New Japan’s Destruction in Kobe card took place on Sunday from Kobe World Hall and featured IWGP Intercontinental champion, Tetsuya Naito, defending the championship against Jay White.
After defeating Naito in this year’s G1 Climax, White scored a second straight victory by defeating Naito with the Blade Runner in a match that lasted close to thirty-minutes.
The story of the match saw White having counter after counter for the Destino and landed the Blade Runner after stopping the latest Destino attempt and a poison ‘rana from Naito.
White continued the theme of the top mix seeking to become a dual champion and appears to be the major theme of the two Tokyo Dome shows in January. White said he would be watching Kazuchika Okada vs. Sanada and Kota Ibushi vs. EVIL at King of Pro Wrestling.
White was interrupted during his post-match speech by Hirooki Goto, who had just defeated Shingo Takagi in the match prior. White denied him a title match and was laid out by Goto and appears to be setting up White’s first title defense. Goto has a win over White from this year’s G1, but White said he has a winning record against Goto and he doesn’t deserve a title shot.
The promotion shot a major angle on the undercard with Jushin Thunder Liger attacking Minoru Suzuki ahead of a scheduled eight-man tag. After gaining control, Suzuki attacked Liger with an unprotected chair shot and led to Liger removing his mask and morphing into his alter ego, Kishin Liger. It’s Liger’s evil character that he has used on three occasions in the past with Chris Charlton explaining its significance on the broadcast. Liger ran at Suzuki with a spike, missing and drilling it through the table. The visual of Liger covered in paint while attacking everyone in sight got over strong and continues the promotion for the showdown between Liger and Suzuki with the implication it will be Kishin Liger seeking his revenge.
DESTRUCTION in KOBE！
場内騒然！もう誰にも止められない！
怒りの獣神がついに、鬼神ライガーと化す！
登録＆視聴?https://t.co/Tj7UBJ4PjP#njpw #njpwworld #njdest pic.twitter.com/yaATDkUQp8— njpwworld (@njpwworld) September 22, 2019
The Young Lion Cup was won by Karl Fredericks after submitting Shota Umino with a half-crab and being presented with the trophy. Earlier in the show, Clark Connors submitted Ren Narita and officially knocked Narita out of the running to win.
After the match, Narita bowed to Katsuyori Shibata backstage and asked to be trained by him at the L.A. Dojo.
Wai Ting and I will have a full review of the card Sunday night for members of the POST Wrestling Café.
RESULTS:
*Manabu Nakanishi, Michael Richards & Alex Coughlin over Yuji Nagata, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura
*Clark Connors over Ren Narita in the Young Lion Cup
*Karl Fredericks over Shota Umino to win the Young Lion Cup
*Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro over Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Toa Henare
*Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Douki over Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask & Rocky Romero by disqualification
*Will Ospreay, Tomohiro Ishii, Roppongi 3K & Yoshi-Hashi over KENTA, Guerrillas of Destiny, El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori
*Sanada, EVIL & Bushi over Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi & Robbie Eagles
*Hirooki Goto over Shingo Takagi
*Jay White over Tetsuya Naito to win the IWGP Intercontinental title
