The New Beginning in Osaka (2017)

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The New Beginning in Osaka (2017)
Promotion
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateFebruary 11, 2017[1]
CityOsaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan[1]
VenueOsaka Prefectural Gymnasium[1]
Attendance5,466[1]
Event chronology
← Previous
Road to the New Beginning
Next →
Togi Makabe 20th Anniversary
The New Beginning chronology
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2017
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2018

The New Beginning in Osaka (2017) was a

championships. In the main event, Tetsuya Naito defended the IWGP Intercontinental Championship against Michael Elgin. This was the twelfth event under the New Beginning
name and the fourth under the New Beginning in Osaka name.

Production

Background

The event aired worldwide on NJPW's internet streaming site,

NJPW World, with English commentary provided by Kevin Kelly and Don Callis, the latter of whom replaced Kelly's previous broadcast partner Steve Corino.[2] The event was sold out by January 25.[3]

Storylines

Tetsuya Naito, who defended the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in the main event
Dragon Lee, who challenged for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

The New Beginning in Osaka featured nine professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[4]

The New Beginning in Osaka was main evented by

New Japan Rumble.[8] Later that same day, Elgin confronted Naito, after he had successfully defended the Intercontinental Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi, threatening to crush his jaw as revenge for his orbital fracture.[6] The following day, Elgin pinned Naito in a tag team match to cement his status as Naito's next challenger.[9] The match was officially announced on January 10.[10]

Another top match would see new

Místico. Lee also stated that the title would allow him to realize one of his dreams of taking part in NJPW's annual Best of the Super Juniors tournament.[19]

The IWGP Tag Team Championship would also be defended at The New Beginning in Osaka in a three-way match involving Chaos (Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano), G.B.H. (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma) and Suzuki-gun's Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Takashi Iizuka. This was originally scheduled to be a rematch from The New Beginning in Sapporo on February 5 with Smith teaming with his regular K.E.S. partner Lance Archer,[6] however, Archer had to pull out of the event due to a herniated disc in his back, leading to Iizuka taking his spot.[20]

British Heavyweight Championship

The New Beginning in Osaka also featured

London, England,[22] which led to NJPW officially announcing two days later that the match in Osaka would be contested for the title.[21] As part of NJPW's working relationship with RevPro, Shibata made his debut for the English promotion in July 2016,[23] winning the British Heavyweight Championship from Zack Sabre Jr. the following November.[24] The match between Shibata and Ospreay was set up on January 5, 2017, when Ospreay confronted Shibata and told him that he had something Ospreay wanted.[25]

The final title match of the event would see

Sanada.[6] Bushi, Evil and Sanada won the title in a four-team gauntlet match at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome, but lost it the following day to Tanahashi, Nakanishi and Taguchi in what marked Nakanishi's first title win in seven and a half years.[6][26] On January 10, NJPW announced a rematch between the two teams for The New Beginning in Osaka.[10]

Other notable matches included

El Desperado and Kanemaru stepped up as the next challengers,[27] which led to them being switched as Suzuki's partners on February 6.[29] However, two days later, NJPW announced that El Desperado would be forced to miss the event due to a knee injury, which led to Taichi being added back to the match.[28] switch in the Osaka card the following day.[29] The New Beginning in Osaka was noteworthy for Kenny Omega and the entire Bullet Club stable being absent from the event.[10][30]

Reception

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter gave the main event between Naito and Elgin a full five-star rating, stating that "Naito is clearly New Japan's MVP right now".[31]

Results

No.Results
British Heavyweight Championship
13:51
7Chaos (Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano) (c) defeated G.B.H. (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma) and Suzuki-gun (Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Takashi Iizuka) (with Taka Michinoku)Three-way tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship12:31
8Hiromu Takahashi (c) defeated Dragon LeeSingles match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship18:23
9Tetsuya Naito (c) defeated Michael ElginSingles match for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship36:17
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 戦国炎舞 -Kizna- Presents The New Beginning in Osaka. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  2. ^ Currier, Joseph (January 17, 2017). "NJPW World finds its new lead English color commentary voice". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  3. ^ Currier, Joseph (January 25, 2017). "Daily Update: Cena article, Omega vs. Tiger Ali video, Tozawa". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  4. Discovery Communications
    . Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  5. ^ a b 【新日本】2・5北海道大会でIWGP王者オカダがみのるとV3戦. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). January 10, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 【2.11大阪大会・全カード決定!】内藤がエルガンと“因縁”のIC戦! ヒロムがドラゴン・リーと初防衛戦!タッグ3Way、柴田vsオスプレイも実現!!. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). January 10, 2017. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  7. ^ Meltzer, Dave (October 11, 2016). "Naito vs. Elgin to headline NJPW Power Struggle". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  8. ^ 【新日1・4ドーム】時間差バトルロイヤルはエルガンが復活勝利. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  9. ^ 【新日本・後楽園】棚橋撃破の翌日に…内藤が醜態. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  10. ^ a b c d Currier, Joseph (January 10, 2017). "Okada vs. Suzuki headlines NJPW's New Beginning lineup". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  11. ^ 1月24日(日)後楽園ホール大会にて、ドラゴン・リーvsカマイタチのCMLL世界ライト級王座戦が電撃決定! 【カード追加&一部変更】. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). January 23, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  12. ^ a b "Dragon Lee vs Kamaitachi at ROH's ASE 8". Ring of Honor. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  13. ^ カマイタチがCMLL世界ライト王座防衛戦でドラゴン・リーと再戦!! またもや名勝負を繰り広げるも初防衛に失敗!!【3月4日(金)CMLL試合結果】. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). March 6, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  14. ^ Rose, Bryan (November 4, 2016). "NJPW Power Struggle live results: Tetsuya Naito vs. Jay Lethal". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  15. ^ Rose, Bryan; Currier, Joseph (January 3, 2017). "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 live results: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  16. ^ Rose, Bryan (January 5, 2017). "NJPW New Year's Dash results: The return of Suzuki-gun". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  17. ^ Rose, Bryan (January 20, 2017). "NJPW/CMLL Fantastica Mania results: Dragon Lee vs. Cavernario". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  18. ^ Rose, Bryan (January 22, 2017). "NJPW/CMLL Fantastica Mania results: Volador Jr. vs. Ultimo Guerrero". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  19. ^ 【新日本】高橋ヒロムに挑戦のドラゴン・リー ベルト奪取後に兄弟で王座戦だ. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). January 23, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  20. ^ Macklin, Matthew (February 10, 2017). "New Japan 'New Beginning' in Osaka tomorrow, complete lineup". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  21. ^ a b 柴田勝頼がイギリスでブリティッシュヘビー級王座を防衛! 2.11大阪のウィル・オスプレイ戦が同王座のタイトル戦に変更!!. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). January 23, 2017. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  22. ^ Currier, Joseph (January 21, 2017). "Daily Update: Omega videos, RevPro show, Ellsworth". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  23. ^ "London: Katsuyori Shibata makes his European debut!". Revolution Pro Wrestling. February 25, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  24. ^ Macklin, Matthew (November 10, 2016). "Shibata wins gold at RevPro in UK". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  25. ^ "British Heavyweight Championship Update". Revolution Pro Wrestling. January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  26. ^ 【新日本・後楽園】中西が7年半ぶりベルト奪取. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  27. ^ a b Meltzer, Dave; Currier, Joseph (February 4, 2017). "NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo live results: Okada vs. Suzuki". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  28. ^ a b 【お知らせ】エル・デスペラード選手が右ヒザ負傷により、2.8栃木、2.9長野、2.11大阪大会を欠場。一部カードが変更へ. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). February 8, 2017. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  29. ^ a b 【お知らせ】2月5日(日)札幌大会、金丸&デスペラードのIWGPジュニアタッグ“挑戦表明”を受け、各大会の一部カードが変更へ. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). February 6, 2017. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  30. ^ Johnson, Mike (January 10, 2017). "New Japan announces first 'New Beginning' event lineups". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  31. ^ Meltzer, Dave (December 29, 2017). "Dave Meltzer's top-rated matches of 2017: Tetsuya Naito vs. Michael Elgin". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  32. ^ Rose, Bryan (February 10, 2017). "NJPW New Beginning in Osaka live results: Naito vs. Elgin". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  33. ^ Macklin, Matthew (February 11, 2017). "Naito vs. Elgin and more: 2/11 New Japan 'New Beginning' in Osaka report". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved February 11, 2017.

External links