NJPW Burning Spirit Results (9/25) Ospreay Vs. Finlay, Machine Gun Vs. Tanahashi, More
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Three titles will be on the line as NJPW wraps up the Burning Spirit tour. IWGP United States Champion Will Ospreay headlines the show against David Finlay, Karl Anderson defends the NEVER Title against "The Ace," and Wato & Taguchi look to reclaim the Jr. Tag Titles from the United Empire. Plus Tama Tonga gets his hands on IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White, and G1 Climax winner Kazuchika Okada gets his hands on JONAH before their big main events at October's Declaration of Power.
Here is the full card:
-Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi) vs. Bullet Club (Hikuleo, KENTA & El Phantasmo)
-Toru Yano vs. Doc Gallows
-United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb) vs. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens)
-Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito & SANADA) vs. Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi)
-Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma) and Kazuchika Okada vs. TMDK (JONAH, Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito)
-Tama Tonga & Jado (replacing KUSHIDA) vs. Bullet Club (Jay White & Taiji Ishimori)
-IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match: United Empire (Francesco Akira & TJP) (c) vs. Six or Nine (Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi)
-NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Karl Anderson (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
-IWGP United States Championship Match: Will Ospreay (c) vs. David Finlay
Action Kicks off in Kobe
The show starts with a video package running down the card. Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlton on the call.
FIRST MATCH: Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi) vs. Bullet Club (Hikuleo, KENTA & El Phantasmo)
Bullet Club tries to get the upper hand with their usual shenanigans but LIJ comes prepared. Hiromu blocks a shot from a memoir-wielding KENTA. BUSHI keeps the much larger Hikuleo at bay. This leaves Takagi and ELP to continue their endless feud. ELP does his best to try and sneak a win out of the KOPW 2022 trophy holder, but a series of rollups can't get the job done.
Takagi blocks Sudden Death and rolls up ELP with a Ground Cobra for the pinfall in 8:43
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi)
SECOND MATCH: Toru Yano vs. Doc Gallows
Yano tries to Yano his way out of the match, but Gallows fights him all the way to the outside, where both men are counted out in 3:45.
DOUBLE COUNTOUT
THIRD MATCH: United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb) vs. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens)
Cobb gets hit with much of the early offense. Owens and Fale's tandem assault almost overwhelms the Olympian. Owens gets a nearfall off a vicious Rocket Launcher.
Owens then takes the fight to O-Khan, drilling him with a C-Trigger. O-Khan counters the Package Piledriver. Jeff Cobb recovers and helps O-Khan hit Imperial Drop for the pinfall.
Winners: United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb)
Tag Action Continues
FOURTH MATCH: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito & SANADA) vs. Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi)
Taichi does his best to try and embarrass SANADA. SANADA does his best to fight back but Taichi maintains dominance, the two exchange masks at one point and also show off their push ups. Sabre and Naito take over the match, taking out their frustrations on each other. Naito escapes a glue-like Sabre and Taichi and SANADA go back to trading blows and flexing. Taichi gets the upperhand and rolls up SANADA with a Taichi Clutch in 9:32.
Winners: Dangerous Tekkers (Zack Sabre Jr. & Taichi)
FIFTH MATCH: Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma) and Kazuchika Okada vs. TMDK (JONAH, Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito)
TMDK focus on Honma and Makabe. Whenever Okada is in, he tries to get the better of JONAH, but Okada still doesn't have all the pieces to that puzzle. Makabe tags in and gets very little done against Shane Haste, who batters the former champion. Bad Dude Tito also throws in some stiff offense. JONAH finally corners Honma and flattens him with Torpedo for the pinfall in 12:09.
Winners: TMDK (JONAH, Shane Haste & Bad Dude Tito)
There is a brief intermission.
SIXTH MATCH: Tama Tonga & Jado vs. Bullet Club (Jay White & Taiji Ishimori)
Tama and Jay test each other out before their title match on October 10th. Jado brings a surprisingly spry fight to Ishimori, and even gets him close to tapping with a crossface, but Ishimori counters with GAME OVER for the submission in 10:39.
Winners: Bullet Club (Jay White & Taiji Ishimori)
Title Action In Kobe
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match: United Empire (Francesco Akira & TJP) (c) vs. Six or Nine (Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi)
Taguchi and Wato attack TJP's injured leg. The former champions build up a considerable bit of offense against the champs. The much fresher Francesco Akira tags in and brings Wato to the mat. Taguchi tags in and nearly submits Akira with an Ankle Lock and then gets a nearfall from Dodon's Throne.
Taguchi continues his Chono-inspired offense. Akira gets Wato out of the ring and United Empire double team. Akira and TJP drill Taguchi with Leaning Tower for the pinfall in 12:43.
Winners and STIL CHAMPIONS: United Empire (Francesco Akira & TJP)
NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Karl Anderson (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Tanahashi tries to keep the match fluid, but Anderson keeps the match a brawl. Gallows is on the outside to cause even more mayhem. Gallows chokeslams Tanahashi on the apron behind the referee's back.
Anderson continues to wear down Tanahashi. Tanahashi comes back with a Cloverleaf. Gallows distracts the referee while Anderson submits. Yano runs out to even the odds. Tanahashi counters Gun Stun. Tanahashi hits Sling Blade. Yano stops Gallows from interfering. Tanahashi hits Ace's High. Anderson counters High Fly Flow. Gallows grabs Tanahashi's leg. Tanahashi fights off a Gun Stun. A quick exchange of counters ends with Anderson hitting Gun Stun on Tanahashi for the pinfall in 13:37.
Winner and STILL CHAMPION: Karl Anderson
After the match, Bullet Club attacks Tanahashi. Tama Tonga runs out and clears house. Tama is distracted. Hikuleo comes down to the ring. "I'm his family now," Jay says, but Hikuleo grabs Jay White by the throat. Tama Tonga hits Jay with Gun Stun. Hikuleo holds up Anderson's NEVER Belt while Tama holds up the World Title.
US Title Up For Grabs In Main Event
IWGP United States Championship Match: Will Ospreay (c) vs. David Finlay
Things spill out of the ring quickly, where Ospreay sets up two tables. They head back in the ring where Finlay is able to mount some offense. They go back and forth until Ospreay tries to put Finlay through the tables. Finlay smashes Ospreay's hand with a shillelagh. Finlay tortures the wounded hand. Ospreay goes to his United Empire comrades to get his finger taped back into place.
Finlay hits an Acid Drop into the tables, but not through them. Finlay then powerbombs Ospreay through the table. Back in the ring and Ospreay gets a series of nearfalls off of rollup counters. Finlay hits Trash Panda for a nearfall but Ospreay gets his foot on the ropes.
Ospreay comes back with a Hidden Blade and a number of other big moves. Finlay counters Oscutter with a Prima Nocte. Finlay counters a powerbomb with a hurracanrana. Ospreay hits Oscutter. Ospreay hits a Pedigree. Ospreay hits a Hidden Blade. Ospreay hits Stormbreaker for the pinfall in 28:22.
Winner and STILL Champion: Will Ospreay
After the match, Tetsuya Naito comes out to challenge Ospreay. "One more time. Naito vs. Ospreay." Before Ospreay can respond, Zack Sabre Jr. interjects. Sabre chastises Naito for not beating Ospreay in the G1. Sabre thinks he should be the next challenger. Sabre challenges Naito to a match at Royal Quest. Winner will face Ospreay for the title.