NJPW King of Pro Wrestling (9/10/17) Results: New champions crowned, Wrestle Kingdom 12 main event set

Okada vs. EVIL and Naito vs. Ishii headlined a huge NJPW King of Pro Wrestling show
Okada vs. EVIL and Naito vs. Ishii headlined a huge NJPW King of Pro Wrestling show

#5 Kenny Omega, Cody & Marty Scurll vs. YOSHI-HASHI, Beretta & Jado

The Bullet Club trio received separate entrances whilst the CHAOS team came out together, which should tell you everything about the relative star power on show here. BC worked over Beretta for much of the early going here, the three members frequently telling the commentators what they were planning to do.

Omega's comedic onslaught eventually backfired though, allowing Beretta to hit a Tornado DDT and tag in YOSHI. The Loose Explosion and Omega went at it before making way for the juniors, Scurll breaking Jado's fingers along the way.

Jado locked The Villain in the crossface, but Marty was able to reverse it into the chicken-wing for the win.

Result: Kenny Omega, Cody & Marty Scurll def. YOSHI-HASHI, Beretta & Jado.


#6 Hiroshi Tanahashi & Togi Makabe vs. Kota Ibushi & Juice Robinson

Tanahashi and Ibushi went at it to start the post-intermission match off, ahead of their huge IWGP Intercontinental Championship match at Power Struggle. The match soon settled into a nice rhythm, all four men working well within their limits.

Juice took a beating as usual before Ibushi came in like a house on fire. Ibushi and Tana gave fans a taster of their upcoming singles match before Makabe and Juice came back in to take it home. The Unchained King Kong missed his big knee from the top, allowing Juice to hit the Pulp Friction for the 1-2-3.

Result: Kota Ibushi & Juice Robinson def. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Togi Makabe


#7 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: KUSHIDA [c] vs. Will Ospreay

After a great show of respect to start, KUSHIDA and Ospreay proceeded to put on a 100mph sprint that was another classic in their series. These two men are two of the best in the world, in any weight category, and the crowd was treated to a professional wrestling exhibition in Sumo Hall.

KUSHIDA showed a lot of Bryan Danielson influences throughout the match, locking Ospreay in a modified Cattle Mutilation before hitting Danielson's trademark stomps, but this only served to fire up the Aerial Assassin.

The near falls came thick and fast, Ospreay hitting a top rope cutter and an inverted 450 for 2.9. KUSHIDA reversed the Oscutter into the Hoverboard Lock, but Ospreay was able to avoid defeat before hitting an Oscutter for the win.

Will Ospreay becomes the 78th IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. Hiromu Takahashi came out to challenge Ospreay after the match, but Marty Scurll beat him to the punch.

Result: Will Ospreay def. KUSHIDA


#8 Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii

This match was for Naito's IWGP Heavyweight Championship match at the Tokyo Dome, Ishii challenging Tetsuya after defeating him in the G1. Nobody thought Ishii was likely to get the win here, but this didn't take anything away from what was another genuine classic between these two.

Naito took forever to take his suit off to start the match, but Ishii was unfazed. The leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon targeted the Stone Pitbull's knee during the first portion of the match before Ishii returned the favour by attacking Naito's left knee.

This was a true back and forth between two modern greats. It is a testament to how good Ishii is that despite having no real chance of winning, he was able to draw the match into the possibility of the impossible.

Naito countered a brainbuster into Destino before Ishii achieved the reverse. It took three Destinos but Naito prevailed in the end, confirming his spot in the Wrestle Kingdom 12 main event.

Result: Tetsuya Naito def. Tomohiro Ishii


#9 IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. EVIL

Kazuchika Okada guaranteed himself a fourth straight Wrestle Kingdom main event and a place in history as one of the greatest IWGP Heavyweight Champions of all time with yet another defence, this time against 'King of Darkness' EVIL. Both men went for their finishers early on, but it was clear to all and sundry that this match was going to go the distance.

What a 2017 EVIL has had. Lumbered with a somewhat one-dimensional gimmick, the King of Darkness has picked up big win after big win and now finds himself as a true player in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Okada tried to fight EVIL at his own game, but the brawler was too much the Rainmaker for the meat of this bout.

EVIL targeted the champ's neck, hitting a huge German Suplex before locking in the Banshee Muzzle. Okada fought back with a dropkick and Rainmaker pose, but chaos ensued with Okada knocked referee Red Shoes out in the corner.

EVIL brought a load of chairs into the ring and attempted to hit Okada with Darkness Falls, but the Rainmaker was able to counter it with a beautiful hurricanrana. EVIL would not be kept down for long hitting a huge Darkness Falls and avalanche fisherman buster, but it was not enough to keep Okada down.

Okada prevailed in the end, hitting a jumping tombstone and a humongous Rainmaker for the three count. Okada vs. Naito is your Wrestle Kingdom 12 main event. The two had a promo exchange to close out King of Pro Wrestling 2017.

Result: Kazuchika Okada def. EVIL


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