New Japan Pro Wrestling On AXS Results (1/23): Double Episode, IWGP Title Match

Okada welcomes us to the program.

March 23, 2013 Korakuen Hall
Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii, & Jado vs. Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer & Taka Michinoku

Everybody starts brawling on the outside to start, and finally Archer is in the ring getting worked over by Ishii and Nakamura. The crowd absolutely loves Nakamura, and he's punishing Archer with knees but only gets two.

Suzuki and Ishii are tagged in and go at it, trading headbutts before Ishii hits a backdrop driver for two. Suzuki applies a sleeper hold and tries to set up a Gotch Piledriver, but Nakamura hits him with a lungblower to stop it. Suzuki applies a sleeper and all three teammates attack Ishii.

Archer hits a big boot and a back suplex, followed by a Taka boot, but Ishii kicks out. Nakamura and Ishii catch Taka in an awesome fireman's carry slam/neckbreaker. Ishii hits a brainbuster on Taka for the pin.

Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii, & Jado via pinfall (brainbuster)

Nakamura and Ishii get on the mic and challenge Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr. Nakamura is at his post fight-presser and says they're going to show the Americans how to wrestle.

2013 New Japan Cup Finals
Okada vs. Hirooki Goto

The two start off slow with some chain wrestling until Goto hits a hiptoss and a kick to the spine for a one count. Goto applies a submission, but Okada makes it to the ropes. Okada lands a dropkick that sends Goto outside as we go to commercial.

Back from the break Okada has the DID locked in, but Goto gets to the ropes, but Okada makes him pay with a straight jacket neckbreaker. He goes right back to the straight jacket hold, but Goto fights out and hits a series of kicks and a backdrop suplex before clotheslining Okada outside that leads to a break.

As we come back from commercial, Okada is struggling to get back in the ring. He gets back in and Goto hits a great German suplex for two, followed by a kick to the same tune. An Okada flapjack sets up a dropkick that sends Goto outside. Okada follows and hits a draping DDT off the rails. Okada tosses Goto back in and hits a flying elbow drop.

Okada does the Rainmaker pose, but Goto avoids it just in time to be caught by Heavy Rain, but kicks out. Okada can't make the Tombstone work, and eats a huge lariat as we head to the next commercial break.

As we return, the two are trading elbows with Goto emerging the victor in that battle. He can't celebrate for long, however, as he runs right into a big dropkick. Okada tries to lock on Red Ink, but Goto fights to the ropes after a lengthy attempt. Out of nowhere, Goto applies the Shoryu Kekkai, and then switches into a crossface. Okada finally makes it to the ropes.

A wrist clutch Angle slam (called Go to Heaven) is followed by a Goto fireman's carry neckbreaker, but Goto doesn't cover. Instead he hits another from the top rope, but Okada kicks out! Goto scores with Ura Shouten and Okada kicks out again, making the crowd go nuts! An Okada small package gets two, and he fights back with an over-the-shoulder neckbreaker, but he only gets two! Okada finally hits the Rainmaker for the win.

Winner: Okada via pinfall (Rainmaker)

Okada wins the New Japan Cup and gets to face Tanahashi for the IWGP title.

- The second episode of the night kicks off, and will see Okada take on Tanahashi.

April 7, 2013
IWGP Championship
Tanahashi (c) vs. Okada

The two started out taunting each other until Tanahashi got the upper hand. Tanahashi applied a submission, but Okada reached the rope, and Tanahashi kept the hold on and got a heel reaction. Okada fought back by hitting a DDT on the ring apron.

Back in the ring, Okada began working over Tanahashi. Okada then knocked Tanahashi to the floor, and punished Tanahashi on the guard rails. Tanahashi fights back with a big high-flying cross-body press on the floor.

Back in the ring, Tanahashi hits a flying forearm. Tanahashi followed followed up by really working over Okada's elbow until Okada suplexed him. Okada then climbed to the top rope and hit an elbow, but hurt his arm further doing so. After a one-arm Rainmaker pose, Okada went for a Tombstone, but Tanahashi escaped and slapped Okada before running into a flying dropkick. Okada then tried to apply a DID, but he couldn't clamp it on because of his elbow injury

Tanahashi with a dropkick and a German Suplex bridge for a two count. Tanahashi then climbed to the top rope, but Okada humped to his feet and kicked Tanahashi off the top rope to the floor. Okada slams Tanahashi into the rails before big-booting him into the front row.

Back in the ring, Okada delivered a suplex out of the fireman's carry, but Tanahashi managed to kick out. Tanahashi pounded away at Okada's injured elbow before dropkicking it. Tanahashi ran right into a big lariat from Okada, but Okada couldn't make a cover quick enough

Okada got That Look in his eyes and casually lifted Tanahashi to his feet before trying a Tombstone, but Tanahashi rolled through into a pin attempt. Okada escaped, then applied a combination Camel Clutch/STF. The ref frantically checked Tanahashi for life and teased calling for the bell, which only made the crowd more nervous. Tanahashi then showed crazy upper-body strength dragging himself across the ring to get a rope-break. Great sequence.

Okada hits elbows on Tanahashi but missed with a running elbow smashm, which allowed Tanahashi to work on the arm He followed with an arm-whip across the bottom rope, and then climbed to the top rope and delivered the High Fly Flow. Tanahashi hits an awesome Tiger suplex, but Okada kicks out at 2.9. Tanahashi then hit a High-Fly Flow but missed a second one when Okada got his knees up.

Okada followed with a dropkick, and attempted a Tombstone, but Tanahashi blocked it. Tanahashi blocked another attempt as the crowd freaked out. More counters/reversals, then Okada finally hit the Tombstone Piledriver. Okada freaked out, then nailed the Rainmaker for the win!

Winner: Okada via pinfall (Rainmaker) to win the IWGP Championship

After the match, Tanahashi has to be helped out of the ring. Okada was respectful after the match, and got a good reaction from the crowd.