2022/01/08: NJPW/NOAH Wrestle Kingdom 16 in Yokohama Arena 1.8.22
Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Kanagawa (Japan)
Broadcasting on NJ World ( Kevin Kelley & Chris Charlton)
VTR—Video is shown highlighting the wrestlers from both NOAH and New Japan. The video ends with the matches being shown for tonights card.
The announcers welcome us to this special card for the Japanese Red Cross. This card is featuring wrestlers of NJPW taking on wrestlers from NOAH. Kevin Kelley tells us he is new to the NOAH wrestlers, but heard great things about them and cant wait to see how they fare against the New Japan talent.
Kosei Fujita vs. Yasutaka Yano
Referee: Kento Sato
Results: The opening bout of the card was a young lions singles match featuring a battle of young lions from NOAH and New Japan. This was a good battle between young stars as it showed the crowd good action and what is here to come in the future for the young lions. The finish of the bout came when FUJITA and YANO fought to a Draw at 10:00.
King Tani, Mohammed Yone and Akitoshi Saito vs. Yuji Nagata, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima
Referee: Marty Assami
Results: The second bout of the card a six man tag battle featuring Funky Express representing NOAH versus Second Generation Army representing NJPW. Even though this was a battle of aging star, the fans still clapped and loved the action. The finish of the bout came when KOJIMA pinned YONE at 15:45 after a Koji Lariat.
Yoshiki Inamura, Daiki Inaba, Hajime Ohara, Daisuke Harada and Kinya Okada vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Ryusuke Taguchi and Master Wato
Referee: Kento Sato
Results: The third bout of the card came when talent of New Japan took on talent from NOAH took part in a ten man tag. This was a good bout that showed good action as we had a mix of junior heavyweights and heavyweights do battle. The finish of the bout came when GOTO pinned OKADA at 14:46 after a GTR.
Atsushi Kotoge vs. SHO
Referee: Marty Assami
Results: The fourth bout of the card was a singles bout of junior heavyweight as Kotoge, representing NOAH juniors, took on SHO, representing House of Torture. This was a good action bout as we had some good junior skills being highlighted. SHO looked to surprise the fans as he shed his rule breaking ways and gave a good technical bout with Kotoge. The finish of the bout came when SHO pinned KOTOGE at 14:36 after Shock Arrow.
Taiji Ishimori and Gedo vs. Hayata and Seiki Yoshioka
Referee: Kento Sato
Results: The fifth match of the card was a tag match, featuring members of Bullet Club, Ishimori & Gedo, versus members of Stinger, Hayata & Yoshioka. This match was highlighted by the quick pace that Ishimori, Hayata & Yoshioka were working. There were some good near falls and some great action. The finish of the match came when ISHIMORI forced YOSHIOKA to submit at 14:35 to Bone Lock. After the match, the camera panned to the two Junior Heavyweight Champions, Hayata & Ishimori, commenting to eachother.
El Desperado and Douki vs. Yo-Hey and NOSAWA Rongai
Referee: Marty Assami
Results: The sixth match of the card was a junior heavyweight tag match, featuring a battle between a team from Suzuki Gun, El Desperado & Douki, versus a team from Los Perros del Mal de Japon, Yo Hey & Nosawa. This was an interesting tag match that had some good action. The finish of the match cam when EL DESPERADO pinned YO HEY at 15:03 after Guitarra de Angel.
**** Intermission *****
Takashi Sugiura, Kazushi Sakuraba and Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki, Taichi and TAKA Michinoku
Referee: Kento Sato
Results: The seventh match of the card and the first one back from intermission was a six man tag match. This match featured a team from Suzuki Gun of Suzuki, Taichi & Michinoku versus a mixed team of Saguira, Sakurabe & Yano. This was a good match for the fans as it had some good brawling to get the crowd going. The finish of the match came when SAGUIRA pinned MICHINOKU at 15:46 after an Olympic Slam.
EVIL and Dick Togo vs. Go Shiozaki and Masa Kitamiya
Referee: Marty Assami
Results: The eighth match of the card was a tag match where we had a team from House of Torture, Evil & Togo, versus a NOAH all star team of Shiozaki & Kitamiya. This was an interesting match as Shiozaki & Kitamiya were trying to make it power and technical, while the House of Torture team was try to do more rule breaking. The finish of the match came when SHIOZAKI pinned TOGO at 15:20 after Go Flasher.
Naomichi Marufuji and Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Zack Sabre Jr. and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Referee: Marty Assami
Results: The ninth match of the card was a tag match featuring four wrestlers that all had wrestled one and another different time of their careers. On one side, we had a team from Suzuki Gun, ZSJ & Kanemura, and on the other side we had a NOAH team of Ogawa & Marafuji. The finish of the match came when MARAFUJI pinned KANEMURA at 16:32 after a bridging German Suplex.
Tadasuke, Manabu Soya, Ken-o, Katsuhiko Nakajima and Aleja vs. Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, SANADA, Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI
Referee: Red Shoes Unno
Results: The semi main event was a stable war, as we had a team of LIJ taking on a team from KONGO in a ten man tag match. This match had some great action, as the crowd was definitely recognizing the fighting spirit of the men. This match was a definite powder keg just waiting to explode. The finish of the match came when NAITO pinned SOYA at 18:43 after Destino.
Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Keiji Muto and Kaito Kiyomiya
Referee: Red Shoes Unno
Results: The main event of the card was an all star tag match as we had a team from New Japan, Okada & Tanahashi, versus a team from NOAH, Muto & Kiyomiya. This match had great emotion from the crowd with some fighting spirit from the wrestlers. The finish of the match came when OKADA pinned KIYOMIYA at 27:21 after a Rainmaker. After the match, as the crowd was clapping, all four wrestlers were seen hugging in appreciation.