After the exciting G1 Climax tournament, a lot of major storylines have begun for one of the best wrestling companies in the world. How will New Japan look as we enter its annual Destruction shows with this one in particular, Destruction in Kagoshima. The second of three Destruction shows will have nine matches, a few Young Lion League Cup Matches and two huge main events with some very high stakes. With the Road to the Tokyo Dome truly beginning for New Japan Pro Wrestling, we should have some unexpected twists and turns in Kagoshima. Here is our Preview: for NJPW Destruction in Kagoshima.
Clark Connors vs. Yuya Uemura
It is a Young Lion League Cup match! Yuya hasn’t had a lot of luck in the League Cup so far. He is the only winless competitor in the eight-man round-robin tournament.
Clark Connors is one of the three members of the Los Angeles Dojo that is a part of the tournament. He is one of the smaller wrestlers in the tournament but has put on some exciting matches so far. Will Connors remain in the first place or is this the time Uemura finally gets a win at Destruction in Kagoshima?
Ren Narita vs. Michael Richards
It is the second Young Lion League Cup match! Ren Narita seems to be establishing himself as the most promising of the entire Young Lion roster. He took part in the Super Juniors tournament this year as a last-minute replacement for Flip Gordon. He went winless in the prestigious tournament but it showed the faith New Japan has placed in their 21-year-old Young Lion.
Michael Richards is the more unknown quantity in this match. He is the lone representative from the Fale Dojo. The New Zealand wrestler is looking for some success in the League Cup. Will he be able to upset Narita on this big stage, Destruction in Kagoshima?
Preview: NJPW Destruction in Kagoshima
Yuji Nagata, Ryusuke Taguchi, Shota Umino & Yota Tsuji vs. Manabu Nakanishi, Toa Henare, Karl Fredericks & Alex Coughlin
It is a traditional Young Lions with their older veterans match! It will simply come down to the fact does New Japan want the face Young Lions (Umino/Tsuji) or the heel Young Lions (Fredericks & Coughlin) to win a match and gain momentum in Young Lions League Cup? When you include vets like Taguchi, Nagata, and Nakanishi it should be a fun encounter.
CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Roppongi 3K) vs. BULLET CLUB (Guerillas of Destiny, Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens)
It is the Bullet Club versus CHAOS once again.
The story of this match will not be completely known until the night before. Will Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI come into Monday’s show as the new IWGP Tag Team Champions? If they are I am sure the Guerrillas of Destiny will be in a very foul mood. Regardless of the outcome in Beppu, expect a violent brawl in this eight-man tag match.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
It is time for some Suzukigun cheating!
The biggest story to follow will be what occurs one day after the British Heavyweight Championship match between Zack Sabre Jr. and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Who will have the title after their likely brutal encounter in Beppu? That will likely determine who will win this unique eight-man tag match on Monday night. Will Suzuki be set-up as the next challenger to Tanahashi’s title? That fun feud could begin again here.
CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto & Rocky Romero) vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon (SANADA, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI)
This will actually be the fifth meeting between these six wrestlers on this Destruction Tour. Hopefully, they will put on a good show together at this point.
Kazuchika Okada will defend his title at King of Pro Wrestling against Sanada. They always seem to have excellent matches together. If you throw in the fact that Goto and Takagi are having a grudge match in Kobe next Sunday, you should have some fun CHAOS and Los Ingobernables action.
Preview: NJPW Destruction in Kagoshima
Tetsuya Naito & EVIL vs. Jay White & Yujiro Takahashi
This is all about the main event for the final Destruction show in Kobe.
The feud between Tetsuya Naito and Jay White has really picked up in recent months. Jay White defeated Naito on the very last night of the B Block and advanced to the G1 Final. Since then they have been trading wins back and forth in tag matches. This is the last night they will meet before their IC Title showdown in Kobe. It will be an interesting tag match as they face off on Monday.
IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship
El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori © vs. Will Ospreay & Robbie Eagles
The co-main event is the only title match on the card. It should be an exciting match between four of the best that the Junior Division has to offer. Can Will Ospreay become a rare double champion in New Japan?
The Champions won their titles at Kizuna Road but have yet to defend it. El Phantasmo also gets a shot at Will Ospreay’s Junior Heavyweight Title at King of Pro Wrestling in October. If you add in the upcoming Junior Tag League, it leads to a lot of unpredictably for the Juniors on the Road to Tokyo Dome. If they give them a lot of time on Monday this could be the potential show-stealer in Kagoshima.
Preview: NJPW Destruction in Kagoshima
IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP RIGHT TO CHALLENGE CONTRACT MATCH
Kota Ibushi vs. KENTA
The main event is an exciting rematch from the G1 Climax. On the opening night of the tournament in Dallas, KENTA shocked a lot of fans by cleanly taking down Kota Ibushi. It was a truly shocking moment to start the tournament.
Kota Ibushi got the last laugh as he went onto win the G1 Tournament. KENTA ended with eight points despite beating the eventual champion. KENTA also made some of the biggest news of the tournament by attacking Shibata and joining the Bullet Club on the final night. It seemed to work out for KENTA however as he defeated Tomohiro Ishii for the NEVER Openweight Championship at NJPW Royal Quest just a few weeks ago.
Can the Bullet Club take the Contract and have an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestle Kingdom 14? History would say it is unlikely but you cannot complain about a rematch between two talented wrestlers like KENTA and Kota Ibushi once Destruction in Kagoshima comes to an end.
