This is the Fightful.com recap for this week's episode of New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS TV! We are fresh off of Wrestle Kingdom 10 and we have a great show tonight as two titles will be defended as Katusyori Shibata defends his NEVER Openweight title against Tomohiro Ishii who is hoping to get back what he believes is rightfully his and in our main event Kazuchika Okada defends his IWGP Heavyweight title against perennial contender Hirooki Goto!
Katsuyori Shibata vs Tomohiro Ishii NEVER Openweight Title Match
Shibata and Ishii lock up to start then exchange kicks, dropping each other. They then exchange forearms in the center of the ring before Shibata wins and hits a snapmare then a kick to the back of Ishii. They move the match on a little and exchange lariats and kicks trying to knock each other down and after about 5 yakuza kicks Ishii drops Shibata with a stiff clothesline. Ishii sits Shibata on the top rope and hits an avalanche brainbuster for a close 2 count. Ishii follows it up with a powerbomb for a quick 2 count, but Shibata puts on a triangle choke, Ishii powering out and Shibata hits a death valley bomb, but Ishii gets right back up. Shibata hits a shotgun dropkick then gets a close 2 count, these two are setting quite a pace. Shibata goes for a choke, but Ishii counters and hits an enzugiri somehow. Ishii drops Shibata with a forearm then Ishii hits a german that Shibata stands right up and gets hit with a lariat for his trouble when he runs right at him. Ishii drops him with a series of headbutts then a sliding lariat for a very close 2 count. Shibata goes for a cross arm breaker, then transitions to a triangle then back into the armbar, Ishii getting his foot on the ropes somehow. Shibata attacks the arm of Ishii, but gets hit with an elbow to the throat that drops him. Shibata hits a spinning back slap that drops Ishii then goes for the PK, but Ishii catches him then hits a headbutt, Shibata dropping him with a dropkick, both guys absolutely exhausted. Shibata goes for a choke, but Ishii flips him over then hits him with a series of strikes and they exchange slaps and headbutts, Shibata putting on a choke then hits the PK for the pin and the win.
Winner: Katsuyori Shibata via pinfall with the PK
Kazuchika Okada vs Hirooki Goto IWGP Heavyweight Title Match
Goto is covered with a paint job that Finn Balor would be proud of as they lock up to start the match for a clean break. Goto puts a snapmare then a reverse chin lock on Okada who powers out and they go for a clean break, but Goto attacks Okada and sends him to the outside. Okada goes in as Goto goes out and Okada drops him with a dropkick on the apron before going out after him and bringing him back in. Okada drops Goto then hits a senton for a quick 2 count. Okada puts on a straight jacket choke, but Goto gets to the ropes, Okada following up with a snapmare, but as Okada runs the ropes Goto is right up and drops him with a clothesline. Goto attacks him again and sends him back to the outside, going out after him and whipping him into the railing repeatedly. Goto gets him back into the ring and hits an elbow drop off the top rope as Josh and JR really talk up Okada including his run in TNA and how they had no idea what they had and how you could build a promotion around him. Goto hits a series of forearms in the corner, but Okada gets right back up and Goto drops him with a shoulder block. Goto puts on a rear chin lock as Josh and JR talk a lot about the young lions around the ring and how JR likes that they don't have many disqualifications in New Japan, that fans deserves wins and losses; maybe taking a shot at his former employer as we go to commercial.
Goto is in control as we come back, hitting a suplex for a quick 2 count then hits Okada with strikes in the corner. Okada hits a flapjack then drops Goto again with a boot to the face. Okada hits a snap DDT then a reverse european uppercut for a close 2 count. Goto hits a clothesline in the corner then kicks Okada in the shoulder, following it up with kicks to the chest as they talk about Goto having 8 shots at the IWGP title as he hits a back suplex for a quick 2 count. They exchange forearms in the center of the ring then Okada hits a european uppercut into a heavy rain for a close 2 count. Okada hits a front dropkick for a quick 2 count then hits a missile dropkick for another quick 2 count. Okada hits an elbow drop off the top rope then goes for RAINMAKER, but Goto counters into a fujiwara armbar, Okada rolling him up for a very close 2 count. Goto hits an ushigaroshi then goes right back to the submission, Okada getting his foot on the ropes as we go to commercial.
Goto is in control as we come back again and hits a reverse ushigaroshi, that was a new move, getting a quick 2 count then sits Okada up on the top rope, hitting an avalanche ushigaroshi off the top rope, Okada somehow kicking out. Goto goes for the shoten kai and Okada rolls through, but Goto goes for it again, getting a very close 2 count, Okada grabbing the rope at the last second. Goto goes for it again and Okada hits RAINMAKER out of no where, but collapses right afterwards. They get to their knees at the count of 9 and exchange forearms in the center of the ring, Okada hitting a series of uppercuts once they get to their feet. Okada drops him repeatedly with kicks and clubbiing blows before going for RAINMAKER, but Goto counters, Okada deciding on hitting a german suplex then drops Goto with a dropkick. Okada goes for RAINMAKER, but Goto counters into a headbutt, trying and failing both times to finish Goto. Goto goes for a shoten kai, but Okada counters and hits RAINMAKER three times like he did against Tanahashi for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada via pinfall with RAINMAKER
