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Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, and Togi Makabe vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, SANADA, EVIL and Tetsuya Naito)
A gaggle of seasoned veterans fought the unbreakable unit of LIJ in the fifth match of the night, and there were so many participants that it was difficult to follow as a commentator. Makabe was the freshest veteran fighter as Taguchi, Homna, Yano, and Goto had fought every night in either the tournament itself or in the exhibition matches.
Hey, look! It's Honma! (I won't get to make that joke for a few more weeks, so let me have this one!) Yano's brand of chaos was locked and loaded as LIJ came down to the ring as a unit. BUSHI's mask-over-mask was especially intimidating. All of the members of Los Ingobernales in this match wore masks during their entrances, and it was a welcome help to those watching NJPW for the first time. Takagi's mask is a dragon's face, EVIL's is a half mask with spikes, SANADA's is elaborate gold, and BUSHI's is always a Luchadore style mask. Naito, the IWJP Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion came to the ring with much less fanfare and much more audience support.
LIJ's team spirit was inspiring and EVIL took a point against Makabe. They were equally matched in strength, trading shoulder bumps and elbows until Taguchi tagged in with a pair of hip drops. EVIL didn't back down and flipped Taguchi onto his back. Yano and his charmingly nefarious ways were foiled outside of the ring as he was subjected to the self-engaging Paradise Lock. Naito took over in the ring to gather some momentum and he tagged BUSHI in. A dropkick from the bottom rope kept LIJ on top.
Taguchi failed to tag Goto in but he gave Goto and Naito a double DDT. Goto and Shingo grappled smart but fruitlessly in the middle of the ring; Shingo came in with a clothesline and tagged SANADA. An Ishiguroshi from Goto met him in short order, allowing Honma to tag in and hit his Kokeshi move. LIJ rushed the ring and turned things around enough for SANADA to attempt a pinfall. SANADA would have locked in his Skull Island finisher, but the veterans kept moving.
Honma's pinfall attempt left him open for SANADA's TKO finisher, but the hardcore legend, so tan and blond, absorbed another moonsault before he fell to SANADA's next pinfall.
Results: Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, and Togi Makabe def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, SANADA, EVIL and Tetsuya Naito) via pinfall
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
