NJPW On AXS Recap (12/4): Incredibly Violent Main Event, Bullet Club, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shibata

Welcome to Wrestling Inc's coverage of New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS. Tonight's show features a hard-hitting bout between Tomoaki Honma and Tomohiro Ishii.

- We see clips of Tetsuya Naito & Kota Ibushi taking on Kazushi Sakuraba and Toru Yano. This is a real clash of styles. The battle goes outside, which allows Naito to isolate Yano. Naito gets the pinfall out of nowhere while reversing Yano's finish.

- We also see clips of the Bullet Club combo of Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows and Tama Tonga against Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, and Hirooki Goto. Bullet Club are in Kiss facepaint for this one. Tama Tonga gets better with each match we see him in. It doesn't help him much in this match, though. He eats a Slingblade and a High Fly Flow to fall to Tanahashi.

NEVER Openweight Title
Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii

The two start out with an insane chop battle that seems like it goes forever. Honma gets the best of it and lands a running headbutt to Ishii's injured shoulder. Ishii is able to turn the tides and score a vertical suplex as we head to the commercial break, but he's hurting.

Honma drops Ishii's head over the top rope and connects with a Blockbuster. Ishii doesn't give a damn and chops Honma in his throat twice. A jacknife powerbomb gets a two count for Ishii. Honma absolutely plants Ishii with a big DDT, and Honma looks like he's losing power in his shoulder. The two beat the absolute hell out of each other with clotheslines and elbows, leaving both men down.

Honma takes Ishii outside and signals for the headbutt, and hits it from the top rope to the outside in a totally crazy spot. A few minutes later they're both back in the ring no-selling strikes, but Ishii drops Homna. Three big clothesline to Honma look like they do the job, but somehow he kicks out and drills Ishii with a big jumping headbutt.

Homna connects with an insane Michinoku Driver, but Ishii kicks out. This is borderline crazy. They're killing each other. Honma misses a big headbutt and Ishii clubs him with an enziguri. The two just knock the hell out of each other and go for pins, but nothing's doing. The two headbutt each other, and they're likely in conussion city. Finally Ishii wins with a brainbuster. What a match.

Winner: Tomohiro Ishii via pinfall (brainbuster)

Honma is dejected backstage, but say he'll win next time.

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