4 Ups & 5 Downs From NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 (Night 1)

2. KENTA, Taiji Ishimori and El Phantasmo vs. Rocky Romero, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Ryusuke Taguchi

Hiroshi Tanahashi KENTA
NJPW

Again, this was a Korakuen Hall-calibre match upgraded to the Tokyo Dome. Fought in second gear ahead of Hiroshi Tanahashi's bout with KENTA the following evening, it was as drab as the Los Ingobernables De Japon vs. United Empire bout it preceded, but came packaged with a stinker of a finish.

Tanahashi was disqualified for striking KENTA with a cane. This came after KENTA brought the weapon into the match following a ref bump (yawn), before the official recovered, saw The Ace with the cane, and called for the bell.

Again, this is the kind of thing you throw on a preview show. Want to have Tanahashi show an unforeseen violent edge ahead of his showdown with the dastardly heel? Fine, do it on a Road To, not what is supposed to be the biggest show of the year.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.