IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Jon Moxley VS Minoru Suzuki!
The Maniac and the Meanest Man in the World have had quite a few confrontations on the road to this match, such as just last week in Sapporo. But while Moxley prepares for Le Champion in AEW, he has to shift focus to the sadistic icon of NJPW! Can the Death Rider survive Suzuki here in Osaka?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and this sadomasochistic showdown begins!
But before getting in the ring, Moxley goes up the ramp, and dares Suzuki to come get him! Suzuki exits the ring to grabs a pair of chairs to bring with him! Suzuki tosses Moxley a chair, and the two sadistic samurai start swinging! They clash over and over, and Moxley disarms Suzuki! Suzuki rushes Moxley but gets a headlock, punches and knees! Moxley sends Suzuki tumbling down the way as Red Shoes tells them to get in the ring. Moxley instead whips Suzuki into the railing! Suzuki tears that section off but Moxley jams it into Suzuki’s stomach! Moxley copies Suzuki’s style by throwing the railing down onto Suzuki!
Moxley drags Suzuku up but Suzuki laughs as he throws body shots and big knees! Red Shoes has no choice but to ring the bell so that this brawl is on the record. Suzuki makes fans clear out before he bowls Moxley into the chairs. Suzuki rips up more railing to slam it onto Moxley! The ring announcer warns fans to be careful but Suzuki has already dragged Moxley to another area. Suzuki bumps Moxley off the timekeeper’s table but Moxley returns the favor! And throws hands before dragging Suzuki to the blue railing. Suzuki resists but the two end up on top of the desk! But Suzuki gets Moxley with the Gotch! Moxley fights Suzuki off to drop ax handles!
The 20 count is past 10 as Moxley dumps Suzuki over railing and to ringside. Moxley and Suzuki hear the count climbing, so they both get in at 17. Fans cheer as this match finally enters the ring. Moxley and Suzuki egg each other on, and Suzuki throws the first forearm. Moxley gives it back, and we have ourselves a brawl! Suzuki mocks Moxley’s shoulder rolling before throwing another forearm. Moxley mocks Suzuki’s oni demon tongue before throwing a forearm back. Suzuki ROCKS Moxley, but Moxley comes back with jabs! Moxley throws forearms but Suzuki laughs before giving more of his own.
Moxley responds but Suzuki ROCKS him again! They keep going back and forth, Suzuki grinning all the way. Suzuki throws even more forearms, then whips Moxley corner to corner for a BOOT! Suzuki snapmares Moxley and runs, but Moxley blocks the Penalty Kick! Moxley stands to get a bite of Suzuki’s face! The ref reprimands but Moxley tells him to shut up. Moxley keeps on Suzuki with big forearms, but Suzuki throws body shots, knees and a headbutt! And another headbutt! And then Suzuki bites Moxley back! Fans rally as Moxley knees back and throws Suzuki out. Moxley goes out to pursue Suzuki at the blue railing. Moxley clubs Suzuki then throws him into commentary!
Suzuki staggers away but Moxley is on him with a choke! Suzuki headscissors back to also get the arm! Moxley holds on and Red Shoes tells them to get this in the ring. Moxley gets free, stomps Suzuki’s stomach, then drags him over in a Half Boston Crab! Suzuki endures as Moxley sits on the stretch, but Red Shoes says this doesn’t matter so get in the ring. Moxley doesn’t care but then Red Shoes counts at him. Moxley lets up at 4 to then stomp Suzuki down. This does return to ringside as Moxley throws Suzuki into rails. Suzuki hits back with big strikes, then pursues Moxley around the way.
Moxley kicks and whips Suzuki into railing! But Suzuki is right back in Moxley’s face with a slap! Moxley slaps back and now it’s a slap fight! Suzuki knees low and ROCKS Moxley again. Suzuki stalks Moxley back near commentary to slam into railing and choke him! Red Shoes reprimands Suzuki but Suzuki slaps Moxley around. Moxley snapmares and rebounds off railing for the sliding lariat! Fans rally and duel as Moxley starts searching under the ring. Suzuki crawls away to rest by commentary, but Moxley has found a table! Moxley sets up the table but Suzuki stealthily grabs a chair.
Moxley goes back to Suzuki and drags him up, but Suzuki fights back! Suzuki jams Moxley with the chair, then sits on the table for a GUILLOTINE! Moxley endures and Red Shoes counts. Suzuki lets Moxley go at 4, then puts the chair on Moxley’s arm. The chair doesn’t cooperate and that only infuriates Suzuki. Suzuki goes back to commentary to take another of their chairs! This chair is put around Moxley’s arm and Suzuki takes the first chair. Red Shoes tries to stop Suzuki but Suzuki shoves him down! Suzuki gives Moxley’s arm a CON-CHAIR-TO!! Moxley has one bad eye, does he now have a broken arm?!
Suzuki laughs as he pulls Moxley’s arm to bend it against the table! Suzuki throws the bad arm against the post! And then hops up onto the apron for a modified armbar! Red Shoes reprimands again, but Moxley uses his good arm to lift and POWERBOMB Suzuki through the table!! Osaka is fired up as Moxley wrecks the King of Pancrase. And yet, Suzuki smiles?! This man is insane for sure! Suzuki drags himself from the wreckage and carries a piece of the table around with him. Suzuki starts hitting himself in the head with it?! “Insane” is no longer enough!
Suzuki laughs like the mad man he is, but Moxley won’t be outdone! Moxley has the other half of the broken table and starts smacking himself in the head! This is a match of certifiable lunatics! The two go into the ring and Suzuki still smiles. Suzuki taunts Moxley with, “Come on, boy!” Moxley shakes out the bad arm to throw forearms with it! That is double-edged, and Suzuki takes advantage as he ROCKS Moxley with one of his own! Moxley grits his teeth to give another forearm with the bad arm! Suzuki throws another HARD one! “C’mon, Jon!” Moxley uses his left arm but that’s still not good enough.
The two grind foreheads, and Moxley throws forearms from all side. Suzuki just laughs as he ROCKS Moxley again. Moxley slaps himself to fire up, and then ROCKS Suzuki! “C’mon! I don’t give a f***!” Suzuki smiles as Moxley insults him more, and the brawl is on again! Suzuki, Moxley, repeat, forearm for forearm, with no signs of slowing! Moxley hits from all sides again, then adds a headbutt. Moxley runs, Suzuki follows and slips around to get the SLEEPER HOLD! Suzuki squeezes tight and Moxley already fades. But Moxley punches himself to stay awake! Moxley gets up, throws Suzuki but Suzuki holds on! Suzuki squeezes tighter and leans on Moxley.
Moxley is turning purple and starts fading! Suzuki shifts to a cover, TWO!? Moxley has his second wind but Suzuki runs, basement BOOT! Cover, TWO!! Moxley lives and fans cheer, but Suzuki just keeps on him. Suzuki drags Moxley up, throws slapping palm strikes, but then Moxley knees him back! REGAL KNEE! Cover, TWO!! Suzuki survives and fans cheer again. Moxley forces himself to stand and grabs Suzuki. Moxley underhooks but Suzuki slips out to ROCK Moxley! The Maniac shouts “F*** YOU!” as he ROCKS Suzuki back! Moxley runs, into Suzuki’s dropkick! Osaka cheers as both men flounder to opposite ends.
The rally builds as Suzuki brings Moxley in. Moxley spins out, double underhook, DEATH RIDER! Cover, TWO!?! Suzuki survives!? Moxley is shocked and even begs with Red Shoes. But the count is the count, and someone in NJPW finally survives that dangerous DDT. Moxley goes back to Suzuki and says, “We’re gonna finish this, mother f***er.” He gives Suzuki a kiss on the forehead?! Moxley says that is the kiss of death, and he goes out to prepare something truly sinister. He checks under the ring, and brings out two chairs. Just as Suzuki did to start this, Moxley tosses a chair to his opponent so that they can finish this like warriors!
Suzuki wobbles as Red Shoes grabs at Moxley’s chair. Moxley and Red Shoes argue but Suzuki grabs the chair, too! The tug o’ war sends Red Shoes flying away, and Moxley HEAD SHOTS Suzuki with that chair shot!! The seat is gone so Moxley hurries to grab gthe other chair. Suzuki is still standing, and still smiling! Moxley brings Suzuki to the other chair, but Suzuki resists the underhooks. Suzuki slips out and kicks, to GOTCH! Moxley resists, slips out, DIRTY DEEDS ON THE CHAIR! Moxley gets away with that one while Red Shoes is out. Suzuki just keeps laughing!
Moxley fires himself up and dares Suzuki to come back. Suzuki stands and slaps himself back into this. He fires off palm strikes fast and furious, but now Moxley is the one laughing! Suzuki keeps throwing hands, but Moxley is not satisfied! The hands keep flying, Moxley staggers, LUANTIC LARIAT! Suzuki is stunned and leaning, but stays up! So Moxley runs to LARIAT again! Moxley drags Suzuki back up, DEATH RIDER!! Cover, Moxley wins!!
Winner: Jon Moxley, by pinfall (still IWGP United States Champion)
Two of the toughest, meanest, craziest men in NJPW, and perhaps anywhere in wrestling today, just went to war! But in the end, the Death Rider rides into the sunset with the IWGP US Championship! Moxley stands on the ropes as Suzuki flounders out of the ring, and bows out of respect to the King. With his AEW World Championship match at AEW Revolution on the horizon, will Moxley become a dual promotion champion?
As for Suzuki, he does as he always does in losing, and starts ripping apart the railing! But suddenly, ZACK SABRE JR attacks Moxley! Suzuki-Gun’s Submission Master and Revolution Pro-Wrestling’s British Heavyweight Champion is after the Maniac! ZSJ eyes the IWGP US Championship, and holds it up high! To then SMASH Moxley with it!!
Fans boo as ZSJ skips around and smiles. ZSJ hops onto Moxley for a sleeper hold! He’s wrapped on tight as the bell rings in protest! Moxley has no one to save him as ZSJ drags him to the mat! ZSJ suffocates Moxley then picks the title up again. It would seem ZSJ has dreams of becoming a dual promotion champion, too! Will Moxley’s return to NJPW be one where he will #JustTapOut?
