NJPW Wrestle Grand Slam in MetLife Dome 2021 Results – Sept. 4, 2021 – Tanahashi vs. Ibushi

Sep 4, 2021

September 4, 2021
Saitama, Japan – MetLife Dome
English Commentary – Kevin Kelly & Chris Charlton
Results via Ethan Renner of F4WOnline.com

Quick Match Results

Pre-show: Stardom Special match – Saya Kamitani & Momo Watanabe defeated Lady C & Maika via Phoenix Splash (pinfall 12:02)
Tiger Mask & Robbie Eagles defeated BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi via Ron Miller Special (submission 11:40)
SHO defeated YOH via Referee Stoppage (24:41)
Provisional King of Pro Wrestling 2021 Championship No DQ I Quit match – Toru Yano defeated Chase Owens (c) via Owens saying “I Quit” (28:03)
Jeff Cobb defeated Kazuchika Okada via Tour of the Islands (pinfall 27:41)
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship – Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated Kota Ibushi via High Fly Flow (pinfall 17:47)

Pre-show Stardom Special Match
Saya Kamitani & Momo Watanabe vs. Lady C & Maika

This was one of the better pre-show matches you’ll ever see. All action.

Maika and Watanabe began with a brief mat wrestling sequence, ending in a stalemate.

Lady C and Kamitani tagged in. Lady C was quickly cut off. Watanabe tagged back in for a series of slams. Lady C managed a tag. Maika hit a forearm for a knockdown. Watanabe came back with a Shibata dropkick and a series of big kicks for a near fall.

Kamitani got a tag in the plus position and hit a running knee and a dropkick for a near fall. Maika missed a sliding lariat. She tried a suplex, but Kamitani blocked with a guillotine choke. Maika powered through and hit a vertical suplex into a double down.

Lady C got a tag. Kamitani hit a running kick. Lady C hit a knee lift and a running boot. Maika came in for an illegal double team. Watanabe entered as well and hit a dropkick to take out Maika.

Kamitani used a dropkick for a near fall on Lady C. Kamitani hit a springboard crossbody for another two count. Lady C hit an overhand chop. Kamitani blocked a chokeslam attempt. Maika cut Kamitani off on the top rope and hit a stalling superplex.

Lady C recovered and hit a chokeslam, but Watanabe saved to break up the pinfall. Watanabe hit a big kick. Lady C hit a big boot to Kamitani, then hit a chop off the second for another near fall just past the 10 minute mark.

Lady C went for a chokeslam off the top, but Kamitani hit a frankensteiner and a Star Crusher for a near fall as Maika saved.

All four were in. Watanabe hit a half-and-half suplex to Maika. Watanabe and Kamitani hit tandem knee strikes off the second rope.

Kamitani then hit a phoenix splash to Lady C for the pin.

Winner: Saya Kamitani & Momo Watanabe via Pinfall.

Tiger Mask & Robbie Eagles vs. BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi

This was the second excellent tag match of the night.

Hiromu and Eagles started the match and did a great series of counters and escapes. Hiromu tagged BUSHI, but hit Eagles from behind as he went to tag Tiger. Hiromu and BUSHI doubled up on Eagles. Eagles made his own comeback and tagged out.

Tiger came in with a high cross and a dropkick to Hiromu. Eagles and Tiger then hit tandem dropkicks to BUSHI. BUSHI came back by choking Tiger with his t-shirt. Tiger was then isolated in the LIJ half of the ring. Hiromu ended up wearing Robbie’s bandana.

Hiromu used the Ron Miller Special to Tiger to taunt Eagles. Tiger fought to the bottom rope to force a break. Tiger went after Hiromu’s left leg and managed a tag to Eagles.

Eagles got the hot tag and ran wild on Hiromu. He hit double knees in the corner to set up a 450 attempt. Hiromu slid out of the way and Eagles landed on his feet. BUSHI tried a save, but Eagles sent Hiromu into him.

Hiromu blocked a Ron Miller Special attempt. Hiromu blocked turbo backpack and hit a pop-up powerbomb into a double down. BUSHI got a tag and stopped Eagles from reaching Tiger. BUSHI hit a missile dropkick.

BUSHI hit a DDT for a near fall at 10 minutes. BUSHI ducked a right hand and hit a tope suicida to Tiger. Hiromu came in and traded strikes with Eagles. Eagles attacked Hiromu’s left leg, so look for that in their match tomorrow.

Eagles used the Ron Miller Special on BUSHI, but Hiromu saved. Tiger hit a tope suicida to Hiromu. Eagles hit a springboard dropkick to BUSHI’s leg.

Eagles then used the Ron Miller Special to submit BUSHI.

Winner: Tiger Mask & Robbie Eagles via Submission.

YOH vs. SHO

This was very good. They worked it like a fight and a very heated personal issue.

SHO entered first. He has a new look. He wore black and his ring jacket had some purple on it, a very EVIL aesthetic.

YOH charged into the ring and attacked SHO before the bell. YOH still had his entrance jacket on as he hammered away with strikes. SHO used a Young Lion at ringside as a human shield to turn the tide.

SHO then threw YOH into the barricade as he took control of the match. YOH sold his lower back. SHO posted YOH’s left arm. SHO used the barricade again and they did a couple of countout teases.

Back inside, YOH fired up and threw strikes with his right arm as his left arm dangled at his side. SHO used a rake of the eyes and a kitchen sink. SHO continued to attack the left arm. SHO hit some taunting kicks and stomps.

YOH came back with a dropkick and three flying forearms. YOH then hit some short kicks as SHO rolled to the apron. SHO went back after the arm. YOH sent SHO into the barricade with a dropkick. YOH landed a tope con giro.

YOH hit a falcon arrow for a two count. YOH fought for a superplex, but SHO blocked and hit a power breaker. SHO followed with two rolling German suplexes. YOH blocked a third German and hit a dragon screw.

YOH rolled through and used the Star Gazer, but SHO forced a quick break. They traded jumping knee strikes. YOH hit a dragon suplex, but SHO rolled through and hit a lariat for a double down just past the 15 minute mark.

SHO hit a powerful lariat and called for Shock Arrow. YOH blocked Shock Arrow and used Star Gazer again. SHO rolled to the ropes to force a break. YOH hit a dropkick to the leg and a dragon suplex into the turnbuckle pad.

SHO blocked Direct Drive. YOH hit a backdrop out of a Shock Arrow attempt. They traded strikes. SHO dropped YOH with a combination of strikes at 20 minutes. YOH fired back and dropped SHO with strikes.

They continued to trade heavy shots. SHO hit the ropes for a lariat, but YOH caught him with a lariat. YOH used a dragon suplex for a two count.

SHO blocked Direct Drive and bumped the referee. SHO hit a spear, then went to the floor to get a chair. YOH ducked a chair shot and hit a superkick. YOH refused to use the chair and hit another kick.

SHO blocked another Direct Drive attempt and hit a low blow. SHO hit a chair shot to the head and revived the referee. SHO revived the ref and had YOH pinned, but pulled him up at two to inflict more punishment.

SHO used a gogoplata and YOH passed out in the hold. The referee called for the stoppage.

Winner: SHO via Referee Stoppage.

SHO fought off the ringside attendant that tried to perovide YOH an ice pack after the match. He cut a quick promo and told YOH to quit the business.

EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi and Dick Togo came to the ring after the match and presented SHO with a Bullet Club shirt to cement his new persona.

Provisional King of Pro Wrestling 2021 Championship No DQ I Quit Match
Toru Yano vs. Chase Owens (c)

This wasn’t as bad as it looked on paper, but in what universe would you book Toru Yano and Chase Owens to go for almost half an hour?

Yano has gone back to his old bleached hair look. Yano also brought a bag of handcuffs to the ring.

They began brawling in the aisle as Owens made his entrance. They brawled with a variety of plunder, including a trash can, a parasol, a kendo stick, a chair and ladders. Owens used a strap to tie Yano to the ropes.

Yano used the parasol on the trash can as Owens was trapped inside with the microphone. Owens set up a ladder bridge from the ring to the barricade and teased a suplex through the ladder from the apron. Yano blocked, then used a smaller ladder to send Owens through the bridge.

Yano set up a pair of tables. Owens cut him off with a cookie sheet shot. Owens placed Yano on the tables. Yano popped up and teased a suplex off the post through the tables. Owens blocked.

Both teased cuffing each other to the barricade, but both failed. Owens tore up the ring mats and teased a piledriver on the floor, but Yano hit a backdrop. Back in, Owens hit a jewel heist.

Owens placed Yano on the tables and hit a package piledriver, but the tables didn’t break. Yano didn’t answer as the referee asked him if he wanted to quit. Owens cuffed Yano to the barricade.

Owens whipped Yano with the strap and Yano refused to quit. Yano pulled a key from his wrist tape and freed himself, but acted as though he was still cuffed. Owens grabbed a baseball bat. Yano ducked a swing of the bat and kicked Owens low.

Yano cuffed Owens and threw away the key. Yano whipped Owens with the strap. Yano choked Owens with the strap. Yano brought a table into the ring. Yano hit a powerbomb through the table.

Yano brought scissors into the ring and threatened to cut Owens’ hair. Owens spat at Yano.

Yano threatened to stab Owens with the scissors and Owens quit.

Winner: Toru Yano to become the new Provisional King of Pro Wrestling 2021 Champion.

Intermission: Wrestle Kingdom 16 Announcement

Wrestle Kingdom 16 as a three-night event was announced for January 4, January 5 and January 8, 2022. Nights one and two will be in the Tokyo Dome, while night three will be in Yokohama Arena.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb

This was a great match. I liked some elements of their last match better than this, but the closing stretch of this and some of the counters and reversals they came up with in this one were out of this world. Easily the biggest win of Cobb’s career. For all the bad booking this year, NJPW has done an incredible job of building Cobb up into a monster.

Okada came out fast and hit a neckbreaker rihgt away. Cobb sent Okada rolling to the floor with a strike. Okada played cat-and-mouse with Cobb, ducking in and out of the ring.

Cobb hit some power strikes. Cobb blocked one flapjack, but Okada hit the move on his second attempt. Cobb came back with a series of strikes and powerful throws.

Okada managed another neckbreaker, then hit a series of back elbows as he looked to soften Cobb up for the Money Clip. Okada hit three DDTs and got a near fall. He locked on the Money Clip, but Cobb quickly got to the ropes to force a break.

They fought to the floor. Okada sent Cobb over the barricade and teased a dive over the railing, but Cobb caught him and hit a suplex on the floor. Okada just beat the count back inside at 19.

Cobb hit an Oklahoma stampede and a standing moonsault for a two count. Cobb blocked a plancha and teased a powerslam on the floor, but Okada reversed into a DDT on the floor.

Back inside, Cobb blocked a tombstone. Okada hit a dropkick to the back, then hit his standard picture-perfect dropkick. Okada then hit the tombstone.

Okada used the Money Clip. Cobb tried to roll out, but Okada re-applied the hold in the center of the ring. Cobb slid to the ropes for a break.

Okada tried another tombstone, but Cobb countered into a reverse tombstone. Cobb could not follow up. They got back to their feet and traded strikes. Okada dropped first, but made it back to his feet. They traded more shots, and again Cobb got the better of it.

Cobb hit a jumping uppercut forearm in the corner and hoisted Okada out of the corner with a spin cycle. Okada blocked Tour of the Islands with a dropkick. Cobb ducked a spinning Rainmaker. Okada hit the ropes and ran into a dropkick.

Cobb hit a tombstone and Okada’s Rainmaker pose. Cobb tried a ripcord Tour of the Islands, but Okada slid out and hit a Rainmaker. Okada hit a second Rainmaker. Okada hit another dropkick.

Okada hit a spinning tombstone. Cobb reversed a Rainmaker attempt into a Tour of the Islands attempt. Okada blocked and used a tombstone position to lift Cobb to the top rope. Okada teased a tombstone off the top, but Cobb blocked and hit a thrust kick.

Still perched on the top rope, Cobb tried a superplex. Okada blocked. Cobb hit a jumping headbutt and a Tour of the Islands off the second rope.

Cobb followed with another Tour of the Islands and scored the pin.

Winner: Jeff Cobb via Pinfall.

IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship
Kota Ibushi vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (c)

This was a good main event to cap a good show. This never reached the level of an epic NJPW main event with the time they were given, but that is probably for the best given Ibushi is coming back from pneumonia.

Ibushi was in tears just before the match began, very emotional in his comeback.

They opened with some mat wrestling. It ended in a stalemate. Tanahashi sold frustration after not being able to best Ibushi on the mat. Ibushi used a short arm scissors, but Tana forced a rope break.

Ibushi turned his attention to Tana’s left arm after the arm scissors. He stomped at the left arm. Tana came back with a dropkick to the left leg, then began to work on the limb. Tana used a kneelock, but Ibush forced a break.

They traded strikes. Ibushi tried to fire off some palm strikes, but Tana kicked his leg out of his leg. Ibushi blocked a dragon screw and hit a dropkick. Ibushi hit a flying mid kick and a standing moonsault.

Ibushi hit a snap rana and sent Tana to the floor. Ibushi then hit an awesome golden triangle moonsault off the top buckle to the floor.

Ibushi rolled Tana back inside and landed a springboard dropkick. Tana blocked a kick and hit a dragon screw. Both landed a series of simultaneous forearm shots. Ibushi scored the knockdown, then hit a series of forearms to the back of the neck from back mount position.

Tana blocked a Kamigoye and hit twist and shout. Tana followed with slingblade, but Ibushi no-sold it. Tana hit another slingblade, but Ibushi didn’t go down. Tana hit a third slingblade and Ibushi took a bump high on his neck.

Tana went for High Fly Flow, but Ibushi got his knees up. Ibushi hit Kamigoye, but could not follow up with an immediate cover.

Ibushi hit a Bomaye. He locked up Tana’s wrists and tried to set up another Kamigoye, but Tana blocked. Ibushi hit a v-trigger and maintained wrist control. Tanahashi fought out and hit slingblade for a one count. Tana hit a dragon suplex into a bridge for a two count.

Tana hit the Ace’s High standing High Fly Flow, then followed with another High Fly Flow to get the pin.

Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi via Pinfall to retain the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.

Ibushi was openly weeping after the match as Tanahashi shared some words with him on the mat. Tanahashi was in tears as he got back to his feet.

Tana posed with the title. He then cut a promo welcoming Ibushi back. He said that they will do it again for the title one more time. Tana got an Ibushi chant started.

Tana said that last time in this building he wasn’t the main event, but tonight he is and that’s pretty awesome. He thanked the fans and finished up with some air guitar.