5 Ups & 5 Downs From NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 (Night 2)

4. Flying Tiger vs. Mega Coaches vs. BULLET CLUB's Cutest Tag Team

Flying Tiger
NJPW

A good time was had by all in the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title match, which was a total hoot at the top of the main card.

All, that is, except BULLET CLUB's El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori after the former got a little too trigger happy with his boot. When his opponents walked him down and removed it to find out what was going on, the referee threw the BC duo out after finding a bit of metal, effectively "disqualifying" them from the rest of the clash. Young Lions literally had to drag ELP out of the ring. It was a hoot.

A breezy, all-action battle prior to that creative utilisation of a "DQ" spot (without bringing the match to the end, mercifully), this was the ideal big-card opener in that it didn't tell a grander story and wasn't designed to steal the show, but still delivered on the action front. The sequences were was and well-sequenced and Rocky Romero tapping out to Robbie Eagles kept the belt on him and Tiger Mask, whose Indian Summer continues.

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Channel Manager

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.