00:00You're the part of that big tag team match to kick off the new beginning of Osaka, Francesco, Akira,
00:24the team of Jacob Austin Young's face, Hiromi Takahashi and Taiji Ishimori.
00:30That's going to start the night.
00:33The night is going to end in the match for the IWGP Hibaway Championship.
00:47We spoke early on in the evening here on the broadcast about that interview Jake Lee gave to her official English YouTube page.
00:57I don't think anybody has been...
01:00I always talk about Jake Lee being incredibly highly intelligent, incredibly highly eloquent.
01:07And in a 17-minute screed, I think you could say, Jake Lee laid everything out on the table.
01:14I thought when he came back that Jake Lee had lost his tongue and lost his mind.
01:21Such clearly not the case.
01:27When you have nothing.
01:30When you cannot move.
01:32When you have nothing.
01:34When you cannot move.
01:36Please.
01:37Thanks to his severed patella tendon, herniated lumbar disc, spinal stenosis, in constant pain.
01:45constant pain.
01:48Not much you can do but think.
01:51That's all Jake Lee has been doing, is thinking.
01:55And thinking about how to become IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
02:15Teaming up, Muta Shioi.
02:34Is that...
02:37Muta Shioi Shioi Shioi Shioi Shioi Shioi Shioi Shioi.
02:43Wow. There is the IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
02:47The IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion.
02:50The leader of Unbound Company, the man who is top dog here in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
03:02Jake Lee has been awesome, unstoppable, all the way through this tour.
03:08And there is no doubt that he has the knockout power potentially in an instant to snuff out.
03:17Yodosuji, we have seen it so far.
03:20We saw it, we saw the Giant Killing Knee take out Shingo Takagi.
03:27Yodosuji has seen time after time the facebreak shot in the corner.
03:30And he has been choked out here in Kawakuen Hall.
03:34Unable to leave this building under his own power.
03:39That's all very well and good.
03:40But February the 11th in the main event at some point the bell has to ring.
03:44And it has to ring in a championship match for that IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
03:51And it has to ring in a championship match for that IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
03:56And Suji has certainly every intention of showing every bit of the will, the grit, and the determination that has taken him to this spot.
04:09And that he intends to utilize to keep himself at that spot.
04:13The Global Championship being passed out and then the Heavyweight Championship.
04:17Also February the 11th in Osaka.
04:19We want to make mention, Gabe Kidd vs. Andrade Aido.
04:22The winner of that contest.
04:24And we'll have a shot at the IWGP Global Heavyweight title.
04:28It's Yodosuji.
04:29Suji has said he wants that title match to happen overseas.
04:33And that could well happen.
04:35February 27th at Trenton in New Jersey.
04:37But we'll see.
04:38Yodosuji has something to say before we start.
04:40No, Jake.
04:42You've decided to make a decision.
04:44Yodosuji, it seems you've sown your resolve, Jake Lee.
04:49But I will say that there is no lying in this ring.
04:57And your true self will be revealed.
05:04Do you have the resolve?
05:06If you have the resolve to let yourself all out, then let's do it.
05:19Then let's do it.
05:21And there were so many moments on part of that interview with Jake Lee talking about why he joined United Empire.
05:40And I think it was very telling.
05:42He saw a lot of himself in United Empire.
05:47He said, well, I lost a key part of myself.
05:50When I was basically paralyzed for so long, I lost a key part of who I was physically.
05:56And United Empire, they lost a key part of themselves.
06:00They're trying to rebuild just like I'm trying to rebuild.
06:02It made perfect sense.
06:03Jake Lee so far since his return at WrestleKingdom 20, it's all been about picking his shots, coming in just at the right time.
06:20Facebreak shot just at the right time.
06:22Giant killing me just at the right time with a front chancery.
06:25You can't, I mean, you can to an extent, but you can't pick your shots to that same extent when it's one-on-one for the heavyweight title.
06:42And the question clearly that I want to put to you is in a long, potentially long main event position.
06:52Physically, you have to say the advantage goes to the champ.
06:55Oh, yeah, definitely.
06:56Physically.
06:57And also the pressure is a little worse.
07:00I think personally.
07:01You have that confidence and power to keep pushing through with the champ.
07:11And you know that you carry that burden on your shoulders.
07:14And you have to follow through with every action.
07:17Well, I mean, you know, and I...
07:19Oh, nice to hear us there.
07:21And I certainly don't want to mean any disrespect.
07:25But you know how difficult the first defense is as a champion.
07:30You're riding that high on confidence.
07:32And to be honest, in the six men championship match, I thought we had that in the bag.
07:38But surprises do happen.
07:40You have to keep on your A-game and that's what makes you a good champion.
07:46I hope for reclaiming that belt.
07:48Hey!
07:49Hey!
07:50Hey!
07:51Hey!
07:52Hey!
07:53Hey!
07:54Hey!
07:55Hey!
07:56Hey!
07:57Hey!
07:58Hey!
07:59Hey!
08:00Hey!
08:01Hey!
08:02Hey!
08:03Hey!
08:04Hey!
08:05Hey!
08:06Hey!
08:07Hey!
08:08Hey!
08:09Hey!
08:10Hey!
08:11Hey!
08:12Hey!
08:13Hey!
08:14Hey!
08:15Hey!
08:16Hey!
08:17Hey!
08:18Hey!
08:19Hey!
08:20Hey!
08:21Hey!
08:22Hey!
08:23Hey!
08:24Hey!
08:25Hey!
08:26Hey!
08:27Hey!
08:28Hey!
08:29Hey!
08:30Hey!
08:31Hey!
08:32Hey!
08:33Hey!
08:34It's a human demolition derby here in Cochrane Hall in our main event.
09:04Nishimori walking the dog in the form of Acura here.
09:27The fans being warned to stay back for their competitors for their own safety.
09:33Nishimori dragging Jake Lee into the crowd.
09:37Missed just as much carnage as we saw in our last matchup.
09:46It shows that it's a hatred between these two factions, between these two groups and more so just these collections of individuals.
10:00I've never been through that door.
10:14I've never been through that door.
10:18Sent over the side to where our press photographers are and now Suji re-emerges.
10:26She's in on a notoriously long leash. She's not going to apply the count.
10:30At any rate, it's Nishimori and Acura who are legal.
10:33Nishimori working their way back down to ringside in the meantime.
10:47Oh, Acura served Nishimori perfectly.
10:55Jake Lee being Jake Lee.
10:57Such a well-chosen spot exploits it.
11:00Acura off the neckbreaker.
11:01Uno gets to two.
11:11Well, this isn't the Francesco Acura that we know.
11:15And I know you know him as well as well to take the corner pad off here.
11:19Usually an Nishimori-like tactic, but Acura's doing it here.
11:22I guess there's a different side of a little Akura coming out now.
11:36Hammer-throw full speed, full throttle.
11:42Normally it would be something Taiji Ishimori would make a part of his repertoire.
11:50And in comes the tag to Jeet Gleick.
12:06Gleick describing his in-ring style, almost autobiographical in a sense.
12:14Carves his entire style in the ring over the idea that, well, one moment, one shot can just completely turn your life upside down.
12:25One massive impact, just like Jake Lee suffered in Sendai, took a spell off the apron and was out of professional wrestling for 15 months.
12:34No, very nearly out of professional wrestling permanently.
12:37And that's exactly what Jake Lee seeks to do.
12:40It might be that Suti better at combination offense, but Jake Lee, those one knockout shots, and especially that boot in the corner, the FBS.
12:50I mean, that's a...
12:52If Jake Lee gets it in Osaka, it's over, we've got a new champ.
13:01Okay, and here comes the IWGP Headway Champion.
13:06One, two, three, three, four.
13:10Jake Lee!
13:16Oh, and the knee got blocked there.
13:19The knee to the gut that broke Shingo's ribs got blocked.
13:22Oh, accurate.
13:26Great awareness, but Jake Lee's gonna take advantage now.
13:29You can't getCs on the Twitch.
13:30.
13:32Yeah.
13:35Stop, stop, stop, stop.
13:41In the corner, Suti avoids the charge.
13:44One!
13:46Uh-oh, uh-oh, could be danger here.
13:48Gonna hang him up, accurate.
13:51Jesus.
13:53Let's stand!
13:56and down and francesco says thank you very much i'm going to go off to taiji ishimori on the floor
14:09no decision picking himself up and what
14:20sort of a dental glove
14:26oh like a mandible claw being applied to yoda suji and the choke on the ropes as well
14:38i mean devastating aggressive instantly powerful and just weird yeah i mean there's no doubt about
14:50it i mean i'm convinced certainly
15:03it's someone who really was divine for that title and that's borderline terrifying
15:13what he's doing right there
15:15right there yeah i mean like you just it just goes to show you don't really know what he's gonna do
15:22i don't think me and corcoran hall and you and everybody watching at home really having the
15:26shared thought of what the hell was that
15:28and the fact that he would do that in one second and turn on the dime and use those boots use those
15:36knees so effectively is what makes him an extreme threat to the iwgp heavyweight title
15:45like you are going down and snaps the head much larger opponent that akira is going to try and take
15:51down here well that's one way to do it he's trying to strangle him out
15:57so you've known akira for such a long time what do you mean what do you mean for this new sort of
16:14wolf well i can see him for him i think he's going to love that more than the crowd
16:24i think that the united empire is changing their direction of how they are in treating the
16:29crowd and treating the people it's going to make them more powerful
16:36you can see even on the outside of his face it's more confident
16:38it's a huge huge strain on the mental of jake lee
17:08and a lot would say jake lee wasn't all right to begin with
17:17and the old idea of well crazy like a fox maybe crazy like a new champion
17:26suddenly moments like he was in that interview of being extremely lucid lucid to the point of
17:32of such extreme clarity you know and then when the bell rings in the ring he seems to be a completely
17:40different individual
17:49I think her smarts close distance there and tell the world that's going to get the break here.
17:58Suji indicating to Ishimori and Jake Lee is going to pick his spot again.
18:10On the charge, watch him in the corner, always watch him in the corner.
18:13Suji equally dangerous and there's that combination offense.
18:17If Jake Lee wants that big, one-heavy shot, then best shot for Yodosuji is to go to his strengths, which is that combination.
18:27Strike in multiples. Taiji Ishimori good at striking in multiples as well.
18:31Ishimori on the hops. Nice. John Woo into the corner.
18:41And the neck twist there into the cover. Ishimori on top, going to get it done. Not quite.
18:47Ishimori calling in is still slightly dazed.
18:54Yodosuji trying to take advantage of Akura. Now that Jake Lee is out on the floor.
19:00Oh, look at this.
19:07Great tag team move. One of the world's greatest.
19:14Ishimori again off the cover. And Red Shoes just over two.
19:21And our main event here tonight in Koroko and Hall, the unbound companies.
19:25Taiji Ishimori, Yodosuji.
19:27United Empire's Francesco Akura and Jake Lee.
19:34Double preview of matches. They're going to top and tail.
19:37New beginning in Osaka. Ten days away.
19:40Much-needed momentum will be gained by one group.
19:42Saifu Utaki gets it for Ishimori.
19:44He sits down. Does Akura kebe? Nearly.
19:47And both of these men striking in multiples. The speed quickens.
19:59Hell of a lariat.
20:00And they try and get it again. Does so.
20:15Saifu, Itaki, all the air being driven out of Akura, who just about gets the shoulder up.
20:21Now, you're a big heavyweight. You're waiting on the corner from a tag from a junior heavyweight competitor.
20:33I mean, what's your mindset in this at this juncture of the match-up, Harlan?
20:38Full speed, full power.
20:41Well, personally, I can't give away my secrets.
20:45You've got a short tank.
20:49So you've got to go to the base group burst and have full power.
20:57Akura Redshrews, who knew I was out of position there and got an admonishing from the officials and the double stomp from Akura.
21:05Changing the flow of his match-up.
21:09You know, Akura exchanging words, but it's two-on-one right now.
21:15United Empire in the plus position.
21:18Nishimori, great effort to redirect.
21:23Look at that, overhead!
21:28Dim the lights, and Jake Lee!
21:32Nishimori, Nishimori, Nishimori, Nishimori, Nishimori!
21:42Nishimori's old friend, an exposed turnbuckle, an exposed corner post,
21:54exposed by Accurate, driven into it by Nishimori, and now...
22:03our favorite target on the left shoulder.
22:07It's going to soften him up.
22:10Nishimori has eyes, he's going to try and close distance.
22:13The mystical will turn into Bone Lock, will turn into the submission.
22:16Here we go, wait, wait, wait, Jake Lee in.
22:19Oh, giant killing.
22:20That knee right down.
22:24Fireplex from Accurate, right up on his toes.
22:30Just in time.
22:31Just in time.
22:34And Suji is in the body blower to Jake Lee.
22:44That's what he was talking about.
22:45One shot into the second.
22:48Face Buster into the German Suplex.
22:51Leon Dreamstreet, Suji having the advantage here for the first time sustained in this entire series.
23:04Marlowe Crash misses right into the knee.
23:08That's right, killing me.
23:10And Danger now in the form of that boot.
23:12FBS misses out.
23:18Look out, Tombe Suji Sida.
23:27Champion and Challenger out on the floor.
23:30But Akira has Nishimori in his sights.
23:32Fireball misses.
23:34Nishimori baited the man.
23:36Mystica.
23:37Unbelievable.
23:37Bone Lock.
23:40Bone Lock.
23:40JB is nowhere.
23:43Akira dead center.
23:57Long way to call.
24:02Nishimori repositions, but oh, well, Akira desperate.
24:07A desperate man went to the eyes.
24:10No, is screaming, watch.
24:12One, one!
24:12Dog it!
24:21Nishimori.
24:22Nishimori!
24:22뭐 so eyes to the gut.
24:24Ooh, a long long two.
24:26ECMO!
24:26ECMO!
24:27Me notice to me!
24:38on Francesco Acura, hook him up, bloody cross, bloody cross countered, watch out, watch out.
24:44Great, now he's strong countered, got it, stepped it, no. Fireball.
24:54The knockout shot, Jake Lee, and CJ trapped.
25:01We've seen this before, a new finish at Acura, drops him right down south.
25:06They're coming, yes, Acura has done it.
25:30Acura has done it for the United Empire team,
25:32and there's no body or no thing that Jake Lee wants to celebrate more with
25:36than with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
25:40But that isn't his property, at least not yet.
25:43Ten days from now, Jake Lee and Yoda Tsuji meet for that title, in the main event, a new beginning.
25:51In the Indian Arena Osaka.
25:55And Lee knows, and Tsuji knows,
25:58and if the time should prove right, one fatal blow.
26:07It can distract everything.
26:11The YOTA season.
26:12There is a special match for the match,
26:15in the 19.32 minutes.
26:16In the 19.32 minutes.
26:17Franciscco Acura, Jake Lee, and Jake Lee.
26:19The match of the match,
26:20the winner of the match,
26:21and the winner of the match.
26:22The winner of the match,
26:23the winner of the match.
26:24The winner of the match.
26:25His team's final match.
26:26Jake, Jake, me and you.
26:56We've gone, we've come a long way, huh?
27:01From our old Japan days to today, main eventing, New Japan for Korak and Hull.
27:12I know you better than anybody here.
27:15You're a former old Japan heavyweight champion, a former pro wrestling NOAA champion,
27:22and soon to be the new IWGP heavyweight champion.
27:32And as for me, as for me, I have the target clear in my mind.
27:39Ishimori, I just showed to you what I'm all about.
27:44I beat you fair and square in the ring tonight.
27:48But in Osaka, in Osaka, I am going to beat you and Hiromu so bad that I'm going to make an example out of you.
27:59And now, to all of your Ishimori and Hiromu delusional fans, and especially to the juniors in the locker room,
28:11I am here now.
28:14I'm going to be here now.
28:14I know you like the English, but everybody's going to learn what's going on.
28:20I don't know about English, but I don't know about English.
28:21I can't get any English at all.
28:22But I'm not sure about English.
28:25I don't know about English at all.
28:26I think St. Andrew really should study English, Akira speaks very good Japanese, but electing not to cross the mic to Jay Glee.
28:37Now Jay Glee is going to do the Japanese speech of the evening.
28:44Well, I don't want to say anything, but I didn't really have much plan to say.
28:54I would rather drive those YouTube numbers instead of everything in that interview.
29:04And you will see the value of Jay Glee's existence in Osaka.
29:12A lot of ups and downs in life.
29:15So we should all enjoy the roller coaster in Osaka.
29:24Enjoy the ride that Jay Glee is going to put us all on.
29:30I mean, it's a point we didn't quite get to, but you know, Harley, I mean, Akira and Jay Glee spent a lot of time together.
29:40The ups and downs in all Japan pro wrestling.
29:42I mean, if anybody has an insight into this twisted warped mind of Jay Glee as Francesco Akira.
29:54You definitely see the new year, new me from Akira.
30:03I mean, it was, uh...
30:05Make sure you tell Fujita 2 that I'm coming. I'm here now. Not going anywhere.
30:08Grab down. I'll get right onto him.
30:25There he is.
30:29I think you're right, Harley. I think Francesco Akira likes this new year, new me of his.
30:34He does.
30:36And, well, we're going to turn around. We'll get some more words on camera from Jake Lee and Francesco Akira.
30:40In the meantime, I want to say tomorrow night, we'll be right back.
30:43Same time, same channel. Hiroki Goto versus Yohei Oiwe in the main event.
30:46Yoshi Hashi versus Zack Sabre Jr.
30:48And you against Bolton Oleg Hartley-Jackson.
30:51Final thoughts very, very quickly, Bolton Oleg tomorrow night.
30:53Conqueror versus Godzilla. We're going to tear the fucking house down.
30:59Can't wait to see it. Triple main event tomorrow.
31:02And a lot more preview action on the road to New Beginning.
31:06It'll be the last televised event right here on NJPW World before New Beginning in Osaka.
31:13Coming up February the 11th.
31:16I want to remind everybody as well, make sure you keep your eyes out on backstage comments.
31:20Coming up tomorrow during the early part of the day on YouTube.
31:25Some cases can be the same day.
31:27And I'm sure there will be a lot of hustle and bustle.
31:30Hey, congratulations has to go to Katsuma Arashima.
31:34The winner of the Young Lion Cup.
31:36I don't know if you had a chance to see it.
31:38Harley, but a fantastic way to start tonight.
31:40And Katsuma Arashima won that Young Lion Cup.
31:43And we'll see what happens next for the young men.
31:45Hopefully him versus me.
31:47I definitely want that.
31:49You and he have some unfinished business, I'm sure.
31:54Oh, definitely.
31:56And we will await the words still from Jake Lee and Francesco Acura.
32:01It's a very short hop here in Corcoran Hall, right to the backstage comment area.
32:04So it may well be that we don't have anything to say from Jake Lee.
32:09Certainly Jake Lee said he would rather everybody watch all his thoughts on that fantastic YouTube interview.
32:17Here is Francesco Acura.
32:18Many, many people don't know, but me and Jake history goes way beyond today or the last few weeks.
32:31I've been knowing him since I first came to Japan.
32:35He was one of the only few that actually took care of me.
32:40We didn't share just the locker room a few times.
32:44Me and him shared a brotherhood.
32:49And like brother, we followed.
32:52You came to New Japan, joining the wrong team, huh?
32:55Walldogs.
32:56But after your Eilish vacation, just like me, you understand what's important and you join the right team.
33:07Jake, you were my brother. You are my brother. You will always be my brother.
33:16My brother!
33:18My brother!
33:20Thank you, Akira!
33:23So you're welcome, everyone.
33:27Alright, and that's it.
33:29See you later, it says Jake Lee, the Silent Jester.
33:33And well, that's going to do it here.
33:37And how dare you?
33:41You've got a can of two high under the table.
33:43God, I knew it!
33:45That's actually water.
33:47I knew it!
33:48That one's actually water.
33:49Yeah, that one's dead.
33:50That's got a seal on the damn cap.
33:52It's the only way I can get through this.
33:57We're going to get through one more tomorrow night.
34:04I mean, not this, but a day in general.
34:07A day in general.
34:08In general.
34:09Alright, well, we'll see you tomorrow.
34:116.30 local time, as we said.
34:13You have a fantastic three main events on top, and we're all on the road.
34:16It's a new beginning.
34:17There's going to be plenty more twists and turns in the whole tale
34:21as we get to Eden Arena Osaka February the 11th.
34:24Until then, 6.30pm, right back here.
34:27This is the place to be.
34:28Live English coverage of The Road to New Beginning.
34:30For Harley Jackson, I'm Chris Chong.
34:32We'll catch you tomorrow.
34:33Go kigenyo!
34:34Sayonara!
34:35Thank you!
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