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NJPW held its last major show of 2017 this evening, and what an eventful show it was. Power Struggle promised a lot and delivered on most, with a new champion being crowned and plenty of matches being set up for Wrestle Kingdom 12.
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi did battle over the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in the main event, with three other championship matches and the Super Junior Tag Tournament finals on the undercard.
Also Read: From the NJPW Rumor Mill: How is Chris Jericho able to wrestle for NJPW?
The elephant in the room is being ignored, however. The major story coming out of Power Struggle was the New Japan return of Chris Jericho, who challenged Kenny Omega to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 12. Omega accepted, and the dream match is on.
Here are the full results and review.
#1 The Young Bucks vs. Dragon Lee and Titan
The Young Bucks returned to NJPW in the opening match of the main show, taking on the CMLL team of Dragon Lee and Titan. This was every bit as entertaining as a high quality junior heavyweight spotfest can be, with Dragon Lee shining as he always does.
The Bucks had too much for the masked duo however, hitting Titan with IndyTaker before locking in the Cease and Desist for the submission win. This wouldn't be the Bucks' final appearance of the evening.
Result: The Young Bucks def. Dragon Lee and Titan
#2 Juice Robinson, KUSHIDA, Jushin Thunder Liger, Hirai Kawato & Tiger Mask vs. Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi)
Your usual Suzuki-gun antics were on display here, with the dastardly faction breaking every single rule in the wrestling rulebook as they looked to pick up a victory over the makeshift team on the other side of the ring.
It wasn't to be however, as the combination of youth and experience helped the babyfaces come through. Hirai Kawato was once again the star of the match, even hitting a huge tope to the outside on Taichi.
Former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA picked up the win for his team, forcing TAKA to submit to the Hoverboard Lock.
Result: KUSHIDA, Juice Robinson, Jushin Thunder Liger, Hirai Kawato & Tiger Mask def. Suzuki-gun (Zack Sabre Jr.,Yoshinobu Kanemaru, El Desperado, TAKA Michinoku & Taichi)
#3 Togi Makabe, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima vs. Bullet Club (Cody, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens)
A throwaway six-man tag team match followed that up, with interactions between Makabe and ROH World Champion Cody taking centre stage initially. The match inevitably broke down with Chase Owens making the big mistake of mimicking Kojima's iconic corner chops.
This earned Chase a one-way ticket to defeat, with Kojima hitting him with the Strong Arm lariat for the 1-2-3. It isn't clear whether Cody will defend the ROH World Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 12, if he still happens to be in possession of that title.
Result: Togi Makabe, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima def. Cody, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens
#4 Super Junior Tag Tournament final: Roppongi 3K (SHO & YO) vs. Super 69 (Ryusuke Taguchi & ACH)
The Super Junior Tag Tournament came to an end at Power Struggle, with current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Roppongi 3K coming up against the team of Ryusuke Taguchi and ACH.
R3K were looking to become the first reigning champs to win the tournament, whilst both ACH and Taguchi were looking for their first tag tournament win.
ACH was taped up all over in the bout, and SHO and YO wasted no time in going to work on the high-flyer. Taguchi eventually got into the bout and cleaned house, working like a man possessed, but the numbers game soon caught up with the Funky Weapon.
ACH somehow managed to stay in the match, ripping off his tape in a show of fighting spirit that the crowd enjoyed. It wasn't to be however, and both ACH and Taguchi were hit with the 3K for the win.
Result: Roppongi 3K def. Super 69 to win the Super Junior Tag Tournament
The Young Bucks came out following the match and challenged Roppongi 3K to a championship match. Rocky Romero accepted on behalf of his team, with many assuming the match to take place at Wrestle Kingdom 12.
#5 CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Gedo) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI)
Another 10-man war between CHAOS and Los Ingobernables de Japon. These matches are almost always good, but there is only so many times you can see them.
This followed the usual formula for the bouts, with the two factions pairing off and everyone getting their time to shine.
Okada vs. Naito is all set to main event Wrestle Kingdom 12, and the two gave a hint at what fans can expect on January 4. It was the Rainmaker who got the best of this showdown, planting Naito with a tombstone before hitting BUSHI for the 1-2-3.
Okada mimicked Naito's taunt whilst making the pinfall, adding further insult to injury.
Result: CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Gedo) def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI)
#6 NEVER Openweight Championship Bullrope Deathmatch: Minoru Suzuki [c] vs. Toru Yano
Yano and Suzuki's long feud seemed to end here, with a bullrope deathmatch for Suzuki's championship in Osaka. Yano's hair is back to being a ghastly orange colour, with Kevin Kelly on commentary remarking that it was Yano's look before he became the Sublime Master Thief.
Suzuki dominated this match from the get-go, pummelling his challenger with a variety of vicious attacks. Suzuki-gun continually got involved, before Yano's CHAOS stablemate Hirooki Goto came out to deal with Desperade and Kanemaru. The match kicked into a higher gear from this point on, but shenanigans were still to the fore.
Takashi Iizuka and Taichi also got involved, and the numbers game proved too much for Yano. Suzuki hit him with a rope-assisted Gotch Piledrive for the win. It still isn't clear who will challenge Suzuki for his title at Wrestle Kingdom 12.
Result: Minoru Suzuki [c] def. Toru Yano
#7 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Will Ospreay [c] vs. Marty Scurll
A bit of a shock here, as Marty Scurll defeated Will Ospreay to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in Osaka. Scurll defeating Ospreay in itself isn't much of a surprise, The Villain overcomes the Aerial Assassin more often than not, but it is a shock to see Ospreay drop the Junior Heavyweight Championship in his first defence.
It is borderline impossible for Scurll and Ospreay to have a bad match, and this was more of the same excellent fare from the two Englishmen. There were nearfalls aplenty throughout, Ospreay showcasing his unique athleticism and Scurll continuing to get over with his chaotic character.
Scurll picked up the win by managing to keep Ospreay down after a series of roll-ups, the former champ kicking out at 3.1. Bullet Club finally wins the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Result: Marty Scurll def. Will Ospreay to become IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion
After the match, KUSHIDA and Hiromu Takahashi came out to challenge Scurll to a championship match. Will Ospreay also put his name in the mix, and Scurll announced that he will take on all three in a Fatal 4-Way match. A time and date wasn't announced, but Wrestle Kingdom 12 seems likely.
#8 IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega [c] vs. Beretta
The post-match shock will take all of the headlines here, but lost in the Jericho news was one of the best performances of Trent Beretta's career. The former junior took it to Omega here, coming within an inch of winning the title on a number of occasions.
Beretta took every risk in the book throughout, and seemed to be on the cusp of winning the championship after hitting a piledriver on the outside. The former IWGP Junior Tag champion went for one risk too many however, missing a tope to the outside that saw him smash a table as opposed to Omega.
The Cleaner was able to take advantage, hitting Beretta with the One Winged Angel for the win.
Result: Kenny Omega [c] def. Beretta
Kenny Omega dared someone to challenge him after the match, and was all ready to leave when nobody obliged. The lights went out in the arena, and the fans in attendance lost their minds when Chris Jericho appeared on the big screen.
Y2J challenged Omega to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 12, and The Cleaner duly accepted. Jericho vs. Omega is on for the Tokyo Dome.
The reason why WWE has no control over the match is that of Y2J's reported short-term contracts. Jericho simply signs a new deal whenever he returns, giving him the freedom to do music and possibly work for other promotions.
#9 IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] vs. Kota Ibushi
It was going to take a lot to top that announcement, but Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi are two of the best professional wrestlers on the planet and they somehow managed to do so. Ibushi defeated Tanahashi during the G1 Climax, which led to Tana issuing the challenge afterwards.
The story here was that Ibushi was up against a man that he deems to be his idol, a true once in a century talent. Kota was unable to string together his usual incredible offence, seemingly overawed by the circumstance and situation in front of him.
The Golden Star eventually got it together and came within a whisker of winning the title, but Tanahashi managed to survive. A succession of High Fly Flows ended things, and Tanahashi's Intercontinental Championship reign continues.
Result: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] def. Kota Ibushi
Tanahashi celebrated in the ring after the match, playing the air guitar to the delight of those in attendance in Osaka. When the celebration was over Tanahashi motioned to leave, only for the lights to go out once again. The mysterious 'Switchblade' vignette aired on the screen, with the character revealed as the returning Jay White.
The Kiwi then made his way out to the ring to confront Tanahashi, challenging the former Ace to a match at Wrestle Kingdom. White laid Tanahashi out with his version of Bray Wyatt's Sister Abigail, before laying his pendant on the fallen Tanahashi's chest.
Wrestle Kingdom 12 is beginning to take shape, and what a show it is shaping up to be. Okada vs. Naito, Omega vs. Jericho and Tanahashi vs. White are three huge matches, with a stacked undercard sure to delight the growing New Japan audience. There is simply no stopping the King of Sports.
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