7 Ups & 5 Downs From NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 (Review)
4. FTR (c) vs. Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi)
There had been a not-inconsiderable amount of buzz about this tag match some days before it was actually booked - when Aussie Open could possibly seal victory in the World Tag League, the possibility and promise of a rematch between the Royal Quest II main eventers seemed high.
It wasn’t to be, and further circumstances beyond this match’s control might have had something to do with its overall clunkiness.
Cash Wheeler had apparently endured multiple travel delays just to get to Tokyo, to such an extent that he was allegedly arriving as the show was about to go live. Less-than-ideal is an understatement then, but also the kindest description of this flawed final defence for the champions.
It was most succinctly defined by a Big Rig pinfall break-up by the challengers that didn’t register correctly or with the slick timing of a typical FTR offering. The match hobbled to its predictable outcome from there - Dax and Cash had to lose to complete the surrendering of all their gold and continue a losing streak - but the result subsequently felt much more of an obligation than a spirited sporting outcome.