led to a comeback from Yoshida; a bulldog and dropkick leading to a grapevined sleeper. Kumano made the ropes, hit an STO, a running elbow and suplex for a two-count. A battle of strikes commenced, culminating in a high kick from Yoshida for a near-fall. Kumano connected with a big elbow strike, then hit a move that resembled a Rock Bottom into a spinebuster for the three-count. Good little match, impressive work from both. **

Yoshinari Ogawa vs. David Finlay

Last time out, Ogawa defeated Jay White in decent match, and now Finlay Jr. – White’s fellow gaijin young boy – gets a shot at the veteran.

Great back-and-forth to begin, leapfrog and dropkick from Finlay, then a stand off. Ogawa grabbed an overhand wristlock and started to work on the arm, taking Finlay to the outside and whipping his arm around the ringpost. Back in, Ogawa yanked relentlessly at the shoulder socket and a couple of armbreakers over the apron had things looking desperate for Dave, but he summoned a dropkick and a succession of corner uppercuts from somewhere, and followed with a Finlay Roll and jumping European uppercut for two. Ogawa ducked a diving clothesline and hit a jawbreaker, enziguri and a backdrop for two. Finlay attempted an armdrag, but Ogawa grabbed the hurt left arm and countered into a rollup for the three-count. Finlay is always improving and Ogawa looks like he has plenty left in the tank – I could’ve easily watched another ten minutes of this. Most enjoyable. ***

Captain NOAH & Genba Hirayanagi vs. Muhammad Yone & Ryusuke Taguchi

Last time out, Captain NOAH and Hirayanagi were defeated by TenCozy. Tonight they face the team of New Japan’s Ryusuke Taguchi and NOAH’s ‘Mr Afro’ Muhammad Yone.

The referee checked Yone’s afro for weapons at the start and Taguchi put on a large afro wig. Hirayanagi, meanwhile, was cosplaying Finn Bálor ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Taguchi and Captain had a brief Nakamura-off with both men doing the signature taunts, then both pretended to be Ric Flair for a few minutes, ending in Captain doing the Flair flop. Taguchi was thrown to the outside, where Captain took control in casual style. Back in, Captain hit a rope-hung DDT for a two-count, the posed for the Boma Ye, but the move itself was ducked and Taguchi hit the springboard ass-block. Yone got the hot tag and cleared the ring, but moments later tagged out again. Taguchi came in with some ass-based offence on Hirayanagi, followed by the Three Amigos (Eddie Guerrero is 50% of his “gimmick” too), but a brainbuster was blocked and the NOAH contingent beat him down with some double-team moves.“Ta-gu-chi” ala “New Day Sucks/Rocks” from the crowd, which appeared to rouse him, and soon enough he hit the ass version of the Boma Ye for the three-count on Hirayanagi. Went a bit long for a comedy match, but there were some genuinely funny moments here. **

***INTERMISSION***

Naomichi Marufuji vs. Jay White

White, at 23, is already looking a prospect for New Japan, while Marufuji is a legend of Pro Wrestling NOAH; a three-time GHC Heavyweight Champion among dozens of other accomplishments.

Both men invited chops from the other, before White threw his opponent to the outside. Baseball slide from White, then diving elbow strike from the apron. Back in, Marufuji took control and levelled White a couple of times with hard chops. Another huge chop knocked White to the mat and out of the ring, and Marufuji followed up by dumping White onto the apron with a brainbuster! Jay just made it in at the 19-count, but he walked straight into more chops in the corner. A charge from Marufuji was countered to a DDT as White tried to get back into the match – he followed with a running European uppercut, vertical suplex and a nice diving dropkick for two. White locked in the crossface, but the veteran made the ropes. Pumphandle reversed by Marufuji and White received more chops before hitting a dropkick and connecting with the pumphandle slam for two. Marufuji blocked a corner charge and connected with a crescent kick and a palm strike, then a side kick for two. Yet more chops, as White tried to come back with elbow stikes, but a high knee hit the mark and Marufuji followed with the Shiranui (aka Sliced Bread #2) for the win. Solid match, but at no point did White look like winning. ***1/4

Go Shiozaki vs. Juice Robinson

Juice gets the semi-main event spot once again, having fallen Katsuhiko Nakajima at Project 1. Go Shiozaki returned to NOAH last November, having spent several years with All Japan, and has been embroiled in the war against the invading Suzuki-gun stable. He remains a freelancer.

This was even in the early going, then Juice tried to get his punches going, but Shiozaki knocked him down with a couple of chops and sent him to the floor with a high knee. A knee drop off the apron from Shiozaki, then back in the ring for more chops and a back elbow. A seated clothesline and a back suplex earned a two-count, then a Chop Battle was comprehensively won by Shiozaki. Juice broke the full nelson with a jawbreaker, but more chops from Shiozaki were incoming (NOAH = chops, NJPW = elbows, it would seem). An axe kick from Juice had both men down. With Shiozaki sent to the outside, Juice hit a slingshot crossbody and, back in, connected with a cannonball in the corner and a Jackhammer for a near-fall. Back-and-forth elbows and chops, then a kneeling powerbomb from Juice for a close two-count. A huge left-handed lariat from Shiozaki got a two-count, then a Fisherman Buster almost finished it. Juice tried to slap his way back into the match, but a Go Flasher (suplex into elbow drop) and a second lariat from Shiozaki were enough for the three-count. Another good outing from Juice, who, despite his cheesy demeanour and moveset, is really starting to get it. ***1/2

Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima, Maybach Taniguchi, Masa Kitamiya & Quiet Storm

The Old Bastards of New Japan – including new NEVER champion Yuji Nagata – face off against The Comparatively Young NOAH Guys. Kitamiya lost to Nagata at Project 1, as did Quiet Storm to Nakanishi, while Nakajima beat Juice Robinson. Taniguchi voluntarily unmasked himself in January and despite not being a very good wrestler (he was in the opening match of Project 1) has since become one of the leading figures in the fight against Suzuki-gun.

Lots of grunting and fronting in this once. You could practically see the testosterone. The match began by running through various combinations, before Team Grizzled Veterans isolated Kitamiya. The tag was eventually made to Nakajima, who went toe-to-toe with Kojima, knocking him down with a high kick. A swift Koji Cutter brought Nagata in, then Nakajima tagged Quiet Storm. And lo, the match broke down. Brawls all around the ring allowed Nakanishi to come off the top rope(!) with a double axe handle, and while Taniguchi was locked in a torture rack, Nagata hit Quiet Storm with the Backdrop Hold for the three-count. Eh, not much to this one beyond a solid-enough multi-man tag. In truth, only Nakajima from NOAH showed what he is capable of and I’d be keen to see him as part of the G1 Climax. **1/2

Nagata and Co. get the go-home promo. He announced that youngsters Oka and Kitamura (both big guys) would debut at the next show.

Final thoughts: The stated long-term goal of Lion’s Gate is supposedly to develop an NXT-style sub-promotion where young wrestlers from all over the world come to compete. I can’t see that happening, but if they continue to put on watchable shows like today I’ll continue watching. It’s a neat addition to the New Japan World line-up and it means I get to see some of the NOAH talent. I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see anything here, but the three singles matches I noted at the beginning of the review all delivered.

I’m back on Saturday for the start of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament. See you then.