NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2009

NJPW's "Invasion" Delivers Thrills and Spills

Zohash.com Exclusive Report

Last night at the Fukuoka International Center in Japan, New Japan Pro Wrestling presented its latest pay-per-view extravaganza, "Invasion," and it did not disappoint. The event featured a stacked card with some of the best matches I've seen all year. Let me break down the highlights:

Unione Reigns Supreme

The show opened with Unione (Milano Collection AT and Taichi) taking on Apollo 55 (Prince Devitt and Ryusuke Taguchi) in a tag team match. The crowd was electric from the start, and the action was fast-paced and frenetic. Unione emerged victorious in just over 10 minutes, but it was clear that both teams were already fully engaged.

CHAOS Chaos Ensues

In the second match of the night, AKIRA, Kazuchika Okada, and Wataru Inoue found themselves at odds with CHAOS (Black Tiger, Jado, and Tomohiro Ishii) in a six-man tag team bout. This one was a wild ride from start to finish, with bodies flying everywhere. The match ended in a double countout, which was perhaps the only disappointing aspect – I wanted to see more of these talented wrestlers go at it.

Wild Child Tames Legend

The first of three tag team matches on the card saw Wild Child (Manabu Nakanishi and Takao Omori) face off against Legend (Masahiro Chono and Riki Choshu). This one was a clinic in storytelling, with both teams working together to create a compelling narrative. The crowd was fully invested, and the match ended after 12 minutes of action.

Great Bash Heel Gets Pinched

Next up were CHAOS (Shinsuke Nakamura and Toru Yano) against Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma). This one had a bit more heat than the previous tag team match, with all four competitors giving it their all. The crowd was loving every minute of it, and CHAOS ultimately emerged victorious.

CIMA and Liger Soar

The fifth match saw CIMA and Jushin Thunder Liger take on Koji Kanemoto and Tiger Mask in a tag team contest. This one was pure magic from the opening bell to the final bell. Both teams were working at a high level, with some truly innovative sequences and counters. The crowd was completely enthralled, and CIMA and Liger ultimately emerged victorious.

Nagata Takes Down Iizuka

The main event of the night saw Yuji Nagata face off against Takashi Iizuka in a dog collar chain match. This one was a real test of endurance, with both men putting everything on the line to emerge victorious. The crowd was fully invested, and Nagata ultimately emerged victorious after 20 minutes of action.

CHAOS Reigns Supreme (Again)

In the penultimate match of the night, CHAOS (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson) took on TenKoji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima) in a #1 contendership match for the IWGP Tag Team Titles. This one was a real barnburner, with all four competitors giving it their all. CHAOS ultimately emerged victorious, setting them up nicely for a title shot.

Tanahashi Takes Down Goto

And finally, we had our main event: Hiroshi Tanahashi facing off against Hirooki Goto in a match for the IWGP Heavyweight Title. This one was an absolute thriller from start to finish, with both men trading holds and counters. The crowd was fully invested, and Tanahashi ultimately emerged victorious after 29 minutes of action.

Invasion Delivers

Overall, "Invasion" was an absolute thrill ride from start to finish. With some incredible matches and performances throughout the night, it's clear that NJPW is doing something right. If you're a fan of professional wrestling, do yourself a favor and check out this show – it's well worth your time.

Rating: 4.5/5

Recommendation: Don't miss the main event between Tanahashi and Goto if you can help it. It's an absolute must-see.

Card Details

Date: 03 May 2009
Promotion: New Japan Pro Wrestling
Arena: Fukuoka International Center
Attendance: 5500
Type: Pay Per View
Broadcast Type: Live
Broadcast Date: 03 May 2009

Matches

Unione (Milano Collection AT and Taichi) defeat Apollo 55 (Prince Devitt and Ryusuke Taguchi) in a Tag Team Match
Match Time: 10:15
AKIRA, Kazuchika Okada and Wataru Inoue Double Count Out CHAOS (Black Tiger, Jado and Tomohiro Ishii) in a Six Man Tag Team Match
Match Time: 09:39
Wild Child (Manabu Nakanishi and Takao Omori) defeat Legend (Masahiro Chono and Riki Choshu) in a Tag Team Match
Match Time: 12:07
CHAOS (Shinsuke Nakamura and Toru Yano) defeat Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma) in a Tag Team Match
Match Time: 11:32
CIMA and Jushin Thunder Liger defeat Koji Kanemoto and Tiger Mask in a Tag Team Match
Match Time: 13:03
Yuji Nagata defeat Takashi Iizuka in a Dog Collar Chain Match
Match Time: 20:07
CHAOS (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson) defeat TenKoji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima) in a IWGP Tag Team Title #1 Contendership Match
Match Time: 18:44
Hiroshi Tanahashi(C) defeat Hirooki Goto in a IWGP Heavyweight Title Match
Match Time: 29:39