NJPW New Beginning In Hiroshima Day 2 Results
Did SANADA leave as Double Champion?
Feb 11, 2021
The New Beginning In Hiroshima was broadcast from Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall earlier today and two title matches headlined the show.
Kota Ibushi and SANADA went one on one for the IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental Double Championship in the main event. Both men exchanged momentum throughout the opening 20 minutes and SANADA seemed to have the match won as he countered a Kamigoye attempt into a Pop-Up TKO and followed up with a Moonsault. The challenger made the mistake of going for a second Moonsault, though, and Ibushi managed to get his knees up.
Both men continued to fight back and forth as the match built to the finish and Ibushi countered a Roll-Up into two Kamigoyes for a two count. The Golden Star tried to follow up with a third finisher but SANADA reversed into a Backslide for a close near fall and a Cradle for an even closer near fall which led to gasps from the audience. Ibushi was able to survive both pin attempts, though, and he caught SANADA with a Jumping Knee Strike and a third Kamigoye a few moments later to secure the victory.
Following the match, former Double Champion Tetsuya Naito headed to the ring and told Ibushi he doesn't want the belts to be unified. He then challenged The Golden Star to an IWGP Intercontinental Championship match, which Ibushi accepted.
In the semi-main event, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI retained the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship against Jay White and Guerrillas Of Destiny. YOSHI-HASHI was the heart and soul of the match as Bullet Club wore him down for much of the bout, similar to The Road To The New Beginning shows, but the Chaos man was able to survive their punishment this time.
During the finish, YOSHI-HASHI trapped Tanga Loa in the Butterfly Lock, but Gedo distracted the official and Jado capitalised with a kendo stick shot to break up the submission. Tanga Loa then tried to connect with Ape S**t but YOSHI-HASHI reversed into a Magistral Cradle to pick up the win for his team.
The storyline between all six men looks set to continue in the weeks ahead as YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto challenged G.O.D to an IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match while Jay White and Tomohiro Ishii look destined to face off in a singles match to settle their issues.
NJPW also channelled their inner Monday Night Raw during the ongoing storyline between Kazuchika Okada and EVIL. The Rainmaker has been desperate to face the former double champion in singles action throughout the tour to avenge his New Japan Cup 2020 loss, but EVIL has repeatedly refused Okada's challenges and they faced off in a tag team match on today's show.
The bout didn't last long, though, as EVIL intentionally held Okada out of the ring, leading to a double count-out. Dissatisfied with the conclusion, the five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion challenged The King Of Darkness to an immediate singles match, which he surprisingly accepted.
It was ultimately all a ruse, however, as Dick Togo choked Okada with a wire four minutes into the match to draw the disqualification.
Elsewhere on the show, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. and DOUKI defeated Gabriel Kidd, Yota Tsuji and Yuya Uemura, Master Wato, Tomoaki Honma and SHO vanquished Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi and BUSHI picked up the win over Yujiro Takahashi, El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori.
Check out the results for The New Beginning In Hiroshima below: • Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., & DOUKI def. Gabriel Kidd, Yota Tsuji & Yuya Uemura • Master Wato, Tomoaki Honma & SHO def. Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru • Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI def. Yujiro Takahashi, El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori • Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano vs. EVIL & Dick Togo ended in a Double Count-Out. • Kazuchika Okada def. EVIL by Disqualification • Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto def. Jay White & Guerrillas Of Destiny - NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship • Kota Ibushi def. SANADA - IWGP Heavyweight & IWGP Intercontinental Double Championship
