AEW All Out isn't the only big wrestling show this weekend, there's also WWE/AAA Worlds Collide!.....Wait, what?......They're not even airing it?......They booked it just to fuck with All Out's ticket sales and it didn't work?......Wow......Buncha screwups over there at TKO....
Anyway, ANOTHER big wrestling show this weekend is NJPW Destruction in Kobe!
This'll be another one of those half-shows where they start with a bunch of tag matches to kick things off and then we get five singles matches, so those are the ones I'll focus on. It's odd to me that the G1 winner isn't in a singles match here. I know Ryohei Oiwa has his title shot next month but shouldn't he be featured more heavily than in a six-man?
Callum Newman vs. Jeff Cobb
Well, well, well. Guess that gig as the 18th-most famous member of The Bloodline JC Mateo didn't pan out. It will never not be simultaneously hilarious and embarrassing that WWE is so addicted to that one storyline they imported a buncha guys who LOOKED like they could be related to Roman, and then did nothing with most of them. WWE is a parody of pro wrestling. Anyway, glad to see Cobb back where he belongs, in a company that appreciates his unique abilities. It's the new United Empire dude against one of the OGs. Should be a fine contest. I have to think Newman wins here, right? He's a former IWGP Champion and Cobb just got back. Newman losing to the guy who DIDN'T make it in WWE would make NJPW look third-rate indeed.
Pick: Newman
NJPW TV Championship: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Shun Skywalker
Never seen this Skywalker fellow before but he's certainly got an intriguing presentation. I wish he weren't a fucking House of Torture guy. Takeshita's dual contract situation makes his matches somewhat hard to predict; you never know what the plan is for him on each side. He's had this title since February so I could see a title change happening. Match should be quite good as all Takeshita matches are (although that depends how much the House of Torture gets involved), and he'll make Shun look great regardless who wins.
Pick: Skywalker
Shingo Takagi vs. Claudio Castagnoli
This should be fantastic, a good old-fashioned "meat" match. Takagi blames Claudio and PAC for fucking up his focus heading into the G1, so this'll be his shot at revenge. I think he'll get it.
Pick: Shingo
IWGP Global Championship: Gabe Kidd vs. Drilla Moloney
Two former War Dogs do battle for the #2 title. This could steal the show. Moloney is really growing into a fine big-match wrestler, and Kidd is uniquely charismatic. I'm picturing a lot of outside the ring brawling. I think Kidd probably keeps the title.
Pick: Kidd retains
IWGP World Championship: Yota Tsuji vs. Hirooki Goto
It's the company's current Ace vs. the Cinderella story of 2025. Goto beat Tsuji in the G1, hence he earned a title match. There's little suspense over this result - Tsuji isn't losing a month before his scheduled match with Oiwa - but this one should be intense and emotional, and a nice appetizer for Tsuji-Oiwa at King of Pro-Wrestling.
Pick: Tsuji retains
I'll likely be skipping the undercard tag bouts on this one, but that'll make these five matches an easy watch. All of them have potential to be quite good. Enjoy!
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