New Japan’s first broadcast following the G1 finals took place this morning at Korakuen Hall, building to the first of three big Destruction events on 9/15. Here are this morning’s results from Korakuen Hall:

Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi defeated Shota Umino and Ren Narita

Owens and Yujiro now have matching ring jackets. This was a pretty good opener, since as usual people are into the young lions getting the hot nearfalls. Umino and Narita have noticeably improved and their timing is excellent. Owens cut off Narita with a superkick to score the win for his team.

Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Bad Luck Fale and Taiji Ishimori defeated Juice Robinson, David Finlay, Michael Elgin and Ayato Yoshida 

Heels got the heat on Finlay, making multiple tags to continue the beatdown. Juice got the hot tag, cleaned house for a bit and tagged in Yoshida, who got big reactions. After a spot where everyone got involved, Loa kicked out of a roll up attempt, cut off Yoshida and pinned him with the sitout piledriver.

Beretta defeated Toa Henare

Beretta started off slow early, though kept control. Henare cut him off started to mount a comeback. Beretta struck with a big time dropkick that sent him to the floor. He connected with a running knee strike, but Henare kicked out. 

Henare tried to build aomw, but Beretta cut him off and connected with the dudebuster for the win. Straightforward, pretty sold match. Never went past a certain level but did a good job in giving Beretta a win following his return from injury.  

Hirooki Goto and Gedo defeated Taichi and Taka Michinoku

Taichi flipped off President Harold Meij as he made his way to the ring. I don’t think that’s how you make a good first impression.

Taichi and Goto brawled everywhere. They go towards the entrance where Taichi blasts Goto with a chair to the face. Meanwhile in the ring, both Taichi and Taka got the heat on Gedo. Goto eventually got the tag as he and Taichi exchanged some hot offense.

Goto went for the GTR on Taka buch Taichi cut him off with a dropkick. With the help of Gedo, Goto warded him off then successfully hit the GTR on Taka for the win.

Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA and BUSHI defeated Minoru Suzuki, Takashi Iizuka, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado

Suzuki and Naito immediately started to brawl, and what do you know, a Suzuki-gun match starts with everyone brawling out of the ring. 

Suzuki worked a lot on Naito during this match, mainly focusing on one of Naito’s arms, which will likely play a role in their future match. Iizuka came in and bit Naito in the forehead, causing him to bleed. 

Other members of LIJ came in. SANADA tried for the paradise lock. EVIL got choked by Iizuka’s wrestler tape, but dodged the iron fingers of death. Kanemaru came in and broke up the Magic Killer attempt. Iizuka started biting again, but EVIL cut him off and connected with the Magic Killer for the win.

Suzuki wasted no time in jumping Naito after the bell, but Naito fired back and sent Suzuki-gun packing.

Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano and YOSHI-HASHI defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe

This is Honma’s first match back at Korakuen Hall since his return from injury.

Tanahashi and Okada started things off. It went to Honma and YOSHi-HASHI, who worked together a lot during this match. Yano and Makabe, of course, paired off with one another as well. 

The finish winded up being between Toru Yano and Tomoaki Honma. The latter connected with a rocket kokeshi, but Yano saw an opportunity and low blowed him, then rolled him up for the win. Kind of just a match, nothing bad about it but extremely formulaic. 

The Golden Lovers defeated Tomohiro Ishii and Will Ospreay

Ibushi and Ospreay started off hot, going at an extremely quick pace. Ishii and Omega went at it for a bit, but then got out by the Golden Lovers’ tandem offense. Ishii fires back as he Omega go at it for a while, with both laying into one another with some stiff shots.

Ospreay and Omega also went at it for a bit, with the former connecting with a neckbreaker and a shooting star press. But a lot of this was the usual pairing off. Ibushi and Ospreay were in at one point and started exchanging some strikes. Thanks to a knee strike by Omega, Ibushi grabbed Ospreay on the apron and hit the deadlift German suplex in an amazing spot.

The Golden Lovers regrouped and connected with a giant kamigoye on Ospreay for the win. A fun, fast paced main event.

Omega cut a promo in Japanese to close out the show, asking Ibushi if he wanted to face Ospreay someday. He said yeah, kinda. Omega mentioned Ospreay would need to win the junior title a few more times before graduating.